Page 178 of Styx

but in some cave hidden far away.

As hours passed and Styx bravely

bore the agonizing pain,

never complaining through her

suffering, finally the cries of an infant

filled all the many corners of the cave.

It occurred to me in that moment

how far we had come from our own girlhood.

And how fitting it was in some ways

that it was in a cave much like our

beloved one from childhood that

Styx had given birth to the first child

from amongst the four of us.

Metis swaddled and held the infant.

‘It is a boy,’ she whispered softly,

reverently, and placed him on Styx’s chest.

Pallas’s Amber Eyes Shone

so bright, they looked like the sun.

I realized I had never seen him shed tears.

Most Gods did not. They saw

tears and grief as the actions

of lesser deities, Goddesses, and mortals.

But Pallas in that moment could not have been

more powerful than when he placed

his hand on his son’s small head,

his other holding Styx’s hand tight,

a slight tremble in his fingers.

‘A child of zeal.’ His voice deepened.

‘A God of dedication and emulation.

Rivals will pray to him. He will inspire