S E V E N

The arrival of the destroyer in Mount Olympus became the talk of the town among the loyal servants of the gods. They were surprised when Zeus ordered them to prepare a special room for Eleena. Mount Olympus is supposed to be the home of the gods and they are the only ones permitted to stay in it but a mortal, the destroyer of the world at that, was welcomed as if she is one of them. 

Hera heard everything about Eleena and Zeus's interest in her. She was furious knowing that her husband had favored another woman aside from her. She's getting sick of it but she cannot let someone take his husband away and her throne, mortal or not. 

"What does this Eleena look like?" She turned to her servant and she immediately lowered her gaze. 

"She's beautiful as the others said." She spoke in a small voice. Hera nodded and looked at her reflection. She fixed her crown and felt proud as being one of the few who wears such an honorable accessory. 

"Poor thing. She will disappear even before she gets to destroy the world." Hera stood and went out of her chamber. 

She went down Mount Olympus and met with a mortal who had been under her care for quite some time now. Philius is the son of one of the mistresses of Zeus. Hera spared her life when Philius offered his life instead. Since then, Hera has been using him to punish the other women Zeus has been having affairs with. 

"I believe Eleena is on Apollo's island, in Delos. Go there and kill her." Philius nodded and left. 

Hera smirked knowing that the oracle might not happen and it is all because of her. 

"You shouldn't have stepped in what's mine." She said to herself as he watched Philius leave. He never failed her so she's certain that Eleena will never escape her wrath. 

…

"Apollo?" Eleena peeked first and when she saw that Apollo was just sitting, she went out of her room. 

Apollo looked at her before averting his eyes. She's getting more beautiful to his eyes as days pass by. He had some lovers before but they never made him feel this way. 

Eleena bit her lips as she looked down at her fingers fiddling. She stopped them by putting her hands behind her back then she turned to Apollo. 

"Can I ask for a favor?" Her voice was low and her face started heating due to embarrassment. 

"What is it?" Apollo stood and leaned on the table. Eleena sighed and smiled at him. 

"Can you buy some fabric for me?" Apollo's brows met upon hearing Eleena's request. 

"Fabric? What are you going to do with it?" Eleena looked around as her face started heating again. 

"I will sew some new clothes. I am kinda uncomfortable with this dress. It's too… big and… revealing a bit." Eleena crossed her arms as she felt the cold wind entering the opening in the sleeves. 

She wants something with sleeves or at least something that fits her. She also wants to sew a few undergarments because she's uncomfortable wearing the same ones for plenty of days now. Apollo noticed the uneasiness of Eleena and he agreed with her. The clothes of Artemis don't suit her.  

"Alright. We will fetch some materials from the market." Apollo stood but Eleena quickly shook her head. 

"I want to stay here. I think being in a public place like that will only make me a target even more." She looked at his eyes and she noticed the hesitancy of Apollo. 

"But I can't leave you alone, Eleena." His voice was laced with worry so Eleena gave him an assuring smile. 

"I'll be fine. I'll just stay in my room and remain quiet as if no one's here. Just be quick if you're too worried." Apollo sighed and gave in to Eleena's request. 

"Alright. Promise me you'll be safe?" Eleena nodded and even raised her right hand which caused Apollo to smile in amusement. 

"I promise to be safe so Apollo won't get worried while he's shopping." She said cheerfully and Apollo chuckled. Eleena giggled at her own remark. 

"I will be back shortly." Eleena nodded and waved her hand to Apollo. He looked back at her and when she gave him a sweet smile, he sighed and left. Eleena quickly went to her room and sat on the bed quietly like what she promised. 

Apollo used his ability and got swallowed by a light to arrive faster to the market. He disguised himself as a mortal and looked for the materials Eleena would use. Meanwhile, Eleena was just thinking about the clothes she will be making when she heard a sound. It was a faint breathing but she could hear it clearly. She felt that someone was around the house. 

'I am getting weird again. Why did my hearing and feeling suddenly become so strong?' Eleena thought before standing. 

She looked around the room and tried to find something that she could use as a weapon. The footsteps are getting near the room so she grabbed the chair beside the bed and thought to throw it to the person when it enters. 

Eleena felt her heart pounding wildly against her chest. She's afraid but she feels so strong, just like the time when she met Artemis and Hermes. There's a strong surge of strength running through her veins that's giving her the courage to fight whoever or whatever is coming. 

The door was pushed open and Eleena held her breath. Philius appeared with an axe in his hand. They made eye contact and Eleena's instinct told her to throw the chair so she did. The chair broke when it hit Philius's face and he fell to the floor because of the impact. Eleena doesn't have anywhere to run to and instead of hiding, she faces Philius with her head held high. She didn't mind the axe he's bringing and the determination in his eyes. 

Philius quickly stood despite his blurry eyesight and bleeding face. He has a mission and his mother's life is in the line so he has to succeed. He gripped the handle of the axe and charged at Eleena. He raised the axe, aiming for Eleena's head but she quickly stopped the blade using her hand. It pierced through her thin and delicate skin and blood gushed rapidly. 

Eleena looked at her hand holding the blade and her eyes widened as she watched the blood flow down to her arm and started staining her white dress. She's surprised at what she did but she was more thrilled when she didn't feel any pain. The blade is close to cutting her hand into two but she can't feel a single sting. 

Philius withdrew the axe and tried to hit Eleena again but she dodged. She gasped and quickly stepped back when Philius started attacking her uncontrollably. He's getting more frustrated the more Eleena avoids his attacks. Philius stopped when Eleena hit the wall. He smirked at her and slowly walked towards her while dragging the axe against the floor, leaving trails of her blood. 

"You will end us so why don't you sacrifice yourself? Are you selfish?" Eleena froze at what Philius said. 

He has a point. She totally forgot about the oracle. She fell into deep thinking that she didn't notice Philius slowly lifting the axe. 

'Am I selfish for wanting to live?' Eleena thought and her chest tightened when she answered herself with a 'yes'. 

Philius aimed to behead Eleena and when he was about to hit her, he fell to the floor that caused him to drop the axe. Eleena was surprised when he saw Apollo stepping on Philius's back. They were so preoccupied that they didn't notice Apollo arrived already. He was quick to kick Philius's leg when he saw he's attacking Eleena with an axe. 

Philius groaned in pain as his whole body began to ache. Despite being kicked once, the power of a god's kick is too strong for a mortal to handle. Philius is still determined to finish his job so he tried to reach for the axe and Apollo saw him. He's angry that he tried to kill Eleena but now he's angrier that he's not yet stopping. 

Apollo wrapped his hand around Philius's nape and quickly pulled him up. Eleena was surprised to see Apollo's strength. She gasped at how he managed to carry a man using one hand but she was more startled at how furious his eyes are. They are the same when they met Zeus and he tried to flirt with her. Eleena shuddered at the sight but nevertheless, she remained watching Apollo. 

He slammed Philius against the floor that caused a few bones to break in his body. Apollo forgot that Eleena was in the room, watching him with fear, but all he cares about right now is killing Philius for attempting to hurt Eleena. Philius starts crying as he feels frightened and he's deeply in pain. Apollo's grip on his neck tightened as he kneeled beside him. He pulled his upper body up and made Philius face him. He's unrecognizable now with his bloody and bruised face but for Apollo, this is not an enough payment for what he did. 

"Tell me, mortal. How did you know that we are here?" Apollo asked through gritted teeth. Philius continued crying so Apollo tightened his grip more. 

"Apollo, stop. He's already hurting." Eleena said in a small voice. She couldn't bear it anymore. She doesn't want to see Apollo this way. She wanted to remember him as a kind and gentle god. 

Apollo looked back but he didn't see anyone because he was blinded by his anger. He never felt this enraged in his whole life. Whenever he remembers how Philius almost killed Eleena, it fuels his anger. He is also blaming himself for what happened. If he hadn't left, Eleena would have been safe. 

"Speak, mortal or I will cut your tongue and feed it to you." Philius trembled in fear and tried to speak but he couldn't make any word. 

"Hera." He breathlessly said but Apollo heard him clearly. 

He let go of Philius and quickly stood. Without thinking clearly, he went to Mount Olympus. Eleena closed her eyes when a blinding light swallowed Apollo and in an instant, she was left with the man who almost killed her. She's not afraid of Philius but to Apollo's anger. Eleena hoped that wherever he went, he would not be driven by his anger. 

As soon as Apollo arrived at Mount Olympus, he went to Hera's chamber but she's not there so he went to Pantheon. His anger doubled when he saw Hera sitting beside Zeus's throne and his eyes automatically glued on her. 

Hera smirked when he saw Apollo. His clothes are stained by blood and seeing how furious he is, she knew that his mortal destroyer had died already. Hera didn't care about Eleena and just agreed to their plan of protecting her for a while but she felt threatened about her existence so she did what she had to do. 

In a blink of an eye, Apollo is strangling Hera with his two hands. Her eyes widened when Apollo's choke started to tighten as seconds passed by. He glared at her and clenched his jaw as he made her feel his wrath. Apollo doesn't care if she's the queen of heaven because the fact that she tried to hurt Eleena already put her in his enemy's list. 

"A… Apo… Apollo." Hera called breathlessly but Apollo could not hear anything. 

Hera tried to remove his hands on her neck but to no avail.

"You will die in my hands, Hera." Apollo clenched his teeth. 

Artemis and Hermes came and they were surprised at the scene but they immediately pulled Apollo away from Hera. They used all their strength to break his hold on the goddess. 

"Apollo, stop." Artemis gritted his teeth as she tried to loosen her twin's hold on Hera while Hermes was pulling him away. 

"Think of Eleena." It was like a magic word that snapped Apollo out of his anger. 

He lost his hold to Hera and she quickly tried to catch her breath. She fell to the floor and touched her swollen neck while glaring at Apollo. He glared back at her before walking away. He's breathing fast as his heart is pounding wildly against his chest. He's still furious at Hera but Eleena needs him more now. He is utterly disappointed in himself for being reckless. 

"Hera will retaliate." Artemis followed him but he didn't stop walking despite hearing what his twin said. 

"I don't care. I am not done with her anyway." He clenched his jaw as he remembered the scene he saw earlier. 

"Just go home to Eleena. You need to calm down." Artemis patted his shoulder before going back inside. 

Apollo sighed and thought that Artemis was right. He needs to go back to his home.