Chapter Text
Tommy stepped over tangled roots in the forest, cursing as his ankle got caught and scraped.
Buisness Bay was a couple thousand blocks behind him, but he continued forward.
He swore he saw some light come from there, in the blasty sort of way, not in the someone-powered-a-beacon-and-it-just-started way.
He slashed through a few more vines, and saw… Luke? His eyes widened and he rushed over to him.
“H-Hey, Tommy! Uh, what’re you doin’ here?”
“Luke,” Tommy folded his arms across his chest, “What was that light?”
“What light?” He answered back, and Tommy frowned. They continued on, back and forth, Luke denying seeing anything.
He gave up eventually, wondering if it had been a figment of his imagination.
He changed his mind when he saw Luke’s grimace as he clutched his side. He continued walking though, and thought about some plans on what to do next.
Strange things had been happening around the SMP. Coincidentally enough, Luke was almost always around the area. One time he even swore his friend’s eyes were glowing. He didn’t mention it when they spoke however, didn’t bring it up with anyone else. Deo gave him a couple of concerned looks when he ran his fingers through his hair, but he waved him off.
He hoped his avoidance wouldn’t come back to bite them later.
Tommy grumbled as his thoughts got dark, thinking of how or what was wrong. The Bay sat at the dinner table, laughing and loud as always. Tommy sighed, moving his food around his plate with his fork, as he huffed.
Tommy grabbed his plate leaving the room, placing his plate on the counter as he went for the front door leaving. The Bay had watched their leader silently leave but not thinking much of it got back to conversation.
Tommy sighed as his bare feet touched the sand, walking to the water as the now slightly cooled sand mushed beneath his feet. As Tommy reached the water, he sat down.
Lifting his pant legs up to his thighs, he hesitantly stepped into the cool water. He sat, hands behind him as he looked up at the stars. The stars were always easy to see, especially at Business Bay for their lack of lights and gas.
Tommy sighed closing his eyes as he breathed in and out, smiling at the smell of the ocean in front of him.
Tommy sat there, disrupted by a strong hit to his head knocking him clean out on a beach far away from the Bay Boys. as the rest of the Bay grew restless all night with not being able to find their leader.
The Bay had started a patrol about an hour after Tommy left looking for their leader, the Bay grew restless. The search had lasted for hours now, the sun scratching at the horizon as they now believed their leader had been taken.
Deo slammed his fist through the wall in rage. They had looked for hours, it’s not even five o’clock in the afternoon, and their leader had been gone since 8 o’clock yesterday! Deo ripped his hand from the wall, running it through his hair to then kick the wall and let out a yell of frustration. He then began to pace as Blitz put his head in his hands and growled.
Luke was sitting outside as he sighed, contacting people around to see if they had seen Tommy, always getting a ‘no, sorry’ or, perhaps, an ‘I’ll keep an eye out’ if he was lucky. Luke ran a hand through his hair as he watched Wisp go for another walk around the Bay, scanning for Tommy. Luke sighed again, he was getting angry with the fact that everyone said they hadn’t seen him when he’s SURE ONE OF THEM HAD! Luke laid his head on his knees as he grew furious.
He kicked the ground as he began to pull at his hair again, and decided the reward was higher than the risks.
Glancing around, he searched for any sign of a single person in the vicinity. Wisp and Deo had left, returning to their search with determined yells for Tommy.
He took a deep breath, eyes closed, and felt power surge through his veins.
Luke ascended, and in his place, was the god of the moon, LukeOrSomething.
His eyes glowed with the shine of the moon, stars twinkling in his hair. He passed the treetops, shadow skimming over them as a trail of shimmering dust was left in his wake.
There were still no signs of Tommy, perhaps some of the pantheon had seen them?
Dodging through a long series of twists and turns, LukeOrSomething navigating them with memories he wasn’t sure he knew how he got, but were there nonetheless.
Eris and Ares sat on their seats—not the original Ares and Eris, no. Rather, they were the newest Chosen, similar to his position in a long line of Artemis’ Chosen.
“Hey, Ares. Have you seen a blonde? Blue eyes, red and white shirt?”
“Hmm… I think I might have. Tall, Brit, swear a lot?”
“That’s the one! Where is he?”
Eris shifted in the seat. “I think he was in the Arctic Empire. Or was it Business Bay… Maybe the faction next to that one?”
Artemis sighed, circlet shifting in his hair as he slouched. Eris loved chaos, whether that be from his own doing, war, or others. Ares sighed.
“Dude, chill. Artemis is obviously concerned. I think I saw him with Apollo.” Ares tilted his head towards him at the end of the sentence, and he had never felt more thankful for that creepy smile.
Luke sent him a grateful smile and made a note to offer help with his duties, covering a couple prayers, or really, anything else he needed.
Ares was a lifesaver right now. He set off towards the setting sun, knowing the cliffs near it were a favorite of the most recent Apollo.
“JenIGuess.” He bowed. The brunette returned it, and he saw Tommy passed out not too far away, perhaps only a few steps.
“LukeOrSomething.”
“What are you doing with this mortal?”
“Oh, you know. Mild torture to train his body for the surgence of power that will come for Gigantomachia’s second coming.”
LukeOrSomething grit his teeth, noting JenIGuess’ red veins and puffy eyes. Her palm had red vines digging into it, which wrapped up her forearm.
LukeOrSomething didn’t understand. She used to be so nice, always offering to cover duties whenever she wasn’t busy with pulling the sun. What happened to the innocent girl, shocked that at the implication she could be a god, let alone an Apollo?
He grabbed his bow, notching an arrow and readying his shot. The circlet appeared again, pulling his hair out of his face, and he let the arrow go.
She dodged, returning the shot with another of hers. He shot into the sky, Essence flowing throughout his very being.
Apollo’s eyes glowed pure red, shocking and deep and vibrant, deep as blood and also as bright as the sunrise. Crimson vines wrapped around her bow, on the top of her arrow, and LukeOrSomething had enough sense to avoid it.
The battle went on in a blur of screams, the smell of blood, pain lacing through his body and Essence slowly leaving him.
He was pushing his time. His Godhood was being stripped away with each drop of Ichor that hit the stone.
However, for each drop of his that spilled, another of JenIGuess’ fell.
The crimson vines pulled away from her skin, searching for a new host. He dove and tackled the goddess, slamming her on the floor with a grunt.
He didn’t know Tommy was awake yet.
At least, he didn’t know until the blade swung cleanly through JenIGuess’ chest, and he’d throat hitched.
The vines dug into her skin a moment more and she reached her fingers onto Tommy’s temple. Essence leaked from her fingertips as her skin paled, and Tommy’s grew more vibrant.
LukeOrSomething smiled, bowing with blood dripping down his forehead. “What is your name, newest Chosen?”
“It’s Tommy, innit?”
“Welcome, TommyInnit, newest Apollo, God of the Sun.”
Tommy looked to look as his calm aura fell as he began to panic. Tommy gripped onto Luke as he looked from Luke to the body, Luke smiled as he ran a hand through Tommy’s hair
“Hello again, Apollo.”
Luke giggled, only to get punched in the face from a frightful Tommy.
“WHO THE HELL IS THAT, MY NAME’S TOMMY!”
Tommy looked at Luke, shaking. His pale blues eyes locked with Luke’s black ones. Luke raised an eyebrow confused. Why doesn’t Tommy know? Luke looked around confused just to see Ares shaking his head and holding back some of Apollo’s essences.
Ares left with a sigh and a laughing Eris in tow.
“TommyInnit, do you not know?”
“No, duh! My name is Tommy, not Apollo or ‘TommyInnit’ or some other weird name!” He curled up, and LukeOrSomething smiled a little before sitting down and scooting closer to him.
“TommyInnit, you were selected as the newest Apollo, God of the Sun. My name is LukeOrSomethinf, God of the Moon, Artemis. JenIGuess was the past Apollo, and as she died she transferred her Essence onto you, giving you the piers of the sun.”
“Wait, Luke, hold on. What? What the Hell happened, what am I doing here, what is all this about ‘Gods’ and are you high?”
LukeOrSomething shook his head and let the circlet fall, Essence retreating into his veins, throbbing for when he would need it again.
“Tommy, do you feel that in your chest? About here,” he laid his hand across his chest, about where his heart was, “that’s where your Essence is until you unlock it.”
“Essence?”
“It’s what gives us our divinity. Ares was holding back yours a bit so as not to overwhelm you, but now you should be fine. Feel that energy, and go into it. For me, it was like a cool pond, but everyone else says it’s different. Ares says his was like fire, and Eris’ was like a blanket.”
Tommy shut his eyes, and Luke waited with anticipation.
The last beam of dusk hit Tommy’s hair, and his eyes opened with a glow. His blonde locks were more vibrant, his blue eyes more lively and warm. His red shirt seemed to shimmer with the sun’s rays, and he floated slightly for a moment.
Luke recalled his initiation with fondness. His mentor and predecessor in the duties of Artemis had told him of the ceremony. How once a name was stated, it would be unchangeable.
”What is your name, newest Chosen?” Janus had asked. Artemis and them had been good friends.
“Uh, Luke or something, I guess. Whatever’s fine.”
“Welcome, LukeOrSomething, newest Artemis, God of the Moon.” Janus cracked a smile. Their energy would always be felt when Deities were replaced. Janus was the deity of endings and beginnings, after all.
TommyInnit’s Essence returned to a soft pulse beneath his skin, making him seem healthier. He stretched, and Luke smiled, setting Tommy’s head in his lap.
He’d teach Tommy the responsibilities of an Artemis. For now, he’d let the kid rest.