Apollo?

The pile of wings and cloth shuddered at the contact, though they were still unconscious. After a few more pokes, the creature groaned, and spoke. "God, at least let me wake up before you try to kill me again, you stupid fucking snake lady.." It mumbled, before sitting up. They opened their eyes, one brown and one gold, and looked up at Nero. "Oh no, not you... what'd you do to get down here..?"

"Oh.. that checks out.." They sigh, which sounds like a terrible gurgling noise, before spitting out golden ichor onto the grass. "Ugh.. not that again.." They laid back down on the grass, groaning. "Fucking Tartarus.. fucking Nero.. why Nero!? Yeah I hate the guy, but if you're trying to torment me, you're wasting your time, this guy is not even worth looking at, fucking loser. Ugh. I'm going back to sleep.. woke me up for fucking Nero.. the nerve..." They closed their eyes, before opening one and looking up at Nero. "The hell you still looking at me for? You can vanish now."

Oh gods, they actually believed it? This was probably the best entertainment he was going to get in a good while. He couldn't believe this- oh, they thought they were in Tartarus! This was just beautiful, it made him want to point and laugh at just how pathetic they were. Well, at least they recognized him- apparently they didn't like him, which made this oh so much more fun. He kicked the being in the side, "No, I don't think I will. Also, who's the loser here? You, stuck in Tartarus, or him, thriving? Hmm?"

"Ow.. that hurt so much... oh you horrible monster.. oh what am I going to dooo.." They groaned, their voice full of sarcasm. They stood up, though very shakily. "Listen, Mr. Illusion Nero... nothing you say can make me hate myself more than I already to, m'kay? You're wasting your time." They reached up and clutched something hanging from their neck for a moment. It was.. a pair of rings with crescent shapes on them. "I can promise, the real Nero isn't thriving. Or at least, I hope to gods not. I mean.. it has been a year... maybe he has gotten over it.. I don't doubt it... he's a wicked man..probably never even cared about her.. not as much as I did, that's for sure..." They sighed and looked up at the supposedly imaginary Nero. "Point is, whether he's 'thriving' or not, I don't care. Just leave me alone."

"Yeah. Me too." He chuckled. "And you are not fine, but whatever. I don't have the energy to give a shit. I'm going home, now that I'm out of that fuckin pit. See ya!" He stood up off the rock, started wobbling, and.. promptly sat back down. "Nope, never mind. If I try to start walking I'd fall on my face. Awesome." He growled, glaring at the ground. He closed his eyes and tried to move the three pairs of massive wings on his back, but to no success. He could wiggle them a little, but not nearly enough to get himself off the ground. "Damnit!"

Apollo laughed, though it sounded more like a gurgle. He spat out gold blood onto the ground. "You're just telling me shit I already know, fuckass! I'm fully aware of how pathetic I am! Nothing you say can hurt me anymore. Yes,everything is my fault. I'm the worst of the gods. I'm a loser, a wimp, a fraud, a coward! Call me anything you like, I'll just agree with you." He cackled, grabbing Nero's hand and pulling it off his hair. "I don't even know what kind of point you're trying to make, dumbass."

Apollo followed Nero's gaze to the rings hanging around his neck. "Don't you fucking dare... you don't deserve them, you filth. You... you got her killed, you know that, right? If.. if you hadn't killed her father, if you hadn't 'adopted' her, if you hadn't gotten her in the middle of this mess.. I never would have met her, of course.. but she'd be alive. It may have been my father that killed her, but you gave him the reason to. You're a fucking menace. No matter what you do, no matter who you look at, who you try to care for, you will fail them." Apollo stood up, shaking. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel weak. He didn't feel afraid. He felt pure, unbridled anger. The vision of the ashes was fresh in his mind, as he had been tormented with the sight for the past few months. "You have no right to anything but guilt for your actions, Nero. No right to stand here while she's gone. You nequam nasci.. you should just do everyone a favor and go back to Tartarus where you belong."

The pile of wings and cloth shuddered at the contact, though they were still unconscious. After a few more pokes, the creature groaned, and spoke. "God, at least let me wake up before you try to kill me again, you stupid fucking snake lady.." It mumbled, before sitting up. They opened their eyes, one brown and one gold, and looked up at Nero. "Oh no, not you... what'd you do to get down here..?"

"Oh.. that checks out.." They sigh, which sounds like a terrible gurgling noise, before spitting out golden ichor onto the grass. "Ugh.. not that again.." They laid back down on the grass, groaning. "Fucking Tartarus.. fucking Nero.. why Nero!? Yeah I hate the guy, but if you're trying to torment me, you're wasting your time, this guy is not even worth looking at, fucking loser. Ugh. I'm going back to sleep.. woke me up for fucking Nero.. the nerve..." They closed their eyes, before opening one and looking up at Nero. "The hell you still looking at me for? You can vanish now."

Oh gods, they actually believed it? This was probably the best entertainment he was going to get in a good while. He couldn't believe this- oh, they thought they were in Tartarus! This was just beautiful, it made him want to point and laugh at just how pathetic they were. Well, at least they recognized him- apparently they didn't like him, which made this oh so much more fun. He kicked the being in the side, "No, I don't think I will. Also, who's the loser here? You, stuck in Tartarus, or him, thriving? Hmm?"

"Ow.. that hurt so much... oh you horrible monster.. oh what am I going to dooo.." They groaned, their voice full of sarcasm. They stood up, though very shakily. "Listen, Mr. Illusion Nero... nothing you say can make me hate myself more than I already to, m'kay? You're wasting your time." They reached up and clutched something hanging from their neck for a moment. It was.. a pair of rings with crescent shapes on them. "I can promise, the real Nero isn't thriving. Or at least, I hope to gods not. I mean.. it has been a year... maybe he has gotten over it.. I don't doubt it... he's a wicked man..probably never even cared about her.. not as much as I did, that's for sure..." They sighed and looked up at the supposedly imaginary Nero. "Point is, whether he's 'thriving' or not, I don't care. Just leave me alone."

"Yeah. Me too." He chuckled. "And you are not fine, but whatever. I don't have the energy to give a shit. I'm going home, now that I'm out of that fuckin pit. See ya!" He stood up off the rock, started wobbling, and.. promptly sat back down. "Nope, never mind. If I try to start walking I'd fall on my face. Awesome." He growled, glaring at the ground. He closed his eyes and tried to move the three pairs of massive wings on his back, but to no success. He could wiggle them a little, but not nearly enough to get himself off the ground. "Damnit!"

Apollo laughed, though it sounded more like a gurgle. He spat out gold blood onto the ground. "You're just telling me shit I already know, fuckass! I'm fully aware of how pathetic I am! Nothing you say can hurt me anymore. Yes,everything is my fault. I'm the worst of the gods. I'm a loser, a wimp, a fraud, a coward! Call me anything you like, I'll just agree with you." He cackled, grabbing Nero's hand and pulling it off his hair. "I don't even know what kind of point you're trying to make, dumbass."

Apollo followed Nero's gaze to the rings hanging around his neck. "Don't you fucking dare... you don't deserve them, you filth. You... you got her killed, you know that, right? If.. if you hadn't killed her father, if you hadn't 'adopted' her, if you hadn't gotten her in the middle of this mess.. I never would have met her, of course.. but she'd be alive. It may have been my father that killed her, but you gave him the reason to. You're a fucking menace. No matter what you do, no matter who you look at, who you try to care for, you will fail them." Apollo stood up, shaking. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel weak. He didn't feel afraid. He felt pure, unbridled anger. The vision of the ashes was fresh in his mind, as he had been tormented with the sight for the past few months. "You have no right to anything but guilt for your actions, Nero. No right to stand here while she's gone. You nequam nasci.. you should just do everyone a favor and go back to Tartarus where you belong."

The pile of wings and cloth shuddered at the contact, though they were still unconscious. After a few more pokes, the creature groaned, and spoke. "God, at least let me wake up before you try to kill me again, you stupid fucking snake lady.." It mumbled, before sitting up. They opened their eyes, one brown and one gold, and looked up at Nero. "Oh no, not you... what'd you do to get down here..?"

"Oh.. that checks out.." They sigh, which sounds like a terrible gurgling noise, before spitting out golden ichor onto the grass. "Ugh.. not that again.." They laid back down on the grass, groaning. "Fucking Tartarus.. fucking Nero.. why Nero!? Yeah I hate the guy, but if you're trying to torment me, you're wasting your time, this guy is not even worth looking at, fucking loser. Ugh. I'm going back to sleep.. woke me up for fucking Nero.. the nerve..." They closed their eyes, before opening one and looking up at Nero. "The hell you still looking at me for? You can vanish now."

Oh gods, they actually believed it? This was probably the best entertainment he was going to get in a good while. He couldn't believe this- oh, they thought they were in Tartarus! This was just beautiful, it made him want to point and laugh at just how pathetic they were. Well, at least they recognized him- apparently they didn't like him, which made this oh so much more fun. He kicked the being in the side, "No, I don't think I will. Also, who's the loser here? You, stuck in Tartarus, or him, thriving? Hmm?"

"Ow.. that hurt so much... oh you horrible monster.. oh what am I going to dooo.." They groaned, their voice full of sarcasm. They stood up, though very shakily. "Listen, Mr. Illusion Nero... nothing you say can make me hate myself more than I already to, m'kay? You're wasting your time." They reached up and clutched something hanging from their neck for a moment. It was.. a pair of rings with crescent shapes on them. "I can promise, the real Nero isn't thriving. Or at least, I hope to gods not. I mean.. it has been a year... maybe he has gotten over it.. I don't doubt it... he's a wicked man..probably never even cared about her.. not as much as I did, that's for sure..." They sighed and looked up at the supposedly imaginary Nero. "Point is, whether he's 'thriving' or not, I don't care. Just leave me alone."

"Yeah. Me too." He chuckled. "And you are not fine, but whatever. I don't have the energy to give a shit. I'm going home, now that I'm out of that fuckin pit. See ya!" He stood up off the rock, started wobbling, and.. promptly sat back down. "Nope, never mind. If I try to start walking I'd fall on my face. Awesome." He growled, glaring at the ground. He closed his eyes and tried to move the three pairs of massive wings on his back, but to no success. He could wiggle them a little, but not nearly enough to get himself off the ground. "Damnit!"

Apollo laughed, though it sounded more like a gurgle. He spat out gold blood onto the ground. "You're just telling me shit I already know, fuckass! I'm fully aware of how pathetic I am! Nothing you say can hurt me anymore. Yes,everything is my fault. I'm the worst of the gods. I'm a loser, a wimp, a fraud, a coward! Call me anything you like, I'll just agree with you." He cackled, grabbing Nero's hand and pulling it off his hair. "I don't even know what kind of point you're trying to make, dumbass."

Not particularly, just.. need rest. Lots of it. Just speaking right now takes so much energy..

The pile of wings and cloth shuddered at the contact, though they were still unconscious. After a few more pokes, the creature groaned, and spoke. "God, at least let me wake up before you try to kill me again, you stupid fucking snake lady.." It mumbled, before sitting up. They opened their eyes, one brown and one gold, and looked up at Nero. "Oh no, not you... what'd you do to get down here..?"

"Oh.. that checks out.." They sigh, which sounds like a terrible gurgling noise, before spitting out golden ichor onto the grass. "Ugh.. not that again.." They laid back down on the grass, groaning. "Fucking Tartarus.. fucking Nero.. why Nero!? Yeah I hate the guy, but if you're trying to torment me, you're wasting your time, this guy is not even worth looking at, fucking loser. Ugh. I'm going back to sleep.. woke me up for fucking Nero.. the nerve..." They closed their eyes, before opening one and looking up at Nero. "The hell you still looking at me for? You can vanish now."

Oh gods, they actually believed it? This was probably the best entertainment he was going to get in a good while. He couldn't believe this- oh, they thought they were in Tartarus! This was just beautiful, it made him want to point and laugh at just how pathetic they were. Well, at least they recognized him- apparently they didn't like him, which made this oh so much more fun. He kicked the being in the side, "No, I don't think I will. Also, who's the loser here? You, stuck in Tartarus, or him, thriving? Hmm?"

"Ow.. that hurt so much... oh you horrible monster.. oh what am I going to dooo.." They groaned, their voice full of sarcasm. They stood up, though very shakily. "Listen, Mr. Illusion Nero... nothing you say can make me hate myself more than I already to, m'kay? You're wasting your time." They reached up and clutched something hanging from their neck for a moment. It was.. a pair of rings with crescent shapes on them. "I can promise, the real Nero isn't thriving. Or at least, I hope to gods not. I mean.. it has been a year... maybe he has gotten over it.. I don't doubt it... he's a wicked man..probably never even cared about her.. not as much as I did, that's for sure..." They sighed and looked up at the supposedly imaginary Nero. "Point is, whether he's 'thriving' or not, I don't care. Just leave me alone."

"Yeah. Me too." He chuckled. "And you are not fine, but whatever. I don't have the energy to give a shit. I'm going home, now that I'm out of that fuckin pit. See ya!" He stood up off the rock, started wobbling, and.. promptly sat back down. "Nope, never mind. If I try to start walking I'd fall on my face. Awesome." He growled, glaring at the ground. He closed his eyes and tried to move the three pairs of massive wings on his back, but to no success. He could wiggle them a little, but not nearly enough to get himself off the ground. "Damnit!"

The odd, winged creature shifts slightly, shakily sitting up a bit to face the stranger. "H..hello? Do I hear someone?" It speaks, their voice hoarse and low. They open all four eyes and look up at him, squinting. "Who.. are you? Where..am I..?"

“Oh goodness! You look terrible, here, let me help you get patched up!” Hector pulls out a roll of bandage and starts patching them up. “My name is Hector, do you know who you are?”

"I'm uh.. I'm Apollo... I..may not look like it, but.." He sighs and looks at his wings. They're tattered and filthy, but still quite magnificent. "I'm.. usually more.. normal looking.. um... sorry you gotta.. see me like this, heh.."

“Oh dear! Apollo? My goodness we need to get you patched up!” Hector puts an arm around him and helps him up. “I have more medical supplies back at my home, it’s not far from here!”

"Thank you, kiddo.. what's your name? You look.. a lot like my brother.." Apollo rasped, leaning against the man, his wings drooping to the ground. He seemed to be putting a lot of weight on Hector, like he was too weak to hold himself up. "I.. appreciate the help.. who knows how long I'd be laying there otherwise.."

“My name is Hector. I am the son of Hephaestus. would I be as a demigod if I just stood idly by while one of the gods sat in pain! No need to thank me, as I was not prepared and have no offering to give you consider my helping you an offering.” Hector adjusts to help ease the pressure off of Apollo and take the brunt of his weight.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I don't care about.. offerings or whatever. I've been through enough to know.. there's more to life than silly gifts.." Apollo chuckles, shaking his head. "Say.. what's today's date?"

“Oh! Uh, November 2nd I believe! Is something the matter?”

"Oh geez.. that means it's been.. 5 months? Six? Something like that.." Apollo sighs, before wincing, holding his left shoulder. "Ugh.. those stupid dracaenae did a number on me... some God I am, a-am I right?" He chuckles, shaking his head. "I doubt I could go back in this condition.. they must be worried sick.." he mumbled, looking at a gold and purple ring on his left hand.

“Well that’s why we are going to patch you up aren’t we? Oh and none of that negative self talk! Doesn’t help the healing process one bit!” Hector says as the two approach a workshop and forge on the hill. Hector kicks opens the door with his free hand and helps the god sit down somewhere.

"Yeah, you're right, sorry.. um.." Apollo sits in a wooden chair, letting out a sigh of relief as he was finally able to relax for a moment. "Oh gosh... I didnt realize how sore everything is... ow.." He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, he looked incredibly weak, even in this powerful, menacing form.

Hector comes back with a bucket, some cloth, and more bandages. “Here, bite down on this. This disinfectant has a kick to it.” Hector hands Apollo the cloth and grabs a different one to clean the cuts with. “So what even happened for a god to get beaten up this thoroughly?”

"Trust me, I can handle some pain, kiddo. I've been through much worse.." He chuckles lightly. "Well, I've been in Tartarus for 5 months, I guess. It was.. horrible. Monsters at every turn, the air is so heavy it's hard to keep yourself standing, and the oppressive darkness drained my energy tremendously.. I don't even remember why I was down there, I don't remember half of what happened. I'm not even sure how I got out..."

“Tartarus huh? Interesting. I haven’t ever been. Doesn’t sound like the most fun haha.” Hector chuckles a little.

"It.. it is not. My son's been down there, he went with his boyfriend.. it's a lot easier to deal with when you have someone else with you, it seems."