The Forgotten One

Chapter One: Prologue

1,500 B.C…

Apollo was in a rather joyous mood. That normally wasn't out of the ordinary, but today he was especially happy. He'd just spent a rather wonderous night with a young woman in Athens, there was naught a cloud in the sky, and his birthday was approaching.

Naturally, Apollo viewed his birthday as the greatest day in all of creation, and rightfully so! After all, it was on that day that the world was graced with his godly presence. Every year he'd throw himself the biggest party Olympus had ever seen. There'd be cake, Nectar, plenty of music, and anyone who was anyone would be there!

Not to mention he got to share the day with his two favorite siblings.

His older sister (though he'd never admit she was older even if he was paid to) Artemis, goddess of the Hunt, would take a break from her girls to share in the festivities. It was one of the only times, aside from council meetings that she was present on Olympus, and Apollo was always thankful for that.

His younger brother, Aita, the youngest of the three, would happily dance and sing during the day and late into the night. Apollo would often play a duet with his brother. As the god of music (which he shared with Apollo), warmth, joy and peace, Aita was a blast at parties, much to Artemis' eternal displeasure.

Their mother, Leto, would make them a massive cake with frosting and sprinkles and everything else that was good on Earth. Their father, Zeus, would raise a glass and toast another happy year for his children. Hera would grumble and leave early, but she wasn't missed much.

As he thought, Apollo quickly became lost in his own mind. That is, until he noticed a dark silhouette laying on the grass of a nearby field. Apollo smiled when he recognized the figure.

Aita often left the kingdom of the gods and would journey all throughout Greece, enjoying the pleasures of the human world, which only a few other gods like Hermes and Apollo could understand.

Putting the sun chariot into auto-pilot, Apollo hopped down to see his brother. As he got closer, he noticed that Aita's eyes were closed and he was breathing slowly, like he was asleep. Apollo shrugged; it wasn't normal for a god to sleep, but it wasn't exactly taboo.

Nudging his brother with his leg, Apollo noticed something else: Aita looked older. It wasn't unusual for a god to change his appearance every now and again, but Aita looked…wrong. His hair, usually a very flattering black, was grey, almost white. His breathing was also labored, as though each one he took pained him.

Apollo bent down and shook his brother's shoulder. "Bro?"

Aita's eyes opened slowly, as though it took great effort to do so. He reached a hand up and Apollo took it, concern suddenly washing over him. His brother shouldn't be acting like this. "Apollo?"

Oh gods. Aita's voice-usually calming and wonderful-was strained. Apollo squeezed his hand and said, "Yeah, dude, it's me."

Aita smiled sadly. "I'm so tired. I think it's almost time."

"Time for what?"

Aita looked back up into the sky. "Gods are not truly eternal, Apollo. You of all people should know this."

Apollo gasped as he went pale. "You don't mean…"

Aita nodded. "The mortals have forgotten me. I am not as strong as I once was, Apollo. It is almost time for me to go."

"What?" Apollo breathed. "Y-you can't! You can't fade, not when we still have so many memories to make."

"I'm sorry, brother, but it seems you will have to do those on your own."

"No," Apollo said as he put his brother's arm over his shoulder and pulled him to his feet. "I won't let you. Come on, we're going to Olympus."

Before Aita could protest, Apollo teleported them to his Olympian palace. Aita nearly collapsed when the ground solidified, but Apollo was able to get him into his bed. Aita was shivering, so Apollo pulled the blankets over him.

Apollo began to pace as he thought about how he could help his brother. He was the god of medicine, for Zeus' sake, he should know this! But sadly, his mind was drawing a blank. Taking a glance at his brother, Apollo pulled out his trump card: his mother. She'd know what to do! She had to! She was a mom, she knew all kinds of great things, surely she'd be able to help!

Closing his eyes, Apollo sent a silent prayer to his mother. A few seconds later, there was a knock at the door. Apollo was down the stairs in a heartbeat. Throwing it open, he found his mother, Leto, standing there. She was wearing her usual sundress with her golden hair tied down.

"Hi, sweetie! You ca-ahh!" Apollo dragged Leto by the arm up to his bedroom.

Wresting her arm free, Leto crossed her arms and said, "Apollo! Just what was that all about?"

"It's Aita!" Apollo said. "He's really bad, Mom. I need your help"

Leto's silver eyes softened. "Oh. What's wrong with him?"

Apollo didn't have the heart to tell her, so he opened the door and led her inside. When she saw the god on the bed, she covered her mouth with her hands and ran to his side. She knelt down at took his hand in her own and cupped his cheek with her free hand.

Leto turned back to Apollo and said, with tears in her eyes, "He's fading."

Apollo could only nod as tears began to well up in his eyes as well. Leto kissed her son's hand in an attempt to stop the sobs that were threatening to come. Aita slowly opened an eye and looked at his mother. He gave a small smile. "Hello, Mother."

"Aita…" Leto croaked.

Aita wiped away one of her tears with his finger. "Shhh. Do not grieve. I'm going somewhere I'm needed."

"I need you," Leto said. "Apollo needs you. Artemis needs you. Your wife needs you. You can't go. I won't let you."

Aita laughed. "I have no doubt of that, but not even you can stop this, unless you can make everyone remember me again."

Leto placed her head on Aita's chest as sobs rocked her body. Aita looked up sadly and said to Apollo, "Will you call Artemis, please? There's not much time left."

Apollo nodded and closed his eyes and begged his sister to come see him, and that it was important. A moment later another knock came from his door. When he opened it he found his sister, garbed in her traditional hunting gear, bow over her shoulder, glaring at him. "This had better be important, Apollo. I was in the middle of…Are you alright?"

Apollo could only shake his head.

"What's wrong?" Artemis asked.

Apollo took a deep breath and wiped his eyes with his arm. "It's Aita."

Artemis uncrossed her arms. "What about him?"

Apollo struggled for words, but could only utter, "Follow me." Before he turned and walked up the steps toward his bedroom. He could hear Artemis walking behind him.

Apollo stopped to let Artemis enter the bedroom first. She stopped halfway between the door and the bed, taking in the sight before her with concerned eyes.

When Aita saw her, he gave a small smile. "Hello, sister."

Leto looked up and locked eyes with her only daughter. "Mother, what's going on?"

Leto tried to speak, but a lump had formed in her throat, so all that came out was a croaking sound. Aita, hating to see him mother suffering, said, "I'm fading."

Artemis flinched, a shocked expression coming over her face. "You're lying."

Aita arched an eyebrow. "Is that what you think?"

"O-of course! You can't be fading! You're the youngest of us, you aren't supposed to…to die first."

Leto and Apollo winced at the D-word, but Aita only closed his eyes. "I'm not an Olympian, sister. I was never as popular or as well-known as you two. It seems the mortals have found other gods to worship."

Artemis scowled. "Then we'll make them believe in you again."

"You cannot," Aita said. "And even if you could, it would be too late. I expect I only have minutes left."

"No! That's too soon! You promised to come hunting with me."

Aita smiled. "I'm afraid all my hunting is over, sister. I'm sorry."

Artemis sobbed and took his other hand. "Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. I never went out of the way to spent time with you or get closer to you."

"None of you should apologize. You've given me the greatest family I could've asked for. I don't regret one moment of it."

"There's nothing we can do?" Apollo asked.

"You two could try and get along better," Aita said. "I won't be around to play mediator anymore. Think you can do that for me?"

Artemis and Apollo exchanged a nervous glance. Even though they were siblings, they were about as opposite as you could imagine. "We'll…try." Apollo said.

"Thank you," Aita said.

A short silence fell over them. It was a silence of mourning and remembrance. It was only broken by someone clearing their throat. All parties there turned to find a man with black hair and blue eyes wearing a white robe standing in the middle of the doorway.

Apollo and Artemis took a step back while Leto glared at the newcomer. "What are you doing here?" She snarled.

"I called him," Aita said.

Leto turned back, shocked. Zeus cleared his throat again. "If I could have a moment alone with our son…"

"Go to Tartarus," Leto hissed. "You were never there before, what changed?"

"He's dying," Was the simple answer.

Leto stood up and raised a hand to slap the king when Aita spoke up, "Mother, please…"

Leto looked back at her son. Her gaze softened before she turned to face Zeus. "You have five minutes."

"Five minutes is all I need," Zeus said as Leto led her other children out of the bedroom.

"Apollo," Aita said as he raised a hand. The sun god turned back to look his brother in his purple eyes. "Yes?"

"Tell my wife, tell her that I'm sorry, and that I loved her more than anything else in this world. Please?"

Apollo nodded. "She'll know."

"Thank you."

Once they were alone, Zeus closed the door and stood awkwardly by the door. "I'm glad you're here," Aita said. He could feel himself fading. It would only be a few more minutes. Three if he was lucky.

"I came as soon as I got your message," Zeus said. "Are you comfortable?"

"As much as I can be."

Zeus looked down. "I'm sorry. I admit I am not very good at this."

Aita laughed. "I know."

Zeus sighed. "You really are irksome sometimes."

"You know what they say; like father, like son."

Zeus normally would've smote anyone who dared speak to him like that, but there was no point now. Now, all he could do was make sure his son passed peacefully.

"Father?"

Zeus looked up. "Yes?"

"Are…are you proud of me? I think I'd like to know."

Zeus' eyes got misty. "Aita, you've made me the proudest father in the cosmos. I could never have imagined I'd have a son as wonderful or as kind as you."

Aita sighed. "That's good. That felt nice." He extended a hand. "Will you stay with me? I'm scared."

Zeus sat down next to his son on the bed and took his hand in his own. He held it so tight the knuckles were turning white, but Aita didn't complain. All he said was, "Thank you. I'm tired. I think…I think I'd like to sleep now."

He closed his eyes for a final time and his body dissolved into white mist, which was blown away out an open window.

Zeus sat in silence until the door was pulled open. "Time's up," Leto said. "So get…" She noticed the empty bed and the solemn expression on Zeus' face, and it clicked. She let out a heart wrenching scream and sunk to the ground, defeated. Zeus walked over to her and pulled her to him. She fought him at first, punching and kicking, but the fight left him after a few moments. She resigned herself to crying helplessly into her former lover's chest.

Zeus looked up and saw his children; each dealing with the grief in their own way. Artemis sat on the ground, legs pulled up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them, sobbing. Apollo stood, tears not leaving his eyes as he squeezed his fists so hard ichor was dripping down his fingers. In his eyes, Zeus recognized anger that burned brighter and hotter than the thing he ruled over.

Together, they mourned the loss of one they all held so dearly in their hearts, now gone forever.

Aita, son of Zeus and Leto, was gone.

A/N: If you enjoyed, please say so in a review. If you want this to continue, please favorite and follow. I have no idea when I'll be able to review, since I'm writing two stories right now, but it should be at least once a month.

I've also set up a poll on my profile for who Aita's wife should be. It'll have all the eligible goddesses on it, within reason of course, so no Hestia or Artemis (ew). If you can't vote, then leave your choice in a review or PM me.