Asclepius never met his mother. While pregnant with him she had been unfaithful to the god Apollo and in a fit of anger he had killed her lover using some of his godly authority over prophecy. His mother had been killed by his aunt Artemis for her infidelity with him still inside. In a rare form of compassion, Apollo had saved Asclepius and birthed him himself, taking him to one of his temples and thrusting him into a follower to be born once properly developed.
That story was the only time Asclepius could recall of Apollo being anything close to a caring father. Apollo raised Asclepius for the first few years of his life, but as was the case for most children of gods, he was eventually placed under the tutoring of Chiron.
"Why is it that father never visits?" A young Asclepius asked the centaur, who was currently fishing while the young demi-god beside him was caught in his imagination.
Chiron's eyes widened for a split second before he regained his composure. He was quite fond of Asclepius, as he was all his students, but Asclepius had something that many of them lacked, his brain was awfully mature and logistic for his age. If Chiron had to describe it, he would state that Asclepius seemed like a elderly philosopher stuck in a child's body. His knack for helping others, human or not, helped this thought.
"Your father," Chiron started.
"Apollo is one of the great Olympians, and so has many responsibilities. You've said this, that doesn't mean he cant visit, he used to take care of me." Asclepius interrupted, that was the go to explanation that Chiron would tell the eight year old.
Chiron sighed, with Jason it had been a little longer until he told the truth, however Asclepius was sharp, and blunt enough to ignore his paddings anymore.
"Very well then, it's because that's how gods work." Chiron said.
"What do you mean?"
"It's very rare that a god will meet their child in their lifetime, your part of an even luckier few who had their godly parents take care of them. It goes without saying that gods sleep around, a lot. Your father and Zeus are two of the most egregious cases. And so most of the time, once they are no longer part of their child's life, they will never encounter each other physically again." Chiron softly spoke to the boy.
Chiron had to admit, Asclepius was taking it very well. That or his eyes hid his pain perfectly. But that didn't stop any follow up questions.
"So I'll never see him again? And he's stopped caring for me?"
Chiron immediately went to comfort the boy, "Oh, no of course not. The key word is physically, godly parents are always watching over their children from the heavens, no matter if they have ever met them or not. That's merely the way. It's not your fault."
Asclepius remained silent for a moment, wrapped in Chiron's arms, before responding. "I know, I guess that makes sense. Is there a way I can make sure to see him again?"
Chiron pondered, "Well there's one way for sure, and that would be to become an ascended demigod."
Asclepius tilted his head, "What's that."
"A story for another time." Chiron chuckled, patting the young boys head. Little did he know, that in Asclepius' head a seed of resentment and a mission had been planted.
The following day, Asclepius had found himself alone in the woods, tending to an injured snake he had come across. It had broken a portion of its ribs and the young boy had fastened a miniature splint out of sticks and grass he had found.
The snake looked at Asclepius following the procedure, and with its newfound sense of life, had felt a debt to the boy of which it must repay.
"Tell me, what is it you desire." It spoke, causing Asclepius to tumble back in shock.
"You can speak?" he stammered out.
"That is not of importance right now, please answer my question son."
Asclepius brought his hand to his chin, "If I had to say, I guess I want to prove myself to my father."
"Ah, you want recognition. Admirable, tell me, who is your father." the serpent asked.
"Apollo."
"Oh my, that's quite the predicament. Nonetheless, I shall help you. Would you care to learn a miracle?"
"What kind of miracle?"
"One which your father could never ignore." the snake said.
"Of course, I'd love that." The boy said.
"Very well then," The snake said before slithering over to a large, sturdy stick nearby.
"I shall wrap myself around this and become your miracle to help others. But first," The snake slithered to the boys ears and whispered the secrets of medicine that none, not even the gods, had known, before going back, wrapping itself around the soon to be miracle staff, and ceasing movement, turning into a golden ornament.
Years later, Asclepius found himself overlooking the rails of a ship, looking upon the waves on the great blue sea.
"Yo, Asclepius, get over here we need your help." a voice cried out to him. Turning, Asclepius came to see the face of the ships captain, Jason, waving him over while another crew member sat on the ships floor, breathing heavily.
Jason had somehow gotten him to join him on a quest to obtain his own kingship, Asclepius had to admit the man had some talent when it came to speaking, and had face palmed himself after the ship had left for his ease in tagging along.
Of course once he saw the crew, Asclepius realized he was not the only one. Notable figures flooded the ships crew, each one no less great than Asclepius himself, and there were plenty of demigods as well, even the crew member that he had been called over to help was of godly descent. The Argo, helmed by the Argonauts, Jason could have been a little more creative with the group name.
"Just looks like some mild sea sickness. You should be fine in a few days Pollux. But here, put this in your next meal and it should help." Asclepius handed the groaning man a herb he pulled from his coat.
Castor, the brother of his current patient stood nearby, and thanked Asclepius greatly for his help. Jason however had already returned to the helm of the ship and was barking orders at others.
'Just as much of an ass as always' Asclepius thought.
"You know, I'm surprised you've stuck it out so long," Another voice said to him, another member of the Argonauts and one of three that Asclepius found himself liking, Atalante was leaning on the base of the mast, watching Asclepius work, beside her was another of the group Asclepius liked, Peleus. Of course the third and final one had gotten left behind by the crew.
"Every proper crew needs a doctor, someone to make sure no one dies. And that's the same reason I travel in the first place."
Peleus scoffed, "The no one dying mentality is quite the goal, are you sure you're able to achieve it?"
Asclepius balled his hands, "I'm sure, I will obtain that goal. I've practiced medicine my entire life, I will ascend and become a god of medicine so that no more people have to die."
"Ascension huh. Didn't think you of all demigods would aim for it." Peleus said.
"If I can become great enough, and ascend to godhood as a god of medicine, I'll surely have the power, and then I'll show my father that he had no right to abandon me, and to kill my mother for what amounted to moving on."
"Ignore him," Atalante said, "I think you've got plenty chance of ascending, and a god of medicine who aims to protect everyone seems fine by me. Better than most the gods we've got up there."
Peleus chuckled, "Careful, your patron is the one who killed As' mother, he might go for revenge should he succeed, then who will you support."
"That, remains to be seen." Atalante replied.
With that, the three each went their separate ways on the ship, and eventually, Asclepius left the ship alongside a few others after witnessing Jason's girlfriend Medea strike down her own brother.
Asclepius spent the rest of his days wandering, healing those who needed it and furthering his research. One fateful day, after resurrecting a whole town after a plague had wiped them out. Hades of the underworld complained to Zeus, as Asclepius had stolen many of his subjects over the years and had started to fear that he would one day teach the miracle he had been granted to others, nullifying death itself. As such, Zeus had pulled the Gods of Olympus together to decide the fate of the doctor.
"I say we just kill him and be over with it, I can cause a storm to wipe away the island he resides on if needed." Poseidon said, clearly not interested in the current debate.
"He's someone who helps others, and cares for the lives of all. There's a reason that I refused to kill him after slaying his whore of a mother." Artemis stated, she liked Asclepius, and had watched over him alongside her twin brother on occasion. If he were born a woman he would've been a perfect candidate for her hunters, helped by the fact her prized Atalante was fond of him.
"That's true but however," it was Ares, "He's close to ascending, should he succeed then he'll very likely teach the technique to other humans. If there's no death in war then theres no stakes in it, and then it becomes boring."
"I'm with him," Aphrodite said, also not interested.
"Hephaestus, what about you?" Zeus said from atop his grand throne in the center.
"Kill him, I don't care." Hephaestus said.
"Please, let him live. I promise that he teach others how to use that ability. It's not like him." Apollo pleaded with the other gods. He had been adamantly against the killing of his son from the start, however getting gods to change their mind was a tough task, especially when they weren't interested in the actual details like a few present members.
"I think Apollo should go down and have a chat with the boy. Father to son." Hestia said, she was normally the voice of reason when it came to these debates.
Zeus looked at Hestia and then to Apollo, before sighing.
"Very well, you shall go down and speak to him, asking to never heal another person again. Should you fail however, I shall unleash the full extant of my force to snuff him out and purge the threat he brings." Zeus commanded, his voice akin to thunder.
Relief flooded Apollos face, but just as it arrived it faded away as he pondered the stakes of his mission.
"Thank you, father. I will succeed." He said before disappearing from the chamber.
It was silent for a moment as the gods looked at where Apollo had disappeared.
"I kind of wanted to kill him." Poseidon said.
"Shut up," Hestia replied.
Meanwhile, Asclepius stood in a forest. He had been grinding together herbs to further his own research when a sudden burst of light erupted from before him. The sudden force had lifted him off his legs and sent the doctor flying into the base of a tree.
The light then left as quickly as it had arrived, and what stood and the impact was someone who made all the cells in Asclepius' body start to boil.
"Apollo." Asclepius said, venom oozing out of each pore.
Apollo was catching his breath, before noticing his son sat looking at him.
"There's not much time for me to do this so I'll be quick. You must never use the technique to revive the dead EVER again." the god stammered.
Asclepius was shocked. Firstly by having seen his father like this, and secondly for the gall that he had to come down and demand him of such a thing. Enraged, Asclepius stood up and got in the gods face.
"You left me, for decades, without any form of contact, and when you finally make something of yourself and see me you demand that I stop my work? Just because you asked?"
Apollo had a sheepish expression, what Asclepius had said was true to an extent, however.
"You have to listen. Hades is pissed at your work, I'm not, I think its incredible actually. But Zeus will kill you if you continue." he pleaded.
"Right, totally. Right as I should reach the requirements for ascension. I call bullshit. Your just angry that I'm doing so well when you abandoned me."
"What? That's preposterous."
Apollo was getting twisted. Asclepius wouldn't listen to him, even though his life was in danger. Granted, the demigod had every right to be a least a little pissed at him, but still.
"If the gods wish to kill me for my research, then I shall let them do so. For I shall never yield in the quest to heal the world." Asclepius said and walked away from the god.
Apollo couldn't mutter a word. From when he would watch over his sons life, he saw someone who would never let themself come to harm and risk their purpose. But his current eyes. They were dull, meaningless, despite his words there wasn't any true anger in his soul.
"Why?" Apollo eventually squeaked.
"Because it mean's that your assumptions were right, and your decision to never even see me was valid."
Apollo, he was soft, and spoke calmly, "I never assumed anything of you. Not for a second."
Anger clouded Asclepius' mind, and Apollo had realized that he had misspoke gravely.
"WHY YOU!" Asclepius yelled as he charged Apollo. Just as he was about to make contact, clouds flooded the sky instantaneously and a bolt of lightning struck the father-son duo.
Hours later, Apollo had woken up from the force of the strike.
"Brother, are you okay?" A voice called out to him.
"I'm okay."
"That's good to hear." spoke the voice of Artemis.
Apollo looked over, and saw a black mound that used to be the body of his son.
"Ar-Artemis. I couldn't save him." Apollo whispered, tears welling in his eyes.
"I know, but you tried, didn't you?"
"My best."
That night, the god of light had cried into the arms of his sister.