Okay. I know I am not really good at anything - especially writing - but I want to give this a shot.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters here. And if I use the Greek gods and goddesses in a wrong way or a wrong relationship with the other Greek deities, forgive me. I am trying to stay within the scope of their powers and responsibilities but I also want them to live out the ideas I have in my mind about how their stories started and how it'll all end. Have fun! And you can leave your comments and suggestions. Thank you!


Chapter 1

How many years had passed since the world came into existence? How many eons passed since he, the Lord of the Underworld, was brought forth into this world only to be swallowed alive by his very much, good for nothing Titan for a father, Kronos? And how many ages had passed since Zeus, his baby brother and the Lord of the Sky and the First among the Greek gods and goddesses, saved him and their other siblings from such an ugly fate of eternal damnation inside Kronos? Thousands and thousands of days, oh wait, was it weeks, months? No, surely, it must be much longer than that. Years . . . yes years had passed. Years too had passed since he visited the gods and goddesses residing within the magnificent halls of Mount Olympus.

"One could really loose sense of time in the Underworld. What with all the judging and controlling of the lost souls there." He told himself.

Looking around his throne room, he smiled. One look at the vast room, he could appreciate the wonder and awe he sees in Hermes' face every time the young god comes down to tell him of things his brother, Zeus, asked of him. Shaking his head, he cannot imagine how mortals – especially the Greeks – could make out something hideous of a place in their stories about his kingdom when it is completely the opposite. Even the souls who are finding peace and judgment could not help but make their lifeless eyes travel the entire structures of his throne room. One look at those souls and you could say that they are drinking into their memories the beauty that fills the very halls wherein they are being passed judgments for the things they did while they walk the earth. From the mirror-like floors that reflect oneself as if you are looking straight at a huge mirror with every step you take up to the ceiling that shows eternal night with stars that group together to form constellations that bring forth golden yellow light into the entirety of his throne room, one could really be left breathless.

"Mortals, they really have a wild imagination. Making their fellowmen fear death, fear judgment, fear me and half of the reason is that it seems like it is a very tragic and unfortunate thing to travel the River Styx and towards my throne room to be judged. Woe to them who fears peace by dying. Woe to those mortals who fear getting old. Woe to those who cannot understand the beauty of having eternal life after their journey on earth. Woe to them all for fearing a god they should never fear."

"Uh, Hades? Are you even listening to me?" A young man's baritone voice that any woman would very much love to hear speak her name said, snapping Hades from his own thoughts.

"Yes, Hermes? Forgive me if I seem to drift away and think of mortals. Because unlike you, I have a lot of dying souls to guide through their last resting place, and unlike you, I must pass judgment on them according to how they lived their lives on earth." Hades answered; a look at Hermes' handsome and full-of-life face, he added, "You understand?"

"I understand." Hermes said in a clipped tone of a voice.

"Do you, really?"

"Do."

Looking intently at the perpetually young god in front of him, Hades tries to see if the young god is being truthful to what he said. Gods living in Mount Olympus often fail to see the real meaning of his words. They tend to take his comments offensively. Well, being the Lord of the Underworld, passing judgments to dead mortals, makes him become very blunt and straight to the point when expressing his opinions. Just because they are immortals doesn't mean they can play with words, that they have to beat around the bush, and that they have to use trickery words to trap or even embarrass each other. Just because they have eternity as their companion doesn't mean they have to take things for granted. That is just too selfish. Smiling, he stood up and let his black robe and purple cloak cover the entirety of his physique; from his broad shoulders down to his ankles. He walked down the steps from his throne and started to go towards the huge-black-marbled doors with emeralds, two feet big, for handles.

"Wh-where are you going Hades? You still need to hear my message out. I –"

"Hermes." Hades said while flinging a hand in front of the young god to stop him in mid-sentence.

"Yes?"

"You said my presence is required in that little Olympian gathering, right?"

"That is what I said."

"And that I should not be late."

"Right on that one."

"And if there will be any delays on my arrival, you will answer to Zeus. Right?"

"Precisely."

"Then we go, now."

"But . . . "

"Now what?"

"You see Hades, it's sort of a ball. A celebration for the coming of age of Demeter's daughter, Persephone. And . . ."

"Oh? That little brat is now a lady goddess?"

"Yes. And . . ."

"Seems like she'll be more of a brat now than when she's a little child."

"Hades!" Hermes looked sternly at him.

"She has a special place in your heart? Right, Hermes?"

"Have you seen her? I mean, not the young cuddly little babe wrapped in swaddling clothes crap like that. Have you seen her now that she's a grown up lady for a goddess? Have you?" Hermes said, giving his most mischievous smile.

"Well, whatever she looks like right now wouldn't make any difference to me. She's still a brat like Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, and their mothers."

"Athena? Mother? Really?"

"Cut it out, Hermes. It is a . . . figure of speech or something. You know full well, Athena was ripped out of Zeus' head and took all of his common sense with her while in the process." Hades said, turning his back on the young god and with a wave of his hands, beckoned Hermes to follow him towards the huge, black marble double doors with huge emerald handles.

"Now Hades, be more serious on the matter." Hermes said, trying to prevent laughing at Hades' retort.

"Just because you take things like they are sort of a big joke or something doesn't mean everybody does. I am serious when I said that. Now, is there anything else I need to know?" Hades said, as he walks towards a huge fireplace emitting a purple glow. The huge fireplace could fit four catapults with a lot of space for ten more soldiers; he uses it for traveling straight out of the Underworld towards any place he needs to be if he will be accompanied by any other deity that does not live within his kingdom - Hermes in particular. He was nearing the fireplace when he noticed that he couldn't hear the young god's feet following him. Turning around, he could see that the young god is mischievously smiling while looking at the different gems that line the ornate designs sculpted directly into the huge double doors of his throne room. Shaking his head, he moved swiftly – as fast as lightning – towards the young god who was busily touching the gems.

"Well . . . Like what I was saying I –" Hermes was cut short when one moment he was about to take out one purple-like gem – amethyst perhaps – out of the pattern when out of nowhere, Hades' hand is gripping his wrist firmly though not tightly.

"Agh! Let go Hades!" Hermes tried to remove Hades' cold and pale fingers but the god really has his wrist in an iron grip and no matter how hard he tries, it just wouldn't budge.

"What do we have here?" Hades whispered, threateningly. Hermes is a young and mischievous god. He practice thievery, much to the annoyance of everyone. And he can never tolerate that act.

"Why . . . I am just admiring the gems Hades. No need to be too harsh on me." Hermes answered back.

"I see. Well, why we are at it, do I need to learn anything else?" Hades asked, looking intently at Hermes.

"Well, I'll tell you if you'll let go of my wrist now."

Looking at the blue eyes of the young god, Hades decided to let go of Hermes' wrist."

"Gee! Thanks." Walking towards the fireplace and stopping midway, Hermes looked at him with all the pride the young god could master after getting caught.

"Well, Hermes? I am waiting." Hades said.

"Ah! Yes. Well, it is a ball for Demeter's daughter Persephone and . . . "

"I know that much now."

"I'm getting on it! And since it is a ball, you are required to attend it in all the elegance you could muster. If it wouldn't be too much for you, maybe you could, ah, wear something lively, vibrant, or . . ."

"Frivolous, flamboyant, like all the other gods and goddesses, you mean?"

"Or spring-like." Hermes said indignantly.

"Spring?" Hades said, his eyebrows shooting up into his smooth forehead.

"You know, one of the four seasons? There's Summer, Autumn or Fall, Winter then Spring."

"Hermes."

"All right, point taken, don't you know that she will be the Goddess of the Spring?"

"Sweet." Hades whispered while crunching up his nose as if he could smell something bad.

"Now Hades . . . will you please change your clothes now?"

"Nah! This is me and I love this. Black robes, purple cloaks, black helm, black shirt-mail with a slash of green gems around it. It's perfect Hermes."

"But Zeus will not like this . . ."

"This is me. And I wouldn't change for any goddess' consecration or 'ball' Hermes, keep that in mind. And by the way," A simple and swift movement of Hades' right hand made something move in Hermes' pockets, gems from the throne room and the huge double doors made of marble, flew towards Hades' hands as if they have a will of their own or as if they are being magnetized by the Lord of the Underworld himself, "I don't condone stealing."

And with a swish of his cloak, he was gone. As soon as the Lord of the Underworld was gone, green flames sprung out of the black floors and up into the ceiling made of purple marbles with sculptures sprouting green flames this time as well. One look at the green flames, Hermes knew that the Lord of the Underworld made those green flames to protect his throne room from prying hands like his.

"Immortal prying hands like mine could burn through that."

Looking at the cavernous hall outside of the throne room, Hermes shook his head and said "Looks like I got to go out of this maze of a kingdom on my own again. I hope Charon would be oh so willing to let me take the way back again, for free. No more drachmas."

Whistling a hymn he heard Apollo play, Hermes slowly retraced his way back to where he came from away from this land of the dead and out into the world of the living.


"Mother?! I don't want that."

"But my child, it will make you really pretty. Your auburn hair and fair skin will perfectly match these pearls."

"No mother. I prefer to have garlands of flowers decorating my entire dress and all that. And I don't want my hair all tied up with frills falling out on my face. It just wouldn't do. I would rather have my hair perfectly down. Better that way."

"Persephone, you can always have that the way you want it, but not today. Today is your consecration day wherein you get to be the Goddess of the Spring."

"Precisely mother. Goddess of the Spring. Not, this." Persephone wrung her hands out in front of the huge and tall mirror in front of her. Wide and infuriated hazel eyes are looking out at her. Lips that could rival Aphrodite's lusciousness are now pouting like a child, and she could not help it. Demeter and her ministrations annoy her to no end. She's not helpless or dimwitted. Why can't she have it the way she wants it to be?

"More like a goddess with the spring in her feet. Springs that could rival Hermes' winged ones." A firm womanly voice said from somewhere along the foot of her bed. Swinging her head, she looked daggers on the gray-eyed goddess sitting, cross-legged, smiling beautifully and annoyingly at her. Athena really could pull some jest when she wanted to.

"Hah! Very funny, Athena. Not." Persephone answered back.

"Persephone!" Demeter said. Her mother's chocolate brown eyes are looking sternly at her. That look should tell her to let Athena's retort pass and just concentrate on fixing herself for her up-coming but not-so-looking-forward-to ball in a few hours.

"Let her be Demeter. Persephone wants to do it her own way. It makes her feel more womanly." Athena said while smiling at Persephone.

"And you call yourself my friend." Persephone whispered.

"I heard that." Athena answered.

"Good then."

"Don't be smart on me Persephone."

"Why not? This is my moment. I should be getting what I want for a difference. I will be a goddess of the Spring in a few hours! Why can't you deities make me do it my own way?"

"You said it yourself. 'Will be'. So it means you are not yet there Persephone. And whether you like it or not, you will follow your mother's orders until you drink off of the cup of Ambrosia that will stop you from aging. End of discussion." Athena answered back in a matter-of-fact tone that clearly says NO NONSENSE ALLOWED.

"If only Artemis is here."

"What? She will take your side? I don't think so Phoney Looney." Athena sweetly chided.

"She will."

"Come on! We both know Artemis loves the woods and the hunt better than a man's backside but she wouldn't take your side on this matter. Your case is like a man's backside Phoney Looney."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"A losing case. Impossible. So drop it."

"Artemis will take my side. She will see why I would rather be . . ."

"Artemis is passionate with what she does and that is hunting and chasing whatever crosses her path in the woods or anywhere. She may not understand where a mother's heart is coming from but she would see sense. Right Demeter?"

"And you would Athena?" A husky, sweet voice said from nowhere.

"Artemis!" Persephone said when she saw the goddess of the hunt with her golden bow and arrow hanging on her right shoulder while leaning on the left portion of Persephone's doorway, smiling sweetly at her.

"Persey." Artemis playfully said while walking towards the youngest goddess to give her a hug.

"I missed you Artemis!" Persephone hugged the goddess of the hunt in a tight embrace.

"And I miss you too."

"How's the hunt?"

"Went well."

"More than well I think." Athena said. Smiling and standing beside Artemis now. One look at the two goddesses in front of her Persephone thinks that the two are one of the most beautiful and tallest goddesses in Mount Olympus. It is not the first time she prayed that she could be as tall as the two or maybe even as tall as Aphrodite who is two or three inches smaller than the two. Better than being a head shorter goddess like her.

"What's wrong?" Artemis asked her.

"Nothing. I just can't get over the fact that you two are so tall. Two of the tallest goddesses in Mount Olympus. You are almost as tall as Apollo, or Ares, or Hermes at that. I wish I can be as tall as you two. I am fine with Aphrodite's height too."

"But you are pixie-like."

"Athena!" Artemis said.

"What? I am just being honest. Come on. I love Persephone so much, she's like a little sister to me and these little jokes are something we do in exchange just to make the environment lighter than what it is."

"Too blunt like Hades." Artemis answered.

"Well, he's our Uncle at that."

"Whatever."

"No. Athena is right. I am pixie-like."

"A very beautiful pixie-like goddess."

"Trying to make her feel good Athena?" Artemis said.

"No. I am just telling the truth. Now, change and have your hair up and wear those motherly pearls Demeter wants you to wear so you'll look like the real woman that you are. Just perfect for tonight's event. Your coming of age."

"Athena?" Persephone whispered softly, looking straight into the goddess' grey eyes.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For?"

"Making me feel good."

"It's nothing. Now get going. Fix yourself." Touching her hair, twirling it in her slender and beautiful fingers, Athena smiled and then letting go of Persephone's auburn hair, left the room.

"Athena loves you Persey. And she doesn't want you to act foolishly just because you wanted to get things your own way now."

"You heard our conversation Artemis?"

"No. I just made the conclusion that you are trying to get your way again Persey."

"Oh. Then you didn't hear her retort about your passion for the woods and hunting then?"

"You mean the man's backside and my choosing the woods and the hunt over it?"

"So you've heard."

"Somehow. I don't eavesdrop. And I just love her for it."

"Who doesn't?"

"You're right Persephone, who doesn't?"

"Are you done talking about a man's backside and all that?" Demeter interrupted the two goddesses.

"Yes. I think I am done here too Demeter. She's all yours." Artemis said.

"Athena is getting ready for the event now. I'd say you do too Artemis." Demeter said in a motherly tone.

"Oh I am good Demeter. Really."

"Artemis. Get ready too. It's a ball and you couldn't just go there in your usual garb of a huntress. I want this to be perfect for my little honey here."

"I am no longer a child mother."

"Oh yes you are. Until you drink from the cup of Ambrosia, you are still a little child Persey. Don't worry Demeter, 'my usual garb' is perfectly fine."

"Artemis. Now." Demeter said.

"Oh! You sound like mother at times."

"Why Artemis, I am a mother. Thank you very much!"

"Yes. I can see that perfectly. Well, I got to go. Be pretty Persephone. Bye Demeter. See you later."

"Artemis!" Demeter said in a stern voice.

"Way to go Artemis." Persephone whispered as Artemis vanished into thin air with a pleading smile at Demeter.

"Mother, let's go get on with the pearls and the hair, shall we?" With Artemis and Athena present on her ball, everything will be perfect. Just perfect.


Everything is still the same since He last went to Olympus. It seems like while men are busy with perfecting their lives, while men are busy learning from their past mistakes, while men are busy with chasing every opportunity that come to their lives, while men are busy keeping their paces in league with the world's continuous changes, Olympus remained untouched. Hades cannot help but smile. Eternity is too long a time for the gods and whether he likes it or not, they're bound to live through it.

"How I envy mortals. They are not bound by time, unlike my Olympian family."

"And why is that my dear uncle?" A firm voice of a woman behind him asked.

"Athena" Hades said the name without facing his niece. She is the goddess that sprung forth from Zeus's head, the goddess of Wisdom, his most favored niece – Athena.

"You have been gone for so long uncle. What kept you?"

"You know my obligations and responsibilities Athena." Hades said.

"Sorry, I forgot, you are the Lord of the Underworld." Athena smiled, offering him a bronze cup with nectar in it.

"Thank you. Cheers." Hades smiled and took a sip. Oh! How he missed this. He doesn't need it too much and yet the feeling of being able to taste nectar again and ambrosia is beyond any carnal pleasure he had experienced during his entire existence – not that he indulge himself too much.

"Uncle?" Athena asked, worry etched in her face.

"Um." Hades moaned with his eyes closed.

"Are you alright?"

Opening his eyes, he looked at the worried gray eyes of his niece. Smiling, he lifted his cup and walked towards the garden. Looking back, he smiled when he saw Athena following suit with worry still etched on her face.

"Uncle, are you feeling unwell?"

"Athena, my niece, it's the nectar. It's been too long since I last tasted this and to be honest, I missed it. It's just exhilarating. It's giving me too much pleasure better than carnal ones do. If you know what I mean."

"Did you say 'Carnal Pleasures' Uncle? I didn't know you indulge yourself into such practices too like my half brothers Apollo, Hermes, and Ares."

"Now Athena, they are your brothers. Not 'half brothers'. And no, I do not indulge into too much sexual pleasures; you know I do not practice that too much. I am way beyond that."

"You are a god. Mortal men are derived from gods the same way that women are derived from goddesses and I do not forget that the sexual hunger that mortal men experience and carry within themselves came from egotistical gods – and that includes you."

"And where did my smart and cunning niece get that information?" Hades murmured. Glancing at his niece, he raised his hand to forestall Athena and continued, "Let me guess."

Athena, smiling, crossed her arms around her abdomen and nodded.

"Aphrodite. Ouranos' daughter."

"And your sister?"

"And my sister."

"She has your looks uncle."

"You are pulling my leg. Is that my niece's way of appeasing my afflicted ego? I do not forget that you just said that I love my pleasures especially those pertaining to bed pleasures."

"I did not."

"Did. You just put it in a nicer way. I told you, I am not like your father or your other uncle at that. I am far nobler than that Athena."

"No. You are just too busy to indulge to such acts uncle. You can't fool me."

"I don't have time Athena. I am the Lord of the Underworld."

"Oh! You don't have to remind me that uncle. You should find a wife. Don't tell me you plan to be a bachelor all your life? And to think uncle, that's for eternity. How long have you been the Lord of the Underworld? A thousand years, five thousand?"

"Two thousand and counting Athena. A wife? I cannot see myself getting a goddess for a wife."

"Hestia?"

"Nah. Impossible. She rejected your father, Zeus, and your Uncle Poseidon as well. She wanted to be eternally virgin right? And you plan to do the same thing right? So does Artemis. And I bet Persephone too, though I haven't seen that brat for a very long time. I heard she became a beauty like Demeter too."

"Yes, she is. And yes I plan to follow Hestia and Artemis's plan of being eternally virgin and unwed to any god or mortal. Do not tell me uncle, you wanted to stay a virgin for eternity too?"

"Do you honestly think I never did 'that' my niece?"

Athena's laughter rang in the entire garden of Olympus.

"No Uncle. I guess you did. And I guess, you just never met your future wife yet. I just hope that the fates will let you see her soon, whoever she is, and may you find happiness with her uncle."

"Cheers to that Athena." Hades said, emptying his cup in one gulp. The warmth that travels in his entire system makes him close his eyes and uttered silent thanks for such a good drink. Opening his eyes, he could see the entire garden in its splendor. Yes, it's been too long. Giving Athena a courteous bow, he started to go back to the main hall when Athena suddenly called his name.

"Uncle Hades."

"Yes?"

"What do you mean by what you said back there at the main hall, about how lucky mortals are for not being bound by time? Don't you see, they keep on rushing into things, they try to grab every little time they could have. They constantly pray for more time on earth, they prayed that time may slow down so they could hit their deadlines in productions; they pray that time will be slower so that they do not age fast, and they pray that time will just be more than night and day. Surely, you can say that they are prisoners of time. Why envy them?"

Hades smiled and watched the clouds that travel around the garden of Olympus.

"You are right, they rush on things, and they do not have eternity with them unlike us. You are right that they are prisoners of time but you are forgetting one thing. A man's life on earth is too short. Every day, he must race against time to meet deadlines like you said. Every day, he must find ways to balance his time because for him, time wasted is an opportunity lost forever. Fighting it, trying to do everything in such a short while makes him a prisoner of time. But then again, with so little time given to him, he learns to value it more than we gods and goddesses do. When death comes, time doesn't bear any meaning to him. He could rest in peace after wards, no longer bound in time. What about us? We live forever Athena, we may have all the time in the world, but we can't find peace within us, within our families, even within ourselves. Man, when his time is up, will break free of his imprisonment. We, on the other hand, will live through eternity and 'eternity' is time itself. Man is a prisoner of time. Gods and goddesses its slaves. Now, tell me, which is worse? See you around Athena."

Without waiting for Athena's answer, Hades left the garden. He knows it is a crooked reason. Given enough time, Athena will find a flaw in what he said. She is a smart goddess. He is not in the mood to talk about mortals, about life, about wisdom or even about time. Time is always there for immortals like him. That is their curse. They can never run away from time. How could they? They were brought out of time himself – Kronos. Hades never saw the light of life when he was brought out into the world by his mother Rhea. The same happened with his brother Poseidon and his three sisters; Hestia, Demeter and Hera. Only Zeus, their youngest brother was saved from such an ugly fate. Being swallowed alive by your own father when you were just a babe? Who in their right mind would do such an abomination? Nobody else could do such an act, only time – Kronos. For Hades, it is a good thing that his brother Zeus was saved. In saving the youngest son, Rhea had saved them all. The Titan Kronos – his father – is an evil one and must be stopped. The ingenuity of standing up against Kronos, dethroning him and placing Zeus as lord of all is a very wise move. It gave them freedom to rule over mortals but killing Kronos had been a curse as well. Blasting him to pieces, throwing what's left of his essence into the darkest abyss of Tartarus had brought them a curse. Immortality became unbearable therefore the gods and their children became petty and too shallow to be called gods and goddesses.

He was under a deep thought when suddenly someone pushed three pointy little things behind his back. Hades inhaled and smiled. It seems like one of the gods are trying to play a game with him. Smiling and shaking his head, he slowly raised his hands in the air to show the assailant that he is not armed.

"I come in peace." He jokingly said without turning his head.

It seems like the 'assailant' wouldn't want to give himself away. Smiling and bending his head slightly to the left as if hearing for any sound from the god behind him he took another deep breath.

"Stop this brother. I could smell the Ocean in you."

"And I could smell death in you." A deep manly voice said behind him in a joking manner. Hades doesn't need to look at his brother to know that the latter is smiling.

"It only seems fair." Hades murmured.

"What gave me away?" His brother said, slowly putting down – Hades is guessing – his trident. He heard metal slamming on the marble floor before turning around to face his brother.

"Didn't I tell you? You smell like the Ocean – fish and stuffs." Hades said. Looking at his brother, Hades cannot help but smile. One look at Poseidon and Hades could say that he really missed his brother – from Poseidon's sandy haired head and deep blue eyes that shine like sapphire and down to his toes – it seems like the old times.

Poseidon made a gesture that looks like he is trying to smell himself.

"Cut that out. You look stupid." Hades said, smiling.

"No one calls me stupid, brother." Poseidon answered, putting a tone of I-am-warning-you in his voice.

"Except me." Hades answered. Turning his back on his brother, Hades entered one of the deserted halls of Olympus overlooking the world of mortals. He took one step when suddenly the entire hall seems to turn. One moment he is on his feet and then the next, he is already on all fours.

"Got you there brother."

"Poseidon." Hades whispered.

"Rule number one, never ever turn your back to your enemy."

Shaking his head, Hades willed himself to move. Using his elbows for support and his feet for leverage, he twisted around and in just a matter of seconds pushed himself up, pinning his younger brother Poseidon to one of the huge columns lining Olympus.

"Rule number two, never consider a small time trick as a huge victory brother." Hades viciously whispered in his brother's left ear while pinning Poseidon with his forearm and right knee.

"All right, you win. You can really move fast brother." Poseidon said in between breaths. Looking at him, Hades tries to read his younger brother's eyes. Those sapphire blue eyes are full of concealed laughter and kindness that Hades felt stupid for feeling annoyed and murderous just because he thought Poseidon is trying to kill him.

"What do you think you're doing huh? Pulling a silly stunt like that. If I am somebody else, like Zeus, you could have gotten yourself in a tight situation." Hades reprimanded Poseidon. Pulling himself away from his younger brother, he tries to straighten his garb while waiting for Poseidon to get a grip on himself.

"Well, you are not Zeus."

"And what does that exactly means?"

"I mean, you are more careful, precise, in your actions, brother, unlike Zeus who is rash and careless."

"His rashness and carelessness saved us Poseidon."

"That is pure luck, brother."

"Really?"

"Yes." Poseidon answered back, swinging his arms while slowly directing his eyes into the mortal world. "If not for Rhea, if not for her ingenuity, we would all be dead by now and Kronos would still rule the earth. Zeus just got lucky. He lost control brother, he cannot fully control that lightning bolt and that resulted to the obliteration of Kronos! What can you call that? Nothing! Nothing but pure luck!"

"But still, you cannot disregard the fact that he really saved our necks from eternal oblivion. You owe Zeus something."

"He's scared." Poseidon answered.

"A wise god should always be scared especially someone who put Kronos into such eternal damnation. He killed his own father Poseidon and he should fear the wrath of the fates for that. They may cast a curse on him. Remember how much we consider murdering your own kind an abomination? Zeus has his reasons to be scared. But unlike Kronos, he is not an evil god. He tries to do what is right the same way that we try to do our responsibilities and obligations rightly. The god is the Lord of all. Cut him some slack."

"He's scared of you Hades." Poseidon whispered. "His fear of what you can do as the oldest of Kronos' sons had made you Lord of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead. He thought that putting you in charge of the Underworld could make you weak and be lenient with your powers. Now, he could not take it back. It is too late."

"What are you saying Poseidon? That is treachery! Our brother is the Lord of All. He has no reason to fear me."

"Oh yes, he has brother. He has every reason to fear you, the Lord of the Dead. You could call dead armies of thousands into your power, make them attack Olympus, dethrone him and become the undisputed god of all. He fears that. I know, because I fear that as well."

"That's stupid, brother."

"How do you kill the dead?" Poseidon shot back.

"I . . . I don't know. You cannot kill the dead anymore, you can only call them back to wherever they should be but you cannot kill what is already dead."

"Precisely, Zeus can call mortals to fight for him and yet they are bound by death brother. You slash them, you cut the thread and they're dead and once they're dead, they will be under your power. You are the most invincible of the gods."

"That is an evil thought Poseidon."

"Yet powerful. Tempting."

"Listen Poseidon." Hades whispered in a mad voice, grabbing the front of Poseidon's robe. "I may be the Lord of the Underworld but I am not an evil god. Remember that." He pushed Poseidon away from him and walked out of the hall, away from Poseidon.


Is that how they see him, an evil god who could dethrone Zeus? He is not made of that kind of crap. He is the son of Kronos like them but he does not harbor that vileness, that evil side of Kronos. Yes, being a son of such an evil Titan, they are tainted by evil as well. Him, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter, Hera and even Zeus; but just like them, he tries to keep it in check. He doesn't have any plans of ruling the world. No. He is already a very busy Lord of the Underworld; he doesn't need another responsibility added to his shoulders. Blast that Sea god! Losing his control, Hades whirled a black swirling shadow towards Demeter's rose bushes when he heard an unfamiliar voice from behind him.

"What did you just do?! Blasting away such a nice rose bush! You don't know what my mother had put into those. You gods really have no love in nature!"

An indignant yet soft voice said from the background. Looking around him, Hades tries to see the owner of the voice but all he could see was a swirl of green and brown windy essence running towards the rose bushes. One second, the essence was in front of him and then the next it was gone. Turning around, he saw a small woman – no, she's a goddess – a small goddess was kneeling in front of the old and now ugly and dying rose bushes of his sister, Demeter. He was about to take a step towards the goddess when all of a sudden the little goddess shot her hands in front of him without even looking. Now, how could the goddess sense his movements?

"Don't you dare try to make another step you uncouth god. Stay where you are while I try to fix these rose bushes you just tried to destroy."

Uncouth god? Him, Hades? No goddess had ever dared call him uncouth. Now this little goddess is asking for it.

"What did you just called me?"

"Uncouth. You are uncouth, a rogue. What else could you be? After what you did to these innocent roses you are definitely a pig!" The little goddess said without even looking at him.

First, I am uncouth, now I am a pig? How fast could I possibly change from one ugly definition to the next?!

"And you, little goddess, are definitely asking for trouble." Hades snapped back at the goddess in front of him. He doesn't care that he's twenty steps away from the goddess or that she tried to forestall his movements back then. Calling him uncouth is one thing, but a pig? Oh no! That is way beyond what Hades can tolerate for one night. He took one deliberate step and froze.

What is this? I cannot move a limb at all! What is this?! What did this little goddess of Demeter do to me?! Wait! Those are Demeter's and that goddess is caring for the rose bushes like she owns those. She's too small to be Demeter. No. Too small. She must be Demeter's daughter.

"Persephone? Let this force field or something go away. Now." Hades said, trying to give the back of the little goddess' head a bore-some-holes look.

"That is not a force field! Pig! Life force! You expect me to remove that life force after what you did to the flowers? No way will I let you come near these babies again, you pig."

Now that's calling him 'pig' twice in just one full paragraph of retort. This brat is really asking for it.

"Life force but not a force field huh? Why, little brat, you just used the word 'force' into this hocus-pocus of yours. They sound one and the same for me."

"Don't call me a little brat!" The goddess snapped while continuously kneeling and crawling from one rose bush to another. Hades could see just the hint of a little ear and nothing else from the goddess' features.

"Don't call me a pig then."

"But you are a pig. Asking you to not take another step but instead you tried to be godly and make that one giant step of yours towards these babies. You deserved getting stuck in my life force. And it's different from force field, pig."

"I said don't call me pig. Now, let me go!" Hades bellowed. He hated that ugly little brat so much and that anger is killing him. He wanted to punish the insolence of such a young goddess, show her who is boss. He doesn't care that he's starting to think irrationally and childishly, all he wants right now is to show this goddess a lesson about respect she will never forget.

"No!" The young goddess, kneeling, whipped around her hair and look defiantly at Hades. And that's when Hades' world turned into a stop.

He could not believe it but he just found a creature right out of his deepest fantasy. The little brat he used to remember is now gone and was replaced by a very beautiful goddess in front of him. Little Persephone's innocent and watery hazel eyes are no longer there, instead, defiant, mad and strong willed hazel eyes of a full blown goddess are looking at him now. The pudgy little nose he remembers is no longer there either, it was replaced by a small dainty little nose that perfectly fits the heart shaped face of the goddess in front of him. The red sunburst hair he vaguely remembers is no longer there, instead, a wavy, auburn hair that could turn golden red once hit by the rays of the sun framed the beautiful face of Persephone. The color of her hair perfectly fits with the complexion of her skin, fair. He could say that this little goddess in front of him could perfectly rival Athena, Artemis and even Aphrodite's beauty.

She's like the 'Spring' incarnate.

"I heard that." Persephone said. Her voice sounded like silver bells for him. He couldn't believe that such a beautiful sound could come out of those luscious lips.

Lips that one could not get tired of kissing.

"I heard that again, pig." Persephone's voice, full of defiance, snapped Hades' back to reality.

"What?"

"I said I heard that, you pig! You really are a rogue! You should be punished!" Persephone said, blushing furiously as she tries to stand. She was about to take another step when she stopped. One look at her, Hades' knows his words affected her in ways she could not understand. The little goddess is blushing furiously.

"You dare call me a pig, a rogue and you are trying to threaten me. Why? What could you do? You are blushing by the way."

"I am not blushing! I am furious!" Persephone's seething with anger. She's really furious, he could see that. But there is something else. Looking at the goddess, he tried to smile insolently.

"Nah! You are not furious. You are annoyed, yes. But furious? Definitely not."

"You! Who do you think you are?! Acting so high and mighty!"

"And who do you think you are? Threatening me? Calling me a pig? Isn't that an act of 'high and mighty', your goddess?"

"You mock me!"

"Oh no! No! I do not mock. How can I make fun of a beautiful goddess like you?" Hades said in a tone of pure, unconstrained, and uncontrollable lust.

Persephone must have heard the tone and stepped back.

"Don't come near me or . . ."

"Or what my little goddess?" Hades whispered.

"Or I'll knock you out with my life force." Persephone's voice is weakening.

Am I scaring her?

"How can I come near you when you are blocking me out? See? I cannot even – " Hades paused when he could feel that he could move now. The life force of the little goddess is still there but it has weakened. It is still there but weak enough for him to move out of the life force and walk towards Persephone.

"No . . . please" Persephone whispered. He stopped midway and looked at the goddess and that is when he noticed that the goddess is shaking and she looks like she's getting weaker. Spent.

"Are you fine?" Hades softly said.

"I tried to bring the roses back to its beauty and life and the power I put forth in doing that just made me feel so weak and add the fact that I have been holding a rogue god like you at bay. It just took all my strength away. I guess I am not strong enough to divide my powers to many tasks at once. I still need more practice."

"Can you stand?" Hades asked, offering his hands which Persephone slapped away.

"This is your entire fault! If you haven't blasted these rose bushes to smithereens then I would not be compelled to fix them. Now! I couldn't even make another step! How can I last for the entire ceremony if I feel weak?"

"Let me carry you."

"No thanks. I think I can find my way through the main hall just in time for the ceremony and –" and as Persephone tried to make another step, she fell down. Hades was just in time to catch her when they started hearing voices, looking for the little goddess in his arms. And as the voices are starting to get nearer, Persephone's hazel eyes looked at him.

"Who are you by the way, pig?" She asked in a tired voice.

"I am not a pig." Hades whispered and added, "I have a name, and the name is –"

"Hades! Thank the fates you found my daughter!"

Looking at the little goddess in his arms, he could definitely see that she's in shock. The god she had been calling a pig the whole time is no other than Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, himself.

It looks like this gathering will be one hell of a party after all.