I love Greek Mythology. My absolute favourite God is Hades. Sometimes I also like Persephone.

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Chapter 1

When he first became aware, it was dark and silent. Despite it being the first time time he was conscious, his mind already held some knowledge of himself and the world. He knew some important and unimportant things. He was aware that he was a he and not a she. He was aware that he would be a second child born to the royal pair of titans Kronos and Rhea. He was aware that Kronos was a King of the Universe. He knew that Kronos lived on Mount Othrys. These and other things he knew told him about the foundations of the world and helped him develop his own outlook and personal principles.

When he was born, he was named Hades, the firstborn son of the Titan King of the Mount Othrys. He was soon swallowed whole by Kronos. In the stomach of Kronos, Titan Lord of Time, Hades met his older sister Hestia, the firstborn daughter of titans Kronos and Rhea. Hestia had already been in Kronos' stomach for a few years with no change. His sister Hestia told him about having dreams, which seemed prophetic. They kindled her hope to be liberated one day. The second oldest elected to trust in her and remain patient and equanimous for when they will be released from their Father's stomach.

While in the stomach Hades learned about gifts. Gifts were inborn magicks they had Hestia told him. They varied from person to person, though some were almost universal. For example, every child of Titans even before their birth had some general knowledge about his surroundings and circumstances. This, she said, was an expression of an omniscience and omnipotence, which will grow with time and practise of their magicks. Hestia told him that her elemental magick was fire. Most of her other powers were connected with some parts of what it represented, that is to say, home and hearth. Though, for her the most straightforward to practise was fire.

"I can conjure fire in my palms whenever I want. It is fairly easy for me to wield it. " told him Hestia.

Hades wished to have his own powers, thus tried to find out what they were. His element was shadows and deep earth. Shadow element meant that when unrestricted by Kronos' powers he would be able to travel through shadows, he could see in the dark, he could manipulate shadows. He felt a link with earth, but didn't know the extent of his connection for he felt some kind of interference in the bond.

He exercised his gifts regularly for there wasn't anything else he could do.

As time passed brother and sister were joined by their other siblings. The first to join them was Demeter. Demeter was moody and capricious. She had a penchant for dramatics. She could grow fruits and vegetables even in their father's stomach.

The second son of Kronos came after Demeter. Poseidon was his name and he seemingly had power over water and seas. Poseidon was moody too, but his temperament was more easily calmed and he tried not to take out his bad mood on his elder siblings.

When the four siblings saw a person slipping down into the stomach, they knew that another of their siblings was devoured by Kronos. It was a sister named Hera. She was capable of seeing familial bonds and felt protective of women and mothers. She told them that she seemed to have power over family's relationships.

The five siblings looked very differently from each other. Hades was darkly coloured. His hair was black and his eyes were very dark blue. Hestia looked warm. Her hair had a shade of colour between light brown and red. Her eyes were of a warm brown colour. Demeter's hair was blonde and her eyes brown. Poseidon had very light blonde hair and sea green eyes. Hera too had blonde hair and pale brown eyes./span/p

In between of each sibling joining others there were always at least a few years. Thus, when Hera met her brothers and sisters, Hades had been living for a little over forty years. Hestia, being the oldest, had lived for a few more, which meant that she was forty-five years old at the time.

Their next sibling didn't come for a long time. It seemed that Mother had grown tired of birthing children only to have them devoured. She had taken a lot of measures to prevent pregnancy. Quite a few years went by until Mother had seemingly missed having a child and stopped her preventative measures. She had then quickly become pregnant.

When the day of a new sibling's birth came, brothers and sisters had gathered and waited for him or her to be swallowed. They became very confused when instead of a child a stone appeared in the stomach. A few minutes after the stone's appearance they understood what happened and what a betrayal it seemed. Their Mother had thought of the way to keep their sibling from their Father's stomach but hadn't bothered for others. The only ones not to feel betrayed were Hestia and Hades. Hestia, because she was the first to be born and eaten, so Mother couldn't have known to think of something. Hades, because Mother might have thought that as a boy he would be an acceptable child and been proven wrong after his Father's action. This, however, served to make all of them feel a distance to their mother. The siblings felt more detached from family as a whole. Their camaraderie lessened, a rift growing between them.

Despite being in Kronos' stomach the siblings could hear what was happening outside. They learned that their lucky sibling is a boy named Zeus. To feel better Hera convinced herself that her brother was special. Should they ever get out she wished to marry him and make him happy. Demeter and Poseidon somewhat drifted to each other, their temperament and gifts being similar, that is to say connected to the nature. Hades was mostly alone. He had no wishes to brave the moodiness of the pair or Hera's hero worship of their youngest brother. He usually practised his powers, rarely speaking with anyone other than Hestia. The oldest sister, however, tried to hold on her family, thus continuing to be friendly with everyone.

The siblings' powers grew with time and practice. The most developed were Hades', Hestia's and Demeter's. Hera wasn't overly interested in using her powers while Poseidon lacked the amount of water he would need to truly exercise his gift.

One day, Hestia woke up with a gasp. She told her brothers and sisters that she dreamt of a blonde-haired blue-eyed young man who would free them from Father's stomach. She saw nymphs calling him Zeus. Their saviour would be their youngest brother. After hearing that Hera grew haughty for she had believed from the start that Zeus was extraordinary. Demeter became snappish, she didn't want to spend another minute in the stomach and wished to be freed immediately. Poseidon's mood swings grew worse. It seemed sometimes that he had multiple personalities. Hades changed too. He became more reticent. Hestia alone strived to hold the family together though without much success.

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Please, don't expect frequent upgrades. I am writing my exams this year so I won't have much time for writing stories.