Chapter 1 - I Bathe In the River of Memories

"Why do I have to do this?" I asked my father. He looked away and at the dark water of the River Lethe.

"It is for the best, son." My dad replied. I nodded.

"So I'll know the basics, but not anything else?"

"Yes."

"Since we won't see each other for at least a century," I smiled at my father and hugged him, he stiffened; none of his other children had ever hugged him before. I let go and walked straight into the river, as soon as I touched the water my legs felt like jelly and I fell headfirst. From below the surface the only thing I saw of my father before the river took my memories were his eyes, staring down at me sorrowfully.

I saw my memories as they floated away down into the darkness of the river, torn out of my head. A black fortress below a red sky, and countless orange bumps on the rocky ground stretching far as the eye could see, like blisters on skin, bursting and monsters clawing their way out of them. Before my memories were gone, breaking out of the Lethe and sucked into a bottle. I saw a man looking at me with regret as I lifted out of the water. When I looked up at him, he was gone.

"My Lord." A Fury rasped as it settled on the ground.

"Alecto, I am busy." A man in a black robe replied, black eyes bore into the Fury as she approached.

"I am sorry My Lord, but it is of the utmost importance."

"What has happened?"

"The body of a boy was found on the banks of the Lethe. He is breathing, but seems to be sleeping."

"Where is he now?"

"We left him there My Lord." Alecto replied. The god nodded and stood up, shadows flocking to him, he stepped into them and disappeared.

I saw the boy as soon as I left the shadows, he was lying motionlessly on the rocky ground where hundreds of souls had been purged from the river and been reborn, as innocent as a new born mortal. He had a few bronze streaks in his jet black hair, and pale skin that only came from almost never seeing the sun. He wore black form fitting armour with gold etching on the edges; it shimmered in the almost non-existent light. My hand reached out and turned him over of its own accord. His face was handsome – Aphrodite would probably try and get him in her bed – but not too perfect. He looked to be 15 and was tall for his age, around 6ft 4". His looks were chiselled like marble. I felt a connection to him, like we were related. Out of all the gods, he looked like me the most with his pale skin, but I don't remember having another child, not after Maria. I cursed, I can't get attached, I am Hades. The God of the Underworld. But I couldn't leave him here. I sighed but picked him up and Shadow Travelled into a guest room in my Palace. I really don't know why I have them here, it's not like anyone ever visits. Persephone is up at Mount Olympus with her annoying mother and I am alone down here, with the dead. Olympus shun me, all because of my blasted youngest brother.

I looked at the kid on the bed in the room and summoned Alecto. She appeared in front of me in the shadows.

"Inform me when he wakes." I ordered before sweeping out of the room, my robe billowing behind me like wings. She nodded and retreated into the shadows.

I shot up and instinctively stretched out my right hand, I had no idea what I was doing, until a black hilt smacked into my palm. My hand closed and a black blade tinted with gold extended out of the hilt. I looked at the blade and caught a word engraved on the flat, Katastrofí I automatically knew what it meant, destruction. I saw a demon in the corner watching me somehow I knew what it was, a fury, Hades' torturers. How did I know that? I shook my head slightly, trying to clear my mind. I couldn't remember anything.

A pale man stepped into the room and inspected me. His eyes narrowed slightly when they saw my sword. "Can I see that sword?"

"Who are you?" I clutched my sword in my hand, nearly crushing the grip.

"Hades." He said and flicked his finger. My sword flew out of my grasp and into his hand. "Di immortales!" He yelled and dropped the hilt, revealing a burnt hand, "Styx!" The sword had sunk into the ground. He glared at me, I just shrugged. "Ancient Othryian Iron." He said looking at his burn.

"What?"

"Your sword, it was forged during the Titan's rule."

"Can I ask you one thing, am I in the Underworld?"

"You don't know who you are, yet you know the Underworld?"

"I guess."

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"You are in the Underworld." Hades rolled his eyes. I nodded and looked at my armor, remembering how Katastrofí had appeared I imagined it dissolving into shadows. My armor melted into the shadows. Underneath I was wearing black trousers, a sleeveless red V-neck t-shirt and a black hoodie. Red smoke emanated from my red shoes and made it look like I was floating on a cloud of blood.

"You could stay here, boy." Hades said.

"I don't… I mean, I could just stay on the surface world."

"Nonsense, the moment my brother senses you, you'll be sent here in a heartbeat."

"You mean I'll be dead,"

"Do you remember your name?"

"Is that a trick question?" I asked. Hades raised a greasy eyebrow.

"I'll call you Seth." He decided.

"Seth?" I asked incredulously, feeling my eyebrow creep up my forehead.

"It's a name, which is more than you have at the moment." Hades shrugged. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Sorry." I smiled.

"The Throne room." Hades answered. I nodded and hurried after the god.

Now, I'm sure you're all thinking why is he following the god of the dead? Is he suicidal? Firstly, no I'm not suicidal… at least I think so. And secondly, I figured that since I couldn't really do anything else, like for example, taking a nice holiday around the surface world without being blasted to smithereens. And my armor had gone, I had no idea how to get it back, my sword had disappeared into the ground. I had the brilliant idea that following the god of dead zombies, ghosts and skeletons around was the least of my worries. Of course I also had the added bonus of a fury, one of Hades' personal torturers following me around. Being hit by Zeus' master bolt would have been better than what happened because of my decision.

Hades took me for a tour around the palace where skeletons kept pointing their muskets at me, well, until Hades told them to back off. The throne room was massive, a throne made of human bones sat in the middle. To the left of it sat one that was shaped like a flower, gilded with gold. Persephone.

"That is my wife's throne, Persephone goddess of-"

"Spring and Queen of the Underworld." I blurted.

"Yes." Hades glanced at me. I shrugged, having no idea where that came from. There was a flash of gold light in the throne room.

"Hades!" A voice yelled. "I come back to see a boy that looks nearly exactly like you, in the throne room!"

"Ah, Persephone, we were just talking about you." Hades turned; I smiled and looked at Persephone.

"You can't keep it in your pants for one minute!"

"He's not-"

"Do not give me that lie! We are having a war at this very moment!"

"He is not my son!" Hades roared.

"Then who is he, I know of no other god with skin as pale as that and black eyes!"

"I don't know, and neither does he!"

"How doesn't he know who he is?"

"If it helps, Hades named me Seth." I interrupted the two gods, probably not my smartest idea. Persephone waved her hand and I turned into a plant.

"That's better." She smiled.

"Persephone!"

"Yes dear?"

"Turn him back."

"Well, since I can't turn the god of the dead into a plant, I'll do it to his son."

I imagined Hades as a dandelion sitting on his throne made out of human bones.

"I swear on the river Styx he is not my son." Hades sighed.

"That changes it." Persephone smiled, she waved her hand and I reappeared as a human.

"Do you change every kid you come across into a dandelion?"

"Only my husband and his spawn."

"You turn the fearsome god of the dead into a plant?" I smiled.

"Whenever I find one of his children." Persephone nodded.

"How many have you found?"

"Oh, only, a few dozen."

"Only?"

"Compared to his brothers, he keeps it in his pants."

"And you've turned him into a plant for every one?"

"Of course! One time I turned him into a stinging nettle and planted him on Oly-"

"I don't think Seth wants to know where I have been planted." Hades interrupted

"Why is a mortal in the Underworld?"

"Alecto found him on the banks of the Lethe." Hades explained as he sat on his throne.

"I'm going to assume he was dipped?"

"He is in the room!" I shouted. They ignored me.

"Why else would he be there unconscious?"

"You never said he was unconscious."

"Why else would he be on the bank?"

"Why else would he be in the room?" I said sarcastically.

"What will we do with him?" Persephone asked studying me. I squirmed under her look.

"I could help out here."

"He could help me with the rogue spirits."

"So he'll stay here then?" Persephone finished. I coughed and the two deities turned to me in surprise.

"You know it is rude to talk about someone while they're in the room, right?"

"Sorry. I forgot you were there, Seth." Hades sighed.

"I know, I could tell."

"As we just said, you could stay down here and find the souls that have escaped the Underworld."

"So, stay down here, alive or go to the surface for less than 6 hours and be forcibly sent here?"

"Yes."

"I'll stay here." I decided.

"Good. Your room will be the one you woke up in. You do remember the way?" Hades checked. I nodded.

"Seth, be careful when doing your jobs, my father doesn't ask questions." Persephone said, concerned. I thanked her and left the throne room.

"It would be easier to shadow travel." A voice called after me.

"How?"

"Feel the shadows around you and imagine a portal connecting the shadows to your destination." Hades replied, "Seth, when you want to start. There is a soul in San Francisco that has escaped." I tried shadow travelling and found myself in my room. It was like I had done it before.

Tell me if I should continue this story, this chapter is a prologue in a way.

If you want me to continue this story please could you vote on my poll? It is on my profile.

Katastrofí-Destruction