22nd December
The next morning, Hera ran into her bedroom. She had been contemplating her decision all night, and she realised that she didn't want Zeus to be thrown into Tartarus (which was a possibility considering the amount of gods at the meeting).
She ran to her bedroom where Zeus was sprawled, his chest rising and falling as he slept. Hera shook him lightly, causing Zeus to flash out of bed and across to the other side of the room. His master bolt was ready to fire until he saw his wife. He smiled at her, but then he realised that his wife was crying.
As the tears dropped from Hera's eyes, Zeus carried he to the chair beside the bed. He wiped the tears off with his thumb, kissing her lightly on the forehead every few minutes.
"What's wrong?" He asked her, wondering what could have made the cold-hearted goddess so upset.
"The gods are planning an uprising." She informed him. Zeus stiffened, thinking about the betrayal.
"Who is leading it?" He asked, tension leaking into each word. Hera looked up at him before bursting into tears again. She was the goddess of families; she couldn't bear to betray Hestia, who had always been the kindest of the gods.
Zeus decided to stop asking questions, but kept his guard up waiting for attack.
...…...
As the gods gathered for the meeting the tension flared. Zeus walked stiffly to his throne, Hera next to him.
Hestia was glancing at Hades every so often, waiting for him to yell at her about the plan.
Hades stared straight ahead, contemplating reasons that Hestia needed so much energy.
The minor gods were waiting in silence.
Everybody knew about the "uprising" and yet, nobody knew about it.
Hestia tilted her hand discreetly, sending a fireball at the ceiling.
At that point, all chaos broke loose.
The gods involved in the plan transformed into their godly forms while Zeus and Hera did the same.
Zeus had his lightning bolt ready to defend himself as power surged from the gods in streams of light.
Hestia knew she had made a mistake even before she finished. She felt the blinding power of the gods surge through her and out at the same time.
Aim, she reminded herself, aim.
Three beams of focused energy left her in an array of colours.
Zeus tried to mask his fear as the beam shot towards him, too powerful for even him to stop.
Hades stood calmly waiting for the beam to come: he knew this would happen.
Unlike some people thought, Hades was very clever and he was one of the oldest gods. He knew that the power didn't add up: it was much too much (around three times too much by his calculations). He was also one of the only gods that spoke to Hestia. Always in secret, but conversations. He knew her well enough to see through her flimsy lie.
Poseidon sat rooted to his seat, wondering for a split second too long why the beam was coming towards him. He watched it change from white to green to blue, waiting for it to change course.
The beams hit the gods at the exact same time. A ginormous explosion rocked the throne room; knocking over a statue of Aphrodite that was by the entrance.
The dust was thick in the air: almost as if Olympus had just been bombed.
Hestia panicked. She had planned this to go calmer, with fewer falling statues and dust. The gods were screaming and running around: they probably thought Hestia was out of control considering the numerous beams she had shot.
Hestia shook her head slightly, trying to clear her head in the mass panic occurring around her. She sprinted towards Hades' throne, looking for the small shape of a mortal the whole time.
He wasn't there.
"Hades!" Hestia shouted, hysteria running havoc on her body. Her breathing increased as tears trickled down her face. "Hades..."
Hestia sagged onto the floor, her eyes downcast and broken. Hades had been her closest friend. Ever.
Hera marched over to the grief-stricken goddess but slowed her rage when she saw the state Hestia was in.
"Zeus has gone." She stated, a small tear leaking from her eye. She kneeled next to Hestia, wrapping one arm around her sister's shoulder.
"I didn't mean for this." Hestia met her sister's eyes, truth shining like a torch in them.
Hera nodded in acknowledgment. Her frown increased as she looked up to the sky.
"I wanted them to be mortal, not dead. Hades was one of my few friends. He is gone now."
Another tear trickled from Hera's eye before she turned to Hestia, a determined look on her face.
"We will find them." She told Hestia. Hestia stood up, ready to search.
"Let's go."