Chapter II
The Light Forthcoming
On the outside world, Rhea exiled herself in order to escape her deranged husband. She ran faster and farther once she realized that she was pregnant with yet another child. In terror she finally reached a remote island inhabited by nymphs, hoping never to be found and grieving for her lost sons. When her third son was born, healthy with golden skin and a head full of her mahogany hair, she dubbed him Zeus. The pain of losing her other children became too much to bear; however, and after ensuring the nymphs of the island would take care of him, Rhea, the mother of the gods, allowed herself to slip into the sea; fading away forever.*
As Zeus aged, he learned the skills of a warrior. When he was old enough to leave the island, the god learned of his trapped siblings and devised a plan.
/OOO\
For fifteen years, Hades and his brother remained in the stomach of their father. Being immortal, they were able to stay alive; though, that did not mean they couldn't feel pain or discomfort. Hades, despite all his supposed misgivings about Poseidon, loved him and protected him by wrapping his body around his brother; holding him closely. This way, Poseidon was spared much of the pain and darkness corrupting their father that inexorably seeped into Hades.
As his body grew and seemed to deteriorate at the same time, Hades, in no small part due to the young one, kept a hold on his sanity, even when the walls constricted around him and he became afraid of crushing his little brother. The older brother often spoke to the infant and worked on teaching him words, if only to take his mind off where he was.
Hades himself also gained knowledge because, even though the walls of muscle surrounding him were thick, he could still hear outside them. The murmurings of voices outside had at first seemed faint and indecipherable, but a starving mind that desperately craved change after a few short days allowed his ears to finally strain enough to translate the sounds into words. In reality, the son was present and paying rapt attention to every meeting and interaction of the father. Fear and loathing morphed into raw hatred.
Entombed in such a way, Hades' mind was honed to a sharp, nearly dangerous edge. Sleep would not come to him, so whenever Po was resting all he was able to do was delve into contemplation to escape the horror. These times tortured him. Through the years he could still hear his mother's scream ringing in his ears.
By the fifteenth year of imprisonment, Hades had lost hope that he would ever be free, and could no longer hide his despair from Poseidon.
Poseidon remembered little of his life before becoming trapped in the stomach of Kronos and seemingly obtaining permanent residence within his brother's embrace. Because of this, he was able to adapt much better, and even developed a sort of positive personality. He was quiet; though, and rarely spoke up unless he really felt something needed to be said.
That time was now. Po was becoming increasingly worried about his protective older brother. Hades used to talk all the time, in order to keep from losing his mind in the unchanging monotony. He was now, and had been for some time, disconcertingly quiet. He couldn't see in the darkness, but even as a god, Hades was being consumed. Bones jutted from a chest that was never built to be slender. Features that were once rounded had turned sharp.
"Brother?" the timid voice squeaked into the darkness. Poseidon was sixteen now, but being trapped since infancy had resulted in him being unable to develop his maturity to its full extent. Much of his behavior remained reminiscent of a child.
It was a long time before he received an answer; long enough for the fear to set in. "Yeah?"
The relief on the younger's face would have been visible if it weren't for the blackness. "You know…" he paused, "I turn sixteen today."
Another extended silence, then a dry chuckle that was more felt than heard. "Well, happy birthday bro. I'd make you a cake, but-" the laugh became bitter and strained.
After a moment's indecision Po continued on to a subject he was sure his brother wouldn't appreciate, after all, he'd mostly survived the ordeal through denial. "I- I wonder whether mom has found a way to get us out of here."
Seething, Hades replied "Oh, but my dear brother, don't you just love it down here!" the tone was a mocking whisper, but still seemed loud to Po. "I mean, we don't even have any chores. No more cleaning the dishes, right?" the laugh turned cold and died.
"But seriously, though," he continued after a moment. "hate to burst your bubble, kid, but we've been down here for a long time." A sigh. "I don't think she's coming for us, buddy."
"Don't say that!" his little brother showed an uncharacteristic display of anger.
"And why not?" Hades' voice was still mocking. "After fifteen… shit, after fifteen years somehow I just don't think dear old daddy is going to suddenly decide he's sick of me kicking him in the liver!"
As soon as he'd finished this statement, there came an ominous rumbling.
"… That's new…" Hades whispered.
The rumbling grew and their little prison started to shake, then move. Not knowing what else to do, Hades gripped his brother tight. The brothers suddenly lurched upward and were violently assaulted by light and color and air. Hades hit the grass-covered ground hard, but was too shocked; too fearful this was a dream, to reopen his eyes.
/OOO\
Zeus was hiding a distance away, cautiously glancing out at a clearing from his position behind a large boulder. He was clad in thick armor, for all the good that would do if something went horribly wrong. By this age his curly hair had grown out past his shoulders, which were broad and muscular for someone of a meager fifteen years.
He had spiked his father's wineskin with poison while he was sleeping. The task had been beyond nerve-wracking, but the titan apparently felt quite secure in his invincibility because he'd slept on without a trace of wakefulness all through the night. Kronos was on one of his oddly frequent excursions in Crete and had for once forgone the luxury of sleeping indoors, offering a rare chance for the young god. Even after what he had done there the monster had remained free of guilt or shame; probably so he could gloat about his great victory over a pair of kids barely free of the womb.
The enormous, mighty titan was now painfully emptying the contents of his stomach onto the earth. When the heaving started to rasp and hitch and become agonizing to listen to, a large bundle finally tumbled its way from the depths of his gullet. After abandoning his insides, Kronos collapsed to the earth, exhausted and unconscious from the effects of a strong partial-sedative.
Not knowing how much time he had to spare, Zeus rushed to his brothers, but slowed his pace in surprise upon seeing them up close.
Hades had changed. His once pearly skin had darkened into a gray, corpse-like hue. A large-framed body seemed like it held nothing but bones. From the grimace on his emaciated face, Zeus also spied long, sharp fangs peeking out from a partially opened mouth. His head remained hairless. All in all, Hades reminded Zeus of nothing so much as a demonic corpse. Zeus flinched when the clawed hand twitched and moved aside to reveal the second brother.
Poseidon's appearance was unaffected, due to his brother's protection. His skin remained the same blue color it had been in infancy, but with age fish-like fins had appeared to frame his face. Though not possessing the deteriorated guise of his brother, he was still very twig-like and gave the impression of a younger age. In fact, if Zeus didn't know better, he would be compelled to believe he was the middle child in the equation. While the elder brother's eyes were winced shut in disbelief, Po's blue eyes were wide open in awe. Fifteen years is a long time to be robbed of sight. Gingerly he attempted to loosen the frantic grip his brother held on him, with little success. Fifteen years is a long time to be holding your younger sibling, and Hades was having trouble accepting he must let go.
"Brother, brother! We're free! Open your eyes! We're free!" Po's voice had a nearly indistinct warble.
Slowly, that clawed grip loosened, and Zeus saw black-rimmed and weary yellow eyes open. Oddly, the warrior noted that the eyes were, paradoxically, the exact same shade as his mother's, but that is where the similarity ended. While his mother's eyes had been kind and gentle, those of Hades were only cold and bitter.
Hades was struck with fear down to his very core as he opened his eyes. It had to be a dream! Surely one of those elusive moments of sleep had caught him and he'd forgotten how to tell what was real and what wasn't. Yes, this would be one of those dreams that left him shuddering with uncontrollable disappointment when he woke. But when the image of his stupidly grinning brother failed to fade in his vision, his eyes widened and the pupils narrowed to pinpricks. This was real…! His grip on Poseidon tightened, then finally fell away.
When the younger brother stood, leaving the elder to sit up and clutch at his head, eyes wide, they both spotted Zeus. Realizing the danger of the situation and not having the time to wonder what he'd got himself into, Zeus gestured to the fallen titan. "We need to hurry! I don't know how long he'll be out! We have to go, now!" Zeus was actually surprised the sedative had even worked. The two older brothers, still in shock, numbly allowed themselves to be led by their insistent younger brother away from the clearing. Hades collapsed several times on the way to the first concealing thicket of trees, but soon gained strength and motivation.
After running for a long time, so long that a sun that had just been peeking over the edge of the hills was now falling behind their rivals on the opposite horizon, the three arrived at a small cave that was previously occupied by Zeus for exactly this purpose. Hades collapsed in postponed exhaustion and Poseidon soon followed. They may be gods, but they were both certainly in no shape to be running a marathon. Zeus rummaged inside one of two packs and tossed a simple white wool chiton at each of them.
"Who are you?" Poseidon finally thought to ask. This was all too much for him to absorb so quickly.
Before Zeus could provide his answer, Hades, acknowledging the richly-colored hair he had recalled in fevered dreams for the past fifteen years, stated with a rasp: "Brother."
Thinking he had been addressed, Poseidon glanced toward Hades in confusion, but when he noticed who Hades was actually looking at, he realized with wide eyes what the eldest meant.
True, the bronzed skin and blue eyes did not match Rhea in the least, but the brunette locks were a dead giveaway. Zeus slowly nodded his head. The fifteen year old warrior was slightly baffled with the scenario, now. These were his older brothers. There was a long, uncomfortable silence that was broken by a harsh laugh from Hades, nearly making the youngest jump out of his skin.
"I'm Zeus." was the only response the one under query offered, in such a way that only can be accomplished by awkward teenagers. He shuffled his feet.
The twenty year old god approached his newly dubbed sibling, obviously enjoying his discomfort and wrapped a thin arm around Zeus's shoulders. Hades gave an unsettling fanged grin. "Well hey, how ya doin'? Hades." He offered his hand to Zeus, receiving no response from the latter. Hades quickly returned his hand to his side. "Pardon the confusion, but-" and here Hades pinched the bridge of his nose "and don't get me wrong, I'm grateful. Really, I am. But the curiosity's killing me, here. What, exactly do you get outta busting us from the stocks, Zeus?"
Relaxing, but still slightly unnerved by the luminous yellow eyes staring into his own, Zeus replied, "You are my brothers, I couldn't leave you inside that monster," He took a deep breath. "and I wanted to avenge mother."
At first he was greeting with a low-lidded, condescending stare. Then, in an invisible double-take, a yellow eye piercing his own twitched and the toothy grin faded.
"…Avenge…?" Poseidon whispered.
A barely audible sound came from Hades.
Zeus shrugged off the older brother's arm. "When mother found out I was going to be born, she fled to an island far off the coast and left me in the care of the nymphs there. I- she must have been in too much pain. One morning she left and walked into the waters of the sea. She… never came back… The nymphs told me she disappeared."
Poseidon watched as his oldest brother's face, now lurking in the darkness of the cave behind Zeus, became more shadowed with each passing word. He was clenching a portion of the rock wall in his clawed fingers, drawing gouges in the stone. Po hadn't known his mother very long, and did not remember much other than her eyes, but it was not the same for Hades.
No, no… no no no… This wasn't happening! He and the squirt were finally free, they could go home… Suddenly he heard her scream in his head once more, as he had heard it countless times before. This time the sound seemed to slice across his memory and started a deadly blaze that burned brighter and hotter every second. That- that bastard. He was responsible for this! For everything!
On the outside, the eldest brother appeared mostly calm as he slowly, deliberately walked toward the exit of the cave. His arms were folded behind his back in an almost nonchalant gesture. "Brother, wait. Where are you going?" Poseidon asked in concern.
In a voice that might have been offering the time of day, Hades responded, "I am going to kill him." The steps continued.
Eyes wide, Po jumped to his feet, alarmed. "What? You can't go back there! If yo-" That train of approach was brought to a screeching halt at a look from Hades. All the rage and pain that didn't show in body language burned within those eyes.
Poseidon ran up and grabbed his arm just as he exited the cave, but was tossed aside in surprise. Hades didn't even turn.
"He ruined everything. And for what! Some delusion of us usurping power? We were children!" With every word the dull grey skin started to change; it now held a distinct rosy tint. It became redder and more glaring by the second. "I will find him, and when I do, I will rip out his insides and gouge out his eyes! Maybe if he can't see at all he can't convince himself something is there that isn't! Remove him from the world and condemn him to eternal agony. Maybe then every morning and every night I won't hear her voice screaming!"
The last words came out as a nearly indecipherable shriek and the enflamed skin ignited. As his brothers watched in alarm, the tongues of orange grew higher as Hades continued to rant and wildly gesticulate, though the words could no longer be understood through the impossibly loud whoosh and crackle of fire. Reaching the apex of his rage, Hades finally exploded.
Zeus and Poseidon managed to duck into the cave and behind a jutting rock to avoid being incinerated by a hair's breadth. The heat was unbearable, but left as quickly as it had come, leaving a yawning silence in its wake, occasionally broken by soft sounds. The two brothers crept from the behind the charred rock formation. Through the entrance of the cave they witnessed a sight for the first and last time in their lives.
Hades was on his knees in a great crater of blackened ground. Now topping his formerly bare head was a blue flame, but he didn't seem to notice the change. His shoulders shook and pale hands enshrouded a worn, weary face.
ooOOOoo
ooOOOoo
* In the original mythology, titans are immortal like the gods; however, in the movie Hercules it is implied that they can die.