Part 3 : Put the old rancour aside.
When he started his researches, Hades pertinently knew that these one would be arduous. He didn't imagine how much it would be, and some times, he had the temptation of giving up.
(But a god, even with a dead heart never gives up. He fights right to the end.)
At that time he became aware of how lonely he was, and the loneliness in which he was plunged. In which someone plunged him, or in which he plunged himself. He didn't know, he didn't know it anymore.
Everything get confused in his head, and for the first time since a long time, he was feeling another thing than hatred. It was anxiety. Because he knew, despite all the efforts of his mind to make him forget it, that this woman existed one day. And the worst of it, that she was in danger.
(But in fact, she had to be alive for that.)
He forgot her ; someone made this to him so it had to have a meaning. If it hadn't been the case, why would he have feel such a great distress ?
§§§§
The third dayofhis research, when he wakes up, the god doesn't think of Zelena, and during three hours he doesn't remember her. But luckily, the picture is hang somewhere, and this time, he knows that just for an instant, his heart started beating again.
He definitely understands that she really matters and it's panic that chokes him, now, at this moment. The god decides then to keep this proof of the existence of this Zelena with him, because he already lost her.
So he won't loose the only memories he has from her, even if these one have no importance, nor sense.
At least, not for the moment.
§§§§
In the same day, one of his first leads is finally formulated in his mind. A God, he thought, can be manipulated just by another God, with the same force and the same importance as him. Who could have do it ? Not a simple mortal, he was sure of that.
In fact, he just needed a single moment to express one hypothesis. Zeus. His brother who destroyed everything in his life, broke everything and that he completely hated.
It just could be him, and no one else.
Without taking into account the fact that his judgement was altered by his pride and his no-objectivity towards his brother, he decided to send a message to Zeus through Iris, telling him he wanted to organize an encounter.
His brother would come, he knew it, because Hades could do nothing to him, and that Zeus will not loose an occasion to try to make peace with him.
And he didn't know how to lie, anyway, so Hades would make him tell the truth. And he didn't care if his brother accepted it or not.
At evening, Zeus came to see him, not in the Underworld (Hades didn't want to stay in this place) but in the mortal' world, in Greece.
(The God of the Underworld found it ironic that they were here, where they had been celebrated. Even if it was not here that Hades wanted to go when he came into the world of the livings.)
The king of Gods didn't do any remark about the place his brother choose when he saluted his brother.
They gauged each other during some minutes, before Zeus attacked first.
"Why did you want to see me, brother ? Hades raised his eyebrows, surprised.
- Oh ? You still see me as your brother ? That's strange.
- You always will be my brother, Hades. But I suppose that you didn't ask me to come here for this. Do you have a real reason or can I leave ?"
A smile crossed Hades' face. Apparently his brother learned suspicious, with the time. And maybe that if there wasn't hatred, he would have been happy to see him again; but no, he was not here for this.
"I think that for an unknown reason, you cast a spell on me.
- Why would I want to do such a thing ? His brother asked, choked,."
His brother examined him in a detailed way and there was silence for a moment.
"Oh, I don't know… because you always wanted to destroy me, me and all my opportunities of happiness !"
Zelena went out of his mind, and there was just anger. The hurt look of the other immortal pierced him, as if it really was not his fault…
§§§§
"It never has been my intention Hades, he said, trying to calm him. You know it perfectly, I never wanted this.
- Really ? What about Persephone then ? Hades cried, letting this old rancour go out from him, which was buried in him since centuries.
- It was my daughter Hades ! I also suffered from her death, as you or Demeter did. I loved her, and what happened wasn't my fault ! It was an accident !
- It was my wife ! And I loved her too ! Probably more than you, or than her dear mother. And you, you killed her ! And you stopped my heart from beating ! Why do you think that I do think that is you that made someone erase my memory ! Unless you did it yourself…"
Zeus' look became perplexed.
"Wait… what happened to you ?"
If he needed another proof to realize Zeus' innocence, it was this one. The other continued to talk.
"Someone erased your memory ? But how ? And if it is the case, how do you know it ?
- These memories had to be important for me. A part of me had to know that I didn't have to forget.
- I did nothing to you Hades ! What you're saying has no sense; you're already unable to defeat me. I am not a terrible monster, so why would I do it to you ?
- So, if it is not you, who ?
- Explain me what happened to you.
- I won't !" The amnesic said, hurt in his pride by the idea of his brother helping him.
His brother's look became critic, and he sighted:
"Hades, if you want to find all your memories, you will need my help. Or you won't be able to do it, and if I goodly understood it matters for you. So, will you accept my offer of peace and put our old rancour aside ?"
The god accompanied his proposal by handing his hand to him. Hades hesitated, for a moment.
Really.
But there was Zelena, and her blue eyes and his fear to loose his memory when he woke up. And his heart which almost woke up thanks to her.
So, despite his reluctances, the god handed his hand to his former enemy, and compressed it. While his brother was smiling.
"I am going to the Olympus, to see with the others if we can understand what happened to you."
Hades answered nothing.
§§§§
Five days. It's the time that the king of the gods needed to understand what happened and realize that the story was rewrote in a particular world. If it took such a long time (at Hades' point of view, it appeared as an eternity), it's because he firstly didn't think to search into a world without magic.
Storybrooke' existence was known by the gods, but they didn't judge goodly the idea of searching in this town that seemed insignificant for them.
It was Athena who was the first to suggest them to interest to this town, which helped them to go faster in their researches (and it was why these one were not longer than five days).
And when they understood what had happen, Zeus came back to see his brother, again in Greece.
"After what I could see, with the others, a certain Author rewrote the story, in order to make disappear a character from this one. But I don't know who it is.
- Zelena.
- Wh… What ?
- Her name is Zelena, repeated Hades."
His brother stroke him with his look.
"You could have tell me this. We could have go faster.
- I don't trust you enough for this."
His brother accepted the critic, and sighed.
"If I goodly understand, you forgot her but you still had a proof of her existence. And you knew that something was missing in you memories ?
- It'sthat.
- So, if it is the case, this person really matters for you… his brother added."
A tense silence settled; because there was a certain unsaid thing which was present, what they didn't tell to each other, is that, maybe, this person would allow to the god with a dead heart to make it beat again. None of them wanted to talk about it, it would have signify the possibility for Hades to revenge, finally.
"But it is not everything… His brother looked at him.
- What else ?
- The thing we also learned is that the Author didn't just do it. Some hours after this… misdeed, he rewrote the story again, but in a more profound way. All the story, and the inhabitants of a town called Storybrooke have been transport into another world.
- And her… do you think she is also there ?
- Maybe… After all, she also was a part of the story, so it is probable that she didn't completely disappeared, with luck. Or… there would be another solution.
- Explain, asked Hades with a glint of hope.
- You will have to go in this world, and convince the author to make disappear the changes that he made by rewriting the story.
- How can he be in the story he wrote ?
- I think that a young boy living in the town but who doesn't come from the Enchanted Forest send him in. and he is also there, and he is the only one who knows that this world is entirely false. His name is Henry.
- Why are you telling this to me Zeus ? And how do you know that ?"
Zeus had a smile both happy and a little disappointed.
"Your nephews and nieces are really good to make researches on the human world. You can thank Hermes, Apollo, and Athena. They are the one who helped the more to find the elements that would help you to understand what happened. And you're my brother Hades, despite our disagreement, I will always help you…
- Thank you… my brother."
And, for the first time since a long time, they both stared at each other, without any hatred.
§§§§
"Tell me, what are we doing now ?
- I propose you a simple thing… to send you in this other world, created by this Author. And if you go in, you may arrange things.
- I can do it… Do it, he said, giving his agreement to his brother."
And, then under the eyes of the king of the gods, the god of the Underworld disappeared, in the direction of a world that he barely knew, or a little…
§§§§
Shrivelled on herself, on the ground, the young witch was crying. At the horror succeeded the pain, and her sobs became louder and louder.
The light was now entirely here, she could see everything in the room. Absolutely everything. Nothing could escape to her look, and if there was something she didn't see, she could not accuse the lack of light.
And it was the real problem…
Because, when she looked herself in the mirror, what she saw…what she saw…
Disappear at the eyes of everyone…
She just discovered that the Author did his job goodly… too goodly, in fact.
What made her cry with terror, is that, by looking at herself in the mirror… she saw nothing in it.
There was nothing…
Disappear at the eyes of everyone…
More than just have transported her in another world, the spell made her become invisible…