Finding Hades

"I suppose we are going back upstairs to find Hades?" Adrastos guessed as they walked back up to the main floor of Olympus from its damp dungeons. Kratos shook his head, "You would imagine Hades, being one of the brothers of Zeus that he would live in Olympus. But he does not; he lives, or lived, in the underworld. He was in charge of all the dead, and that is a job that requires constant attention I suppose." Kratos said. Pandora shook her head, "That wasn't very kind to cast out a brother from home. Job or not." Pandora said disappointedly. Kratos shrugged, "We live in a world where family not only casts out family, but kills them as well," he said, and Pandora sighed. She understood, but yet she did not. How could one push aside family, their own blood? It just wasn't just. Kratos looked down at the girls upset face, and gave her a soft pat on the head. "A mad world it is, child." He said gently.

The trio crept along the halls and around the corridors, searching for an exit. It was strangely quiet, and they did not encounter anyone; monster or man. Kratos wondered if it was because Hera was no longer there. Perhaps they abandoned searching for him since she was gone. He was not sure, and he was not about to take chances. He told the children to stay quiet, and to stay low. They did not argue, and all three safely made their way to the outside.

When Pandora came outside, she gasped. The ruins were more then she had thought. Bits and pieces of the world were scattered under floods and death. Tears slowly formed in her eyes, burning, salty droplets of water. She tried to choke them back, but that only made her want to sob more. The world was dead, so very dead. Kratos put his head down, and looked at her, "Pandora, I am so sorry." He said as he saw sparkling silver tears run down her ghostly cheeks. She wiped them away, "it is all right, Kratos. I just forgot how bad this all was. I never imagined…" She said, and stopped. Adrastos took Pandora's hand, "I'll fix it." He said. She laughed. "That's the spirit, we will fix it." Pandora said wiping tears from her eyes. "We just have to stay strong, and finish this quest." She said, and smiled.

Adrastos nodded, "Kratos? Where would Hades be?" He asked. Kratos pondered for a moment, and wondered. Only one place came to mind. "There used to be a portal to the underworld, it was what Hades used to enter and leave. It required the soul of a god to go through. I don't know if we could walk through, or if it is even there." Kratos said. Pandora thought, "I am not living nor am I dead. I have certain freedoms; perhaps I can enter the underworld and leave ok." Pandora suggested. "It is worth a try I suppose. But I will try first. I do not want you risking yourself, child." Kratos said, and then looked down at Adrastos. "The same applies to you, boy. No risks, no guessing; only if you are completely sure," Kratos said. They both nodded. "Good," Kratos said, putting his sword on his shoulder. "Let's keep going."

The three wandered together down the side of the mountain, Kratos remembered the portal was on the side of Olympus, but nothing more when they started. As they progressed further, he recalled fighting different monsters. Each helped him remember where he was, and how much further the entrance to the destroyed underworld was. After walking and recalling memories of his past of fighting demons, they found the portal. With help from Adrastos, that is.

Adrastos looked around the scenery, taking in every detail of the place. He imagined all of the history that was made right under his very dead feet. It fascinated him. Pandora glanced at Adrastos, and giggled when she saw the boy's excited face. It lit up with enthusiasm, and his face showed aw and amazement. Occasionally, smile would show. Even Kratos watched Adrastos with content. It was very lucky for Adrastos that they were looking at him, or Adrastos would have fallen right into the hole that lay right in front of his path.

The second Adrastos stumbled forward; Kratos leaned forward with superhuman speed, and caught him. Adrastos gasped as Kratos pulled him back, "Be careful, boy!" Kratos said, and Adrastos nodded, still in slight shock. Kratos exhaled, and relaxed, then rubbed Adrastos' head gently, "Are you all right, Adrastos?" He asked. Adrastos nodded, and calmed himself. As Adrastos did, Kratos looked down to see what he had almost tripped over. When he did he saw Adrastos did not almost trip over, but into a small dent in the ground.

Kratos looked at it, pondering on what could have possibly made something like that. Pandora looked as well, "Kratos, look," she said, "there are four of those things total." Kratos saw, and began to think. There was something very familiar about them, but he could not figure out exactly what. Adrastos then joined in on the investigation, he looked around for even more of those craters in the earth. Carefully, he looked to the side and saw a fifth hole. "Kratos, look!" Adrastos said, pointing at it. Kratos looked at it, and suddenly the answer came to him as memories flooded back quickly.

"Gaia," Kratos exclaimed, and both Pandora and Adrastos looked at him curiously. "She made these, before she fell. She tried to ask me for my help again after she betrayed me and let me fall straight down into the underworld." Kratos explained. Kratos recalled the Earth Titan, begging for Kratos to help her. Before that they were both allies in destroying Zeus. Later, she had made her way back up to Olympus when Kratos was fighting Zeus. She had tried to destroy him along with Zeus then, saying that 'father and son shall die together.' Sadly for her, Kratos and Zeus had fallen into her and traveled to where her heart had beaten peacefully. Kratos destroyed it, killing Gaia, and continued the fight to the death with his father. "The entrance should near here, just a little further away." Kratos said, pointing forward. "Then let's keep going," Pandora said.

The walked a little further on, and made a sharp left turn. Then, against the wall, they saw the portal. The portal had swirls in it that went in a million directions, and it had a very dim, purplish glow to it. Before, Kratos remembered how bright it was. Now, it was barely there. Kratos turned to Adrastos, and Pandora. "I want both of you to hide, and do not leave unless I call you," Kratos said, "Watch each other, and keep safe. I am going into the portal." Pandora reached down, and took Adrastos' hand into hers, and led him into a small crack in the mountain side. They both squeezed in, and spoke not a word. Kratos watched them hide, and then he stepped into the portal. Hoping that his answers laid on the other side.

Kratos pushed one foot forward, and it went through perfectly. He continued to press on, until he found himself on the other side. The underworld looked horrible. The chains of balance had been broken, and there were pieces scattered everywhere he looked. Kratos could only see one thing in the distance. From his view it looked to be a thrown. It was large, and made of bones and flesh. The design was molded into strange shapes, and the sight made Kratos a little sick. He had never seen such a strange, horrific piece in his life, let alone afterlife. In the thrown, he saw a very tall man. Or, what he assumed was a man. His face looked like soft, red clay that could be molded easily. The man's hands looked like claws, and he did not have a shirt to cover up his large gut. He wore a tunic around his waist, and torn sandals. He looked like he was crying. And from the shrieking noises Kratos heard, he still was sobbing. Kratos slowly floated across silently, trying not to be seen. As he got closer, he realized that it was not a man crying at all, but a god. It was Hades, the god of the dead. Kratos was shocked to see him in such a state.

Kratos floated behind the thrown, and watched. He was unsure what to do, or what to say; if he should do or say anything. He began to wonder if it was a wasted trip. Suddenly, Hades turned around. He looked at Kratos in the eyes, Hades had red eyes. They were an unmistakable red, full of anger, even if he had tears on his face. "So, it is you," Hades said, rising to face Kratos. "The one who destroyed my realm; my empire of the dead!" Kratos said nothing. "So what do you want now? You killed my family, my kingdom, and even me! What do you wish now? For me to suffer? You only come to kill!" Hades said. Kratos looked away, "What do you know of this madness? That is all I come for. I only seek answers." Kratos said. Hades laughed, his voice booming across the emptiness, full of sarcasm. "Answers? Answers! Well, here is an answer for you Ghost of Sparta," Hades said, "I am going to rip you limb from limb with my bare hands!" He shouted. "Hades, I only seek answers. I have not come to deal with the past. We need to focus on the future," Kratos said, "Just look at you! The god of the dead, sobbing like a child!" Kratos shouted. Hades was enraged. "Before we look at the future, let us look at the present." Hades said, grabbing Kratos by the throat. "I am going to damn you, like you did to everything! You shall suffer Kratos! You will suffer, and pay the price for meddling with the gods!"