Chapter 10

Daddy Pomegranate

Very quietly I turned my head to the side. I could hear voices. No... it wasn't voices. More like.. chattering? I squinted into the gloom and nearly jumped back from what I saw.

I was sitting in some sort of field surrounded by a lot of sad looking people. I don't know how, but I knew they were all dead. Suddenly a winged beast landed beside me.

"Your father wants to see you," It said, picking me up and flying into the air with me in its grip. I knew I should've been afraid but it was kind of cool.

"Are you... a fury?" I asked, remembering this creature from Chiron's lectures.

It nodded. It obviously didn't want to talk to me so I shut up and observed my surroundings. It was dark but the place below I could see was massive. There were hundreds of dead people.

Dead people, furies, fields... Where could I be?

Suddenly it hit me.

The underworld, I thought.

The fury nodded at me even though I was pretty sure I hadn't said that aloud.

"Your father thought it was about time you met him. He managed to grab you from Artemis' transportation."

The creature cackled and dropped me in front of a large throne. It was black and upon it sat a normal sized man (obviously not in God form) with albino white skin and long black hair. His eyes were black like mind although mine had a more normal brownish tint.

"Hades," I said and then added, "Father."

He observed me with a strange look.

"It's good to meet you at last." He stated and I wondered if he really did care about me.

"I don't know," I said honestly, "I haven't exactly known or seen much of you in the last decade or so."

He flinched as if that pained him too.

"Where are my friends exactly?" I asked, walking over from one side of the room to another.

"I can summon then for you if you'd like," He said.

"No styx, Sherlock," I muttered, looking at the floor as I kicked a jet black pebble.

Hades closed his eyes and suddenly a massive orb of darkness appeared in the room. I covered my eyes with my arm and then it disappeared to reveal my friends.

"Rhianna!" They yelled, running towards me.

"OHMYGODS GUYS!" I screamed running back to hug them.

"We were so scared! We landed in this forest, I mean it was so cool but where the hell were you? Honestly I was freaking out-"Kerry rambled. Then she noticed my dad. "Ummm... Hades?"

He nodded but a steely look had returned to his face.

"Daughter of Zeus."

"Um yeah," Interrupted Alanna, "But we were planning to get your item last... sir."

He nodded.

"I know you were."

"Oh for the love of the gods!" Yelled Kerry, "Is everyone watching us?"

"Kind of," Said Hades.

I groaned. So now I was going to have to worry about my appearance and what the gods would think of me.

"So what are we doing here?" Demanded Johanna stepping forwards with a courageous look on her face.

"There are darker forces at work here," Hades said looking at us with a dark expression, "Poseidon and Apollo wanted me to tell you this too."

"What about my Dad?" Asked Kerry, looking up.

Hades frowned.

"He said we shouldn't speak of this."

Kerry's face fell.

"Don't worry child," said Hades with a kinder face than I would've expected from my dad, "Zeus is the leader of the Gods. He is bound to the rules. I'm certain however; he would like you to know this."

Kerry nodded.

"How come you're the one telling us then?" Asked Johanna.

"I don't... well... I don't want you to get, er, killed..." Hades mumbled. I stared shocked. Did Hades just admit he cared about me?

"Okay, okay," Alanna piped in, "But what is the darker stuff?"

"Titans," Hades pronounced the word with distaste.

I shuddered. Titans were a bad thing- that I was certain.

"What Titan?" Kerry questioned, "Or plural, I'm not sure."

"Titan," Hades confirmed, "And Poseidon will tell you more. I can't say everything here, someone might overhear."

I sighed. More travelling. I didn't overly mind but it was annoying. I had travelled a bit when I was child but to be honest my childhood was a bit messed up. The only things that really stuck out as good from it were my friends.

"But what about the Pomegranate?" Johanna asked.

"Oh, take it," Said Hades waving a hand in a dismissal way.

"Wow, that was easy," Kerry replied with a grin.

"Be warned though, eat one and you'll be trapped here forever!" And with that Hades cackled and erupted into a shower of black flames. I cowered on the floor for the second time today. When the icy feel had left the room (the flames for some weird reason gave out cold rather than heat) I saw my friends looking at me.

"What?" I demanded.

"You're dad is freaky," Alanna informed me.

"Thanks..." I muttered.

"Where next?" Cried Johanna brightly.

"Er... Poseidon?" I said, walking out the throne room door to find the forest of pomegranates.

"Wait up!" Yelled Kerry jogging up beside me.

I saw the trees and reached up to pluck a fruit. As I pulled my hand away I saw the most juicy looking food in my hand.

"Mmmmm..." All my friends sighed.

Alanna shook her head quickly as if waking from a dream.

"Um, I vote Rhianna to carry this," She smiled at me.

"What? Why?" I exclaimed. This wasn't fair!

"Dude, You're a DOH- it's probably easier for you to carry the fruit without eating it," Explained Alanna using DOH, her new slang word for Daughter of Hades. It worked the same with the others. DOP for Alanna, DOZ for Kerry and DOA for Johanna.

"Alanna, I don't think that's how it works-" I tried to point out but was interrupted by the others.

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Kerry said brushing past me to head on.

Johanna clapped me on the back.

"I'm sure you'll do fine."

Alanna just smirked and told me to hurry up.

So now we're on a journey to Poseidon and I've been dumped with a freaking pomegranate. Life sure is sweet.