Hades disappeared from the Olympian court via his helmet and stealthily returned to the Underworld. He didn't want to worry the denizens of his realm, so he thought he could sneak into his room unnoticed. But that was not meant to be. Cerberus had smelled the blood of his lord a long time ago, before Hades could even see the entrance to the Underworld, and began to howl, stomp, bark and generally create a ruckus. But instead of calling attention to his wounded lord, the dog called attention to itself.
Hades was a mess. He staggered, holding himself up against the walls of the entrance to the Underworld, breathing heavily, coughing and leaving a trail of blood behind him. One would think the fire from Zeus' bolt would cauterize the wound but no. The hole in his chest would not stop bleeding. Eventually he became too weak to sustain the power of invisibility.
When Charon saw his lord, he did what any serious, level-headed, loyal servant would in that situation…he screeched. He scrambled towards the king, screaming for help, and the most immediate responders were the Powers of Night and Darkness.
"Aidon!" Nyx, like any mother who had a son come home with a mortal wound, sprang into action and, with her wings, carried him quickly to his room. For the first time in her long, long life, a mortal feeling gripped her heart. She didn't know it was called fear at the time but she was absolutely mortified with these turn of events.
First, her future daughter in law was raped by Zeus, and then killed by Hera, and then, knowing her son like the back of her hand, she was sure Hades went up to confront Zeus only to come down bleeding from what seemed like a thunderbolt wound. She was furious. No. She was beyond furious. In fact there was no word for it…and even that was an understatement.
"Child what happened to you?!" Erebus asked with undisguised horror as he took him from his wife and laid him down on the bed. Nyx immediately tore her husband's himation to strips (she didn't have clothes so much as a thick mist) and wrapped them tightly around Hades' wound. The black cloth was soaked in golden ichor in ten minutes.
"My lord!" Hecate rushed in Hades' bedroom bringing a bottle of tonic with her. She poured it all over the wound and immediately it stopped bleeding, allowing his immortal abilities to take over and close the wound. Hypnos appeared and laid a hand on his liege's brow and Hades immediately went limp as a healing sleep took over. But not before he managed to utter deliriously that Hera was forgiven.
Nyx trembled with contained wrath. "This is Zeus' fault, I know it! He will pay for this and I will see to it! I will castrate him, disembowel him, drag his face all across the five rivers of Hades until he's unrecognizable, heal him, and then turn him over to Tartarus to put him under the bloodiest, most painful tortures he can concoct before I rip him to shreds!" (And this is why she is the mother of Nemesis, the goddess of retribution.)
"My love, please," Erebus whispered, rubbing Nyx's back comfortingly before he continued in a rather menacing voice, "I believe our Aidon must have something for him in mind. A punishment fit for the crime. Do not deny him this right."
"Oh I could just…! Whatever it is I abet it!" Nyx said as she bit her thumb and paced around the room angrily.
"Breathe, my love." Erebus said, following his own advice. He might seem the most level headed at the moment but his thoughts were so gruesome he would have given Tartarus a run for his money...or some ideas. (And this is why he is the father of Sophrosyne, the goddess of restraint.)
"Breathe? Breathe?! My son looked like he was just mangled by a beast and you want me to just breathe?!" She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "I want to give Zeus a piece of my mind!" She clenched her jaw and said through gritted teeth, "You know actually, I will!" before she disappeared in a swirl of dark mist.
"Nyx!" Erebus called too late before he sighed. Then turning to Hypnos he said with a slight knowing smirk, "I don't know whether to curse Zeus or…pity him."
Hypnos and Hecate looked at each other for a moment before they smirked back.
"Forget pity. He's completely doomed," They both said at the same time.
888
Back in Olympus, the gods had their own ruckus. The Olympians were divided among those who felt utterly unconcerned, complete with the carefree mentality of another day, another god scorned (mostly applies to the young Olympians), and those who felt that the end of the world was coming.
Though, Zeus felt particularly proud of what he had done. His children were looking at him with renewed awe. How strong and powerful their father was! Even the King of the Underworld ran with his tail between his legs.
"Zeus what have you done?" Poseidon whispered to his king, his countenance pale.
Hera chuckled darkly, "You're going to get it now…we're going to get it now. We're both doomed." She seemed resigned to whatever Fate has in store for her.
"I don't think I will be able to mitigate this. So I'm going to hide for a bit," Hestia said to no one in particular.
"Um… please let me go with you," Demeter pleaded her.
"Why do you fear Hades so, my siblings?" Zeus said lackadaisically. "He's a mere god of the Underworld. He is beneath me. If I wanted, I could flood his domain with one order to Poseidon if I find the slightest hint of insurrection. So what can he do to me?"
Poseidon looked at Zeus disbelievingly. Was this guy insane?
"Fine, be like that! Learn to fear his wrath the hard way!" Hera said as she stormed away from the god towards the exit. She didn't want to be in Zeus' obnoxious presence anymore.
"Hera, wait for us!" Hestia and Demeter shouted before attempting to follow her. Before any of them could exit the chamber though, another angry presence made itself known. They have encountered her in person before, during the meeting of the Olympians when Hades showed himself for the first time after a long time.
"Hello children!" Nyx greeted, seemingly smiling pleasantly.
"What are you doing here Nyx?" Zeus said genuinely perplexed.
"What am I doing here? You don't know? Oh my, aren't you just so adorable Zeus!" Nyx replied her fake smile intensifying.
"Sister?" Eros said from a corner.
"Hello Eros. It's good to see you too." Nyx said not even bothering to look at him but kept her eyes fixated on the god impertinently sitting on his throne even in the presence of a Protogenoi. "I am sorry but I'm not here to see you though brother. I'm here for that golden boy over there."
"G-golden boy?" Zeus stuttered before pointing to himself. "Me?"
"Yes you," Nyx said, her voice starting off with an extra high pitch that gradually darkened by the end of her sentence, "You are just so adorable, I would just love to eviscerate you, strangle you with your entrails, tie you to a weight and drop you in the middle of the river Acheron," she sighed dreamily. "You would be in so much pain. Wouldn't that be just lovely?"
A shiver ran down Zeus' spine.
You're not the only one, Hera thought to herself.
"Who are you to speak to my father that way?!" Ares stood up. He couldn't take it anymore. What right does these random gods have, popping out of nowhere and threatening his father?
"You are not qualified to threaten the King of the Gods," Athena seethed as she too stood up with righteous rage.
"Not qualified?" Nyx repeated. "You think so? You. Really. Think. So?" The goddess couldn't believe her ears, though she didn't let it show. Zeus had rubbed off on his children, which wasn't a good thing. Very well. I'll show you just how 'qualified' I am to threaten the 'mighty lord Zeus.' Darkness swiftly emanated from the night goddess and enveloped the whole palace. Blue fire replaced the bright warm glow of the torches fastened on the columns of the palace, casting everything in a dark eerie glow. Her voice lowered ominously as she said, "Do you not know, not understand, who I am? I am Nyx, goddess of the Night, daughter of Chaos, the First Queen of the Universe, and a resident of Hades.
"Do you really not know why I'm here? Fine, let me tell spell it out for you ignorant children. Imagine this: My future daughter-in-law was raped and killed, leaving my son completely devastated over losing her to the point where the Underworld shook with the intensity of his grief. But more than grief, he felt betrayed by the very siblings he loved. If you were him, you would have already violently retaliated – regardless of blood relations. But what did he do? He climbs on Mount Olympus ready to graciously forgive the perpetrators simply because they were his beloved siblings if only they apologize. It was a very noble action don't you agree? But what happened? He came back bleeding ichor everywhere from a thunderbolt wound enough that the knowledge of his immortality did not palliate my worries!"
Nyx disappeared and reappeared in front of Zeus in the blink of an eye, their faces merely inches apart. "If you pick a fight with Hades then you pick a fight with all of Hades," she whispered, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "And if you don't want to play by Aidon's way then we'll gladly play your way. Fair enough?" She patted Zeus' hair lightly and smiled. Then turning to Hera, who was trembling near the door like a leaf upon hearing her brother's tragic state, she said in her normal pleasantly high-pitched voice, "Oh and sweet Hera? You were forgiven," before disappearing in a cloud of mist bringing the darkness with her.
There was a beat of awkward silence as the gods internalized the recent events.
Ares crossed his arms and leaned back on his throne, a puzzled expression on his face. "What was that about?" he asked to no one in particular.
"I just think the Underworld is full of insanity," Hermes stated, casually drinking a goblet of ambrosia. He couldn't understand why they made such a big deal over rape and murder. It happens every day. They did it every day.
"That is…a very accurate description," Apollo nodded thoughtfully as he started to strum his lyre. "The madness of night. Does that sound like a good title for a song to you?"
Artemis, who actually worked with Nyx, didn't say anything out of respect for the ancient goddess.
Athena, who felt chided by a powerful deity other than Zeus, was shameful. Sometimes, even with all her wisdom, Athena was not always prudent. Like a warrior, she could be violent and impulsive. But when Nyx iterated the situation from her point of view, she finally understood and felt sympathetic of the Underworld king. Suddenly Zeus did not seem wise like she first thought when he struck the dark god.
But there was one god in the bunch with a similar reaction to the older Olympians regarding Nyx's visit. Eros pulled on Aphrodite's arm screaming, "We are getting out of here. Now! This is not a request!"
"Where are you going? You are not dismissed!" Zeus thundered, standing from his throne. He had enough impudence for one day!
Eros looked at him as if he had grown two heads. "What? Do you not know the wrath of older siblings?! If it were just Hades then I wouldn't worry much. But if it's Nyx then you are contending with all the residents of the Underworld itself and that includes Erebus and worse…Tartarus." The winged god visibly paled and shivered as he said the last word. That is to say that he may be the god of love, but there are just some beings that are, in a word, completely unlovable. It was like trying to love a vicious Chimaera, who would just love to tear you apart. And like any obnoxious older brother with a slight tendency of insanity mixed with a healthy dose of sadism, Tartarus simply loved making Eros' life miserable when they were younger. "If I were you I'd evacuate this place immediately," He warned then shifting his gaze sharply at Aphrodite, "Come with me daughter of Uranus."
"But teacher…"
"No buts!" He screamed as he dragged the resistant Aphrodite out of the hall's doors.
"I'm sorry but I will have to agree with him," Hestia said as she marched out of the palace after the love god, followed by Demeter and a more willing Hera. Their exit was punctuated by the echo of loud slamming doors.
A second of silence passed. Poseidon's eyes darted around the room nervously before saying, "Well I guess the meeting is over. It was nice seeing you Zeus." The way he said it seemed like 'seeing' should be replaced by 'knowing'. "I will be taking a long vacation so don't summon me for a while. Goodbye," The god of the seas said before making a hasty escape.
Another moment of silence passed. Basically everyone older than Zeus had left.
"I'm starting to get worried," Hermes said verbalizing the very thought that ran amongst the young gods.
A/N: Review please!