Bridges and Bonds

by AnaWolf

People are different. So are the Gods. And the abyss that exist between some deities and humanity must be conquered. However, eight gods are too much for a single human to deal with... So Zeus decided that Yui Kusanagi needed help.

21. Chapter Twenty - Promises of Snow and Da

Chapter Twenty – Promises of Snow and Darkness

Yui would sometimes reflect on how the atmosphere of Christmas seemed to reach even places such as the Academy. Despite the winter vacations starting on December 22th and Apollon's decision of doing something for celebration being a little in the nick of time, the natural feeling that invaded the air at this time of the year had spread towards the rest of the place as if possessing a life of its own. It had been one thing while only she and the other girls had been talking about it, but having the rest of the group included somehow made it better… And it dissipated the feelings of disappointment that had come while they talked about the matter privately, concluding they wouldn't have the chance of actually celebrating Christmas...

Yui had to admit, it was not exclusively due to the "the more, the merrier" concept. Her homesickness, if anything, was just getting stronger with the approaching of a time that was a family holiday. The Gods were nice and she felt she could hazard calling most (if not all) of them "friends", however, they were not family. And while the school had become less of a prison with the passing of the months, it didn't change the basic facts of their predicament.

"It will be nice. No reason to get sad. Okay. I think I have all the books that could help." She thought, pushing the little cart she had been allowed to use due to the quantity of books about Christmas traditions. "I can't wait to see what they will say about the decorations! Maybe we can even get some trees!" Back home, tree-decorating had always been one of her favorite things to do, since she was a child. Her brothers and her would play with the some of the ornaments, step back to admire their work. At times, they would take hours, prolonging the deed just because they enjoyed it so much… And then there was some arguments about who would be the one to place the star on the top.

She giggled, imagining how it would be if the deities here were to do it and the type of ornaments they would like the most. Yui had always loved a collection her mother had of small bells connected by a line of snow crystals.

Screams broke into her thoughts.

If it were not for the gleefulness of their nature, her first reaction would have been of shock and worry, but her first guess on the problem turned to be correct. As soon as she turned the corner, she saw Balder surrounded by a sea of spirits. The God of Light appeared to be trying to get them to let him pass, politely saying he had to go to the Student Council Room for a reunion, his words being nothing but useless sounds. Deity or not, Yui found it to be a disconcerting scene.

"Yui!" He called upon seeing her, which was easier due to his height. A needle of worry pierced her upon noticing he seemed weary. "A little help?"

Leaving the cart where it was, she rushed towards the spirits, using her elbows to push them aside with the ability of someone used to crowds. Some complained, many kept their attentions on Balder, refusing to move. A wave of sickness came to the girl, as if the very air around them was false to the lungs. She saw a female one, her eyes more glazed than usual as she reached out for the deity. Looking at Balder, Yui knew he had noticed those expressions. What could be found in them was not even adoration, but some sick fascination. She half-expected some of them to be drooling.

"Misaki was right. They can be like drug-addicts!"

"Come on, Balder!" She cried over their voices, trying to reach to him. His strong hand dived into the insane bees that were the spirits, holding to her. The girl groaned, feeling the pressure around, some accidentally pulling her hair.

"Move, get out of the way!" Yui cried out, having no more success than him in making the creatures oblige. At least they were not bringing both of them down in their excitement, she supposed.

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" She growled in her mind, sending politeness out of the window and kicking whatever there was in the way. Bodies still refused to step aside and voices with no meaning complained and moaned. As soon as she felt closer to the edge of the circle they had formed, Yui started to run, pulling Balder by force. Before the spirits had chance to enclose them once more, both took off. It wasn't long before Balder was ahead, this time being the one pulling Yui along, careful to not make her trip.

The sounds of the spirits followed them. Neither deity or human stopped until they were faint enough for them to allow themselves a feeling that was similar of safety.

"I'm with Misaki in all the times she complained about those beings. Same with Isuzu!" The thought was not bereft of irritation, as a part of her registered it was strange that the group had attempted to follow them. It had happened before, sure, but it was such a rare occurrence… She looked at Balder, leaning her hands on her knees, her lungs fighting for air. Couldn't Zeus do something about this?

"You okay?" As soon as she stood straight, he took her hands on his own.

"I'm sorry about this!" And his tone confirmed the words. "Are you alright?"

"Don't worry!" She smiled, aware of how worried he could get when she or some of the others interfered when the spirits got too caught up in his aura. She remembered Misaki had told her he had clearly felt almost guilt back when she had hurt her arm, even if it had been a little thing. "I'm fine, really."

He sighed, both relieved and upset.

"Good…"

"And you? Are you sure you're fine?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, searching in his expression for any signal of deceit. "I mean, I know you can't get hurt, but…" It wasn't harm in the physical sense she was referring to. Balder shook his head, giving no more hints to his current state.

"I told you about my mother's deals, right?" He muttered, as if to diverge from what she was truly saying. "Anything that can cause me harm will always avoid me." A small smile found its way in his flesh as he added. "But I can get hurt if I fall."

His expression, accompanied by his tone, made Yui wonder if at times he did it on purpose. As strange as it sounded, there were times in life when those insignificant pains somehow worked to remind people they were alive. She might be completely wrong, but it was impossible to miss the fact that what had just happened had bothered him a lot.

"Not that anyone would blame him… I would hate if my presence affected people like that."

"Like when we first met." She smiled, recalling the occasion. She had been nervous and even frightened back then. "But… Balder, I wasn't talking about this. You know it." She added in a gentle tone and received no immediate response.

"It gets strenuous." He admitted, carefully choosing the words and how much to say or not. As far as he was concerned, Yui was a dear friend and he wanted to be sincere, but at the same time, certain emotions didn't have a nature that allowed them to be translated into sounds with easiness. And some of them, if not well worded, could easily be offensive to her. "I understand it's part of me and they are not to blame…"

Yui could feel the presence of an "yet" here, though she was not sure of what would follow it. It could be a myriad of things. Even though the theory of his aura was easy to understand, it was still confusing, especially in occasions such as this.

Perhaps his chain of thought followed a similar pattern or some of her own emotions escaped to her face, for Balder looked at her.

"However, you and the others…" He said slowly, a shadow of a frown marking his eternal features. "You're different." As polite as the curiosity in his tone was, Yui couldn't help but to feel as if she was being examined somehow. On her first days, when being explained the issue of his aura, she had assumed the answer for this detail to be either due to his shackle or the sword in the shape of a pendant that was still on her neck. Both reasons had revealed themselves to be unfounded in the end…

"You mean the other gods?" This sounded silly as soon as it was spoken. The Norse shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving her. It was not the first time Yui had no choice but to notice how it seemed that deities had something hiding underneath the skin, still powerful enough to be perceived and that denounced them as being a completely different creature. It had nothing to do with aura, it was seeing a being that dressed on a human skin to hide the fact that it was not.

She shivered at the thought of what truly was underneath that disguise.

"No, it's natural for them to not be affected." Balder replied, his tone quiet, unlike his often gleeful one. Yui realized she had heard a similar tone when Apollon had revealed his reasons for turning his back on humans. It was a voice that, although making use of human words, was not so and what dwelled on it was far too old, far too deep. "But you… You're still humans…"

Yui frowned. It was strange, yes, she agreed, but she had never cared much for it. And she didn't think she knew the answer more than Balder did. The god still studied her, his gaze almost passing through her, as someone lost in himself. Yui knew she could look at him for all her life and never be able to guess his thoughts. Those beings were alike a sphinx in this regard, never giving away how many riddles and responses they knew, how many galaxies and stars they had seen being born and dying over the course of ages.

An impulse of looking away from Balder came, but she fought against it, all while despising how she couldn't think of anything to say that would be of help.

He turned suddenly, as an animal that had sensed the presence of another. Surely enough, Yui saw Isuzu, Misaki, Takeru and Arisu coming from a corner, the four of them covered in snow, clothes creased. By the looks she received, Yui suddenly knew her own appearance to not be quite tidy either.

"What the…" Arisu blinked, looking from one to another. They looked almost as if they had rolled down a couple of stairs. "What happened to you?"

"I… Could ask the same?" At the Norse's inquiry, Arisu scratched the back of her head, as if realizing how she must appear. Takeru laughed, messing her hair at the same time he forced her down, making the girl turn, pretending to give a punch in his shoulder. Misaki placed a strand of hair behind her ear. It looked wilder than never and she had remains of snow in her coat that fell, becoming drops on the way.

"Well, we sort of got a little carried away with the snowball war." Yui held a smile at her sheepish explanation, having a very good idea of what "getting carried away" in such game would entitle when involving not only her and Arisu, but also adding Takeru to the equation. A part of her lamented having missed it. Maybe they could play again other day.

Takeru laughed, placing his arm around Arisu's shoulders.

"You would think it would be easier to hit a rat like her…" This made the shorter twin turn to him with a pretense of arrogance.

"You should better than to make assumptions by now, Porcupine." Takeru's response was to again mess her hair, his golden eyes carrying that spark of savage excitement that came over him from time to time. Although his hands were rough, his touch was gentle.

"But aren't you cold?" Balder asked, approaching Isuzu and dusting off some snow that was in her shoulder. The sudden approach made her flinch, but she held herself in place. After all this time, she expected she would have grown used by now to how fast the deities could be when they wanted to.

"Not too much, the coats are really warm, don't worry." She waved her hand as if to dismiss his worries, even as he stood at her side, his hand lingering on her shoulder. Arisu watched the exchange in silence, feeling a pull in her insides that she had no time to decipher as Misaki invited.

"You could join us next time!"

"Oh, I don't think it would work…" Balder smiled, but it was laced with a kind of regret as he explained. "The snow would just avoid me."

"Oh…" Misaki muttered, her shoulders lowering as she hadn't thought that his protection would reach this point and recalled how they had told her about the first time they had accompanied Hades in star-gazing. It was one thing to have rain avoiding him, but to the point that even a game such as this was out of his reach? Though the idea bothered her, Misaki shrugged it off. "We would find a way."

She didn't think her comment was unreasonable, not when they had been able to deal with so much ever since coming to the Academy. If anyone asked, they had proof right there with Takeru and Arisu messing around as if they had been friends all their lives and not as if they had started the year glaring knives at each other.

"And you?" Arisu asked, shaking her head. "No offense, but you both look as if you've been run over." Yui didn't think this could be offensive when it was probably the truth and undid her ponytail, running her fingers through the longer strands to put them in place, before redoing it.

"We were… In a sense."

"Problems with my aura…"

As they started to walk to the Student Council Room together, this explanation (as unsurprising as it was), made Isuzu frown a little.

"Is it me" She slowly, truly uncertain. "Or the spirits have been a little more attracted to you lately?"

"It's probably because it's been colder and most of them have stayed indoors for too long." At least, that was his guess. He knew the more biologic details of how he affected living beings, but considering that even he wasn't privy of the actual mechanisms of the "spirits", he couldn't say for sure. And even if he had his powers at his disposition, he didn't think he would care much to inspect their systems… If given the chance, he honestly preferred for them to just go away.

Something in how he said so brought to Isuzu's mind the day they had skipped the club, when he had held a squirrel for her to pet. It had been a brief instance back then, to the point she would have assumed to be her imagination, had she not been paying attention…

"What, like a greenhouse effect or something?" Takeru asked, clearly surprised, maybe because even though he was not affected, the phenomena still impressed him (though Arisu didn't think it was in a good way). He shook his head, cursing under his breath. He really didn't envy Balder's position. "You should try just yelling or even punching them, I bet that would work!"

"Takeruuu…"

"Hey, they aren't really alive, so screw it." The Sea God replied, with no shame to offer regarding his suggestion. "I know I would have done so already!" No one believed otherwise. It was an image easy to visualize and Misaki wondered if it would help, but she very much doubted so.

"The only thing he would get out of this would be another lecture by Zeus…"

"You know, if you were human," Misaki commented, the corner of her lips turning up, doing nothing to hide her humor even as she pretended innocence. "I would bet that would you be in jail or something by now." Arisu laughed at this, imagining the blue-haired deity dressed in a striped set of clothes, complete with an iron ball chained on his foot. She knew Isuzu must have thought the same, as she bit her lower lip to repress a laughter.

Contrary to become indignant at the idea of actually being human, Takeru lifted his head in a display of pride.

"First, they would have to catch me. And I don't…"

"Hey, hey!" A figure of red leaned from the corner ahead of them, making Misaki step back in what one wouldn't be able to tell if out of instinct or out of having been conditioned by his pranks. Either way, the Norse seemed to be in high spirts, twirling one of his long strands on his finger, curved in a way that made it seem a long claw, a shine in his feline eyes.

"Hi, Loki."

The redhaired returned to a position of nonchalance, leaning back against the wall at the side of the door of the Council Room, as if he was mere passing time rather than anything else.

"I was starting to think you were lost, Balder!" He said, tilting his head. As usual, his movements were almost animalistic in nature, more than how it could be with some of the other gods. His silvery gaze languidly passed over the others as Balder merely shrugged with an innocence of a friend who arrived late on a meeting.

"Didn't think you would even care to show up." Takeru muttered, his arm still around Arisu's shoulder as they passed to enter the room. Loki scoffed at this, rolling his eyes.

"At times, even I may agree to go along with certain things, that's all." Yui and Misaki exchanged glances at his tone. Apparently, while Loki had become more cooperative, he didn't quite like to fully admit it. And they didn't dare to presume themselves knowing of the extension of this cooperation either. As if to reinforce this notion, the Norse asked. "And remind me what are we doing again?"

"A Christmas Market!" Apollon turned from where he was sitting, his green eyes illuminated. As usual, he seemed to be filled with nothing but pure energy. "Christmas Market!" He repeated for emphasis, as if the concept demanded such. Loki didn't give any hint of sharing the enthusiasm.

"Yeaaah, no." He deadpanned, but took a seat on one of the chairs, placing his legs over one of the arms and merely watching the others. Apollon smiled at Yui and Tsukito scooted over so she could sit between them while Isuzu and Arisu took another couch with Balder, Misaki sitting at Ren's side.

"You waited for long?"

"Not much, I just arrived, too." The girl replied, her long hair falling in her back on a braid, a book resting in her lap, open. Misaki couldn't help but to look at her hand, wrapped in white gauze.

"Is your hand better?" She asked in a whisper, a shiver running up her nerves. She had been surprised when finding Ren yesterday with her hand in such state, even more by the explanation of how she had been hurt. While she knew some bugs could cause burns, she hadn't ever thought it could be like that.

"It's alright." It was not a pure truth. The burn had been more severe than first expected and even now it pierced her nerves when awakened by certain movements, but since she could deal with it, she preferred to keep it quiet. When Apollon started to talk about the celebrations he had read about, Isuzu interrupted.

"Where is Hades?" While the absence of some of the others, such as Thor or Loki, would have been accepted as normal, it was not like him to miss those reunions.

"Shouldn't we wait for him?"

The silence of Apollon had nothing of his usual demeanor. Looking at Dionysus, Isuzu saw that even his usually calm features seemed to have been poisoned and she didn't much like it. It was an abyss among a field from which there was only an eternally cold whisper. Darkness and nothing more. Though this was not directed at any of them nor it carried signs of irritation, it was enough to make Yui shiver, in a way she wouldn't have even if she had ventured outside without any protection from the snow.

"He had to leave for a while…" Apollon muttered, unsure of how they would take the reasons for this. Before anyone had time to ask, Dionysus sighed.

"Problems in the Underworld."

Some of the gods couldn't hide a grimace at this as most considered the matters regarding the Realm of the Dead among the most unpleasant. For immortal beings such as them, the concept of death could be more disturbing than it was to humans, who had no choice but to accept that they would face it someday.

"Will he be okay?" Misaki stopped, as if realizing the silliness of her question. At her side, Ren was quiet, leaning a bit forwards, clearly waiting for clarifications. "I mean, ah, look, I know what I'm saying, but…"

"He will back later." Dionysus assured her, his words enough to soothe whatever worry they might have. Misaki's inquiry on Hades' safety and the concern that was naked in the other humans' expressions could be considered ridiculous (some gods would indeed find it humorous, as an adult listening to some childish nonsense), a part of him couldn't help but to appreciate it in behalf of his uncle, though this was not enough to erase the shadow in his expression. It was as if the mere mention of the Underworld was enough to allow part of it to touch the room and the air around. As much as he loved his uncle, his own nature was far too related to life for him to remain unbothered by his position. "What do humans do usually on Christmas?"

The following hour was spent with explaining and reading. It was quite fascinating, as the girls also learnt a bit of traditions from other countries and ages. When reading about the trees, Takeru and Dionysus seemed to find ludicrous to chop down a tree for this purpose and then discard it, until Misaki clarified how few people did so nowadays, most preferring to buy artificial ones, which made them more accepting of the idea. Dionysus admitted the photo of a huge tree, speckled with lights and colors, to be indeed beautiful and they decided to make one in the center of the garden while decorating the others nearby.

It was a help that several books contained photos that helped with ideas of what they could do (some even had instructions on how to make their own adornments). Misaki found herself looking at Ren with the corner of her eyes as the girl observed a photo of a small Nativity scene… Considering Ren was Catholic, she wondered if the girl would be doing more religious on her own.

"And we could finish it with having something explosive!"

"I second that!" Loki sat straight suddenly, a smile that the others knew to be a promise of trouble. Arisu's hand went up in the air, as if she was announcing a vote, though it was harder to tell if she was kidding or not.

"Same here!"

"We are not exploding the school!"

Hearing that, Loki growled, reclining in his chair, looking at the ceiling as if this had been enough to make him lose whatever interest he might have.

"Buzzkill…"

Isuzu decided to ignore the remark, knowing fully well he was the only one who would have taken the idea of setting something on fire or making explosions seriously, rather than as a joke like her sister or Misaki had.

"How are we going to divide the groups?"

"I have one idea." Yui suggested. Since they had little time to get it all ready, it would be better to simplify whatever they could in order for things to go smoothly. Not that she didn't enjoy to work in mixed groups, the Cultural Event had been great in her opinion. "We could organize our groups according to place of origin. I mean, with you guys…"

"Sounds good to me, but what about you girls?"

In the end, it was decided that Ren would work with the Greek group, while Yui and Isuzu worked along with Tsukito and Takeru, leaving Arisu and Misaki with the Nordic group. They noted down some decorations and food to order right away at the store while they talked among themselves to what they would sell. Misaki and Arisu agreed to go explain it all to Thoth while Isuzu and Balder placed the orders.

Loki, however, noticed the shift in Balder's gaze and he had a pretty good idea regarding the reasons. It might not seem a big deal, however, it was no different than a breeze that already carries the scent of a storm.

XxX

"And so, each group will be deciding later on about what they will sell" Arisu continued, in the manner of finishing the explanation. "And they will order what is necessary later, but depending on what they do, they might even be able to make it themselves."

With this, she and Misaki remained still, waiting to see if Thoth would point out some detail or possible issued they had missed. The Egyptian, on his usual desk, looked up from the paper sheets with the groups and possible ideas of how they would decorate the garden, the notes a clean copy as they knew better than to hand over a rough draft, no matter if it was regarding an event planned among themselves. Maybe he wouldn't have cared that much, but neither of the "students" saw reason to risk it. He looked back at the notes, holding his chin in thought.

"I must admit, you did a good organization for something planned in the last minute…" He said slowly. The rare compliment gave the girls a feeling that was similar to pride. If someone such as Thoth was saying this, then they had indeed done a good job. A part of Arisu wondered if the Christmas spirit had power even over Thoth, though the idea was dismissed as soon as it crossed her mind. He added, so thoughtful he might be talking to himself. "Considering it can be a huge event, perhaps Zeus will have the spirits doing some sells of their own, as well."

Arisu didn't say anything, not wanting to betray the wave of excitement that came over her at the prospect. It would be a lot more like an actual fair if the whole school took part, unlike during the School Event of last time. Plus, since those dumb "ghost students" were there, might as well put them to actual good use!

Misaki and her had discussed a couple of ideas of what they could do and now the girl was getting excited for this to be over so they could discuss it with the gods. Yes, maybe this would be a fun Christmas in the end.

"Have the others accepted this?" His tone was even and nothing more, as he had his doubts the project had met no refusals considering how resistant most of them had been in the beginning of the year (after all, wasn't that reason why Zeus had resorted to calling more humans?). Well… While unexpected, it would be a good thing if such had happened. They all still had a long way to go to ensure their graduation, but he was not blind to the positive signs that might appear.

"Well, the ones who were there did." Arisu said, knowing better than to lie and adding quickly. "But we're sure the others will like it, too." And if they didn't, well, the majority of votes were in favor, so there. And it wouldn't be the first time they had all gone along with an event, even those who disliked the ideas. Thoth sent her a glare whose nature she couldn't decipher or dare to avoid.

"Huh… Thoth-sama?" Misaki asked, taking care with her words, unsure if he would answer her or not as certain things seemed to depend on his current mood and just because he had said they had done a good work, it wouldn't increase his good will towards them. She didn't know the lines separating his job from anything else, but she knew them to be well marked. "Do you have any news about Hades?"

Instead of giving a straight reply, he tilted his head not completely without curiosity, it seemed.

"It is just that Apollon told us that he had to go back due to some problems." Arisu explained. This was also something both had discussed on the way to the library as well. Their imaginations were not impoverished nor were they hesitant to try to visualize what the Underworld might look like (though Arisu, recalling certain descriptions from the books they had read about the gods in the beginning of the year had felt her bones weak), but they were aware that their minds, human minds, could not make it justice.

"And you are concerned?" His question held no emotion and it was made in a soft tone, yet the words were enough to make Arisu shake her head as if in indignation.

"Of course!"

"Hades is our friend." Misaki stopped at her own words. Once spoken, she could not deny them. Maybe she wasn't as close to him as she was with some of the others, but now that conscious thought was given to the matter, the blonde realized she had no other term of treatment. It was true that at times he frightened her, but this was not his fault. He was a friend. As much as Apollon or any of the others… Maybe even Loki could be called so, albeit in a strange way…

She had once asked, more to herself than anyone else, if they were all far too different to be friends.

Apollon had said their differences had no reason to matter if they decided so.

He had been right…

"Hades" Thoth's words called her back to reality. "Has been dealing with such things even before humans developed an actual social structure." This was not meant to demean them, but rather to give a perspective of the situation and how, whatever the problem was, he would be able to deal with it.

"You have no reason to be alarmed" Thoth said, still observing the two. "He has sent a message already. He will return by evening at most."

Arisu could see how their concern could be foolish, but she couldn't help her own emotions. Thoth's assurance soothed her a little as she wondered what kind of problem it might be, but kept this particular question to herself. Maybe she would ask Hades, maybe not. She wouldn't want to seem to be prying in his personal subjects.

At least he would be back soon, right?

"Regarding this event." The Egyptian resumed the subject at hand, again taking a look at the notes, as if confirming the preparations planned. "The general orders have been placed already?"

"Isuzu and Balder are taking care of it." The brunette assured him. They would probably need some assistance from the spirits with the main tree, for example, or maybe Zeus could arrange that for them. She didn't think it would be an unreasonable request, after all, he had kept a greenhouse untouched by the weather for Ren and Dionysus, right?

"You have an uneven number of members per group." The God of Knowledge commented. It was something they had noticed, but it hadn't bothered anyone, so the girls merely shrugged, knowing better than to point out there was nothing to be done, anyway. Thoth stared at them for a moment, before placing the papers on the table with a sigh.

"Very well. You will work with me, Aihara."

The silence that followed lasted for a mere second, yet it was more than enough. Arisu looked from one to another, mouth open. Misaki could only blink, feeling as if someone had dropped cold water inside her brain. Where had this come from?

"What?" The word escaped her mouth and at the moment, she didn't much care. This had to be a joke.

"By doing this, the other groups will all have four members." He spoke simply, as if the matter carried no importance whatsoever and the justification was enough. Misaki knew this way of speaking, signaling there would be no protests he would listen to.

"But… But we already…"

"She is already on our group. None of the others cared." Arisu insisted, as in a hint that there was no reason for the change. Thoth ignored both.

"I'll inform you later of the necessary orders. That's all." He said, placing the papers on the side of the desk as if to emphasize that the meeting was over. The idea of working with him on whatever stand he planned was awkward enough for Misaki to give one last try.

"Thoth, I really…"

His eyes went to her, their glare sharp as a knife.

"Thoth-sama." He corrected her, giving no time for either girl to carry on. "You're dismissed."

Arisu and Misaki exchanged glances. Both would have liked to refuse, but they realized this to be a lost cause. It wasn't in Thoth to change his mind on a whim or pleads to begin with… Feeling her previous excitement before the whole project abandoning her, Misaki sighed as they turned their backs to the teacher and left the library.

"Spending the Christmas time with our dear teacher…" Arisu muttered as soon as they closed the door, not hiding her displeasure. "Caramba. I don't envy you…"

"What am I supposed to do now?" She asked with a groan, though there was no real answer, even as she felt a wave of annoyance that could quickly grow into anger. It wasn't that Thoth was completely unpleasant (at least at times), but he wasn't the easiest deity to deal with either. Given the choice, she would rather have stayed with the others! Arisu tried to think about something to say that might have made the other feel better, finding nothing truly useful.

"Well, maybe he'll let you off for a couple of hours to enjoy the fair…" She tried, the words tasting like sand on her tongue and she sighed. "I'm sorry, Saki… Just… Hell, what is with him now, I wonder… That jerk."

"Not really helping, Ari..." Yet, at the other's tentatively tone, Misaki managed to give a small smile.

"I know… Sorry." Arisu sighed.

XxX

Isuzu's mind was rushing over ideas of what they could do in their stand. It was far better than during the Cultural Event, when they had had limited options and hadn't been able to truly chose among them. She wondered if Yui and the others had come up with something already. Perhaps this was what they needed in the end, some way of celebrating that would also lessen how much they missed home… As if on cue, her mind turned to years past.

She wasn't sure she could say last Christmas had been as enjoyable as usual…

"Some of the decorations might have broken during the moving" She thought to herself, recalling how they had been still unpacking their things before she and Arisu were moved to the Academy. "Didn't mom used to say that there would always be something breaking and it would more than often be one of the Christmas decorations, no matter how we wrap them for protection?"

The thought was bittersweet and she turned to Balder. Ever since they had left the Council Room, he seemed a bit quiet, even ignoring Loki when the redheaded had tried to get him to come along to search for Thor.

"Do you have some idea of what you're going to sell?" She decided to ask in a manner of conversation starter. The God of Light had his blue eyes on her and frowned, ceasing his steps. Isuzu was confused and his next words were of no clarification.

"Why did you accept that?" His tone was low and if he hadn't been looking at her, Isuzu would have assumed him to be talking to himself.

"Accepted what?" She asked back, having no idea of what he meant. Wait… Was this about the Christmas Event? His reply confirmed it.

"Staying in the group of Yui and the others."

Isuzu tried to understand why he would be upset just for that and placed a strand of hair behind her ear. It wasn't as if he had said something and she had just gone with the flow, to be absolutely sincere… Under his gaze, a seed of discomfort found its birth on her, quickly growing small veins that took hold of her flesh.

"Balder, I just…" She started, but the other (either sensing her uncertainty or not) gave her no chance to say more.

"I was hoping we would work together." Though his disappointment was sincere, was there something more, almost close to a reprimand? The girl tried to brush it off, sure it must be her impression… Her nerves favored instinct above the reasoning, becoming needles piercing underneath her skin. "That's how it should be."

"Calm down, it's Balder. He's your friend, there is no need for that." She told herself. After all, his disappointment probably differed in nothing from that of a friend who can't work with another in a particular school project.

"We will have time to enjoy the fair with everyone…" She offered, but he refused her words.

"You do not understand." And now, though discontentment remained, it was overpowered by a kind of seriousness that made his eyes sharper as his pale hand touched his chest and he stepped closer. "Each time we spoke, each moment we spent together, are precious to me."

Isuzu felt blood rushing over the veins of her face, the skin growing warmer. Yet, her heart was not beating faster out of any pleasant sensation. It was the touch of cold claws and she didn't want to think about the roots that gave birth to it. While she was unable to respond, Balder leaned to her, his voice now carrying all the authority of a deity, laced with power.

"And I do not take lightly to having those opportunities taken away by anyone." He whispered. Isuzu barely registered how he had never spoken like this before, her mind torn between unwanted thoughts and trying to understand what he meant. It had been something with a different meaning in his culture, an issue of communication, certainly he couldn't be saying what he seemed to be saying and why was her instinct screaming at her to run when it was Balder and he was not…

"I'm sorry, I just…" The conditioned answer came as automatically as ever.

"Being sorry is not enough." Balder interrupted with some softness, almost paternally as he studied her, pretending to be debating on an idea. "Hmm… In order to make up for this, then you will have dinner with me from now on."

"What? Balder…" There was the wish to lash out due to the structure of the phrase, of the terms employed that carried no humor, no sign of it to be merely playing. But the part of her that took refuge in silence was still too alive to allow her vocal chords to work. Maybe he was just having a bad day and would calm down eventually. It had to be something of this sort, something that placed this exchange in a rational context, for it made no sense so far. He never spoke in such way with her (or anyone else, as far as she knew) before, nor did he ever even once attempted to tell her what to do. But still, it was better to just be quiet, it just…

She knew if Arisu was here, she would be telling him to get a grip.

His hand suddenly reached out, closing around her wrist before her brain or instinct could demand a bodily reaction. The touch was not harmful, still her flesh wanted to crawl anyway and she flinched back. If he took notice of it, he preferred to not address it.

"Stop that!" She told herself, realizing the presence of something like fear inside. "It's Balder, he is just upset…"

"I can't right now, you know that…" She tried, managing to keep her tone calm. It was just natural to be nervous upon seeing a friend behaving in a way that was not like themselves. The god didn't care for her refusal, his flesh breaking part into a smile suddenly.

"Nonsense, nonsense." He said, almost like on the day he had suggested they skipped their clubs' activities and tugged her, as if to make her accompany him. Not that she would have had much of a choice with his iron grip still on her wrist. "You can do it later. C'mon!"

The sound of steps behind them made Isuzu turn while following the deity and a wave of relief, with no sense or reason, came as she saw it was Arisu.

"Hey, sis…" The girl reached them easily, her smile almost faltering as her eyes landed on how Balder was holding Isuzu's wrist, quickly pretending there was nothing amiss even as she asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Of course, we're just heading to eat something!" Balder explained, smiling at her as he always did, as if whatever had been bothering him had dissipated, being less than mist by now.

"See? It was just a passing mood. Just because he is so happy all the time does not mean he never gets upset" This made her previous nervousness seem silly… But she knew the reason for her reaction had not been quite exclusively his behavior. Suddenly, Isuzu wished he would let go of her. Not because the touch bothered her, but because it would be better if he just… Well…

"Do you want to come with us?" She invited on a whim. As much as her own tension had subdued, the sharpness in Arisu's eyes had not even as she smiled, somewhat forcefully and making Balder incline his head, as if confused.

"Of course!"

As if her words worked as some sort of expected cue, there was a loud cry of joy. Neither Balder nor Isuzu had time enough to turn before, from other end of the hallway, came a flash of red as someone jumped on them. The separation was forceful, almost making Isuzu lose her balance, but the girl merely tripped a couple of steps, managing to hold on. Balder didn't seem at all pleased, even as Loki smiled as though his playful attack had been just innocent.

"Where were you?" He asked, still snickering at his own behavior. "I was looking for you everywhere, you know!"

"Loki!" Balder called, not bothering to hide his disapproval at the sudden attack. "You should be more careful. Apologize to Isuzu, you almost knocked her over."

Arisu took the time as their attentions were on each other to look at her sister, her expression enough to make the question if there was something going on. Isuzu had no time to even reflect on it.

"Ookay!" Loki's reply was that of a perfect well-mannered child as he turned on his heels towards the girl. "I'm sorry!" He sang-songed and immediately stuck his tongue out, making a face at her. Isuzu was still trying to deal with the remains of her own nervousness to care and Arisu, noting this, didn't care for Loki's behavior either. The groan in the depths of the god's throat was the only reaction.

Deciding it didn't matter, his attention was back to Balder, insisting that he came along as he had a barbecue ready, only for the god to explain he and Isuzu would be dining together everyday from now on, making Arisu look at her sister. Her facial lines refused to be touched by any expression and only Isuzu was privy to the signals of concern. All she could do was to move her head quickly to show she was as confused as the other.

She didn't miss the glare Loki threw at her following Balder's words, though. It was filled of displeasure.

XxX

After parting ways with Arisu, Misaki walked around the Academy, giving some thought to take a stroll in the gardens. If she crossed paths with any of the gods, she would inform them of how she wouldn't be able to be part of the group anymore. As for the others, the girl expected most of them to be now either discussing what they would sell or then off to do whatever they wanted. Anyway, they would have to start working on the stands soon.

"And knowing Thoth, he probably already decided what we'll be doing…" There was some discontentment at the idea that the Egyptian might not even care if she had some suggestion of her own or not… Maybe she would talk to him later? After all, if he had decided that she would work with him, then he should at least listen to her.

"Honestly, what is his deal?" At times, she didn't understand him at all, which couldn't be entirely pinned on the fact that he was just the school's teacher. And regarding the event on itself, wasn't it somehow unlike him to take part? "Well, it is Christmas, maybe it's his way of trying to enjoy himself?" The hypothesis didn't appear as the best one even if just in her mind. Even the idea that he might be doing so out of punishment (she was certain he hadn't forgotten the time she had yelled at him and maybe he was the type to hold a grudge) seemed a little weird, even if easier to believe.

The girl sighed, running a hand through her hair, deciding to push the matter to a corner of her mind and abandon it there.

She realized that, while lost in thought, she had taken the hallway near the Arts Club Room and spied inside, wondering for a moment if maybe Ren was there, finding it empty. However, when she was about to leave, she noticed a door. Misaki frowned. It was not uncommon for the Academy to still have unexplored areas and, though not often, rooms could change according to the needs or planned events. On her part, there was a slight suspicion that Zeus did so at times also to prevent his students from going excessively bored. Considering some of the gods, it was probably not a good idea to allow this to happen.

Curiosity finding its way, she went to take a look, being led to a hallway. Despite the lack of windows, the light blueish tones around couldn't be result of paint and the only source of illumination were pale lamps on the walls that increased the illusion of a living light, floating around not unlike a veil.

It didn't take more than some steps for her to reach the end of the hallway, finding the next door unlocked.

As soon as she entered, air was pulled from her lungs. For some seconds, all she could do was to look around, her senses too fascinated for the mind to respond immediately.

The room was no bigger than the any of the classrooms, but greatly different in nature. Near the walls, columns stood proudly, ending in arcs that crossed each other, becoming adornments for the ceiling. Following the walls, white pedestals supported statues of people she had never seen, but whose expressions were gentle.

Misaki knew what this was supposed to be. It was a church.

Or at least, as close of one as possible. It made her think of great mansions of old, that used to have private chapels. Four benches of dark polished wood were positioned in a way that left a path between them while, right in front, three steps led towards the altar. The wall was circular-shaped and boasted some paintings that were probably from parts of the Bible she wasn't sure she recognized, though she was not completely ignorant regarding some passages.

Ren was on her knees.

Misaki stayed in silence, deciding it wouldn't do to interrupt the other's prayers, but not feeling like leaving yet. Instead, she decided to look around a little more and approached the left wall, taking a look at the statues. Behind them, there were paintings (two on the sides with a bigger one on top), no doubly about their lives. The first she looked at was of a woman holding a cross while having a wound on her forehead. One of the paintings showed her on her knees before a shining cross, the other was of the woman near a rosebush.

"Saint Rita of Cascia" Said the inscription on the pedestal.

Other statues were on the likeness of other saints. Upon approaching the altar, however, Misaki saw a great statue of Jesus, his wounded hand extended. She could guess that the one on the opposite side to be the Virgin Mary… She also noticed that there was a piano there… It made her wonder if this room had been created on the likeness of the church Ren used to attend back home.

"Is everything alright, Misaki?"

This surprised her for a moment, as she hadn't thought that Ren had noticed her presence.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you or anything…" And she meant it. Being an Atheist didn't mean she had no respect for others' beliefs. Ren gave her a light smile.

"Don't worry, I was almost done." The other said, standing up and taking a seat on one the benches. "How it was with Thoth-sensei?"

"Oh, great." The muttered reply dripped with sarcasm as Misaki sat at her side. Maybe she was exaggerating with her reaction, but she couldn't help it and had long ago decided to not lie to herself about her own feelings. "For some reason, he decided to take part and for some reason, now I'll have to work on the stand with him."

Ren couldn't keep the surprise from her expression. Like Arisu, she could only wonder where that had come from. Nor could she imagine how it would be for Misaki to have to work with him. Though Thoth struck her as the type to say "work for him" rather than anything else…

"Why would he do that? He never cared for what we do before." And didn't seem that interested either. Hadn't he said, back when they were starting the clubs and Hades had refused to take part, that it was the girls' duty to ensure their participation? He didn't even supervise the events, at least as far as she knew.

"Though maybe Zeus does that without our knowledge?" It was easy for her to believe so.

"I have no idea. And I can't say I'm quite happy about it." Misaki held a strand of her, twirling it in her hands. "Look, I don't mean to say he is an absolute pain, but…"

The other nodded, understanding. Honestly, she herself hadn't ever given much thought to Thoth as more than a teacher… Especially since they didn't have much contact out of the classroom. Out of them, the ones who probably talked the most with him were Misaki, Arisu and Yui.

"He can be a Scrooge?" Ren muttered, making the other scoff while holding a giggle. She looked around once more, still mesmerized by the intricated ceiling. Above the altar, she saw for the first time a skylight of glass. There was a floor above them, but whether it was an artificial light that fell in or not, it made little difference in the end.

"I was thinking whether or not you will do something…" She shook her head in the manner of clarification as she added. "With Christmas and all…"

Ren rested her back against the bench, her expression giving away nothing but that inscrutable serenity that had been the dominating one during the first weeks of class.

"I'm planning to reserve some time to come here and pray…" She said slowly, one hand tugging at the end of her long sleeve, unable to contain a sigh. "But I'm going to miss the Mass of my church. This is nice, but… It isn't the same."

Misaki had no need for her to go into details. She knew they probably shared similar feelings on the subject. One might accuse them of childishness and past the age of whine about being away from home when they were seventeen and should be starting college soon, but Misaki wouldn't care. In her opinion, the main factor was that, regardless of how they had adapted or not, they still had been kidnapped.

"Is it so shameful, to miss the people you love?" The whisper came from part of her untouched by any sort of emotion.

"How it is with your family?"

"Well…" Ren said slowly. "On Christmas Eve we go to Mass before lunch. My parents like to do a get-together, you know? They often invite friends over for lunch. At evening my aunt comes over or we go to her house for dinner. On the following morning we open the presents together…" As she spoke, her gazed turned inwards, her smile filled by nostalgia, recalling feelings of years long past, bittersweet as the innocence that could only live during childhood and faded away as a dream with the arrival of morning.

"She has children?" The dark-haired girl nodded. "I imagine you and your cousins used to play a lot, then!"

Ren seemed thoughtful.

"Not at first…" She said slowly, as if measuring the words. "I mean, Haku was nice, but it still took us a while to get used to each other…" While some boys enjoyed to tease girls, Haku had been one of those who made the exception. He used to be somewhat shy, but very gentle. She remembered the days when they were little and their meetings could be somewhat awkward as one had no idea of what to say to the other.

"Why, you guys lived too far from each other?" Misaki frowned, with the curiosity of one who has no siblings or cousins of close age.

"Well, no… Not really…" There was some hesitation. Distance hadn't been quite the issue, it had been something more to do with their personalities, really. "I mean, our parents introduced us rather early on when I came to the family, but even so…" She shrugged, leaving the words to float in the air along with their meaning. Misaki, however, had her attention on a particular usage of terms.

"Came to the…? Oh…" She whispered in realization of what it most likely signified. "You mean…?"

Ren gave no reaction when her attention went back to the blonde. There was no intonation in her voice or any expression even as she confirmed, as if they were talking about a matter of little to no importance, rather than a detail of her own life.

"I'm adopted."

"I didn't know that." Nor did any of the others, Misaki could bet, not that she thought it changed anything. Ren's next words only worked to make chorus to this very thought.

"It was when I was a child. It doesn't mean anything to me. They are my parents."

Misaki silenced the natural impulse of making more questions and just stayed in silence, to give the other space should she feel like sharing more. After all, if Ren wasn't up to go into details of her personal life, she would not be the one making inquiries that could be unwanted.

"What about you?" Ren asked instead. She knew what the brief silence of Misaki had meant, but there were things she would rather keep buried within herself. The blonde scratched her head.

"Well… My family is not that big. Christmas is usually just me and Aunt Wakana. She still has a brother, uncle Satoshi. And a cousin," She added, upon remembering. "But he doesn't even live in Japan. Honestly, I have never even met him, but Aunt always sends him an email…" Though Wakana herself had admitted to not be quite close to the man and the email was just out of the general politeness that certain times expected. "It is still quite fun. We make our favorite foods, do a movie marathon…"

"Does your uncle visit?"

"Not usually, he lives too far… And, well…" She hesitated, this time being the one measuring her own words. Truth was, Satoshi didn't like to come to the city where they lived for reasons that both Misaki and Wakana understood far too well. "My family is a bit complicated."

And that was a nice way of saying so, was it not?

"You remember the day you came here? It was a long time ago, but you do remember… That person was calling. You ignored it." The same sensation that had assaulted her nerves upon seeing the number on the caller ID. She knew that even if she were to be returned to that precise moment, this course of action wouldn't change.

If given the choice, Misaki didn't think she would bear to ever talking to that person ever again.

"Family can be complicated…"

"You tell me…" The girl scoffed in response, though Ren had whispered it so low that it was almost as if she had been talking to herself. Misaki straightened up, looking around and deciding to change the topic before it ventured into grounds better left untouched. "Hey, when did this room appear, anyway?"

"I actually found it a couple of weeks ago." The other said, placing her long braid over her shoulder. It had surprised her quite a lot. "Up until now, I would just pray before going to bed. I didn't think Zeus would do something, let alone care…" While she had been curious, Ren had in the end decided it would be better to just be grateful to their "Principal" and leave it at this. She knew far too well how delicate the matter of religion was and arguments about it were among those she avoided the most. After all, those beings they were living with had once been worshiped.

"Christmas Spirit is powerful…" Misaki said with a shrug, as if this explained Zeus's actions (along with Thoth's) and was about to make a small joke, but the question that assaulted her swept it away from her mind. "Hm… Ren, may I ask something? I mean no offense or anything, but…"

Ren merely observed her. Misaki already knew how to interpret her silence to know it to be of acceptance.

"How can you still believe after we've been summoned here?"

To her relief, Ren didn't seem at all offended or bothered.

"The existence of beings who have been regarded as gods by humans of the past means nothing to me." The explanation came calmly. This point was not something she had never talked about with the others until now, after all. "The way I see, they are merely different beings… Think about it. The Egyptians used to worship their Pharaohs as living gods and they were just humans."

Misaki nodded, seeing her point. Well, it made sense. If humans were to meet such creatures, especially in ages past, worshipping did seem like a natural reaction. Since they were on the subject, she added.

"I'm not sure I understand faith. How can you believe things like that without any evidence?"

Ren frowned, not out of annoyance, but rather considering the question. It was not something she found easy to explain when she already believed… In a sense, perhaps both points of view had the potential to be somewhat like explaining flavors to someone who lacked the sense for it. After all, people who believed at times didn't understand those who didn't and those who didn't believe at times didn't understand those who did.

"Well… That's part of faith." She said slowly, her hands releasing her braid to rest on her lap as she reflected on how to explain what she felt. "It's personal. I think each person has their own reasons… It's something too close to the heart. As for evidence… The way I see, they are there if you want to accept them as such. You can't go to religion, no matter of what kind, already expecting a physical, undeniable proof."

"But then how can you believe? I don't get it…" The part of the feeling involved she understood, after all people wouldn't believe in something with such intensity if there was not something this deep involved.

"Wait, let me explain. I mean evidence in the way of Physics or Math, that are there for anyone to see and touch. If there was such, then you wouldn't be able to deny it, right?" Misaki nodded. "That's part of it. God loves you enough to give you the freedom of not believing in him. If you keep your heart open, then you'll find the "evidence" you need… But more than that, it's a matter of feeling and willingness."

Her voice never once rose in volume, but there was passion on it as if she was speaking of very loved friend. Misaki found herself thinking that, even if she had not been taken by Zeus, she would still agree that the world was more than just Science. Perhaps that was part of the reason why some people, more intolerant to these ideas, claimed that religious people saw evidence only because they wanted to. If they were right, then at least according to Ren, it was not in the sense they meant.

"Let me see…" Ren muttered, one finger on her lip as she thought about a way to better illustrate what she meant. "Okay. How do you know your aunt loves you?"

"What the… What kind of question is that?" Misaki didn't know whether to laugh or to be taken back. "She is always there for me, she helped me when I needed, she supports me, she…"

"Actions can be deceitful, Misaki, you know it." This made the blonde go quiet. Regarding human nature, they could argue for days and yet this would always be a point she would agree to. Sadly. "People can say and do things without feeling anything. So, are you sure she loves you?"

"Of course, I am!"

"Why?"

"I feel it." She shrugged. The questioning would have bothered her a lot more if it wasn't a friend she was speaking to or if Ren were not clearly making a point of some sort. "You can say it is nonsense, but I know it because I feel it."

"There you have it." The girl said with a smile. "I don't think it's nonsense. This is what I mean… God is love. I can't speak for anyone else, but if I had to choose one evidence, that would be it." There were other things involved to, but as she had said, it was all too close to the heart. She wasn't sure she had explained matters as clearly or as they deserved, but she had expressed herself the best she could. Not out of wanting to convert Misaki, only because she had asked a serious question and she had wanted to answer it with the best of her abilities.

Maybe once they were back home, if Misaki was still interested, Ren could show her some of the signs that had appeared in Medjugorje.

For a while, they stayed there, wrapped in silence.

XxX

Once he reached the Underworld, he was back in his actual form.

There was an undeniable relief in being freed from Zeus' shackle, even if it would be for a small period. His blood ran through his veins along with the usual freshness of his power and his very core felt the rush of liberty. The sensation was not unlike of a snake shedding a dead skin that had been compressing it to the point of suffocation without ceasing to live. Though he had grown somewhat used to a mortal existence, it didn't mean it was pleasant. Even more when such had been imposed.

And even when beings such as he and the others turned into animals or humans, it would be but molding their appearances at will, remaining the same under the false skin they dressed in the same fashion of a garment.

In front of him, there was the shore where Charon awaited with his boat. All around, the ground was darkened as if it had given birth to all sorts of plagues and small mounts of stone stood. This was the threshold, where the realm of life ended and the lands touched by Death started. The openings on the mortal world were few and far in between and even then, living things usually didn't dare to approach.

Even mortals nowadays, who regarded him as nothing more than a story, couldn't bear to be near the entrances for long. They would make up reasons, blame feelings of nausea and try to rationalize it, not knowing that it was their nerves recoiling, the body unable to ignore being so close to what it knew to be the end of its functioning.

It was only natural.

The mortals that used to pass through his kingdom could only access it by crossing the river Acheron. Hades had other paths, known and open for him alone, but still preferred to make use of the main one and see his old friend. His subjects had been advised of his brief return and he saw the Erinyes had left their positions of watching over the torments of Tartarus to wait with the Ferryman. Though older than the Olympians, the three sisters bowed to him.

"Welcome home, milord!" They said in a chorus of voices enough to drive men into tears of dread as the serpents they had for hair hissed. Alecto's dark wings moved, a cursed bird debating whether or not to take flight as she sniffed the air in an animalistic way for whatever clue of what sort of humans he had been living with that might have survived the way. Her pale lips were half-parted, revealing white teeth made solemnly for tearing flesh apart.

Charon only watched the exchange, not being one to engage in excessive conversations. The Ferryman's appearance was not one that would calm whatever fears mortals had upon approaching the Realm of the Dead, his skin appearing to have been stretched in order to fully cover his bones.

"Behave, sister!" Tisiphone chastised the other, though her own eyes, eyes that shouldn't belong to any sort of creature, flashed with interest and hunger. Hades very much doubted there was much of human scent left on him from the Academy and he didn't think they would find anything interesting about the girls, either. Being one who had overseen the lives and crimes of humans, Hades would have at once recognized it in them should whatever offenses they might have committed be of a serious kind.

"It is quite alright, Tisiphone." Hades assured her with a smile while heading towards Charon's boat, a black thing adorned with skulls that no one would have mistook for mere replicas. "I trust you all have been doing well?"

The three exchanged glances. Some of Alecto's snakes hissed in tones that would be more fitting for whining dogs. He knew this was not out of fear of punishment or reprimand, but rather out of wounded pride, which made her all the more dangerous for those who would be receiving her wrath. They didn't take well to souls going against the order of the Underworld and the only reason why they had not torn them apart on their own was because they would rather wait for their Lord's command. Not out of absolute submission, being goddesses on their own right, but out of choice.

"Fairly so, sir." Tisiphone chose to say, preferring to keep a more detailed account for later should he ask for it. Hades nodded in understanding as he entered the boat ahead. Charon bowed his head in greeting, his hand over where his heart would be should he possess one. The Erinyes, having no more need than Hades of his services, took flight. The sound of their wings was an announcement of madness and torment. It was one of the many songs of suffering to be found in this realm.

"It's been a while, sir." The Ferryman said as he guided the boat, groaning. "This idea of your brother…" He left the meaning behind the comment to float in the air. It was not only because the human world held nothing that would arouse his interest.

"It is not as unbearable as one might think…" Hades admitted, knowing he would have said otherwise in the beginning. Charon scoffed, making his unruly beard tremble. Here and there, stones rose from the quiet waters along with lonely pieces of land. As times, they were like walls of spikes and those who described crossing the river as if find a pathway inside a dreary cavern would not be wrong, the rocks forming the most varied shapes. The dark waters did not boast waves in the fashion of like rivers of the Earth and those who did appear were almost as if caused by restless undead who still struggled in its depths.

It was, after all, the River of Woes.

But its nature was not of something meant for punishment and causing of pain, despite the whispers and rumors that could be found. It was meant for aiding the cleansing of mortals, already preparing them for the upcoming Judgment. Living mortals often described it as being the Styx, which was not a complete misnaming once both Styx and Cocytus sprang from it… Though Styx was far more famous and far more powerful.

"Not quite the main problem, sir…" Tisiphone muttered as she dived before going up again. Hades merely gave her a stern look, though she had said nothing wrong. To those under his command, the actual problem wasn't even their ruler being forced into a mortal body or a coexistence with humans (though such bordered the obscene) as much as a more private matter.

His family is a complex subject, alright…

"It will be over soon enough." He assured them upon arriving on the shore. The word was ill-fitting, as it used to carry images of beaches kissed by the sun or blue waters. It couldn't be far from what one would find here. He thanked Charon for his service, the other responding with a nod, remaining silence as the Erinyes landed.

"The ones who rebelled are awaiting judgment, sir!" Tisiphone informed, a glint in her eyes. They were punishers of crimes and such was as part of their nature as their organs.

"Go guard them." Though there was little need. The Chains of Death yielded for nothing but the command of Thanatos or Hades himself. "I shall be there shortly. You're free to torment them on the meantime as you see fit." He added.

The three of them bowed in gratefulness, Alecto's serpents unable to contain a hiss of excitement. She and Tisiphone spread their wings once more, but the last sister still remained on the ground.

"Yes?" He asked calmly. Her eyes, pools of ink with no discerning cornea or iris, remained on him. Her snakes were silent, coiling around each other. She said nothing, only nodding as if hearing unspoken words before taking flight and following her sisters.

Hades was not surprised. Megaera had always been the quieter of the trio and even he couldn't claim to know her thoughts.

Upon turning, he observed his domain.

It was a vision of silver and black.

He might not boast a kingdom of the shining likes of Olympus or the life-filled Oceans, but his domain was ever-growing and no less impressive.

Paths crossed the air, as bridges made of stone over valleys of grey. True to the nature of Death, it was a hidden domain where the air itself whispered secrets not meant for living beings. Elegant constructions of black rose, as if made of tombstones that had sprung from the earth and left forgotten along with whatever had taken residence in them.

The Underworld's sky was always dark, except in the Elysium Fields, which along with the walls of spiked stone here and there, increased the sensation of an empire build inside a cavern or the stomach of an ancient demon's corpse. Yet, it was an unnatural darkness, lacking no illumination per say. Pale silvery, greenish and blue hues could be seen here in there in the buildings, giving the impression of fireflies at distance and from somewhere came a fragile light that was enough to show whatever path one might take.

From here, what was seen was but a small part. The Underworld was a vast land.

Upon approaching the gates, a massive shadow came to him.

Cerberus barked in joy upon seeing his owner, coming down from the stone while it usually like to stay while guarding the gates. His serpent-like tail wagged as the heads lowered, hoping for attention and whining after being separated from his master for so long.

"There, there…" Hades whispered in a soothing way, his strong hand running against the black fur as the heads snuggled against him. The creature was tall enough to look him in the eyes. "I missed you, too…"

The left head barked as if hoping his master was back for good, joy making his red eyes look more than never like imprisoned flames. All the sayings about Cerberus' viciousness were true, but regarding Hades, he was just as loyal and loving as any dog. He caressed the left's neck, his hand passing by a single, old scar, the only time when Cerberus had been wounded in ages past, back when Hercules had ventured in the Underworld with the task of taking the animal for King Eurystheus.

He noticed Cerberus seemed to have lost some weight in his absence and decided to spend some hours with him before returning, not caring about what his little brother might say about it.

This was why he knew he had to ensure his graduation, for the sake of those who needed him and for his realm.

"I'm sorry, dear friend." He muttered as the right head nuzzled him, curious about the smells from above, though it was not a place he felt any desire to go to. "Down, now."

The right head whined in canine protest, but the animal heeded the command, returning to its stone and lying there, always ready to pounce in whatever soul was foolish enough to attempt leaving (not that it would ever be possible) or mortal stupid enough to come to this place.

Hades continued his path, in direction to his palace. The sounds around, though most mere whispers (except for possible echo of roars from chained beasts of old), did not demanded his attention.

On a valley at the right, he would have found his cattle grazing, watched over by Menoetius and near the river Cocytus. Like the others, its waters were deep and dark, not meant for fishes to live in and whatever creatures might lurk there, were better left undisturbed.

Either due to use or out of inclinations that had been asleep until he came into such position, often were the occasions when Hades did not find the Underworld, in itself, as awful as mortals made it out to be… There was a kind of beauty in death, should one take time to find it. The very same darkness that could nourish nightmares in its womb could also whisper of lullabies as it gently pulled the soul away from the body.

Such was not something Hades bothered to attempt sharing with others, having learnt more than millenniums ago that they would never understand and deem him as insane or see in this a confirmation that he was nothing but a sadistic monster.

Yet, a skull wrapped in thorns could be as beautiful as a rose.

Part of his loneliness came from this isolation that he found in himself… It was the same even with his siblings. On the first times he had spoken of more unusual tastes, back when adjusting to his position and organizing his kingdom, his words had been received with looks of nearly worry and a few of disgust…

The chain of thought went on, to before he was made Sovereign of the Dead… He used to be less pale and both of his eyes were golden. His hair, which had always been kept long, had been of pure black, without the greenish reflects that were not of the hue of dark leaves but rather of moss that could grow only on cemeteries.

He had been once more like his younger brothers, and all of them had been more innocent as well…

But time had a power that even gods couldn't defy.

He hadn't ever been as accepted as the others among mortals, either. They would not dare to speak his name (which was soon designed for his domain as well) out of dread that he might snatch them away as a monster of some childish tale… He was to be regarded as a creature enemy of all life by his very nature and, as such, to be feared and despised.

Many of the gods, even to this day, did not speak of him either and Hades knew they rarely thought of him, as if he did not exist… Some of the Main Twelve were kinder, such as his nephews and for that, he was most grateful…

The courtyard in front of the palace was empty. Black columns adorned its sides and a few bushes of thorns grew near some of them, vines climbing up in the manner of snakes. They could have been bones of giants and no one would be surprised.

The ebony doors opened without need of his touch, sensing his arrival and responding to it. A few souls (shades, they were called) that had entered his services bowed as he passed, but with the pressing matters, Hades paid them no mind.

The architecture around was similar of the rest of the Underworld, but more impressive, having a presence of its own. There was no need for jewels or statues for anyone to know at once this to be the home of the land's ruler. Mortals had once screamed in dread upon even setting eyes on this, for whatever beauty it had, it was of nightmares, so eternal and cold that they would find insanity to be preferable… It wasn't the physical aspect alone, but far more than it. No darkness of the world above could compare. The palace felt like a place where bodies were scrutinized in the manner of books, skin carefully removed in order to reveal the secrets of the flesh and the mechanism of the heart.

He found two gods waiting for him in the throne room. The carpet was being used today, probably due to his return. It was of a deep red, as if made of blood and indeed, during certain celebrations, it would be soaked on it and adorned with flower's petals.

"Lord Hades!" Hecate whispered with a smile as soon as she saw him. "Welcome back!"

"Hello, my friends." He said, responding with a smile of his own as he embraced Hecate, never caring much for certain protocols when it came down to those who resided in the Underworld with him, for they were more his friends than subjects and he loved them dearly. "It's been a long time."

It felt weird saying so when years could pass by as mere months for them, but in the academy, he was forced to actually feel the passing of time as a human.

"Are things going well in this… School" Thanatos said, as if he had been meaning to call it by other name, his long white hair falling almost to his waist, soft as a river. "That your brother created?"

"Well enough." Hades said. "I admit it can be fun at times..." A part of him would probably miss this, as strange as it sounded. At least a little bit. "Just some months more and then I'll return."

"You better." Hecate replied playfully, though her voice never once rose. "If Zeus doesn't allow it, we'll just have to go there and take you back ourselves!" It was meant as a sort of joke, but Hades knew that there was a veiled promise in this. Hecate was a proud woman and didn't take well the treatment the others bestowed upon the Dark Deities such as them. To have Zeus not caring for his brother's sufferings in the past and now to interfere in such way provoked her temper as a wind gathering a storm.

"Thank you, Hecate" Hades responded. "But I believe it won't be necessary. Zeus swore we would return should we "graduate" and he knows better than break such oaths." He thought about when Zeus was younger. Traits of arrogance had been there, but smoothed by his age and he had been more open in his care towards his remaining family after the war against the Titans.

Hades pushed those memories away. The Titanomachy was not something pleasant to remember.

"If you say so, milord" Thanatos replied, his own dark wings moving a little. Usually, they were kept hidden, only appearing when the god desired to make use of them. Hades knew the other well enough to be aware of this sign of accumulated tension.

"What about you two?" He asked, taking his seat on the ebony throne, his black robes making it appear greyish. "And your brother, Hypnos?" He asked Thanatos.

"Away on his duties." The god responded. At least he seemed as calm as ever, despite what had happened. Of course, few things fazed the God and he tended to take pride in his control over his emotions. After all, he was the god of Death itself. "If he is done with them, he is probably near the Asphodel Fields, making sure the souls there are calm once more."

Hades nodded. The residents of Asphodel were those who hadn't been righteous enough to deserve Elysium, but hadn't been evil either, meant then to wait until they could return to the world in a reincarnation and try to do better. They couldn't shed their sins and be ready for it when souls of Tartarus broke free and spread their poison.

"Very well…" He said slowly, his pale hands resting on the arms of the throne. "Let's proceed to the matters at hand. I need a more detailed account on what transpired during my absence."

He half-expected Hecate to make some remark, but the goddess said nothing. Her eyes of ever-changing mist were a riddle with no answer as, like the Erinyes, they were bereft of clear cornea or pupils, the colors going from pure white with lines of silver (which made them resemble blindness) to deep blue and black (a pure abyss).

"The souls of Tartarus that escaped…" She said slowly, her hands crossed in the front of her garments of deep purple. "Attempted to force their entrance on the Elysium Fields." Her words made the air itself bitter with the idea of such thing happening. Some of said souls could be worse than any demon (the proof pulsated in Hades' chest), but the sheer obscenity of what was being said…

"The same ones that created problems last time?" The question was referring to a letter of months ago and though nothing in him betrayed emotion, Hecate and Thanatos knew their lord. They saw the worry, the anger and the sadness. He always gave everything to keep things working the best possible. Personally, Hecate admired him far more than his youngest brother.

"Fewer." Thanatos said, the lightest smile slashing his features, a single wave in a lake. It wouldn't be a pleasant sight for anyone else, to see Death smiling. "Most of them did learn their little lesson…" It was a deliberate misnaming of what had transpired to imprint in those souls that the absence of the King of the Dead did not meant an opportunity to go against his laws.

Their suffering had been a most exquisite feast for the Erinyes.

"They were not only trying to enter…" Thanatos said slowly, his teeth clenched in despise that would be quick to evolve into anger. It was enough to make Hades certain that what he was about to listen wouldn't make things better. "Their intention was just to hurt those who reside in there."

Silence followed that statement. Hades felt his own darkness stirring with his anger as his muscles hardened underneath the skin.

"Are you certain?" His tone was soft. His eyes were not.

"We heard it so." Hecate said simply. "And not only from their mouths." She added, never blinking or breaking eye contact, her long dark hair falling over her shoulders under a veil of mist, stuck to an adornment of bones.

There was no lie in the Underworld. The souls had no flesh that worked to hide their deceits. Even if they had tried to lie or, more likely, say nothing about their intentions, they would have felt it. And it would be on the taste of their tears.

"Injuries?" He asked, hoping with all his heart nothing more serious had happened...

"They did not harm anyone, but the souls were most frightened." Thanatos explained with a rare display of sympathy in his eyes. "It took a while for Rhadamanthus to calm them all…"

"I shall go there myself to assure them this will not happen again." Hades decided at once, a weight of guilt piercing him. The Fields were meant as a place where his subjects had no suffering, no pain or fear and to be assaulted by such after ages of peace was bound to be perhaps even worse than when they were alive.

Nothing like this had ever happened, not to such level.

"Sir…" Hecate whispered, knowing her master was blaming himself for not being there to prevent this from happening. Gods had little care, let alone mercy, for humans but Hades had a different understanding after ages of judging them and also dedicated all his effort to his duties.

"Do you wish for our assistance?" Thanatos offered, though knowing Hades had no need of them. His chiseled face was that of a being who had never known emotion, except for those who would care to learn the subtle signs that he gave away.

"Thank you…" He said gently. "But this is a matter I must deal with myself…" It was his responsibility alone. "Afterwards, we can discuss the other details…" He said before they proceeded to discuss appropriated punishments and an increase of the safety measures, though there was little to improve after so many ages. His words were more of a suggestion than a demand, as he knew Hecate and Thanatos to have their own duties. He just hoped he could enjoy their company for a while before returning to the Academy…

It hurt, in a sense. It was worse than the few times he could leave this place, at least those were few and always short in time. To be in the "school" had just forced him into a sort of life surrounded by things he knew could never have, even if he would have liked to…

He was a being of darkness. Should he not be in a mortal body, even the sunlight would get bothersome for his senses after a time due to his organism being so unused to it that it was almost a complete foreign element… On the few times he went up to Olympus, Apollon would always make the light as soft as he could.

Tartarus was as far beneath the rest of his domain and the heaven above the Earth, but there was no reason to cover the entire way as the criminals in question would be currently waiting their sentence with the Harpies and Erinyes guarding them. Hades was just relieved that nothing truly bad had happened… He would have never forgiven himself.

"Zeus knew I shouldn't ever leave" He thought to himself, making chorus to Hecate's first letters of complaint. "He knows enough about what I do…" Yet, could he say he would change things, if the power was given? Would he have preferred to have never left and never meant any of his "classmates"?

Hades honestly didn't know the answer…

As he walked, the shadows around made wait, yielding at the presence of a deeper darkness. His robes shared no similarities with the "school uniform", be in the color, shape or fabric, being softer than silk and closer to a shroud in nature, the movement giving the impression of poison or mist being born, which was accentuated due to the spectral light that at times could emanate from it.

The wailing came to his senses before he approached the edge of Tartarus. Leading to its entrance, the Phlegethon River ran, waters made of blood where souls burned, eternally drowning. A black centaur could be seen patrolling that particular area, firing his arrows each time someone tried to rise above the waters or the levels where they had been designed to remain. Hades' attention, however, was not on the blood or its smell, but on a small group ahead.

His presence alone was enough to demand silence from those who had been yelling or crying. The Erinyes themselves stopped their actions, still standing nearby, the talons of their feet having left marks on the prisoners as much as their voices had on their minds.

His curse pulsated in response to the hate they felt for him. They had no regret or apologies to offer, no care for others' suffering. Many had rejoiced on it, others had climbed up in life by using fellow humans' hearts as steps.

Hades stood in silence, his eyes slithering over them. Few dared to look back, for they were still humans and not meant to look into the eyes of a god, let alone eyes such as his. The stench of pus and blood was impossible to ignore and Hades knew their minds were barely holding themselves together, in the delicate insanity weaved by the Erinyes, which allowed them to still feel reality in levels they were never meant to, knowing their minds to be taken by a plague that was rotting away their ability to sleep or dream.

He recognized those people. He knew them, knew their lives and the pain they had caused… Hades knew because he had seen it, as he had seen the extend of the suffering of those who had crossed their paths… Rapes of the body and heart. People who had been so lost that suicide had appeared to be the only way. Dreams shattered. Souls murdered inside their bodies by acts and words. Tortures of the mind and the heart…

Death was not eternal suffering… Unless you rightfully deserved it to be so.

Hades could be merciful, within reason, could be reasoned with… But to maintain justice and order, he could be as cold as necessary.

Some broke under his stare, regretting trying to move when the thorns adorning their shackles pierced them, awakening past pains deeper than what living beings were meant to bear. After all, didn't people say that wounds of the soul were more painful? This was truth in a level only the damned knew.

A few ended up crying for mercy, which was not out of actual regret but just in hopes of avoiding punishment. Others yelled insults that were rabid-like. In either case, he felt their hate in the mark of his chest, the poison flowing free. Yet, there were stars who were children compared to him and Hades had suffered far worse even before being crowned the King of the Dead.

Hades ignored them.

"Never do this again." He warned them, his voice enough to force silence once more with the promise of bestowing incalculable suffering on each of their nerves. "Or your current predicament will seem like a blessing."

He passed by the new instructions of punishments, accepting some "suggestions" of the Erinyes, watching the chains act as snakes when dragging those souls back to Tartarus, their screams echoing in the way.

It wasn't until that they were out of his view that Hades turned to return to his palace.

He was the Ruler of the Dead…

And he would always be.

---

Thoth: Well, you took your sweet time with the chapter again.

Ana: I know, I know. My bad, guys… Hey, I graduated from college, finally!

Thoth: And now you need to find a job.

Ana: ... Thanks, you had to rain on my parade, didn't ya?

Thoth: Consider it what you deserve for taking so long!

Loki: She could have waited more, though, I was sleeping.

Ana: Hope you guys have enjoyed this despite the time it took. Frankly, I had fun with describing the underworld and all.

Arisu: Which probably doesn't surprise anyone…

Hades: You could at least have described the Elysium Fields… Why did you do it?

Ana: Look, don't worry, we all know you're a sweet guy.

Apollon: She's right, you did what you had to do!

Ana: Well, some pairings are becoming clearer with those last chapters. I would like to hear your opinions and what you're liking the most.

Thanks again, guys. If you like what I do, you may buy me a Ko-Fi (it would be a help like you wouldn't believe in those times) or check my stores at Redbubble, Threadless and Teepublic (links can be found on my tumblr or deviantart or you can just search for AnaWolf there).

Iris essence: Thanks! You have no idea how much this means to me! I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter, but I hope it was worth the wait!

Jemstone6259: Hi, there! Missed you! Yeah, some parts take a while because I keep rewriting them (I'm that kind of perfectionist when it comes to what I do). Hehe, oh, who knows? Maybe, maybe not…

Arisu: You like to tease your readers, don't you?

Ana: What? I just don't give spoilers…

Hades: I'm so sorry this happened… If only she wasn't with me…

Ren: It was not your fault…

Hades: Look at your hand!

Ana: According to my mom, it felt like dripping her hand in acid when she got burned like this (I have to say, just the thought of touching a caterpillar makes me shiver).