Interlude I

Hestia, Lady of the House of the Hearth, sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the Great Tower of the Pantheon. Far off in the distance, she could see the city of New Rome growing into the sky, with the dawn sun rising behind it.

She wondered how the kids were.

She giggled when she realized that she still thought them as kids, even if they were not much younger than herself. But could someone blame her? They were kids, incredibly powerful kids, but still kids. They didn't deserve to be pulled into this political conundrum; it could really hurt them.

"What bothers you, Hestia." She heard a voice behind her. She turned to see a tall, pale, dark haired man approaching her. He walked with a sharp, dark cane, the head of a crow forming its pommel.

"Hades." Hestia smiled, "What brings you here?"

"Memories, questions. Isn't that what bringing us all here? To this spot?"

He was right, of course. Many of the Pantheon seemed to covet this spot for some reason, and Hestia could see why. It offered a nice view of the rising sun and of the city, it was also very high up, offering free air and the wind that came with relaxation.

"Hm." Hestia smiled, "Poseidon still manages to cause ripples, even in his absence."

"That man has always been able to work a room." Hades struggled to sit, but after a while he managed to sit down next to Hestia, his legs dangling over the edge. He looked ridiculous.

They had just left another Pantheon session about the newly discovered son of Poseidon. That man didn't even know the troubles he was causing them, and Zeus was hellbent in finding a loophole between his own laws to get his hands on the poor boy.

"Damn you, Barnacle beard…" Hades muttered, "Where in the underworld are you…"

"You really don't hate him?" Hestia asked, worried. "You more than anyone has reason to. He not only ended your career, he nearly killed you and even today you suffer from that fight."

"It wasn't his fault." Hades said, looking into the rising sun. "He should've killed me for what I did."

"Hades…"

"No, Hestia." He said strongly, "I betrayed my best friend's trust, I sold him out to the Pantheon, and I was fuelled with anger and envy. I got what I deserved."

Hestia took Hades' hand, looking into his eyes.

"Stop beating yourself up, Hades." Hestia said, "You fought, you lost. Now rest. Release your emotions, Hades, they hurt you."

"Not until Poseidon forgives me, Hestia." Hades said, "There are many things that I forgot about that battle, but something that I vividly remember is that it wasn't a battle for Poseidon's freedom. Many believe that Zeus and I tried to stop him from running away, but there's more to that."

"What really happened, Hades?" Hestia asked, beginning to worry.

"I…can't remember." Hades said regrettably, "All I remember is that Zeus, Poseidon and I faced each other in a three-way battle, it wasn't Zeus and I against Poseidon. There was…something strange, however. I can't remember exactly…but I've recently remembered that there was someone else there."

"What?!" Hestia said, almost falling off the edge. Hades grabbed her with incredible speed, and Hestia was pulled back. Even injured, Hades hadn't lost his edge.

"Careful." Hades said.

"It's just…there was someone else? Hades, that's—"

"Shh!" Hades said, "Keep quiet. I cannot prove nor disprove that, all I know is that before I fell unconscious, I felt a presence that didn't belong to Poseidon nor Zeus."

"That…that could change everything, Hades." Hestia said.

"I know, which is why it is dangerous and why I've kept it secret for this long." Hades said, "I only tell you because you're the only other person who I trust within these walls. I feel…something. I believe its time. I may be weakened, but that doesn't mean that I don't feel things moving out there. Something is about to happen, Hestia; what it is I have no clue, yet it doesn't look good for us. Poseidon is missing and has been missing for seventeen years. Without him, the next powerful Person is Zeus, but he's paranoid and has half of the Pantheon behind him. Getting to Zeus is like trying to go through a steel wall by slamming into it with a pillow. Meaning that I'm the next big target."

"Hades…I don't like where this is going." Hestia said, but Hades raised a hand.

"Listen to me." Hades said, standing up, "I won't go down without a fight, but if something does happen to me, you must promise to help Bianca and Nico. The House of the Dead is the oldest of the three Great Houses, and we hold secrets dating back to even before the Titan's first rule. You must guide Bianca to the Mausoleum of the Underworld, she will know what do from there."

"Hades…"

"Please, Hestia. You're the only one I can trust." He said.

Hades and Hestia shared a look. They had always been close, even when they were young hunters in Olympus. They had even shared a relationship once, but they had broken off before leaving the Academy. Although he had met Maria later, after his injury cost him his relationship with Persephone, Hestia had always held a special place in her heart.

Hestia hugged him, and Hades hugged her back. She was careful with his side, not pressing onto his injury, but the emotion was the same that he remembered from so many years ago. Although Hades had formed a family, Hestia had decided to remain single, quoting that she didn't have time for relationships.

"Don't die, Hades, don't leave me alone in this world."

"The certainty of death is the truest form of prophecy. One day I will join my ancestors in our Mausoleum, the question is what it will cost. I'm no fool, Hestia, my time grows short, and my body weakens. If what is out there really comes after us, I know I will be the first sacrifice."

"B-but…" Hestia began to cry. When was the last time he had seen her cry? Hades wondered. He kept hugging her.

"Don't be sad, Hestia." Hades said, "Poseidon is not dead, I trust he's not. He will still be here, and who knows? Maybe Zeus will remember the love he held for us once upon a time, and he will be another friend you can count on."

"Lord Hades." They heard a voice. Hestia kept her face buried within his clothes, but Hades turned to see one of his oldest friends. Wearing a long dark robe, the contrast with the white faceless mask seemed eery in the dawning morning.

"Thanatos." Hades said, "What has happened?"

"My lord." He said, bowing, not even looking at Hestia. "Charon is dead."

"When?" Hades said coldly.

"Late last night, Lord. We found him near the doors of death, within Tartarus..." Hades' eyes flashed red, and Hestia went stiff. "It was broken into, Lord. It seems Charon took down nearly a hundred enemies before he was overwhelmed." Thanatos said.

"Who's missing." Hades asked without emotion.

"That seems to be the issue. All prisoners are accounted for, all but three. The fallen Lady Chimera, the Lord Hyperion and…Typhoon, my lord."

Hestia grew pale from where Hades held her. Hades merely sighed, his control over his emotions being the most honed out of all the Pantheon members.

"Very well." Hades said, "I believe that it is time, then."

"Hades?" Hestia eyes, her eyes watery.

"I'm sorry, Hestia, but I must go."

"What will you do?"

"You know what I must do, Hestia. We all have known that something was happening out there, this is simply the proof Zeus wanted."

"But Hades, what are you going to do?"

Hades hesitated for a moment, he then grabbed Hestia's head and kissed her on the forehead.

"Tartarus is my responsibility. You know what's hidden within, and the fact that they freed three high ranking prisoners instead of the real reason the place was built, then it means that they will return. I must be ready.

"Thanatos." Hades turned to his loyal man, "It is time. You know what must be done."

Thanatos bowed, and quickly left to complete his mission.

"I must leave Hestia."

"I know." She said.

"I might never come back."

"I know." She said.

"For what it's worth, although I love the mother of my kids, you have always had a special place in my heart. Thank you, and I will forever love you."

"I hate you…" Hestia said, tears falling freely down her face, making her look innocent and beautiful in the light of the rising sun. "I hate you so much, Hades…"

"I can live with that." Hades smiled and began to walk towards the entrance. Hestia stopped him, and pulling his dark hair she raised herself in her toes and kissed him. The tears fell freely, she somehow knew it would be the last time. "Tell the council that Tartarus has been breached, and that I have gone to assess the damage." Hades said when she pulled back.

"You don't have the power, Hades. If you face them, you will die."

"I told you I won't go down without a fight." Hades said. "Goodbye, Hestia Hearthborn."

Hades left, leaving a heartbroken Hestia behind.

"I love you." She said to no one.

Hestia turned around to see that the sun was now high above the city. She sighed, struggling to control her emotions. She had always struggled with that particular part of her training, and even now that she was part of the Pantheon, she had to really work on it since they drove her insane most of the time.

"I guess this is the last peaceful day we will have in a long, long time." She breathed in one last time the air of peace, knowing that the moment she talked to the council that peace would be shattered. She plucked a flower from a nearby pot, and fuelling it with some enlightenment, it burst into a warm flame that began to rise from her hand. With a final tear, she left the terrace, and as the flower immolated itself in the sky, Hestia prepared herself to deliver the most devastating news she had delivered in her life.

They were at war.

Hey, Interlude I out of III.

I'm so thankful that so many of you have given me a chance and enjoy my little silly story. I personally don't have much to say this week, just trying to finish part II for now. I'm also going to start adding references to pop culture, so point them out if you see them!

Anyway, that's all for this week.

Happy reading everyone:)