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CHAPTER III

Ares would never admit it, but he was totally unsettled by Athena's visit. He sat in his throne, restless and agitated. The warmth she had brought him disappeared the moment he could no longer sense her in his domain, and immediately he was hot with fury.

How dare Zeus? How dare he try to dictate Ares after all these millennia? Zeus – the cause of many wars and battles. Zeus – who raped women and goddesses, spawning gods and demigods, half of which he could barely control. Ares slammed his fist on the armrest.

Damn him. He barely could control himself, what gave him the right to control Ares?

Besides, what could Zeus do if Ares didn't comply? Banish him? Hardly, he would just find new domain away from Olympus, maybe even establish a cult to his name. That was too simple, and not even Zeus would be dumb enough to banish him.

Even if he were banished from earth completely, he still had support elsewhere. Hades would, perhaps reluctantly, accept him into the underworld if he just asked. After all, if it weren't for Ares, Hades might still be entrapped by King Sisyphus.

Ares smirked, running his hand through his thick dark red hair.

No, he was an asset to Olympus, not a liability, and Zeus knew that much.

And Athena. Ares almost laughed to himself. Zeus would never admit, and Athena wouldn't bare to hear it, but she was Daddy's little Princess. His favourite. She would do anything for him, which made Ares think – had it been all up to her, would she really have chosen high-road, or sliced through him mercilessly? Ares felt that sweet warmth again, bubbling through him relentlessly.

'No, not now,' he murmured to himself and the warmth subsided. He had an idea, and now wasn't the time for such weaknesses. He got up from his throne, calling for a servant to prepare his steed for the journey to Zeus' Palace.

Truth be told, Hermes hated the underworld. Though he had been sent there hundreds of times, relaying messages, he didn't feel any more welcome with each visit.

There was a whole process that came with travelling to the Underworld. First, there would be the silent and often perilous boat trip to the gates of the Underworld. Hermes remembered his first boat trip – he had to cough a silver coin to the grumpy and insulting Charon, and brave the river Styx who was in a foul mood after hearing one of the oaths made over her had been broken.

Second came getting past Cerberus. Hermes had tried singing to the beast, petting it, feeding it raw meat (which surprisingly, didn't work as Cerberus only consumes unworthy souls apparently) dancing for it and many other tricks but the beast would not relent. With every trick Hermes was closer to being torn apart, until Persephone came to the rescue to calm the beast and allow him in. Then the goddess would tell Hermes the special command Hades used to calm the beast, and once Hades found out she did, he's promptly change the command.

But now Persephone was back at Olympus, and Hades would be even more intolerant of Hermes' visits after what he was about to tell him.

As Charon ferried the two down the surprisingly calm Styx, Hermes sighed. Dionysus was hosting a party tonight and Hermes had been invited specially. Now he was surely missing the first half, which is usually the best part. But knowing Dionysus, Hermes grinned, the party would be weeks long.

'What're you grinning about boy?' Charon snarled and he rowed and Hermes grin disappeared.

'Nothing.' Hermes shook his head.

'Well you shouldn't be smiling about a damn thing, because we're here and sweet Persephone isn't here to save you.' Charon laughed, spluttering as he did. Charon Moored the small boat and Hermes stepped off. It was dark, relentlessly cold, and he almost felt as though Charon and Styx were just watching – waiting for him to be attacked.

Cerberus, lay at the gates, one paw resting over the other. Fast asleep, Hermes approached the beast, and immediately a head lifted, eyeing him closely. The other to heads rose from the ground and all three watched him.

Hermes stood and swallowed. And then something bizarre happened.

Cerberus' six eyes did not begin to glow. He did not bare his hundreds of teeth, dripping with poisonous saliva. All three heads merely bowed before Hermes, and the gates slowly opened.

Hermes stood shocked. Was this some sort of…trick? Would the moment he take a step be the last step take?

'You better hurry boy before he change his mind.' Hermes heard Charon call. He stepped pass the beast quickly and entered the gates unscathed.

Cerberus raised his heads and looked over the river Styx. The beast let out a bark that made Hermes quake.

'Alright, alright! I'm going back…' Hermes heard Charon say. And then it was all silent.

Hermes walked through the dark path to Hades Palace. Apparently the places past Hades' Palace were fairly pleasant, but he had never been passed the place.

Once in the Palace and approaching the throne, Hermes bowed low, an ancient sign of respect. He looked up at the dual thrones Hades had created. One was empty.

'Your Highness, may I ask how you have been?'

'It's nice to see you Hermes. What is your business?' Hades said curtly. His voice – deep and smooth in the darkness – unnerved Hermes. Hermes was quiet for a moment, looking at the man on his throne. Hades raised an eyebrow.

'If I may ask?' he said folding his arms over his chest.

'Of course. I…I've come to give you a message.' Hermes smiled cheesily. The smile he learnt to give when he was about to relay a message the recipient would not want to hear.

Hades gestured for him to continue. Hermes thought of how to word it.

'Well, Zeus has been…concerned with the uh…occurrences on earth lately.'

'None of which are my concern. He may remember that I may only concern myself with the Underworld,' Hades shifted in his seat, 'with the dead. I believe earth is only for the living.'

'Well yes but this is partly of your concern.' Hermes laughed nervously. Hades frowned.

'Oh?'

'Um, yes, well you see…there have been two cases of Chimera attacks on earth. One in Athens, one on Crete –'

'Yes.'

'Oh.' Hermes stood, surprised, 'you know then?'

'I do.'

'Oh.'

'….Something wrong?'

'No, no I just,' Hermes shook his head, 'I assumed you didn't know.'

'You assumed wrong then.'

A silence filled the room. Hermes stared at Hades. Hades shrugged.

'No you see, I assumed you didn't know because it happened…never mind actually. Zeus wanted to assure that you would…assure that this doesn't happen again.'

'So Zeus thinks this is my fault?' Hades leaned forward, cocking his head to the side.

'No, no, no, Zeus isn't pointing fingers yet –'

'What does that mean?'

'No, no –' Hermes held out his hands.

'I'm not quite sure what you are saying Hermes but it sounds like I'm being accused?' Hades narrowed his eyes at the young god and Hermes swallowed. He cleared his throat and too a breath.

'Listen, Zeus just wants to know why and how this happened and if you can prevent this from happening again.'

'Why does he just assume I can stop it?' Hades asked nonchalantly. Hermes stood, perplexed.

'Because you can…control the Chimera, can you not? I mean with your…great power –'

'A common misconception, I will not hold it against you. I cannot honestly say I can control these beasts without great difficulty. As you can imagine, remnants of Typhon and Echidna's glory days are still appearing all over the world and for some reason, as if handling the dead wasn't enough, everyone thinks it is my duty to find and entrap them here in the Underworld. If one or two escape and wreak havoc on the humans there isn't much I can do, but check my inventory, maybe add a few locks to the cages and hope for the best.' Hades crossed his fingers and smiled. Hermes stared at him for a moment and nodded.

'Is there perhaps not…more we can than cross our fingers?' Hermes asked timidly and Hades laughed.

'Afraid to face the wrath of daddy are you? I'll do what I can.' He said and Hermes bowed, somewhat relieved.

Hermes turned.

'Before you leave,' He jumped back letting out a yelp. Hades had appeared right behind him. He took in the image of the tall god standing in a black suit. Hades looked much younger than Zeus and Poseidon, which was odd as he was the eldest of the three brothers. His dark hair slicked back, he stood, smirking. Hermes bowed again, nervously.

'I must ask you a riddle. A sphinx has decided to guard my pomegranate garden and I'm struggling with a riddle she has posed. I could just kill her but that would be no fun and she would just reappear anyway, so I pose the riddle to you.'

Hermes looked up and swallowed.

'Don't worry,' Hades grinned, 'unlike the sphinx, I will not hurt you.' Hades thought to himself and nodded.

'Each morning I have appeared, to lie at your feet, and all day I will follow you no matter how fast you run, and when the night time comes, I shall disappear, only to find you again.'

Hermes stared at Hades and Hades watched the expression of horror grow on Hermes face.

'That is….quite a dark riddle.'

'Tell that one to your father,' Hades winked, 'Maybe he'll know.'

Hermes was left in the middle of the room as he disappeared.