Zeus and Hera had needed a few minutes to pull themselves together after hearing the news. Then they took one glance at each other, reading each other's thoughts from their eyes. Zeus turned to Apollo, not bothering to look at the confused crowd at their reaction.
"Apollo, stay by Ares' side and alert us if there are any changes. Iris, go to the underworld and tell Hades to come to Olympus immediately. We'll be on the throne room." He turned to Hera. "Come on, Hera."
Hera nodded and they both disappeared with a flash, leaving a very confused bunch of immortals behind.
Zeus had started pacing as soon as they teleported into the throne room. Hera was frozen, still in shock.
"How can this happen? You locked his immortal soul and threw him to the Pandora dungeon, that place is impossible to get out or get in, how could he be here?"
"I don't know!" Zeus was running his hands through his golden locks. "Even if he somehow did got out of there, how did Hades not realise it?"
The Pandora Dungeon was a secret between Hades, Hera and Zeus. It was in the hidden part of the Underworld, a place even more dangerous and secure than Tartarus. Its presence was bound to Hades, if there was any changes in the cell, Hades would definetely sense it and his powers would transport him there immediately. Zeus had used the ancient power of their father, Cronus to secure that place. It was an unreachable dungeon, not even Chaos himself wouldn't be able to get out of there if somehow he was thrown in there. And it was home to one of their greatest enemies, Adferon.
"Zeus, if Adferon did this to Ares, it means that his powers are back. And if he is free, it means that he is seeking for revenge." Hera pointed out. Zeus looked at her, not wanting to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Suddenly, the doors opened, a dark-haired man walked inside, stopping when he saw their twisted, pale faces.
"What happened?" He questioned, eyes darting between the queen and the king.
"Hades, did you sense any presence leaving or entering into the Pandora dungeon?" Zeus asked. Hades was puzzled at the question, but he shook his head.
"No. Of course I haven't."
"Are you absolutely positive?"
"Yes, Zeus, you know my powers are bound to there, I would feel if any change happened." He frowned. "Why are you asking me something like this?"
Zeus glanced over Hera, before closing his eyes.
"Adferon is out there, Hades."
Hades' eyes grew wide, he reeled back with shock. "What?" He hissed. "What do you mean he is out there? His presence is locked up and chained to the dungeon, I didn't feel or sense anything! Are you sure about this?"
"Hypnos searched Ares' memories to find out who attacked him. It was Adferon." Hera told him.
Hades, full of shock and eyes wide, looked at her disbelievingly. Zeus was pacing the room.
"We have to do something. If it is really him and he is free," Hera looked at them. "Zeus. If he is really free, we need to make a plan and do something real quick."
Zeus looked at her. "Well, do you have any suggestions?" He said, a bit mockingly. Hera glared at him.
"At least I realise something is need to be done against him fast unlike you." She snapped.
"Well, enlighten me then, my Queen. You know him the best, don't you?" Zeus said,clearly a low blow, and Hera's emerald eyes burned with fury.
"How dare you…"
Hades caught Hera's arm. "Guys, we need to calm down, okay? I know we are going through a time we can't stand each other, but this situation on our hands is big. Really big. So please, leave our differences and sort them later, okay?"
Hera continued to glare at her husband, as did he, fire raging through their eyes but then the energy in the room settled a bit, rationality taking over before they calmed down.
"You're right." Hera said, rubbing her temples. "What do we do, then?"
"I'll try to figure out how he managed to escape from the most well-protected dungeon of the existence, and in the meantime you could alert the gods to improve the defences." Hades proposed.
"Do you think we should talk to mom?"
"Rhea?" Zeus raised an eyebrow. "Do you think she'll help us?"
"If there is such a threat, we may need her help." Hades stated.
"I'll talk to her." Hera nodded to herself. "I'll leave today to visit her realm."
"Yeah, no way." Zeus said, and Hera turned to look at him.
"Excuse me?" She said, and Zeus sighed.
"Until Adferon isn't a threat to us, I can't let you leave anywhere from Olympus."
Hera frowned. "And why is that?"
"Why do you think?" Zeus snapped. "You know that the first person he will look for will be you, right? We are talking about an obsessed, revenge-seeking, insanely powerful maniac that wounded our son nearly fatally, I am not letting you wander around the realms all defenseless."
"I think you are mistaking me for one of your mistresses, Zeus, because last I know, I am more than capable of taking care of myself, being the most powerful goddess and all." Hera said, a bit spitefully.
"I am not insulting your abilities, Hera!"
"Aren't you?"
"For Heavens sake, of course I am not!" Zeus huffed out frustratedly, "I know perfectly well how good of a fighter you are, experienced it first hand for several times." Hera looked a bit taken aback with his response. "Look, we don't know what he has on his mind, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you. Besides, you are pregnant. You have to be more careful than usual."
Didn't know you cared, Hera thought to herself. But she didn't argue this time.
"I think he is right, Hera." Hades cut in.
Hera nodded. "Okay then, I'm staying here. Then one of you will have to alert mother and gather all the help we can get."
"I'll go. See if I can convince the giants too. Just in case." Zeus nodded at Hades. "And if you figure out how he managed to get out, maybe we can find a solution."
"Got it." Hades firmly nodded back, teleporting right out of the room.
-A Long Time Ago, Olympus-
Hera, Queen of the Gods, was one of the most beautiful goddesses out there without a doubt. Before and after she got married, there had been thousands of mortals and immortals falling in love with her, chasing her. Most of them, Zeus personally knew, but not minding their presence really, mostly from the confidence from knowing very well that Hera wouldn't even spare a second glance to any of them, even before they got married. There had been only one man in his immortal life that made him really jealous. The only man who had the privilege to hold Hera's heart other than himself. He had made Zeus scratch the walls in his castle from jealousy, feeling really incompetent for once to fight for Hera's love.
His name was Adferon. He was the son of Ananke and Erebus, two of the most powerful primordials, and he was carrying both of their powers, making him insanely powerful. He was also insanely handsome, almost like the opposite of Zeus in physical appearence, with dark, black hair and eyes shining like the stars on a full-black night. After they had won the fight against their father and built Olympus, he had started to live there occasionally, after he had became good friends with Hades in the Underworld. When Zeus had just gotten divorced with Themis and decided Hera was his fated one, Adferon had already started to court Hera.
The scary thing was, the beautiful young goddess Hera famous for not accepting anybody's love declarations or company, was infatuated with Adferon. They had become lovers, and Hera looked like she really loved,admired and adored him which drove Zeus crazy. He was head over heels for Hera, and Adferon had just swoop in and stolen his love before he could do something about it. And no matter how hard he tried, Hera's eyes weren't seeing anybody but him.
Zeus really wanted to tell her about his feelings. He thought if he tried to be a man Hera deserved, she could really love him too. They actually got along pretty well. Hera looked happy around him, like he was when he was around her. She was a powerful goddess, and he admired her. They could be a really good couple. They would start courting first and then one day Zeus could ask her to be his queen.
That was the plan until Adferon came along. Zeus didn't really know what to do. He had no idea. So, one of those days, when he was miserable with love and jealousy, they were at a party. It was the anniversary of their victory against their father, which was still new, if you asked, and they had thrown a big party with music, dance, drinks. Zeus used to enjoy these parties, but that day he didn't feel like having fun and partying. He was sitting on a bar chair, a drink in his hand, watching as Hera and Adferon danced happily on the floor.
"Zeus. Zeus! Are you going to tell us why are you pouting over here with a drink in our annual victory celebration?" His brother, Poseidon, poked him in the ribcage but he didn't even Show any anger. Poseidon frowned, turning to look at Hades.
"I think he may be sick."
"No, he is not sick, Poseidon." Hades said, sitting on one of the stools, taking a drink in his hand. "But he is very jealous."
"Jealous? What-who are you jealous of? Did I miss something?" Posedion questioned, eyes darting between his brothers.
"Take a guess." Hades pointed at the dance floor with a subtle nod of his head, and Poseidon turned to look at it. He could see Hera and Adferon dancing in the middle, laughing and twirling around each other, Adferon pecking her lips, bumping her nose playfully. They looked like a really good, happy, in love couple.
"What do you mean, there is just Hera and Adf...Ooh." Posedion suddenly understood, before Hades commented on his fishbrain.
"I mean,wow,really? Zeus, do you really have a crush on Hera?"
"It's not just a crush." Zeus grumbled. "She's...different for me."
Hades snorted and Poseidon raised an eyebrow. Zeus looked at them fiercely, a bit offended.
"Look, Zeus, I don't think that Hera is the kind of woman you can have fun one night and then never see again." Hades pointed out.
"I know that! It's not something like that, alright? I don't just wanna have a one-night-stand with her! I..." Zeus ran his hand through his hair. "She was so kind to me while I dealed with being a newbie king, when I had problems with my wives, and whenever I needed comfort she was there, alright? When I am with her, I can be myself more than anybody else. I feel like the Zeus before this, like I am back on Mount Ida, just...happy and relaxed. She makes me laugh so much, and the way her eyes turn the most beautiful green when she is happy... I think I may be in love with her." Zeus sighed.
There was a silence between the brothers for a long time.
"You are serious." Poseidon stated. Hades was really suprised too. "I don't even remember you talking this way about Metis or Themis."
"That's because I haven't felt this way when I was with them." Zeus said absently. Hades looked at his facial expressions carefully.
"Zeus, did you tell Hera about your feelings?" Hades asked. Zeus sighed frustratedly.
"I was going to! I was going to invite her to dinner and tell her, but she started dating that annoying Adferon before I could make a move!" He complained.
"Okay, are you planning to tell her about your feelings?" Hades asked again casually. Zeus huffed in annoyance.
"Are you crazy, Hades? Just look at her!" Hades turned his head to the dance floor, watching as Hera laughed when Adheron whispered something in her ear. "She just looks so...happy!" His tone was almost desperate. "I can't just tell her how I feel when she is so happy and content with someone else."
Centuries later, Hades would look back and realise this was one of the rare times that he saw his brother show so much maturity.
-Present Time-
"Is everything ready?" A tall, dark-haired man asked.
"Yes, my lord. We can attack the realm any time you like. With the Giants on our side, it would fall in a day." His servant confirmed.
Adferon nodded absently, his eyes looking far away.
"What do you want us to do? Should we start the attack?"
Adferon shook his head. "No. Not yet. I want Ares to heal first. They are probably gathering help right now, let them. I want Zeus to think he has the upper hand." His smile was dangerous.
"I want to get Hera first."
Author's Note:
Hey, everyone! I wasn't going to update this story but I got that sudden spark of inspiration and here we are! I am going to make some changes in the story, but I am planning to continue this. I wanted to explain briefly who Adferon is in this chapter, but I am going to go more in detail to explain how did he break up with Hera or how did he turn evil later. Btw, this character is completely OC and not taken from the Greek Mythology. I hope you like it! I'd like it very much if you gave your opinions about it. Have a good day.