Chapter 9: Escape From The Underworld part 1

(*FLASHBACK TO THE UNDERWORLD*)

It had been three years since Amara left her family in Greece and moved to the Underworld. Being Hades' wife hadn't been as dreary and lonely as she thought it might be. Hades was always kind to her and tried to make sure she was comfortable. She'd actually started to love him. One one occasion, she finally let herself become intimate with the God of the Underworld and it was a satisfying experience. Hades had also been teaching her in the magical arts. By now, Amara had already become a powerful sorceress. However, Amara noticed that Hades had started to grow constantly paranoid. He had heard a prophecy that the son of a god would one day be his downfall. As of now, Hades did not have any children. Hades' brother Poseidon had a teenage daughter, Ursula. The only god in the family with a son at this time was Hades' other brother Zeus.

Zeus' son was Hercules, a strong eighteen year old. Hades had sent many monsters after Hercules to try and capture him, but Hercules defeated them at every turn. Hades had no desire to kill Hercules, only to contain him. Zeus would rip entire worlds apart if his son was ever killed. So now, Hades was taking a different approach in his mission to capture the god-hero. One day, Amara walked into Hades' throne room and found him talking to a younger woman. This woman was about eighteen years old, the same age Amara was when Hades first proposed to her three years ago. This woman was beautiful. She had long, brown hair, beautiful blue eyes, and wore a purple toga.

"Now go." Hades said to her. "I believe in you."

The woman was then consumed by a magic smoke and disappeared.

"Unbelievable!" Amara said.

"Amara!" Hades said in surprise. "I am so happy to see you. I think things are finally going my way."

"Why?" Amara asked. "Because of that girl? Who is she!"

"What?" Hades asked. "Why are you so angry?"

"I left my family for you. I spent three years in this literal hell hole devoting myself to you and then I walk in here and find you with another woman!" Amara yelled.

"My beautiful wife." Hades said. "You've got it all wrong."

"Then tell me who she is." Amara said.

"Her name is Megara." Hades said. "She sold her soul to me in exchange for making her little brother healthy again. You are certainly aware that none of my attempts to capture Hercules have worked. I've been sending ferocious beats after him. I decided to change my plan of attack. I'm sending a pretty girl after him. He'll fall in love. Then Meg will tell me his weaknesses and I can finally capture him. That's all it is."

Amara suddenly felt very foolish and ashamed.

"I'm sorry." Amara said. "I didn't mean to freak out on you like that."

"It's ok." Hades said. "Your body is going through many changes and it can complicate things."

"What are you talking about?" Amara asked.

"You're pregnant." Hades said.

"What? How do you know?" Amara asked.

"I am the God of the Underworld." Hades said. "You live in the Underworld. It's my job to know everything that goes on here."

Amara couldn't help but smile for many reasons. She was going to have a baby, which she thought was joyous in itself. Once she had the baby, she would be free to leave the Underworld and visit her parents again. That was the deal she made with Hades when he first proposed to her three years ago. However, she figured she'd return. Amara had grown to love Hades and their life together.

"That's amazing." Amara said.

"Would you like to know the gender?" Hades asked. "I can determine that even in these early stages of your pregnancy with my magic. It will only take a moment."

"Yes." Amara replied with a smile.

Hades then put his hand on Amara's stomach and held it there for a few moments. He then stepped back.

"It's a boy." He said, without much enthusiasm. After all, the prophecy was that the son of a god would be his downfall. He just never thought it would be his own son.

"That's fantastic!" Amara said. "Can we name him Taj? After my father?"

"Certainly." Hades said with a fake smile. "Our little Taj."

(*PRESENT DAY IN THE UNDERWORLD*)

Rafi was surprised at what he was seeing. Hercules, son of Zeus, was chained to the rock wall in a prison.

"I've only ever heard stories about him." Rafi said to his father Hades, who brought him down here to see Hercules. "Now you're telling me he's my cousin."

"I know it's a lot to take in." Hades said.

"Why is he chained up to the wall?" Rafi asked.

"Personal reasons." Hades said.

"Does Zeus know he's here?" Rafi asked.

"Oh heavens no." Hades said. "He only thinks Hercules went missing and he hasn't been able to find him."

"He looks a few years younger than me." Rafi said. "How is that possible?"

"The chains he's wearing are enchanted." Hades said. "They keep him young forever while he suffers down here. They also take away his ability to speak."

Rafi looked at Hercules, who was staring at both of them with a menacing glare. His eyes said everything. Hercules hated Hades for making him suffer down here. He was also sad at the circumstances that got him there and that he hasn't seen his family in a long time.

"How long has he been here?" Rafi asked.

"Almost twenty five years." Hades said. "Look down."

Rafi then looked down and saw a gold key by his feet.

"What is that?" Rafi asked.

"It's the key to unlock his chains." Hades said. "The key has been placed just out of his reach intentionally to add to the torture."

Rafi was starting to have a different impression of his father. Perhaps he really was just an evil, vengeful god. He began to wonder why Hades hated Hercules so much.

"How did you get him here?" Rafi asked.

"I sent a beautiful young woman after him to lure him here." Hades said. "His weakness was love."

"What woman?" Rafi asked. "Was it my mother?"

"No." Hades said. "I loved Amara too much to put her in that position. The woman I sent was named Megara."

"Where is Megara now?" Rafi asked.

"Dead." Hades said. "I killed her."

"Why?" Rafi asked.

"We had a complicated history." Hades said. "I just wanted to show you Hercules to prove to you that once you're the God of the Underworld, you'll have enough power to do anything you want, even imprison another god."

"I'm not sure I want to be the next God of the Underworld." Rafi said.

"It's alright." Hades said. "I know it sounds daunting now. Just take some time to really think it over."

Hades then led Rafi out of the prison and down another series of dark, rocky, tunnels. Eventually, they came to another room. This medium sized room was also dark and make of rock. However, there was a large comfy bed in the center of it. Hades led Rafi inside.

"What is this?" Rafi asked.

"This is your temporary room for the night." Hades said. "I'll find you a more comfortable one soon. You'll have to stay here for now."

Hades then returned to the doorway.

"I want to leave." Rafi said. "I want to see my brothers."

"You can't leave." Hades said. "You just got here and you're going to be the next God of the Underworld."

"I don't want to." Rafi said.

"I don't care anymore about what you want." Hades said. "It's what must be done."

Hades then left the room and slammed the door shut. Rafi started to see why Taj resented their father so much.

It was the middle of the night. Rafi had stayed awake until now, when he assumed Hades would be sleeping. This would be Rafi's best chance to escape the Underworld. However, there was something he had to do first. He had to free Hercules and return him to Zeus. So, Rafi opened the door and looked around the dark hallway made of rock. There was no one there. So, Rafi snuck out of the room and walked through the halls. Finally, he returned to Hercules' prison. He opened the door and walked inside. Hercules awoke when he heard Rafi enter. Rafi then surprised the god-hero by picking up the golden key on the ground. Rafi then used it to unlock the binds around Hercules' wrists that chained him to the wall. Hercules was a well built man. He had a chiseled face, red hair, and blue eyes. Rafi hadn't seen a handsome man like that before. Once the chains were lifted, Hercules was able to speak again.

"What are you doing?" Hercules asked. "You're the son of Hades. Why are you helping me?"

"I may be his son, but I am nothing like him." Rafi said. "He's keeping me prisoner here as well. Now we're going to break out of Underworld, together."