The Original Curse
Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time.
Summary: They disdained that which they did not understand, and feared it even more. And so they cast it away, banishing it to the deepest depths they knew, far away from Olympus. There was only one problem: there was no one to guard it and all the souls that entered it.
For this story, I'm not interested in getting all the facts of Greek mythology right. I just wanted to write a story with Hades from Once Upon a Time.
Chapter 2
"Well, we'd better get on with it, then," the god of the skies said as he moved to stand directly in front of Hades.
When Zeus stepped within arm's length, Hades struggled harder against his magical bindings, pouring more energy into breaking them.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Hades of his captors. Poseidon glanced over at his other brother.
"What you wanted, of course—saving all those souls," Zeus responded.
"Whatever you think you're doing… Don't. Nothing good will come of it," Hades warned.
Zeus shook his head slowly, clicking his tongue in disappointment. "I know you think your plan is the only way to keep the Underworld from going to pieces, but the other gods, they can't handle having Death so close to their homes, to be so near to it every day. There is another way—a better way."
"Brother, please. This is what's best for Olympus," Poseidon pleaded.
"Of course you would be on his side," Hades spat.
"Zeus," Poseidon grunted. Hades could feel his brother's magic being drained by the task of keeping him under control. He put forth another burst of energy.
Just as the restraints over Hades shattered, he felt Zeus' hand plunging into his chest and closing around his heart, grip unyielding. From his hand spread a coldness—a deadness that chilled Hades to his core. The invasive magic didn't stop at his heart, but moved throughout his entire being, slowing his body's processes. Everything slowed in the wake of the coldness, and he could feel his body dying a slow death until eventually, his heart stopped beating, his blood stopped flowing, and his limbs stopped working.
When Zeus released Hades, the god of the Underworld toppled over.
"He seems… dead," Poseidon's voice was barely above a whisper. "I can't sense any life force coming from him."
"He'll be fine," Zeus responded easily.
"What have you done?" Hades asked, trying to pick himself up. It was difficult, moving limbs that wouldn't respond to his commands. He was also still reeling from the unnatural feeling of stillness in his chest. He felt… dead. And yet, he hadn't ceased to exist.
"What I've just done is fixed all of our problems," Zeus responded. "The problem you've been complaining about for centuries. You could be a little more grateful."
"Grateful? You stupid… selfish… idiot! What you have done will have repercussions you couldn't even begin to comprehend!" he spat.
"This is your problem, Hades!" retorted Zeus, the smug look melting off as he became angered as well. "You're too serious, always making predictions about death and destruction. It's why the other gods are so afraid of you."
"The other gods are afraid of me because they are stupid and weak!" The words had been buried in his heart for several centuries now, but he had never spoken them aloud. He had thought that despite their flaws, he should still show respect for his fellow deities. For some reason, none of those prior considerations seemed to matter anymore. He felt only a coldness that bled into his thoughts.
"You're not wrong," Zeus agreed. "Which is why you are the perfect candidate for this."
"Perfect candidate for death? Looks like you failed." He tried to laugh, but sound came out cracked and broken.
"You misunderstand me, brother! I wasn't trying to kill you. This is better!" Zeus spread his arms and paused for dramatic effect, "I call this stroke of brilliance… the Spell of the Living Dead! It gives you the semblance of death, and allows you to bypass all those pesky laws you keep going on about. Now you can stay with your charges indefinitely and rule them as a true king of the Underworld should."
"A curse of simulated death," Hades whispered in horror.
"Only you would call it a curse," Zeus huffed.
"Do you even understand what you had done?"
"Don't be so dour, dear brother. It's only temporary, while we work out another solution. Once we figure that out, I'll undo the spell." Zeus began to walk out of the hall, with Poseidon not far behind, the latter shooting anxious glances behind him.
Hades didn't acknowledge their exit; he could only stare at his hands, watching the color drain from his skin as the semblance of death took hold.
The sun was setting on Olympus, painting the horizon bloody with its rays. It wasn't just the horizon that was affected, though; the tops of the buildings, white in the day, were cast in gold at dusk. As the sun continued its descent, shadows spilled across the cobbled lanes below and climbed up the facades of buildings.
Hades took in the sight with more than a touch of regret. Although he knew it was but a chariot in the sky, the view was beautiful all the same. But it was one that he wouldn't be able to see from the Underworld. At the thought of giving up the sight and not knowing when he'd ever set eyes on it again, he felt a small pang in his heart. He immediately focused on the area of his breast where his heart was housed, closed his eyes and trained his ears, waiting… but there was nothing. It had all been his imagination, a phantom in his mind.
Opening his eyes once more, flickers of motion caught his attention. Shifting his attention below, he watched as tiny dots in the distance scurried from street to street, building to building, the other gods going about their quotidian existences. None of them knew the sacrifice he was making for the sake of their continued ignorance; he doubted any of them would care even if they knew.
Hades' fists tightened at the thought. It was only with a concerted effort that he unfurled them. His time in the Overworld was growing short. Seeing little reason in delaying the inevitable, he abruptly turned from the sight. Conjuring blue flames that wrapped around him, he teleported to the Underworld. Looking around the stone cavern, his face settled into a grim expression.
Home sweet home.