(Present Time)
"Wow, no, that was a long story; I can believe it took the entire day. Umm, let me go over a few things to make sure I have this right. So, you have a God-given name, Kaelena, given to you by the Poseidon. You also have an Amazonian name, Kai, which you have been using here, which was given to you by your mortal badass mother, Astreona. That's cool all by itself.
On top of that, a combined power generated on an unfathomable scale sent some of the Gods here from another realm. Not to mention, the humans in your world can see Gods, Demigods, Titans, Monsters, and more daily. The most powerful things we have to worry about in this Realm are bills, natural disasters, and the government, and we think our life is hard. Man!
So, can you fight? What powers did Poseidon teach you? What name do I call you?"
"I was two, Torin. Calm down. The things I was taught then were discipline, balance, and awareness, and they watched over us as we played with wooden swords. As for Poseidon, I had to keep my powers at a minimum, so it wasn't like we were doing something crazy. We were just learning how to move water, my speed while in water, and testing how deep I could go without the water pressure affecting me, which it never did. Lastly, I think I want to be called Kaelena. Besides, Kai has been through a lot."
Even though Torin was excited and had more questions, Kaelena was experiencing a range of emotions. Still, the first thing she wanted to do was speak to Thalassa, Astreona, and Poseidon. Torin suggested they go to the ocean first, since Thalassa and Poseidon would surely be there. Astreona, on the other hand, could be anywhere. Perhaps Kaelena could speak with the fish and determine if they knew the exact location of Poseidon.
"Cool," she responded. "But can we get another hotel first, to put our things and not leave everything in the middle of the woods? Also, since you're rich in all, Mr. one hundred thousand, how about we get another car?" Kai said she wasn't happy with their arrangements and couldn't shower after lying on sticks and leaves, even though her body smelled like fresh rain.
It was funny to Torin that she remembered the conversation. Ultimately, he agreed but asked, "You were just rained on; I doubt you're as dirty as you think."
Meanwhile, as Torin and Kai navigated the tasks at hand, the repercussions of the General's covert plan rippled across the nation. Although it proved successful, the scheme came at a heavy cost, leaving a trail of citizen uproar in its wake. The populace grew increasingly uneasy as leaked videos circulated on the internet, showcasing a train transporting massive containers that leaked saltwater and reports of mysterious, booming noises echoing from them. With each new video, the veil of trust between the people and their government grew thinner, replaced by a swelling tide of skepticism and demand for transparency. Amidst the chaos, the General remained unmoved, having achieved his objectives and eagerly awaiting his reward, heedless of the turmoil brewing in his wake.
Stepping into the concealed base, the General walked through the halls with a usual sense of delight. The morning was imbued with the smell of billions of dollars in success. His mood was contagious, for he and his men not only caught one siren but tons, a secret he intended to keep from Hera. Dripping with generosity, the General told everyone good morning as he swiftly sought out Hera to relay the successful retrieval of the mermaid she desired, now awaiting her to fulfill her end of the bargain.
As the General knew, Hera had already held Zeus with her somewhere nearby. Hera began instructing the people around her to set up the things she needed to prepare. A spark of concern completely ruined The General's happy mood; it dawned on him that Hera needed to return to her world to get what he needed. If he has learned anything, it is that Hera always felt like she was superior, being steps ahead. He could be falling right into her trap. A one-way ticket back home. No, a way to regain her lost strength or, worse, bring back an army. The General has dealt with Hera's crap for too long for this to turn into a one-sided favor, and the last thing he was going to allow to happen was her messing, destroying his happy mood for the rest of the week. So, in a manner both kind and firm, he proposed an alternative: Hera's third-in-command, Artemis, could undertake the retrieval of Cronus and Typhon, allowing him and Hera to focus solely on transferring Zeus.
The General's suggestion caught Hera off guard, forcing her to wrestle with the idea of sending Artemis on such a difficult mission. The mission would have been executed swiftly and without complication if it had been Athena. But Artemis was another matter. She was already preoccupied with gathering new worshippers, and after her draining encounter with Ra, her strength was far from what it once was.
Not to mention, the problem she would need to face wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Artemis would have to confront Typhon, who was still trapped beneath a raging volcano. If that weren't enough, she would have to either convince or defeat Hades to retrieve Cronus from the depths of Tartarus. The General, however, remained unfazed by their tangled complications. From his point of view, he had already fulfilled his end of their agreement twice, and he was not about to let Hera's hesitation derail the plan. To him, Artemis should feel honored for the opportunity to prove herself to Hera through such an adventurous quest. In fact, he generously offered to send a squadron of his troops along to "assist" her.
His primary concern was ensuring that Hera upheld her part of the bargain. Maybe it would be easier to send Hera, but he didn't have time for her to seek a power boost to challenge his authority. The General was wary of Hera attempting a comeback, determined to maintain his position of control. In his estimation, Artemis, even with a power boost, was a lesser consequence; an overpowered archer posed no formidable threat against the efficacy of modern bullets, a certainty he held without reservation.
"Pathetic. Your bullets won't—" Hera cut herself off as a sinister idea flickered through her mind. "Fine," she said, her tone shifting sharply. "I need to finish my experiment anyway."
Without wasting another second, Hera radioed Artemis, swiftly handing off the mission to her. Before ending the call, Hera gave Artemis a final set of instructions: if she needed help, she should seek out Hercules. He had no problem roughing up Hades if necessary. Hercules and Artemis should also be able to handle Typhon together. As a backup plan, Hera advised Artemis to seek out Hermes or another god if needed. The last thing Hera made explicitly clear was that Artemis was not to reveal any information about their true intentions to anyone else.
As they ventured into their next phase, the sea churned with unrest. Triton, perturbed by the fallout from the bombings and the resulting harm inflicted on his Realm and subjects, found himself compelled to take action. Despite the presence of a sufficient number of devoted beings, Poseidon remained in a deep slumber, prompting Triton to enlist Hermes to oversee Atlantis while he addressed the escalating issues.
Initiating with a reckless approach, ships began mysteriously disappearing one by one, each discovery revealing severe damage. Black boxes and video recordings captured ambiguous images of Triton, sirens, and various sea creatures. These unsettling visuals and audio circulated widely, sparking genuine fear among humans who believed mythical beings were emerging. The existing conspiracy theories about government secrets further fueled the panic.
A pivotal moment arrived when a fisherman's cellphone video surfaced, capturing the haunting sounds of female sirens singing at night. In the video, he desperately pleaded for his life as he thought he was going to die that night. The Realm was transforming as different Gods began interfering. The Egyptian Gods had a rule, and they quietly observed foreign Gods interfere within their Domain; they grew increasingly displeased with the unfolding chaos. It was now at a point where humans and Gods were terrorizing each other, even if it was indirectly.
Hera, ready to begin the next phase, was transported to a larger military facility featuring a massive saltwater pool. She shared that there was more than one way to traverse Realms, though the siren's method involved using the reflective surface of water. Without lifting a finger, Hera slipped into the siren's mind as easily as stepping through an open door.
The creatures' will, though stubborn, crumbled under Hera's psychic pressure. In a breath, Hera bent the siren's thoughts to her will, harnessing the siren's ability to mentally visualize the desired Realm.
While wasting no time, Artemis secured a rope around the siren's neck, coordinating a synchronized jump. The siren couldn't fight against Hera's psychic power, and she now had complete control over the siren's body. She surged forward, building momentum with a powerful thrust, leaping out of the water in a graceful arc. As she rose, her eyes locked onto the water's surface, where her imagined destination reflected at her like a living portal. At the peak of the leap, just before the siren began to descend, Artemis gripped the rope tightly and dove into the pool alongside several soldiers. A violent splash soaked the surrounding staff, who stared breathlessly, waiting to see if the attempt had worked.
As the ripples faded, a haunting stillness fell over the pool. No one resurfaced. Hera fell to her knees, drained from expending more power than she had anticipated. The General huffed, unimpressed; he considered her fatigue a pathetic sight but successful, nonetheless. The General urged Hera to get back on her feet, reminding her that retrieving Zeus was still their priority. What he didn't realize was that, in those final moments, Hera had secretly used telepathy to give additional instructions to Artemis.
Despite a well-devised plan, when Artemis and the others arrived on the other side, they were confronted with the Greek Realm in a drastically altered state. The world she once knew had crumbled; it appeared like Hell had manifested on Earth. Artemis, oblivious to the consequences of her and the other deities' disappearance, was greeted by a scene of devastation. She had forgotten Poseidon's desperate attempt to fight Hera, but didn't know the outcome. The battle left cities in ruins, millions of lives lost, and countless souls flowing to Hades. Time pressing, Artemis sought out the remaining gods, those who had been spared the immediate conflict due to their distant location.
"Hephestus! Aphrodite! Hercules!" However, only one answered, and it wasn't any of the names she called.
Artemis found herself confronting the Lord of the Underworld in the unforeseen presence of Hades. Hades materialized from a whisp of black smoke with an ebony cloak that gracefully danced, crafted from the very fabric of the night sky itself, a gift. The cloak absorbed and extinguished light, leaving a space of darkness around him. Adorned with slight obsidian armor on the shoulders, two of Cerberus' heads made from obsidian stood out menacingly. A strip of polished obsidian unfurled from the spine, ending in a flat, menacing Cerberus head at the hood's tip, the entire piece rippling like a living shadow. Hades' gauntlets, fashioned from the bones of the departed, featured razor-sharp claws at each finger's end.
In one hand, he raised a small metal ball skyward, another gift; the item emitted a low hum. Upon activation, a piercing screech, the collective torment of the Underworld's souls, resonated as the ball expanded, resembling a dwarf star ablaze with dark fire. "You appear untouched, not ablaze, and still retain the aura of a God. So, tell me, why do you disturb my Domain by shouting, Artemis, and whence do you hail?"
The soldiers with Artemis quickly raised their weapons, but upon recognizing Hades in his new, formidable guise. Artemis dismissed him as a threat and paid little attention to the ominous ball of fire. "Oh, Hades. It's you. Put that away before you hurt somebody; you're scaring the soldiers. And what has happened here? Where is everyone?"
With his face shrouded by the hood, Hades responded with a nonchalant tone. "The ones I managed to capture are locked up, being used for entertainment. Hephaestus made me everything I have, including my new weapon. Do you like it? I had to break every bone in his body for him to make it. But it made a perfect gift for my coronation."
Artemis stared, rendered speechless, as she surveyed the devastation. Hades continued, "Zeus has the all-mighty thunderbolt, and Poseidon has the trident. True enough, I had the Helm of Darkness, but if I were to become king and take this Realm for myself. I needed something frightening and powerful. So, he made this small metal ball with a core made from obsidian imbued with an everlasting coal mined from the rivers of the Underworld. And all I have to do is apply Hellfire to it. This is my last time asking politely how I may help you, and where you came from?"
Artemis felt a surge of anger, desperately wanting to believe that this was another one of Hades' schemes to claim the throne of Olympus. However, she wasn't receiving the automatic power boost from being home that she should have. Power was there, but she could barely feel anything. "Where are all the people? Where are the other gods?" She shouted; fueled by frustration, Artemis grabbed her bow and arrow.
When Hades spotted her readiness, he flicked his large ball of fire down at the soldiers. Despite being in the ocean with soaked clothes, the fireball incinerated them without a chance to yell, burning faster than dry lint. Demonstrating he wasn't playing games, Hades reignited the metal ball, applying even more Hellfire to create a ball twice as large as the first. In response, Artemis put back her weapons and raised her hand in surrender.
"What's wrong with you? Your brothers are gone and in trouble, and here you are, being typical Hades?" Artemis said, attempting to engage Hades in small talk. She began to swim out from the floating ash of the bodies, feeling tired from the effort of floating. She tied the rope attached to the siren to a post near the shore. Hades did nothing, remaining aloft above her, keeping a close watch.
"Typical Hades?" His voice was calm, but something darker laced each word, an itch at the back of his mind only centuries of being misunderstood could irritate. "The only thing I know about you, Artemis, is that you're my brother's daughter, my niece, and the Goddess of the Hunt. How you operate or what your personality is like is beyond me."
He floated closer to Artemis, hovering right above her. His orange and black beaded eyes narrowed, cutting down at her, and his tone tightened like a noose. Yet, he didn't raise his voice; he didn't need to.
"So, tell me… how can you call me typical when you don't know the first thing about who I am? If you're an expert on what a villain is, then answer me this. If I'm so wicked, so damn evil, why didn't I betray Zeus the moment I was freed from Cronos' gut? Why didn't I whisper a warning to our father? One word, one hesitation in battle, and I could've bought Kronos the time he needed to regain his strength. I could've earned his favor, risen in his ranks, taken Olympus for myself."
He paused, letting Artemis's silence scrape the air, speaking for itself. "And let's be clear — Kronos wasn't a monster. He didn't rise out of wickedness. He was a strong leader who rose to power because his mother, Gaia, had begged him to. She forged the sickle, and only Kronos had the spine to use it. What he did, he did out of loyalty. He swallowed us not from hatred but from fear; those who opposed what he did to protect his mother spread rumors. A tale that was said that one of his children would do the same to him as he did to his father. He feared becoming the tyrant he once defeated. He was haunted by prophecy, by rumors, and I… I could have been his salvation. The obedient son. Proof that what he feared, a rebel child, Zeus was the threat. But I didn't choose betrayal. I chose my brothers."
His stare sharpened — not angry, but disappointed in ways words barely touched. "And in all the centuries since, I could've undone it. I could've freed Kronos. I could've turned Olympus to ash. But I didn't. I made sure he stayed buried… because I feared what he'd do to my beloved brothers. Yet here I stand, called 'typical Hades' by the daughter of the very king I protected."
As Hades floats down to Artemis, his cloak drags shadows across the sky and floor. She crawls backward before trying to stand on her feet. But before she does, Hades warns her that he will take it as a challenge if she stands and ends her there. Exhausted, Artemis sits back down. He then tells Artemis that he will explain something to her, and she will listen to him. Afterward, he will assess her needs and determine the next course of action. Backed into a corner, Artemis agrees with no other option but asks if he can make it quick, for she has things to do.
Hades spoke, not with the fury he currently had, but with relief. The weight of truth finally unloaded off his chest. He recalled the war against Kronos and how, for most, his story ended after the Realm was divided. Zeus, the youngest, was crowned King of the Heavens. Poseidon, the middle brother, ruled the sea. And Hades — the eldest — was assigned the Underworld, a place shrouded in shadow and silence. From that moment forward, his name faded from the tales told around the world.
He was still one of the Big Three, but not in the way they spoke of him with reverence. No statues were raised in his honor, and no temples were filled with worship. Only whispered fears and twisted rumors. They all painted him as bitter, jealous, and evil. Quick to speak ill, but no one asked what it meant to rule over death. No one asked what it felt like to be left out of every feast. No one wondered how it felt when Hercules dragged Cerberus, his only companion, away like a trophy. Hades didn't stop him. Instead, he masked devastation with humor, telling the hero to face the beast unarmed. It was the only power he had left — mockery.
While his brothers basked in adoration, they also had pawns, subjects, and children to hand their duties off to as they played around. Hades toiled in silence. Endless souls poured into his Realm. He had no time for freedom, only duty. Because that was the role he accepted, and he performed it flawlessly. He never wanted Olympus. He never envied Poseidon. The rumors were just that, noise loud enough to silence him before he could speak.
Oh, but then came... Catastrophe.
Poseidon unleashed something monstrous during the fight, and a flood of death came in its wake. Millions of souls, restless, ruined, cascaded into the Underworld. And with them came power: raw, ancient, and unstoppable power. In that moment, Hades became stronger than all the Gods in his Realm combined. Not by conquest but by consequence, carelessness, the bickering he stayed out of, and finally bidding against his siblings. In the system of power, Hades' siblings gathered prayers as a source of power; his prayers came from the souls of the dead. Souls that begged and prayed for a good day in the Underworld. And now, no matter who they once worshipped, every soul belonged to him.
Even so, what Hades spoke was true; he wasn't and never wanted to be evil, and so he stood at a crossroads. Hades could rise and be the villain everyone makes him out to be. He could take control and show his brothers what it felt like to be locked in the Underworld for eternity. Or Hades could save humanity. Rebuild cities. Prove them all wrong.
And so, he tried.
But mortals, even in their dying breath, turned from him. Screamed at him. Called him a monster. The other gods rose to "protect" them as if he were a threat. They never asked why he came because, in their minds, 'Typical' was at the edge of their tongues. Little did they know, they had no idea how far his reach now stretched. They didn't know that the Underworld was now expanding, rising above ground.
As Hades spoke to her, his story matched.
She looked around to the Greek she once knew, only to see a different world, but it wasn't an evil world. True, a desert now stood in its place, hot and dry, but it was filled with wandering souls reunited with loved ones. There were no walls, no chains. Souls roamed freely, read books, and visited places they'd only dreamed of. The dead brought comfort to the living. Families healed in ways the Gods never offered. Artemis barely felt Praise coming to her because most of everyone and everything, especially the dead, truly worshipped him now, and all because he gave meaning to what came after life.
As much as she didn't want to believe him, the surroundings spoke for themselves. The air shimmered with peace. A thousand silent prayers… and none of them feared him.
With this power, Hades held every God and Demigod accountable. What he did with this power in one night, they failed to do in years. However, he also whispered the same story to them as he was doing to Artemis, giving them a chance. And like them, Artemis, watching the world Hades had shaped, still refused to see his words as anything other than manipulation. He had hoped, perhaps, she might understand. But when even she turned away with hesitation in her eyes, he knew. They would never see him. No matter how much good he did.
And so, he revealed exactly what happened to the gods she sought.
They weren't dead. Not exactly.
Condemned to a fate worse than death, they remained entombed in the blackest halls of the Underworld — silenced, stripped of power, and utterly alone.
Among them was Hercules. Once proud. Once worshipped. Now reduced to nothing but a dull, rhythmic pounding on unbreakable stone.
Hades turned to Artemis and said softly, "If you listen closely, you can hear him. Still fighting. Still blind. Let him pray he doesn't stumble into the River of Souls. Because with this power, not even a god's aura will save him this time." A faint, sardonic chuckle left his lips and echoed across the skies of a kingdom with the appearance of hate and destruction, but was filled with love and creation. And because it was just that, the Primordial's didn't see it as a problem but as a solution to the actual destruction left behind.
With a flick of his hand, Hades conjured a pathway for Artemis to speak, yet she tried to harden her expression, but something cracked.
As Hades spoke, she wasn't sure what unnerved her more, the truth in his words or the quiet part of herself that wanted to believe him. The part that had grown tired of Hera's manipulations and was willing to accept Hades' possible lies. Tired Of Olympus. Of being used.
But she couldn't give him that satisfaction. Not yet. She confronted him with a piercing question, her tone laced with suspicion, "If recognition is what you seek, why not aid us? I don't mean your siblings; I'm certain you have little desire for their return, knowing it could spell trouble for you." The implication stung Hades, a surge of anger rising within him, feeling like his words had fallen upon deaf ears.
Hades raised his hand, the small metal ball glinting ominously, poised to unleash its infernal power. However, before he could enact his wrath, Artemis pressed on, her voice steady, "But hear me out. Hera has devised a plan. Zeus slumbers still, so he can't help, yet Poseidon's awakening draws near, but I doubt he'll help. We find ourselves entangled in a foreign Realm under the dominion of the Egyptian deity Ra, and our powers are diminished. Hera has brokered an alliance with the mortal leaders of that world, who agreed to help her in exchange. They want Zeus, Cronus, and Typhon. It came as an idea to the mortals, out of greed, to take the powers of the strongest beings for themselves. This could work for us; imagine the three out of your way in a world that does not supply them with power and is ruled by other Gods. They would be trapped forever or killed."
An unexpected burst of laughter erupted, catching Artemis off guard, as Hades laughed in her face. "You struck a deal with mere mortals for assistance? Mortals who believe they can control the likes of my father, my egotistical brother who overcame our father, and the monstrous force that nearly defeated that very brother. You claim this was Hera's plan?" Hades wiped the tears from his unseen face. "It sounds implausible. I know Hera; she can be hot-headed, perhaps even relentless, but resorting to humans for aid?! That reek of desperation, something I've rarely seen in her." Hades stops laughing as if he was faking the whole time. "In fact, it almost sounds too believable, considering the circumstances. She must be trying to do something. Ra would have gladly sent her back if she had just wanted to get back here. What are you lying about or hiding?"
"I speak the truth; we all are desperate! Artemis shouted. "We are stuck in another God's Domain with no power to fight back. In addition, the moment we show an ounce of power, Ra will be on us. Believe me, I have already fallen victim to his power once. I was on a mission to find the child of Oceanus, and Ra nearly killed me with just a gaze without being present."
"Wait, Oceanus has a child? Is this the same child that the fight was over because they thought it was Poseidon's? This is getting interesting. I knew there was more to it. When I saw Amphitrite, she told me something about it. What's so special about her, this child?" His tone deepened with cruelty once more, "I know it's the real reason Hera hasn't come back, and if you play me for a fool again, I'll strip you of your beauty and substitute you in place of Cerberus. Artemis Hellhound and former Goddess of the hunt, now that's a formidable name for a pet."
Artemis strays from the question, not wanting to reveal the child's abilities. "Listen, Hera's scheme involves handing over Cronus and leaving the rest to these humans. When that's done, we both use the siren to return to our world. If Cronus and the others manage to break free, they might wreak havoc, eliminate the humans, or, even better, take care of each other. If everything goes south, it becomes Ra's predicament. Considering you won't have a looming threat, this situation could play into your favor. Zeus once mentioned that Cronus gains strength over time. So, you'd have the upper hand for a few decades but not eternity, right?"
Additionally, he pondered Cronus's current strength—had he underestimated the Titan's might? Was Cronus capable of challenging him even now while choosing to remain in slumber? Turning to Artemis, Hades posed the pivotal question: How did she know the humans would let them leave once they claimed Cronus and Typhon?" Hades debated calling them idiots, exposing the power to traverse worlds, but he hoped Hera had a plan in mind.
Furthermore, Hades disclosed that Triton had already informed him about Poseidon. This explains why the Sirens haven't brought Poseidon back; Triton discovered Hades had taken over. In response, Artemis outlined their plan to retrieve any available Gods with Hera and Athena before the humans released Cronus. She assured Hades that Hera would acknowledge his achievements and, if he were gracious enough, provide them with accommodation.
Ever the strategist, Artemis foresaw the potential aftermath if Hades were to eradicate all the humans. Understanding the significance of maintaining a continuous cycle for souls to flow, she proposed a plan. Artemis asked Hades about a separate space for the surviving humans, providing them with essential resources and establishing a harmonious cycle of life and death under his rule.
Unsurprisingly, Hades agreed because he already had a balanced cycle, and if the living wanted a separate space untouched by the Underworld, why not? This prompted Artemis to request that they, too, could live in this space. In her vision, Hades would become more than the King of Gods but a God above Gods, overseeing this unique Realm. Taking his position seriously, Hades expressed his willingness to accept everyone, hoping that all his family would eventually return home. He vowed to be responsible for their fate, deciding what would become of each individual once the impending conflicts were resolved.
With a chilling warning hanging in the air, Hades cautioned Artemis about the consequences of betrayal. He painted a haunting picture of endless destruction, vowing to extinguish their existence repeatedly if they dared to cross him. Artemis, undeterred by the ominous threat, agreed to the terms. In her mind, it didn't matter what Hades threatened to do. Once she completed Hera's mission, she would leave the rest to Hera to deal with.
Before she could process what had just happened, the shadows around her coiled inward.
Hades was gone.
Then, in a flash. He reappeared in a blaze of dark flame, cradling Cronus's coffin as if it weighed nothing in one hand. In his other hand, he held a miniature Typhon twisted in its bindings, snarling silently.
Lastly, on his shoulder, he held the Golden Fleece, shimmering, cursed, divine.
Before releasing Artemis, he disclosed that he had acquired a potion to shrink Typhon from Hera's room and a temporary control collar crafted by Hephaestus under Zeus's directive, a precautionary measure in case Typhon broke free. Aware of the limited duration, Hades urged Artemis to hasten her mission. Knowing that she was present and listening the whole time, in a commanding tone, he summoned Amphitrite to send Artemis back to the Realm and with a more cooperative Siren so a rope wouldn't be needed. At first, Amphitrite wasn't cooperative, but Hades reminded her that he had allowed Triton to go free and unarmed. He also warned her to resist the temptation to flee or try anything foolish.