Fantasy May the Gods be Damned

[CrimsonEclipse]

He grinned at them, sensing their fear and anxiety. He gave off a cold aura, making the garden feel like a chilly winter night. "Ah, so your mother never told you about me then? Well, I should have expected that. Well, dear Persephone, I am no other than Hades, King of the Underworld, God of the dead, and the eldest Olympian." He said to her, his voice proud and mighty.

 

[Valjean24601]

"And we must be going now."


Apollo interjected rudely and helped Persephone to her feet, he'd do anything to get away from this maniac. He was ruining his short time with Persephone before he would be called to his father's court to discuss many a thing for the wedding .

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone's lips parted open in surprise. "You are Hades?" She asked instantly stepping back out of Apollo's grasp ready to run. When thinking of Hades she pictured some grotesque old man with immortal rotting flesh and belts full of mortal skull and pouches full of damned souls. She never would have imagined this man to be Hades, but that didn't make him any less terrifying to her.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Hades sighed, looking a little down. "Oh alright then, I don't want to interrupt you two." He said to them, his face now quite serious and grim. "I guess I shall be seeing more of you tomorrow. It truly is nice meeting you Persephone." He said as he left. A plan is starting to form in his mind, one that shall bring chaos and outrage to the Olympians, and he shall cherish it truly.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone watched Hades leave in amazement. Was that it? He was gone now, or would he return? Persephone had no idea of this God and it worried her deeply. "Apollo, he won't return will he?" She asked hopefully, she didn't want to have to been around something or someone so cold ever again. She hugged herself around Apollo's arm wanting the warmth and comfort he could give her.

 

[Valjean24601]

"Oh no, little flower, he will not return, I will make sure of it."


His palm pressed soothingly to the small of her back.


After the incident with Hades, Apollo seemed no longer in a playful mood, the sun god was serious and look of worry lined his face, though he managed to plaster on a charming little smile for his betrothed.


"No matter. Come we'll take you back to my temple to rest and eat, it is getting late."

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

"Alright, but I can not stay for long." Persephone said looking up at him with an apologetic smile. "I told Demeter I would return before nightfall." Persephone said gently removing the golden flowers from his quiver and cradling them in her arm.

 

[Valjean24601]

"And I will not keep you long sweet Persephone."


Gently he lead her through the meadow until they reached his home, the temple looming against the edge of Olympus. The braziers had already been lit as dusk descended on the god's homes, flickering against the marble pillars and shifting sheer, translucent white curtains.


Beneath the golden domed roof that the pillars held a great bed of pillows and throws of all kinds and colours not to mention the furs of Apollo's greatest kills and gifts from his sister's hunts.


Fruits and plates of various meats were stacked around the bed.


"Eat, rest, whatever you wish until you must go."

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone smiled kindly to him, she wasn't hungry or tired and she just to be away from Hades and wanted to go back to her own home. She laid the flowers she created for him down. "You are too good for simple goddess like me." She said tenderly hugging him, she thought back to her mother and the outraged state she left her in. "As eager as I am to stay here with you, Apollo. I'm afraid it is probably best I go back home now." She said in a apologetic voice kissing his cheek. "I shall see you tomorrow." She said meeting his eyes hoping he understood, before she removed her hands from him and headed back off to her mother.

 

[Valjean24601]

"Yes, I shall see you tomorrow."


Apollo watched her leave, curiously, until she vanished from his sight.


Sighing softly her retired to his bed and tucked into his food himself.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone walked down the brilliant green fields and cast a small glance back to Apollo's temple. She felt bad for leaving him alone in there as she was starting to feel as she thought once again of her mother. She sighed to herself strolling down the old earthen path that lead to the gardens. She had a habit of leaving people alone, if only for a moment and it rather bugged her. Even with her happy bliss and pure innocence she couldn't help but feel almost lonely. She didn't know why and currently she didn't care why. Tomorrow the meeting would resolve all their problems and she would be happily wed to Apollo, yet...


She shook her head ridding herself of such thoughts and started singing softly to herself as she entered the gardens.


" Ύπνε μου, επάρε μού το


κι άμε το στα περβόλια


και την ποδιά του γέμισε


τριαντάφυλλα και ρόδα.


Τα ρόδα να’ν’ της μάνας του,


τα ρόδα του κυρού του


και τ’ άσπρα τριαντάφυλλα


να’ναι του σάντουλού του


και τ’ άσπρα τριαντάφυλλα


να’ναι του σάντουλού του." She sang softly red and white roses sprouting wherever her feet touched the ground as she stepped.


She knelt down in the roses remembering the song her mother had sang to her when she was just a babe, and picked a white rose admiring it softly.


(TRANSLATION:


My Sleep, take it from me


and take it to the gardens


and fill its apron


with roses and roses.


The red roses for its mother,


the red roses for its father


and the white roses


for its godfather.


and the white roses


for its godfather.)

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Hades slowly clapped, approaching Persephone. "Why that is a lovely song my dearest niece. I assume your mother taught you that, am I correct?" He asked her, moving closer and closer. "It was sang by our mother to us, the Titan Rhea, when we were born. That is, of course, just mere minutes before the Titan Cronus, our father, engulfed us." He said as he sat down a bench. "Why are you afraid? You have nothing to fear. I swear upon the River Styx that I mean you no harm." He said, invoking the unbreakable oath. Of course, his plans didn't include hurting this young and gentle flower.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone had coward away from the God King of the Underworld, and now she just stared at him in a mix of terror and shock. "Why are you here-" she stopped herself from saying his name, like it itself could pull her down into the belly of Tartarus. "And just say because you were miss informed. Why are you here?" She asked scooting away from him slowly.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

He grinned. "I'm glad you asked. You see, not everyone knows of this, but I can create something beautiful." He said, standing up and pacing around. "Most people would think that I can only bring death and destruction and, while they are right, I can also create life." He said to her. Wherever Hades steps, flowers starts to grow. In contrast with the flowers in the gardens, these flowers are in full bloom, even if it is already nighttime. These flowers gives of an eerie glow, both haunting and beautiful. "These flowers do not need the sun to grow, which is why these are of abundance in the Underworld. Do you like them?" He asked her, smiling gently at his niece.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Her eyes widened in amazement watching the flowers grow and bloom. "How-?..." She watched their mysterious glow almost enchanted by them, but she shook her head reminding herself just who created these flowers. "They are beautiful, but if they are the flower of the Under World then perhaps they should stay there." She said fighting the temptation to touch one of them.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

He chuckled, knowing that Persephone wanted those flowers. "Do not worry. Think of them as, my wedding gift to you. Unless you don't like them of course." He said to her. He knew that her curiosity had been piqued, and that is what he wants. "Why do you fear me, dearest Persephone? What is it that they told you about me that made you so fearful of me?" He asked her.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone looked down and didn't answer right away. "They said you were a cruel old God." She looked up at him worriedly that she might be offending him and didn't want him to take his anger out of her. "There are many tales of you, and your gruesomeness. What i was told was that you were a horrible old man whose flesh was forever rotting and to try and preserve it you ate the souls of those you sent to Tartarus. They said you were an unforgiving deliverer of death and disaster with no mercy to anyone, mortal, immortal, relative or stranger." Her eyes were still lingering to the flowers "But your flesh does not rot and you as I have seen so far, are only very rude." 
(Hold up let me fix this, I skimmed and am realizing my mistake)

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

He can't help but laugh at everything she said. "My dear, what you said made me laugh for the first time in a hundred years." He said, wiping a tear. "Yes, I am the God of the Dead, but I haven't killed a single mortal." He said to her. "Yes, my punishments are cruel, but only to those who deserves it. Now, look at the almighty and nobles god Zeus. How many mortals have he killed? For what reason? How many lives have he destroyed? Now tell me, oh dearest summer flower, who is cruel?" He asked her, offering her a flower.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

She nearly jumped out of her skin at his sudden laughter. Then relaxed a bit listening to him. Logically it would be her father who was cruel and at times he was, but he was Zues, the God of all gods and she would never admit that he could be anything but her father. She bit her bottom lip thinking, though she did not take the flower Hades offered her. "If that is true," she wrapped her arms around herself not liking being alone with Hades. "Then why were you banished to rule the Under world ?" She asked that part had never properly been explained so she thought the man himself could tell her.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Hades slammed his fists on a nearby rock, crushing it. "I was cheated of my birthright! I was supposed to bw the ruler of Olympus, not that wretched Underworld!" He exclaimed, his whole body trembling in anger, is voice loud and dark. "I am the eldest and most of all, I killed Cronus. Zeus promised me Olympus if I agreed ro hwlp him kill Cronus, and that I did. I was the one who slayed him, but Zeus claimed all thw glory. And sinc I had no proof that I did kill Cronus, Zeus banished me in thw Underworld." He said to Persephone, a drop of twar running down his cheek. "Now you know, so twll me, was that just? Now you know my story, do you still fine me wretched and damned?"

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone let out a short scream of fright as Hades destroyed the stone. She shrank back from him now throughly afraid as he displayed his anger. "Hades..." She finally spoke his name her voice weak quaking as she managed to look back up at him and see his raw emotions. After hearing him explain she felt for a first time, guilt and sorrow for this God. She, along with all the other deities had been raised to fear him and hate him, but for what? Well now she knew, and it erased some of her fear of him. Would she ever not fear him? No. She thought to herself. Hades could dress as Aphrodite with baskets full of puppies and telling thousands of jokes for every day until the end of time, and there would still be that fear imprinted into her. "Why are you telling me all this?" She asked standing up. "No matter how much I want to help you, I cannot. So why waste your breath on me?" She asked, looking at him nervously. Though in the back of her mind she was trying to imagine Hades in her father's place and she just couldn't do it. She imagined that he would be a much happier God if he were to be the God King, but knew that was never going to happen.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

He just chuckled, standing up. "Why I am wasting my breath on you? My dear, I am not." He said to her. "I did not ask you to listen, you were the one who asked me to tell my story. Do you want to know why I shared it? It is because I thought you were different from thw others." he said to her.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Persephone unconsciously looked down at herself as if to see what was different about her but found nothing. She didn't really know what else to say, she didn't see how she was different but she didn't question him. She looked him over carefully and wondered how horrible his kingdom was. She had heard tell of it, just as she had heard of him but now knowing how false those rumours were she doubted the hell he lived in was truly that hellish. "Do you like being King of the Underworld, are there other deities with you down there?" She asked curious how much company lost mortal souls could be if any.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

He smiled at her, seeing the doubt in her eyes. He knew that she believes him and he really did tell her the truth. "Well, the Underworld looks like a gigantic cavern, but it is so much more than that. It is quite beautiful, except for Tartarus and the Fields of Punishments. You know what, I can bring you there now if you wish." He said to her.

 

[EvelienLocalArtist]

Her eyes widened suddenly. "No!" She almost yelled. "Please don't." She said shaking her head and backing steadily away from him. "I don't want to go down there!" She practically pleaded, she did not want to die she had thousands of years ahead of her and she certainly didn't want it to end right now. Her fear of this God suddenly returned as her back-pedalling quickened. "S-Stay away from me!" All of her curiosity died and was replaced with fright. He could just take her soul at anytime and she probably wouldn't even know it. He could have already taken her soul and was just waiting to get her flesh as well! After all he was known to be evil and treacherous, how could she know if anything he just said was true? She couldn't. He easily could have made up his story and acted his way through it all. Her father was right he was evil and twisted, never to be trusted. She shook her head full of orange curls not knowing what to believe. All she knew was she didn't want to be around this god any longer. She didn't want to see him ever again! And with that she ran. She ran as fast as her slender little legs could carry her.