Ch. 51: My Chat With Poseidon
Pine was waiting for me as I exited the room, his eyes locking onto mine before he gave a casual wave. “So, how did it go? She hasn’t said a word to anyone, so I had to call you.”
I responded coldly, “You know smoking is prohibited in hospitals. I’d expect someone of your status to know that.” I turned on my heel, ready to walk away. But something was off. That familiar tingle in my senses stirred—there was someone powerful in the building, and the feeling gnawed at me. “Detective, what about your friend? Thought she was your director or something.”
Pine nonchalantly tossed his cigarette into a nearby trash can and popped a gumball into his mouth, shrugging. “To be honest, she doesn’t work for the Bai Corps specifically. Which reminds me…” His voice dropped a notch. My instincts flared. “Last night, a god’s house got broken into. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
My muscles tensed. How the hell did I become a suspect? I’d been careful—no evidence, no trace. Did Talos betray me? That would implicate her too. The walls of the universe itself seemed to conspire against me, constantly nudging me toward the edge. “Detective,” I said, my tone low and dangerous, “do you have any idea how many times your accusations have nearly cost you your life? Either you’re trying to provoke me, or you actually know something. Which is it?”
Pine didn’t flinch. “Interesting theory, Lord Hades, but it’s neither.” His casual tone grated against my nerves. Even my thinly veiled threat didn’t faze him. Was he fearless, or just oblivious? “I apologize if I offended you, but you’re a prime suspect. That’s the job. I follow leads. Simple as that.”
Before I could respond, I felt it—the energy surge from the far end of the hall, and it was closing in fast. Whoever this was, they were strong, almost on par with me. I halted abruptly, startling Pine, my gaze snapping to the distant figure approaching. The figure was clad in a tailored suit, his green hair flowing like waves in the sea. The air seemed to hum with his presence.
Poseidon.
He sauntered closer, the god of the seas, his presence palpable and commanding. In Rome, they called him Neptune, the one who commanded oceans and storms. His influence surpassed mine—perhaps because mortals feared death, but revered the waters that gave them life.
His voice was a mocking drawl. “Hades. What brings you here? Collecting more souls for your underworld?”
I met his gaze, unyielding. “I could ask the same of you. Though, not about souls.”
Poseidon’s lips curled into a tight smile, his expression unreadable. Was he pleased, or simply amused? My senses couldn’t quite penetrate the veneer of his calm, and that unsettled me more than I cared to admit. Perhaps I wasn’t as sharp as I used to be, still not fully restored to my former power. “Must be difficult,” Poseidon mused, “without your golden boy ferrying souls to your door. I miss him, you know. He had such confidence, such wit. A shame his death left such a gaping hole in the Twelve.”
There was something hidden in his words, something veiled behind that insincere smile. Was it taunting? Or perhaps something darker? I had forgotten that while others bowed to me, there were a few who walked on equal footing—and they would never kneel. Poseidon was one of them, despite being my brother. Mean-spirited, unyielding. A perfect reflection of the sea’s temperament.
Pine interrupted with a casual nod, completely oblivious to the tension simmering between us. “Lord Poseidon. A surprise to see you here.” He was trying to ease the tension, but his attempts were futile.
Poseidon barely acknowledged him, his tone shifting only slightly. “Detective Pine. Always a pleasure. I expect no less trouble whenever the Bai Corps is involved.” He turned his attention back to me, ignoring Pine entirely, like the man had ceased to exist.
Poseidon smiled again. “Hades, now that we’re together, I’ve been meaning to have a more private chat with you. Catch up, you know, brother to brother. What do you say?”
I slid my hands into my jacket pockets and stepped past him without breaking stride. “Fine. Let’s take out the trash first.”
“Indeed,” he agreed with an infuriatingly pleased tone, falling in step beside me.
I could hear Pine mutter behind us as we left him standing there, “Great. Now I’m trash. My wife always said I deserved better.”
I didn’t care. We walked down the hall, Poseidon at my side, nurses and doctors instinctively parting as we passed. They gave us wide berth, and rightly so. Gods had that effect on mortals. As we moved through the sterile corridors, I couldn’t help but notice the unsettling familiarity in the atmosphere. The hospital mirrored aspects of my old life—a twisted reflection of the world before. It was as if the universe itself bent around me, molding itself to my presence. That was suspicious in its own right.
Poseidon’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You were absent at Zeus’ birthday party. I want to know why.”
I didn’t even bother looking at him. “You said you wanted to catch up. So, talk.”
He sighed, his voice softening slightly. “I messed up, Hades. I know that. But there was an accident, a bombing in Atlantis the night of the party. Someone attacked while I was gone, took advantage of my absence. A lot of my people were hurt. I had them transferred here for treatment.” His footsteps slowed as he walked beside me, eyes fixed ahead. “I was ashamed, really. I failed to manage my domain. And to make matters worse, I missed Zeus’ celebration. You know how important those thousand-year birthdays are for us gods.”
I didn’t care about his excuses. “Have you told Zeus?”
Poseidon chuckled, though there was a bitter edge to it. “I haven’t had the guts to, if I’m honest. Since you left us, I’ve been trying to fill the space between us brothers, but… Ah, Hades, I still don’t understand what he sees in you. No offense, but you’re the god of death, not exactly the most popular deity around.”
I exhaled, feigning indifference. “No offense taken. People mistake my title all the time.” My eyes shifted to his, reading the subtle flicker of uncertainty in them. “Is that why you’re still afraid of me?”
Poseidon froze, the question hitting him like a wave crashing against a cliff. His emerald eyes widened slightly, betraying a hint of the truth he had tried to bury. “You’ve always been able to read me like a book,” he muttered.
I stopped and turned to face him fully, the hallway momentarily forgotten. He looked older, worn, more so than Zeus or I. Time had chipped away at him, or perhaps it was something deeper. Poseidon had always feared me, though he tried to mask it with bravado. But his lies, his insecurities—they were as transparent to me as the oceans he commanded.
ZEUS- THE GOD OF OLYMPUS
HADES- THE GOD OF THE UNDERWORLD
POSEIDON- THE GOD OF THE ATLANTIS
These were all titles bestowed by ourselves, they were never the elements we commanded. Our real titles were:
ZEUS- THE GOD OF THE SKY/ HEAVEN
HADES- ???
POSEIDON- THE GOD OF THE SEAS
My true powers were still unknown so I was an unpredictable factor.
I watched him carefully, my voice low and firm. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I’ll give you one warning. Stop. Before it’s too late.”
I let my dominator’s aura flare briefly, watching as Poseidon’s expression remained calm, though I knew he felt it. The power was unmistakable, even if I wasn’t at full strength. And then, with calculated precision, I pulled out the strands of green hair I had ripped from my assailant the previous night. “You dropped this.” I let the strands fall from my fingers. “And by the way, red doesn’t suit you.”
Poseidon stared at me, unmoved, and then did the most surprising thing of all.
He laughed.
The sound was unsettling, a mixture of amusement and something darker. He wasn’t backing down. If anything, he was more resolved. The battle between us, the one that had been brewing for centuries, was finally inching closer. The truth, whatever it was, was finally within reach. The question was—would either of us survive to see it revealed?
—
The Last Chapter Of The First Volume Comes Up Next, A Big Reveal Coming Up!!
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