Ch. 94: Saying Goodbye Under A Cloudy Night
We dusted ourselves off from the debris as Madame Perisa escorted us to the exit, or rather, kicked us out with gusto. Somehow, in the chaos of a game of truth and dare, we’d managed to blow a hole in her roof. Who knew such a simple game could escalate into this? One minute, we were joking around; the next, Poseidon dared Zeus to throw a lightning bolt indoors. Naturally, Zeus obliged.
“You sure we shouldn’t pay for the roof?” I asked, glancing back at the gaping hole. “I can totally have it fixed. It’s no trouble.”
Zeus, ever the charming negotiator, jumped in with, “Yeah, we’ll cover it. No need to send us off like this.”
But Madame Perisa, rubbing her temples, chuckled nervously. The look she gave us was more terrifying than any monster we’d fought. “Oh, no need, really. Let’s call it even, okay? This is the least damage you’ve ever caused here.” She threw up her hands dramatically. “You’re welcome to return— just not too soon. Let’s say, next decade or so? How does that sound?”
“Now, that’s harsh!” Poseidon spoke up, his voice tinged with mock hurt, finally breaking his silence.
She ignored him and barked at her poor cyclops servant, whose face was still swollen from some earlier, unspoken disaster which no doubt we were a part of. “Open the door for them. The faster they leave, the better.”
I tried once more to be reasonable. “We didn’t pay for the drinks either.”
Her laugh was sharp this time, like the crackle of a snake’s fangs. “Oh, but guess what? Today’s your lucky day! You’ve won our ‘ON THE HOUSE’ challenge. Drinks are free— now please, get out.”
Zeus mumbled, “She’s really determined to kick us out…”
Poseidon added, “Can’t blame her. Didn’t we try to flirt with her daughter once? I vaguely remember that going poorly.”
My stomach twisted. So, this is the company I keep? I realized with some shame that I was part of a rather despicable brotherhood.
With a gust of cool wind and distant thunder, the cyclops heaved the door open. Poseidon, ever the opportunist, leaned in, “Looks like it’s about to rain. Maybe we could stay a little longer, wait it out—”
The snakes on Madame Perisa’s head flared up, hissing in warning. “Here, take this!” She hurled an umbrella at us with all her might. I caught it out of sheer instinct, surprised by my luck.
Then she screamed at the cyclops, “Shut the door before they get any more ideas!”
Poseidon, never one to resist pushing boundaries, leaned over and called, “Tell your daughter I said hi!”
“Like hell I will!” she spat back as the door slammed shut with a resounding— WHAM!
We stood there in stunned silence, the chilly night air swirling around us. For a moment, none of us moved. Then, as if a dam had broken, we burst into laughter.
“That was… the most fun I’ve had in ages,” Zeus wheezed, leaning against a lamppost for support.
“Same here,” I admitted, feeling lighter than I had in a while. There was something about getting kicked out of a crazy tavern that brought us all closer together.
Zeus flung his arms around Poseidon and me, pulling us in like we were teenagers again. “So, where to next, brothers?”
I felt a twinge of guilt. As fun as it was to gallivant with them, I couldn’t keep this up. There were responsibilities waiting for me— real ones. But before I could voice my thoughts, Poseidon, the ever-reliable voice of reason, chimed in. “Maybe next time. I’ve got a kingdom to run, remember? You called us out on short notice.”
Zeus groaned. “Aw, come on! We were just getting started. You’re not leaving too, are you, Hades?”
I gave him a small nod. “Yeah, I should head back as well.”
Zeus sighed dramatically, letting us both go. “Fine, fine. I guess I need to head home too. Don’t wanna miss curfew.”
That last bit caught me off guard. “Curfew?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He nodded, with what could only be described as a sheepish grin. “Yeah, Hera’s got me on a strict 10 p.m. curfew. I usually ignore it, but if I come in too late, she throws a fit. And trust me, that’s a hassle I don’t need.”
Poseidon and I shared a look of disbelief. The mighty Zeus, King of the Gods, subdued by a curfew? Incredible.
“Well,” I said, feeling a strange pang in my chest, “I guess this is where we part ways.”
Poseidon spoke up again, his voice softer this time. “I’m taking the train. Want to walk with me to the station, Hades?”
I looked at him, surprised by the offer, but grateful. “Sure.”
Zeus pulled us into one final, bone-crushing hug. “You guys better not take too long to meet up again. I’m not waiting another two hundred years.”
We laughed, but there was a bittersweet truth in his words. Being immortal didn’t mean we had all the time in the world. There were always obligations pulling us in different directions.
After prying ourselves free from Zeus’s iron grip, Poseidon and I began our walk through the quiet streets. The night had taken on a moody feel, with dark clouds rolling in and the scent of rain in the air. We crossed a small bridge that overlooked the glowing city, the lights twinkling like distant stars.
For a while, we walked in silence, the only sounds being the occasional rumble of thunder. Then, Poseidon broke the quiet. “Zeus said his curfew was at ten, right?”
“Yeah, I guess,” I replied, not quite following where he was going with this.
Poseidon started laughing— a deep, genuine laugh that echoed through the empty streets. Confused, I pulled out my phone to check the time. When I saw it, I couldn’t help but laugh with him. It was well past midnight. Zeus was already two hours late.
“Think he did that on purpose?” Poseidon asked, still chuckling.
I smirked. “Wouldn’t put it past him. Probably wants to rile up Hera.”
Poseidon grinned, but then his face grew more serious. “Hades… before we part ways, there’s something I need to know.”
I tensed up, ready for whatever revelation was coming. “Yeah?”
He looked out at the horizon, the clouds swirling ominously. “Why do you keep your distance from us? From all of this?”
I swallowed, unsure how to answer. “It’s… complicated. I have responsibilities.”
Poseidon nodded, as if he understood more than he let on. “We all do. But you can’t keep running forever.”
The thunder rumbled louder, and for a moment, I wondered if it was a warning. What was Hades running from?
Birthday Mass Release Starts Now
If I revive a magic castle I will mass release 10 chapters
