Ch. 99: The Ties That Bind
**Part One: Hades POV**
I hadn’t slept much through the night; it was a force of habit that clung to me like a shadow. Talos, on the other hand, slept soundly, wrapped in the blanket I’d seen her collapse under. I initially suspected her dreams were haunted by the losses she’d endured— Hermes and Hephaestus— but I wondered if it was more than that. Perhaps time travel had left her body weary, an echo of her former self. As for me, I bore two souls’ burdens, intertwined in a way that was becoming both a comfort and a curse.
Speaking of souls, my mind flickered to the black book left behind in the Underworld. It had always been a part of me, a lingering presence I both trusted and feared. Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I reached out, calling on it as I had done before. It did not take long; the power surged through me, and with a puff of smoke, the black leather book materialized before my eyes.
“Hi, been a while,” I said, my voice low, reverberating softly in the quiet room.
(Likewise…) the book replied, its words appearing in black ink, as if penned by an unseen hand.
“Sorry for not consulting you first, but did you come back with me?” I whispered, trying not to disturb Talos’s slumber.
The book pulsed for a moment, the words forming slowly. (I did return to the past with you. Is there something you would like to know?)
The book wasn’t yet accustomed to my inquiries sinve I had often left it in silence, a companion of I kept in the shadows. But the time felt right to peel back the layers of its secrets. “In fact, I do. Tell me, were you really the one that formed the circle?”
A brief pause, then the words emerged. (“Yes, I was. The reason? To prevent a great calamity in our world. I disbanded the group afterward. Why do you ask?”)
Perhaps I had always feared the answers that lay within this tome. The remnants of its past intertwined with its pages weighed heavily on my heart. With the night stretching before us, I opened up, pouring my thoughts and key moments of what I had been through to get there into the book and awaiting its response.
(“I apologize for the problems I have caused….”) the black book seemed to lament, its tone almost regretful. It defended the circle known as the “Order of Light,” insisting they would never tread a dark path without just cause. Yet it struggled to comprehend the death of Hephaestus, even as I tried to convey the chaos that enveloped us.
As I spoke, the night wore on, the sounds of the storm outside adding a rhythmic backdrop to our conversation. Thunder rolled like the distant echoes of ancient battles, and I realized the book, like me, was growing weary. Its ability to maintain consciousness waned, slipping into silence before I could delve into my questions about Pandora.
So, I let it go, drifting into a light sleep, cradled in the weight of my memories. As I was about drifting into sleep a soft blanket covered me, and I blinked, momentarily disoriented. Had Talos been awake this whole time?
“Quit night talking, you freak,” Talos muttered, her voice drowsy yet laced with a hint of amusement.
“Sorry,” I whispered, pulling the blanket closer around me, the warmth a soothing balm against the chill that lingered in the room. For a moment, I let the peacefulness wash over me, cherishing this fragile second chance.
As sleep threatened to reclaim me, I felt Talos shift beneath the covers, her voice breaking through the haze of my mind. “Hades, this is sort of like a sleepover.”
“Yeah, kinda like a sleepover,” I replied, a hint of a smile creeping onto my lips. Why did she bring that up again? Was she really still Talos?
Her voice turned serious, a stark contrast to the lightness in the air. “Then go to sleep already.”
“I was sleeping when you woke me.” I murmured.
“Excuses are for the weak.” She muttered back.
“Talos, go to sleep, please. You need the rest,” I huffed, but my voice lacked conviction.
To my surprise, she muttered again, “Okay.” The unexpected acquiescence left a bitter taste in my mouth; the battles we fought were exhausting, but her willingness to rest gave me hope that perhaps we could still heal.
—
**Part Two: Poseidon’s POV**
“Hey, Hades. Did you really mean what you said about making up?” I could hear his voice echoing in my mind as I boarded the train to Atlantis.
“Yeah. Every word.”
What kind of nonsense was he spouting now? Just when I thought he couldn’t center everything around himself, he did. I had seen the way Mother favored him, and Zeus basked in adoration, praised as the savior of the world.
What did I get?
After the war, Hades had abandoned the Order of Light, letting it disintegrate. I had imitated him, gathering those I could manipulate to rise against the gods. Olympus was my birthright, and I would seize it from their measly hands.
I had watched as the light faded from my brothers’ eyes, both consumed by their own ambitions, while I sat in their shadows, watching, waiting. Hades was an introvert, a quiet storm lurking beneath the surface, a weapon honing itself in darkness. Zeus was a child, careless and too weak to take the reins of Olympus with seriousness. The real power behind Olympus was Hera.
Yet, I remained an enigma, a blend of power and intellect. I had connections, connections I had grown in the shadows soon I would wield them.
As the train rolled away from Olympus at a remarkable speed it took off and flew through the air, I gazed out at the fleeting landscape, the scenery blurring into a haze of colors.
The speaker crackled to life. “Next stop! The Kingdom of Atlantis!”
The train surged into the air, gliding smoothly above the clouds, and I felt the thrill of anticipation. The kingdom awaited me, a jewel submerged in the depths, my rightful place.
I could already envision the chaos I would sow, the throne I would claim. Hera was the true threat, the one who held Olympus together. If I could take her out, the gods would scatter like leaves in the wind. If I killed Hades Zeus would break, and the very foundations of Olympus would shatter.
As the train picked up speed, the rush of wind through the windows sent chills down my spine. I knew that with each passing moment, the gods would turn against each other. The storms of chaos brewed within my heart, ready to be unleashed.
“Just you wait, brother,” I murmured, a dark smile creeping onto my lips. “Soon, the world will reverence my name.”
The train veered into a steep descent, and the vibrant waters of Atlantis appeared below, a shimmering oasis of turquoise and gold. My kingdom awaited, and I was determined to claim my place at the helm of destiny.
If I revive a magic castle I will mass release 10 chapters
