“I hoped you would come here eventually,” Zeus said. “The Underworld is in chaos, too many injured. Alkaios had to remain there with the others.” Hades nodded in understanding and then lifted her eyes to the man she once loved as if to question his presence.
“I had to make sure he had not killed you,” Zeus said in answer to her silent query. “I saw you go for Minotaur when he tried to kill Kerberos. I was afraid they would crucify you for that.”
“They did not see, but they massacred the villagers… and then ate them.” Her voice hitched as fresh tears watered her cheeks. Zeus ran a trembling hand over his blonde hair and turned his eyes away from Hades. She watched as he heaved air into his lungs, trying to steady himself before angling back to her.
“Alkaios told us they died,” Zeus said, “but we did not know about…” his voice trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. His body sagged in defeat, and he sank to a seat, legs hanging over the ledge. Hades slowly slumped beside him, remembering all the times in their decades together she had seen him sit so.
“Their deaths are on our heads,” Zeus said, sorrow choking him. “We killed them.”
“No.” Hades took his hand in hers. “They killed them. We are trying to stop this, and if we die, earth has no hope. Elysium greeted the villagers in the end. I assured it as did Alkaios, but if the Old Ones kill us, they will ensure there is no afterlife. Who then will stop them?”
“I know.” Zeus squeezed her fingers, holding on to them as if they were his only lifeline. “I never truly stopped to consider the havoc us gods can wreak on earth. I swear by my throne, if we live through this, I will be better. I promise you.”
Hades nodded and gave him a small smile before lowering her head to his shoulder. They sat in quiet reflection for a long moment, comforting one another in the stillness, before Hades finally broke the silence.
“I thought Minotaur found out about the baby.”
“What?” Zeus looked down at her resting against him.
“He stared at me like he knew,” she whispered, afraid to utter the words any louder lest they be heard. “The past hours have been excruciating, waiting for him to rip me open and take my son. I do not think Minotaur knows, not yet at least. But in that moment, when he looked at me, it was as if he smelled something he could not quite place. It will not be long now before he figures it out, and when he does…”
“Do not say it,” Zeus interrupted, wrapping a large arm around her shoulders. “Do not go there. I know you, and you will not let that happen. You are stronger than you realize. You are the Omega to his Alpha, and if there is one thing I have learned about Alkaios, despite my feelings for him, is that he is my equal. He will die before he lets that fate befall you.”
“But we tried to stop them, and we failed miserably.”
“We cannot win against them, but you might. You have to draw them out into the trap, and you have to face them.”
“If I do that, we only have one shot,” Hades said, lifting her head to gaze at Zeus. “The moment they find out I have turned against them, they will make it their mission to slaughter me just as they did my father. They will never accept me back into their fold after that betrayal.”
“But with you,” Zeus said with all the conviction he still carried within him, “we only need one shot.”
Zeus and Hades appeared in the Underworld, and instantly, the severity of the injuries her ancestors had inflicted struck Hades in the gut. Gods lay sprawled about the fortress, blood and pain seeping from their bodies. She should stop and make sure each and every god was cared for, but in that moment, Hades could only bring herself to search for one. Her gaze flitted wildly about until it rested on the broad shoulders bent over in care of her dog.
“Alkaios,” Hades whispered through the din, yet it was all he needed. Jerking upright, he whirled around to see her standing across the room, and before she could move, he was in front of her. In a blink of an eye, Alkaios had her in his arms, and a fresh wave of tears burst from her as he kissed her again and again. He enveloped her, refusing to part from her body, and slowly his fingers drifted down to her belly. Hades clamped her hand over his, and Alkaios tore his lips from hers and bent to kiss the growing child before he pulled her back into his embrace, suffocating in his hold. Hades did not care. She did not need to breathe, not as long as her husband’s life pulsed against her own.
“I am sorry,” Alkaios said, pulling away just enough to look into her beautiful eyes. Eyes he missed excruciatingly. “I could not…”
“It was not your fault,” Hades cut him off, palms pressing against his firm chest. “They are stronger than you. They are better than you, and I was a fool to think you could take them.” Alkaios flinched, hurt washing over his features at his wife’s insult. “What I mean to say,” she hastened, “is that I am the only one who can truly face them as an equal. I am Minotaur’s Omega. Despite what he has become, as Alpha, he was the god of life, and as the reincarnated Omega, I am the god of death. I may be his second, but as we all know, death always wins in the end. All who live must die. There is no escaping it. This time, it will be me they stand against.”
“Hades,” Alkaios said in panic, eyes wide as he stepped away from her. “If you do this, this is our last chance. Once they discover your betrayal, the whole host of ancients will descend upon you. If we do not trap them once and for all, you cannot go back. We surrender the upper hand of your infiltration, and we could very well lose you.”
“It does not matter,” Hades whispered, lifting a palm to rest against Alkaios’ cheek. “They are coming for the Underworld, and they have tasked me with binding you all here. There will be no escape, no Hell to retreat to when they come. We have little choice. We either die fighting, or we die here like caged rats.”
“I have an idea that might help,” came Hephaestus’ voice from behind them. Hades, Alkaios, and Zeus all turned around to find a battered and bruised crowd closing in on them.
“In the beginning, your father slit open his wrist, and the River Styx flowed from it,” Hephaestus continued, hobbling forward. “The god of death’s blood was poison to all, even his brethren. It would fall to reason that as his heir, your blood inherited his power. They destroyed the trap created from our Olympian runes, but I would wager they cannot destroy yours with such ease.”
“He may have a point,” Medusa interjected, settling next to the mason of the gods. “We have been trying to fight and trap them the Olympian way. It was the Omega’s blood that sealed them the first time. I believe it shall fall upon the shoulders of the Omega once again.”
“Then I will draw the runes,” Hades said, “but we have to hurry. After today, they will not bide their time. They are at full strength and will take the Underworld with or without my help. Minotaur cares not how many he must sacrifice to cross the river as long as you are all dead in the end.”
“You may not have to do this alone.” Hephaestus held up a small vial of clear liquid. “Water from the Styx,” he said in response to Hades’ raised eyebrows. “The three greats of Olympus, they are powerful. I have been testing the poison waters.” He offered his burned hands as proof for all to see. “I believe that mixed with the blood of Zeus, Poseidon, and Alkaios, it can hold the Old Ones just as yours will. With luck, the four of you can set it fast enough that Hades will not be missed upon the mountain.”
“After seeing what they are truly capable of, are we certain any seal we carve into their gate will bind the Old Ones?” Hera interrupted, but unlike the other times she had challenged Hades’ plans, her words were softened by fear and genuine concern. Hades opened her mouth to speak, but Medusa’s voice answered for her.
“Blood magic is powerful. It cannot be broken save by he who it was intended for. It is why, despite his superior power, Minotaur could not sever the Omega’s hold over the door after their resurrection. Only Hades, his blood reincarnated, could release its bond.”
“And if that is not enough, I will bathe the gate
in the waters of the River Styx,” Hades said with unusual softness toward Hera. “May it burn the flesh from the bones of any soul foolish enough to touch that door.”
“Then I say we leave now.” Poseidon hoisted his blood-crusted trident. “They will not wait for us to heal and will attack while we are still weak… unless we strike first.”
“Agreed,” Alkaios nodded.
“But far from people,” Hades insisted. “I cannot…” her words drifted off as she swallowed the bile fast rising in her throat. “We choose a place wide and open, away from anyone living.” The entire crowd murmured their agreement, and Hades exhaled. “They will know it is a trap after today. They may not take the bait so easily.”
“Witness how badly they beat us,” Zeus argued, gesturing to the battered crowd. Hades shifted her eyes, her gaze landing on Athena’s broken arm. The goddess cradled the swollen limb close to her chest, and the bone twisted at an unnatural angle. “They will take it if only to finish us.”
“Especially if I confront Minotaur,” Alkaios added somberly. “I will challenge him for you.” He gripped Hades’ hand. “And when you encourage him to kill me, to sever your connection to us, you will prove your loyalty to your ancestors. What better way to cement your position beside the horned god than to spur him to execute the man you once loved? He will do this to separate you completely from the Olympians. Minotaur will see you as one with the first gods, and so he will not be looking behind him when you stab him in the back.”
“So be it.” Hades left her husband’s side and crossed the floor to Athena. Grasping her battered arm, Hades yanked it forward, and the bone gave a sickening pop. Athena cried out, her voice echoing off the walls, but as her cry faded down the hallways, so did the swelling. The color returned to its normal healthy shade, and Athena stretched it out experimentally. Not a single ounce of pain resided in her bones, and with a thankful tear, she looked up at Hades. The dark god lifted her finger and swiped the escaped droplet before it could roll from Athena’s cheek, and then with a sweep of her hand, darkened tentacles of power burst through the room. Their smoke fingers clawed and weaved through the wounded until all broken bones were reformed and split skin knit back together. What the Olympians could not heal, Hades healed for them, but it was only temporary. What was to come could kill them all.
With a heavy heart and exhausted body, Hades rejoined Alkaios. Her fingers reached out to clutch his with desperation. Like ink dropped in water, black smoke began to twist from her to encircle the three greats.
“Hades!” Medusa called as the darkness swirled. “I will stand watch over the door and turn all who attempt to leave to stone. Once you ignite the portal, I will close it behind them and wait for you to seal it.” Hades nodded in agreement, but Medusa stepped forward to clutch her arm. “I do not want to enclose you with them. You are the Omega, the end of all ends, and as a Gorgon, it is my duty to serve the first gods. All of them are unworthy save you, and I do not wish to sacrifice you and your child to an eternity of brimstone and the gnashing of teeth. I know not if your insanity will return or if your son will be born mad. I do not know if you will ever break open the gate to their realm again, but while you are still worthy of my service, I refuse to cage you. Perhaps once the Old Ones are sealed in their dimension and unable to touch us, we can find a way to ensure you are saved.”
“Thank you.” Hades smiled, squeezing the Gorgon’s hand.
“But Hades,” Medusa continued, a warning in her tone, “your blood runes will be strong; strong enough to trap you should you be within the portal when it ignites. Once all the Old Ones are inside the markings, we must act. The portal will be instant with no escape. We are relying on you to ensure that they take the bait, but whatever you do, do not get caught with them. Then there will be no saving you. Once the Old Ones are behind that door, we cannot open it for anyone, not even you. I do not wish to seal you with them, but I will if I have to. So by the gods, do not be within the blood when the last of them cross the threshold.”
“I won’t.”
And with that, Hades, Alkaios, Zeus, and Poseidon vanished from the Underworld.
In the premature hours of the morning, while the world was still bathed in darkness, Hades drew the runes in the dirt with her blood. They had found a wide-open field at the base of a mountain, and they hoped the peaks would aid in trapping the deformed gods within their portal. After carving their runes into the gate on Medusa’s mountain, each god had taken a quarter of the circle and bled onto the earth. From time to time she heard Zeus or Poseidon curse, a result of the water searing their hands, but Alkaios never uttered a word, her immunity having passed to him.
With the exception of the muttered expletives, they worked in utter silence, the gravity of their actions weighing heavy on their shoulders. If this last desperate act did not save them, this was the end. Earth would descend into madness, and Hades had already made up her mind. If they failed, and the Olympians perished, she would end her own life. There was no living with the Old Ones if they won. She refused to be part of their cruelty as they annihilated every living and dead soul until nothing remained of the world. No, it was better to join Alkaios in death than live beside the mad.
It took some time, but eventually, the massive field had been covered in holy blood and poisoned water. The four gods traveled to the center of the trap, their faces grim.
“We will be on the mountains,” Zeus said, breaking the silence. “All of us. We will not retreat this time. I swear it. We will contain them for as long as our lives hold out, and we will either stand victorious, or the age of the Olympians will end.”
“We stand with you.” Poseidon clapped Alkaios on the shoulder with one hand and gripped Hades fingers with his other. “May favor fall upon us,” and he turned and left, disappearing into the mountain.
“May favor fall upon us,” Alkaios repeated to Poseidon’s retreating form before shifting his eyes to Zeus. When he neither spoke nor moved, Alkaios reached his arm out into the air between them. Zeus slowly raised his hand and grasped Alkaios’ forearm in an iron grip, and together they stood locked in solidarity before Zeus severed the contact. Without a word, he turned to Hades and slipping a palm behind her head, tilted it down. He bent and placed a reverent kiss on her raven hair, and then Zeus, too, was gone.
“I wish I could leave the pitchfork with you,” Hades said in the early morning stillness once they were alone, two solitary figures amidst the wavering grass.
“They would know you had given it to me,” Alkaios answered softly. “We cannot risk their suspicion before we have even begun.”
“Do not die on me,” Hades blurted, tears bursting from her eyes. In a heartbeat, Alkaios closed the distance between them and scooped her into his arms. He clung to her with all his strength, absorbing all the love and pain pouring from his wife’s body.
“I love you,” Hades sobbed into his chest, warmth from her tears spreading over his skin. “I will love you until I die.”
“No.” Alkaios smoothed her dark hair with a calloused palm. “Our love is infinite and cannot end. I will love you long after my days have ended. Not even death can steal you from me.” He pulled back and grabbed her face in his hands. Tenderness poured from his skin to heat her cheeks. “I love you, Hades - my wife and my heart. I loved you when you were merely a lost woman named Persephone.”
“To some, I still am Persephone, my lord Hades,” she said, smiling through her tears, and Alkaios smirked at her words.
“To the world, we are Hades and Persephone, King and Queen of the Underworld, but to me, we will always be Hades and Alkaios. A destiny that cannot be broken brought us together, and despite the path it has taken us down, I would never trade it for another. If I die today, I will still have lived a better life than most men because of you.”
And with that, Alkaios kissed Hades. A kiss to end all kisses.
XXXI
“Minotaur!” Alkaios bellowed into the early morning. The sky was be
ginning its transition from black to grey, and the King of the Underworld stood a tall and solitary figure amid the billowing grass. “Minotaur!” he screamed heavenward. “I have nothing left. You took everything from me. You destroyed our holy Olympus, you killed our devout followers, and now you have taken my wife. You are a monster worthy of neither the throne nor my queen. Stop hiding upon our mountain and come face me. I challenge you for my wife!”
High above the clouds, Minotaur and the Old Ones looked down on the earth and the raging god. Alkaios was a mere ant at this elevation, and Minotaur wanted nothing more than to squash these pitiful gods like the insects they were.
“This could be another trap,” the three-eyed god said to her son. “They baited us yesterday.”
“But to what end?” Hades spat, malice coating her words. “Their traps cannot hold us. They are weak. No, this one wants to die. After yesterday, he realizes they stand no chance. He wishes to die a quick death instead of enduring the agony we have in store for them when we invade the Underworld, and what better way to ensure your death than by challenging the king of all kings.”
“How do you know this?” the three-eyed god spat, her old, worn eyes boring into Hades.
“Because.” Hades met her grandmother’s gaze with her own wall of icy disdain. “That one is my husband. I made him what he is, and without me, he is weak. He cannot survive in my absence. The coward hopes you kill him quickly to end his misery.”
“I still think this is a trap,” the old hag started to say.
“Silence!” Minotaur backhanded his mother with an echoing slap of flesh. The three-eyed god’s head snapped backward, but she made no sound or cry, instead only taking the blow in stride before returning to her rigid stance. “You know these cowards,” Minotaur addressed Hades. “Tell me, is this a trap?”
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