The Devil's Son

Welcome to hell darling! xx

Hades sat on his throne, watching over the souls as they entered the first circle. I nodded at Charon as he sailed by, ferrying the latest shipment of souls towards the door. He was to watch the gates whilst Cerberus was feeding. He'd assumed becoming the eighth lord of hell, and basically the errand boy of the other lords would be difficult, but he was mostly an overseer to ensure things ran smoothly. It was rather boring to be honest. Especially now he had finished his lessons from the other lords. It was starting to feel there was little left for him in hell, especially considering he was banned from visiting the ninth circle.

Finally Beelzebub returned with Cerberus and, relieved, Hades stood from his position lounging in the creatures podium of bones. "About time, it feels like it's been an eternity." The Demon Prince rolled his eyes, stroking the dog before turning back to Hades. "That joke wasn't funny the first time you said it, it's less funny now." He only snorted, jumping across the rocks and petting Cerberus before crawling up the walls through the gates. It had taken him forever to realise how the demons managed to get past the river to leave. "You took forever though! Let me guess, you got greedy and decided to help yourself to something as well." The demon growled at him as they walked through the desolate white landscape of limbo. "I'm not Mammon." He laughed at that, like Mammon was the only Demon Prince to encompass greed. "Your father asked me to bring you to the throne room. Him and the other princes have something they wish to discuss with you." Confused, Hades looked up at his Uncle. What on earth could they all want to talk to him about.

They continued to walk in awkward silence until they reached the throne room. The long dark stone table stretched the length of the room, holding seven thrones for each prince. At the centre was Lucifer, Prince of pride. On either side of him was Satan, Prince of wrath and Hades father, Asmodeus Prince of Lust. To the right sat Leviathan, Envy and Beelzebub, Gluttony. To the left sat Mammon of greed and Belphegor of sloth. Hades stopped at the front of the table, unimpressed by the grand layout. He'd grown up playing with bones in this room. "Father, uncles. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The seven powerful demons exchanged glances, before returning their unsettling stares on the boy. Each of them had been wary when Asmodeus had brought a living soul into their domain, even more so when they discovered this human infant had accidentally summoned a Prince of Hell. As far as they were aware, there hadn't even been a way to summon them, yet here this child sat, innocent and unafraid. They'd decided to keep the child, simply to observe, but had slowly become attached. Now however, that had to stop. "Hades, as you are aware, you are not the same as the other demons here." The eleven year old rolled his eyes, and Lucifer laughed at the child's bravery and strength, proud of what they had all achieved with the boy. "Yeah I know. I'm human, I'm all bony and fleshy and alive. Satan likes to remind me." The Prince of wrath scoffed, settling back in his throne of swords. "Indeed you are child, and as such you can no longer remain here." Worry flashed in the child's eyes, and the demons began to regret their decision. They did not want the child to leave. Asmodeus sighed, leaving his seat and walking over to the human child that had become his own. "You will always be a prince of hell, and that title comes with certain privileges. The dark shall bend to your will, and your power is increased sevenfold. Death marked you for us, and that will not change." His clawed hand brushed away Hades black hair to reveal two scars. One, a lightning bolt on his forehead, the mark if death, and another. A pentagram on his temple, the one that had linked them together all those years ago. "But you were born of earth, and as such your fate lies there. They have a school of magic. You will be returned there, and start your mortal life anew."

Hades was mortified. He didn't want to leave! He wanted to stay here, with his family! He'd been torturing human souls his whole life. They were weak, he didn't belong with them. He knew however, that this was not up for debate. "Will I ever see you again?" He desperately hoped he would, unsure how he was supposed to leave the only childhood he'd ever known behind. "I doubt it." Belphegor yawned, slumped in his velvet throne of cushions. Hades scowled, Belphegor was the only uncle he genuinely disliked. The man was lazy, slow and rude. "Ignore him. You know how to summon demons, and how to visit hell. You can see us whenever you'd like little one."

Asmodeus looked down at his son, saddened to see the day he'd leave. Lucifer stood, placing a hand on the child's shoulder. "We do hope we will see you again child. And I'm sure you will do great things." He leaned down to meet Hades eye level, winking. "Give the humans hell!"

For the first time since Hades had come to hell, time seemed to go too quickly. Too soon he found himself standing at the gates of hell, as Charon waited in the boat to ferry him to the mortal world. He turned back to his father and uncles, who had all come to see him off. "Good luck my son." The sentiment was echoed, and he quickly hugged his father tight, before stepping into the boat and handing a gold coin to Charon. Mammon had given him a large bag full of them, so he could visit any time. They set off, and Hades watched as the demons became smaller and smaller until they faded away to the darkness of the river Styx.