"This is bad! This is so bad!" Hermes frantically muttered to himself as he threw open the door to his room. He quickly shoved it closed behind him, sliding down the door.
"What's wrong?" The hooded woman stood out from where she was waiting. "Is my son okay?"
"He's been taken by Thanatos..." Hermes stated. "...into the Underworld."
"No..." She gasped, covering her mouth. "...my son is dead?"
"No." Hermes shook his head. "He was taken alive."
"What...?" The words took a moment to sink in before a fiery determination grew within her. "We head for the Underworld. Now."
. . .
Hades sat upon his throne, waiting in anticipation. One, for the soul of the man he threw into the Styx to return to him. And two, for Thanatos to return with his precious daughter.
Hades meticulously tapped his fingers as he waited. It almost felt like an eternity until finally something occurred. Thanatos slowly appeared from the shadows, a grim look on his face.
"Lord Hades..." Thanatos spoke. "...I made a mistake."
"What?" Hades questioned. "What happened?"
Before Thanatos could respond the doors to the hall opened, revealing a surprising sight for the lord of the Underworld.
"Persephone?" Hades asked, watching as she entered. "What are you doing here, my love? It isn't time for winter yet. Demeter will have a fit."
"Where is the boy, Hades?" Persephone spoke with bated breath as she ignored his own questions.
"You mean the one whom Zeus ordered the death of?" Hades replied. "About that, there are some things I need to tell you."
"I already know." Persephone sighed. "About what you think happened. Where is he?"
"I threw him into the Styx." Hades spoke, crossing his arms.
"You what?!" Persephone shouted.
"What is wrong, my dear?" Hades asked. "Didn't Thanatos fill you in?"
"No, Lady Persephone filled me in, Lord Hades." Thanatos bowed with a frown. "I apologize."
"What are you talking about?" Hades narrowed his eyes.
"Nikolas isn't the one who kidnapped Melinoe, Hades!" Persephone held her forehead in anger. "Melinoe already didn't want to see you, and she sure won't ever willingly see you soon now!"
"What?!" Hades exclaimed.
"I'm sure that Nikolas told you." Persephone sighed. "And I bet you didn't listen, too fueled on rage from Thanatos' misconceptions. I love you dear, but both you and Thanatos need to work on your near-sightedness when you're angry."
"You mean to tell me..." Hades slowly spoke.
"Nikolas is innocent. I heard it from our daughter's mouth herself." Persephone firmly stated. "The one who stole Melinoe was Sisyphus."
"You are the one who took my daughter away from me?" He remembered saying, anger and fury raging internally through his body as he tried to stay calm.
YOU ARE READING
The Son Of Snakes
FantasyA monster. Cursed by the gods and feared by all. Medusa, the famed gorgon which turned those to stone with one look, had lost all hope in her life when she stumbled across that crying baby. She was ready to put the abandoned child out of its misery...
