Untouched ✔

|eikosiokto|

Untouched

All Rights Reserved

© 2015 Luna Black

~*~

Hades gasped, widening his eyes as his entire body trembled with energy and blinked slowly as he slid his hand down his face. “W-what happened?” He groaned, slowly sitting up to look up at the Olympians circling him.

“H-Hades,” Aphrodite whispered, her face turning into an ugly expression of heartbreak.

He raised his eyebrows looking down at his hands and clenched his fists, not believing that he was living. The last thing he remembered was looking into Ariel’s dark green eyes to keep a memory of her in his everlasting sleep. But now he was awake and felt powerful.

“I’m…?”

“You’re alive,” Hera whispered, sniffling and Zeus pulled her in for a tight hug. His heart broke at the sight of his wife crying, but he knew it would be worst once Hades realised why he was alive.

“Why’s everyone crying?” He frowned, looking behind him and slowly pulled himself up to look around his throne room.

His eyes widened at the gruesome sight. Persephone was lying on the marbled steps that led to his throne with blood smeared all over. A black metalled dagger was stabbed into her chest and blood pooled underneath her.

He grimaced, crinkling his nose in disgust at the thick stench of blood and turned to his family. “Where’s Ariel?”

They all looked away; not having the courage to tell him and Zeus decided to speak, assuming his role as leader.

“Hades…”

“What?” He looked around at all the blood that was smeared in the ground. It looked like a bloody battlefield had taken place, but the victor was nowhere to be found.

Slowly realisation dawned on him and he shook his head. Fear crawled up his throat as he walked around the vast throne room and his voice cracked, “Where’s Ariel?”

“W-we had to clean her up,” Athena whispered, twisting her fingers nervously.

Hades frowned, running his fingers through his hair and said, “Can I see her?”

“Aw come on,” Ares growled, “let the man know! He has a right!”

“Know what?” He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists at his side.

Thanatos entered the room with Hermes and they widened their eyes in fear at Hades’ look of desperation. They slowly walked closer to them, not knowing how to tell Hades that his beloved was in another room—clean and non-living.

“Tell me what?!” He spoke louder, growing angrier by their silence.

“Uncle,” Athena spoke quietly, “you know how the balance of life works?”

He narrowed his eyes, “I would like to think I do.”

“Then,” she continued, “You’d know-”

“Ariel’s dead,” Aphrodite sobbed, falling to her knees as she hugged herself. Hephaestus kneeled next to her, picking her up and muttered words of comfort near her ear. She snuggled close to him, sobbing painfully and trembled in his arms.

“N-no,” Hades stuttered, “Persephone said that after I died, she would leave Ariel alone.”

“And she kind of did,” Ares hissed, “but she taunted Ariel and she killed Persephone.”

“Persephone was the goddess of death, there’s no way that Ariel could’ve killed her,” he whispered, knowing in the back of his mind that Ariel was capable of more dangerous things; like bringing him back.