Hades' Ballerina

Chapter 11

"where--?" She asked but gasped when Hades immediately snapped them out of the library. She spun around and realized they were outside the palace. After three weeks of being down here, she had never been outside, beside the balcony.

It always frightened her when Hades teleported them places. It felt like her stomach and brain were being dragged out of her body and she was always caught off guard since he never gave her warning. However, they were standing in a garden filled with flowers, bushes, trees, fruits, and decorative sculptures and fountains. It was beautiful and had an aroma that made her heart ease.

"You could tell me next time you are gonna just pop me out of thin air." She grumbled.

Hades did not respond but turned her back to her and started to walk down the small garden path. She sighed, rolled her eyes quietly, and followed him. 

"I never knew the Underworld had a garden," she said.

Alina observed the elegant garden around her. The plants were vibrant and alive, despite being in the Underworld. Alina would never have guessed that life could grow down here.

"The soil is very rich, and with a little bit a magic, they thrive here." He replied as he stopped to observe a rose. 

The flower was a dark blood red and possibly the most beautiful plant she had ever seen. Leaning down to smell it she caught a whiff of its intoxicating smell. Strangely, she felt the same refreshing tingling feeling she got when drinking the hangover cure thing Bea had given her wash over her. A surge of happiness shot through her as she stood straight up and smiled widely looking at Hades, who was observing her intently. A flash of amusement flashed through his feature when he saw her beaming face.

"Those flowers have the same magical properties as the drink you had earlier, since it was made from vegetation in this garden," he answered the question she had not even asked yet.

"Ah," she said.

They continued to walk down the path as Alina tried to think of questions to ask. She often had many, but at the time, could barely think of any. She could never think straight around Hades. His presence was so powerful, and he radiated an energy that made one quiver in their boots. Well, he is an all-powerful god after all--- a question popped up in her mind.

"So how do you run the Underworld? If you judge souls, aren't there like a million of them per day?" She asked, wondering how many people died a day. The world was big so it had to be a lot, but it wasn't like Hades was always doing his job 24-7. "I mean, it must be a lot, but you don't seem too busy now."

"I am a god. I can do many things at once. The body you see right now is only a small part of my existence." He said flatly.

Alina felt a pang of shock. She hadn't even thought about him in that way. Even though she knew he was a god, she never quite realized the impact of the meaning. He had a powerful presence, but his words made her realize just how powerful he was. She stiffened as her brain started to comprehend that he was literally a god. As in, one of the creators of her existence. A feeling of unabashed insignificance washed over her.

Of course, he doesn't care about you, fool, you are just one unimportant speck in his endless universe, she chided herself.

What she didn't know, was that Hades was actually almost entirely present with her.

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They continued down the seemingly never-ending path in silence until they approached what looked like an end. As Alina slowed down, she could not see where the path lead to because a strange mist was blocking her view.