(A/N: Short chapter ahead. Wanted to give you guys a little teaser of what is expected to come next on this Chapter. Enjoy!
...I really hope that there weren't any children among my readers for the last post...😬)
Hades' body was covered in red hot rage as he paced around the mapped table in his throne room. Multiple of the stone figures on the table were broken, smashed to bits.
Pain and Panic enter the throne room trembling to their bones. "S-S-Sir?" Panic stuttered. "Could we speak to you for a moment, s-sir?" Pain said, scared. "Does it look like I have a moment, to SPEAK TO YOU?!?!" Hades said, flaring up in anger. Pain and Panic rushed out of the room like their lives depended on it, because they did.
Hades groaned massaging his temple. "I swear if I had a coin for every time Blunderboy has ruined my plans...Hah! I would be riches god of the whole Pantheon!" Hades said with gritted teeth. Hades continued pacing around the table, his cloak leaving trails of smoke as he walked.
Hades breathed repeatedly. "Chill Hades, chill. Chill Hades, chill" Hades repeated as he breathed in and out, slowly becoming slow breathes and a cool demeanor. Hades placed his hands on the head of the table, closer to his throne and sighed. "Is it too much to ask? Time after time I plan to overthrow my "beloved" brother, Zeus, and just when I'm about to achieve it—" Hades said. "Whaaam!!" Hades said back-handing, with his left hand, one of the figures left standing on the table. Sending it crushing against a wall. " "Mr. Born-Perfect Son of Zeus" or the brat with the key come in and swoop away my success" Hades said clenching his left hand.
He placed it back down on the table and a few seconds later, rammed his head against the table, whinning after doing so.
Suddenly, Hades hears footsteps close to the entrance of the room. Hades did not move his face from the table, but raised his hand and index finger high. "I swear that if it's either one of my minions, the talking cat, the horny witch..literally, like she has horns... OR! one of the idiots in black cloaks. I will personally barbecue you for my little guard dog!— So let me sulk in misery like the rest of the souls that go through here" Hades said. Hades then slammed his hand back into the table.
The footsteps continued until they stood completely opposite to Hades. Hades slowly raised his scrunched face at the figure and was surprised by the fact.. that he had absolutely no idea who this person was. He noticed the grey clothing this young man wore, and black fingerless gloves, and the angered face he wore. And yet, he still didn't know who this person was.
"And you are?" Hades said annoyed. "Not Hades, god of the Underworld" Umbra said. "Congrats! You know how to say my name. And your's is?" Hades said. "Not important right now.." Umbra said, coldly. "Then YOUR not important for me right now. So, please, skedaddle" Hades said, placing his forehead back on the mapped table.
...
"Name's Umbra" Umbra told him. Hades raised his head and gave Umbra a deadpanned look. "So, kid, what do you want. Can't you see I'm busy doing other stuff" Hades said, holding himself against the desk with one hand while twirling the other dramatically. "I need your help" Umbra told him. "Hah! Of course. It's always "Hades do this" and "Hades do that", it's never "Hades let me be your underling" or anything useful~" Hades was saying. "Are you done with your midlife crisis. Or should I say "all time crisis"? Since your a God" Umbra interrupted.
"...Sheesh. What undead soul crawled up your bum today?" Hades said, turning his back on Umbra and walking to his throne. "Let's say your not the only one angry at someone right now" Umbra said crossing his arms and leaning against the round table. Hades sat on his throne and massaged his temple. He waved his dominant hand and summoned a blue drink out of thin air. "What can I do for you kid?" Hades said before slurping loudly on his drink.
"I'm looking for Khaos" Umbra said. "Chaos? Heh, you and me both kid" Hades said, making the drink disappear. "I'm looking to unleash chaos on Greece, on my enemies, on Blunderboy, the boy with the key, etcétera" Hades counted. "So, join the club" Hades finished before summoning the drink again, but now taking big gulps. His eyes closed shut, putting his attention only on the drink.
"No, no, no...Khaos...with a 'K'—" Umbra said with pause and suspense. Hades' eyes opened wide. He hit his chest multiple times, coughing up for air as the drink flowing down his throat had gotten stuck.
"Hehehe...So, *cough, cough*, Khaos— I haven't heard that name in more than a millennium" Hades said, chuckling at the end of his statement. Hades slumped down on his throne. Cooler droplets of blue fire rained down his forehead as he released a nervous smile at Umbra. Was the god of the Underworld, scared?
"Scared? Hades?" Umbra asked with a chreky grin. "I mean, she was the-the-the FIRST. She was the primordial emptiness that simply was before any of this. Before the Underworld, before the Earth, before Olympus and all its gods, before Zeus... *whisper* Okay I kinda like that part...*normal* The point is kid, Khaos hasn't been seen since dear old dad decided to trap her in a "containable" form. So, what would someone like you want with an entity like that?" Hades said.
Umbra walked around the table. He contemplated the idea of telling Hades why he needed to see her. A good portion of his brain told him not to do it, but he decided to risk it, give Hades a hint, and deal with it later. "I'm looking for answers. Answers that might help me in the future" Umbra said. Hades stayed silent. "Wait, that's it..?" Hades asked, standing up. "Do you know of other worlds?" Umbra asked. "Unfortunately." Hades said, "Some of my problems come from those worlds". "There is a war being fought. Darkness and Light fighting each other to see which one previals and which one expires. You know, the usual?" Umbra said. "Mhm" Hades said, crossing arms. "Sadly, I have doubts that need to be resolved and she can, hopefully, answer them" Umbra told him. "Again, that's it?! Look kid, normally I'd say "go for it", but going after a being like that is just...well, ridiculous!" Hades said.
"Do you know where she might be or not?" Umbra asked coldy. Hades wore an 'Are you serious?!' Look on his face. "Oy vey" Hades said holding the bridge of his nose. He released his nose and looked irritated at Umbra. "No, I don't know where one can find her" Hades said, a little bit mellow dramatic. "Then do you know where I can get Pandora's Box?" Umbra said almost immediately. Hades raised his brow. "So you're looking for the same thing the wild witch of the west was?" Hades asked. "No, I'm looking for Khaos, but the box will help" Umbra said. "...I guess now I know why Zeus would want to hide it" Hades said.
"Since you can't help me one bit, I'll leave you alone like you wanted me to in the first place" Umbra said walking towards the exit of the throne room, opposite to both the throne and the mapped table.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait! I still have things to ask as well!" Hades said hastily, as he saw that Umbra was leaving. Umbra waved his hand and opened a blue portal out of the Underworld, passing through it ignoring Hades completely.
"Ah phooey..." Hades said as the portal disappeared. He hunched over and grabbed his chin deep in thought. He amassed the facts. He had never seen this boy before, the boy was looking for Khaos, and he was from another world. So, ideally, a pln was already cooking up inside Hades' head. A sinister plan indeed.
"Pain! Panic!" Hades called. Their names resonated all throughout the Underworld.
Hurried footsteps marched towards the throne room's entrance. Panic was the first one to arrive stumbling down and hitting the edge of the doorway. Pain came rolling through and crashed against Panic, squishing him against the doorway's edge. They quickly stood up and saluted their ruler. "Reporting for duty, Sir!" They said.
"I'm going out. Find a way to get Hermes here, tell him I have a message to send" Hades said walking past them and going down the stairs past the entrance to his throne room. Pain and Panic followed suite. "B-But sir, isn't Hermes on Zeus' side, how are we gonna convince him to come here?" Panic asked. "That, my dear henchmen, is for you to find out" Hades said, continuing to walk down the stairs. "What's the message my liege?" Pain asked. Hades finished walking down the stairs and stopped, making Pain and Panic stumble forward. Hades hummed as he found a way to reel the messenger of the gods in.
"Tell him that I'm ordering a.. ceasefire.. Tell him that what I have to say is of great importance to Zeus. No, to all the gods of the Pantheon! Hah, yeah, he'll eat that up" Hades said. Panic is suddenly shown to be holding a parchment and a quill. "Umm, do we leave the part of him eating it up...?" Panic asked. "Yes..Wait, What?! NOOO!" Hades said flairing up. Panic hid behind Pain who also shivered in fear. "*sigh* Tell him the rest of the request exactly as I said it. You can even tell him to come with aid if he doesn't trust me. Just convince him to get down here while I'm gone!—Capisce?" Hades ordered.
"Yes sir!" Both of them said, scurrying away from his presence. "Oy vey" Hades said, witnessing their stupidity.
Hades walked and walked until he arrived at the ferryman's post. He was about to pay the ferryman to pass over to the way to the land of the living, but an idea popped on his head. "You know what? I think I'll just pop up over there this time. I wanna find out what that kid is up to as quickly as possible" Hades said.
Hades opened his arms wide and let the smoke of his cloak envelope him. Few seconds later and the smoke dispersed to reveal nothing there.
(Base of Mount Olympus)
Akari sat on one of the cliffs along the base of Mount Olympus. He sat there letting his feet hang from the edge. His hood was drawn and covering most of his head. The Ultima Weapon summoned in his left hand. He carefully lifted it and looked at it, all of its edges, ridges. All of its details.
His vision slowly goes blank as he relived his adventures in this world, from a past all but forgotten. His arrival and meeting both Phil and Herc, fighting Cloud, fighting Cerberus in search of Cloud, the Underworld, fighting Hades with Herc's help...
His vision comes back to reality. The reality that he is... lost. He wasn't even meant to be there. He had been forgotten by his companions, lost many if not all of his friends. "Are you even a key? Am I even worthy of one?..." Akari said as he looked with unfocused eyes at the Ultima Weapon.
He lowered the weapon and looked at the sight before him. The city of Phebes showered in orange light, and the sky beginning to turn dark with a handful of stars making themselves be known. His thoughts traveled towards his new companions. He smiled as an image of Sora popped in his head, Sora reminded him of another version of himself. Back and before the Keyblade War. Then he thought of Riku and Kairi, a part of him is glad Sora has them. Like Sora's very own Ephemer and Skuld...
An image of the Sea Salt Trio popped up next. Both Roxas and Lea reminded Akari of Umbra. Roxas' serious side and Lea's funny side. That for him summed it all up. Akari liked hanging out with Lea more because he is basically a practical joker. Roxas was pretty fun when he got loose, in Akari's opinion. Then there was Xion. Akari didn't know why, but he had felt a connection with Xion. In the little time they had spent together, Xion slowly resembled something like a little sister. Deep down, he knew Xion also saw him like a brother, of sorts. 'Guess we bonded over the piano' Akari thought with a small smile.
Terra. Although serious or strict, was kind and fair. Akari thought of Terra as an equal. Ventus. The last remnant of his old life, maybe the closest connection he held dear besides Umbra. Even after all these years, he felt close to Ven. Akari could only hope it was the same for Ven, even if it was really likely so.
—Aqua—
The utter thought of her name made his heart felt.. relieved...
His left hand began shaking until he strengthened his grip on his keyblade by clenching his fist hard.
With her she felt conflicted. His heart felt like it wanted to give her only the best. 'But, why—?' He thought. A flashback of when he first say her and all the moments past, sent his head and heart in a merciless clash. He truly didn't understand why he felt this way. It was new. 'Maybe too much time in what Sora and the rest called a world of "fiction" has changed me...?' Akari thought to himself...
"Idiot—" Akari said to himself, looking at the very long way down.
*SMACK!*
His right palm clashed against his forehead in complete frustration. "You're such a goddamn prick!" Akari said, reflecting on his actions.
(A/N: YES YOU ARE, YOU DENSE MOTHA~
*Muffled*
F/N: Sorry, continue. Your almost at the end)
Akari slowly lowered his hand in defeat and stared at the abyss.
.....
He let himself go and fall straight towards the floor. He looked down fearlessly and waited before doing a frontflip and sticking to a harsh landing. The ground cracked below him before his keyblade disappeared. He tilted his head to the side, cracking it.
"I should go back down there. Hopefully Mike has relaxed a bit and I can apologize to everyone. Specially Aqua— and Mike, it's been a while since I say him that angry" Akari narrated to himself.
Akari then began his trek towards the city of Thebes leaving the lonely mountian behind him.
(A/N: Howdy! Sorry for the late update, sincerely. I overestimated myself, thinking tbat I coudl pull it off. I wasn't gonna post this part yet, but after having to adjust to my new schedule with the university (which they changed twice thank you), it's been a hectic couple of days. I hope you enjoy this short teaser of what's to come. Umm, next post will be the long awaited date. I will post it as soon as humanly possible.
Goodnight my beautiful readers!)