Tangled Temptations [Hades & Persephone Retelling]

Chapter 8

Hades

Dark gray clouds enclosed the entire sky the moment Hades stepped foot in Olympus. What used to be bright and sunny turned dull and bleak, due to the occasion that shocked the entire world. With a straight face, the god walked down the large, empty hallway and studied his surroundings for a while.

It was quiet— deadly quiet, in fact. Not a single whisper or breath could be heard in the hallways, making the entire place felt dreadfully eerie. But Hades was used to it.

The moment he stepped into the grand hall where everyone gathered, all eyes were trained on him. He wasn't used to all this attention, ever since he was named king of the Underworld. But it didn't matter. Nothing and no one could read his thoughts and emotions. He simply remained... stiff.

Thunderstorms cracked outside the building amidst the silence, and a flash of lightning startled the mortals for a second. The situation was much grimmer than anyone expected. While Kronos not may be the most respected person in Olympus nor in the Underworld, but he was still a father to his children— albeit the worst one, second to Zeus.

Hades eyes drifted toward a particular coffin in the middle of the room, and the space between him and the coffin closed in each second.

"Finally, you're here," Zeus spoke up with a hint of annoyance and anger in his voice.

Hades ignored his brother's comment, keeping his expression stoic as he simply stared at his father's lifeless face, "I expected you to begin the funeral ceremony by now, but it's good to know you were waiting for my arrival instead."

Zeus scowled as his fists tightened, and Hades smirked inwardly. They may not share the same blood, but the two despised each other with a fiery passion. It was something they shared as a child; it wasn't something they would change, no matter how many centuries or decades pass by.

A slight breeze fluttered through the room and the large, imposing doors opened to reveal their mother standing at the entrance, donned in all black from head to toe with a black veil covering her face. Her long flowing hair cascaded down past her shoulders in waves of black, her face solemn with the loss of her husband and the father of their children.

"Mother."

Rhea nodded her head lightly as she walked closer towards him. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the coffin, and she reached out to place a gentle hand on its smooth surface before continuing, "You must carry out your duties for today, my son."

Nodding his head, Hades said nothing else. Glancing around the room, his deep blue eyes caught Persephone and found her standing next to her mother — his adopted sister. The two of them didn't exactly have a great relationship either, but for today, he'll simply be tolerable. After all, he couldn't afford to show weakness.

The god didn't realize how long he was staring at the young goddess before shifting his gaze back to the coffin, silently paying his respects, and rested a hand against the smooth surface.

"We are ready when you are." Zeus announced firmly, and Hades turned back to meet his gaze.

He offered a curt nod and proceeded to head to the coffin. As soon as he stood behind it, his hands began glowing white-hot and placed them gently over the head of his deceased father. His eyes glazed over with emotionless determination, his lips moving silently as he began chanting in ancient Greek. A small cloud of black mist surrounded his hands and gradually grew brighter and stronger until, after what felt like an eternity, the mist began to emit a sinister green glow. His eyes snapped open and he removed his hands from the body, letting the light dissipate.

There wasn't a single whisper in the hall as Hades recited his prayer — or something similar to that. Silence echoed off the grand white marble walls of the hall, rendering everyone anxious and solemn for the time being. Hades turned his head slightly to glance towards Rhea, giving her an understanding look and she nodded her head in return.

"It is done," Hades declared, finally breaking the silence within the hall. Everyone slowly relaxed at his words, while the tension slowly left them.

"Thank you, Lord Hades," Rhea spoke as she approached him.

Hades merely nodded and looked towards his youngest brother. "It is up to you now how you want to proceed, Zeus."

Zeus stared at his siblings as he pondered whether he should speak up or remain silent for today's funeral. The question seemed like it weighed heavily in his mind, but in the end, he decided to speak.

"Kronos shall be immortalized in this hall forevermore." Zeus stated plainly, not bothering to add unnecessary words, and the gods nodded approvingly. They had always been grateful towards Kronos. He provided them all with peace and security. "In gold and jewels, his statue shall serve as a testament to our family legacy."

Zeus moved away from the coffin and allowed his siblings, his children, and the rest of the gods to walk forward, each step echoing throughout the hall.

"May the moon guide your soul way back to the Underworld, grandfather," Artemis spoke up first, kneeling down in front of the dead god. She bowed her head slightly and paid her respects to him.

Athena followed shortly after, bowing her head before him as she whispered in a sorrowful tone, "Grandfather."

Apollo spoke up next, placing his hand onto Kronos' cold chest silently. The golden eyed demigod closed his eyes, allowing himself to become emotional for just a brief moment before opening them again and nodding his head, "Farewell, grandfather."

For the next five minutes, all the gods paid their respects to Kronos before Hades took care of the coffin. Once again, the hall was filled with silence. No one dared to utter a word. They weren't sure if the gods would approve if any sound escaped their throat during such solemn, dark times. As soon as the coffin was completely shut and cremated to ivory ashes, the funeral was concluded.

"Now... it is time for a celebration, as per tradition," Hades spoke up after a prolonged silence.