Pantheon

Prologue

Julian Demos was a pretty normal kid; he loved a good movie and some video games, the occasional football match, and every so often a zombie servant or two. That wasn't so strange, was it?

It wasn't actually that odd, for him it was very normal. In fact a day there wasn't a movie on or a video game being played was a very odd day. So no it is not that odd. His father was very lenient, since he was not there often; a realm to run and all. And his mother was the kindest person in the world. So she had no problem letting him do as he wished. And movies weren't hurting anyone, were they?

His life had been perfect, well close to perfect. But what can you expect when you're not normal.

His mother walks into the room, Catherine Demos is a beautiful woman and her son is a spitting image of her. Both with white blond hair and shining blue eyes. Julian looks up quickly before turning back to the television, his fingers flying over his controller, his character on the video game shoots some zombies after his brains. Catherine flinches, thinking that if Bob and Stanley were there they would not like her son's choice in games. Speaking of...

"Julian, you need to stop leaving dead bodies in my kitchen. They are getting restless and won't stop shuffling around, I can't cook with them wandering around like lost sheep." Julian smiles over at her, trying to gauge whether she is actually angry or not. It seems she is not that angry, as she herself is trying to cover a smile behind a stern frown.

"But they don't know what to do, and neither of them like video games." He looks back to the screen, several zombies are in front of his character now, he shoots them all, seemingly not putting together the fact that he's shooting zombies on a screen at the same time as talking about zombies that are aimlessly walking around bumping into things in the next room over.
"They like the kitchen, its bright and sunny. And usually pretty deserted. They like it because its not like death. Also because it takes a while for them to climb up and down stairs."

"That is no excuse for leaving them there. You should find somewhere else for them to be when you're not having them do your bidding." Catherine doesn't like referring to the zombies like they are servants, but it is what her son does with them; have them do his chores for him or do other tasks he deems too difficult, like picking up his rubbish or doing his own laundry.

"Muuuuuum. They like it there. And they wouldn't like being anywhere else. Please let stay in the kitchen, please, please please!" He pouts at her, trying the puppy eyes on her, though that isn't going work. It doesn't usually.

Before his mother can respond a man walks into the room, holding a small pile of wrapped boxes. Looking nothing like Julian, the only reason you would know they are related is the abilities that Julian has gained from the older man.

"Father, why do you have a bunch of presents. My birthday isn't until next week." Julian looks really confused, actually pausing his video game in order to turn and look at his dad.

Hades looks to Catherine then at Julian then back to his sort of wife with the 'I thought you told him' look on his face. Julian watches the silent exchange as his parents silently argue in front of him. Bob and Stanley look in from the kitchen before moving quite quickly for animated corpses back into the room.

"What is going on?" Julian stands and walks towards them, his hands crossed over his chest in annoyance. Both adults look at him with a sigh.

"Your fathe—we think that it would be good for you to go to the House. That is, it is time for you to move there, so you can be with other people your age, with others with abilities like yours," Catherine looks to Hades, wanting him to explain further. But the God is looking just as awkward as his son is.

"You what?!" Julian throws his hands up in the air and steps toward his parents, disappearing briefly into shadow before coming back inches from them.
"You can't send me away! I'm only sixteen, not even that yet!"

"You are going son, its already been set up. You are expected to be there on Monday morning. I wish it didn't have to be this way." Hades looks at him with a slightly sorrowful look.

"You will be fine, son. As long as you don't annoy anyone. Since if you do, well it would be bad news for you."

•~•
Hello, it is I, the author of this dismal story.
This first chapter, prologue, call it whatever, is the product of myself and my friend LitheLuther who helped me with much of this.
I hope you enjoyed this, and that you will enjoy the rest of the story as I slowly get it out.
Updates will be as regular as I can make them, every two weeks? Probably.
Thank you for reading,

Krystal