The God Files: Orroz's Story

Lord of the Dead

I learned later that Hades was located on an nearby peninsula, on the southern edge of the Promised Lands. Technically, the peninsula had belongs to Blake's kingdom as well. But, it had fallen to Hades at the beginning of the war.

I made my way there, thinking of all that I had learned. Normally, I would not get myself involved in such petty matters. Peace was to be encouraged, not war. However, unique situations had changed my mind. One was that Blake was a good friend, even with his idiotic law against magic. Another was Hades's involvement. To think that the god of the underworld would want to wreck havoc on the land of the living...it was too much. The Balance must be preserved, at any cost.

When I arrived at the peninsula, I could tell Hades was already making himself at home. It seemed to be the perfect replica of the underworld, save for a view of the actual night sky instead of an impossibly high cave ceiling. Twisted, pale poplar trees and pomegranate shrubs, with spires and statues made of crystals and gems were scattered across the dark soil, as well as fields of dull yellow grass and the moans and groans of the dead. I eventually wind my way towards the large, imposing, dark gothic structure that I assumed to be Hades' castle.

Two hellhounds  awaited me at the entrance. Their ears perked up, their glowing, scarlet eyes narrowed and they let loose a low, unearthly growl, one that would terrify any normal man. But I kept walking and when I got close enough, shushed them. They silenced themselves without question, before whimpering and whining in submission. I lightly pat them on each of their heads, and continued on to the bowels of the castle.

Green witchfire lit the hallway that I walked down. I couldn't help but notice, that Hades' castle looked a lot like the one back in the Land of Nightmares. I had recently had bad dealing there; things that involved my dear old friend Death, but separate from the whole killing incident. Obviously it was some sort of spell, though I didn't know the purpose of it. Perhaps it was originally designed to look like the afterlife one believed in. These thoughts scattered when I finally found my way into the throne room, to meet the lord of the dead himself. Hades.

The lord of the dead didn't look as you would've originally thought. Most would picture him as a living skeleton, with flowing robes and an evil glint in the hollows that were his eyes. Of course, he still had the flowing robes. But, for all intents and purposes, he looked human.

Hades looked down on me from his throne, skeleton soldiers standing at attention on each side of the room, two abnormally large hellhounds chained to each side of his throne. They began to growl at me, but Hades silenced them with a flick of his hand, his smoldering eyes starring at me. Those smoldering eyes were bright blue in color, the color of flames so hot that they didn't burn orange and red, but blue and white. Moderately fair skin clung to his surprisingly fit frame. Black robes covered him, naturally. The only thing that marked him as not human was the dancing blue flames that passed for hair on his head.

             "So, Orroz," Hades spoke, his voice cold yet commanding, ironically full of life. "What brings you to my kingdom?"

             "You know as well as I do that this isn't your kingdom, Hades," I said, cutting to the chase. "Why are you attacking the land of the living?" 

             "Why wouldn't I? You know full well Orroz that I had gotten the short straw when the world was being divided up amongst me and my brothers. I never asked to be king of ghosts and zombies and skeletons! I want to feel the sunshine on my face, feel the wind rushing about me. But what do I get? A dark, dreary kingdom of billions and billions of souls."

             "Someone had to keep watch over the dead, and the afterlife. Who else but you? Do you think your brothers, Poseidon and Zeus are up to such tasks? You're kingdom is the largest by far."

             "But I am also the weakest! The least appreciated. No one likes to die, Orroz. No one wishes to willingly be a part of my kingdom. I had to kidnap my own wife, for Zeus's sake, and even then, in the spring and summer, she leaves my kingdom, to leave me alone. I can see it in her eyes, even to this day, that she would rather be permanently out there, for the rest of her eternal life, then spend part of the year with me. She doesn't love me, Orroz. No one loves me!"

             "I understand that you have been through much pain, and much suffering over the eons. I have as well. But you do not see me trying to conquer the world because of it! You do not see me storming the underworld, or the land of the fae, or Olympus, because I feel hurt! Stop this madness now, Hades, while you still can. I do not wish for this war to be. All I want is peace."

             "There will be peace when I finally get what I deserve. Once I have a piece of living land, I will be at rest, and peace."

             "That is a lie and you know it. You will not be content with just one slice of land. You will want to keep expanding, and expanding, until you desire the entire world to be under your control. And you know well that I will have to stop you. For the sake of the world, for the sake of the Balance."

Hades gave me a hard look for a long time. Finally, he said, "Nothing will stop me, Orroz. I will not allow it. Not even you will sway me. For the sake of our friendship, I will let you leave in peace. But make no mistake. If you ever oppose me, or meet me on the battlefield, I will not hesitate to cut you down."

Anger, perhaps charged by Silneus, roared up within me for Hades' arrogance. But I swallowed it, and gave him a genuinely sorrowful look. I then faded away, back to Blake's castle, to prepare for war.