Death's Delight

The Council

The gods of Olympus sit enthroned as Demeter stands before them. The half-circle of golden thrones stands upon a marble dais, surrounded by columns, clouds, and greenery.

Zeus, god of thunder, pensively strokes his beard as he regards the woman standing before him. “Why have you called this council, Demeter?”

“To bring a plea before you, the master of Olympus,” she replied, keeping her tone level.

“And what is the nature of this plea?”

“My daughter has been kidnapped.”

A murmur rises up among the gods.

“By Hades.”

The murmur ascends to exclamations of surprise and anger. Zeus, however, remains utterly calm. “What do you suggest we do, Demeter?”

She clenches her fists, irked by his dispassion. “We take my daughter back!”

Athena rises. The goddess of strategy and wisdom possesses a fierce beauty, but disdain and disbelief tarnish her face. “Are implying that we can simply walk into the Underworld and snatch Persephone back? Hades will not – ”

“Damn Hades!” Ares cries, springing up. “We charge into the Underworld full force, and teach him a lesson he will not soon forget!” The god of war literally burns with bloodlust, flames dancing up his torso and out of his eyes.

“As usual, Ares, you are all warlike frenzy and no logic,” Athena snaps. Her eyes show some fire of their own. “Hades is powerful, and controls an army of dead souls. Do you really think – ”

“Silence, both of you,” Zeus commands. His voice is low and composed, but there is a dangerous rumble of thunder lurking in his tone. “We are not attacking Hades.”

“Why not?” Demeter demands, her fury at his refusal masked by a thin veil of formality.

“He is my brother. I will not fight him,” Zeus replies. Seeing the anger in her face, he rushes to explain.  “I know you are angry over this, Demeter, as you have every right to be. But listen – perhaps Hades will make a good husband for your Persephone. I have reason to believe that he is truly in love with the girl, and he will be faithful.”

“Love? Ha! Passion, yes; lust, yes. But love? Never! You expect me to willingly give my daughter over to his lecherous cravings?”

In a sudden motion, Zeus stands, towering over Demeter. When he speaks, his voice is an authoritative peal of thunder and lightning. “I expect you to respect my judgment!”

“Then I defy your expectations!” she screams. “You may be the king of the gods, Zeus, but your arrogance is astonishing. You forget that I, too, wield power!”

Demeter holds up with hand, and, with a snap of her fingers, she kills every living plant in Olympus. The ivy clinging to the columns withers and dies. Olive wreaths anoint some of the gods’ and goddesses’ heads – they crumble to the ground as well.

“I will wreak death on the earth until my Persephone is brought back to me!” Demeter cries vehemently. “I swear that no living thing shall grow. Trees will cease to bear fruit. Grain will not spring up in the fields. Without food, animals and humans alike will drop like flies. You can watch your precious creation wither and die until I see my daughter’s face again!”

 With that, Demeter vanishes in a burst of smoke.