Descendant of Darkness - Chapter Four
Hades paced, chewing on his nails, as he waited. Waiting was not one of his strong suits and it put him on edge. His hair was beyond mussed, sticking up in every direction from him messing with it in his impatience. Apollo and Artemis were sitting on the couch, playing a very quiet game of cards. Zeus and Poseidon had gone, upon Hera’s request, to earth. She had told Zeus that Apollo and Artemis had a friend there, a girl named Araceli, that needed help. Without hesitation, Zeus had called Poseidon to his side, and the two gods departed for the gate descending to earth. They had found Araceli, unconscious and losing blood, just outside of the gate. No one else appeared to be in the surrounding perimeter, so they scooped her up and brought her back, to Olympia. She had been taken care of by Leto and Hera, but she had yet to awaken.
Apollo slammed his cards down, glaring at Hades. “Will you sit down? Pacing isn't going to make her wake up any sooner,” he growled.
Hades halted in his pacing, glaring back at Apollo. “Pacing is how I deal with waiting. You have your stupid card games, I have walking back and forth. I have too much pent up energy to sit still. If you have a problem with it, get over it,” Hades snapped back. He resumed his pacing, Apollo's eyebrow twitching in irritation. Artemis remained silent beside him, frowning down at her cards. She placed them face down, standing up.
“I'm going to get some fresh air,” she mumbled. She left the room without another word.
Looking over his shoulder, Apollo reached out, lifting Artemis’s cards to look at them. He frowned, throwing them back down. “She beat me.”
Outside, Artemis leaned against the rail on the balcony, staring down into the pool of water. On days when she felt down, she would stare at the water, the sound of the fountain soothing her, but today it wasn't working. The magic that had occupied her heart had disappeared along with her sense of self worth. She sighed, picking up a flower from the arrangement next to her before tossing it into the water. She watched as it rippled before it stilled and found it's calm once again.
“Artemis?” Hera asked, walking up beside her. “Why are you out here all alone?”
“Apollo and Hades were arguing. The situation is upsetting enough without them bickering,” she replied. She looked over at Hera, frown set deep on her face. “I keep thinking that Araceli getting hurt is my fault. If I had held onto her a little more, she would have come through the gate with me. Instead, our hands slipped and she was on her own to face whatever did that to her.”
Hera offered her a small smile. “It isn't your fault, Artemis. You did everything you could to help her. It was fate that tore your hands apart, not you. Please, don't blame yourself for this. She is alive and will make a full recovery. Araceli will be fine.”
“But what if she hates me for not holding onto her? What if she blames me for that happening?” Artemis couldn't help but throw herself into Hera's arms as the tears came. She couldn't remember the last time she cried, but it wasn't as bad as this. The guilt was hard to deal with, but she kept trying to tell herself that it really wasn't her fault. She wasn't sure how much time had passed until she felt a warm cloth being wrapped around her.
“It gets chilly in Olympia now,” Hera stated. She pulled her step-daughter a little closer, looking out over their home. “It started about twenty years ago and it has gotten steadily worse.”
Snuggling closer to Hera, Artemis had a good enough control over herself that she could speak again. “Why has it been getting colder?”
“I'm not sure, but Zeus and Poseidon have been working very diligently to figure it out. They fear that some evil magic is at work.” When Artemis pulled away, she looked at her, frowning. “What is it?”
“Evil magic?” Artemis repeated, eyebrows furrowed. She gasped, turning and hurrying back inside. She draped the blanket over the back of the couch where Apollo was now asleep on before hurrying to the war room. They hadn’t needed it in decades, but Zeus still kept everything updated and well stocked. She found him and Poseidon going over ideas when she entered.
Zeus stopped talking, turning toward her. “Artemis, I thought you were resting,” he said, smiling at his daughter.
“I think I know who's behind the sudden cold in Olympia. Hera said something about evil magic.” Artemis waited for her father to get done rolling his eyes before she continued. “Among the Dark Kingdom, there are five children of darkness. One was cast out, seemingly banished at birth for being different. Because of that child, all sorts of things have been happening. Now, seventeen years later, things have gotten worse, that child's sibling trying to find her, to kill her. The ruler of the Dark Kingdom, King Seriphus, wants his middle and illegitimate child, to ascend to the throne.”
Zeus couldn't help but chuckle a little. “Where did you get such an amusing story? I’m glad to see your imagination hasn't tarnished over the years. You were always such a creative child.”
“It's not a just a story.” Artemis frowned, knowing she was betraying a trust, but she had to. It was for the sake of her home, too. “King Seriphus was in love with someone other than his wife. It was Lady Corrine. They only had one child together. One very important, very special child.” She looked into her father's eyes, finding courage to continue just from the thought of her friend. “And that child, is Araceli.”
Hades had slipped into the guest room once Apollo had fallen asleep on the couch. He stood, leaning against the door and finding it difficult to lift his feet to walk toward the bed. Araceli was still unconscious, but her wounds were treated and wrapped. There was nothing better than medicine found at Olympia and he knew she would be okay. But something was pulling him toward the sleeping form on the bed. He didn’t want to think of it being something so strong, but he had to admit that it felt a little like fate. Taking slow steps, he silently moved forward, easing into the chair beside the bed once he reached it. He stared at Araceli’s sleeping face, unable to tear his eyes away. His heart was beating too loudly in the quiet room and much too fast for his liking. He hated thinking that fate might be behind everything. That this was more than just a chance meeting and that it might be left at that. No, fate would undoubtedly keep intertwining their lives until this war between good and evil came to and end. He just hoped that they would both make it out alive.
“Why do I feel like I’m drawn to you?” he whispered, hands gripping the arms of the chair so tight his knuckles were turning white. He was upset with himself for not being able to understand everything even with hundreds of years behind him. He figured he would know a lot more by now, but this was new, it was different. He reached out, fingers grazing the back of her hand. Feeling an overwhelming wave of emotion wash over him, he stood up slowly, leaning forward and brushing the hair away from her face. He closed his eyes as he pressed his lips to her forehead. A small part of him that he had forgotten about seemed to emerge for a brief moment before he pulled away, that person vanishing as quickly as it had arrived. He sat back down in the chair and waited, hands clasped tightly together as he watched her sleep.
I feel warm, Araceli thought to herself. She wanted to stay in this place forever where nothing could touch her, harm her, kill her. She felt someone else's presence, but the image was too shimmery, too bright. She couldn't see their face, but she knew it was a man. She wanted to reach out and embrace him, to ask him to stay with her forever, but she couldn't move. She didn’t want to, but something was pulling at her, telling her that this world, the one she wanted to see, was never going to exist unless she created it herself. In order to do that, she would need to banish the darkness in this world and free it from her family's tyrannical rule. To do that, she needed to be stronger, needed to have people willing to fight by her side. Without friends, there was nothing she could accomplish in this world, but with them, she felt the kind of strength and power she needed in order to succeed.
Her eyes fluttered open, a soft light filtering through the room. She was in an unfamiliar place, but she didn’t feel threatened. It was peaceful, calming, like the gentle caress of the wind on her face. She blinked, forcing herself to sit up. She found someone sleeping in the chair next to the bed she was in, their arms folded on the edge of the golden comforter and their head cradled on top of them. She looked more closely at them, her eyes going wide at noticing who it was.
Hades was asleep, face relaxed from his usual expressionless mask into one of complete calm and serenity. She had to keep herself from laughing, but she couldn't keep the smile from forming on her face. To think that Hades had such a peaceful face was like crawling into a lion's den with blood dripping from you and expecting him to not attack you. She reached out, tracing his features with her fingers. The touch was feather light since she didn’t want to wake him, but she found herself mesmerized by his appearance. In the dimly lit rooms of his house, it was hard to see his face clearly, but here, in the light, she noticed he was rather attractive. His skin was soft under her fingers, the milky white looking as if it would be harder than marble. She finally understood why myths formed about overly extravagant people. They didn’t belong in the regular world. Such beauty would never belong in a world where people more hideous than monsters resided.
She blinked, not knowing when the tears began to form in her eyes. She carefully slipped out of bed, finding that she was wearing similar clothing to her own, but the fabric was softer, easier to move in. She crept quietly to the door, opening it and slipping through it. She walked the quiet halls, finding it easier to navigate than she thought. Although she was certain she had never been here, it was still very familiar to her. She understood why as soon as her eyes fell upon the portrait hanging on the wall. It was an oil painting, but that wasn't what awed her. The person inside the painting was dazzling, almost unbelievably gorgeous. And it was Athena. She reached out, fingers running over the solid wood frame. She turned, finding a light on at the end of the hall. Figuring it would be her best bet, she headed for it, finding a large dining table spread out with a feast. People were chatting about everything and nothing, but all at once, the conversation stopped. She realized it was because she walked in, standing there when she probably she still be sleeping.
“Hello,” she greeted, eyes downcast.
“Araceli!” Artemis squealed, jumping up from her seat. She rushed over, grabbing her in a tight hug. “I was so worried about you! I’m glad you're okay. Mom and Hera said you would be asleep longer.”
Zeus frowned, setting his goblet down and looking over at the two. “Although Olympian medicine is able to cure just about anything, she should have been asleep longer. Not everyone can tolerate the strength of it.”
Araceli kept her voice steady, not allowing anyone to see just how intimidated she felt by being in the presence of unfamiliar gods and goddesses. “I'm not everyone. I’m me. Besides, I’m used to Olympian medicine.” At the several confused looks she received, she found it would be best to explain in the only way she could. “Athena raised me.”
Whispers instantly filled the room, everyone wondering why Athena would spend her time raising a deserted baby. Araceli swallowed, but didn’t lower her gaze. She squeezed Artemis’s hand for support, the goddess returning the gesture. The hall lapsed back into silence when Zeus raised his hand, asking for the quiet. Once everyone had complied, he stared at Araceli.
“Where is Athena now?” he asked, leaning on his elbow. “Where is my daughter if not still with you?”
“I believe my paternal siblings kidnapped her. They were looking for me, but they found her instead. And because of me, they took her into the Dark Kingdom.” Araceli felt everyone's disapproving stares fall on her, making her uncomfortable, but she didn’t squirm under their scrutiny. “As soon as I get back to earth, I’m going to find the entrance to the Dark Kingdom. I’m going after her.”
“You most certainly will not!” Artemis protested. “Despite her being my sister, I still don't think you should go. They'll be watching you. They'll be more powerful in their own domain. It's too dangerous.”
“I'm not going to wait around for them to try to use shadows on her again. Watching it once was unbearable. I have to save her. She did the same for me.” Araceli looked down. “I don't care who protests or agrees; I’m going regardless.” She looked over at Artemis and offered her a smile. “Thank you, Artemis, for being by my side. But this fight, I have to do it alone.”
“Why must you do it by yourself?” Poseidon asked, entering the conversation. Before then, he had remained quiet, surveying the room and pondering every option.
“Because it's my family that has done this.”
“Even so, you have us to help you fight. Why go alone? Are you mad?” Poseidon sat a little straighter in his chair.
Araceli shook her head. “I have to go alone. I won't ask you to fight with me or for me. It's not how Athena raised me and it's not how I’m going to be. As long as I breathe, I will fight my own battles. And this is no exception.”
“They almost killed you last time,” Artemis interrupted. “Despite your better judgment on not dragging us into this, we want to help you. Please, let us.”
Shaking her head again, Araceli gently pulled her hand from Artemis’s grasp. “I can't afford to have any of you in harm's way. My siblings, Arcadian and Iris, they're deadly. Iris almost killed Arcadian just to kill me.” She placed a hand on Artemis’s shoulder, smiling slightly. “I'll be okay. I have my mother's blood running through my veins. If anyone can fend of the power of the Dark Kingdom, it's me.”
Araceli turned, leaving the room. When she reached the hall, she bolted. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, trying desperately to put distance between them. She was certain she could find the gate to earth by herself, the pictures from her storybooks flooding her mind. Turning the corner, she stopped, finding Hades walking down the hall, head down, hands shoved in his pockets. Frowning, she steeled herself against the flood of emotions before she stepped into his path.
“Should you be up?” he asked, looking up. His face had returned to an unreadable mask, the one she was slowly growing to hate. She wanted him to look as peaceful as he had while he slept.
“I'm fine. I’ve dealt with Olympian medicine before.” She pulled at the sleeves covering her hands, refusing to meet his gaze. “Will you take me to the gate that will lead me to earth? I have something I need to take care of.”
“Follow me.” He turned and started down the hall, Araceli following him quietly. The silence was a little awkward, but neither mentioned anything about it. When they reached the gate, Hades grabbed something hidden in the shrubbery and held it out to her. “You'll need this if you plan on taking on the Dark Kingdom.”
Araceli took the backpack, slinging the straps over her shoulders. She waited as Hades opened the gate, his eyes nearly betraying his stoic behavior. He was able to mask whatever he was feeling in that moment, causing her to wonder what he was really thinking about. Once the gate was open, she leaned up, eyes closed as she pecked him on the cheek. Moving toward the gate, she held up a hand, waving slowly.
“Thanks, Hades, for everything. I won't forget it.” She stepped backward through the gate, watching as everything flashed and sped away through a vortex of mixed colors. She blinked, eyes readjusting to the darkness of the forest around her. Frowning, she closed her eyes. I won't forget your kindness to a stranger like me. All of you, thank you.
She turned, the wind blowing east, most likely toward the Dark Kingdom. She sealed her emotions up, knowing she would have to remain unmoving once she entered her family's domain. It would be best if she could slip in and out without being detected, but she knew the chances of that happening were slim to none. Taking a shaky step forward, she felt tears sting her eyes. It was more of a challenge than she thought, trying to walk away. She glanced back at the gate, wishing she was still on the other side, wishing she had Artemis and Apollo here with her now. Inhaling deeply, she turned back around, eyes hardening into stone.
I have to rescue Athena, she told herself. I can cry for what might have been later, but I have to get Athena out of the Dark Kingdom first. Then and only then, can I allow myself to give in to my heart. Artemis and Apollo, thanks for being my friends.
Araceli raced off into the night, the wind guiding her as she dodged the trees, weaving her way across the ground. She continued on until she felt a change in the aura, a darkness seeming to loom overhead. It gave her the creeps, but she continued onward, at a slightly slower pace. She was nervous about what she was doing. It was crazy and Athena would be upset with her after she was rescued. But she wasn't going to drag Athena’s family into this. Her family was behind all of it and she didn’t want any of them to see just how much this was going to rip her apart.
Despite growing up without knowing them and despite them trying to kill her at any given moment, they were still family. She thought back to what Hades said; about how blood didn’t necessarily mean you were family. But no matter how much she told herself that, Arcadian and Iris were still family. They would always be family to her as would the two siblings she had yet to meet. She slowed to a walk, hands clasped tightly on the straps of the backpack Hades had given her. She felt a bit more at ease clinging to it. She turned a corner and ducked into an alley, watching as a group of people walked by, laughing and joking with each other. She frowned as their voices disappeared. She grew up without friends, always training, always preparing herself for when she was going to leave. It felt so far away now, but in reality, she had left home less than forty-eight hours ago. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. She walked slowly out of the alley, head down to keep herself from being exposed to this world and her father's loyal followers.
Hades stared at the gate, a small frown on his face, as Artemis and Apollo hurried up. “She left,” he murmured, refusing to look at wither of them. “Tell Zeus that I'll be leaving soon.”
“Are you going after her?” Apollo asked, glancing at Artemis. He looked back at Hades, hoping he was going to say yes.
“No, I’m letting her go alone. She wanted to go by herself, so let her.” He turned away from them, keeping his face hidden as he walked away.
“Why is he acting like that?” Artemis snapped, bow in her hand. Her quiver of arrows was strapped to her back. “Doesn't he care about her even a little? What if she gets hurt?”
“Calm down, Artemis.” Apollo watched Hades retreat back into the palace before he looked at his sister. “It's up to us. We have to find Araceli and we have to protect her.”
Nodding, Artemis turned to the gate, it opening up for them. “Let's go, Apollo. And let's hope we are not too late.” The twins rushed off, going through the gate and disappearing from Olympia.
Inside, Hades stood staring out the window, frowning as he watched the twins depart for earth. “Godspeed, Apollo and Artemis. Keep Araceli safe.” He turned, stopping as Zeus and Poseidon stared at him. “Is there a problem?”
“I don't know,” Zeus replied, arms crossed over his chest. He stared at his brother, one brow raised. “Is there?”
“No, there isn't a problem with me.” Hades moved to leave the room, a wall of water surging up to stop him. “What, Poseidon?”
“You aren’t acting like you normally do. There's something wrong and you know what it is,” Poseidon stated, keeping the water in place. They all knew Hades could merely walk through it, but he didn’t. He never did. “Tell us, Hades, about what troubles you.”
“I don't even know the answer to that.” He turned to face his brothers, frowning at them. They had seen him frown many times in the past, but they could feel that this frown was different. “You both know how hard I try to keep myself from feeling anything. With my job, my rule over the underworld, I have to. When the occasional child or teenager is sent through, you know how hard I wish I didn’t have to make them stay.” He ran a hand over his face, looking away from them. “But I can't keep myself from feeling things from time to time. This is just one of those times and it'll pass. There isn't anything to worry about.”
“Except the feelings you have won't go away easily or quickly.” Zeus watched Hades carefully, trying to find some sort of emotion breaking through his emotionless mask. “Tell us, Hades. Who is it that stirred something within you?”
Hades turned back to the window, staring at the gate through the glass. “It was her. The twins' friend, Araceli. Looking at her, at what she's doing, what she's sacrificing for them. It doesn't make any sense for her to do so. We're immortal, gods and goddesses of Olympia. And yet, she's desperately trying so hard to keep us out of this.” He looked over at his brothers, confusion in his eyes. “Why? Why care so much for people she's barely met?”
“Athena,” Poseidon sighed. He looked at Zeus. “It's because of Athena. We're important to her. We're her family. It would only be natural that Araceli take a few of your daughter's traits upon herself.”
“You might be onto something, but I don't think Araceli is doing this for us alone.” Zeus sat down in his chair, staring at the table in front of him, hands clasped. “Athena is our family, but she's also Araceli’s family. Her only family.”
“Not her only family.” Hades sat down on the couch opposite of Zeus, looking at him as he continued. “Athena isn't her only family. The people who took Athena, that's her family. She is a child of darkness same as them.”
“Yet that didn’t stop you from liking her,” Poseidon muttered. When Hades turned to look at him, he shrugged.
“What did you say?” Hades's eyebrows furrowed as he pondered Poseidon’s words. “That's the most insane thing I think you have ever said. Why would I like her? She isn't one of us.”
“She doesn't have to be.” Poseidon smirked, leaning forward, elbows propped on his knees. “You said yourself that she was the one that stirred something inside of you. You know that organ that people can't live without; the one that's approximately the size of your fist? Yeah, your heart. That's what happened. She swooped in out of nowhere and you started falling for her, Hades. It's perfectly natural, to like someone.”
Hades frowned. “I don't like Araceli. I have no reason to.” He turned his attention back to Zeus, trying to ignore Poseidon’s very presence. “Send Ares to help the twins. He could prove useful in this situation.”
“Why not go yourself?” Poseidon grinned at Hades, watching him glare back in retaliation. “You know you didn’t want to let her go alone. And you've been hating yourself since you watched her walk through the gate without so much as a second thought. She might die out there, Hades. You'll never see her again.”
Poseidon’s words hit Hades hard, but he tried to mask his feelings. Anger, sadness, fear. Anger at letting Araceli go by herself to stop her family; sadness at the thought of her getting hurt; and fear at the thought of never seeing her again. He closed his eyes, but it made things worse. He could see her face behind his closed lids; see her fighting Arcadian and Iris; see her falling and not getting back up. He felt something inside him spark to life, something that hadn’t happened in years. The room fell quiet around him, Zeus and Poseidon staring at him. A cold wind swept through the room, the fire in the fireplace extinguishing before it roared to life with blue and purple fire. The lights had gone out, the same flames igniting them. Hades stood up, eyes dark, dangerous, as he stared at his brothers.
“I'm leaving,” he muttered, turning around. His hands were clenched in tight fists as he struggled with the emotions tumbling around inside of him.
I have tried for centuries to keep myself from feeling anything, he told himself, teeth grinding together. He went to the armory, grabbing his scepter and hurrying out of the palace. He could feel the other gods and goddesses watching him. And he couldn't blame him. Every step he took, the lights were replaced with blue and purple flames, lighting the way. And with a simple girl coming into my life, everything I have ever known has crumbled. I won't allow things to end as Poseidon had stated. No, I can't let things end that way. For the first time in what seems like forever, I’ve felt something. I’ve felt happiness, sadness, anger. Regret and fear. But above all of those emotions, above everything else, I have felt one emotion the most. It's strong pull, it's tugging at my heart and I didn’t understand why, but now I do. It's as Poseidon said. I like Araceli. But it's more than that. I think that if I were to see her again, if I were to just hold her hand, see her smile. I might just love her.
Hades reached the gate, it opening quickly for him. He could vaguely feel Ares standing next to him, waiting for him to make the first move, so he did. He stepped through the gate, Ares following, and he began running as soon as he reached the other side. Hold on, Araceli. I know I wanted you to go alone, but I was fighting against myself, against what I felt. I won't do that anymore. I can't. Because living in a world where you do not exist, it's unbearable. I won't allow it. And if I fail at keeping you safe, I'll find a way to die, too. I won't exist in this world without you anymore.