Chapter 6 Meeting the Family
Over the years Hades has changed the END to have more biomes. He specifically created a Nether like region so hot that water instantly evaporates when inside it. Nether biomes were an enclosed s.p.a.ce to trap all the heat inside. Lava would flow faster and from the ceiling, but it was also the perfect area for blacksmithing than anything you would be able to find in Gaia. He was able to craft furnaces that would easily melt any metal and create the strongest material now known to G.o.ds netherite. It had magic conductive properties on a scale never before seen as well as the kinetic absorption and distribution properties. Hades had his staff and helm recreated in this material.
Other biomes included a day and pitch black versions of deserts, forest, and frozen biomes. Hades wanted Nyx and Erebus or anyone else for the matter to feel left out so he decided to just have biomes which were stuck in an infinite day or night time. The forests were still blue and purple and the frozen biomes were so cold some would find it inhospitable needing enchantments to live there even for G.o.ds. There was no set time in the END. Hestia believes he just wanted to make it as confusing as possible which he probably did, but either way, everyone benefited in his decisions.
Hestia POV
We had a conference meeting with all the residents of the END about what we should do about the G.o.ds and the war that is about to start. In the end, we decided we were to meet Mother and our siblings to see how they are.
I finally get to see mother again. I miss mother and how things used to be. Father though always had this constipated look when he saw me like he was deciding something. I found out the hard way what that was.
Hades doesn"t really want to meet our siblings probably because he doesn"t really care about them. When I questioned him about it he said, "Friends are the family we choose and I don"t know this Zeus or how he is. I don"t really know our mother, but I do know that everyone here is apart of my family and it affects everyone in this room more than it affects me." With that said I think he gained the eternal loyalty of everyone here. I mean he doesn"t really act like a king, but who knows how a king should act we only had two kings before him and they were terrible. Maybe this is how a king should be, carefree and thinking of his people needs before his own. He sees everyone here as his quirky friends and treats everyone kindly joking around most of the time. Whatever it is, he is right we don"t know our siblings and we must first approach them and see how they are before we make our decision to overthrow Kronos.
It took a couple of weeks, but we finally got the location of our siblings from an old dryad friend I was had in Mother"s garden. Apparently they were hidden at an Island covered in mist and storms. The mist gave was an illusion to hide the island and the storms warded off the t.i.tans. Anyone that wanted to go through the mist would be attacked. This is where Rhea kept Zeus hidden as Zeus"s power is over the weather he was protected since birth. We were able to get the direct coordinates and calculated where we should open a portal from. It was a nether biome that was actually inhabited by one of the cyclopes. He was happy enough to allow us to open a portal in one of his smithies that he wasn"t using anymore as it is always better to open a portal in a building just in case lava came down onto it.
General POV
An ominous sound echoed on the Island as a portal appeared in the middle of the beach. It was pitch black with a purple haze protruding it. All the residents were alerted for an attack and went to the beach with armour and weapons. All the G.o.ds and t.i.tans were not expecting a little girl dressed in a spaghetti strap white sunflower dress and white heels and a man in a white b.u.t.ton-up collared s.h.i.+rt, blue jeans, and sneakers. A fas.h.i.+on sense so out of place.
The man then turned to us and gave a disinterested look. He raised his hand and said, "Yo, What"s up"
"Brother you have to introduce yourself first. Hi, my name is Hestia your sister and this is Hades your brother." An excited but playful looking girl said.
A woman came out of the crowd and hugged them both, "All my children were finally together"
Hades, as he was now identified, "Who, are you again"
Rhea POV
My children have finally been released from Kronos it has so trying for every child I had to be swallowed by that monster of a husband. We were once in love, but Oura.n.u.s"s curse has driven him mad. I was pregnant with Hestia when Kronos overthrew his father and then ate our daughter not even two years later. I could only imagine how betrayed and lonely she must feel. Hades was born next and he was swallowed up at birth. At least Hestia has company now that innocent girl. After all my children were swallowed I couldn"t do that to Zeus and raised him discretely in Crete. Then we were able to release my children, but something was wrong where was Hestia and Hades? Where were my children?
My children looked so drained and lifeless we took them to another island with some t.i.tans that were seen as allies. There were Hectate and Prometheus as my most powerful allies. Hectate surrounded the island in a mist that would not allow anyone other than me and my allies to navigate and see-through allowing us to dispatch any enemies if we need to. Zeus conjured ever encompa.s.sing storms for added protection and warding off strays. Prometheus though said he was working on molding creatures in our image as added war potential.
My children looked better as they were fed ambrosia and gaining in strength. Posiden was able to control water. Demeter was able to control vegetation. Hera was able to control bonds and emotions. A versatile group, but are they strong enough we need more power. Then I heard a sound that echoed throughout the island originating from the beach. It must be an enemy attack from Kronos"s forces they found us. We ran to the beach in armour and weapons in hand to find a portal with two oddly dressed people. I recognized Hestia and started to cry. I ran up to them and hugged them. When I heard Hades say, "Who, are you again" I felt sadder than anything. They must have suffered so much. Hestia then explained to us how they escaped Kronos"s stomach through Hades"s portal and arrived in the Underworld. I felt awful, the Underworld is a barren wasteland with just Tartarus and a mountain with caves as homes. It must have been awful.
Apparently I was mistaken as they explained that it was now called the END, which sounded so ominous, and Hades was made king transforming the place into a home like no other. I was happy for them as well as sad that they did nothing for their siblings. They must have felt betrayed and did not want anything to do with me. Hades straight out said he forgot about me and did not care for Kronos. Hestia explained he is the in the moment type of guy and he just does what he feels like. That did not make me feel better. Hestia explained that the END was more secure and we should move there as there is no way the t.i.tans can reach it. I agreed as the Underworld or End had been closed off for some time now and it would be better if we were located there. With my understanding of Hades"s portals, this will be a game-changer. He packed all our stuff in something called shulcker boxes. If we had this we could transport all our belongings so easily and could aid in our war potential.
We were lead through the portal. Hestia explained that we were in one of the Cyclopes" smithy. Hades released them from Tartarus long ago and created biomes inside the END to accommodate them. As soon as we exited the smithy I felt heat like no other. Poseidon immediately collapsed. I tried to help him up, but Hestia threw a blanket over him and he looked better. Hestia explained that this was a Nether biome and it is so hot, water evaporates instantly. After that incident, we did not run into any others as we exited his "biome".
Once we entered the "city" we could not help, but marvel at the sculptures and buildings. There was a giant tree in the center of the city and that was not Hades"s current house as this was his closest one. Apparently he likes to build and move as often every decade or so. It was named the Mega tree of Doom and Hesta says he has an awful naming sense. It was magnificent and the interior each level was different. I don"t know what he was doing for all these years.
Apparently there is a maze as well we had to navigate through. After which Hestia says we could have avoided it, but Hades just finished it and wants to show it off. The maze was made of hedges and took us hours for all of us to go through and apparently the maze changes as we go through. Even though I am his mother I could not help, but feel annoyed at him. We finally made our way to a gigantic hall with chandeliers made of diamond and emeralds at the top with a majestic throne in the front. Hades sat on his throne and pressed a b.u.t.ton and tables and chairs rose from the floor. All the residents of the END. Nyx asked him why he brought all of us here. His reply "Because I felt like it."
Hestia explained that they were supposed to discuss if they should help us in this war and this it plead our case. Only the leaders were supposed to come, not everyone. Apparently Hades was in the mood to show off his maze and just wanted us to go through it as no one wanted to go through another maze made by him. The residents just sighed and palmed their faces as they look used to his att.i.tude.