Chapter 245: Chapter 3
The steam from Hades’ tea rose lazily, curling like fine strands of silver smoke that shimmered faintly under the soft, golden light of the Underworld’s artificial sun.
The garden was quiet except for the faint laughter of his children in the distance and the murmur of the ever-flowing River of Souls.
For once, his mind was at peace — no petitions from the dead, no paperwork from the Judges, no endless stream of souls demanding judgment.
For the first time in what felt like eternity, Hades was simply living.
He took another slow sip, the delicate fragrance of the tea, a blend of special herbs and mint grown from Minthe’s garden, grounding him further in the moment.
This moment where he forgets about work is so rare that even he found it strange how relaxed he had become.
Hades never forgot his duties. Not once since the birth of the cosmos had he ever let his work rest.
And yet now, as the laughter of his children reached his ears and the warmth of the artificial sunlight touched his face, the God of the Underworld found himself... forgetting everything.
Just then, the shadows beside him rippled.
A faint hum of power stirred the still air. And before the cup had even touched the table again, a familiar darkness unfolded behind him like a blooming black rose.
Out from that shadow stepped Nyx, the primordial goddess of night, draped in her star-silk gown that seemed woven from the void itself.
Her hair cascaded like an endless waterfall of shadow, faint constellations flickering within.
Without a word, she slipped her arms around Hades from behind, resting her chin lightly on his shoulder.
He didn’t even flinch, he merely smiled, amused.
"You’re early," he said softly, still holding his teacup. "Shouldn’t you be out with the others? I heard Aphrodite has been pretty excited to see the birth of a new constellation."
Nyx chuckled, her voice like midnight velvet, low and teasing. "Oh, I was. For about five minutes."
Hades turned slightly, an eyebrow raised in quiet curiosity. "You sneaked out, didn’t you?"
Her smile curved, lips brushing against his cheek as she kissed him lightly. "Guilty."
He sighed with mock reproach but handed her the teapot all the same. "Tea?"
She shook her head. "Not today. I came to tell you something."
Her tone shifted subtly from playfulness to solemn, as Hades placed the cup down to stare at her. "Something serious, then."
Nyx nodded, folding one leg gracefully over the other as she sat beside him, her gaze turning distant, like she was watching something far beyond the veil of mortal comprehension.
"The Norse," she said finally. "They can no longer hold on. Odin has agreed to my request. He’s giving us the Yggdrasil in exchange for aid."
Hades went still, then leaned back, fingers steepled before his face.
"So the old wolf finally lowered his pride," he murmured. "I expected him to last another century."
"He would have," Nyx said, her voice calm, "if not for their incompetence. They barely reacted when the entity entered their universe and acted to late to prevent any damage, before they managed to unite, the entity already devoured seven of their nine realms. They’re cornered."
Hades hummed softly, the faintest flicker of thought crossing his eyes. "Then shall I take care of it personally?"
Nyx shook her head slowly. "No. This time, we’ll do things differently."
Hades turned toward her fully, his purple eyes narrowing slightly. "Differently?"
Her gaze met his, deep, ageless, and utterly certain.
"It’s time," she said, each word carrying the weight of eons. "Time for everyone to know the truth. About the existence of the outer gods. The existence of other pantheons. And the danger that we currently faced."
Silence fell between them for a long moment. The kind of silence that only two beings stronger than everyone could share.
Hades finally exhaled, his tone half amused, half resigned. "Well, it’s about time. But this news would surely startle the cosmos."
Nyx’s lips curved in that knowing smile again. "Oh, I know that. At least maybe your brothers would actually do something productive."
Her eyes glowed faintly like twin stars devouring their own light. "Zeus and Poseidon barely got stronger since the Titanomachy. Maybe with this, they can help and not just drown in wine and woman."
Hades smirked, tilting his head. "You realize that means I’ll have to deal with Zeus’ temper tantrum, Poseidon’s endless complaining, and Hera’s inevitable lecture about involving ourselves in another universe’s politics."
Nyx leaned closer, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw, her smile turning wickedly soft. "Oh, I’m counting on it."
Hades chuckled, "you do love chaos."
"I am chaos, dear. she whispered, her voice curling around him like dark silk. "And you, my love, are its balance."
He held her gaze for a long moment, then finally smiled, faint but genuine. "Very well then. If the veil must fall, let it fall by our hands."
Nyx’s eyes gleamed, starlight flickering within the shadows. "Good. Then prepare the others. The age of isolation ends now."
"No pro—"
Just as Hades and Nyx were finishing their quiet conversation, the soft laughter that echoed across the courtyard suddenly grew louder, and before either of them could turn, a blur of small figures came rushing toward Nyx like a tidal wave of divine energy and childish excitement.
"Aunt Nyx!"
The voice came in a chorus, four distinct tones, full of joy and boundless energy, as Nekyria, Eros, Ilithyia, and Mageus sprinted across the marble floor.
The air shimmered faintly around them; even restrained by the universe’s suppression, their presence was radiant, each one exuding an aura of divine potential that could rival the brightest stars of Olympus.
Nyx turned at the sound of their voices, and for a heartbeat, her entire expression softened, the aloof, commanding goddess of night melting away into something almost maternal.
Her starlit eyes gleamed as the children surrounded her, clinging to her arms and gown, their laughter blending with the soft whisper of the eternal winds that circled the Underworld’s palace.
Nekyria, the eldest yet still very much a child, looked up at her with wide, gleaming eyes as she tugged lightly at Nyx’s sleeve.
"Auntie Nyx, did you bring something for us?" she asked, her voice sweet, hopeful, and shamelessly expectant.
Eros flapped his little white wings excitedly, his golden hair glimmering like sunlight, his purple eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You always bring something!" he declared, grinning. "You have to this time too!"
Ilithyia folded her hands behind her back, pretending to be patient but unable to hide the sparkle in her heterochromic eyes as she peeked at Nyx’s empty hands.
"Please, Aunt Nyx?" she said in her small, gentle voice that could melt even the coldest of hearts.
And Mageus, standing beside them, tried to maintain some semblance of composure, though his purple hair was slightly tousled and his eyes betrayed the same excitement as his siblings.
"Aunt Nyx," he said in a serious tone far too mature for his apparent age, "if you brought something rare or magical, I humbly volunteer to test it."
At that, Nyx laughed, a soft, melodic sound like starlight rippling through the void.
"You little ones," she said fondly, crouching slightly so her eyes were level with theirs, "you always see through me, don’t you?"
With a flick of her fingers, the space before her shimmered, and suddenly, the air rippled as fragments of ancient power unfolded, revealing four gifts, each glowing faintly with a soft divine light.
"For you, Mageus," she said, handing the boy a slender black staff adorned with faint silver runes that pulsed like constellations. "Forged from the remnants of an ancient mage’s scepter. It will grow alongside your power and obey only you."
Mageus’s eyes widened as he held the staff with both hands, the artifact humming softly, recognizing its new master.
His lips curled into a rare, proud smile.
"To you, Ilithyia," Nyx continued, her fingers tracing through the air until a radiant golden crown appeared, delicate and shimmering like woven sunlight. "A crown once worn by a queen who could bend fate itself. May it remind you that grace and authority are not opposites, but reflections of each other."
Ilithyia’s eyes sparkled, and she placed the crown gently on her head, giggling as it adjusted itself perfectly to her small form.
"For you, Eros," Nyx said next, smiling at the boy who was already bouncing in place, his wings fluttering in anticipation.
A sleek silver bow appeared in her hands, its string made of faint moonlight. "This belonged to a hunter who once pierced the stars. It will always aim true, but remember, little one, the truest aim is guided by the heart."
Eros’s eyes widened, his grin radiant as he hugged the bow like a treasure, his wings fluttering faster than ever. "Thank you, Aunt Nyx! I’ll be the best archer ever!"
Finally, Nyx turned toward Nekyria, who had been watching with awe, her cake forgotten in her hands.
"And for you, my dear Nekyria," Nyx said softly, her tone gentler than before, "a book written during the a long destroyed epoch, one of the last records of an age long past. Within it are secrets even time has forgotten."
The tome floated toward Nekyria, its cover made of obsidian leather, its pages faintly glowing with ancient runes.
The girl hugged it to her chest, smiling brightly. "Thank you, Auntie Nyx!"
The four of them cheered, their laughter echoing across the courtyard as they threw their arms around her all at once, hugging her so tightly that Nyx, the eternal night itself, almost stumbled back.
"Careful, careful," she said between soft laughter, gently patting their heads. "You’ll wrinkle my dress."
They only giggled more before running off again, each dashing to their favorite corners of the garden to inspect their gifts, their laughter filling the air like the sweetest melody.
Nyx stood there for a moment, smiling faintly as she watched them, a goddess of immeasurable age and power, looking for all the world like any fond aunt watching her nieces and nephews play.
From his seat, Hades sighed, shaking his head slowly, though his eyes were warm.
"You shouldn’t spoil them too much, Nyx," he said, his tone caught somewhere between reproach and amusement. "They’ll start thinking you’re their personal wish granter."
Nyx only laughed, flicking her hair back with theatrical grace.
"Oh, nonsense," she said airily, waving a hand. "A cool auntie must spoil her cute nieces and nephews. It’s the law of the cosmos."
Hades raised an eyebrow. "I don’t recall ever making such a law."
"Of course you didn’t," Nyx replied with a smirk. "I did. I created this univers remember?"
Hades exhaled through his nose, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Remind me to remove it later."
Nyx’s eyes glimmered with amusement as she leaned back against him, the faint laughter of the children still echoing around them. "You wouldn’t dare."
And for a moment, in the heart of the Underworld, beneath the weight of endless responsibilities and cosmic schemes, the two primordial beings simply sat there, listening to the laughter of their children and the soft hum of peace that filled their eternal home.