Darkness Rising
By Chibi Nataku
Disclaimer: In no way do I hold claim over any of the characters of Kingdom Hearts, who are currently owned by Square. Despite my attempts to grab hold of even a cardboard cut-out of my favourite characters, my efforts have fallen short so they will probably always remain under rights of Square (the world is so unfair :P)
WARNING: This first chapter contains a bits of information about the features of the Underworld, and I have melded it as best I could with the movie and the game. A lot of the features are from Greek and Roman myth and I hope that I have done them justice in my interpretation. I would like to thank my best friend, Usagi Vindaloo, for happily contributing all the myth information to me. Please enjoy.
Prologue to Darkness
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The darkness seemed to feed off of the misery of any who treaded in its path. The Realm of the Underworld had always been filled with both darkness and misery. The moans of those who mourned over their own deaths echoed in the endless plains and throughout the dark twisted corridors of Hades' palace, slipping from shadow to shadow that twisted the great black walls into the lonely place that it was. The darkness bore witness to the endless line of groaning souls on their path towards their final destination, ever watchful of those select few that strayed much too close to its murky depths, never to reach their intended target. For in darkness, there was never any light allowed to escape. Everything eventually returned to the darkness no matter how strong their hearts to resist its almost tender pull.
Over the great plains who soil was grey and lifeless, those who could find no rest moved listlessly. The plains are endless, stretching out in all directions without boundaries and limitations to its vast landscape, yet to any that had managed to enter the Underworld, there was a great black wall with gates that kept any outside of the gates in their place and those on the inside within. Yet, the mist that covered over the plains hid these features, making the plains seem more endless and inescapably dominant. Five rivers cut like a knife through the landscape, features that required more punishment for those who were deserving of an increase of Hades' attention. Of these rivers, Lithe, river of forgetfulness, and Phelegthon, the river of blood, were the most predominant and well-noted. Off in the distance, there stood the hill of Sisyphus wallowed in misery of its own, doomed to a constantly repeated action that only seemed to enforce the sheer boredom that came with the Underworld. Closer to Hades' palace at the intersection of the two great rivers were three features that seemed to amuse Hades the most; the flaming wheel of Ixion, the pond of Tantalus and the chair of Pirithous set in between them, all three features a stern warning to those that wish to cross the gods in a displeasing manner.
Of course, the lone mountain in the entire Underworld belonged to Hades' palace, its vast corridors snaking in and out of the black stone. Some of the surfaces were smooth with well-defined depictions of the gods while others were created with such jagged impatience that it appeared that the walls themselves were closing in. The palace was enormous, too large for one individual to live in, though its features certainly allowed the said occupant to remain in solitude. The halls led in all directions, and dipped and dodged as if escaping some unknown foe. Yet, the halls seemed to lead themselves in a manner that is desirable, the largest one wandering to the main features of the rock fortress. In the very center of the palace, there was a pool, not filled with water; rather, it was filled with the souls that Hades placed there for more torment, the individuals that had managed to displease him the most and were more mindful of their long-lasting torment. Skittering off sharply to the left, the hall opened into a vast room filled with more gold, precious jewels, and valuable treasure than any could truly desire, all of it untouched and neatly stacked. Slithering to the right, a hallway kept deep into the stone, winding around the pool of the tormented until it reached a prison, mostly empty save for a few poor individuals that had wandering into Hades' territory and capture his interest. The last of the main hallways was up, the pathway broken off for an extent in order to prevent anyone to travel it; its destination was the throne room of Hades, and he was not one to enjoy visitors.
Yet, in the twists halls, the darkness seemed to rule more now. Before, only the cliffs with treacherous, broken old stairways that often lead to no where at all, seemed to hold the echoes of the now swimming dead. Scorched black rock that was much too uneven to really be a true path told of many who attempted to escape their fate of unliving. The walls were smooth as they jutted from the floor at often odd angles, rock of more grey than black, except where the shadows danced. In this place, there were only the colours of despair, except for the small pillars of occasional blue flame that doused the rock a sickening shade of navy. Still, the lighting of the corridors seemed to hold no claim nor did it affect the shadows that lurked on the walls, its long black tendrils always looking for its next helpless victim.
Within that mighty Halls of the Underworld, only one creature held any control over this place and that was a god, Hades. He had ruled over this place since the dawn of time, and he often associated with those that would lead, ultimately, to more despair for his realm. It seemed that only he had some control over the shadows, which never once lay an inky hand on him even if he chose to walk through their depths, as he did on this day.
Hades was a more slender god, his robes a deep grey, almost black, that clipped to his left shoulder with a skull motif, a symbol of his godhood hung around him. The robes were simple, flowing around his frame until it reached the floor, always seemly one step ahead of the god. His skin reflected the colour of the flame that he had placed over his kingdom, a sickly bluish grey that only touched on the time that the God of the Underworld had remained in his blackened realm. Where skin was sickly, his hair was something of an oddity, blue flames that often changed colour to match his mood. His hair stood straight up, as flames often do, and accented a long slender face that seemed to always be calculated his next move in the game of godhood. His eyes were deeply set in his skull, sunken, yellowed, and hollow in a manner that only explained constant strain and lack of sleep, even though a god never required such. However, the large toothy grin that marked his almost elegant features indicated that his mood was a good one on this day. His mind was toying over the stray thoughts that no one else bothered to really think about until it really required their attention. However, Hades was always thinking, always plotting, always wanting more control.
He hummed a soft, catchy tune as he walked, clawed fingers weaving together as his mind moved from one matter to the next. He really did not have to think about where his feet were leading him; rather, he allowed his grin to become larger as the moans of the dead that echoed around him were muffled out by the loud, furious scream from other parts of his realm, screams that had been repeating themselves for several days, a sweet sound that he really just couldn't get over liking as much as he did. He rather enjoyed hearing those screams, so alive with determination and built up anger.
Hades stopped to listen to his newest addition's shouts, enjoying how they echoed off of all the walls in a manner that no other could achieve. The newest addition certainly had a good set of vocal cords, having been screaming and shouting longer than Hades had really thought possible for a mere mortal with absolutely no real power aside from a pretty sturdy fighting prowess. Even after the young man had been long defeated, Hades had been amused by the fact that the fighting spirit of a determined man never once faltered. He had spent hours watching the young warrior fight to remove the shackles that now held him, often slipping in a comment to see just how long the man would snarl and curse at him. This young man had gained his interest, and he wanted to see just how this fighter would do if he were released upon Hercules. It was an idea that had been growing in his mind the more he listened to the blood-curdling rage that made his walls shake.
Eventually, he started to walk again, sighing in contentment as another angered shout reached his ears. He slipped down the corridor to the right, running his clawed fingers over the jagged rocks as he wandered down towards his prison, wanting to have his moment of tormenting a truly struggling soul. His grin only spread wider in amusement as a holler of indecent obscenities was screamed out by his lively prisoner. This young man was the most fun he had in his prisons for longer than he could really remember.
Hades took his time wandering in front of his shrieking prisoner, a cocky grin pulling all too fondly at his lips. He felt himself rock back slightly on his feet at the blonde caught sight of him and newly invented expletives were shouted at him. Casually, he leaned against the creaking laced metal door, taking to staring intently at his fingernails until his little prisoner had managed to run himself out of creative wording for a few minutes. He smiled and waved as if they were old friends. "Hey there, how's it going? The service isn't too bad down here, is it?"
He felt his flaming hair fly backwards as his blonde prisoner launched back into a fit of anger, the young man's words barely recognizable in his fury. Hades nodded his head as if he were taking mental notes, eventually crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. After a few more minutes, he held his hands up and now attempted to get the blonde to quiet himself. "Okay, okay, okay, I get the point. Loud and clear, spiky." At the blonde snarl of rage and the opening of his mouth again, Hades finally snapped his fingers, stealing away the young man's voice. "I've had enough of your potty-mouth, young man. If you weren't so irritatingly cute, I would have set you out with the rest of the stiffs in this place." Hades opened the door to the cell and stepped inside, closing the door behind himself again. "Now, if I give you back your voice, will you pretend to be a good puppy? Sure hope you're paper trained because the last thing I need is to be cleaning up your mess and swatting you with a rolled up paper."
Cloud Strife snarled and threw himself at Hades, baring his teeth in anger when the shackles around his wrists held him just out of striking distance. Had his legs been free, he would have knocked Hades over with his feet, but he could not so he instead backed off and paced again like a wild animal. He hated to be locked up, almost as much as he hated being tricked by a god such as Hades. He glared continuously at the God of the Underworld, occasionally snarling and grinding his teeth together.
Hades smirked and leaned back against the metal door, crossing his arms once again. "Geez, you're wound tighter than Hera after finding out another woman had been knocked up thanks to Zeus." He shivered briefly as he thought of the goddess's rage and 'pranks' of punishment. Now that was one Goddess that really needed to be locked up somewhere or at least given anger management classes.
Still, he turned his attention back to the angry blonde, calling up all the information that he had managed to gather on the young man. He smirked as a bland file folder appeared in a 'poof' of green smoke, casually opening to reveal the contents. His eyes passed over the information, occasionally glancing up in inspection. Finally, he cleared his throat and tucked the folder under one of his arms. "Hmm, supposedly you can keep your temper better than you have been. According to my information, you are usually cool and calm under most situations, meaning that you've either developed a serious chip on your shoulder or there is something wrong with you in the head...and what a spiky head it is. Is that natural?"
Cloud rolled his eyes and continued to pace, glancing down at his own appearance. His long battles to get through the Underworld had taken their toll on him. His dark blue clothing was ripped and shredded, exposing more of his bruised and blooded flesh than he would have liked. The metal shoulder pad that had once protected his left shoulder had been torn away and lost somewhere in the bowls of the dark corridors of Hades' palace. Of what remained of his deep leather boots was enough to keep them clinging by sheer force of will to his flesh. He was certain that it was the blood that dried to his flesh that kept most of the clothing on his body. His wounds only added to his dishevelled appearance, long claw scratches covering most of his exposed flesh. Where there were not deep gouges and razor-like cuts, dark bruises covered the remaining portions of his body. Of all of his injuries, it had been the loss of his left hand to one of the maws of Cerebus that caused him the most pain and anger. Despite this, it appeared that at least his wild blonde spikes of hair were still in order and remained where it should be. Really, it was no comfort to him.
Hades sighed and squinted at the young man, cocking his head to different angles until he final took a few steps closer. He was not surprised when the blonde flew at him the moment he stepped into range, reaching around the young warrior's back to seize the winged creature that appeared to be whispering and shoving the blonde forward. He belted the blonde backwards and walked back out of the warrior's attack range, inspecting the Fury in his hand. "Riiiight, you. Go and harass someone else. I have use of this little sinner." He released his hold on the small winged spirit's leg and 'shooed it away, turning back to regard the blonde as Cloud collapsed to the ground. "Well, that takes care of one of your mental problems. Sorry about him...it. They do their job well, but when you really need to have a civil conversation with a prisoner of yours...Geez, they never did like the fifteen minute coffee-break rule."
Cloud shuddered in cold as all of his emotions drained away until he began to feel normal again. He had never felt rage like that before, and he really wished to never feel it again. He could no longer force himself to his feet, instead falling backwards to lean heavily on the mildew-rich wall at his back, wincing in pain as one of his wounds brushed against the uneven surface. Now that his mind was clear again, he could feel the pain in his body, all the wounds of his battles hitting him full-force, nearly rendering him unconscious. With a clear mind, he could now attempt to make sense of things around him. He squinted up at the God of the Underworld, groaning in sheer exhaustion with the effort it took just to remain conscious. Eventually, he gave up trying and lay quietly, waiting for Hades to speak to him.
"Well, you sure lose your potty-mouth when you aren't encouraged into blinding rage by a Fury. This means that I can actually talk to you." Hades smiled cruelly and tapped his fingers together. "You must be wondering why you are still alive down here. You know, with the loss of a hand and all that, right?"
Slowly, Cloud nodded, only vaguely aware of the words that danced over his pain-clouded mind. The edges of his vision began to darken around him, his eyes slowly closing.
Hades chuckled. "That's an excellent question, despite the fact that you didn't really ask it...Anyway, you're a pretty good-looking kid. Not only that, but you seem pretty reasonable at swinging around that large chuck of metal you call a sword. So, because you are not in the frame of mind to resist me, why don't we make a bit of a deal for your freedom, hm?" Hades took a few steps forward and nudged the remnants of the blonde's boot to make sure that he was still awake. When the blonde failed to respond, he sighed in frustration and shook his head. "What I need to do to actually find good help around here...Panic! Pain! Get in here!"
Hades inspected his finger nails for a few seconds before looking up as the short green demon slipped inside. He rolled his eyes when the little winged demon was not followed. "Where is Pain?"
"Um...well, you see...um..." Panic stuttered before finally falling silent.
Hades had to resist the urge to strangle the little beast if only for his own amusement. "Alright, alright, never mind where Pain is. You are good enough...let's hope." He grabbed one of the little demon's wings and thrust it out in the unconscious blonde's direction. "See him?" He shook Panic when he received no response until the slender demon nodded its head vigorously. "Good, now I want him alive and in better health than I will leave him in, meaning conscious and not bleeding all over my floors, meaning....?"
Panic looked between the blonde on the floor and Hades behind him. "Um...you want me to...uh?" When Hades' hair began to shift to a red colour, Panic quickly floundered for something to actually say. "Clean him up, make him all better? You want me to play doctor?"
Hades forced himself to take deep breaths and not explode in anger. "No, you will not be playing doctor. You will be a doctor. I want this one alive long enough for me to make a deal with him and, for me to make a deal with him, he has to be awake. You had better make him well enough to wake up, got it?"
"Right, boss! I'm onto it like Furies on a sinner!" Panic allowed a toothy grin to spread across its features, resisting the urge to chuckle at its own simile. It quickly noted that Hades did not share its mirth. "All clear, boss. He'll be good as new."
Hades released his hold on the lithe demon, rolling his eyes as Panic managed to fall helplessly to the floor. "All I ask is good help...and THIS is all I get. Why? What have I done to deserve this...well, aside from making several attempts against that dolt Hercules and trying to over-throw Zeus...I mean, aside from that, what have I done?"
Panic dusted itself off and lifted a finger in the air. "There was the whole 'allying with the darkness and attempting to take over the world through the use of the Heartless' thingy."
"Well...that too." Hades chuckled and brushed his hands over his robes, amused with his plans. He looked down at Panic and edged a foot towards the creature, an indication that it should get to work fixing up the unconscious blonde. "Oh and Panic?" The creature looked up at him innocently. "We all know the penalty for failure, right? I need not remind you that I will destroy you if you fail to save him. It will take too much time and energy to think of a reason to bring his soul back so...don't fail, for your own sake." He flashed his own toothy grin to insinuate his point.
Panic swallowed the quickly gathering lump in its throat, nodding resolutely before scurrying towards the spiky blonde. It set to work immediately, if only to assure itself that Hades was not going to destroy it if it put in enough effort in at the task at hand.
Hades left the cell as soon as his point was made, walking back up the darkened pathway until he reached the intersection of the three main hallways, stopping to think about what he could do now that Cloud would be out of it for a while. He crossed his arms across his chest and tapped his fingers on his arm, shifting around stray thoughts. He really did not have to wait long for more pressing matters to turn up as Pain came crashing down from the direction of his throne room, whimpering uselessly. Hades rolled his eyes and shook his head, again wondering why he couldn't just have his way for once.
"Where have you been? I did call you awhile back, and you failed to show up. I am not pleased with you...again!" Hades stooped to seize the pudgy demon, stopping when he noted the various bruises and odd cut marks on the maroon demon's hide. He slowly stood again. "What the hell happened to you? No one is allowed to beat on you except me."
Pain staggered to its feet, grabbing hold of its tail nervously. Its gaze shifted around the shadows as it bit down on its lip before looking up at Hades again when it thought that the coast was clear. "Um...you see...there's this...guy in your throne room. He insists on seeing you and...well, he kind of chased me out when I refused...Uh...you gonna see him? He said he'd rend me if you didn't see him."
Hades quirked an eyebrow. "And I would be so upset by that..." He sighed and looked around his corridors before looking back down at Pain. "Well, where is he? What did he look like?"
"Uh...tall, wears a lot of black, big sword...?" Pain noted Hades' unimpressed look and scrambled for more details about the mysterious man. "Well, he was hiding in the shadows and uh... Hey, he had glowing aqua eyes and...I think silverish hair. Looked kind of pissed...Real serious guy..." Pain stopped when Hades began to tap a foot on the floor impatiently. "That's all."
"Well, that's just swell. You named like twenty different gods and demons! I swear!" Hades let his curses die away as he turned on his heel and walked away from the cowering demon. He was now thinking that keeping the blonde around would be one of the best ideas that he had had because everyone else in his realm was almost completely useless.
He reluctantly went to his throne room, wanting to be rid of the small problem that had seemed to have popped up. He threw the massive doors open, smirking when they crashed into the equally deep walls of ebony. Senseless violence never felt so good. Still, he stepped into his throne room, yellowed gaze shifting around the massive room.
His throne room was sparely decorated. The room was massive in its appearance, yet all the same, very boring to look at. The dark walls stretched around him until the mist that covered the floor consumed the walls themselves, only the nearby tabards of his reign escaping the grasping wispy grey tendrils. His throne, insignificant when compared to the size of the room, perched on an uprising of the floor. It had intricate designs of skeletons etched into the smooth endless blackness that it held within it. Only his lone blue silk pillow gave any colour to the room. The large chandelier held blue flame that burned endlessly and seemed to make the mists dance to a morbid tune as they shifted around him.
He approached his throne, intent on resting himself on his pillow until his uninvited guest decided to show up. How he hated having visitors. He sat quietly, staring out around his room until he heard footsteps off to his left, gaze shifting to meet the burning depths of glowing aqua eyes. He sighed in slight disinterest and rested his cheek on his hand, looking this intruder over intently despite his outward lack of concern.
Just as Pain had expressed, this man wore more black than was needed, fine leather encasing a sturdy build of a warrior. The shoulder pads secured the material and only enhanced the dominant presence along with the crimson trim along portions of the fine leather. The man appeared to be in his last twenties, yet his face did not show any sign of age beyond twenty-five. The penetrating aqua gaze swirled with stony resoluteness and control, only a few emotions shifting the colour vaguely. Long silver hair trailed down the man's back, moving as feathers would in a soft breeze. In fact, the black wing tucked securely against the man's right shoulder was barely noticeable in this dank place, but it easily indicated that this man was no wandering soul who just happened to drop by for a visit. It was quickly noted the sword at the man's side that shifted in and out of view with each of his calm steps. The air of a finely-tuned warrior shifted the mists away from him, an obvious superiority complex raging through Hades' dead hall.
Hades took the man's appearance in with a single glance, missing nothing that could cause him danger or the like, not that he was really worried. He merely sat comfortably on his pillow until the silver-haired man stood in front of him, noting the relaxed position the man took. It appeared this man was cocky too, something Hades could always use against a victim. He sighed and sat a bit taller when their gazes met on equal terms. "I am to assume that it was you who attacked one of my...faithful subjects and attempted to force your way into my court?"
Sephiroth shifted in his place, turning himself to give Hades a nice silhouette of his features, wishing to get right down to business, not idle chit-chat. "You have something of mine. I intend to get it back so drop the act and let's talk business."
Hades blinked and sighed. "Wow, that was a great opener. Tell me, do you write them yourself?"
"Give me what I want, and you shall find out." Sephiroth replied coolly, his thumb running fondly over the hilt of his massive blade, Masamune. He was not in a mood to play around with the God of the Underworld, or anyone else for that matter.
Hades forced himself to his feet and folded his hands behind his back. He seemed to recognize this man from somewhere; however, the time and the place had long been forgotten in his mind. Perhaps he had employed this man at one time. He let the subject drop until he had time to ponder more about them, instead turning his attention fully of the gruff man. "Well, give me your name, and I might consider finding the time to converse with you."
Sephiroth glanced at the god out of the corner of his eye before finally nodding to himself. He turned to face Hades fully, feeling his coat swirl out around him. "You may call me Sephiroth. I served the Royal Guards under the reign of Ansem in his court, but that was so long ago that it no longer matters."
Hades felt the information slap him like a bucket of cool water, a grin spreading across his features. "Oh you. I remember you." He stepped down from his pedestal to walk around the silver-haired warrior, inspecting him a bit more closely. "I seem to remember making a deal with you so that you would stop eating all of the other spirits. I thought I sent you away to wallow in whatever hole you dropped yourself into." Hades felt a grin spread across his face as he took a step towards the silver-haired man, wrapping an arm around the warrior's shoulders. "So, how have you been? Life treating you well again?"
Sephiroth raised a hand and brushed Hades' hand off of his shoulder, taking a step away from the god to face him once more. "You have a possession of mine that I want back, now." He watched Hades raise a skeptical eyebrow in his direction and placed a smirk of his own across his features. "Give me what I want, and I won't rend your followers."
"And tell me, deary Sephy...you don't mind me calling you that?" Hades did not wait for a reply, already knowing the answer quite clearly. He carried on as if Sephiroth had agreed to his question. "What is it you want, from little ol' me?" He walked back up to his throne and flopped down again. "You see, charging around my realm, threatening my followers, demanding to see me then demanding something that you apparently want...well, it's bad business, especially after I twisted the rules to bring you back from the dead. Let's face it; you aren't in any position to be making any sort of demands on me." Hades watched the silver-haired man shifted to regard him fully again. "But, for the benefit of this entire empty court, tell me what it is you desire of mine."
"Cloud." Sephiroth response was firm and undenying in its intent. He decided that he should probably elaborate on his demand. "He's mine. I want him back, now."
Hades blinked several times, not really expecting that kind of request. He leaned back in his chair and made as if he were scrutinizing the man's sanity. He eventually settled back into his lax position. "Well, I don't see your name on him. Besides, he was the one who wandered into my realm so as far as I'm concerned, he's fair game."
Sephiroth's eyes flashed dangerously and his nearest hand settled over Masamune's firm hilt. He was not in the mood to argue with anyone for something that he had already set his claim over, and he was not one to allow any of his possessions to escape his attention for very long, especially not Cloud. "He's my property." He insisted more firmly.
Hades quickly noted that Sephiroth was not actually joking. He again leaned far back in his chair, except this time, he called up a contract, one that he had made quite some time ago. He inspected its contents before smirking again, tossing the dirty piece of paper off to one side as he regarded the silver-haired warrior. "I can't do that, Sephy-boy. As your contract says, you have no hold over anything in the Underworld and, interestingly enough, you are not to return to it for so long as you have two legs to stand on and a living body beneath you. Technically, you have already breached the contract, meaning that I *could* recall everything that I have ever done for you. Please take note of this and leave while you have the chance."
Sephiroth remained where he was, not impressed at all at Hades' threats against him. He instead took a step forward, calm and confident as always. He noted how Hades shifted to regard him more sombrely. "If that is true, why don't we renegotiate it? I have the time, and you are in need of real help in your pitiful little realm. I'm sure that we can come to an understanding that does not end with you losing some of your dignity." He stopped when his boots met with the beginnings of the upright, his hardened gaze squarely on Hades.
Hades had trouble holding in his snickering, all too amused by this turn of events. Maybe his luck was turning around for once, though he would never admit such out loud. "You want to renegotiate?" When the silver-haired man nodded soberly, he burst into amused laughter, slapping the arm of his stone chair. "Oh, that's a good one! I haven't laughed this hard since Demeter got all pissy with me for *taking* her daughter. Oh, you crack me up, Seph!"
"Very well." Sephiroth turned and began to walk away, not interested in such games. He managed to get half-way across the room before Hades stopped laughing and called him again. He slowly turned to regard the god. "If you will not give me what I want, then I will take it for myself by brute force. Hand over Cloud, renegotiate my contract, or face me killing everything in sight and walking out of your realm with Cloud over one of my shoulders."
"Geez, you don't have a joking bone in your body. And I thought that Cloud was a stiff." Hades rolled his eyes and folded his hands across his lap. "Fine, fine, amuse me with your ideas of renegotiation. If I like your terms, then I might consider it."
Sephiroth smirked and walked slowly back to the edge of the uprising. He shifted himself to lean on his sword, gaze moving to fix on the God of the Underworld. "I will offer you my skills to plunder the worlds as you please, and I get Cloud."
Hades raised an eyebrow. "You certainly have a one-track mind. What is this kid, your lover or something?"
"My possession. He is my property, an object of my affection that I enjoy watching." Sephiroth looked down at his gloved hand, wiggling his fingers as if it were the most exciting task that he had ever done. A cruel smirk pulled at his lips. "He is the only creature in this world that could kill me. He has always resisted the change of the world and struggled for his own identity of being the best in a land where no one could outclass me. I suppose you could say that he is free, like a bird if you will. I wish to clip that little bird's wings and keep him for myself, locked in a cage of my choosing." Sephiroth looked at Hades again. "He is mine. You hold no claim over him as I do. I understand all of his workings, his desires, his darkest secrets. I have studied him for long years, making movements to cage him...Then you came along and stole him from me."
"You know, I really have to hire the guy that writes your speeches. Whoever he is, I want him!" Hades smirked and smoothed back his hair. "But, I see your rather abstract point. So here is what I'm going to do for you. I will make a deal with you, and we can both be happy! Sound good?"
Sephiroth silently nodded, pleased with this turn of events. He slowly closed his eyes and sighed heavily, as if a sudden weight had been lifted from his chest. His claim over the blonde would continue to reign for some time.
Hades stood up and paced in front of the silver-haired man, his mind thinking up ways of getting all that he wanted and much more. He was a master at tricking people, often using a play on words or pranks to get his way. He doubted that this man would be any different from the multitudes who had decided to make a deal with him. He quickly decided on his plan of action, stopping when he was standing in front of Sephiroth. "Right, I think I have something that will make us both happy little campers. What do you say to...you lending your skills and loyalty to me, getting a place to stay down here, and plenty of heartless to test your skills on until I find an unsuspecting itch in my side to release you on. Sounds great, right?"
"I believe you forgot about the part where I get Cloud." Sephiroth crossed his arms across his muscled chest, glaring at the god in front of him.
"Right, the spiky kid!" Hades tapped his finger together for a few seconds before dropping off into another tangent. "Tell me, is his hair naturally like that?"
Sephiroth clenched his jaw and let out a long breath. "Stop prattling!"
"Hey, I just wanted to know!" Hades shot back.
Sephiroth really couldn't believe that he was being forced to speak so childishly over his possession. He was displeased with this and his patience was wearing thin very quickly. Still, he set his shoulders straighter and nodded stiffly. "Completely natural."
Hades nodded almost happily to the information, grinning widely. He finally flopped back down into his throne and sighed comfortably. "So you want blondy, do you? Alright, you can have him; however, you may not speak a word that he can hear or place anything in regards to yourself under his touch until my contract with him is up. If you do, you will lose any rights to him what so ever, and he will remain my servant for all of time to do as I wish with him until death throws him in my soul pond. Got it?"
Sephiroth stood pondering for a long while, his mind playing over all meaning of the phrasing that was set down before him. There were parts that he did not particularly like, especially the ones where he could have no physical control over Cloud nor be able to torment the blonde into action. Still, he knew that two could play the word game. "Very well, but should any creature, man or beast, make any attempts against his life or stability, I am allowed to intervene and do with them whatever I wish. And, should Cloud find me on his own, all requirements of our contract that do not allow me to communicate with him are null and void."
It was Hades' turn to ponder for a few minutes before he finally nodded and created a contract, sealing the terms of their deal. He handed the cream coloured paper to Sephiroth, allowing the silver-haired man to read it over and sign it. He grinned madly when Sephiroth nodded and signed it without a word. "Well, welcome to the family! Let's hope you enjoy your stay. Please, take your time to acquaint yourself with your surroundings."
Sephiroth snorted in agitation and teleported away, intent on getting his first glimpses of his property. He may not be able to speak or touch the blonde, but watching was enough to suit his tastes for now. He had time to fulfill all that he wanted, even if it took overthrowing Hades to do it.
Hades sat back in his sat and looked at the contract in his hands. "One contract down, one to go. That blonde brat will be mine by the end of tomorrow. Then Hercules will be in for the biggest surprise of his life."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Wow, I bit longer than I had intended, but I suppose that is okay. I guess I just love writing Hades. I get right into his character, and he makes me laugh. Despite my like for writing Hades, most of the chapters from here on it will be more about Cloud and his point of view, or at least, so I am aiming for.
Okay, for those that were a bit confused about a few names or such, here is the low down on some of those characters that Hades mentioned:
Hera: Wife of Zeus who tends to get kind of pissy when Zeus can't keep it in his robes and often curses the women and their children who are produced.
Demeter: Goddess of the Earth and Harvest. Her daughter, Persephone, was abducted by Hades and became his wife in Greek myth. Demeter wasn't very happy about that event and threw a bit of a fit.
By Chibi Nataku
Disclaimer: In no way do I hold claim over any of the characters of Kingdom Hearts, who are currently owned by Square. Despite my attempts to grab hold of even a cardboard cut-out of my favourite characters, my efforts have fallen short so they will probably always remain under rights of Square (the world is so unfair :P)
WARNING: This first chapter contains a bits of information about the features of the Underworld, and I have melded it as best I could with the movie and the game. A lot of the features are from Greek and Roman myth and I hope that I have done them justice in my interpretation. I would like to thank my best friend, Usagi Vindaloo, for happily contributing all the myth information to me. Please enjoy.
Prologue to Darkness
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The darkness seemed to feed off of the misery of any who treaded in its path. The Realm of the Underworld had always been filled with both darkness and misery. The moans of those who mourned over their own deaths echoed in the endless plains and throughout the dark twisted corridors of Hades' palace, slipping from shadow to shadow that twisted the great black walls into the lonely place that it was. The darkness bore witness to the endless line of groaning souls on their path towards their final destination, ever watchful of those select few that strayed much too close to its murky depths, never to reach their intended target. For in darkness, there was never any light allowed to escape. Everything eventually returned to the darkness no matter how strong their hearts to resist its almost tender pull.
Over the great plains who soil was grey and lifeless, those who could find no rest moved listlessly. The plains are endless, stretching out in all directions without boundaries and limitations to its vast landscape, yet to any that had managed to enter the Underworld, there was a great black wall with gates that kept any outside of the gates in their place and those on the inside within. Yet, the mist that covered over the plains hid these features, making the plains seem more endless and inescapably dominant. Five rivers cut like a knife through the landscape, features that required more punishment for those who were deserving of an increase of Hades' attention. Of these rivers, Lithe, river of forgetfulness, and Phelegthon, the river of blood, were the most predominant and well-noted. Off in the distance, there stood the hill of Sisyphus wallowed in misery of its own, doomed to a constantly repeated action that only seemed to enforce the sheer boredom that came with the Underworld. Closer to Hades' palace at the intersection of the two great rivers were three features that seemed to amuse Hades the most; the flaming wheel of Ixion, the pond of Tantalus and the chair of Pirithous set in between them, all three features a stern warning to those that wish to cross the gods in a displeasing manner.
Of course, the lone mountain in the entire Underworld belonged to Hades' palace, its vast corridors snaking in and out of the black stone. Some of the surfaces were smooth with well-defined depictions of the gods while others were created with such jagged impatience that it appeared that the walls themselves were closing in. The palace was enormous, too large for one individual to live in, though its features certainly allowed the said occupant to remain in solitude. The halls led in all directions, and dipped and dodged as if escaping some unknown foe. Yet, the halls seemed to lead themselves in a manner that is desirable, the largest one wandering to the main features of the rock fortress. In the very center of the palace, there was a pool, not filled with water; rather, it was filled with the souls that Hades placed there for more torment, the individuals that had managed to displease him the most and were more mindful of their long-lasting torment. Skittering off sharply to the left, the hall opened into a vast room filled with more gold, precious jewels, and valuable treasure than any could truly desire, all of it untouched and neatly stacked. Slithering to the right, a hallway kept deep into the stone, winding around the pool of the tormented until it reached a prison, mostly empty save for a few poor individuals that had wandering into Hades' territory and capture his interest. The last of the main hallways was up, the pathway broken off for an extent in order to prevent anyone to travel it; its destination was the throne room of Hades, and he was not one to enjoy visitors.
Yet, in the twists halls, the darkness seemed to rule more now. Before, only the cliffs with treacherous, broken old stairways that often lead to no where at all, seemed to hold the echoes of the now swimming dead. Scorched black rock that was much too uneven to really be a true path told of many who attempted to escape their fate of unliving. The walls were smooth as they jutted from the floor at often odd angles, rock of more grey than black, except where the shadows danced. In this place, there were only the colours of despair, except for the small pillars of occasional blue flame that doused the rock a sickening shade of navy. Still, the lighting of the corridors seemed to hold no claim nor did it affect the shadows that lurked on the walls, its long black tendrils always looking for its next helpless victim.
Within that mighty Halls of the Underworld, only one creature held any control over this place and that was a god, Hades. He had ruled over this place since the dawn of time, and he often associated with those that would lead, ultimately, to more despair for his realm. It seemed that only he had some control over the shadows, which never once lay an inky hand on him even if he chose to walk through their depths, as he did on this day.
Hades was a more slender god, his robes a deep grey, almost black, that clipped to his left shoulder with a skull motif, a symbol of his godhood hung around him. The robes were simple, flowing around his frame until it reached the floor, always seemly one step ahead of the god. His skin reflected the colour of the flame that he had placed over his kingdom, a sickly bluish grey that only touched on the time that the God of the Underworld had remained in his blackened realm. Where skin was sickly, his hair was something of an oddity, blue flames that often changed colour to match his mood. His hair stood straight up, as flames often do, and accented a long slender face that seemed to always be calculated his next move in the game of godhood. His eyes were deeply set in his skull, sunken, yellowed, and hollow in a manner that only explained constant strain and lack of sleep, even though a god never required such. However, the large toothy grin that marked his almost elegant features indicated that his mood was a good one on this day. His mind was toying over the stray thoughts that no one else bothered to really think about until it really required their attention. However, Hades was always thinking, always plotting, always wanting more control.
He hummed a soft, catchy tune as he walked, clawed fingers weaving together as his mind moved from one matter to the next. He really did not have to think about where his feet were leading him; rather, he allowed his grin to become larger as the moans of the dead that echoed around him were muffled out by the loud, furious scream from other parts of his realm, screams that had been repeating themselves for several days, a sweet sound that he really just couldn't get over liking as much as he did. He rather enjoyed hearing those screams, so alive with determination and built up anger.
Hades stopped to listen to his newest addition's shouts, enjoying how they echoed off of all the walls in a manner that no other could achieve. The newest addition certainly had a good set of vocal cords, having been screaming and shouting longer than Hades had really thought possible for a mere mortal with absolutely no real power aside from a pretty sturdy fighting prowess. Even after the young man had been long defeated, Hades had been amused by the fact that the fighting spirit of a determined man never once faltered. He had spent hours watching the young warrior fight to remove the shackles that now held him, often slipping in a comment to see just how long the man would snarl and curse at him. This young man had gained his interest, and he wanted to see just how this fighter would do if he were released upon Hercules. It was an idea that had been growing in his mind the more he listened to the blood-curdling rage that made his walls shake.
Eventually, he started to walk again, sighing in contentment as another angered shout reached his ears. He slipped down the corridor to the right, running his clawed fingers over the jagged rocks as he wandered down towards his prison, wanting to have his moment of tormenting a truly struggling soul. His grin only spread wider in amusement as a holler of indecent obscenities was screamed out by his lively prisoner. This young man was the most fun he had in his prisons for longer than he could really remember.
Hades took his time wandering in front of his shrieking prisoner, a cocky grin pulling all too fondly at his lips. He felt himself rock back slightly on his feet at the blonde caught sight of him and newly invented expletives were shouted at him. Casually, he leaned against the creaking laced metal door, taking to staring intently at his fingernails until his little prisoner had managed to run himself out of creative wording for a few minutes. He smiled and waved as if they were old friends. "Hey there, how's it going? The service isn't too bad down here, is it?"
He felt his flaming hair fly backwards as his blonde prisoner launched back into a fit of anger, the young man's words barely recognizable in his fury. Hades nodded his head as if he were taking mental notes, eventually crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. After a few more minutes, he held his hands up and now attempted to get the blonde to quiet himself. "Okay, okay, okay, I get the point. Loud and clear, spiky." At the blonde snarl of rage and the opening of his mouth again, Hades finally snapped his fingers, stealing away the young man's voice. "I've had enough of your potty-mouth, young man. If you weren't so irritatingly cute, I would have set you out with the rest of the stiffs in this place." Hades opened the door to the cell and stepped inside, closing the door behind himself again. "Now, if I give you back your voice, will you pretend to be a good puppy? Sure hope you're paper trained because the last thing I need is to be cleaning up your mess and swatting you with a rolled up paper."
Cloud Strife snarled and threw himself at Hades, baring his teeth in anger when the shackles around his wrists held him just out of striking distance. Had his legs been free, he would have knocked Hades over with his feet, but he could not so he instead backed off and paced again like a wild animal. He hated to be locked up, almost as much as he hated being tricked by a god such as Hades. He glared continuously at the God of the Underworld, occasionally snarling and grinding his teeth together.
Hades smirked and leaned back against the metal door, crossing his arms once again. "Geez, you're wound tighter than Hera after finding out another woman had been knocked up thanks to Zeus." He shivered briefly as he thought of the goddess's rage and 'pranks' of punishment. Now that was one Goddess that really needed to be locked up somewhere or at least given anger management classes.
Still, he turned his attention back to the angry blonde, calling up all the information that he had managed to gather on the young man. He smirked as a bland file folder appeared in a 'poof' of green smoke, casually opening to reveal the contents. His eyes passed over the information, occasionally glancing up in inspection. Finally, he cleared his throat and tucked the folder under one of his arms. "Hmm, supposedly you can keep your temper better than you have been. According to my information, you are usually cool and calm under most situations, meaning that you've either developed a serious chip on your shoulder or there is something wrong with you in the head...and what a spiky head it is. Is that natural?"
Cloud rolled his eyes and continued to pace, glancing down at his own appearance. His long battles to get through the Underworld had taken their toll on him. His dark blue clothing was ripped and shredded, exposing more of his bruised and blooded flesh than he would have liked. The metal shoulder pad that had once protected his left shoulder had been torn away and lost somewhere in the bowls of the dark corridors of Hades' palace. Of what remained of his deep leather boots was enough to keep them clinging by sheer force of will to his flesh. He was certain that it was the blood that dried to his flesh that kept most of the clothing on his body. His wounds only added to his dishevelled appearance, long claw scratches covering most of his exposed flesh. Where there were not deep gouges and razor-like cuts, dark bruises covered the remaining portions of his body. Of all of his injuries, it had been the loss of his left hand to one of the maws of Cerebus that caused him the most pain and anger. Despite this, it appeared that at least his wild blonde spikes of hair were still in order and remained where it should be. Really, it was no comfort to him.
Hades sighed and squinted at the young man, cocking his head to different angles until he final took a few steps closer. He was not surprised when the blonde flew at him the moment he stepped into range, reaching around the young warrior's back to seize the winged creature that appeared to be whispering and shoving the blonde forward. He belted the blonde backwards and walked back out of the warrior's attack range, inspecting the Fury in his hand. "Riiiight, you. Go and harass someone else. I have use of this little sinner." He released his hold on the small winged spirit's leg and 'shooed it away, turning back to regard the blonde as Cloud collapsed to the ground. "Well, that takes care of one of your mental problems. Sorry about him...it. They do their job well, but when you really need to have a civil conversation with a prisoner of yours...Geez, they never did like the fifteen minute coffee-break rule."
Cloud shuddered in cold as all of his emotions drained away until he began to feel normal again. He had never felt rage like that before, and he really wished to never feel it again. He could no longer force himself to his feet, instead falling backwards to lean heavily on the mildew-rich wall at his back, wincing in pain as one of his wounds brushed against the uneven surface. Now that his mind was clear again, he could feel the pain in his body, all the wounds of his battles hitting him full-force, nearly rendering him unconscious. With a clear mind, he could now attempt to make sense of things around him. He squinted up at the God of the Underworld, groaning in sheer exhaustion with the effort it took just to remain conscious. Eventually, he gave up trying and lay quietly, waiting for Hades to speak to him.
"Well, you sure lose your potty-mouth when you aren't encouraged into blinding rage by a Fury. This means that I can actually talk to you." Hades smiled cruelly and tapped his fingers together. "You must be wondering why you are still alive down here. You know, with the loss of a hand and all that, right?"
Slowly, Cloud nodded, only vaguely aware of the words that danced over his pain-clouded mind. The edges of his vision began to darken around him, his eyes slowly closing.
Hades chuckled. "That's an excellent question, despite the fact that you didn't really ask it...Anyway, you're a pretty good-looking kid. Not only that, but you seem pretty reasonable at swinging around that large chuck of metal you call a sword. So, because you are not in the frame of mind to resist me, why don't we make a bit of a deal for your freedom, hm?" Hades took a few steps forward and nudged the remnants of the blonde's boot to make sure that he was still awake. When the blonde failed to respond, he sighed in frustration and shook his head. "What I need to do to actually find good help around here...Panic! Pain! Get in here!"
Hades inspected his finger nails for a few seconds before looking up as the short green demon slipped inside. He rolled his eyes when the little winged demon was not followed. "Where is Pain?"
"Um...well, you see...um..." Panic stuttered before finally falling silent.
Hades had to resist the urge to strangle the little beast if only for his own amusement. "Alright, alright, never mind where Pain is. You are good enough...let's hope." He grabbed one of the little demon's wings and thrust it out in the unconscious blonde's direction. "See him?" He shook Panic when he received no response until the slender demon nodded its head vigorously. "Good, now I want him alive and in better health than I will leave him in, meaning conscious and not bleeding all over my floors, meaning....?"
Panic looked between the blonde on the floor and Hades behind him. "Um...you want me to...uh?" When Hades' hair began to shift to a red colour, Panic quickly floundered for something to actually say. "Clean him up, make him all better? You want me to play doctor?"
Hades forced himself to take deep breaths and not explode in anger. "No, you will not be playing doctor. You will be a doctor. I want this one alive long enough for me to make a deal with him and, for me to make a deal with him, he has to be awake. You had better make him well enough to wake up, got it?"
"Right, boss! I'm onto it like Furies on a sinner!" Panic allowed a toothy grin to spread across its features, resisting the urge to chuckle at its own simile. It quickly noted that Hades did not share its mirth. "All clear, boss. He'll be good as new."
Hades released his hold on the lithe demon, rolling his eyes as Panic managed to fall helplessly to the floor. "All I ask is good help...and THIS is all I get. Why? What have I done to deserve this...well, aside from making several attempts against that dolt Hercules and trying to over-throw Zeus...I mean, aside from that, what have I done?"
Panic dusted itself off and lifted a finger in the air. "There was the whole 'allying with the darkness and attempting to take over the world through the use of the Heartless' thingy."
"Well...that too." Hades chuckled and brushed his hands over his robes, amused with his plans. He looked down at Panic and edged a foot towards the creature, an indication that it should get to work fixing up the unconscious blonde. "Oh and Panic?" The creature looked up at him innocently. "We all know the penalty for failure, right? I need not remind you that I will destroy you if you fail to save him. It will take too much time and energy to think of a reason to bring his soul back so...don't fail, for your own sake." He flashed his own toothy grin to insinuate his point.
Panic swallowed the quickly gathering lump in its throat, nodding resolutely before scurrying towards the spiky blonde. It set to work immediately, if only to assure itself that Hades was not going to destroy it if it put in enough effort in at the task at hand.
Hades left the cell as soon as his point was made, walking back up the darkened pathway until he reached the intersection of the three main hallways, stopping to think about what he could do now that Cloud would be out of it for a while. He crossed his arms across his chest and tapped his fingers on his arm, shifting around stray thoughts. He really did not have to wait long for more pressing matters to turn up as Pain came crashing down from the direction of his throne room, whimpering uselessly. Hades rolled his eyes and shook his head, again wondering why he couldn't just have his way for once.
"Where have you been? I did call you awhile back, and you failed to show up. I am not pleased with you...again!" Hades stooped to seize the pudgy demon, stopping when he noted the various bruises and odd cut marks on the maroon demon's hide. He slowly stood again. "What the hell happened to you? No one is allowed to beat on you except me."
Pain staggered to its feet, grabbing hold of its tail nervously. Its gaze shifted around the shadows as it bit down on its lip before looking up at Hades again when it thought that the coast was clear. "Um...you see...there's this...guy in your throne room. He insists on seeing you and...well, he kind of chased me out when I refused...Uh...you gonna see him? He said he'd rend me if you didn't see him."
Hades quirked an eyebrow. "And I would be so upset by that..." He sighed and looked around his corridors before looking back down at Pain. "Well, where is he? What did he look like?"
"Uh...tall, wears a lot of black, big sword...?" Pain noted Hades' unimpressed look and scrambled for more details about the mysterious man. "Well, he was hiding in the shadows and uh... Hey, he had glowing aqua eyes and...I think silverish hair. Looked kind of pissed...Real serious guy..." Pain stopped when Hades began to tap a foot on the floor impatiently. "That's all."
"Well, that's just swell. You named like twenty different gods and demons! I swear!" Hades let his curses die away as he turned on his heel and walked away from the cowering demon. He was now thinking that keeping the blonde around would be one of the best ideas that he had had because everyone else in his realm was almost completely useless.
He reluctantly went to his throne room, wanting to be rid of the small problem that had seemed to have popped up. He threw the massive doors open, smirking when they crashed into the equally deep walls of ebony. Senseless violence never felt so good. Still, he stepped into his throne room, yellowed gaze shifting around the massive room.
His throne room was sparely decorated. The room was massive in its appearance, yet all the same, very boring to look at. The dark walls stretched around him until the mist that covered the floor consumed the walls themselves, only the nearby tabards of his reign escaping the grasping wispy grey tendrils. His throne, insignificant when compared to the size of the room, perched on an uprising of the floor. It had intricate designs of skeletons etched into the smooth endless blackness that it held within it. Only his lone blue silk pillow gave any colour to the room. The large chandelier held blue flame that burned endlessly and seemed to make the mists dance to a morbid tune as they shifted around him.
He approached his throne, intent on resting himself on his pillow until his uninvited guest decided to show up. How he hated having visitors. He sat quietly, staring out around his room until he heard footsteps off to his left, gaze shifting to meet the burning depths of glowing aqua eyes. He sighed in slight disinterest and rested his cheek on his hand, looking this intruder over intently despite his outward lack of concern.
Just as Pain had expressed, this man wore more black than was needed, fine leather encasing a sturdy build of a warrior. The shoulder pads secured the material and only enhanced the dominant presence along with the crimson trim along portions of the fine leather. The man appeared to be in his last twenties, yet his face did not show any sign of age beyond twenty-five. The penetrating aqua gaze swirled with stony resoluteness and control, only a few emotions shifting the colour vaguely. Long silver hair trailed down the man's back, moving as feathers would in a soft breeze. In fact, the black wing tucked securely against the man's right shoulder was barely noticeable in this dank place, but it easily indicated that this man was no wandering soul who just happened to drop by for a visit. It was quickly noted the sword at the man's side that shifted in and out of view with each of his calm steps. The air of a finely-tuned warrior shifted the mists away from him, an obvious superiority complex raging through Hades' dead hall.
Hades took the man's appearance in with a single glance, missing nothing that could cause him danger or the like, not that he was really worried. He merely sat comfortably on his pillow until the silver-haired man stood in front of him, noting the relaxed position the man took. It appeared this man was cocky too, something Hades could always use against a victim. He sighed and sat a bit taller when their gazes met on equal terms. "I am to assume that it was you who attacked one of my...faithful subjects and attempted to force your way into my court?"
Sephiroth shifted in his place, turning himself to give Hades a nice silhouette of his features, wishing to get right down to business, not idle chit-chat. "You have something of mine. I intend to get it back so drop the act and let's talk business."
Hades blinked and sighed. "Wow, that was a great opener. Tell me, do you write them yourself?"
"Give me what I want, and you shall find out." Sephiroth replied coolly, his thumb running fondly over the hilt of his massive blade, Masamune. He was not in a mood to play around with the God of the Underworld, or anyone else for that matter.
Hades forced himself to his feet and folded his hands behind his back. He seemed to recognize this man from somewhere; however, the time and the place had long been forgotten in his mind. Perhaps he had employed this man at one time. He let the subject drop until he had time to ponder more about them, instead turning his attention fully of the gruff man. "Well, give me your name, and I might consider finding the time to converse with you."
Sephiroth glanced at the god out of the corner of his eye before finally nodding to himself. He turned to face Hades fully, feeling his coat swirl out around him. "You may call me Sephiroth. I served the Royal Guards under the reign of Ansem in his court, but that was so long ago that it no longer matters."
Hades felt the information slap him like a bucket of cool water, a grin spreading across his features. "Oh you. I remember you." He stepped down from his pedestal to walk around the silver-haired warrior, inspecting him a bit more closely. "I seem to remember making a deal with you so that you would stop eating all of the other spirits. I thought I sent you away to wallow in whatever hole you dropped yourself into." Hades felt a grin spread across his face as he took a step towards the silver-haired man, wrapping an arm around the warrior's shoulders. "So, how have you been? Life treating you well again?"
Sephiroth raised a hand and brushed Hades' hand off of his shoulder, taking a step away from the god to face him once more. "You have a possession of mine that I want back, now." He watched Hades raise a skeptical eyebrow in his direction and placed a smirk of his own across his features. "Give me what I want, and I won't rend your followers."
"And tell me, deary Sephy...you don't mind me calling you that?" Hades did not wait for a reply, already knowing the answer quite clearly. He carried on as if Sephiroth had agreed to his question. "What is it you want, from little ol' me?" He walked back up to his throne and flopped down again. "You see, charging around my realm, threatening my followers, demanding to see me then demanding something that you apparently want...well, it's bad business, especially after I twisted the rules to bring you back from the dead. Let's face it; you aren't in any position to be making any sort of demands on me." Hades watched the silver-haired man shifted to regard him fully again. "But, for the benefit of this entire empty court, tell me what it is you desire of mine."
"Cloud." Sephiroth response was firm and undenying in its intent. He decided that he should probably elaborate on his demand. "He's mine. I want him back, now."
Hades blinked several times, not really expecting that kind of request. He leaned back in his chair and made as if he were scrutinizing the man's sanity. He eventually settled back into his lax position. "Well, I don't see your name on him. Besides, he was the one who wandered into my realm so as far as I'm concerned, he's fair game."
Sephiroth's eyes flashed dangerously and his nearest hand settled over Masamune's firm hilt. He was not in the mood to argue with anyone for something that he had already set his claim over, and he was not one to allow any of his possessions to escape his attention for very long, especially not Cloud. "He's my property." He insisted more firmly.
Hades quickly noted that Sephiroth was not actually joking. He again leaned far back in his chair, except this time, he called up a contract, one that he had made quite some time ago. He inspected its contents before smirking again, tossing the dirty piece of paper off to one side as he regarded the silver-haired warrior. "I can't do that, Sephy-boy. As your contract says, you have no hold over anything in the Underworld and, interestingly enough, you are not to return to it for so long as you have two legs to stand on and a living body beneath you. Technically, you have already breached the contract, meaning that I *could* recall everything that I have ever done for you. Please take note of this and leave while you have the chance."
Sephiroth remained where he was, not impressed at all at Hades' threats against him. He instead took a step forward, calm and confident as always. He noted how Hades shifted to regard him more sombrely. "If that is true, why don't we renegotiate it? I have the time, and you are in need of real help in your pitiful little realm. I'm sure that we can come to an understanding that does not end with you losing some of your dignity." He stopped when his boots met with the beginnings of the upright, his hardened gaze squarely on Hades.
Hades had trouble holding in his snickering, all too amused by this turn of events. Maybe his luck was turning around for once, though he would never admit such out loud. "You want to renegotiate?" When the silver-haired man nodded soberly, he burst into amused laughter, slapping the arm of his stone chair. "Oh, that's a good one! I haven't laughed this hard since Demeter got all pissy with me for *taking* her daughter. Oh, you crack me up, Seph!"
"Very well." Sephiroth turned and began to walk away, not interested in such games. He managed to get half-way across the room before Hades stopped laughing and called him again. He slowly turned to regard the god. "If you will not give me what I want, then I will take it for myself by brute force. Hand over Cloud, renegotiate my contract, or face me killing everything in sight and walking out of your realm with Cloud over one of my shoulders."
"Geez, you don't have a joking bone in your body. And I thought that Cloud was a stiff." Hades rolled his eyes and folded his hands across his lap. "Fine, fine, amuse me with your ideas of renegotiation. If I like your terms, then I might consider it."
Sephiroth smirked and walked slowly back to the edge of the uprising. He shifted himself to lean on his sword, gaze moving to fix on the God of the Underworld. "I will offer you my skills to plunder the worlds as you please, and I get Cloud."
Hades raised an eyebrow. "You certainly have a one-track mind. What is this kid, your lover or something?"
"My possession. He is my property, an object of my affection that I enjoy watching." Sephiroth looked down at his gloved hand, wiggling his fingers as if it were the most exciting task that he had ever done. A cruel smirk pulled at his lips. "He is the only creature in this world that could kill me. He has always resisted the change of the world and struggled for his own identity of being the best in a land where no one could outclass me. I suppose you could say that he is free, like a bird if you will. I wish to clip that little bird's wings and keep him for myself, locked in a cage of my choosing." Sephiroth looked at Hades again. "He is mine. You hold no claim over him as I do. I understand all of his workings, his desires, his darkest secrets. I have studied him for long years, making movements to cage him...Then you came along and stole him from me."
"You know, I really have to hire the guy that writes your speeches. Whoever he is, I want him!" Hades smirked and smoothed back his hair. "But, I see your rather abstract point. So here is what I'm going to do for you. I will make a deal with you, and we can both be happy! Sound good?"
Sephiroth silently nodded, pleased with this turn of events. He slowly closed his eyes and sighed heavily, as if a sudden weight had been lifted from his chest. His claim over the blonde would continue to reign for some time.
Hades stood up and paced in front of the silver-haired man, his mind thinking up ways of getting all that he wanted and much more. He was a master at tricking people, often using a play on words or pranks to get his way. He doubted that this man would be any different from the multitudes who had decided to make a deal with him. He quickly decided on his plan of action, stopping when he was standing in front of Sephiroth. "Right, I think I have something that will make us both happy little campers. What do you say to...you lending your skills and loyalty to me, getting a place to stay down here, and plenty of heartless to test your skills on until I find an unsuspecting itch in my side to release you on. Sounds great, right?"
"I believe you forgot about the part where I get Cloud." Sephiroth crossed his arms across his muscled chest, glaring at the god in front of him.
"Right, the spiky kid!" Hades tapped his finger together for a few seconds before dropping off into another tangent. "Tell me, is his hair naturally like that?"
Sephiroth clenched his jaw and let out a long breath. "Stop prattling!"
"Hey, I just wanted to know!" Hades shot back.
Sephiroth really couldn't believe that he was being forced to speak so childishly over his possession. He was displeased with this and his patience was wearing thin very quickly. Still, he set his shoulders straighter and nodded stiffly. "Completely natural."
Hades nodded almost happily to the information, grinning widely. He finally flopped back down into his throne and sighed comfortably. "So you want blondy, do you? Alright, you can have him; however, you may not speak a word that he can hear or place anything in regards to yourself under his touch until my contract with him is up. If you do, you will lose any rights to him what so ever, and he will remain my servant for all of time to do as I wish with him until death throws him in my soul pond. Got it?"
Sephiroth stood pondering for a long while, his mind playing over all meaning of the phrasing that was set down before him. There were parts that he did not particularly like, especially the ones where he could have no physical control over Cloud nor be able to torment the blonde into action. Still, he knew that two could play the word game. "Very well, but should any creature, man or beast, make any attempts against his life or stability, I am allowed to intervene and do with them whatever I wish. And, should Cloud find me on his own, all requirements of our contract that do not allow me to communicate with him are null and void."
It was Hades' turn to ponder for a few minutes before he finally nodded and created a contract, sealing the terms of their deal. He handed the cream coloured paper to Sephiroth, allowing the silver-haired man to read it over and sign it. He grinned madly when Sephiroth nodded and signed it without a word. "Well, welcome to the family! Let's hope you enjoy your stay. Please, take your time to acquaint yourself with your surroundings."
Sephiroth snorted in agitation and teleported away, intent on getting his first glimpses of his property. He may not be able to speak or touch the blonde, but watching was enough to suit his tastes for now. He had time to fulfill all that he wanted, even if it took overthrowing Hades to do it.
Hades sat back in his sat and looked at the contract in his hands. "One contract down, one to go. That blonde brat will be mine by the end of tomorrow. Then Hercules will be in for the biggest surprise of his life."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Wow, I bit longer than I had intended, but I suppose that is okay. I guess I just love writing Hades. I get right into his character, and he makes me laugh. Despite my like for writing Hades, most of the chapters from here on it will be more about Cloud and his point of view, or at least, so I am aiming for.
Okay, for those that were a bit confused about a few names or such, here is the low down on some of those characters that Hades mentioned:
Hera: Wife of Zeus who tends to get kind of pissy when Zeus can't keep it in his robes and often curses the women and their children who are produced.
Demeter: Goddess of the Earth and Harvest. Her daughter, Persephone, was abducted by Hades and became his wife in Greek myth. Demeter wasn't very happy about that event and threw a bit of a fit.