Chapter Eleven

"I spy with my little eye... something black."

"The wall." Seth snapped impatiently. I shrugged it off and slumped back as Seth covered his face with his hand. He sat against the wall across from me, knees drawn up and his elbow resting on top. It'd been two days since he stopped deciding to kill me. It was stunning to see how quickly Seth had adjusted to my presence with him in the cell. Mictlan was ever calm in one corner, having carved an entire hole in the wall until he'd hit the barrier, and yet he still dug holes all over the cell. Lucifer had resorted to an oath of silence, sitting beside me as he stared at the floor intensely.

He was intent on finding a way out, while the rest of us had given up a while ago. We lost track of the exact number of days we'd spent in the cell. It was well over three weeks now.

"You think they'll ever send something in here for us to eat?" Seth asked after a while, reaching down to clutch at his belly, which had been making obnoxious growling and grunting sounds for the past couple days. Of course, it'd become a symphony after the rest of us began to get hunger pains.

"I don't want to think about food." Mictlan muttered bitterly, glancing at the foul crevice in the room we'd used as a latrine. Nobody looked over at it, just stared at the floor as that one comment managed to crush our want for food.

"This place is a cesspool." Seth seethed at last. I scoffed.

"Of course it is. It was a prison for the Titans. I was told to torture them for eternity. What were you expecting bunnies and flowers?" I asked dryly. Seth narrowed his eyes, unamused before I sat back against the wall and looked over at Lucifer.

"Your turn." I said. Lucifer snapped out of his thoughts, blinking a few times before he frowned at me.

"What?"

"I spy. Or is it eye spy?" I asked, looking at Seth, who scowled.

"I don't know. I don't particularly care. I curse the bastard who came up with the game. It's irritating and you're driving me nuts. Everything you spy is either shit or wall."

"Fine, I spy an asshole." I mocked. Seth twitched and started to get up, but Mictlan chucked a rock at his ankle so the Egyptian could turn on him with a menacingly glare. Mictlan said nothing, just went back to picking at the dirt of the cell. Seth rolled his eyes and looked away, giving up on coming after me again. He was too weak with hunger anyway.

We all were. Worst of all was that I'd never noticed how cold it was down here before. There was a chill, and occasionally a cold wind would sweep up from the gaping whole at the center of the room outside the cells. There used to be a large pillar there, but the Titans must have destroyed it on their way out, allowing for a cold chill to sweep through the room, which had been a bit humid and hot when we first arrived. Now it was cold and every so often, Seth would shudder at the cold and scrunch himself up into a ball.

I hadn't said anything, but I was beginning to feel ill. My stomach churned with hunger pains and nausea, but there was nothing to vomit, so I saved dry heaves for when the others were asleep. My head felt heavy and hot, a fever ravishing my body. Thankfully, it was too dark in the cell for the others to notice the way my face had reddened from the fever. My night vision was fading each day, so I was left in the dim dreariness of the cell. Everything ached and no matter how much I coiled myself up, I was still wracked with chills.

I couldn't remember the last time I felt this awful.

It'd been far too long.

Looking around the cell, I noticed the others weren't too as well either. Seth was already feeling chills and hunger pains. He mostly slept and bitched, slept and bitched. It was an obnoxious routine. Mictlan only dug holes, slept, murmured lullabies in his strange language, and tried to start decent conversations that no one wanted to parttake in. Lucifer just sat in silence, thinking so hard that I'm surprised his brain didn't explode. But they, like Seth and myself, were growing ill and weak.

In no time, we would become what the Titans were.

Broken and corpse-y.

Joy.

"We can't sit here and do nothing," Lucifer said suddenly, angry that all we'd been doing is bickering and playing stupid games to pass the time, "Hades, you're intelligent--"

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Then why aren't you trying to come up with ways to escape?"

"Because I'm smart enough to know when to give up."

"Then maybe I misinterpreted your intelligence," Lucifer replied angrily, making me roll my eyes and slump back on my side so I could rest my head on the cold floor to relieve my fever, "We have people out there who are depending on us and we're in here, rotting and playing stupid children's games. We need to do something about this. There has to be a way to escape."

"Sure," I said sarcastically, sitting up to pin him with a glare, "If one of our dead sons comes in here and opens the doors, but oh wait. They're dead." I dropped myself back down on the floor, saying nothing as I glared straight ahead. Lucifer made a noise of distress and seemed to once again back off, mostly because I think he wanted to resist the urge to kill me. So I let him go back to his brooding while I went back to my own.

It wasn't long after that that my fever was making me dream and remember things I didn't want to remember. Images from the past, short clips in between, swallowed me until I felt like I was no longer in the cell rotting away, but watching my life steadily flash before my eyes and I loathed every second of it. I suddenly wanted to be back in that cell, not in this reel of life.

One moment I was in the cell, and in the next moment, I was remember Zeus's rescue of my siblings and I. I remembered the way he poisoned Cronus and he vomited us from the realm of his stomach. We'd been soaked and tired, and Zeus knew that. He didn't keep us around to fight Cronus, who was still vomiting uncontrollably. Zeus took us away to the mortal realm, in the mountains of Greece. He'd taken us to the villa he'd been using during the years he had been hidden away with nymphs from Cronus's ever watchful eyes.

We hadn't said a word to each other during the rescue, even upon arrival. We were just teenagers, though, because we were gods, we appeared as adults. Hera was weak and delicate, very slender with her rusty brown curls were sloppily done up out of her hazel eyes, and she wore a fresh white chiton that Zeus had given her from one of the nymphs. He'd given the same thing to Hestia and Demeter. Hestia was the smallest of us, petite and beautiful with a heart shaped face with large orange-gold eyes and chocolate brown hair she'd cut very short in a pixie style, very new and not very much appreciated by the typical men of that time, but no one could tell her otherwise. She was a goddess, and though the peace-maker of us, she still had a temper if someone tried to lay into her. Demeter was similar in personality, but much taller than both Hera and Hestia. Her brown curls were fat and pulled tight back from her face in a high ponytail to expose her mild widow's peak and gold eyes.

Poseidon was the tallest of us, towering over seven feet of solid raw muscle with long brown highlighted hair that fell to his shoulders in waves, his sea-green eyes snapping with fire. Zeus had lent him a deep navy tunic that barely fit him. Zeus had given me a white tunic that was maybe just a bit too large, because at the time, I'd been smaller. My hair much longer and wavier.

Zeus was about my size, if not an inch or two taller and by far more muscular as he had more time to prepare himself during the years he had freedom. He wore an expensive white tunic trimmed with purple and gold and leather sandals that wrapped in an intricate knot design all the way to his knees. He'd definitely done well in taking care of himself, or rather, having the nymphs do it.

"Who are you?" Hera had asked first once we were sure we were safe and inside the villa sitting around a marble table set up in a room surrounded by tall white columns, allowing us to look out in the mountains around us, watching nymphs flutter and dance about their daily business.

"Zeus," Zeus had answered us, making us frown at him, "I am your youngest brother. Rhea told me what had been done and I spent all these years training and preparing myself to rescue you. Now that I have done so, we can take Olympus." Poseidon snorted, sitting back in his seat and making Zeus cut him an unamused glare.

"You must truly be the youngest to make such a preposterious suggestion. Take Olympus? We just barely escape Cronus alive. I don't know about you, but I'm going to enjoy a long soak in a hot tub with some nymphs." To further show his interest in such a plan, his eyes followed a female nymph, who was giggling at him flirtatiously before she disappeared. Poseidon ran his tongue across his bottom lip and Zeus rolled his eyes.

"You will have nymphs a plenty if you join in the fight against the Titans." He urged.

"I agree with Zeus," Demeter spoke up suddenly, her gold eyes flashing angrily, "Well, not on the nymph part, but the destroying Titan part is very appealing. Those traitors ruined our lives. They didn't care for us as parents should. They tried to destroy us, because they fear us. They fear us for a reason. We are prophesized to be the most powerful age of gods in all of Greece." Hera nodded eagerly at the idea, sitting up.

"She's right. I heard the nymphs whispering as we arrived. We are to be greater than the Titans are now. We could bring peace and harmony to Greece and her people. We could live on Olympus. Olympus! Imagine all the glory and servants and oh, a warm bed to sleep in, fresh food." Zeus smiled at her.

"Of course. No longer will you have to scrounge helplessly. You are gods. We are gods. If we take Olympus, you will have more than just a warm bed, food, bathes, and servants. You will have the worship and love of all Greece and maybe beyond! We cannot sit by and let the Titans herd the world into a corner and we cannot let them get away with what they've done. A mother is to care for her child, a father to train his child, but they've done neither. They've cast you out due to fear, and fear we shall inspire if we take up arms and fight them." He insisted. Hera and Demeter were visibly excited by Zeus's speech. Poseidon seemed to consider it now, so it was up to them to convince Hestia and I.

"What do you think of Zeus?" Hestia asked me after we'd gone off on our own to wander the column lined halls of the villa that sat perched on a ledge of the mountains, surrounded by thick green forest and there was even a bathing pool for us to clean off in. It was luxery compared to our earlier prison.

"He's... spry," I admitted to her, walking along the hall, the only sound from trickling water in the bathing pool nearby and her long chiton train trailing softly across the floor behind her, "Honestly, a little intimidating." Hestia nodded grimly, folding her arms over her chest as she scanned our surroundings.

"I see his point, I do... But something churns my stomach about all of this." She murmured. I frowned.

"It's not like you to worry often, even when we were imprisoned. Are you all right?"

"Yes, maybe I'm just overthinking things. On one hand, I see Zeus's point. We ought to take back what rightfully belongs to us, to improve the lives of the people, to bring about an age of change and glory. We are the next generation... And yet, we just escaped the clutches of the Titans. What if we don't win the battle? What if we are returned right back to where we started?"

"I understand," I agreed, "It's a difficult decision, but... I have faith in Zeus. He lasted this long and managed to trick Cronus into ingesting the poison. Maybe he can lead us through a battle against the Titans. Maybe we can gather allies. Surely not everyone loves the Titans." Hestia's face brightened at that.

"Excellent idea! What of the Cyclops? I hear they're not particularly fond of the Titans. And they're forgers as well. They could forge weaponry!" She exclaimed. I remembered being excited about the idea. Hestia and I had gone to find Zeus to voice our plans, which were immediately accepted.

"An excellent idea," Zeus agreed after Hestia had gone off to give the rest of our siblings the news, "Did you come up with that on your own?" I shook my head, watching him pour wine into two goblets before handing me one. I took one with a frown, peering into it and Zeus gave me a smirk.

"It is a drink, brother. Drink. We'll celebrate a job well done. I applaude you for coming up with the idea."

"Hestia assisted."

"Well, she's a woman," Zeus chuckled, taking a deep swig of his wine, "I'm sure she just played off your idea. They're always trying to impress men." I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I had never particularly paid attention to such things. It had only been my siblings and I trapped and we'd struggled to reach common ground in order to survive.

"Don't let her hear you say that," I told her flatly, "She'll probably set your loins on fire. Literally." Zeus laughed, finishing his wine before approaching me, scanning me from head to toe.

"You're quite thin, Hades. If you wish to battle, you will have to train."

"I don't understand."

"You're my brother," Zeus said warmly, "I saved you and I will protect you. That is my job. Come, let us train for the battle of the ages." Zeus had spent weeks training me, and my siblings. He'd carved swords from trees and taught us to use them, taught us to fight and to defend, to launch attacks, to ride horses. It had been exciting, mind-boggling, and amazing. We'd learned things we'd never thought we'd learn in a million years. We'd contacted all enemies of the Titans, befriended them, and as thanks for our consideration in them, they created our weapons. They forged Zeus's many bolts of lightening that pulsed white hot with power. They created Poseidon's almighty triton, sharp enough to slice through bone, could summon the seas, and create trenches in the earth. Then they created my helm. As black as night, it was designed with the strongest of elements and gave the wearer the ability to move so quickly that it was as if they were invisible.

Back then, we'd been invincible. We were a force to be reckoned with. We paved a path through the Titans and their army, drenched in blood. The red soaked the battlefields, stained our armor, and stained our pasts. The screams of our enemies as they fell to their knees before us.

And all it took was one mistake, one stupid, stupid mistake.

"Hades?" I scowled, confused as I looked around. Who's voice was that?

"Hades? Shit. I think he's hallucinating." Oh, that was Lucifer's voice. Who died and made him the doctor? Last I checked, I was the one with extensive people cutting skills. I said nothing as I blinked out of the strange memory I'd been sucked into. I was back in the dark cell with Lucifer leaning over top of me, feeling my forehead and brushing the hair back from my face as he called Seth over to help him diagnose me, as if they had the authority to do such a thing.

"Get your hand off me." I growled, making Lucifer withdraw his hand with a sigh of relief.

"Don't do that," Lucifer scolded, "We thought..."

"What? I was dying? If that were the case, I'd really be pissed. Get away from me." I grumbled, smacking Seth's hand back. Seth just made a rude noise and scooted back while Mictlan just shook his head. I slowly sat up, feeling dizzy and nauseous. But I could do nothing about it, so I sat against the wall as Lucifer studied me in concern.

"You're getting sick." Lucifer announced. I rolled my eyes.

"Obviously. I've been sick."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Oh, sorry," I said dryly, "I didn't think you had some DayQuil. Mind sharing some?" Lucifer rolled his eyes and sat back against the wall beside me, knees drawn up and arm laid across them while he wiped a hand down his face in distress. Seth glared at me pointedly, his arms folded over his chest.

"This never would have happened if you hadn't of stupidly gone in here." He sneered. I rolled my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose as his voice grated on my last nerves.

"Get off my back. How was I supposed to know she'd fuck me over and trap all of us here?" I grunted in irritation, leaning back against the wall to stare down at my chewed up fingernails, grimacing in disgust. Who knew I'd pick up such a disgusting habit in a short amount of time? I shuddered in revulsion and tucked my hands into my armpits to keep from biting at them again.

"They did it to you once, didn't they?" Lucifer asked bitterly, running a hand through his hair. I shot him a dirty look and gave him my middle finger, which only made him return with a menacing glower that dared me to keep pushing his buttons.

"You know," I began heatedly, "Just because you're the almight Satan doesn't make you better than anyone."

"Actually," Mictlan spoke up, making me glare at him as he braided a lock of his hair down the side of his head, "It does. More mortals worship him than they do you. Even the Christians who claim to follow God believe in Lucifer one way or another and fuel him."

"I'm sorry," I sneered, "Were we talking to you?" Mictlan shrugged, but didn't miss giving me a withering stare with piercing dark eyes.

"No, but I wasn't talking to you before, and somehow I still ended up rotting in one of your cells." He answered, voice thick with malice. I opened my mouth to comment, thought better of it, and just shook my head and covered my face with a hand. We were silent for a long time, and I had begun to drift off to sleep when Lucifer shook my shoulder and I cut him a glare that he swiftly ignored.

"Stay awake," He urged, "We can't have you drifting into a coma. You have a head injury and a fever. You're hallucinating."

"I'm fine." I said tightly, shrugging off his hand and leaning over to close my eyes, but Lucifer grabbed my face.

"Stay awake." He commanded. I glared at him and tried to break away, but I was too weak, so he held my face and smacked it every time I started to drift off.

"I hate you." I seethed. Lucifer nodded.

"Yes, I've heard that before." He replied. I rolled my eyes. He finally let go of me when he was sure I wouldn't fall asleep. It pissed me off to watch Seth and Mictlan sleep while Lucifer kept smacking me or pinching me to keep me awake. My head was throbbing in unbelievable pain and I was feeling dizzy.

"I don't feel good," I said through clenched teeth, "Let me sleep."

"No," Lucifer said gently now, "We need you."

"That's a first." I grunted. Lucifer frowned. Neither of us said anything for a while. We sat in silence, listening to the coughs and groans and bitching from the other cells. I swore I heard Coyote somewhere in here trying to make casual conversation and several people urging him to shut up. I rolled my eyes and rested my forehead against my arm across my knees.

"Don't fall asleep." Lucifer said quietly.

"I'm not fucking sleeping." I seethed. Lucifer didn't reply to that. Another long moment of silence before Lucifer spoke.

"Why do they call you a harlot?" He asked. I stiffened for a split second before smirking. Of course he'd listen to rumors. Why wouldn't he? Everyone listened to rumors. If you knew nothing about someone, and all you had to go on were the whispers around you, what other choice did you have? Lucifer was just the only idiot who would ever ask me such a stupid question.

"Maybe I am." I replied after a while, wishing he'd just leave me alone. Lucifer frowned.

"You don't act like it. You responded negatively to Micheal's advance."

"Which reminds me. Are all of you archangels nosy little bastards, or is that just you and Michael?" I asked, raking him with a disgusted sneer before looking away. Lucifer wasn't the least bit offended. He just looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What about the soul that you wanted to take back with you? Who was he?"

"Now he was a whore."

"You wanted to bring a prostitute back? You must have really cared about him."

"Like hell," I scoffed, "I don't really give a shit." Lucifer looked doubtful, but we were done discussing for the day. I had a splitting headache, and when Lucifer finally fell asleep, I sighed in relief and passed out on my own as well.