I was back on the Denali. The battle between god and Titan was still raging. The Denali, once covered in ice, was now ablaze in flames so intense they were searing my skin even in a dream, the ground quaking as they clashed.
Athena and Zeus jumped back as if they still couldn't register that Atlas had been revived. Or perhaps, and more likely, they were terrified. I had the distinct honor of seeing the almighty Zeus gulp.
There was also Hyperion, who was on par with Athena, and Leto, who set her sights on Zeus, grinning.
They were too fast for me to see, but I somehow knew how the battle was playing out. While Leto did initially have the momentum, it wasn't enough. She would have died if Krios hadn't saved her.
Everything turned black as I was violently flung into the air.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in Hades's palace. The dark, labyrinthine corridors were filled with the soft glow of torches, casting eerie shadows. I walked around the winding stairs, the endless array of doors, seeing the various nymphs and monsters that worked there.
I wound up at Persephone's throne again. She and her husband stood next to it, with Melinoe by their side. I couldn't hear them, so I walked closer until Melinoe saw me.
Melinoe, unlike her mother, is more welcoming of my presence. I can even say we're even friendly to each other. I stayed at the palace for part of the summer with Helen, and we bonded.
But beware. While Melinoe appears as a short, delicate young woman with many similarities to her mother and plenty of assurances that she's "delicate," she isn't. Melinoe is a scary nymph. She can bring terrible nightmares or madness to anyone she chooses. And she can take any form she wants to, so don't believe she's too frail to be a threat. She's a monster from hell but otherwise a nice person.
Melinoe glanced at her parents, and while they weren't looking, she helped me get behind her mother's throne. I grabbed her hand and turned invisible and visible again once I let go.
"What are you doing here?" She grinned. "Missed me in your sleep?"
"No," I laughed. "I had enough nightmares with you. It seems someone out there in the world believes I shouldn't miss this conversation with your parents. So here I am."
"Well, Father has made himself clear. I'm guessing Kronos wants to send you here to see what Hades has decided."
"And what exactly has he decided?"
"To join the Titans in their oh-so-great crusade against the gods."
"Melinoe!"
Hades's voice boomed across the room, making the ground vibrate. Melinoe whispered for me to be a good boy as she went to her father. "What is it?"
"Before the war starts, there's something I'd like to give you." He clapped his hands, and a ten-foot-long spear appeared. Red runic inscriptions swirled around it, exuding power. "A fine weapon crafted by our blacksmiths, just for you. Put it to good use."
Melinoe's eyes widened in awe and perhaps a touch of fear. "So, you're finally giving me a real weapon." Melinoe hugged her spear tightly, smiling. "It's wonderful."
Hades nodded. "We're entering a war. The swords you usually use won't suffice in a battle against our family. And, today is your birthday, so consider it a present."
Melinoe embraced Hades as he ruffled her hair and turned to Persephone.
"Hopefully, you haven't forgotten about your own wife?"
Hades shook his head. "Of course not, dear." Hades whistled, and Furies appeared by his side, bowing their heads respectfully. They opened their hands, and Hades took what was in them.
Persephone frowned. "You give our daughter a spear, but a staff to me? Am I too old to fight now?"
"Not at all. The staff is powerful on its own. It will enhance your abilities, particularly your necromancy. But there's more."
Hades took a ring from one of the Furies and placed it on Persephone's finger. "If you haven't forgotten, today marks a millennium since we've married. And the day we swear allegiance to Kronos. We may die because of that." Hades then placed a pale, translucent flower in her hair. "Although I prefer we don't part with death. I've blessed this asphodel rose myself, and now a little bit of my power is with you. Hopefully, it can protect you when you need it. Finally..."
Hades presented Persephone with a sheathed sword. "A version of this sword was made for Yiannis. However, his is significantly watered down. A mortal couldn't handle such a powerful weapon, one that can slay Zeus himself." Persephone unsheathed the blade, and a black whirlpool soon covered everything.
The energy that was unleashed was overwhelming. I'd easily been absorbed by it. Thankfully, Persephone was a goddess and a powerhouse too. She controlled the power flawlessly, and the sword calmed down as she rubbed her fingers across it.
"It's beautiful..."
Persephone placed the sword on her hip. "Hades, you knew Yiannis was using you. Yet, you gave him something like this. Why?"
"Because he did us many favors."
"I suppose. If Yiannis hadn't intervened and killed Apate, a war might have broken out against the gods. All of them would have sided against us for stealing Zeus's bolt and Poseidon's trident, a crime you never committed."
"And then there was that battle at DGH. Zeus was dealt a mighty blow, losing Ares, Dionysus, and Apollo, and we have thrown Hermes into Tartarus. The Titans have not suffered a single loss."
"Yes, everything has seemingly bent to Kronos's will. But Hades, Yiannis still manipulated you. What happens if Kronos is trying to use you? What happens if he hadn't changed at-"
"Persephone, if Kronos hasn't changed, we could always join the gods. Because Yiannis helped me improve my own standing amongst our family. The gods now see me as an ally. Some trust me even more than Zeus. And that's why he prayed to me that day."
Persephone's eyes widened. "Are you saying that..."
"Yes. Yiannis had already informed me that he was the son of Kronos and told me of his plans in a dream before that assault on DGH. Kronos assured me that there was no need for me to openly side with him. What he wanted was an informant."
"That's...awfully kind of him."
Hades snorted. "How so? If we get caught, then Zeus will certainly throw us into Tartarus. He may even cut us into a thousand pieces."
"Yes, but we can always come up with an excuse. We could always claim that we were under duress. How could they prove that Kronos had not threatened to attack our domain first? Or that the Titans came here in person and forced our hand? You've already left Olympus, so Zeus can't banish you. I don't see anything worse than house arrest for some time, which is how we've basically lived for a long time now. And there's something else."
"Which is?"
"This may be an opportunity to overthrow Zeus himself, if not replace another major god who enjoys far more privileges than you. If you prove your worth, you can continue building your reputation among the gods, which has skyrocketed due to Zeus's failures. If you are a decisive factor in the gods' victory, then Zeus will be pressured by the other gods to elevate your status."
"Yes, with four gods missing, I'm sure he's being pressured already," Hades grinned. "Then I just need to ramp it up some more."
Persephone smirked. "Don't get too ahead of yourself now. While you do that, I'll stay down here."
"Persephone, I could advocate for you too. Imagine the both of us on Olympus!"
"Thank you, Hades. But until there's a new king of the sky, I'll be staying here."
Hades opened his mouth and then decided against speaking his thoughts. "Now I want to stay here too. It's no fun at all if you're not with me."
"I didn't know having fun was a priority in a war," Persephone chuckled. "Someone has to relay information to Kronos in private. With everyone looking at you, I'm not sure you'll ever get an opportunity to do that."
"Can you at least come to Olympus every once in a while."
Persephone smiled. "I'll come up there to chat, if Zeus isn't around."
"Let's hope that happens often."
"How about we hope that Kronos overthrows the gods instead?"
"That too."
And that's what I woke up to. I sat up, scrubbing my eyes.
Elena saw me and wiped food off her mouth. "It's only eight in the morning. Usually, you're asleep until noon."
"I guess I've been getting too many hours that my body can't stand it anymore. How long have you been up?"
"I didn't check the time. Perhaps an hour or two?"
"Did you get any interesting dreams?"
"No, but I'm sure you did."
"This time, yeah." I tried my best to be as informative as possible. There was a lot to cover.
"Hades becoming a spy...even after all that's happened, I'm still shocked he's chosen to betray the gods. He's been loyal to them for thousands of years."
I shrugged. "Zeus did try to frame and start a war with him. And he's had to clean up his mess at DGH. Well, that's how it appears to most people, anyways. It's hard to justify loyalty to Zeus after all that's happened."
"But what about Vittoria? Anything regarding them?"
"No, they weren't in my dreams. Haven't been for a while. We'll have to get out to find out how they're doing it seems."
"But we can't exactly get out of here if we don't know where we're going. On another note, did you see anything else in that dream?"
"No, that was all. But remember what I told you about my previous dream? What are you and Morgan up to?"
Elena turned away from me, saying nothing she pouted her lips.
"Hey, you know what she's referring to, right? Whatever Morgan's planning...it's something. Shouldn't I know about them, especially if they affect our plans?"
Still nothing, but Elena did whisper something. After that, she sighed. "It's complicated, Yiannis. And it's not what you might think it is."
"Morgan said something about trying to seduce someone. What's that about?"
"Well, neither her or me are trying to seduce anyone...although I think she's been off the rails recently..."
Elena kept a level face, but she was clenching her fists. The last time I brought up a dream about Morgan, she was livid. Was there a feud between these two? Or was Elena's position as Queen more precarious than I thought?
"Yiannis, I'm sorry, but I can't talk about it. I hope you'll understand."
I nodded. "Alright, I won't push any further."
"Do you think I'm having an affair behind your back?"
"Are you?"
"No, I'm not."
"I believe you. Really. Otherwise, your secret boyfriend might have been in my dreams too."
Elena allowed a weak smile. "Well, I intend on staying with you," she brought her face to mine, and we shared a brief kiss. "So if I am in your dreams, it'll be you and me."
"Elena, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Can you tell me about your past?"
"Is it because of Morgan?"
"Yes, but you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I also want to know about your connection to Geryon as well."
"Well, how much do you know about me already?"
"You were born into the ruling family, and until Aphrodite placed her curse, there were men on your land. While you ruled, you met Jason and the Argonauts, and well, you asked him to be king after you gave birth to two of his children. After it was found that you saved your father from your people, who killed all the men that cheated on them, you got thrown out. I didn't know anything else until we met Geryon."
"I'm impressed. Most people, if any, don't know about me. But my people didn't just throw me out - they threw me into slavery."
"Geryon taught you how to fight and then threw you into an arena of monsters."
"Yes, until my two dear sons found me and set me free. Afterward, I returned to the Isle of Lemnos."
That threw me off. "Wait, you went back? Why?"
"It's not like I had any other home, Yiannis. And not everyone wanted to see me gone. Initially, I was going to be executed. But some kind sisters convinced the others to change my punishment to slavery, saying I should suffer."
"Not exactly what I'd call kind. Was it the only way to spare your life?"
"They tried to help me escape, but the ones that were with me got killed doing so. Morgan was appointed the new Queen, and she wanted to make an example of me. So she didn't plan to hang me until the next day. But by then, she decided on something else."
"By sisters…were they your actual sisters? Or close friends?"
"Both."
"Were…were you able to see them again?"
Elena nodded. "Yes. And then a brutal war ensued. A great king wished to conquer our island, and we barely drove him off. But we all got out alive."
"You must've played a big role in that victory. I don't see how else you got your throne back."
"Andromeda was the one who advocated sending me into slavery. She was Morgan's general, and after the battle, she swore her loyalty to me. Morgan was forced to acknowledge me as the Queen."
"Otherwise, she wouldn't be alive today. But Morgan still has some influence, doesn't she?"
Elena sighed. "I hate to admit it, but yes. After all, my reputation was still tainted, and I was only Queen because the army was loyal to me. When Andromeda and who you now know as the Amazons became Artemis's huntresses, Morgan filled their former ranks with those loyal to her and divided the army. However, the priests and the nobility supported me, and I was seen as a great warrior. But now that I'm gone, Morgan's the one in charge and she may plan to keep it that way."
"And you're not going to ask for my help? I could knock some sense into Morgan and-"
Elena put a finger on my lip. "I'm aware. But let's not rush. First, we have to get out of this maze. Once we do, I'll let you know when I need help."