"Uncle, why did you not inform me you were back?" Leodocus burst into the room, feeling equal parts high-strung and tense.
"I assumed you would still be resting." Hades had returned from his summons a little while ago but he knew his nephew would be anxious to find out what was spoken between the two great gods.
"And, what did fath--- Zeus want from you? Does he know or suspect anything about—"
"Calm down dear boy, I can hear your heart beating all the way from over here," Hades said as he closed a book he'd been reading and gestured Leo over to him.
"I apologize uncle." Leo sighed as he took a seat opposite his uncle trying to let the tension he felt fall away but to no avail, his anxiety was at an all-time high.
"It's all alright and I'll have you know nothing was said about you. My dear brother just wanted to inform me of the coming festivities for Apollo." Hades explained and it made Leo confused like he was holding something back. Surely one does not simply call the lord of the underworld about a party (which he hardly ever attends) and that to be it. It was too menial, mundane and completely unnecessary.
"But he sent the messenger and Hermes could have easily relayed that to you when he arrived here…What else did he want uncle?" he persisted and the older god rolled his eyes and sighed deeply before opening his mouth.
"Zeus was informed about Empusa's death but he does not know how it happened and he wanted to discuss it with me." He told and immediately Leodocus could sense what his father intentions with asking about something that seemed so beneath him were.
"He wants the amulet." He stated.
"Wanted, I made it very clear that because I charged Empusa with its guardianship, that amulet belongs with me in my domain. It was all very tedious really, him lording his kingly title and superiority over me as if it meant anything. You know your father, he is like a child when it comes to getting something he wants and I am not as weak and wielding as Poseidon is with him." Hades spoke with a bored tone as he got up to pour himself a drink.
"Are you certain he let it go, uncle? This all will be hard enough to do without him interfering."
"Yes, he knows the rules and your…your mother made sure he understood as well." He looked at Leo expectedly when the word mother visibly caused a physical reaction from the young god, a slight pause in his heart rate, it was nothing too noticeable to someone who would not know the story behind everything. Hades knew very well the relationship between Leodocus and Hera, it rivalled that of hers and her other son by Zeus, Ares. He knew how badly Leo had taken his mother's betrayal when she did and said nothing about his exile. Speaking of or even the smallest mention of his mother was something difficult for Leo to hear but Hades only did it to gauge his reaction.
"Very well then." The younger god simply nodded, choosing not to even acknowledge the words his uncle had spoken.
"Shall we begin?"
"You are familiar with what needs to be done?" Hades asked with one raised eyebrow and Leo nodded dutifully.
"I understand the basic principles of the spell and procedure but I need you to help me perfect it as I only have one chance at this." He had read about it and recounted the way Hera had explained to him. He felt confident but there was always a margin for error in things as complex as these.
"I want your success in this Leo but once you unleash that power anything could happen so you need to be prepared."
"With your help, I will be."
"Good good then let us begin."
Hidden in the depths of the castle and under the deep gleam of one of the blue moons, the two gods had been hard at work for the next several hours. Anything having to do with dark or blood magic always proved a massive undertaking for anyone, Even though Leodocus was well versed in it, he still did struggle a bit.
He was understandably frustrated because, for all this to work and perfectly so, his mind needed to be impenetrable but the two things that kept filtering through the cracks were the safety of his brothers and his mother. Even though he did not want to give it any attention, she was still his mother and hearing any news of her was bound to cause something in him to stir up old feelings.
"Gods be damned, focus Leodocus!" he was taken out of his distracted reverie by Hades' raised voice of encouragement.
"Do not put so much pressure on him, he needs support." Persephones' softer tone scolded her husband from her seat near the altar.
"He needs to focus on this or it will have been for nought."
"And shouting at him will do nothing but—"
"Will the both of you please be quiet!" He had enough and angrily stepped away from the altar.
Leodocus needed a break, this was all too much and he just needed to get his mind clear and be right. He needed to detach and get back to a similar place he was in at the cavern, not completely because he did not want to lose control. But the amount of energy needed to access that part of himself took all his concentration so he left the room to go meditate and centre himself because this was too important to not get right the first time.
Taking a life was not an easy feat despite how he was raised and taught and at the moment he wished he could have just convinced either his uncle or the goddess Hecate to take over this ritual. But Hades wanted Leo to either succeed or fail on his own and she was a Titan yes but her fealty now lay with Zeus after the Titan War.
Asking for help was the less prideful route to take however a part of him knew that it was his destiny to see this through, not only would this give him his life back but it could even raise his standing as an Olympian if he could pull this off.
As his breathing levelled and his mind start to clear, an image flowed in that he did not expect. It was the girl, the descendant, Xanthippeia's face was in his head. He felt confused he was still able to access her through the link when he was having difficulty doing the same with his brothers.
It should have not been possible so how was she doing this? Unless they have her and have awaked her before he returned. The plan was to keep her in a state of semi-consciousness until he enters the atmosphere and only then get her prepared until he arrives.
He concentrated hard and was able to partially see was she was seeing in front of her. She lay on a bed and the way her heart was beating meant she was feeling very anxious. Of course, she was, to be taken by four men and forced into a foreign world would be overwhelming for any mortal(or in this unique case a Hemitheios raised as a mortal) to handle physically and emotionally.
Again there was something about the way something seemed to eventuate whenever he connected with her through the link. The feeling was over and underwhelming at the same time and it confused him to no end. And his thoughts started to fill with seeing those mesmerizing eyes flickering shut forever, her delicate lungs never to draw breath again and her heart that was filled with anguish for those she loved never to beat again. He felt the deep determination to keep her alive even more now that he knew how forlorn she was feeling.
The pressure was increasing by the second and after he shut out the connection, his mind was a blank canvas and he felt ready to put in the hard work necessary to make a success out of this ritual. He returned to the alter to find his uncle and sister in a loving embrace which is not something he is accustomed to since Hades is the most brooding person he has ever encountered.
"Ahem." he cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably into the room. A physical and intimate connection was one of the things that perplexed and flustered Leo the most and he did not know how to deal with it in his face so boldly. He supposed intimacy was never a priority to him growing up and especially in these uncertain times for him.
"I will leave you two to your work then." Persephone smiled kissing Hades on the cheek and graciously gliding out of the room.
"She is having a few gowns made for Apollo's party," Hades commented before he gestured Leo back to the alter.
"Of course." Leo nodded.
"Well, are we ready to proceed now?"
"Absolutely."
"I have faith in you." Hades rubbed Leodocus' back briefly to encourage him because he was also aware that time was running out. But Leo's entire demeanour was changed when he came back in and he knew right then that failure was not an option for his nephew. With strong persistence, Leodocus steeled his mind and closed his eyes to put all of his energy into this incantation and he was feeling re-energized and ready but what unsettled him was knowing that getting a glimpse of the girl seemed to instil this new-found confidence.