33 Punishment

Hades opened the Underworld and was surprised at what he saw. 

Standing there in front of his dimension were his siblings ... well almost all of them. It seemed Hestia could not make it or was captured... oh well.

"Hades ...", Zeus started to speak. 

"Well what do you know ... you DID come to beg."

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Hades looked at each of his 'siblings' and saw regret in some of their eyes. However only in some of them. In the others, he could see something else. 

Zeus and Metis. It's those two again. It would seem that someone believes himself to be more important than they were. Greed is a very bad motivator and if things went on this way, he might have to remove Zeus from the Greek Pantheon. 

(Hades POV)

They haven't changed much. Zeus is still the arrogant, philanderer, greedy wannabe-king that thinks with his penis instead of his head. War hasn't given him any form of wisdom. Or did it? Maybe I was just different? 

I did spend many years tempering my will and powers and living life more than once. I thought I had matured after the Wizarding world, but I was still naive and prone to anger. I had not yet become a god in mind and spirit. 

I don't regret the punch I gave Zeus back then before I left and said the badass line. No, he needed that. But I'm not sure I would handle the situation similarly.

"Hades we have come to ask for your forgiveness. We are sorry about how things went all those years ago and would like to make amends.", Zeus started to speak. 

No, I am sure I wouldn't handle the situation similarly. I would probably either cut off his testicles, turn him into a woman that still likes women and then send make him mortal to have him experience life among horny men ... or simply kill him. 

I wouldn't let anyone shit over me like he did back then. And Metis that greedy little schemer, would have what she deserves a similar experience as we did in the stomach of the one you thought loved you.

"If you would please ... help us as a brother should we would be ... grateful..."

Is he even trying to make it believable? He is not really doing a good job. Should have worked on that speech in front of the mirror before making a fool of himself in front of me. 

"Hades ... I know I have not acted as it is expected of a king back then and ... I believe that we can still make things right between us. I promise to hold you in the highest regard when we win the war. I ..."

He is still going on. How do you benchpress this much bullsh*t? His head must feel like a mountain. Where is all of that crap coming from? A mystery that will make the most brilliant of minds clueless.

"... and when we achieve that glory we shall ..."

My god the amount of shit he is trying to make me swallow could feed the entire planet.

"... so what do you say?", Zeus had finally finished. He had a proud smile on his face. He looked like he had delivered a great speech and had convinced his brother ... yeah about that ...

Hades looked at him with a strange expression. He was not saying anything and it seemed like he was daydreaming or something. Hera was the one to end the uncomfortable silence. 

"Hades? Are you listening?", she said.

"What? Did you say something?"

A vein popped on Zeus' forehead. It seemed Hades had not listened to a word he said. And he even went out of his way to give that speech. How dare he ...

"You're probably thinking something along the lines of: 'How dare he treat me that way? I will show him ... whatever whatever. 

You are still the same Zeus. Nothing has changed and I am happy as well as a bit disappointed that something can go so wrong. You should be lucky your dignity is lightning so that your sperm was the fastest, you wouldn't have made it otherwise.

I mean look at this. Poseidon seems to truly be ready to ask for forgiveness, Demeter is sorry about not being brave enough to stand up to everyone and even Hera the proudest of all my sisters is willing to make amends. 

And yet you ... the youngest and most inexperienced of the Olympians believe yourself to be fit to rule. Your arrogance is clouding your judgement and your hormones are running wild. Take a moment Zeus and think about it. do you truly believe that you stand any form of chance to win this war? 

Can you honestly tell me that you are this arrogant to think that you have even the slightest chance of winning against Cronos?"

Zeus said nothing he was far too embarrassed and especially angry to say something. Everything that Hades said was an insult and hit him right where it hurt. 

"You can't answer that, can you? You are still far too high on your cloud. Maybe it is time to humble you. Are you that far gone already that all of this hasn't taught you anything?

Let me guess, Father insults you whenever you fight and tells you how weak you are and to prove yourself, you do exactly what he wants and try to go through the wall with your head.

Tell me Zeus ... why should I help you?"

...

Zeus had his fists clenched. He was looking at the ground and was biting his teeth really hard. His anger was threatening to explode. But he had made a plan with Metis. He could not lose control now. He had to make it appear like he was sorry. 

"I'm ... sorry...", he managed to get out.

"You're a fool if you believe I buy that and it seems that you desperately need someone to show you your place.", Hades said.

(Author POV)

The air changed around Hades. He let some of his aura go and let it saturate the air. His power pressured the Olympians, particularly Zeus. Hades was not messing around anymore. this was serious and he would kill Zeus should he not come around right now. 

He could not deal with Zeus as he did with other human beings or gods. He was an animal and that is how Hades would treat him. 

Hades brought his hand up very slowly and pointed at Zeus. He was prepared to kill him and be done with it. Why should he bother with his foolish brother any longer? He had his chance, saw what happened when he messed up and was even now trying to trick him. 

"Wait!", someone said. Hades stopped and saw Poseidon standing in front of Zeus. It seemed like his brother had matured. He was now prepared to protect his brother in the face of others. Good.

"Please ... Hades. Don't kill him. It was my fault all those years ago ... you know it was me and ... I'm sorry that I ... didn't dare to admit it back then ... I ... was a coward. 

So please don't kill Zeus, I hold just as much blame as he does."

"Yes. Please don't kill him, brother. He was wrong to blame you and I was wrong to not stand up for you, but I beg of you, we have already lost Hestia, please don't take Zeus from us as well ...", Demeter said. 

She also matured. And she cared about Hestia a great deal. That's good then. That only left ...

Hera also walked and stood in front of Zeus. She had her usual face but this time there was regret also seen on it. 

"I never appreciated you, even though you tried to help me and take care of me. But now you are wrong. Killing Zeus is not going to make things right. If you kill him, you will have to kill me as well.", Hera said. 

"Don't tempt me, Hera."

Hades looked at all of them. It seemed like ...

"It seems like you all matured quite a bit. The war must have had its good as well. 

... I accept. I won't kill you Zeus.", Hades said and slowly lowered his arm. 

The others sighed a sigh of relief. 

"... however... a punishment will be delivered."

*Gasp*

The others who thought that it was over now, gasped and looked at Hades in premonition. 

"For your arrogance and unwillingness to seek forgiveness, for your greed and for your insolence to show yourself in front of me with that excuse of an apology, I curse you.

I curse you with the curse of Damokles. You will lose that which you value most right now. From this moment on you will feel the edge of the curse floating over you and taking a hold of you whenever you even think of the thing that will be taken away from you now."

When Hades finished speaking the world shifted and the curse took effect. Reality bent to his will and did what he wished. And then ...

"AAAARRRGGGGHHH!!"

Zeus began to scream and held his loin. And after a moment something golden flowed through his fingers and fell to the ground. 

Blood!!!

.

(Author POV)

"What happened?", Hera asked.

"Zeus!!?? What's going on?", Poseidon screamed. 

"Brother? You ... your bleeding. What is this?", Demeter also screamed. 

However, they were not the ones who were the most scared. While Zeus was screaming like an infant, Metis was terrified and ran to him. She had tears in her eyes and screamed as well.

"Zeus! Zeus! Love! What is it? Why are you bleeding? What happened? Please answer me!"

She tried to help him ... somehow, in any way, but it was for nought. He was in far too much pain and rolled on the ground while blood continued to flow from his loin. Something was bleeding down there ... but what?

Metis turned to Hades with a livid expression. She was beyond angry now. Without thinking she attacked him and tried to punch him. 

"YOU!!! IT WAS YOU!! WHAT DID YOU DO? ANSWER MEEEE!!!"

She swung her fist towards him with everything she got. Her anger clouded her judgement and she didn't think about her actions. it didn't matter right now. Her love was in pain and the person responsible was standing right there. She would punish him.

Metis' fist got closer and closer to Hades' face. He had a bored look on his face while everything happened. In the beginning when Zeus started to scream he initially thought it was funny but when everyone began to scream like a headless chicken ... and then the woman even attacked him ... well, it wasn't funny anymore.

Just as Metis' fist was about to make contact with his face ... her vision turned dark and she fell to the ground. 

"You had better remember your place ... trash."

That was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness.

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I truly enjoyed writing this chapter. What happened will be addressed next chapter. And then ... the end of the Titanomachy ...

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