29 We Pull Straws to see who should Rule The World...

Hades POV

As I materialized on the island of Crete, where our rebellion had begun, a swirl of darkness surrounded me. My brothers had been anticipating my arrival from Tartarus, and as soon as they saw me, they gestured for me to come closer.

Zeus welcomed me back with a tight and forceful embrace. "Hades, you have returned for a minute there. We thought we'd have to march into Tartarus in search of you."

His words were meant to be reassuring, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of suspicion that lingered in my mind. As the ruler of the Forbidden Knowledge, I was constantly vigilant and aware of what was happening around me. My senses picked up on a hidden agenda - a pact between Zeus and Poseidon, which aimed to burden me with the responsibility of the Underworld in my absence. Despite the warm welcome, I couldn't ignore the underlying sense of betrayal that loomed over me.

Of course, this was incredibly predictable. My power of Divination and knowledge of canon Greek mythology made me aware of the coming betrayal. Unfortunately for my brothers, however, unlike the original Hades, I saw the Underworld for what it was potential. So, rather than explosive words, I returned my brother's embrace and spoke softly, "You need not worry, brother. It would take far more than the horrors of Tartarus to keep me down." 

As Zeus and I embraced each other tightly, we were interrupted by Poseidon's impatience. He abruptly spoke, "If you're finished with your display of affection, we should proceed with dividing the cosmos amongst ourselves. All of the realms are in need of repair,r and we still need to claim the sea from Oceanus."

"Calm down, Poseidon, our brother has only just returned from the Abyss; if I remember correctly, it took you several hours to recover from your experience there..." In response to Zeus' words, Poseidon's face flushed gold with rage as the sea's waves began to batter the coast of Crete.

Before Poseidon's short temper could show itself, I decided to intervene. "So, we know what realms we are dividing: the Sky, Sea, and Underworld will be up for grabs while the Earth will remain neutral territory to avoid conflict with Gaea. However, we don't know how to choose who gets what."

Poseidon released the gathering storm and exchanged a glance with Zeus. "My brother, in your absence, we decided to divide the realms by chance. We will ask a neutral party to collect three sticks; then, we will each draw a stick. We will select the realm we want based on the stick size you draw, with the smallest stick selecting last." Poseidon's words were spoken flatly, which would have raised my suspicions about their scheme even if I was unaware. However, I merely nodded in agreement.

"Very well, but how do we decide who gets to gather the sticks?" Here, a goofy grin came upon Zeus' face, and he spoke in a voice filled with love, "Why, my beloved Metis, of course, her wise council and wisdom are well known across the cosmos."

As soon as I heard the suggestion, a perplexed expression appeared on my face. "Considering that Metis is your lover, I am afraid she may not be the most objective party. Perhaps we could choose someone like Themis or Prometheus, who could provide a more neutral perspective?" Poseidon, already behaving suspiciously, jumped in to defend Metis: "Brother Metis has been a valuable ally to us even before the war. Her strategic contributions have helped us greatly in the rebellion. Don't you think she is a reliable third party?"

I recall that my interaction with Metishad had been entirely unremarkable. Our conversations were few and far between, and they centered almost exclusively around the ongoing war. However, one thing I could discern about her was her unwavering loyalty to Zeus.

However, my feelings towards the outcome of the situation were indifferent. My ultimate objective was to become the King of The Underworld, and that remained unchanged. However, the fact that my brothers thought I was easily fooled left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. "Very well then, brother, you speak truly. Who am I to judge the honor of such a loyal ally?" 

Interestingly, we stumbled upon Metisquite quickly, as she was already present on the island of Crete despite having no apparent reason to be there. It seemed almost as if it was all pre-planned, mainly since she belonged to the sea and the war had already ended.

In a passionate lover's embrace, Zeus held Metis in his arms and kissed her with all the intensity of a warrior returning home from battle. "My dearest Metis, we humbly request your assistance dividing the realms. Will you do us the honor of being our impartial third party?" he asked, his voice filled with respect and admiration for her wisdom and fairness.

I was left with no choice but to grant my admiration to Zeus. Poseidon's theatrical abilities were subpar, resembling those of a young child. On the other hand, Zeus had perfected the art of acting to such a level that he almost had me convinced that he was, in fact, the true God of Theatre.

Metis, known for her wisdom, couldn't help but look at me with a slightly pitying expression before turning to Zeus. She spoke to him with a face filled with false humility, "My love, it would be my greatest honor to assist you and your brothers in this endeavor."

Metis, the Goddess of Wise Council, exhibited her exceptional abilities by swiftly creating three sticks of different lengths with her magical powers. I knew from my knowledge of the plot that Zeus and Poseidon were already aware of the length of the sticks, what order they were in, and that they would make me go last. 

Zeus, the mighty ruler of the gods, spoke in a tone that betrayed his confidence, "As the Eldest, it is only fair you go last; after all, the odds are Poseidon, and I will pull the shortest stick before you get your chance." I couldn't help but shake my head in disappointment, knowing that Canon Hades had fallen prey to their deceitful scheme. His naivety was a stark reminder of the dangers in the divine realm.

As the situation ended, the outcome held no significance whatsoever. A sarcastic smile crept across my face, possibly causing my siblings to break out in a nervous sweat, though such a physical response would have been impossible.

According to Zeus' impeccable reasoning, the youngest member must go first in a scenario where the eldest group member was to go last. Zeus remained remarkably composed as he reached for the first stick that caught his eye. As it was passed from Metis's hand to his own, the stick's length was revealed in all its glory, making it immediately apparent that no other stick could match its impressive size.

As Poseidon stood there, observing the sticks before him, he appeared deep in thought. However, without any hesitation, he reached for the stick placed in the middle. Although it was not superior to Zeus' stick, it was still considerably long and sturdy in his hand.

Left with only a single stick, my options were painfully limited. This entire debacle had been a farce from the start, but now I was faced with the added humiliation of having to retrieve the stick from Metis' outstretched palm. Her face was etched with nervousness, and I couldn't help but sympathize with her.

As I looked around, all I could see were faces that seemed to be filled with fake sympathy. Poseidon's expression, however, was slightly different as it seemed to be marked with a tinge of guilt. I held up my stick, which was only half the size of those my brothers had chosen.

Zeus, the king of the gods, always had a flair for the dramatics. As he stood tall and proud, his voice thundered across the sky, making it seem as though the heavens themselves were choosing him. Turning to his brother, he spoke in a voice that was firm and commanding. "Well, brother," Zeus said, "it seems that you will have the last choice of the realms, but fear not, for I, the mighty Zeus, shall have the first choice, and I shall hold dominion over the Sky and Heavens above." As he finished speaking, a deafening boom of thunder reverberated across the land, a clear indication that the sky had indeed chosen him.

As Zeus ascended to the throne, Poseidon's guilt seemed to dissipate. With a voice filled with pride, he proclaimed, "And I shall hold Dominion over the Seas and Oceans, taking them from Oceanus' rule." The sea responded with a shimmering green glow, acknowledging his words. However, it remained partly tempered, as it already had a ruler in Oceanus. The waves rose and fell, reflecting the tension of the moment and the uncertainty of what was to come.

My brother's looked at me in surprise as I grinned widely. With a voice that seemed to reverberate throughout all of creation, I spoke with a sense of authority: "I, Hades, God of The Dead, do now lay claim to the Throne of the Underworld. I swear to rule my realm with honor, guard the barrier between Tartarus and Gaea, and uphold the walls of Erebus." 

As soon as the words left my lips, the ground beneath us began to shake, and a thick shroud of darkness suddenly blocked the sun. It was as if the cosmos acknowledged me as the Underworld's rightful ruler.

It was pretty satisfying to witness the perplexed expressions on my brother's faces as they failed to comprehend that I, too, harbored a desire to wield power over the Underworld. They had never considered this possibility in their calculations and assumptions. The feeling of smugness that welled up within me was genuinely exhilarating.

Zeus cleared his throat awkwardly, drawing the attention of his two brothers. "Well, brothers," he began, "it seems we have all received the desired realms. However, as much as I would love to linger and catch up, we must depart and establish order in our realms. Poseidon, in particular, has a lot of work to do to gain control of his domain."

Zeus shifted his gaze from me to Poseidon before continuing. "I have already ordered the Hekatonkeires to construct a new capital on Mount Olympus. You should come by soon so we can start ruling the cosmos properly." With those final words, Zeus vanished in a blinding flash of lightning, taking Metis with him.

As I stared into Poseidon's piercing eyes, I felt a glimmer of hope that he might have finally confessed to their deceitful actions. However, the weight of his allegiance to Zeus was too strong for him to overcome his guilt. With a solemn nod of his head, he vanished into the swirling mist of the vast sea, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

As I found myself abandoned yet again, I found solace in the darkness that enveloped me. Without hesitation, I succumbed to the pull of the abyss, allowing myself to descend into the realm of the Underworld. The shadows embraced me, their cold and eerie essence seeping into my being as though welcoming me home. It was a place of desolation and despair, yet I was oddly comforted by its twisted beauty...