[color=red][h1][center][u][b]Infernal Invitation[/b][/u][/center][/h1][/color] [center][i][In the depths of the Underworld][/i][/center] [center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/908735300514246697/1011613587413946418/cooltext417846429848194.png[/img][/center] [hr] [center][@Terminal][@MarshalSolgriev][/center] [hr] Under the artificial lighting of the supervault, a throng of titanic individuals encircled a great slab of obsidian. None of the assembled sat, their prideful forms refusing to settle in the presence of their infernal overlord. At the head of the rectangular table, Hades stood as an oppressive giant of chthonic proportions, fully adorned in the Stygian Nether Plate that he always wore. Spiked protrusions, swirling engraving, and skull motifs made up the surface of the plating. The Abyssal Crown, a dark hued wargear appearing with the likes of a Corinthian helmet, nestled against his cranium. A pair of glaring, red eyes watched the gathered minor deities as they spoke amongst themselves. To the left of the chthonic lord, his progeny and heir, Zagreus, triumphantly stood with a smug grin plastered across his lips. A pair of emerald eyes carefully calculated the words spoken by the other adjutant-lords of the Underworld. Similar to his progenitor, albeit with his left shoulder and arm exposed, the heir stood in the obsidian armor that the infernal lord wore. Both of his hands pressed against the obsidian slate, one covered in nanocomposite black and the other barren of plating. His ears figuratively leaned in to listen to the chthonic deities in their assembly. “I believe that Asphodel requires further expansion due to the rise in the River Acheron’s consumption. An increase of nearly thirty percent, compared to five decades ago, shows the dire straits of my region.” The adjutant-lord of Asphodel, Aeneas, spoke as he gestured to a holographic display on the table. His tone was quick, energetic, and reverent. His form swayed under the dark purple toga, reflecting the overhead light from his synthetic fabric. “You’ll sooner have your domain expanded when Tartarus is filled to the brim with the damnable of Hellas. Lord of the Dead, don’t listen to this sycophant. The jails of the Underworld desperately require renovation due to Typhon’s meddling.” The adjutant-lord of Tartarus, Minos, spoke with a booming voice filled to the brim with pride and aggression. His form was clad in the dark nether plate, appearing as a Hellenic champion of Old Arith. An unkempt beard swayed as he spoke, his azure eyes staring daggers into Aeneas. “Are you both mad? Our lord, Hades, will ultimately decide on which of the realms requires the most attention - or if we require a new realm to fit our infernal lords designs. Forgive your adjutants, my king, for they are bound by their overworld greed.” The final adjutant-lord of Elysium, Aecaus, spoke with a calm, calculated voice that dispersed the initial arguments. His form, similar to Minos, was clad in the obsidian wargear of the Underworld, appearing as an Athenian war hero of Old Arith. Oceanic, blue eyes closed to the assembly as he bowed before the overpowering gaze of Hades. The chthonic king, Hades, grumbled as he cast his gaze between his most loyal champions of the Underworld. A single, clawed gauntlet rose to motion another figure from the darkness of the abyss. A heavily robbed, skeletal entity seeped in from behind one of the several columns encircling their council. The shroud dipped its head in respect for the wishes of the overlord before taking its place to the right of the palatine ruler. “Ease your wants, adjutants, for the chthonic king requires no further expansion in the existing realms. His will requires an overhaul of the overworld parties to deal with the threats of Typhon, should they ever harry the eternal flow of the Rivers.” The voice of the skeletal entity was harrowing, cold, and emotionless. It failed to sway, gesture, or move in the middle of speaking. It remained unmoving even as it finished speaking to the assembled deities that vied for larger realms within the Underworld. Hades gave a prompt, slow nod to the robed being that stood on his right. The adjutant-lords gave a flurry of disappointed responses in their own way. Before anybody else could speak, a set of six shimmering feathered wings seemed to [i]unfold[/i] from empty space at the back end of the table nearest to the entrance, shadowed traces of light running across them as they pulled back to reveal the tall and lithe figure of Hermes - Herald of the Gods, adorned in his distinctive wide-brimmed helmet - topped almost comically by a giant blooming rose for some reason - and bearing the badge of his office, the twinned-serpent stave Kerykeion. The entire chthonic chamber seemed to swim with iridescent traces of blinding light as the messenger appeared, though as the lumination of Hermes’ appearance receded the murk crept back in, leaving only a faint halo of soft luminescence about him. “I come bearing a message for Hades, King of the Underworld,” Hermes intoned, his voice carrying loftily across the entire chamber with an airy resonance, “from Zeus, King of the Gods and the Heavens, the All-Father on-high, with the utmost of exigency.” Save for Hades, Charon, and Zagreus, the assembly sheltered their eyes for a moment during the blinding light, their eyes having long adapted to the underworld’s damp lighting. Their hands raised to keep the features hidden from what could be perceived as the brightness of the overworld. As the light dimmed, their hands slid to the table in surprise at the appearance of the Herald. “Hermes!” Zagreus spoke out in excitement, slamming both of his hands on the obsidian slate as a gleeful smile replaced the smug grin on his lips. His tone was light, spritely, and filled with a want to joke. The heir’s form swiftly maneuvered around the table to greet the messenger, however, he halted in the midst of his gait as the chthonic king removed the Abyssal Crown to rest on the dark surface. “Waste no time, then, Hermes. Deliver your message.” The unhelmeted features of the infernal king spoke, a pale individual with long black hair and a groomed beard with light azure eyes. His tone was the rumbling of Hellas’ tectonic plates, the crack of thunder, and whimpering gasp of the dead all in one. His dreaded demeanor reflected in the furrowing of his thick eyebrows and narrowing of his thin scornful eyes. “Though I have no doubt your gathering was of import and that your time is limited, I am afraid this matter requires both discretion and your full attention.” Hermes turned the contours of the faceted plate covering his face to Zagreus and made a plaintive - almost apologetic - gesture. “I must ask all but your Highness, Aecaus, Minos, and Zagreus to depart from this place. Sorry Charon.” The god folded their six wings together, which merged fluidly into a single feathered cloak about Hermes’ shoulders. As they did, the Herald pulled an obol seemingly from thin air with his free hand and tossed it to Charon with a flourish from across the table. The god of the Underworld surrendered with a grumble, raising a gauntlet to dismiss the skeletal entity to his right. The obol was caught in the dextrous, skinless fingers of Charon, who then gave a haunting, light chuckle towards the herald. The robed figure dismissed himself from the assembly of the chthonic gods, maneuvering through the columns that surrounded the council. Aeneas, the adjutant-lord of Asphodel, gave a confused look to the chthonic king before bowing his head in defeat and leaving alongside the Mouth of Hades. The remainder of the deities turned their undivided attention to the herald of Olympus. Hermes produced a black-colored roll of parchment covered with gold filigree from his cloak. “This message, although only intended for two of you, nonetheless has bearing upon the others as well.” He nodded to Aecaus and Minos in turn. “It is my judgment that the both of you have a right to hear it. Before I read its contents aloud, I must also issue an apology.” Hermes turned his gaze to Zagreus. “Little consideration for you was given when this message was composed. I am afraid your innocence in this matter can no longer be assured.” Aecaus and Minos shared a glance as the herald spoke. The former raised a hand to cover his lips as he stared, while the latter stroked his beard with no small amount of anxiety at the sudden grimness that the messenger bore. Zagreus, similarly, shared a contorted look between the two half-siblings and then directed his emerald gaze at Hermes. Questions brewed within his mind, but his lips remained closed. The heir figured he was about to learn what he meant by those words. The chthonic king felt a prickle of emotion across his skin at the mention of the two adjutants, knowing that they shared a commonality in only one subject between their long service to the Underworld. His skin roiled with an unknowable feeling as words were passed, but Hades held a stern look that threatened to bubble into anger at the dallying talks. Both of his clawed hands closed into fists. “Hermes. The message.” Hermes snapped his fingers, and a wide hologram depicting the letter’s face appeared in the air above and behind his form, and he began to read its contents aloud. [center][h3]BY DECREE OF THE LORD OF OLYMPUS[/h3] The Highest, King of the Gods, Father of All: [b]ZEUS[/b] Let it be known that Zeus is dead. His rightful Heir – forever may he rule – has succeeded him to the divine name and mantle of Zeus. Hades, God of the Underworld, and their Scion Zagreus, are formally invited to a gathering of the High Pantheon at Zeus’ palace in Mount Olympus, on the noon of the day following receipt of this note. Zeus will accept oaths of fealty, and make the first announcements of his reign. Signed, Zelos Majordomo of the Highest Palace, Servant of Zeus Almighty[/center] Hermes then rolled the letter back up and tossed it almost irreverently on the obsidian table. “I have also been instructed to notify you, verbally, that you are hereby [i]summoned[/i] to attend Zeus upon Mt. Olympus at the stated time.” He stated dryly. Silence followed the announcement, accompanied by an assortment of perturbed looks from Aecaus and Minos. Neither felt particular love for their biological father, but another look at their faces would eschew that fact. Aecaus leaned against the table as his hands and legs trembled beneath the nether plate. Minos turned away from Hermes as he spoke aloud, his eyes staring a hole into the obsidian flooring of the council. Zagreus’ eyes widened at the proclamation, turning his attention to the chthonic king as Hermes finished. He could already feel Hades starting to bubble with anger as lava beneath Hellas’ crust. The facial features of the underworld’s overlord darkened to figurative midnight as the words were contemplated. The scion of Hades rushed to the side of Hermes, lowering his head to speak quietly to the messenger of the gods. “Hermes, I’ll ensure that my father and I journey to Olympus… but you should probably leave, mate. You’ll have to forgive me for not preparing an adequate gift, but I promise to give you something better than the usual next time.” Zagreus spoke as quickly as possible, giving a knowing look to the herald and offering a hand in a form of non-verbal deal. “Agreed, though I will round out the number of regrettable things I must say by indicating that the new King and the old King do not share exact memories. It is possible both Aecaus and Minos may be able to [i]remedy[/i] their circumstances should they even desire it.” Hermes spoke at a rapid clip as he craned his head down to Zagreus in turn and accepted his proffered hand with a quick handshake.. “I will be seeing you soon, Zagreus.” Hermes’ cloak then rose from his back and unfolded into his three sets of feathered wings once more, which then encompassed the god before folding in on themselves until nothing remained. The half-brother adjutants glanced at Hermes as their names were uttered, a look of disbelief and hope passed between the two. As the herald disappeared, Aecaus lifted a hand to cover his lips in thought before Minos began to speak in a quiet voice. “Lord Hermes says many things, brother, but I don’t believe he was joking this time. I am fully devoted to my responsibility in the Underworld, Aecaus, but if what was said was true then you could have a place by our father’s side again.” The stony edifice that was Minos’ face was hardset, accepting of his position. His half-brother mused for a moment before shaking his head. “I will bide my time, but for now I am the patron deity of Elysium - third only to Hades and Demeter. I’ll wait to see what Lord Hades has to say about-” The adjutant-lord began to speak as their chthonic king began to unravel into a violent torrent of rage. A howl of anger passed through the lips of Hades, his gauntlets gripping the edges of the obsidian table and hefting the precisely carved furniture into the air. In one swift movement, the slate was thrown across the council with all the might befitting the patron deity of the Underworld. A column was smashed through by the force of the flying object, crumbling to the base of the obsidian floor and threatening to sag the overarching roof above their head. Zagreus motioned for Aecaus and Minos to leave, their own thoughts disrupted by the vengeful actions of their patron. Their exit heralded a second wave of fitting vehemence from the chthonic king as his powered fists slammed against the mosaic walls of the temple. The scion clicked his tongue as he rushed over to assist his progenitor, who refused to buckle under the weight of his emotion. “[color=red][b] Almighty Zeus! Why!? You cannot leave this world! I refuse it! I am the God of the Dead! Where is your spirit, brother!? If you are truly dead, then speak in my halls! Where is your corpse to nurture the Elysian Fields!? Where is your booming laughter filled with pride!? ZEUS![/b][/color]” The chthonic king wailed, storming from the assembly with his hands raised to the ceiling of the nanocomposite superstructure. He refused - he could not possibly conceive - to fall to his knees in mourning. His eyes glared at the overworld with an overwhelming amount of contempt and fury. The Underworld rang with the screams akin to a banshee’s wail reinforced by the bemoaning of the nightmaric automata that skulked the depths. “Father, be at ease! The King of Gods lives on in his heir. I’m sure that once we arrive in Olympus that we’ll get the full story. We should prepare to leave. It’s a long walk to the mountain from the Underworld.” The scion spoke with no small amount of pity in his voice, stopping just short of his father to ensure he didn’t accidentally suffer his wrath. His words were spoken with short gestures, more theatrical than necessary, as he circled around to face his progenitor. The scornful gaze of Hades turned from the overworld to the sight of his progeny. He breathed an air of anger before calming himself to a standstill. His fists no longer beat the mosaic walls, nor did his armored greaves bring him further into the abyss. “Yes, Zagreus, my son. We will travel to Olympus. I will see this pretender that claims the name of my brother. I will find the perpetrator of this cacophony of lies. If my brother is truly dead, then I will bring his corpse to Elysium. None of my beloved family will rest outside of the Elysian Fields. [b]None[/b].” The overbearing presence of the patron god of the dead turned away from Zagreus, claiming the Abyssal Crown from the shattered ground and placing it upon his head. “[color=red][b]We march upon Olympus.[/b][/color]”