18. The God of the Underworld
The God of the Underworld
His name acted as a summoning.
Before my mother could rise
he was already before us.
Hades of spirits.
Hades of death.
Hades, king of
this strange realm.
The whispers said that
Zeus, Poseidon and Hades,
the three Olympian brothers,
had a choice between the realms
of the sky, the sea and the Underworld.
And Hades chose this place,
where nothing shines
and nothing grows.
My eyes widened when I saw him.
He was more of a boy-God!
Long dark hair tied in a braid,
he wore no crown
and simple dark robes.
His eyes were dark but kind
and his soft mouth looked like
it knew at least a few smiles.
He looked at my mother
and spoke with authority,
his young voice echoing.
‘Titanide, this is no place
For immortals that do not
know the ways of the dead.’