Zeus stood alone in his grand palace, his golden armor shining and his eyes fixed on one object — the Pandora's Box.
The box was carefully placed on a velvet pedestal.
He reached out a trembling hand, touching the box's intricate lock.
" No escape from the fate that will befall you, hades, you and the remaining gods will suffer the same tragedy." Zeus said, his voice echoed through the empty halls.
Zeus touched the box carefully. " My dear wife and kids, this path you have chosen would never have happened if you didn't plan against me, all this is Hades fault and he will pay." He said.
Suddenly, Zeus' expression twisted from anger to curiosity.
" Why is Hades wasting him? I expected him to storm into my palace ages ago, what is he planning?" Zeus said, pacing around the box slowly.
" Hades, I will find a way to defeat you, if it is the last thing I do."
The Underworld palace .
Hades, Kaelin, and Lyra stared at a map of Zeus' palace which was widely spread across a large table in Hades' war room.
Nyx stood guard outside, ensuring privacy.
" We need a stealthy approach." Hades said, tracing routes with his finger. " Zeus will be expecting a direct attack but we won't give him that."
Kaelin nodded.
" Agreed but which path offers the best cover?" He asked.
Lyra studied the map intently when suddenly her eyes glazed over and she swayed weakly.
Hades caught her elbow.
" Lyra, what's wrong?" He asked.
Lyra blinked rapidly, regaining focus.
" Nothing, I just felt a little bit weak." she said, hiding the fact she got another vision.
" I think we should go through the tunnel." She suggested.
Kaelin looked at her strangely.
" How did you know about that tunnel? It's not on the map." Kaelin questioned her.
Lyra smiled faintly.
" I had a gut feeling and I read something about a tunnel in a Greek mythology book." She defended herself.
Hades' eyes lit up.
" Then that's our entry point." He said. " Lyra, I am trusting you because you trust me, I hope this tunnel is the right part."
Lyra nodded, still pale .
" I am sure, hades, this is the way." She said, pointing to the map again.
" We enter through the east garden tunnel then we try to navigate Zeus' trophy room, which will connect us to the central palace halls."
Kaelin nodded, following her finger.
" Then where will the box be, will it be in the palace hall?" he asked.
Lyra shook her head.
" No, Zeus would be too stupid to put it there, he would have moved it to his private chambers. We must go through the royal library to reach it."
Hades grinned.
" I can lead you to his private chambers, I know that palace like my own." Hades said.
Lyra smiled.
" Once we reach his chambers, I will create a distraction near the box, while you two grab it and run."
Kaelin looked concerned.
" What kind of distraction, Lyra?, I won't leave you behind." He said.
Lyra's expression lit up.
" Don't worry, Nyx will get me out of there before Zeus decides to harm me."
Hades folded his arm, his eyes filled with concern.
" Then we have our plan." He said. " Tonight, we will get rid of Zeus."
Hades exhaled loudly.
" Kaelin, gather our darkest warriors, we will create diversions elsewhere to throw zeus off our trail." He said.
Kaelin bowed slightly.
" As you command, old friend."
Lyra stood, determination burning.
" Will you excuse me? I need to get myself ready for tonight's battle." She said.
Hades caught Lyra's hand briefly.
" Are you sure about this lyra?" He said. " Tonight changes everything and a part of you might change as well."
" I am fine, Hades." She said , gently removing Hades hand from her wrist.
Hours passed swiftly, night descended upon the Underworld and all of Olympus.
The group assembled near Zeus' palace –Hades, Kaelin, Lyra, and Nyx.
Lyra looked at her allies.
" Let's move swiftly, we can't miss our opportunity," she said.
They entered the east garden tunnel like lyra suggested emerging inside Zeus' trophy room.
Lyra's heart raced as they reached Zeus' chambers.
The box sat atop his bed, unguarded.
Hades scanned the box thoroughly.
Why is the box unguarded?" He asked.
Zeus appeared behind us.
" Fools!" He said out loud.
He slammed his scepter down , trapping Hades, Kaelin, and Nyx inside the box!
Lyra stood alone, horrified.
" No." She screamed.
Zeus sneered.
" You should have stayed out of this, mortal." He said
Lyra remembered the prophecy from her vision.
" My heart must be darkened." She said.
Lyra channeled all her grief and pain into hatred, trying to blacken her heart.
Her eyes widened, as all the white in her eyes immediately turned black.
With newfound determination, Lyra started chanting in ancient Greek tongue.
" Tenebrae quae potentiam in me vinciunt,
solvantur nunc et ad vestram perniciem effundantur;
murus Olympi confringatur atque diruatur.
Ex tenebris et ex vacuo renascar,
vis tenebrarum inexorabilis;
praedam suam devoret et animas vestras solvat.
Ego te impero."
Dark power surged through her veins.
Lyra raised her hands and shadows burst forth, freeing all trapped gods from their prison:
Poseidon from his underwater prison, Athena from her magical coma, every other god Zeus had imprisoned Was freed.
Zeus stumbled back, shocked as Lyra turned the shadows on him.
" You are the one who should be trapped, Zeus for eternity." Lyra said in a demonic voice.
The box slammed shut, imprisoning Zeus inside his own curse.
The gods poured out of their former prisons, overjoyed to be free once more.
Poseidon rushed to his wife, Amphitrite embracing her tightly, tears of joy in his eyes.
Athena hugged Hades briefly then, before hugging her mother.
Demeter sobbed happily with her daughter Persephone reunited at last.
Hephaestus limped towards his wife, Aphrodite, only to see her embracing another god.
.Aphrodite quickly let go of Ares and rushed to hug Hephaestus tightly.
Lyra smiled watching the joyful scenes, Kaelin wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
As gods reunited and departed for their realms.
Hades watched Kaelin and Lyra share a tender moment his expression turned cold, eyes narrowing slightly.
Nyx noticed Hades' reaction and whispered to Lyra.
" Will you tell Hades about the dark magic?"
Lyra glanced at Hades but he had already turned away, expression neutral again.
" I won't, everyone is free and happy, don't let me spoil their fun."
Hades turned to Lyra and Kaelin.
" My realm awaits, Shall we depart now." He asked.
Kaelin nodded, taking Lyra's hand.
Lyra suddenly felt weak and collapsed on the floor.
" Lyra, wake up." Hades said, picking her up from the ground and carrying her through the dark portals back to the Underworld.
Hades made his way to her bed chamber and dropped her on the bed, softly.
" get me a healer." Hades screamed, as nyx hurriedly went out of the room to look for one.
Lyra regains Counsinous.
" Hades, I am fine." She said weakly.
" You are not fine, lyra , you collapsed, that is not fine." Hades said.
Lyra touched Hades' faces slowly.
" I just need rest, please let me rest." She begged Hades.
" Okay, anything you want." Hades left the room while Kaelin waited behind taking a sit beside lyra.
" You scared all of us." Kealin said.
" I didn't mean to." Lyra said while chucking.
Kealin hand brushed her hair.
" Why do you resemble my Elyse?" He asked surprisingly.
" Maybe, it is because I am Elyse." Lyra said .
Kealin eyes widened. " What, you are who." He asked again.
" I remember some memories that weren't mine, memories of me and you, in my past life." She answered him.
" I can't believe this, you were reborn all this time, I thought you were gone forever." He said. " I miss you so much."
Kealin lips brushed against mine, as I kissed him back, suddenly we heard footsteps.
It was Hades.
" What are you doing with her?" He asked Kealin, as Hades rushed to him grabbing him by his collar.
" Hades, I love her." He told his best friend.
" wrong answer, kealin." Hades' hand collided with Kaelin face.
" Stop it." I yelled, both of them refusing to let go.
Kealin returned a punch back to hades.
" What is your problem, wait— do you like her?" kealin asked.
Lyra waited eagerly for Hades' answer but Hades gave no response to that question.
Keakin yelled to Hades. " that she is Elyse, my first love." which made Hades stop mid air, as he was about to throw the other punch.
" Did Hades know Elyse?" that though raced through my head.