Chapter 19 The Meetings

Hades POV

It had been twenty-five years since I was back in the END and decided to hold a conference with everyone to see how they were doing. All was good as nothing major happened while I was gone. The only major event was Hermes trying to gain permission to enter the END, but could not without my permission. That permission would not be given since I was not here. Zeus apparently threw a major tantrum and almost declared war. Poseidon had to calm him down because in no way, shape, or form could he possibly go to war with me. The afterlife, in the END, had gained twice as many people as now I was getting souls from Yahweh's pantheon. Thanatos was confused by this until I explained the situation with him. He did not seem overly annoyed, but I could still hear a sigh of resignation from him.

Charon though was a pain in the ass. I found out he had been requesting drachma from the dead. I told him he would be fired if he did so again, I also scared him with my helm for good measure. Seriously, what an idiot because of this souls from Yahweh had been backed up. There was a major backlog that I had to personally fix. I also made sure he would never gain a cent more from the dead and all that he did gain was confiscated. The titans were confused about the reason that I left. I simply told them I went on vacation to other pantheons. They were either shocked or concerned. No other problems happened, but now I have to go to the winter solstice and meet the Olympians.

General POV

While Hades has been making his way up to Olympus, the other Olympians were growing restless. Zeus especially as he knew he did not have the support to actually defeat Hades. Hades had gained the loyalty of many minor gods and all the titans that sided with them or were forced to side with Kronos during the war. Zeus was not confident enough to be able to beat him. The newer Olympians, besides Ares, were also nervous as they have heard many tales of Hades and how fear-inducing he is. His mear presence could send gods into a catatonic state. Ares wanted a war to actually happen as it was in his nature.

Poseidon always supported Zeus once he was made king for the sole reason that he was king, so if there was going to be a war he would side with Zeus. Demeter did not really care and focused on the vegetation of the world. Hera was conflicted that Hades was coming as he was the only one that supported her as well as the one that beat her husband. Hestia was excited to have all her family here and called Rhea to come to the meeting.

General POV

Hades had finally entered the throne room of Olympus and looked at his stone chair. Zeus had replaced it after Hades had taken his to the END. Zeus had the intention of humiliating him as he did not have the decency to use a gold or metal chair. Hades had just taken a lazy boy out of his shulker box and replaced it. He just reclined and waited for the meeting to start while all the gods looked at him. The newer Olympians were very much surprised as they have heard many disconcerting things about him, they never thought he was the type to be laid back and started reading a book that had Egyptian hieroglyphs on it.

Zeus POV

How could he still be so nonchalant. He is just lazing around reading a book. He must be planning something, he has skipped more than twenty meetings. I just watch him sitting in his new throne.

"Hades what are you doing replacing the throne you have been given?" How dare he disrespect me.

"I just brought out a comfy chair, the stone did not look nearly as comfortable as I would like." Hades did not even look at me when answering. What could he be thinking?

"Would you like to explain why you had not even communicated with us for the past twenty-plus years." I really must know what he is doing. With Poseidon, I could get information from the naiads, but with Hades, his realm is secure more so than any others. It is like they worship him more so than me their king.

"I was on vacation, had to relax and find inner peace you know. By the way, do you sleep with every woman you meet because I see so many of your children that it is ridiculous? In the past twenty years it is registered that there are three hundred and four demigods that have died that have been yours. I mean seriously, even three out of the six children here on the Olympian council are yours from outside your marriages." How dare he discredit me. I should strike him down now.

"How dare you insult me I am king and I can.." Poseidon decided to deescalate the situation through by looking at him you could see he agreed with Hades.

"Inner peace? What does that even mean? How the heck is that even an answer?" Now it was Poseidon's turn to be bewildered.

"You know when you detach yourself from all reality, your wants, desires, your stresses, anger and embrace calmness. It took a while to get there, but once you find it you feel at peace." Hades gave a more confusing awnser to the question.

General POV

Like this Hades avoided all questions about the years he was gone and confused all the Olympians more so than helped them. No one noticed he was just messing with them as they treated his answers seriuosly. At this point, Hades noticed a new figure trying to get his attention. Aphrodite a new member of the Olympian council had been trying to get Hades to notice him since the meeting had started. Hades had ignored her the whole meeting while he was reading his book. She was so frustrated with him and this did not go unnoticed by the other gods as they have seen the conequences of her antiques. Zeus himself was looking forward to it. By this point, the meeting went to the usual topics on the happenings and duties that they accomplished. Hades bragged for once about the greatest library in the world in his realm, only Athena was intrigued by this though. Athena herself suspected if the other gods could even read.