No Ordinary Man :: With cautious steps, Acacius navigated through the scattered debris of shattered wood and broken memories. Once a vibrant forest, it now stood as a wasteland, nothing of life and filled with somber. Collecting his things, he stretched his magnificent, obsidian wings and readied himself for the mission. Fully aware of his purpose, he propelled himself upwards, flapping his mighty wings vigorously, and ascended into the hazy, smoke-filled heavens. This was far from ordinary, but then again, he was far from an ordinary man. With a quick glance towards the heavens, he let out a gasp that caused him to abruptly stop in mid-air. "Looks like Lord Zeus is not pleased!" The man swiftly turned his body and began descending towards the ground. He dove down with such elegance, as if he were gracefully plunging into a pool. Suddenly, he emerged from beneath the earth, scanning his surroundings. Finally, he found the person he was searching for and called out, "Charon!" The man named Charon turned around, dressed in long, dark robes, with empty eye sockets. "Hey," Charon growled. "Can't you see I'm on my lunch break?" Acacius expression turned fearful. "What?" Charon grumbled. "I thought you were-" Before he could finish his sentence, he interrupted him. "Code blue," he stated. Charon stood up so abruptly that Acacius flinched. "CERBERUS?" he bellowed. "Tell the Lord to come quickly!" In the depths of the underworld, Hades, the ruler of the dead, was peacefully dozing on his eerie black throne crafted from bones. Suddenly, the silence was shattered as Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of the underworld, bounded into the grand hallway. Startled from his slumber, Hades jolted upright and furrowed his brow. "Cerberus! Not now! Can't you see I was enjoying a well-deserved rest?" he grumbled, stifling a yawn. Cerberus barked indignantly and stomped his massive paws, clearly agitated. Hades raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes in exasperation. "You mustn't bother me with these matters! I couldn't care less about Zeus and his tantrums!" Cerberus whimpered once more, seemingly conveying something that caught Hades' attention. As Cerberus finished his tale, Hades' mood turned sour. "So, you're telling me his lightning bolt has gone missing?" he uttered, his voice dripping with anger and loathing. Cerberus meekly nodded. Hades let out a thunderous roar, causing Cerberus to jump and the palace to tremble. "I will confront him! He's not the only one who has suffered the theft of their source of power! As you well know, Cerberus, my Helm of Darkness was also taken!" he declared, seething with fury. Hades sprang to his feet and twirled around, disappearing into a dense cloud of smoke, causing Cerberus to cough and sneeze. Finally, Hades materialized beside Charon, his eyes ablaze with fury. Unaware of Hades' presence, Charon was urgently whispering into Acacius's ear. However, Acacius had stopped listening, his lips moving soundlessly as he pointed towards Hades. Charon glanced over his shoulder and upon seeing Hades, he gasped and dropped to his knees. "My Lord! Did- did Cerberus-?" Charon stammered. "Yes!" Hades snapped. "I am already aware of my brothers' loss." Charon appeared slightly relieved and inquired, "The chariot is ready for you, and if you wish, you can depart early-?" "No," Hades replied, his gaze dripping with secrecy. "You know very well that the other Olympians won't catch me entering Olympus unless I arrive on time." Hades paused, seemingly waiting for Charon's response, but when none came, he continued, "Just have the chariot prepared in 20 minutes. It won't take long to reach Olympus." "Y-yes, Sir!" Charon trembled as Hades vanished once again, this time with an intriguing air about him. Charon stormed into the stables, seething with anger. "Hey Charon, what's eating you?" Aethon asked, pawing at the ground from his cramped stall. "Can you let us out already?" Nycteus chimed in, irritating Charon even more. "Can you just be quiet for once, Aethon? And yes, I have to let you out. Have you forgotten? It's the winter solstice today." Orphnaeus cheered, but Alastor wore a frown. [cont @ "Notes and Credits"]
After all the horses had been taken out and harnessed to the chariot, Charon made his way back into the palace, barking orders at the Furies as he passed by. He entered the grand throne room and respectfully bowed at the entrance. Though Hades had his back turned, he could sense Charon's presence. "Yes, Charon?" he asked, his deep voice composed. Charon stuttered nervously, trembling with anxiety. "I-I have positioned the horses as you requested, my Lord." "Good. Have you informed Alecto that I will be leaving her in charge of the gates?" Hades inquired. "No, not yet, sire-" "Well?" Hades snapped, causing Charon to jump once again. "Get on with it! Return to me once you have completed the task." "Yes, yes, my Lord!" Charon stumbled out of the throne room, leaving Cerberus and Hades standing in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Hades dropped a golden drachma into a pool of water and uttered, "34th St., New York, NY, Empire State Building, 600th floor." He suddenly vanished from the Iris-message just as Zeus, the king of gods, appeared. Zeus frowned and glanced around. Rolling his eyes, he waved his hand to end the message. Hades faintly heard Zeus complaining to Hera, "But my dear, they keep coming, and I have no idea where they're coming from!" Hades strained his ears, but could barely catch Hera's response. “Zeus, can’t you believe it? There's absolutely no way that could have happened!" Hades couldn't help but feel a surge of grim satisfaction as the Iris message disappeared into thin air. With a nod, he prepared to leave the throne room when suddenly, Charon entered, almost crashing into the lord of the Underworld. "What is it?" Hades snapped. "I have reminded Alecto of her duties, sire," Charon said, nodding. "Good, good... Have you stationed the horses?" "Yes, yes, my lord. Everything is ready for your leave." Hades nodded, feeling satisfied. "I'll be there shortly. Now, go on." He waved Charon out of the throne room. Charon stumbled out of the room, muttering under his breath, after Hades forcefully ushered him out. He made his way back outside and propped himself against a towering pillar near the castle. Alastor, sensing Charon's emotion, approached him with curiosity. "What happened?" he inquired, sensing the disappointment in Charon's character. Charon paused, realizing the potential consequences of revealing his thoughts about his lord. "Oh, nothing," he replied dismissively. Alastor's innocent expression didn't fool him; he knew exactly what Alastor was up to. With a scowl, Charon averted his gaze. "Lord Hades certainly has a unique sense of style." Alastor's anger was evident, but there was a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Fine," he huffed, trotting back to the chariot and positioning himself next to Aethon, who immediately began babbling loudly. Alastor shot him a look as Charon flashed a mocking grin towards him. Despite being a mere rowman for Hades, he was more powerful than anyone ever knew.
