Reborn As Hades In Olympus

"How is this possible?" I asked in disbelief.

The arcane fluid ended up in the hands of my daughter and she appeared when I needed her most. This could not be a coincidence in any way.

In the dim, oppressive chamber, the three figures approached me, their shadows looming as their mocking laughter echoed. Cloaked in shifting darkness, they were manifestations of power and hatred, sent after me by someone who knew who about my adventure in Olympus.

"Running away like a mortal with no purpose. And yet all you managed to do was delay the inevitable, Fallen," the first figure hissed, its voice like that of a serpentine dripping with venom. "Do you think a sip of Arcane Fluid will save you now?"

I smirked, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "Perhaps not, but it will make this moment... memorable."

My words seemed to infuriated them causing them to shriek in mad fury m, this time just as other times I stood my ground without any hint of fear.

The first figure lunged, tendrils of darkness spiraling toward me. My reflexes, now sharpened, kicked in. It was nothing near my peak form but it would suffice. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned my bident, its ethereal glow illuminating the space around us. I parried the attack, the clash reverberating like thunder.

A slight smile showed on my face as my hand tightened around the long metal shaft of the bident as if confirming it\'s existence. "My old companion." I whispered.

The tendrils of the first hooded figure recoiled at me, but not before I retaliated with a sharp arc of energy, severing them mid-flight. The figure howled clearly showing it\'s displeasure at me in full, its form flickering as if struggling to maintain its cohesion.

"You\'ll find I\'m not as fragile as you hoped," I said in a cold voice thst seemed to stop time itself.

The second figure, broader and more imposing, moved next. Its fists, wreathed in flames that seemed to burn through the air itself, came crashing toward me. I sidestepped, the heat grazing my skin by an hair\'s breadth, and countered with a sweep of my bident. The weapon sang as it struck the fiery giant, causing an eruption of sparks and embers that looked very much like fireworks.

"You gods cling to old power," the fiery figure snarled. "But we the Order of Chaos... we evolve."

"And yet here you are," I said, sidestepping another blow. "Still chasing shadows, still falling short. Apparently in over your heads."

I could feel Arcane Fluid coursing through me, unlocking reserves of power that belonged to my immortal counterpart. I felt the ground beneath us hum in resonance as I called upon the underworld\'s essence. Surprisingly shadows gathered at my feet, swirling upward to form a barrier against the third figure— a specter of ice, its frost already creeping toward me.

"You think your realm will protect you?" the icy figure taunted.

"No," I said, gripping my bident tighter. "But it will amplify me." Find more chapters on empire

How was I able to use the powers of Hades? Had I returned with it? If I did then why did my body not recover sooner? Why did Jess have Arcane fluid with her, I thought only the gods on Olympus knew how to make it.

Not wanting to be distracted I turned my mind back to the fight ahead of me.

With a thrust of the bident into the ground, the entire chamber trembled. Jagged spikes of obsidian erupted, forcing the icy figure to retreat. I followed up, summoning a whirlwind of smoke and shadows to clash against its freezing assault. The resulting explosion of opposing energies knocked us both back, but I recovered faster.

Even if this body was still below expectations , my senses honed to the limit still remained. It was already clear who the victor of the fight was. I launched myself forward, plunging the bident into the specter\'s core. A crackle of light spread through its form before it shattered into countless shards, vanishing into the void.

"Hoo~", I sighed as I felt a drop of sweat slid off the corner of my face. "That\'s one down."

I heard Junghkook\'s jump for joy, "Way to go old man, don\'t let up and finish this."

For once being cheered for felt good but I leveled my head and pointed my bident to the remaining two figures giving them the signal to come charging.

The first figure, now desperate, lashed out with renewed fervor, its tendrils transforming into razor-sharp whips. I deflected each strike with precision, pushing it back with each parry.

The second figure, still ablaze, charged at me from the side. I let them both close in, feigning weakness as they converged.

"You\'re surrounded!" the fiery one bellowed.

"Am I?" My eyes hissed out thick black smoke as I brought whatever plan they had envisioned crashing down like pieces of glass smashing on the floor.

In that moment, I unleashed the stored power I had been accumulating from the arcane fluid. A wave of pure energy erupted from me, a combination of underworld shadows and divine brilliance. It expanded outward, devouring the air with it and swallowing both figures. Their screams of agony echoed as their forms disintegrated, unable to withstand the raw force.

As the energy subsided, the chamber fell silent. The oppressive air lifted, replaced by a heavy stillness. I stood amidst the rubble, my bident still glowing faintly, its power sated for now.

Junghkook was the first to acknowledge the fact that the dark veil around the town had disintegrated. "It\'s over? Is it--" Even he was still reeling from everything."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. My power was partly restored in my frail body, but there was still something I was still puzzled about. If anything, it was about Jess and her unusual appearance here and might I say— at the right time."

But for now, I allowed myself a moment to savor this small victory and redirect the flow of power through my body. The three figures were defeated, their threat neutralized for now but I could not stop to think who had sent them. The only clue I had now was that they were a new organization from the future.

Could it have been that they were expecting my return and waiting patiently for it?

I turned to the far end of the chamber, where a faint light beckoned. The path ahead was unclear, but one thing was certain— this war was far from over.

And I would be ready for them when the time came. I was much stronger than I had ever been.

"Father, there\'s something I have to tell you... The truth!" Jesse\'s voice cut through my line of thought and I thought, This was it.