Reborn As Hades In Olympus

Ch. 185: A Date with Destiny

Two months had passed since the war ended and the antidote was secured. The Underworld had quieted, though the occasional flare of unrest demanded my attention. Yet, in the grand scheme of divine chaos, things were… manageable. It felt strange, to be at relative peace. Slowly I was able to fit into my new role as ruler of the underworld. Stranger still was the promise I now found myself bound to— a date. With Talos.

It had slipped my mind back for a long time now, I wasn't even sure how this had come to pass. Was I tricked? Manipulated? Or was it simply my own lapse in judgment? Maybe a part of me wanted to reward myself for all the stress I had been through. Regardless, today I was preparing for what could be the best day in my life if things went well.

I chose to dress a bit more casual, dark jeans and a light top. Something simple. Apparently Talos had somewhere in mind and of course it had to be something weird. An amphitheater, this was a building where theatre was done. Why she had chosen this was beyond my comprehension.

My head still spun from the earlier encounter with Hermes. Hermes, of course, had opinions about my so-called "date."

"Do you even know what gods do on dates, Hades?" he asked earlier, sprawled across my throne like he owned the place. I doubted he had any fear or respect for me at this point.

"I assume they eat, talk, and regret the experience," I replied, as I prepared for departure.

"Oh, it's much more than that!" Hermes said, practically cackling. "There's awkward silences, the chance of public humiliation, and if you're lucky, maybe a mild existential crisis."

"Wonderful," I muttered.

"Isn't this your first date in forever?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You are having the time of your life, aren't you?" It felt good seeing him able to laugh again without any worry holding him back.

As I left, Hermes called after me, "Don't forget to bring a flower or something! She'll love that stuff!"

"Would she?" I asked.

He simply replied. "Ain't no harm in trying."

Which explained why I now held a single black rose in my hand, plucked from the Asphodel Fields. Romantic, perhaps, but it also had thorns sharp enough to draw blood— symbolic, I thought, of my current predicament.

The amphitheater was a relic of a bygone era, its stone steps cracked and overgrown with moss. Talos was already there, standing in the center of the stage. She wore something far simpler than her usual guarded wear— a flowing, deep blue dress that seemed entirely at odds with her usual persona.

"Is this the part where I applaud you on your dress?" I asked, descending the steps.

She turned, a small smirk on her lips. "Only if you brought popcorn."

I held out the rose. "Hermes insisted this was a necessary gesture."

Talos took it, examining the thorns with an amused look. "Trust Hermes to make dating sound like a gladiatorial match."

"It feels about the same," I admitted with a light smile.

We sat on the steps, looking out over the empty stage. For a moment, neither of us spoke. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but it was still a silence I felt compelled to break.

"So," I began, "what exactly constitutes a 'date' in your mind?" Since she was the one that brought up the idea I supposed she had something in mind.

Talos shrugged. "I thought it'd be interesting to see you squirm."

"I don't squirm," I said indignantly. Was she flirting with me? I guess breaking her curse really changed a lot about her.

"Really? Because two months ago, you looked pretty close to it when I mentioned this idea." She smiled again.

Did I really do that back then? I thought I was super chill about the idea.

I opened my mouth to retort but found no suitable response. Instead, I opted for sarcasm. "Well, consider me a willing participant in your experiment."

Talos grinned. "See? You're getting into the spirit of it already." Discover more stories at empire

I smiled back, this was fun. A day without any worries about problems or the circle. Just two beings being people.

As the evening wore on, we explored the town near the amphitheater. Talos insisted we "experience" mortal life, which apparently included visiting a bustling market.

"Do gods even eat mortal food?" she asked, eyeing a food cart selling roasted chestnuts.

Somehow the location she chose was the mortal realm, perhaps she wanted time from Olympus and chose to come here. There was also the suggestion that she was interested in the mortal realm.

"Not unless they're desperate or reckless," I replied.

She bought some of the roasted chestnuts anyway and held one out to me. "Live a little."

Stepping into the mortal realm we had to blend in meaning we had to restrict the flow of energy through our body making us seem less godly.

Reluctantly, I took it and bit into the chestnut. It wasn't… awful. Talos, however, looked far too pleased with herself.

"See? You didn't die." She smiled.

"Yet," I muttered, earning a laugh. "Who said anything about dying here?"

We continued walking, and at one point, a street performer juggling flaming torches caught Talos's attention. She insisted we stop to watch, and when the performer asked for a volunteer, she shoved me forward before I could object.

"Really?" I hissed but chose to play the part.

"Relax," she said. "What's the worst that could happen? You're already fireproof."

I eyes her and sighed.

The performer handed me a torch, and for the next few minutes, I awkwardly mimicked his movements while Talos doubled over with laughter in the audience.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

When it was over, I returned to her side, scowling. "Satisfied?"

"Immensely," she said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Don't be like that, you were actually really good up there."

I laughed along with her and said. "This good to see you happy."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, we returned to the amphitheater. The quiet was a welcome reprieve from the chaos of the market.

"You know," Talos said, breaking the silence, "I didn't think we'd make it this far."

"To the amphitheater?" I asked dryly.

She rolled her eyes. "No, I mean… surviving everything. The war. The curses. All of it."

I looked at her, noting the uncharacteristic vulnerability in her tone. "Neither did I," I admitted. "But here we are."

"Do you think it's over?" she asked, her gaze distant.

"For now," I said. "But something always comes next."

Talos nodded, then turned to me with a faint smile. "Still, it's nice to have moments like this. Even if it's just… pretending to be normal for a while."

I didn't respond immediately, letting her words hang in the air. For all her sharp wit and calculated brilliance, there was a part of her that yearned for something simpler— a life unburdened by divine politics and existential threats.

"I suppose even gods need a break," I said finally.

"And you?" she asked. "Do you ever wish for something… different?"

I considered her question carefully. "Perhaps. But my role is what it is. The Underworld doesn't run itself."

Talos smirked. "Always the dutiful one."

As the stars appeared overhead, Talos stood and stretched. "Well, I'd say this date was a success."

"By what metric?" I asked, standing as well.

She grinned. "You didn't set anything on fire— on purpose, at least— and I didn't mess it up. I'd call that progress."

"High standards indeed," I said dryly.

As we prepared to part ways, Talos hesitated. "Thanks for this, Hades. Really. It was… fun."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeling all right? You're being unusually sincere."

She punched me lightly on the arm. "Don't ruin the moment."

With that, she turned and began walking away.

"Talos," I called after her.

She paused, glancing back.

I smirked. "Next time, I pick the location."

She laughed, the sound echoing in the empty amphitheater. "Deal."

As she disappeared into the night, I stood there for a moment, staring up at the stars. For all the chaos that awaited us, tonight had been a rare and precious reprieve.

And perhaps, in a way, I had Hermes to thank for it. I made a mental note to never tell him that.