I’m Hades Straight Up 1 (Marvel Hades SI)

(??? POV)

-World Between Worlds-

It was quiet.

I can almost hear someone saying no shit, you're dead. Of course, it's quiet, but then I remember that I am alone in the space and somehow breathe while in spirit form.

I never imagined it could end so quickly. One minute, I was driving to work, and the next, I was getting squished up against the giant truck. Thankfully, I mostly didn't feel a thing.

While I am slightly disappointed that my life ended so quickly, I almost feel relieved as I don't have any expectations, no responsibilities, no, nothing, just staring into the endless light.

I saw other floating walls of light, but they just seemed to disappear eventually, some lasting longer than others, and I think I understand why. Based on where I am, I assumed those were the souls of people moving on.

Even now, I can feel parts of my life swept away as my memories are just gone right now. I could only recall bits and pieces, not even my own name. 

I wanted to shout and do something, but I couldn't find the strength. And a small part of me wants to embrace it. I was never afraid to die. I never thought it would happen so quickly.

As the balls of light in the distance disappear, I simply wait and contemplate what might happen next.

So that's what I did. I sat or, more likely, stayed in place for what felt like days just, simply enjoying the fact that I could think and feel whatever I wanted.

I had tried saying something to the other floating balls of light, but they never responded. Maybe that's because we couldn't actually hear each other.

So, I spent a decent amount of time just airing my grievances, which were somewhat numerous.

But not too much, as I did feel somewhat fulfilled about my short existence.

But before I could start recounting up to the highest number, I could remember again that I felt the space around me begin to shift as I found myself sitting on the floor, which seemed never to end.

Honestly, my surroundings seemed similar to those of a typical office building. Still, it was as if all color had just been removed except white, so as I stood up on what was essentially my spiritual legs, I began walking.

Flashes of memory passed before my eyes in the form of floating glass that disappeared after I passed by. None of them caught my eye until the last one when I saw the time when I was left on the orphanage's doors. I know, cliché, right?

I never knew they were, even after doing DNA tests. The identities of my parents remained unknown when I was a kid. I had assumed I was a part of some type of movie or show plot, but then it just became mundane. 

Well, I could never learn their names, bodies matching their descriptions, were found drowned in a river, and based on the fact that there weren't any signs of struggle, it was a double suicide.

Because I wasn't left anything, I didn't exactly have the resources to go into therapy, and honestly, I couldn't even understand what I felt at the time.

And as one of my last memories shatter in front of my eyes, I find myself somewhere different as I looked around. I saw a ginormous throne that seemed to extend forever upwards.

It was made from something I couldn't even understand, and the more I looked at it, the more it seemed to hurt. 

"It's something, isn't it?" a voice from behind said, and as I turned around, I saw an enormous winged figure smiling down at me. 

Without giving me a second even to respond, the figure disappeared and reappeared, sitting on the throne.

" I would know, as I spent a decent amount of time creating it—hundreds upon hundreds of years just crafting the perfect design." Then, I sat back on the chair as it bid me to say something.

"It's definitely a nice chair, but I assume that's not why you brought me here?" The figure then lifted his hand, and in his open palm, I saw a vial with a multitude of colors swimming under the glass.

"}}#}#%%} of Earth 110602, I am here to offer an accord." The sake said as he placed the vial somehow in mid-air, yet his expression remained the same. I could almost feel his emotions.

I stood there for almost 2 seconds, surprised to speak, but eventually, I could choke out the words, "Why me?"

" In simple terms, without any of the metaphysical jargon, I require someone to act in a certain role. A key universe has been left without one of its figures or anchor beings, so to speak, and I need someone to replace them. But honestly, I am just too lazy to do it myself." The statement almost caused me to laugh, even though I could probably not even comprehend it. I still feel the need to be lazy.

"You seem like the type of guy to do the opposite, however." The word flew out of my mouth so fast that I couldn't even think of what I was saying.

But instead of feeling offended, the winged man just laughs, and the sound is almost infectious, as I feel the need to chuckle along. Still, before I could do so, he said, "Yes, I could do it myself or even erase the universe entirely. I want to run an experiment."

"An experiment?" The man simply nodded, and before I could even blink, he appeared before me.

"Out of all the souls, yours seems to resonate with this essence with a compatibility so strong I haven't seen in a while—well, other than a certain dragon, that is; I wonder how he's doing?" His question seemed to be directed at somebody else, as I could almost feel another presence without them actually appearing.

But before I could begin to feel uncomfortable, the man snapped his fingers, and his presence disappeared. I wanted to ask what had happened, but based on his expression, he would not answer me.

"What role would you have me play in this game of yours?" The thought of playing to someone else's tune was concerning, to say the least.

" That, my friend, you must find out for yourself because you see it with or without your choice. Something will be done. It's up to you if you're willing to take the punch. So, are you going to take your chances? If you don't, you have my word that I shall return you to your universe so that you may live out your next life." he then summons a small pedestal and places a red button on top of it, which I assume is meant to represent me saying no.

As the man retakes his throne, he simply watches and waits, and while I should feel irritated by the lackadaisical nature of this being, it almost feels right as to why, with something so beyond me, conforms to my standards.

So, I simply sat down and weighed the pros and cons.

Honestly, the only benefit of this is a second life that I couldn't even begin to understand. The cons are the same reason I wouldn't be able to know what I would be jumping into.

However a small part of me feels almost excited about a journey into the unknown, and that excitement builds as I recalled a memory of me buying a small Lego set. I can't recall what it was exactly, but I believe it was something meant to explore the stars.

It was nothing exceptional, yet now I have the chance to do something new and go outside my comfort zone.

So, as I stood up, I grabbed the vial from the pedestal, but seeing as I didn't actually have a mouth, the vial simply disappeared into my being. Before I could say anything, I felt my consciousness beginning to fade as the winged being cradled my spirit and sent it through a portal.

I see a smile on that being's face as he leaves me with his name and my new one.

At least, I assumed that was my new name as I was unable to see what it really was, but I heard his name loud and clear.

Linus Ozias. Someone I shall never forget.

As I fade into unconsciousness, I feel myself beginning to fall into something as I get squeezed and contorted in ways I couldn't even comprehend.

Eventually, it becomes less of a spiritual feeling and more of a physical one, and that's when I lose consciousness.

(Third Person POV)

-Mount Orthys (Earth 616)-

The home of the Titans and the children of Gaia and Oranos. Here dwells the king of the Titans, massive beings that put mountains to shame with their pure size and their powers able to rent entire countries in seconds.

It is a golden age, as after the death of their father by Cronus's hand, there have been years of peace and prosperity for all, but in an ironic twist of fate, the king of the Titans was cursed with the prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him.

So, in a bid to avert the prophecy, he swallowed his children, one by one, as they were born. So far, three of his children have been devoured with the force now heading down his gullet.

" He tasted terrible," Cronus said as he sat on his throne, which was made from the very mountain itself.

Rhea, his wife, could barely even muster up a response after giving birth to four beautiful children. All of them had been taken from her moments after birth.

Her beauty, once known throughout their family, had been reduced significantly, not only due to birthing for children but also due to grief.

Every child swallowed by Rhea was left diminished.  As with every childbirth, a portion of her own divinity is used to create the child, but now, since all of her children rest within her husband, she is not able to restore that lost strength.

So now she sits on her throne, given to her by her husband, just staring off into the distance, haggard and almost complicit.

Not amused by his wife's lack of response, the slayer of the sky marches over to her and grips her by the neck, seemingly looking for any signs of life.

But now, all he sees in her eyes is apathy and indifference.

" You know, they shall never escape! I shall never lose my throne. I earned it! It is mine!" The deranged rant does not seem to phase his wife as he simply throws her back onto the throne she is sitting on.

While the impact cracked the marble seat, it simply reformed as the titaness of motherhood simply ignored him, as she was truly and completely tired. She did not even notice when she was being dragged back to their room.

It's almost ironic, as a being that does not want to have children indulges in more lust than some of the demons she has seen from the various hell dimensions connected to this earth.

She wishes she could call upon her siblings, but they could care less, and then any of those who would wish to help her are truly scared or afraid for their own children. 

But what fails to catch the cannibal's attention is his wife's smirk of defiance. She knows that one day, there will be a reckoning. She has seen it.

(Hades POV)

Going from the form of a spirit to having a physical body is abrupt, to say the least, as having access to all limbs and other appendages is rather unsavory, especially when floating around a giant pool of acid.

The pain from floating within the oars was almost too much to bear as I could feel my skin burning and my lungs filling with the viscous liquid, and I could practically hear my heart stop due to the pain.

"It hurts! Make it stop!" Yet, as a baby, all I could do was flail around wildly, causing more acid to flood my form. I eventually blacked out from sheer pain, and I then heard my heartbeat cease… but just as it seemed to do so, I reopened my eyes and found the acid-less pain on my form.

When I take a breath, the fumes produced by the acid also reduce the discomfort of breathing.

As I re-orient myself within the pool of acid, I swim over to the side of what I assume is the stomach and find various holes dug into what seems to be the outer lining of the stomach.

While I wanted to question how I could already become a child so quickly, I needed to get out of this acid, even ass slight suspicions formed.

But they seemed too convenient as if someone else had been here before him. But I was never a patient man, so I dug my hands into the outer lining. While it was slimy, I found that I could navigate the wall of flesh decently well.

As I find a small divot, I sit and stare into what seems like endless seas of acid. Yet all I could do was start laughing.

"Hahahahahahah!" I couldn't tell if it was just joy or shock, but I was alive again. I wasn't afraid to go to the other side, but as I felt my blood flowing through my veins, it was almost magical now.

I could also feel something new, almost whispering in my ear that I could do more. As I lifted my hand and opened my palm, a black fire formed in the shape of something new.

I smiled, seeing that I had been given a second chance. I knew my role, and now I knew my name.

Hades the one who rules over the riches of the living and the souls of the dead.

"Okay, that was a bit much, even for me." The thought made its way into my mind as a chuckle spread across my being, but it was nice to know my own name.

Now, I just need to find a way to get something to eat.

Essences Used: Afterlife God King, Involate Self, Blank, and ??? (All Essences Are Reduced Until Completion Of ???)