Chapitre 9: Acceptance and Family?
With a final reassuring squeeze, the world dissolved around us. We were gone.
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[Hades POV]
The familiar tremor echoed within the cavern walls, a disruption in the oppressive silence. This time, however, the pressure felt different – earthy, potent, filled with a life force lacking in this desolate realm. My eyes snapped open, and a surge of power crackled through me. Someone was coming.
Hestia stirred beside me, a flicker of alertness replacing the peaceful slumber etched on her face. Before she could even voice a question, I was already in motion. With a silent command, I ripped a gash in the fabric of reality, teleporting myself near her.
"Another sibling," I stated, my voice gruff but laced with a spark of curiosity. This power, this connection – it could only belong to Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Yet, voicing her name felt unnecessary. We both knew.
Hestia's eyes widened in understanding, a mixture of excitement and apprehension coloring her gaze. We hadn't spoken much of our other siblings, the pain of separation too raw. Still, the arrival of another offered a glimmer of hope, a chance to shift the dynamic of this eternal prison.
With a focused thought, I channeled my power, enveloping us both in a swirling vortex of obsidian smoke and gold sparks. Our destination – the coordinates where the disturbance originated. The world blurred into a swirling kaleidoscope of darkness and light. Then, with a jarring shift, we materialized.
Dust motes danced in a shaft of sickly light filtering through the cavern ceiling. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and a faint, unfamiliar sweetness. And there, nestled amidst jagged rocks, lay a figure cloaked in a tattered green robe. Long, golden hair, the color of ripe wheat, cascaded down her back, framing a face that could launch a thousand ships.
Sky-blue eyes, the color of a summer sky, fluttered open, blinking at the sudden intrusion of light. Her body, despite the rough surroundings, radiated a voluptuous beauty that would shame even the most celebrated mortals. For a fleeting moment, a stray thought flickered in my mind - McDonald's workers wouldn't even stand a chance.
But beauty was a fleeting thing in this prison. What truly mattered was the power that thrummed beneath the surface, a raw, untamed force mirroring the untamed wilderness she embodied.
Slowly, with a groan that spoke of exhaustion, Demeter pushed herself upright, her gaze sweeping over the desolate surroundings before finally settling on us. Her voice, when she spoke, was a sweet murmur, laced with the parched dryness of someone who hadn't tasted water in a long time.
"Are you… Hades and Hestia… my elder siblings?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. The innocence in her eyes, so similar to Hestia's, sent a pang through me.
A cold anger settled in my gut, mingling with a protectiveness I hadn't felt in eons. This wasn't just about our escape anymore. This was about protecting our youngest sister, about shielding her from the horrors of this place. Demeter's innocent gaze held me captive, demanding some semblance of reassurance. But words seemed to fail me. My usual gruff pronouncements felt too harsh for this fragile creature.
Thankfully, Hestia seemed to read my mind through her newfound connection. A mocking smirk played on her lips, a silent jab at my emotional turmoil. I shot her a glare that could curdle milk, but she merely hummed, unfazed, and stepped forward towards Demeter.
"Yes, little sister," she said, her voice warm and melodic, a stark contrast to the harshness of the cavern. "You are correct. We are your elder siblings, Hestia and Hades." She gestured towards me, her smile widening at my scowl.
Demeter's sky-blue eyes darted between us, a flicker of nervousness flitting across her face. "I… I wasn't sure what to expect," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "This place is… different from what I remember."
"Indeed, sister," I finally managed to speak, my voice low and controlled. "This is our current… predicament." The word sounded sterile, failing to convey the bleakness of our situation. But Demeter, with her innocent eyes and untarnished spirit, wouldn't need the harsh details.
"We've been here… some time," Hestia chimed in, bridging the awkward silence. "But don't worry, Demeter. We'll figure out a way out of this, together." There was a steely glint in her eyes, a newfound strength that resonated with the newfound power I sensed thrumming within her.
Demeter offered a hesitant smile. "Together," she echoed, the word gaining strength with each repetition. "I… I'm Demeter," she added, as if suddenly realizing she hadn't formally introduced herself. "Goddess of the harvest." Her voice held a hint of pride, a reminder of the vibrant world we'd all been ripped from.
The mention of her domain seemed to activate a faint echo of power within her. A soft green luminescence shimmered around her fingertips, a stark contrast to the oppressive darkness of the cavern. It was a weak emission, but the potential within it was undeniable. A small sliver of hope, a flicker of life in this desolate wasteland.
"Demeter, goddess of the harvest," I repeated, my voice gruff yet strangely gentle. A small part of me, a long-dormant part, yearned to see her wield that power in its full glory, to see life bloom even in this inhospitable place.
The weight on my shoulders, though not lifted entirely, shifted with Demeter's arrival. Hestia, ever the nurturer, understood this instinctively. Her hand on Demeter's shoulder spoke volumes more than any gruff words I could offer.
"Welcome home, little sister," Hestia repeated, her voice filled with a warmth that could kindle flames in the coldest heart. Home. The word tasted like ash on my tongue, a cruel echo of the world ripped from us. Yet, looking at Demeter's hopeful gaze, a sliver of something akin to… comfort? flickered within me. Perhaps, this desolate prison could become a starting point, a foundation to build something new together.
Hestia, sensing my internal struggle, took charge. "Come, Demeter," she said, her voice laced with a gentle authority. "Let me show you around." She gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, a silent message that she understood, that they needed a different kind of introduction.
I watched them go, Demeter clinging to Hestia's arm, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and apprehension. A wry smile played on my lips. Hestia, with her boundless warmth and empathy, would be far better suited to explaining our predicament.
With a sigh, I turned towards my meditation spot, a hidden nook bathed in perpetual twilight. The familiar calmness settled over me as I closed my eyes, focusing on the steady rhythm of my own existence.
Life, even this bleak existence, seemed a little more bearable with others around. It wasn't just the power Demeter brought, but a renewed sense of… purpose. Protecting my sisters, fostering hope in this desolate realm – these were new emotions bubbling within me, emotions I wouldn't have thought possible a while ago.
A soft chuckle escaped my lips. Perhaps, even a god of the underworld could learn to embrace a little… warmth. Little did I know, as I settled into my meditation, that Hestia stood at the cavern entrance, watching my retreating figure. A wide smile bloomed on her face, a vibrant contrast to the surrounding darkness.
"Finally admitting your emotions, big brother?" she murmured, her voice laced with playful amusement. She knew me too well. But that was alright. With both my sisters by my side, I was no longer alone in this darkness. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was a chance not just to escape, but to rebuild, to rediscover who we were, not just as gods, but as a family.
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Chapter Length- 1,276 Words
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone