Chapter Nineteen

It was sudden. How all the envelopes from Hermes arrived at everyone’s doorstep. Even Odin was impressed with the haste at which the little man few to share words and communicate.

Over in the Underworld, Hades was not amused. The last gathering he attended was Hercules’s birth celebration–which was uncomfortable as he had seen how the boy was doomed to die the moment Zeus announced he was going to have yet another child.

“Do you think any of the Upper 3 will show?” Osiris’s grumbled question shared the same annoyance and inconvenience Izanagi felt by the summoning.

“They have much better things to be attending too. You know, as the creators of the Earth and Heavens? I highly doubt it. Which means, of course, the burden will fall upon MY shoulders,” Izanagi chewed the inside of his lip as he glared over Hades shoulder at the invitation.

“I guess.. parties are different in my Domain..,” Hel slumped down, her blond hair covering both sides of her face.

“And how do you mean little One?” Hades passed the letter to Izanagi and leaned on his elbow, curious at how Northern Parties vary from other Domains.

Hel blushed-not that anyone could tell with her hair in her face, “well I just mean… everyone wanted to drink and party! It doesn’t make sense why you guys don’t want to be there.” Uncomfortable with the attention being on her, Hel slid off her chair and started forward.

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Hades scoffed, “I enjoy going to parties…”

“Yeah? When was the last time you went to a party that you weren’t tricked into attending by Persephone?” Izanagi toyed back at him. Annoyed at the whole situation.

Osiris kept his watch on Hel. Her feet staggering from underneath her. Her breath getting shorter and shorter with each step. She reached out for the wall to catch her but missed, falling face first into the dark floors.

“Hel!” Osiris stood up from his seat, the bickering between Izanagi and Hades ceasing immediately. The three stood there, unsure what to do next when the Death Moan escaped Hel’s lips. The air was thick and the three deities could sense something otherworldly happening. Izanagi stepped closer towards Hel, not really caring who could be controlling the poor girl. As he bent down over to her, Hel’s body began to convulse. She was shaking, foaming out of the mouth.

Another Death Moan.

“What’s happening to her?” Hades asked the room.

Hel sat upright. Blinking her only working eye. Her mouth dry and parched as she scans the room. Her eyes lock on Izanagi and her head tilts to the side.

“Are you alright?” Izanagi’s voice was measured. If this was a prank Hades set her up for, they both will need coinage for the passing onward.

Hel shook her head and reached out to Izanagi who carefully took her hand and helped her to her feet.

Hel wasn’t sure what to tell her fellow Overseers. She couldn’t quite make sense of what had just happened either. All that she could hear were the Fate’s gasping and laughing as she tried to pull a vision or recall the moment. Wiping the residue from her mouth she looked each of the three Overseers in the eye carefully thinking about what to say.

Her words finally tumbled out.

“We need to attend the party. All of us.”