The sky above Olympus cracked like a bone splitting in silence.
Zeus stood at the peak of the ruined throne hall, eyes locked on the horizon. His coat whipped in the wind. He didn't wait for permission. He didn't say a word.
He vanished.
Lightning burst where he stood.
The clouds parted violently as he tore down through the layers of the world—through mist, memory, and the veil between realms. The descent left a scar in the sky.
Below, the Underworld stirred.
⚡
Hades stood near the cliff where the abyss waited.
He felt Zeus before he arrived. The scent of ozone hit first.
Then the crack of raw skyfire split the black stone open.
Zeus landed, kneeling, one hand pressed to the floor, steam hissing off his back. He rose slowly, eyes dark, hands still sparking.
"You sure?" Hades asked, tone dry. "Last time you visited, you almost started a war."
"This time I'm finishing one," Zeus said.
They looked into the abyss together.
Below, chains moved.
