MC PoV:
Reincarnation: I was never particularly religious in my past life. In fact, I would go so far as to say I was an atheist. Growing up in an industrial town in northern England within a religious family and attending Catholic school at a young age didn't exactly turn me into the budding priest my family had probably hoped for. This was exacerbated by my growing love for mythologies and history.
So, when I died and suddenly found myself reborn as a prominent figure in Greek mythology—specifically, Hades, the Greek God of the Dead—calling me surprised would be an understatement. Most people would likely feel overwhelmed by the idea of transitioning from being an ordinary human to becoming an immortal deity.
However, I found myself pondering the broader implications of my rebirth. Was there an all-powerful God who reincarnated me, or was it simply a matter of chance? When we die, do our souls scatter across existence like hockey pucks, landing in whatever body will accept them?
Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to reflect on the greater nature of my rebirth. While the concept of reincarnation didn't trouble me too much—or at least that's what I tell myself—the horrifying realisation that I had been reborn as a Kroneid, and not just any Kroneid but the most feared and misrepresented one of all, Hades Plouton, hit me hard. Now, not only do I have to contend with a plethora of terrible Hollywood movies that will tarnish my reputation in the future, but I also have the most thankless job in any mythology: ruling the dead.
I was pleasantly surprised when I wasn't confronted by the ridiculous face of a Hollywood-style Kronos, but instead greeted by the warm smile of my new mother, Rhea. When Kronos did eventually appear, I was even more surprised. He resembled a model rather than a looming mass of lava, and while he still intended to imprison me in his stomach, his approach was much cleaner and more humane than I had anticipated.
Unfortunately, I faced a major problem: I was currently trapped inside my father's stomach, or whatever the immortal version of it was. After all, gods are not biological beings; they are more energy than matter, more metaphysical than physical. They don't require organs or similar things—just skin suits to avoid scorching everything around them.
This left me infinitely curious about how I was born. Gods are shapeshifters, so I should be able to look however I want, but I was born with a pre-made appearance. Did my mother mould it, or is some wacky fate magic at play? Not that I was too concerned about looks anyway. When everyone can shapeshift, no one is truly good-looking; it becomes a matter of who is most concerned with their appearance.
Knowing that I would eventually be free from my stomach prison and would engage in the greatest war that Greek mythology had ever seen—a conflict that would define the modern world—I couldn't justify wasting time trying to look like every edgy fanfiction protagonist. Besides, I was pretty fond of the entire regal Greek god look. It's not as if they ever lack in the lover department; look at any Greek gods wiki page, and you'll hurt your fingers scrolling through the relationship category.
I was surprised to discover that, even though my siblings were also inside our father, his divinity actively kept us apart. This separation was likely to prevent us from coming together to escape. Individually, we weren't powerful enough to break free, but united, we might have stood a chance.
Part of me was honestly grateful for that fact. I've always been a bit of an introvert—not because I'm afraid of social interaction, but because I find small talk mentally exhausting. Moreover, getting some time to myself to experiment with my newfound divinity was crucial. While I seemed to have an instinctive grasp of my powers, I learned from driving that theoretical understanding and practical application can vastly differ under pressure.
As every fanfiction protagonist teaches, I began my journey by trying to connect with my divinity—a task that turned out to be surprisingly effortless. I had imagined I'd spend hours immersed in meditation or some ritualistic practice, but instead, the connection surged within me as naturally as breathing. Still, the experience left me feeling disoriented, as if I were caught in the eye of a storm.
A chilling darkness wrapped around my essence, seeping into my very core like a creeping shadow, making my body feel engulfed in flames. My pale skin radiated a brilliant golden glow, shimmering like sunlight breaking through the clouds. In that moment, I felt as if I could move mountains with sheer willpower. The rush of energy was intoxicating, flooding my senses so intensely that I could almost taste metal on my tongue and smell the damp earth in the air. As the sensations swirled around me, I took a deep breath and harnessed my power, consciously modulating it to a steadier rhythm. The raw intensity transformed from an overwhelming surge, threatening to burst forth uncontrollably, into a more manageable flow of energy—like the exhilarating jolt after consuming a six-pack of Red Bull. It was a heady mix of exhilaration and control, awakening every fibre of my being.
Recalling what I knew about Hades, he was the God of the Dead and also the giver of wealth, later referred to as Pluto by the Romans. However, humanity didn't exist yet, so the concept of dying wasn't applicable. Considering I'm not yet the King of the Underworld, I wasn't sure what powers I would possess. It seems, though, that Hades always had some connection to the more chthonic aspects of nature, since I still could summon the walls of Erebus (Darkness). This allowed me to become almost invisible, which was cool, I guess. It did make the Helm of Darkness symbolise power redundant, so either the original Hades was an idiot or incredibly uncreative. I'll go with the latter; otherwise, I'd be criticising myself, which is a strange thought.
Unfortunately, I encountered a little issue while testing my powers: Gods can't impose their will on another deity—at least, I can't do that to my dad, who is currently much stronger than I am. But it's something to consider for the future. After all, if I'm correct, Zeus eventually strips Apollo and Poseidon of their immortality for a time. Anyway, I can't do much training regarding my domains right now. Still, in Greek mythology, there are powers that all gods can utilise to some extent—like smiting and teleportation—which, to my knowledge, must be done using divinity unaltered by domains. So, I suppose I'll have to spend my time experimenting until I'm freed from this place...