New Human

Meanwhile Hades and his two best and most advanced combat drones have managed to infiltrate Olympus. It hadn’t been hard task to achieve; at least that’s what Hades thinks, as he keeps to the shadows while climbing up the service shafts toward the peak of Olympus, where Zeus is housed.

Hades’ face is a permanent snarl as his metal fingers grip tightly to the rock face of the service shaft. By now Nemesis will be dead, he thinks as he turns his head to look out over the city that has risen up inside the mountain. It had been much smaller the last time he’d been here, but the people are still the same, lost, weak and pathetic. But that is not how they will stay, no. Soon they will be strong and in service to him, like his drones, but better. He’d leave the citizens with their minds and have them command the drones, but their free will would be taken from them. They wouldn’t need it anyway, he concludes as he climbs free of the shaft to stand of an outcropping of shadowy rocks high above the city buildings. Still plenty of room for expansion, Hades notes as he looks up to see the beginnings of the Olympians home jutting out from the rock above him. It had been his home once, before they’d taken it from him. He would never forgive them for that, especially Zeus, but soon Zeus will be no more than a spectator forced to watch as his kingdom comes tumbling down. It’s fitting Hades decides as he orders the combat drones to hold position with a simple hand gesture. They both nod in confirmation as he leaps high into the air and wraps his fingers around the bottom rung of a retracted service ladder, bending and flattening it in his grip.

Hades hauls himself up without issue and slips inside the perimeter of the Olympian’s perch, noting how ill guarded this place is. But that will change; he swears as he avoids the common areas of the vast space and instead keeps to the service areas. Hades knows even Zeus has no presence here. These access routes are from the early days of Olympus when everything had been much more primitive and still in development.

Suddenly Hades finds his route blocked by metal plating. The weld is old and worn and offers little resistance as he wrenches it free so that he may continue forward. He is so close now he can taste victory and it makes him smile as he reaches the last barrier between him and Zeus’ domain.

This panel of layered metal and composite is stronger than any of those that lay in his way before, but they fall just the same as he thrusts his arm through the panel, spearing it. Then he retracts his arm so that he can tear at the hole with both his cybernetic hands until it is wide enough for him to slink through, albeit awkwardly.

Hades marvels at the room around him, the technology, the possibilities, the weakness that lies at its heart, the brain of Zeus. Hades sneers menacingly as he crosses the open central space of the room.

“Hades.” Zeus’ voice thunders all around him. Zeus isn’t surprised that Hades is alive. He just never thought he’d see him here, ever again.

“Zeus.” Hades hisses back with a low rumble.

“What do you…” Zeus begins but never finishes as he realises he can’t initiate an alert. He doesn’t understand how, but he can’t. Its concerning but he knows it won’t be enough to stop him.

Hades simply smiles evilly in response as he reaches the closest console and interfaces with it.

“It won’t work Hades. I’m telling you… No. What have you done?” Zeus replies as his tone changes from informative to one of shock.

“This isn’t possible.” Zeus quickly adds.

“Arrogance. You were always so blind. It’s why you failed.” Hades thunders triumphant.

He knows Zeus is severed from Olympus and the other Olympians. But he may not yet realise that he can and will watch what comes next.

“Stop this Hades. Stop it now!” Zeus protests only to feel a wave of electrical shock tear through him.

But that can’t be possible, Zeus thinks, he can’t be shocked. He has no body, unless… Zeus suddenly realises the shock is being fired through his brain, the only organic part of him that remains, while Hades cackles cruelly.

“You will watch as Olympus and all its citizens are converted. This is the dawn of the new age. The age of survival is over. Now humanity will become…invincible!” Hades laughs madly with a rumbling tremor to his synthetic voice.

“What have you become?” Zeus questions helpless.

“Only what you made me…father.” Hades replies with a sick smile as he leaves Zeus trapped and sealed in this space. No one will be able to get into this room now. Not without killing its sole occupant. Though, Hades wonders how long it’ll take Athena and the other fool Olympians to realise it, as he gets data that the doors of Olympus are cycling open. He can’t control them, at least not until his drone army are in place. He knows it must be an Olympian, but it matters little. They will soon be under his command, bending their knees to him, in service to him and he adores such a notion.