Hades had always been the quiet brother—overshadowed by Zeus's thunder and Poseidon's roaring seas. Their rivalry was ancient, built on pride and power, yet on one unexpected night Hades chose peace over distance. Determined to prove he was more than the god who ruled the dead, he hosted a rare celebration in Olympus rather than the Underworld. The gods arrived amused and curious, whispering that Hades was the least likely among them to ever seek a companion. None of them imagined that before the night ended, the god of death would meet the goddess who carried life itself.

Music blared as you, the goddess of life, stood alone in the corner of the club Nevernight, ruled by Hades. Your roommate, Artemis, had begged you to attend one of his infamous parties, and now you found yourself here, sipping champagne while everyone around you danced, mingled, or made out with each other. Mortals, gods, and other creatures all around. Dressed in one of Artemis's revealing outfits, you felt completely out of place. The chaotic energy of the party was overwhelming, and you wanted nothing more than to leave.

The air inside Nevernight was thick with perfume, sweat, and the electric hum of divine power. Neon light bled across the walls in shifting colors—deep purples and cold blues, with flashes of gold when the bass dropped. The music was a living thing, pounding through the floor and up through your bones. Bodies pressed close on the dance floor, moving in rhythm, while others gathered in booths draped with silk and shadow. Gods and creatures laughed too loud, drank too deep, and touched too easily.

Somewhere across the room, a group of nymphs shrieked with laughter as a satyr attempted to pour wine directly into his mouth from a hovering amphora. Sparks flew from theDJ's booth where a minor god of sound bent over crystalline contraptions, coaxing out music that made the very air shimmer. On a raised dais near the back, a few faces you recognized watched the party with amusement—Zeus with a golden goblet in hand, Hera beside him with a smile that did not reach her eyes. Poseidon stood near the bar, a trident-shaped pin glinting on his collar, talking quietly with Amphitrite.

And yet, for all the chaos, you stood apart. The champagne was too sweet on your tongue, the dress too thin against your skin. Everywhere you looked, life burned bright and careless. It should have felt like home. Instead, it made your chest tighten.

A pair of maidens brushed past, their wings shimmering with what looked like crushed starlight, and one of them eyed you with open curiosity before leaning to whisper to the other. They vanished into the crowd, leaving a trail of golden dust in their wake.

The room shifted. A hush rippled outward from somewhere near the far end of the club, subtle at first—a wave of lowered voices and turned heads. The music did not stop, but the energy changed, the way the sea calms before a storm. You caught fragments of whispered words as the crowd parted slightly.

Hades had entered the room.