Day by day at the Chthonic Academy

A routine began to form. The three sisters would meet Ask every morning and leave for the Academy. Luckily they had convinced Hades to use a more discreet and faster transport.

When they arrived at the school, they received lessons from Geras about the world of the living. Explaining the pantheon of gods that ruled the continent. Oizys wrote everything down, Hipnos slept and Momus made jokes.

There was still an unease between Mac and Mel sitting side by side. Mac thought that being trained by Thanatos would be a good excuse to sit next to him, but she didn't have the courage and, after a few days, Ask immediately sat next to the god of death.

After classes, they would train their bodies, both with weapons and exercises. Being gods, their physical abilities were superior to ordinary mortals. Even so, they realized that, except Thanatos, everyone was in bad shape.

Oizys, Mel, Ask and Hipnos were the ones with the worst performance, some due to lack of form and others due to lack of will. Momus had a lot of energy and being the youngest didn't stop him from getting good results. Mac and Angela were tied for second place and both strived to get better.

At the end of the day they were all tired sitting on the grass. Class was officially over and Geras entered the school to pack his things.

“Well, what do you think? Do we have potential?” Momus asked Thanato.

“Honestly? The surface beings are much more trained than we are. I don't think four months will be enough.”

The speech lowered the expectations of others.

“But we still have a lot of potential! We have to discover our Divine Bloodlines and I believe we will surprise the gods from above.” Angela tried to use her optimism to cheer them up.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't even be here, there are people more capable than me for the team” said Ask who had his hair messed up by Thanato.

“Don’t say that. Angela is right, you all have a lot of potential. Besides, you're the only one besides me and her who's ever gone to the surface. We're going to need your expertise.”

The news shocked the group, Mac in particular.

“What do you mean you've already gone to the surface?”

“It was just one time to…get a message across. Our cell phones don't have a signal with surface so I had to go myself.”

“What message? What did you get to see?”

Ask was visibly upset and Thanatos intervened.

“I've said too much, we don't need to press Ask. If you have any questions from above, Mac, you can ask me.”

She looked away and fixed her hair as usual.

“And the weapons? Have you decided already?” asked Angela

Ask, Mel and Momus responded negatively.

“I'm almost done with mine. Tomorrow you will see my greatness,” said Momus proudly.

“It doesn't matter to me. I'm not much for weapons.” Ask continued.

Mel was silent. She was holding the lamp in her lap, and no matter what she did, it didn't work. Hypnos put a hand on her shoulder.

“Don't worry. I know it's going to be all right.”

“The audacity! You didn't pick up any weapons!” Thanatos screamed.

Hypnos shrugged.

“I already have everything I need here,” he replied, hugging his pillow and floating on top of his brother.

The others laughed and Thanatos got angry.

“This is serious. We are on a mission from our king.”

“Relax bro. I can put people to sleep, gods and mortals alike. Why a weapon with that power?”

In the middle of the conversation the princesses' car arrived and they went to say goodbye.

“Why don't we celebrate over the weekend? We can celebrate our first week together!” suggested Angela.

To her surprise, except for Momus, none of them were very excited. Oizys didn't even respond and the snores of Hypnos emanated among the group.

“Maybe next time,” answered Thanato, “we have to stay focused on the moment.”

The groups split, leaving Angela with a sour taste. Mel got in the car and immediately looked out the window and lost herself in her thoughts.

She thought Mac was fulfilling his dream of going to the surface and she had no doubt of Angela's popularity with the other gods. She just wanted to learn magic. It wasn't fair for others to achieve their dreams and she didn't.

“Next time I'll win the race,” Angela said to Mac.

“Keep dreaming. You only beat me at shooting.”

Seeing the two of them talking casually made Mel's situation worse.

“Since when are you guys so close?”

The duo stared at Mel unresponsively. Mac's body posture backed up and she scowled, while Angela was just sad that the conversation was over. Ask saw everything with his mouths shut just hoping the car arrives as soon as possible.

When they arrived at the palace, Mel left with hurried steps without waiting for the others. She went straight down a path she didn't usually take, towards Hades' office.

She entered without knocking on the door, saw three skeletons holding a series of papers and Hades nervously analyzing everything. He looked at Mel for a second and then back to his work.

“Not now Mel, I'm too busy.”

“I want to learn magic. I was thinking about convincing you that it would be better for the team if you had someone with that kind of power, but the truth is, I want that for myself. I know it's selfish, but it's what I want.”

Hades sighed and made a sign with his hands and the skeletons went away.

“There was a revolution going on in the punishment camps. Tisiphone was tied to a tree and several of them jumped into the River Lethe trying to escape. Which only served to confuse their memories. Now I have dozens of papers to review and souls to relocate.”

“Then let me practice magic.”

He got up approaching Mel with a tender look.

“Hecate is our ally, but the gods are dangerous. All of them. You don't understand because you're too young. Letting you go to Hecate's house isn't safe.”

“So you teach me magic.”

The daughter's suggestion brought a laugh to the god.

“Do you think I'm a sorcerer?”

“What if I summon a ghost that knows? Or it could be one of the Lampads, they study directly with Hecate, what do you think? Please!”

Hades saw Mel's desire and it was very difficult for the god to say no.

“Let's do this: I will personally decide who will help you. If in a month you don't show any magical abilities we leave it aside for the time being.”

It wasn't Mel's ideal, but she knew it was the best deal she could get from Hades. She reached out her hand to him which he shook with a smile on her face.

“Now, please, I have a lot of paperwork to do, go play with your sisters.”

She didn't want to think about Mac and Angela, only her upcoming magic class. He left the room and skipped back to his room.