Elmar glared at the ghostly form of Hades, who was wearing a toga and sandals, and pointed at him.

“Fifteen years and not a word. What type of father are you?” Screamed Elmar. Hades made to speak, but Elmar raised his hand. “You used me. Forced me to kill myself!”

Persephone gasped and she too glared at Hades. He had the presence of mind to look down at his toes.

“What I did was for your own good, Elm. The first time you were born, you didn’t even live to your third year. My presence killed you.” Said Hades, voice full of regret and sorrow.

“Did you watch me hiding away in the orphanage after another useless visit of potential parents? When always someone else got picked but not me? Did you have a laugh every time I was left alone in my room because I didn’t have friends before Dereck and Diana came to the orphanage?” Screamed Elmar. To think someone could have at least given him a kind word then. Instead, he had been alone.

“You had a life and you were frail. If I had barged in into your life, my presence would have killed you sooner, and you wouldn’t have accepted to become a Litch. Last time you didn’t. You wanted to avoid making your mother cry. But now that you have someone to protect, you can live on as a Litch, and they can live on with their life-extending rings. All I ask is that you allow your mother and I to be a part of your life.” Said Hades, still looking at his toes.

“What life, I am dead!” Said Elmar, his voice breaking at the last word. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and saw Persephone there with tears in her eyes.

“I never thought I’d see your soul again.” She said, quietly. “Not when your father said it was whisked away together with the other souls after Earth perished. But I am happy you reincarnated and got the chance to grow. But you!”

Persephone turned towards Hades sharply, her features twisted in a hateful expression. “You will fix this. You will make sure he is remade back into a human. I'm not concerned with your rules. You will fix this and will do so immediately. You have turned Litches into humans before, when they angered you.”

Elmar shook his head at that. Oh, it figures that this too was within Hades’ capabilities. What else could the god do, he wondered? He could have done some good with his power, instead he did this. Manipulations and backstabbing.

“A sacrifice would be needed. Something will have to take his place.” Said Hades. Persephone got a determined look on her face.

“No.” Said both Hades and Elmar at the same time. Hades looked at Elmar pleadingly, and the boy began to speak.

“I don’t mind living from bugs and mushrooms for the rest of my death, or whatever my current state of being is called. I won’t accept anyone sacrificing themselves for me. Rozimer will teach me how to do upkeep on my body and I won’t bother anyone.” Said Elmar, certain in his conviction.

“See, our boy doesn’t want to be human again. And, as a Litch, most of the rules that force me to collect his soul don’t apply anymore. Persephone, dove…”

Persephone leveled Hades with a glare that silenced him.

“I will not go to you, Hades. Whatever deal you have made with our son, you will uphold. I will stay with him and teach him my branch of magic. Water magic.” Said Persephone as Hades wilted under her stare.

“As long as you are with Elm, I can still see you, which is more than what I got before.” Said Hades, more to himself than to his wife. “I promised I will leave him alone after he brings you here. But I won’t be cut from my family.”

“On Earth, before it got destroyed, humans advanced divorces to a perfect point.” Said Persephone as Hades began to shake his head. “I will get custody of Elmar, was it?”

Elmar nodded. It felt strange to have a mother after so long of not having one. He felt happy about the arrangement.

“And you will get to see him once a month. Be careful what you will say, Hades, for you, won’t even get that if you protest.” Said Persephone.

“It is you he wishes to see, not me.” Said Elmar, bitterly. Hades sent him a glare.

“I watched over you since you were reborn, boy. If it wasn’t for me, you would have died in the cradle again. True, necromancy tends to breed resentment and that was why your new parents left you in the orphanage, but your grandmother loved you enough to die for you. And you have three wonderful friends who are waiting for you at the Swamp Heaven inn.” Said Hades with a raised finger.

“You neglected him.” Snapped Persephone suddenly. “When he needed you, you…”

“And where were you, wife?” Snapped Hades back. “Hiding from me. You knew he was going to be reborn only to die young again. Instead of going to him and trying to heal his soul, you remained on Earth. Trying to fix it. Well, guess what. Nothing can be fixed after an atomic bomb!”

An atomic bomb? What was that? Was that how this Earth, Hades, and grandpa Thinker’s home world, got destroyed? Elmar didn’t know.

“Grass grows and evolution has begun anew.” Said Persephone, head raised to stare in Hades’ eyes. “Granted, the humans are no more, but there are humanoid golems that eat dirt and live harmonizing with nature. What is more, they are eternal.”

“And when they literally eat the planet, you will clap and cheer, right?” Said Hades snidely. Persephone turned her back to him and motioned for Elmar to follow her.

“There are only two of them, if you must know. And they eat a kilogram of dirt every month. Elmar, come, I must tell you of Pochva and Kamen.” Said Persephone.

Elmar turned to give Hades one final look, only for the God to nod towards Persephone’s retreating back. Hades was going to use him to patch up the family. Elmar just knew it.