Not that one mortal made for much diversity, but it was a start.
As Dionysus took his seat, Hades appeared in a flurry of shadows, pacing. His heart dropped.
“What happened?” he asked, straightening in his seat.
Hades did not look at him, continuing his menacing stride.
“Is it Persephone?” he asked. “Are the babies?—”
“They are fine,” Hades said quickly. “Everyone is…fine.”
Dionysus slumped and sat back, relieved but confused by Hades’s clear distress.
“Hades, I’m sorry!” Hermes said. His voice echoed on the shorn mountaintop before he appeared wearing a robe and a pair of pink, latex gloves.
Dionysus raised a brow as Hades whirled on the God of Trickery, casting a long shadow, smothering his innate glow.
“Did you just quiver?” Dionysus asked, amused.
“No!” Hermes glared and tried to straighten but cowered again when Hades took a step toward him.
At that moment, the other gods began to arrive, one right after the other. Aphrodite and Hephaestus, Athena then Hestia. Artemis, then Ares and Poseidon. Ajax took the mortal route, cresting the steps just as Hecate appeared, his translator, Niko, in tow.
Everyone found their seats amid Hades’s and Hermes’s standoff.
“I didn’t mean…!” Hermes tried to explain, but was cut off by Hecate.
“Did I not warn you last night? That you would ruin Christmas if you did not finish what I started?”
“Can someone explain what the fuck is happening?” said Poseidon, who looked annoyed and bored, slumped in his chair, head resting on his hand.
“Hermes has allowed the Kallikantzaroi into the Upperworld,” Hecate announced.
A collective groan escaped the mouths of the gods. Ajax signed the word fuck.
It was the last thing any of them needed so close to the holidays, but especially since they’d been working to build trust with the mortals again. The Kallikantzaroi were horrible little devils who loved mischief. They pissed in food, scratch and bite people with their long claws and teeth, and destroy decorations. They’d even been known to kidnap children.
The thought put Dionysus on edge. He felt himself leaning forward in his chair, muscles tightening at the threat.
“I said I’d fix it!” Hermes said.
“It is beyond you now,” said Hecate. “But you will certainly pay for your role in this chaos.”
“Can you not eliminate them with a snap of your fingers, Hades?” Aphrodite asked. “That seems like the simplest solution.”
“And send them straight to my realm? No. They have already wreaked havoc and Persephone is inconsolable.”
“The Kallikantzaroi are neither living nor dead. They cannot be killed, only driven back to their home beneath the world.”
“Then we will battle them,” said Ares, eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
“No bloodshed!” Ajax’s signing was aggressive, though Niko spoke with less authority, a note of terror in his voice. “Mortals have had enough. There has to be another way.”
“They are not combative creatures,” said Hecate. “They will hide if you draw weapons.”
The God of War deflated, lips puckering in displeasure.
“It’s ridiculous that we are gods and cannot even banish menacing spirits,” said Artemis.
