Flame ▪ Harry Hook

I. 01

"Hayden!" a deep voice rang out, causing a five year old Hayden to come running. A smile was plastered on her lips as she was met by the face of her father which seemed unusually kind.

Hayden's relationship with her father was never perfect, but that was expected on the Isle. Despite that, it was possibly as good a relationship between villain and child anywhere on the Isle.

When Hades picked up his daughter and spun her around, a confused look crossed the girl's features; this was uncharacteristically kind for the God of the Underworld.

"Today is a very special day. Do you know why Hayden?" her father asked. Hayden looked back at her father with furrowed eyebrows and shook her head.

Hades lowered the girl back to the ground and smiled at her, yet there was a glint in his eyes that Hayden didn't quite understand. "Today is the day I'm going to tell you about your mom" he explained.

Hayden's little eyes began to widen in amazement before filling with light. A grin spread across her lips as she sat on the floor, eagerly awaiting the answers she was always looking for.

"Your mom was a Goddess, just like I am a God" Hades began. He had a smile on his face which Hayden thought was in memory of her mother, unable to see the intent behind it.

"What was her name?" Hayden asked hopefully. Her father seemed to be brought out of his thoughts for a moment. He frowned and glanced down at his daughter, shaking his head.

"Doesn't matter. What does matter is that she was never a villain" he answered. Hayden stared up at her father in wonder and amazement, thinking of her mother who was free to roam the world.

"That means, dear child, that there is some good in you, even if you are more like me" Hades continued with a grin. "And because of that, you are very special. Do you know why?"

Hayden furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think of an answer. However, she inevitably ended up shaking her head. Hades smirked at the little girl before kneeling down in front of her.

"The barrier makes evil magic useless, which means I cannot teach you the power of my ember" he stated, holding out the small blue gem that he always kept close. "But, you are not all evil, my child. Your mother's goodness will allow your powers to work" he stated.

A grin spread across Hayden's face as she began to imagine herself becoming powerful, just like her father had been.

"They will be rather restricted but, with my training, you will become more powerful than most while on the Isle" Hades explained. He stood up once again with an evil smirk.

"You, dear Hayden, will be able to control fire. All you need is this" Hades stated as he handed his daughter a ring.

Hayden took the ring and placed it on her finger, examining it closely. It was silver with a deep blue stone held in place by two skulls.