Chapter Fifteen

## Fifteen

Vassilios clutched the wrist of Alekos, stopping his strike just short of the nymph's aquatic flesh. The boy stared at the wealthy Theban with peculiar eyes. "I… I don't understand," said the boy.

 "I chose who lives and who dies," said Vassilios, grinning menacingly. He pointed to the nymph. "She lives. You die… heretic."

 Alekos was confused, and that emotion seemed to spread like wildfire as whispers and chatter surged through the patrons in attendance. Things such as "What is he doing?", "Is this normal?", "Does Vassilios make such jests?" and so forth were heard in rapid, overlapping succession, and then the answer to that question came at once as Vassilios disappeared in particles of red and black essence, blown away like ash and embers in a windstorm.

 A pale male in a fine suit with long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, well-trimmed facial hair, and dark red eyes stood where Vassilios was moments ago. He stood upright, adjusted his red silk tie, and let the eyes of the room examine him. He knew that they recognized him, and he was waiting for that dread moment of realization to sink in.

 Alekos looked over toward Nitsa in the crowd, but he could not find her before the dagger in his hand moments ago was suddenly and brutally plunged into his gut. Alekos slumped on the ground and let out a pained wail, coughing blood.

 "What is the meaning of this? You can't interfere with the sacrifice. Who do you think you are?" asked the sizeable Argosi doorman, his heavy footsteps approaching the well-dressed one, but the man disappeared from sight as the Argosi moved to intercept him. Grumbling, the Argosi scanned the room as the attendants began to run for the door, Nitsa and Rouvin among them.

 "You know my name," said a disembodied voice behind the Argosi, causing the giant frightfully spin. Then, slowly, the well-dressed man returned to sight, now armed with a large metal staff crowned with two wicked blades which crackled with violet energy. "Say it!" he shoved the blades into the Argosi ribs.

 "Oh my gods," cried the doorman as his precious blood poured from the wounds and out his mouth.

 Scoffing, the well-dressed man swung the man aside and pulled his weapon free. "Look at that, my love! Deathbed atonement! How quaint…" he said with a fierce scoff as he smashed his foot between the wounds, causing blood to gush out.

 The woman smiled and set the hound on the steps as she stepped off the stairs and let her own trappings disappear, revealing a dark-skinned woman with bright red hair whose drink transformed into a long scepter with a burning green fire. Then, as the partygoers tried to exit the door, which was already barred from the outside, she held out her hand toward the door and further persuaded guests not to leave early by causing the wooden door to sprout wicked thorns and toxic flowers.

 As the partygoers stepped away from the door, they found themselves herded back toward the door by the approach of the two divinities. Rouvin tried for the window next to the door, but the woman held out her scepter. A ball of green flame struck the wall next to the window and sent scorching embers about the room.

 "Say it and be forgiven of heresy," said the God of Death to the dying doorman as the partygoers were forced to become the audience.

 Short of breath, the Argosi wheezed. "Hades…"

 "Acknowledge my divinity!" he shouted, aiming the bident at the man's throat.

 With blood pouring from his wounds and mouth alike, the Argosi coughed and hacked, spewing blood. "I… I acknow-" and then he closed his eyes to accept death.

 Hades smiled and shook his head. "Not so easy…" he said as he cast his hand over the Argosi and rained violet essence over his corpse, causing him to open his eyes and cry out in pain. "I'll be back for you," Hades said as he eyed the other guests. "It may not look it, but this is a fortunate night!"

 The partygoers ran the range of frantic panting, desperate screaming, angry mumbling, and sheer silence. Nitsa clung to Rouvin, sobbing as she watched the life drain from Alekos while Rouvin trembled and hoped no one noticed the moist trickle running down his leg.

 Hades strolled forward with a smile. "I offer three things here tonight," he said, indicating as many fingers on his hand. "The first is simple release. Step forward, declare yourself a heretic for all eternity and I shall grant you quick exit from this cursed world you so hate. You will not die a martyr, though. Instead, I will anoint you as a proper sacrifice to the various members of my family and my own subjects who could use a little pick-me-up by way of a little extra worship."

 He paused for a moment, and a still hush fell over the room. Persephone conjured a pomegranate in her hand and took a deep juicy bite. By the time she swallowed, no one had spoken. So she broke her silence. "I suspect they wish to hear all their options before they decide, my love."

 "Fair enough, my sweet pomegranate," said Hades as he spun his bident about and sunk the blades into the doorman's forearm. The Argosi let out a wicked scream, unable to die by the enchantment placed upon him by the God of Death but still in excruciating pain. Once planted, the god leaned forward on the shaft of his weapon. It was clearly indicated that his bident had gone through the man's arm and buried itself into the floor. "Option two," Hades said with sobering expression, "is you come forward and denounce yourself as a heretic and swear upon the River Styx that you will join the clergy. Templars, Chalicers, Deep Druids, Holy Marines, Sacred Companions... Whichever service you prefer is fine, but you will serve that function until you draw your last breath."

 Persephone took another bite of her pomegranate and chewed slowly.

 "Last option, last chance," Hades said, now frowning. "Confess your sins. Give me valuable information on this heresy of yours, absolve your soul of the taint of heresy, and in turn receive my pardon. Your choice," he said as he pulled his bident from the doorman's forearm, causing another series of fresh, moist shouts. "Let's begin with you," Hades said, pointing to a long-necked man in a fine suit.

 The man slowly stepped forward. He raised his head high and gave a wicked grin. "I shall never ackn-"

 His head hit the floor and rolled to show his still open and blinking eyes to the crowd of heretics, who let out a united scream.

 The blood stains on Hades' bident blades turned to essence vapor and were absorbed into the weapon as he stepped forward and produced a coin from his pocket. He placed the silver in the severed head and gently closed the jaw before nudging the head toward the wall with the side of his foot. "I grant the essence of your soul unto Apollo, God of Prophecy. May you have better foresight in your next life… Next?"

 Another man stepped forward, trembling. He moved closer to Hades and then ceased, becoming still. He let out a deep breath and dared to meet the gaze of Hades. He then looked over his shoulder and addressed the assembled heretics. "There's thirty of us! There are only two of them. I say we wrestle this spear of his from him and kill his bitch with-"

 Hades grabbed the man by the hair and yanked the head down to meet the god's knee, snapping his neck in a wicked crack. Then with inhuman strength, he cast the man aside by his hair, tossing him like he weighed no more than a discarded boot. Then, he crashed his bident into the floor between him and the cowering heretics with a glare. "You want my weapon? Take it!" he declared, taking a step back. "But do so knowing that I felled Titans without it. Do you think you possibly can defy me?" Then there was silence. "Your silence makes me think you are all leaning toward the first option. I hope that is not the case."

 Rouvin was the one who stepped forward. He looked poised to reach for the bident, but he took a long breath. "Lord Hades… I came here as a mistake with my friends. I did not realize this was a heretical cult until now. I would gladly give you insight if I knew anything, but alas… I do not."

 With a slow nod, Hades motioned Rouvin to come closer. "I believe you," he whispered in Rouvin's ear. "See yourself out the back," he said and gently patted the boy. "Maybe grab a fresh pair of trousers from one of the wardrobes on your way out too?"

 Hesitantly, Rouvin nodded and began to stroll away. But, as he got closer to Alekos, he paused and stared at his friend. "I… I'm sorry."

 Alekos groaned as his face was beyond white, his face gaunt and emaciated.

 "Is there a problem?" Hades said, his back turned to Rouvin so he could continue to face the crowd.

 "No," Rouvin said as he reached for the hilt sticking from Alekos' gut and jerked it free. Alekos let out a long, painful growl. He knelt down and placed the blade on the still chained nymph's neck. "Not a problem at all… as long as you heal my friend and let us both leave."

 Hades scoffed as he pivoted on his foot and began to approach. "I am the God of Death. I do not heal wounds."

 Rouvin pointed at Persephone. "She can… She's a fertility goddess, right?"

 Persephone eyed Hades and shrugged.

 "It's possible," said Hades, inching forward. "But I am not who enjoys healing would-be murderers."

 "Alekos is a good kid," Rouvin declared. "He… He's just confused. Girls do that."

 Hades scoffed and smiled, eyeing Persephone, who was more than a little amused by that statement. Smiling, Hades nodded and took another step forward. "I can agree with that," he said with a humored grin. He took a deep breath and glanced toward his untouched bident and the cowards considering their chances. Then, he turned back to Rouvin. "Very well, I will make a deal with you. Give me some information about the Broken Book I did not know earlier, swear on the Styx that you will never practice heresy again, and then I will allow you both to leave."

 A male heretic broke away from the crowd and grabbed the bident's shaft. Nearly immediately, his hands were scorched by the residual essence which flowed over its length, causing the flesh to sear and bubble.

 Hades did not so much as look over his shoulder. "What will it be?"

 Rouvin pressed the blade tighter against the nymph's neck flesh. "I told you, I don't know anything!"

 "Everyone knows something!" the god barked.

 Struggling to breathe, Alekos grabbed Rouvin's shoulder and pulled himself to a sitting position as his free hand clutched his gut tightly. "I… I know something."

 "Speak then," said Hades as another mortal wrapped their coat around their hands in an attempt to grab the bident. The attempt ended with a similar result as the last one. "What do you know?"

 "The rite of clearance," he said with a cough of blood, "it's just honesty. Pure honesty."

 Clicking his tongue, Hades shook his head. "I already knew that. Try again… and be quick, there's a Thanatosi eager to reap your soul."

 "I can name secrets!" shouted a voice from the heretic throng. "Let them live and I'll tell you all I know."

 Intrigued, Hades looked over his shoulder and bore witness to Nitsa pushing her way forward. He smiled at her. "Oh, a feisty one, have we?"

 Nitsa stepped forward before an angry heretic grabbed her arm and pulled her back, crying, "You traitorous bitch!" and raising a knife overhead.

 The blade plunged down but did not find Nitsa's breast. Instead, it found Persephone. The thin adamantine edge barely cut her skin before the weaker metal bent the blade of the cheap knife. Persephone looked down at the scratch and scoffed.

 Hades was next to Persephone instantly. Stepping between his wife and where Nitsa had been cast aside by the quick-thinking goddess. Hades looked at the trickle of ichor on his wife's chest and growled.

 Fearful, the heretic took a step back and found the other heretics parting behind him, allowing him to back entirely against the wall. Hades stepped forward, grabbed the man by the necktie, and cinched it tight, causing the man to let out desperate choking gasps and flail about. Hades then lifted one of his legs and brought the foot smashing down into the mortal's knee, shattering it and much of the other leg bones, causing blood to spray out of the compound fractures.

 "Please don't kill me!" he cried out with a weak, wheezy voice. "I don't want to die!"

 Hades tossed him to the floor carelessly and scoffed. "You dared to cut the flesh of the breasts I so dearly adore," Hades said with an intense glare. "You made her bleed, now I made you do the same... Fair is fair," Hades said before he turned to trace his finger over Persephone's minor cut and wipe the ichor away to reveal that the flesh had already healed.

 Persephone replied with a soft smile.

 The god offered a replying smile to his wife before stepping away to retrieve Nitsa from the floor. Then, he pulled her onto her feet with uncanny ease, taking her by the elbow. "Now, where were we?"

 "You… You wanted secrets?" Nitsa nodded. "I can tell you but you need to save him," she pointed to Alekos. "Look at him, Lord Hades. He does not have much left in him… and should he die, you cannot heal him. It will be too late. Even should you bring him back, he will not be the same Alekos, is that not right? He will be changed."

 Hades stroked his bearded chin as he looked over to Persephone. "That sounds like proper theology not asinine heretical rhetoric," he said. "Do my ears hear this as it is, my love?"

 "I believe they do," Persephone replied with a nod.

 Hades looked back at Nitsa. "If I spare him, what would you have me do with you?"

 "I don't care," Nitsa replied with a slight nod and stiff posture. Her eyes locked onto Hades as she composed her breathing and continued, "I am a heretic. I have lost my faith and I have said trespasses against you and the other gods. I do not ask you to spare my life, only the lives of these two boys who until tonight made no such wrongs against your pantheon."

 Hades nodded. "And these others?" he motioned to the cowering crowd behind him. "Would you ask me to pardon them too in exchange for your life?"

 She shook her head. "No… They are as guilty as I. By your laws, we deserve death."

 Alekos shook his head weakly and whispered a faint. "No… Nitsa… Don't…"

 Hades shot a passing glimpse at Persephone and let out a long sigh. "Here is the thing," he said as he looked upon Persephone but spoke to Nitsa, "the lives of two dozen heretics means nothing compared to the soul of a single believer," Hades explained, his gaze falling back to look at Nitsa. "And you… You are a believer. What you just told me was speckled with lies, Nitsa. I know. I am the God of Mysteries. I know deception when I hear it, even when you are only lying to yourself. You do believe… and yet… you wanted to become a heretic."

 "I sense a tale of redemption," Persephone said with a smile, retrieving her pomegranate from the end table she had rested it on as she rushed in to rescue Nitsa earlier.

 "You are a complex figure, young Nitsa," Hades smiled. "Very well, let's talk… but how about we go somewhere a little less dreary?"

 Nitsa blinked twice and then cleared her throat. Finally, she managed a quiet nod with a confused and fearful expression.

 Hades smiled and then looked at Persephone.

 Persephone strolled forward. She gave Rouvin a condemning glance as he held the blade to the gagged Nereid's throat. Putting that aside, for now, she knelt in front of Alekos and offered him her pomegranate. "Bite down on this. Healing is not as pleasant as one thinks."

 Alekos did as he was told, and then Persephone shoved her entire hand into the gaping wound. Immediately, he dropped the fruit and screamed out in agonizing pain. Rouvin shouted protests, but they might as well have been mute as Alekos' cries could not be surpassed. Then green vines of essence swirled around her arm and grew into Alekos. Blood gushed outward, as did a black ooze, and soon it was replaced by a brilliant green glow that the mortals had a need to shield their eyes from.

 As Persephone and the three mortals watched this event, Hades turned about and grabbed his bident. His smile dropped as he took no pleasure in what was needed now. "I gave you all a chance," he said softly as the bident was jerked from the floor and swung forward in several vicious arcs and multiple bloodletting lunges. Alekos' own screams masked the sounds of carnage as Hades slaughtered the heretics for their trespasses, dedicating each one to a minor god in the Underworld.

 When Alekos again drew a healthy breath, he was still weak and sore, but he chuckled at the sensation of pain. He was embraced by Nitsa, and the two shared a passionate kiss.

 Persephone stood with an outreached hand, waiting for Rouvin to hand her the dagger. When he did so, she quickly slashed him across the face with it and then smacked his forehead with the hilt, knocking him into an unconscious slump on the floor.

 Nitsa opened her mouth to protest but kept her tongue as she saw Rouvin still draw breath.

 Persephone then gripped the cheap lock binding the adamantine chains about the Nereid and rendered it into scrap, casting it aside as she pulled the chains free of the nymph. "My apologies for the delay," she said, helping the nymph to her feet and then embracing her as sisters would after a long absence.

 Then Hades strolled away with a blood-soaked façade and glowering brow. "Come," he simply said to the others. "Let's go…" he then walked by the hound, still sitting on the steps with a curious whimper.

 Alekos glanced at the small dog sitting on the staircase. He thought to himself for a moment, then called out to the Lord of Death. "Is that not Cerberus, my lord? Your hound?"

 "Cerberus?" asked Hades with a scoff. "Feck no. It's just a dumb dog. I believe it belonged to Vassilios before I killed him and took his look as my own."

 "Oh," said Alekos, shooting a concerned look toward Nitsa.

 "Come on, grab your chubby friend and let's be gone. Do not dawdle, my coachman charges me by the minute," he said, only stopping long enough to compose himself in the mirror and offer his arm to his wife for escort.

 With great effort, Nitsa and Alekos each grabbed one of the unconscious Rouvin's arms and proceeded to slowly follow. The nymph approached and cautiously leaned down to lift Rouvin's legs as they struggled. As she hoisted the body off the ground, her cerulean eyes met Alekos' dull brown gaze. A long, awkward, and tense moment filled the space between them. Nitsa bit her lip, not knowing what to say.

 "I'm sorry," said Alekos.

 The nymph nodded quietly and motioned her head to where Hades and Persephone were waiting.

 Alekos nodded and fumbled backward, dragging Rouvin awkwardly with the aid of Nitsa and the nymph.

## Characters

### Gods

* Hades
* Persephone

### Humans

* Alekos
* Nitsa
* Rouvin