It was like a real maze.
I feel like it's a trap. Aries' voice sounded through my head.
No, he's here, I feel it in my gut. They're just making it more difficult. I linked him back.
I took a right then a left, and as I trotted I felt the hedges close in on me, so I sped up then went straight ahead.
There he was, his little body, curled up on the grass. He was asleep.
I howled in glee as I nuzzled his small body with my snout.
And the crack of day was still an hour away.
Aries' big black wolf nuzzled Adrien softly before taking him by his shirt between his teeth and carrying him back home.
His teeth were ripping through Adrien's clothes. He could fall on the ground.
But they looked so cute, Aries looking like a daddy bear, I couldn't possibly criticize him now.
We got home, and mind linked everyone, before placing Adrien on our bed.
My mom was still unconscious, and Dr. Darren had put in some IV drips to help get her body to function.
He had taken the liberty and moved her to one of the guest rooms.
Aries and I shifted back and changed into plain clean clothes.
I wore a pair of jean shorts with a casual white t-shirt.
I crawled into bed, hugging Adrien's small fragile body.
He stirred in his sleep, then cried out loud, as he rubbed his eyes.
He opened his big green eyes, and blinked, as he sniffled, "Arii"
"Shhh baby I'm here, I'm here." I cooed, hugging him tightly, as tears of relief and joy fell from my eyes.
I took in his scent as Aries joined us on the bed.
"Hey there little guy," whispered Aries.
Adrien didn't notice Aries at first but when he did, he gave him a tired grin.
Aries cradled Adrien and hugged him sweetly.
Adrien wrapped his little arms around Aries' neck hugging him back.
"I want mommy Arii," he whispered in an urging voice.
I nodded, "of course sweetheart. Come, let me take you to her."
I carried him and walked to mom's guest room.
On my way there I saw dad.
Relief crossed over through his face as he ran towards us taking Adrien from my arms and squeezing him tight in a hug.
He showered him with kisses, ruffling his hair.
Adrien giggled.
And I smiled at them.
He was safe.
My dad thanked Aries then took Adrien to their room.
I bid Adrien a good night, knowing that I wouldn't be able to see him for two days at least until I came back.
The last thing he said to me was "I wove you, Ari."
And I left to pack a couple of clothes for the two days I'd be spending in hell. Literally.
Grabbing my little bag, I headed to the living room to bid everyone goodbye.
It was 3:40 am.
He should be here by now.
Aries looked sad. He stood at the window, peering outside in the purplish-blue dark sky.
No not sad. He looked frustrated and angry with the world.
"I love you," I said, trying to push his doubts away.
Aries turned around, his eyes looking hollow, "I love you too." He had a frown on his lips, "This doesn't feel right. Something feels...off." He said, a hint of something else in his eyes. Guilt? No. Why would he feel guilty?
I tried to laugh it off, "You're just trying to make excuses to make me stay you big softy." I said, nudging his chest slightly.
Oh, how I ached for him. I missed him so much already.
But he was right. Something did feel off. And I was just trying to keep everything okay for once.
Everything's been out of control for the past few days, and I just wanted a break.
He cracked a small smile, "I'll miss you, my love."
My heart cracked a little, "I'll miss you too," I breathed, as I stepped up to kiss him on the lips.
"This is great and all, but we've got to leave," sounded his voice from behind us, urging to wrap it up.
Aries growled at Hades, as they looked at each other seeming to silently communicate something together.
Hades extended his hand to me, and I reluctantly took it. He pulled me to his side, but I untangled myself for one last kiss.
I quickly jumped into Aries' arms, hugging him tightly as he lifted me up.
I kissed him hard, showing him how much I would miss him, and how sorry I was for doing this. I felt like I was betraying him.
He kissed me passionately and then let me down once more.
He smiled at me, a dazed expression on his face and I giggled, before grabbing onto Hades' arm.
I waved Elizabeth, Eric, Jake, and Hermes goodbye, and we teleported.
~
Aries
As soon as she left, I felt hollow on the inside. But this was for the better. She shouldn't be here for what was going to happen.
Elizabeth and Eric bid us goodnight, and Jake looked at me frustratedly.
"She'll never forgive you for not telling her."
I growled at him, "Don't tell me how to treat my mate."
"It's the truth! You could've at least warned her that this would be the last time for her to see her brother. She doesn't deserve this!" Jake growled back.
"It would do her no good to be here for this. And Hades said it himself. Atropos already has Adrien's string. It's only a matter of time. Would you rather her see him as his life slips away?" Said Hermes, backing me up.
I loved the little guy. But Hades said there was nothing we could do.
The Fates were rebelling against him. He couldn't control them.
"You could have given her a choice!" Spat Jake before pointing an accusing finger at me, "Don't you dare come crying to me when she hates you for keeping this from her! She left thinking he was safe, that she was doing this for him, that she saved him! Because you didn't have the balls to tell her that the process had already started and that he would die tonight!"
He was right. But I couldn't let her go through this. It would kill her.
I looked at the clock nervously.
3:59 am.
~
Third Person
Atropos gleamed, as she removed her eye and placed it on top of a pit filled with light. It showed her Adrien's sleeping form. His father lovingly hugged him as they slept.
She grabbed his gold string of life, as Clotho and Lachesis both held each end, stretching it for her.
Atropos grabbed her abhorred shears and had it hover with the string in between.
Adrien stirred in his sleep grabbing onto his father's shirt, unconsciously.
4:00 am
She then cut the thread, ending his life, as they watched his grip loosen snickering.
The Fates. Once the process starts, it cannot be stopped.
Chapter 38- The Gates of Hell
Ariel
With a harsh thud, Hades and I landed somewhere dark. I couldn't see anything but a glistening river up front, with fog floating from above.
Where were we?
The ground felt rough, tiny rocks and pebbles mixed with dirt scattered all over.
Hades released me from his death grip and walked forward, the ground crunching underneath each and every step he took.
I followed him silently, the only sounds heard were the rocks and pebbles scraping against one another underneath our footsteps.
I couldn't stand him at the moment. Here I thought we were becoming friends.
Joke's on me though.
Friends were supposed to be nice to one another and care about each other's best interest. I can't believe I actually thought there was someone good underneath that tough exterior. I was wrong though, he was just plain selfish.
My crashing into a wall fished me out of my stifling thoughts.
"Watch where you're going," Hades' voice grumbled as he annoyedly glared back at me.
I had accidentally walked straight into him
. Although, he was the one who suddenly stopped in his tracks.
I rolled my eyes and shrugged nonchalantly.
I still couldn't see properly, so I squinted my eyes hoping to catch the vision of more than just the glisten of the river in front of us.
There were two torches of fire plunged into the ground on the end of what seemed to be the road to the river.
Hades neared the river and reached out to grab one of the torches to cast light upon it.
I followed and sidestepped him to see where we were heading.
And I wish that I hadn't.
The torch had illuminated the sight before me and it was the scariest thing I had seen in my entire lifetime.
The river wasn't filled with just water like it was supposed to. It was filled with souls. Angry souls. Tormented souls. The closer you came to them, the louder their voices would be. But I wouldn't dare come closer, so all I heard was their screams.
"The Styx river," Hades' voice sounded, I looked at him, a reflection of horror in my eyes.
"Why are they screaming? Who are they?" I asked.
"The Styx is the fifth circle of Hell, it's where I put vengeful sinners and sullen, wrathful souls. They're being punished, drowning in the muddy waters for eternity. The Styx is also the link between earth and hell," He explained, all seriousness in his voice, "Grab the other torch," He ordered.
It took me two seconds to register what he just told me. My appalled face was all I had for an answer. He gave me a sharp look, gesturing for me to hurry up.
I scrambled quickly towards the torch and pulled it out of place, before scurrying back to Hades.
A ferry abruptly emerged from the foggy Styx, stopping in front of us.
But it wasn't empty.
A ferryman was waiting for us inside.
Hades got in effortlessly, before looking back at me, "Get in," his voice boomed.
Hades lent me a hand to help me up and I shakily took it as I got in.
I sat next to Hades, unconsciously sticking to his side.
I clutched onto the torch as I looked at the ferryman. I mean, really looked at him.
He was pale. Deathly pale.
And bald, well, mostly. He had white hair at the base of his skull and some on the sides and a white beard.
He had a crooked, hooked, pointy nose, pale blue eyes, with bags underneath. He had wrinkles in places I never knew wrinkles could exist. He wore a dark blue trench coat with what seemed like black loafers.
Hades' movement cut my train of thoughts and caught my attention. He placed his hand in a pocket and pulled out a strange-looking coin.
"Here, Kharon," He said, giving it to the ferryman.
I looked at them, my eyebrows knitting in confusion.
'Kharon' got out of his place and silently (also, quite sluggishly) reached out to a soul in the river.
The soul was grabby, trying to pull Kharon in, but he seemed to be used to it.
"Ehh, quit your whining!" He grumpily yelled at the soul before grabbing it by the face and placing the coin in its mouth. The soul kinda (ate?) the coin and so Kharon released it, sitting back down.
Then the ferry moved.
I, on the other hand, wanted to forget any of this was actually happening. I was inwardly panicking and was waiting for someone to slap me awake. I couldn't believe my eyes. My mind was not comprehensive in my reality. My wolf was playing dumb, leaving me to my thoughts to deal with this shit on my own.
Coward. I thought.
This was all too crazy, so I decided to think of something else until we reached wherever we had to be.
My thoughts wandered and I found myself wondering how Aries and my family were. I missed them.
Oh, how I hated Hades for taking me away from them. Even if it were only for a couple of days. Seriously how hard was it for him to let me spend some time with my family. Especially since I had just gotten my baby brother back. He could have at least been half a decent man and let me stay for one more day.
"We're here," his deep, but gentle, voice sounded.
Hades got up and took my hand, helping me out of the ferry and onto a wooden dock. The dock stretched to a different looking ground which was all made of black marble leading to huge gates.
The high walls separating the inside from the darkness on the outside.
We walked, the sound of our feet clicking against the beautiful smooth marble floor.
The walls were gorgeous, they seemed to be made out of onyx. It had a silky luster and it was translucent letting the light illuminate it from underneath. This mixture made it look like the walls were fire colored. It was absolutely breathtaking. The onyx walls ended just before the gates, where black stone bordered it.
The gate itself had an oxidized gold color to it. It was all solid gold but with figures decorating everywhere.
I looked at it in awe.
There was a gold tablet cast on the side, but this one was shiny, looking newer than the gate itself. It read:
Through me the way into the suffering city,
Through me the way to the eternal pain,
Through me the way that runs among the lost.
Justice urged on my high artificer;
My Maker was Divine authority,
The highest Wisdom, and the primal Love.
Before me nothing but eternal things
Were made, and I endure eternally.
Abandon every hope, who enter here.
"Dante? Seriously?" I asked, unable to stop the amused sound in my voice.
Hades smirked at me, "Who said the God of the Underworld didn't like poetry?"
I rolled my eyes at him.
He placed a hand on the gates, urging them to open.
And they did, upon command.
The sound of growls filled my ears.
All I've seen in these couple of days would never have prepared me for what I saw next.
A massive, tall, black hell-hound with three heads and a serpent's tail stood before me. His teeth were sharp, scythe-like, and could seemingly rip me into two in less than a second.
Cerberus.
It was him.
And he was angry. At me. He took an attack stance. Growling, his face scrunching back with drool falling from the sides of his lips, the same applied to each head of course. I shifted closer to Hades, fear taking over me, my hands shivering.
Hades simply raised a hand at him.
Cerberus seemed confused, but he nonetheless bowed.
He obviously didn't understand why the Great God of the Underworld brought a wolf down here.
Cerberus kept his eyes on me though, he looked wary. He still looked angry, but he let his guard down upon Hades' command.
"I mean no harm," I whispered to him from afar.
His ears went down suddenly, as all three heads turned to look at me curiously.
He understood me?
"You can speak to me?" Cerberus asked.
My mouth hung open.
Hades watched me with calculating eyes, "You heard that? Hmmm. I wonder what your other talents are. Very interesting," He hummed, that last part said more to himself.
"Cerberus, take us to the castle," Hades ordered.
Cerberus bowed once more, "Yes, your majesty."
Oh. My. God.
I could hear him speak to Hades. I'm not supposed to hear him. This is so weird! What's happening?
A golden chariot formed from behind Cerberus, shackling him by his collar.
Hades extended an arm for me to take, and I politely accepted as we both got on the chariot.
We stood and I held onto the side handles for support as Cerberus rushed forward.
We were in front of the castle in a spec of time. I didn't even have time to look around on our way there. But I'm not here to sight-see so it was okay anyway.
Aries (Gods & Monsters Series Book 1) Page 32