#Hades chapter inferno

[lazybearchungus]

Finished!!!😄😊✨

Pegasus Seiya and Andromeda Shun in

Hades Chapter Arc-Inferno!👊❤️⛓️💚💀🌚💫✨

[katakaluptastrophy]

"I’ve already pretty much revealed that Alecto begins with the descent of Christ into Hades." - Tamsyn Muir

That's right...it's time for more Bible study for fans of weird queer necromancers!

It's currently Holy Week, the week where Western liturgical Christians reenact the events of Jesus' death and resurrection in real time. And today, it's Holy Saturday. So Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday. He rises from the dead on Easter Sunday. But what happened in between? His body lay in the tomb...but his spirit was otherwise preoccupied. Because on Holy Saturday, Jesus went to Hell.

But why would Jesus go to Hell? Because the resurrection was not just about saving the people who came after it - it was a bit more...wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.

To be a bit more specific, he didn't visit Hell Hell. The place Jesus visited isn't Hell in the sense of eternal punishment of the damned, but Hades or Sheol or the Underworld or Limbo - a place for those who were mostly good but lived before Jesus' resurrection had made salvation possible. So before his resurrection, Jesus went to make that salvation retroactive. Particularly, according to tradition, to major figures from the Old Testament, including Adam and Eve.

So Nona the Ninth ended with Harrow walking off into the River in search of theological truth. And Alecto the Ninth apparently begins with Harrow in Hell:

Alecto the Ninth, ACT ONE HARROW IN HELL CHAPTER 1 At a point in the slit she was carving through life, Harrowhark Nonagesimus woke to find herself lost in a dark wound. She had been walking when it had all gone black– any path ahead or behind was blotted out; now she was here.  - Tamsyn Muir reading at TorCon

This is riffing heavily on the beginning of Dante's Inferno:

"In the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost." - Dante Alighieri, Inferno

But lots of people go to Hell. What's so special about Harrow going there? Because the traditional name in English for Jesus' chthonic salvation adventures on Holy Saturday is "the Harrowing of Hell." "Harrow" comes from an Old English word meaning to attack or despoil - a very martial way of expressing the idea of Jesus as the victor over sin and death.

Harrow ended NTN realising that she cannot trust John's account of metaphysics. That she needs to discover the reality for herself. The faith of the Nine Houses and John's own styling as god rests on the foundation of the Resurrection - John is the "ransomer of death, scourge of death, vindicator of death", his power is understood to be absolute: "Let the whole of everywhere entrust themselves to him. Let those across the river pledge beyond the tomb to the adept divine."

And yet even that prayer - "let those across the river..." - introduces doubt. Magnus jumps in to silence Abigail when she expresses her heretical belief in the River beyond, and Harrow herself scoffs that "it has been thousands of years since anybody bothered to believe in the River beyond." Abigail believes that John knows nothing about what exists beyond the River. And what about Hell? In HTN, Ulysses the First is described as "languishing in Hell" after his run-in with a Resurrection Beast. John himself describes the stoma as "the mouth to Hell", "a portal to a place I cannot touch - somewhere I don't fully comprehend, where my power and my authority are utterly meaningless."

In the Book of Revelation - the Bible's account of the end of the world - Jesus holds "the keys of death and Hell". John may have resurrected the dead, but he does not comprehend what is beyond it. Both the destination of the good, the River beyond to which the souls of little Isaac and Jean should have traveled lightly after their short and brutal lives, and the Hell that lies beneath the stoma are outside of his power. He is a few keys short of the full divine bunch. He can manipulate death, but he is not really its master.

And so Harrow walks off into the River to look for something or someone she can call god. Harrow, who shares a name with the defeat of death across time and space. Harrow, who is of the unbroken line of Anastasia. Anastasia was kind to Alecto, who like Eve is the mother of all and like Adam walked on the empty earth with god.

In Orthodox icons, the Harrowing of Hell is depicted with Jesus triumphant, leading Adam and Eve by the hand from their tombs. The traditional term for this image is an anastasis, the Greek term for resurrection. Adam and Eve, whose sin broke the intended shape of reality, are restored to wholeness with god.

How will Harrow answer her questions about god? What really is beyond the stoma and what would it mean to conquer it? What does it look like, metaphysically, to restore the world of The Locked Tomb to wholeness, and what will it cost?

[dandelion-blues]

I was Never the Gods’ Hero

Intro:

Percy Jackson just wanted a break. He didn't ask to be favored by ancient beings. He didn't want to be a hero, he needed to, but here he is expected to be a hero again! And in another universe already filled with heroes to boot!

Percy Jackson x DC crossover fanfic

Chapter 1

Gasping, clawing, trembling for air. He can't breathe! His hands are on his throat gasping desperately for oxygen. The all-encompassing pressure surrounds him from every inch of his body, suffocating and consuming him. It's a thick and oppressive void of blackness where there is no color, no light, and no hope. It's a parasyte waiting to consume, where it's solid in the freezing, crushing pressure that cracks his bones and liquid as it oozes into his skin and feasts itself in his blood and lungs and brain. It lets him feel everything all at once, all of his nerves alight with agony as they are targeted too slowly and individually, yet numbing his body in less than a second.

It is still too slow! It felt as neverending and unrelenting cycle of continual pain and torture. More torment than even Styx could give to her river.

Then, as the pressure finally grinds his bones and organs to sand, and freezes and suffocates him molecule by molecule, there is the blinding light, electrifying and raging. It renews his once frozen and distorted body instantly to energize him with a thousand suns, making his body a inferno of heat and agony. His numbness shocked back into awareness with a potency much greater than lightning that sears though his being. Only, for his eyes to see light before they burn away to husks of ashes along with his skin, blood, and bones.

Over and over again, this cycle of crushing darkness and searing light, all at once and yet separate at the same time. He feels as if he is dying and given life all at once. He is pulled apart then put back together again and again. His very atoms pulled apart and then back together.

If he were given even a second to breathe he might even notice how when he was torn apart and put back together he wasn’t put back the same… how he no longer bled red, and how his very senses and being enhanced; to be more than human. However, all he felt was the agony, shocking and suffocating and burning. Percy Jackson just wanted it to end!

Ichor

Red blood of mortality,

Tastes sweet with immortality.

Colors were in shades of gray,

Enhanced through his decay.

Gold was for the riches,

Now in his blood so much it itches.

A mother's son forever since,

Crowned a God's prince.

…………………………………………….

Percy woke up, tremors racking his body. A silent scream tore at his throat, his heart pounding in his chest.

What was that?!

He looked widely around the dark room, his body high on alert, but still he wasn't prepared for the being awaiting him the darkness behind him.

The being cradled Percy and forced him back to sleep, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“It's too soon,” the being whispered.

The ‘dream’ all but forgotten the next day as Percy awoke in the morning in his home in Manhattan, New York.

Still Percy’s nightmares weren't just in his dreams. They have been a part of his life ever since he was introduced, since he was born, as a half-blood.

……………………………………………

Percy Jackson was done with the Greco-Roman pantheon. He fought and won their wars, and watched so many people, kids - Hades he was still a kid - die around him and he almost died too many times to count while the Gods did the bare minimum to just save themselves, for him to deal with any of their shit again. Yet, here he was, packing up traveling bags to see his father in Atlantis. Oh, he might have forgotten to mention that his father is Poseidon the Earthshaker, Stormbringer, and Father of Horses (yeah, all horses are Percy’s thousand time removed nephews and nieces, but best not to think about that) and don’t forget the God of the Sea.

Percy was just celebrating his seventeenth birthday with his Mom and Paul in their apartment when his Dad just showed up! He’s pulled this before on Percy’s fifteenth birthday, but Percy thought that was a once in a life-time thing. Gods don’t just show up for their kids! Then, his Dad pulls him into his room and proceeds to invite Percy to Atlantis in a week in order to get to know his godly side of the family better and relax without having to deal with the stress of being a leader for both camps.

At first, Percy just wanted to tell him no and tell him to leave, because where was his Father when he needed him, but the little self preservation that Percy had told him that would be a terrible idea to anger one of the Gods that was on his side. Plus, Chiron sent him home to take a break and heal; that there was enough help at the camps to rebuild and he could tell Percy was not okay and needed a break from being a leader. Then, Percy also thought of Tyson, his little cyclops brother, and Percy caved. Thus, Percy told Poseidon that he’d love to come. Poseidon got a wide smile on his face, and hugged Percy and told him how excited he was for Percy to come. Then, Poseidon just transported away.

Percy remembered his Dad’s genuine excitement and warm hug, and that made him smile that maybe it would be worth it to go to Atlantis and be with his Dad. Percy was also excited to really see Atlantis, after all it’s been a while (a year) since the end of their war with Oceanus, and surely more would be rebuilt now. Restored to some of its former glory.

Some part of him, though, was incredibly worried about his step-mother Amphritrite’s, and his brother Triton's judgment even though they became closer after the second Titan war when he came to Atlantis on the weekends - it was only for three months a blink in the time of immortals. Not to mention Kym, she just tried to kill him! Then, Percy was angry, because what right did the Gods have to judge him and treat him like scum just because he was born and that he had to work extra hard just for them to treat him indifferently! However, Percy was raised by Sally Jackson and he would do his best to be nice and polite until they crossed a line, respect was earned after all.

(Also, Percy thought secretly, hopefully, that maybe he could have a big brother to look up to and train with, and a step-mother to confide in.)

Then, came the part of explaining the trip to Atlantis to his mother. Yeah, that was fun to explain to his mom, especially when this was the first time Percy has been able to see her in almost a year thanks to a certain Cow Queen (aka the Queen of Olympus, Hera). Luckily, Sally Jackson is a queen amongst women and understood that Percy needed a break, and that maybe this would turn out really good for him.

…………………………………………….

Sally saw how her baby came back littered with more scars, haunted eyes, and worn down from life that no one, especially a teenager, should feel. Gods, when Sally first saw her son at that door, she held onto him for dear life and they both ended up crying and falling asleep in each other's arms on the couch because they couldn’t let go of each other, at least until Paul came home and joined the hug pile. Sally quietly wiped a tear from her eye at letting Percy out of her sight so soon, but she knew a demigod’s life was never without chaos, and he deserved to get to know his father. Maybe he would confide in his father what was haunting him, that maybe Poseidon would understand and help. Sally heard Percy’s screams when he woke up in the middle of the night, and his flinches from sudden touches - flinches that were going away as reminders from that monster of ex-husband, Gabe Ugliano.

Gods, Sally Jackson wished she never married him. She thought that she protected her son by having Gabe’s horrendous smell protect Percy from monsters, then sending Percy away to boarding schools to be away from Gabe and his terrible influence, but no the real monster lived with them all along. Sally Jackson had to work two jobs just to make ends meet, and would often end up having to leave Percy alone in the house when Percy was home, and Gabe used that opportunity to abuse her son! She never saw the signs, she thought it was bullies or having to change schools every year, but no it was her ex-husband. She was too focused on protecting him from the divine world, that she wasn't able to protect him from Gabe! She could remember all clear as day when Percy, just having turned thirteen, and finished his first quest, flinched and curled in on himself when a loud drunk man walked by them when going home. She proceeded to question him when they got home, remembering all too well her own tells, and he told her how Gabe beat him, berated him, and humiliated him.

The next thing Percy says, Sally remembers word for word when she asks why he didn’t tell her, “I thought I was p-protecting you mom,” he sea-green eyes shined with tears, “G-gabe said that if I said anything to a-anyone he would b-beat y-you t-too,” he gasps and his breath hitches from crying and closes his eyes. Then, he looks up to Sally, and gives her a look that breaks her heart, “B-but I failed y-you, I saw you f-flinch, M-mom. I-I couldn’t protect you!” It was then that Sally knew that she failed as a mother, and proceeded to tell him that it was her job to protect him, and that she failed, that she loved him and there was nothing that he could do that could change that.

From then on, Percy and Sally began to confide in each other their traumas of Gabe, but Sally could still tell he was holding back, trying to protect her. He still barely told her anything of his quests, and Sally just wished that he didn’t inherit her stubbornness and selflessness, but Gods Percy made her so proud and heartbroken at the same time because he is so strong and so so good, and that is Sally's Jackson's son, dammit!

However, he is also Poseidon's son, and with that unfortunately comes monsters and tragedy that Sally can only understand the bare minimum of either through her own research or of Percy's own recounts, heck even when Sally sees the monsters they just ignore her.

'Hopefully, Poseidon can protect her baby. Afterall, hasn't he done more than enough, he deserves a break and to be with his father. I just hope this trip to Atlantis will be good for him,' thinks Sally as she watches Percy pack his things.

…………………………………………….

Percy finishes putting the last items in his bag and looks up to his mother. She has a few more gray hairs and wrinkles around her eyes and forehead, but she looks so full of life especially when Percy came back. He feels terrible for leaving her again even if she said that it was more than alright. Percy is just so tired of the divine world, but he still loves his father even when he's mad at him - he's just so tired of being scared and alone and wants to feel safe again! Safe like he felt in his father's cabin before Hera kidnapped him. Safe in his mother's arms from when he was young and she protected him from monsters and bullies.

Percy takes a breath, and says tentatively "Mom?" Sally's deep blue eyes look into Percy's and soften, "Yes, seastar?" Just with Percy's nickname he smiles, and states, "Mom, how… how do I learn to not be afraid?"

Sally blue eyes water, “Oh my baby!” Sally grasps Percy's hands, his eyes looking down at the floor.

“Sometimes that fear will always be with you,” Sally remembered Gabe's beer-filled breathe as he leered over her, but then she thought of her family, her son and smiled, “but then I remembered all the things, the people, that make me happy, and I know that they be there for me. That I am loved.” Sally gently squeezes her son’s hands, and he looks up at her, “And baby I love you, and I’ll be here for you no matter what. So will Paul, your friends, and your father. We are here for you Percy.”

Percy’s green eyes swim with tears and he runs into his mom’s gasp as she opens her arms. He hugs her, a few tears escaping his eyes, but he feels all so loved.

“Thanks mom,” Percy says wetly and smiles after it feels as if they hugged for hours.

“Of course seastar,” Sally smiles back, "I love you so much, and I'll be right here when you get back."

Just then, a knock on the front door is heard. ‘What timing?’ both think and smile once again to one another.

Sally goes to open the door, and Percy follows shortly behind with his bag strapped around his back, and Poseidon greets them both at the door.

“Hello my dear Sally, beautiful as ever I see,” Poseidon winks playfully at Sally. Percy is to say the least, mortified.

“Ah son I see you’re all packed and ready, then let's make haste, I have a celebration planned in Atlantis!” Poseidon exclaims.

“Celebration?!” Percy exclaims.

“Of course my son, the Prince, is visiting after so long, a celebration is due of course.” Poseidon states.

“Prince?!” Percy yells, what is happening right now?!

Luckily Sally intervenes before anything can escalate, “Now boys, I know you're excited,” she says pointedly to Poseidon, “but Percy would have appreciated being notified about what he is doing instead of just forcing him into the spotlight like that.”

“Also, what’s this about Percy being a prince?”

Poseidon looks sheepish, “I’m sorry my dear, well I was just really excited that Percy agreed to visit and well one thing led to another, and after all Percy’s done for us, we agreed Percy should officially be crowned a Prince of Atlantis.”

Percy looks faint, luckily Poseidon notices and says, “It’s just an official ceremony and announcing it to the kingdom officially, but afterwards we can keep the party small to just family and close friends.” Poseidon, despite seeming oblivious, did notice that his son was never comfortable with the crowds for Olympus’s parties.

Percy smiles relieved at his dad, “Alright, I think I can manage that.”

Poseidon claps, “Alright, it’s really time we should go.”

Percy nods and gives his mom one last hug, melting into her embrace reassured in her love, but for some reason he felt like this would be their last hug for a very long time. Percy shrugs this off, surely he’ll be fine in the heart of his father’s domain, especially with no war or anything worrying going on.

…………………………………………….

A chuckle escapes an ancient being, their laugh reverberating throughout the lives held so tightly by the Fates.

“My young dear always had a knack for his future, didn't he? So powerful, so pure.” Their laugh echoing through the stars and galaxies, all mortal’s hearts beating in tandem.

“He’ll forever be Destiny’s chosen, after all.” Another being wrys, her smile so much like a serpent, so wide it could eat the world whole, “Perseus, my destroyer of my fates. You never could be confined by their roles, and it’s almost time for you to break free, to grasp your destiny!” Her light fills the darkness, lighting her descendants precious tapestry golden.

“Indeed, it’s Time,” The other being states, their word ineffable as the universe, as the past, present, and future are all ruled by the passage of Time.

[throwingbread]

10 fic for International Fanworks Day. Here are some fics from my bookmarks that need more love, in no particular order.

Those Who Come Closest (30325 words) by dagas isa Chapters: 11/11 Fandom: Final Fantasy X Summary: How do ordinary people become Fayth? It takes a certain amount of desire, dedication and desperation. These are their stories. Propaganda: You want worldbuilding? This fic has got worldbuilding out the wazoo.

Apprentice of the Beast (1651 words) by JetBlackKobold Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Summary: On their journey to the Disk of Cauthess, five men stop to rest and, bound in each other's company, talk a little. Ardyn is a strange man with a fondness for old stories, poems, songs, and rhymes. With a little prompting, he shares a story about a Beast and a Soldier whose good intentions are corrupted by power. Propaganda: Backstory, in Ardyn’s own words.

The Endlings (664 words) by TheBrightestNight Fandom: The Sandman (TV 2022), The Sandman (Comics) Summary: end∙ling /εndlŋg/ n 1 the last known individual of a species or subspecies. Once the endling dies, the species becomes extinct. Propaganda: Extinct animal feels.

at the last trumpet (9830 words) by liesmyth Fandom: The Locked Tomb Series | Gideon the Ninth Series - Tamsyn Muir Summary: the line of the Tomb-keepers demands an heir, no matter the cost. Featuring a small-scale genocide, the breakdown of a marriage, an angry ghost of the MILF persuasion, and a normal amount of bones. Propaganda: Yes more worldbuilding. Glorious cursed necromantic worldbuilding.

freedom so liberating that we call it magic (2566 words) by EtchJetty, FlaringK Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Summary: People don’t talk about Sheik that much. It must have been hell for Zelda, to pretend to be a gender she wasn’t. Especially if she had done it before. (or: what if zelda was a girl?

Propaganda: TRANS GIRL ZELDA

setting sail, coming home (5989 words) by beaufort12 Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: Hades (Video Game 2018) Summary: In which Zagreus escapes the underworld, keeps running, and never looks back. Propaganda: Shameless fix-it fic.

The Moonstone (21266 words) by Vriah, gisho Fandom: The Sandman (TV 2022)

Summary: Morpheus finds a way to avoid killing a vortex - he gives Rose his own heart, forcing her to take his place as Dream. The new Dream has to deal with a life she never expected and try not to repeat her predessor's mistakes. In the waking world, the people she left behind grieve and wonder. And when Roses's little brother Jed is offered the chance to switch from superhero to questing knight, with some help from an old friend, he leaps at the opportunity. Propaganda: My boy Jed!

Lampshades on Fire (5739 words) by ostreatus, stellarators Fandom: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Summary: Or, How Dr. Olivia Octavius Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Morally Unambiguous Nature of her Violent Actions. Summary A review of the scientist-to-supervillian pipeline, based on a longitudinal case study.

Propaganda: The villain origin story we were so cruelly deprived of in canon.

built a lot of castles (12055 words) by basketofnovas Fandom: The Old Guard (Movie 2020) Summary: In the eighties, Quynh is rescued by a marine archaeologist, and finds herself in an alien world with no easy way to contact Andromache - or even know she's alive. Propaganda: In which Quynh receives some much-needed comfort in the form of random human kindness.

Inferno Seized (14726 words) by MuseofWriting Fandom: Hades (Video Game 2018)Relationships: Asterius | The Minotaur/Theseus ( Hades Video Game) Summary: The monster went to Tartarus. The hero went to Elysium. Or, depending which storytellers you asked, and which songs you heard, maybe the Underworld got it backwards. Or maybe neither of them were monsters or heroes. Maybe they were just imperfect beings, tied together, messily, terribly, inescapably. This is the story of how they found each other. Propaganda: Look its the most eloquent Minotaur/Theseus fic I’ve ever seen.

[thr34t2sanity]

Inferno

Summary: When Aurora’s eyes met his, she could feel something within her very being change. He set her on fire in a way that no one else could. He was like a burning sun in her, otherwise, very dull grey skies. She needed him with every fiber in her being. Was this for better or for worse? She couldn’t really tell, but one thing was for sure; she was his, regardless.

Preview: She felt a cold shiver run down her spine which was fully exposed in her backless, tiny, black dress. Moved, Aurora’s eyes swept the foggy scenary of the dark club in search of the eyes she could feel on her. Affter she scanned the entire room with no luck, she alsmost went back to failing at getting the bartenders attention. However, when she couldn’t shake the feeling of being closely watched, she decided to scan the room once more. That’s when she finally found the source of her unease. He sat with his legs spread, a glass full of dark liquor pressed against his lips, as he eyed Aurora from the elevated VIP area. He was incredibly intimidating: dark hair, dark eyes, dark suit- dark aura. Yet, Aurora found herself absolutely entranced by him. Who is he?

A/N: This story is heavily inspired by @byuntrash101’s story Incubus: Coming of Age, Obey Me !, the story of Hades and Persephony, Ateez’s Halazia (devil line be killing me) and even my own Mingi college AU. Basically lots of inspiration. I am unsure of when I will drop the first chapter though, so bear with me lol. Oh yeah and I did that edit mysef! It came out exactly as I wanted bro.

[angelasscribbles]

Dark Elf Chapter 6: Blood Bound

Series: Dark Elf

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam (this chapter)

Word Count: 2,692

Rating: NSFW 🍋🍋🍋

Warnings for this series: Lemons

A/N: My first submission for @choicesprompts Smutember Prompt Event. Prompt: Teeth and Claws.

A/N: I hope no one gets confused between this one and the other dark AU I have going right now, The Dark Kingdom. This one, Dark Elf is the one where Riley is a demon here to sacrifice Hana so Liam can achieve immortality.

Shout out to @aussiegurl1234 for pre-reading and giving me suggestions to amp the physicality of this interaction.

My other stuff: Master List.

Drake pushed away from the wall when the dinner guests stood to leave. He was at Riley’s side before she had moved away from the table.

She tipped her head back and gave him that smile again. The one that sent unfamiliar but not unwelcomed sensations crashing through his body and clouding his mind. “Well, hello again.” She simpered.

“Are you ready to return to your room?”

She walked her fingers up his arm, “Actually I was thinking about a walk in the gardens.”

His body didn’t move but his pupils dilated, “I’ll take you.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Liam was suddenly there, pushing his way between them, “That won’t be necessary.”

“But..” confusion pulled Drake’s brows together, “You told me to keep an eye on her!”

“Yes, when I’m not around. But I’m here now,” his voice held an edge as he pulled her away from her guard, “I’ll escort her to the gardens.”

“Oooooh!” Riley clapped her hands in excitement, “Are you two about to fight over me?”

“Of course not!” Liam snapped in annoyance as he made a show of straightening his tie, “There are simply things we need to discuss.”

“Too bad,” Riley said with a pout, “I love a good fight!”

“Yes, well…” Liam’s eyes flicked to Drake then back to Riley. Elves were strong, but he had no desire to engage in a physical altercation with a shifter. Especially a tiger.

“Maybe later?” She purred as she leaned into him.

“He wouldn’t fight me if I tried,” Liam smirked at her, “he’s loyal to a fault.”

Riley’s gaze slid to Drake in contemplation, “You okay with him treating you like a lap dog?”

They both spoke at once, “He doesn’t!”

“That is a completely unfair characterization!”

“Okay…” She looped her arm through Liam’s, “The gardens?”

Drake moved to follow them.

Liam looked back, “What are you doing?”

“My job is to keep you safe, and now her too.”

Liam considered that for a moment, “Fine. Come. But keep back a distance.”

As they exited the dining room, Riley looked back at Drake, “Woof, woof.”

He stiffened momentarily but betrayed no other emotion as he followed them out the door…at a respectful distance.

Riley found herself relaxing as they strolled through the garden paths. Leaning her head back to gaze at the stars, she sighed, “It’s beautiful here.”

Liam looked at her quizzically, “Cordonia?”

Her features were soft for once as she answered him, “The mortal realm.”

Butterflies exploded in his chest as he drank in her expression, unguarded, genuine, beautiful. If he wasn’t careful, he could forget everything he knew about demons, toss caution to the wind and lose himself in the pursuit of this woman.

Why didn’t she want him? By all accounts he was desirable. Handsome, charming, wealthy, humorous, good in bed…. Not that she would know that. He needed her to open up to him. Perhaps a personal question would do the trick, “Have you ever been here before? Or have you always lived in…” he trailed off as he searched for the right word.

“Hell? The underworld? The nether regions? The abyss? Hades? Tophet? The pit? The inferno? Perdition?”    

“Yes, Naraka.”

“Naraka? Impressive, halfling. Someone has taught you well.”

“Knowledge is its own kind of power. So?”

“I’ve been to the mortal realms before.” She offered no further explanation.

They were interrupted by a woman’s voice, “Riley, is that you?”

Hana and Rashad appeared as two paths intersected each other. Rashad bowed slightly in Liam’s direction, “Pa’ti.”

“A’carya,” Liam bowed back.

Rashad inclined his head toward Drake in greeting, “D’hala.”

“A’carya,” Drake answered back.  

Riley was trying to pay attention to the relationships revealed through the use of official Elven titles, Pa’ti was master or leader, A’carya was the official title for teacher and D’hala loosely translated to shield, guard, or protector.

She was distracted when Hana pulled her into a tight hug. The woman smelled like ambrosia and Riley felt the heat that always boiled inside her, cool, and the churning waters calm as little bits of heaven floated from the other woman’s very being and settled comfortingly around Riley.

This was dangerous.

She was here to sacrifice this woman. It was part of the terms of the blood oath she had sworn when she entered into the agreement with the elf. Why did her touch invoke feelings of bliss, happiness, comfort, and belonging? “What are you?” She whispered.

“What?” Hana drew away with a tinkling laugh, “Riley, you’re so funny!”

Riley inhaled again, as her eyes traveled along Hana’s form, trying to discern if she was something more than human.

Seemingly oblivious to the scrutiny, Hana touched her arm as she asked, “Have lunch with me tomorrow?”

“Certainly,” Riley agreed in bemusement.

They parted ways with the other couple and continued their walk. Riley toyed with the serpent-shaped cuff on her right arm thoughtfully. She wasn’t at full power; she had been robbed of most of her demonic senses. She was sure if the cuff were removed she would be able to figure out what Hana was.

As if reading her mind, Liam slipped an arm around her waist, tugging her closer to his side, as he whispered against her ear, “It’s almost over. The full moon is in three days' time. Once the ceremony is performed, you’ll be free again.”

She stopped walking and turned in his arms. Running a hand down the side of the face, she asked, “Whatever shall I do to stay occupied in the meantime?”

Warmth flowed off her fingertips and sent electricity dancing along his skin. His other arm slid around her as he pulled her tighter against him. What could it hurt? The cuff and the oath guaranteed she couldn’t hurt him even if she wanted to. It wasn’t wise to trust a demon, but this one was properly restrained. And she did things to his body that had never been done before. Strong magic flowed between them every time they touched as if their respective powers were living things, drawn to each other and it was getting harder to ignore. Surely, she felt it too. He leaned his forehead against hers, “I have ideas.”

“What ideas would those be, my darkling prince?” She pressed her body into his as her fingers glided through his hair.

“Come back to my room with me and I’ll show you…please…”

It was the please that did it. She had grown accustomed to his heavy-handedness, to his propensity to bark orders, to his infuriating belief that he was in charge. She acquiesced with a warning, “I do bite just so you know.”

A low moan escaped him, “I’m counting on it.”

He released her from his embrace and took her hand, turning to lead them back to the palace. Drake watched them approach, his eyes fixed on Riley.

As they drew alongside Drake, Liam stopped and told him, “You’re no longer needed tonight. Go back to your quarters, and get some sleep. Resume guard duty outside her room first thing in the morning.”

Drake pulled his eyes reluctantly from Riley. With a slight bow to Liam, he replied, “Yes, Pa’ti, tomorrow.” Then he spun on his heel and was gone.

There was no pretense as they entered his room. He slammed the door shut with one hand while grabbing her arm with the other. Before she could react, he spun them both and slammed her body into the wall, one hand tugging at her hair as his lips claimed hers.

Riley responded by sinking her teeth into his bottom lip and yanking his hair as hard as she could before bringing her knee up and wedging her leg between them. She gave a powerful kick that sent him stumbling away from her.

He grabbed at his lip and looked back at her in confusion, “I thought you wanted this.”

“I do,” she laughed as she swayed seductively toward him, “I thought you said you liked it rough.”

“Mmm,” he nodded as he licked the blood from his lip, “That’s how it’s going to be. All right then, let’s play.”

She reached for him, but he lowered his head and rushed her, knocking her off her feet and slinging her over his shoulder. He crossed the room and threw her onto the bed.

She bounded quickly to her feet, and delivered a stinging slap across his face before grabbing both cheeks in her fingers and pinching, hard, “You think you can tame a demon, halfling?”

“I think I already have,” he hissed as he ripped the dress from her body and let his eyes devour her nakedness, “And I think you like it.”

She leaned forward and ripped his shirt open, shoving it down his shoulders as her tongue drew a line from the hollow of his throat up his neck to lick around the shell of his ear before biting down on the lobe hard enough to nearly sever it, “Have you?”

“Fuck!” Instead of jerking away, he leaned into her as she sucked the blood from his ear and then moved to lap it from his lips. His cock sprang to life as her tongue slowly licked his mouth clean.

Magic clouded the room, thick and almost tangible as his energy and hers flowed in and out of the other, looping through both bloodstreams and amping both sets of hormones. 

He growled as he spun her around and forced face down onto the bed. Using his foot to spread her legs apart, he fumbled at his zipper.

With a laugh, Riley rolled easily away from him. Before he could react, she was behind him, her teeth digging into the back of his neck. He went still as she nipped small bite marks into his flesh, moving upward until her lips were against his ear, “If anyone’s going to be thrown down on the bed and taken, it’s you, my prince.”

She shoved him hard enough to send him sprawling face-first on the bed and then climbed on top of him, straddling the small of his back. Her nails ran down his back gently at first then hard enough to leave angry red welts in their wake.

He tried to flip over but she placed a hand on each side of his upper back and pressed him into the bed as she leaned forward and used her teeth, fangs still retracted, to nip and bite her way across the smooth hardness of the musculature of his back.

His struggles to regain dominance belied the soft whimpers of pleasure emanating from his throat. He gasped as her teeth tore his flesh, his cock throbbing into the mattress beneath him. Her mouth covered the back of his body in teeth-shaped bruises from his neck down to his thighs, each little bite sending shockwaves of ecstasy crashing through him until he was panting for breath and no longer struggling beneath her.

She pushed his legs apart and brought her mouth to the tender underside of his balls, her tongue stroking long, warm lines along it.

“Goddamn it!” He roared as he finally flipped himself over, frantic desire coursing through him. He needed to be inside her, and he needed it now.

He scrambled onto his knees and jerked her further onto the bed, spinning her as he did so. His hands tore at the waistband of his pants as his eyes swept down her body, naked and sprawled out before him like the offering it was.

She sat up with a smile of amusement and reached for his pants, “Having trouble? Let me return the favor.”

Ignoring the fastenings, she tore his clothes from his body and then pulled him down on top of her.

His hand shot out to grab her by the throat as he brought his lips to hers in a brutal kiss. Her legs wrapped around his waist, drawing him closer as his mouth moved from hers, his body sliding downward so he could lavish attention on her perfectly rounded breasts. He palmed one as he pulled the puckered nipple of the other between his teeth.

Her fingers pressed into him, nails scratching a bloody trail from his shoulders to the small of his back.

His pupils were completely lust-blown when he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes, his desire so thick he almost couldn’t breathe. His breathing was heavy, and his voice ragged as he panted, “Riley…”

She wrapped herself around him and then flipped them both, so she was straddling him. She ran a finger down the side of his jaw, “Don’t worry my darkling prince, I know what you want and I’m going to give it to you.”

She lowered herself onto him and slid herself slowly up and down his shaft, ignoring his attempts to force a faster pace, until he cried out in frustration.

“Please…” he breathed out.

She subtly gave in, matching the rhythm he wanted.  

Sweat covered him as he thrust upwards into her, his fingers digging into her hips as he quickened their pace. Their bodies moved together in a perfect rhythm, each delicious collision sending jolts of magically charged electricity through them both.

His body lifted upward as hers crashed down, his lips parted as his glazed eyes watched her move on top of him, her body a work of art, the sounds issuing from her throat musical.

Suddenly, she stilled on top of him.

His fingers dug in deeper as he stared up at her in confusion, his lust-clouded brain unable to process the interruption, “Why are you stopping?”

“I want your blood, Liam.”

“Take it,” he whispered hoarsely, “Just don’t stop what you were doing.”

“You have to say it.”

“Say what?” He blinked up at her.

She started moving on top of him again, with excruciating slowness, “That you give it willingly.”

His eyes fell closed as he turned his head to the side with a whisper, “I give it willingly.”

A triumphant grin twisted her lips as her fangs slid out. She leaned forward and sank them into his jugular, the sweet saltiness of his blood exploding into her mouth as she ground herself against him.

A psychic link exploded into being as his life force spilled into her mouth, blissful surrender sweeping through both of them as carnal pleasure was heightened by the vampire venom in the victim and by the blood lust in the vampire.

Both could feel their own pleasure as well as the pleasure of the other, the merging of his desire and hers combined with the euphoric rush of the bite itself.

He tasted amazing. His blood was sweeter than anything she’d ever experienced. She drank deeply as he propelled himself into her over and over again.

Blood, heat, desire, sweat, and adrenaline rushed together as their bodies resumed the fever pitch their mutual need had driven them to. They clung to one another desperately as they rode the crest of ecstasy until it crashed into the shore, wave after wave washing over and through them as the rest of existence bled into nothingness. There was only the two of them, only this moment, only her fangs buried in his body and his cock pulsing deep inside of hers. His blood filled her mouth as his cum filled her center and there was nothing else.

She stopped before she drained him. His death wasn’t the goal. She withdrew her fangs and licked the puncture wound, the anticoagulants in her saliva stopping the flow of blood and closing the wound.

Licking her lips as she moved to lay on the mattress next to him, she inhaled his scent deeply, “I never knew elves tasted so good.”

“Maybe it’s just me.” He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close against his body with a contented sigh.

She snuggled into his side with the taste of his blood on her tongue and the thrill of victory in her soul.

His blood and his magic were now coursing through her veins. He had no idea the power he had just given her.    

[m-o-i-r-a]

"Shall We Try Counting the Numbers?"

Description:

Rhadamantys, Aiacos, and Minos received a call from Hades regarding a major project for their company, Inferno. Little did they know that their client turned out to be the owner of Sanctuary, Ilias, who sought assistance from Inferno. Meanwhile, Rhadamantys began experiencing strange dreams during his sleep, unaware of their connection to his current assignment.

This marks the beginning of their intertwined fate, now set into motion. Warning first :

This Fanfict is BL story, some of the chapter not focused on that genre, but the purpose of the chapter is building the romantic relationship of some character. I WILL STATE THE PAIRING FOCUS each chapter. But thats not mean the chapter is only has the pairing.

Regulus (and everyone) who younger will be 18 Y.O when this story started.

There will be big age gap for some of the pairing. Dont like, dont read.

ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE. I'm sorry if some of the word is awkward, i will try to write better.

Master Post

Chapter 1 : THE WHEEL OF FATE BEGINS TO TURN

[cherrycola27]

Jordan, there is so much to unpack here, and I am so excited for the love you are already showing this!

To answer a few of your questions, as far as 13 kills, 13 is traditionally held as an unlucky number, so it made sense to me to use that. It's definitely not a Taylor Swift reference or anything.

Her last name "Kolasi" means "inferno" in Greek. It was just another layer I wanted to add in there.

Hades is a very good judge of character, and she is such an empath when it comes to reading people's emotions and can tell when they are fronting.

I also agree that Bradley is just kind at his core. He has such a big heart and all the golden retriever energy.

The Goose and Carole detail was something I had to include and it won't be the last!

As far as the lifetime counters go, the first time she meets a person, she can see their countdown. She can blink it away/ pull it up at will (more about that in the next chapter)

And I promise we are going to learn all about the tragic ending to Hades and Persephone's relationship and why Hades doesn't believe in soulmates (yet)

false god

Series Warnings: Mythology!AU. Language, alcohol, drinking. Military inaccuracies. Mutual pining, unrequited love. Allusions to and eventual smut. Slow burn. Minors DNI. 18+. Individual chapter warnings will come as needed. Banner Credit @thedroneranger

Masterlist Next Part

...........................................

Chapter 1: Villain Era

For generations, people have said that the gods from mythology weren't just myths, that they were real. Some even believed they walked amongst the mortals of the world.

Many people might brush it off, say it was the stuff of legends. That the Gods didn't exist. At least not the ones in the stories from ancient times, but that's a whole different conversation for another day.

Sure, people have claimed that the Gods of the days of old were real, and people have called them crazy. But those nay sayers are wrong.

The Gods are real.

And they do walk among the mortals. You know that without a shadow of a doubt.

Why?

Because you're one of them.

A millennia ago, you and the other Gods that once ruled over Earth from your perch on Mount Olympus were cast off by the Titans.

Angered by Zeus' taunting bravado, all of you were doomed to walk the Earth until each of you proved yourself worthy of your title.

One by one, the twelve of you earned your place back on the summit. Well—almost all of you.

It seemed that you were the only one of the bunch that hadn't been deemed worthy enough to have your seat on the high court given back to you, along with having your full powers restored.

You had tried for centuries to prove yourself worthy. Completing quest after quest and defeating enemy after enemy. Yet, none of them were good enough, hard enough, righteous enough.

Simply put, you were not enough.

So, you accepted your fate. That you would never have your seat back on Olympus. You gave up on trying to be worthy enough.

You spent centuries trotting the globe, doing what you pleased. However, even without your seat on Olympus, you were still forced expected to watch and govern over your realm.

After generations of trying to find yourself, you discovered that you loved flying, so, you chose a career where you could do just that.

Of course, you were still expected to do that. No one else wanted to. The Olympians all sat upon their mountain top and looked down upon you, literally and figuratively.

You spent three thousand years trying to prove that you are their equal. After yet another fail attempt to earn your rightful place, you decided you didn't need their approval. Who were they to tell you that you weren't good enough? They all thought you were a monster. Their minds were made up. So why try to change it? You vowed that you would no longer spend your life trying to prove your worth to the other Gods. You decided to do what you wanted, honor be damned.

You had traveled all over the world and eventually settled in America. You joined their Navy and became an aviator. A very good one at that. One of the best.

And the best part about it is that you could go by your real name, not one of the silly ones the humans insited on having.

After spending almost a decade in the Navy, you'd made quiet a name for yourself. And not in a good way. You had drifted from squadron to squadron. Each one more different than the last.

And yet, each one knew what it meant when you showed up. It meant a mission that would surely end in tragedy was coming. But, somehow, each time you cheated death, it was almost like you were untouchable—immortal even.

No one had ever seen a pilot like you. You were smart, clever, quick, deadly.

And the kicker of it all, you were a woman.

After a particularly sketchy mission overseas, where you somehow survived a total engine failure and heavy enemy fire, and crashing into the ocean due to a parachute failure, and then almost drowning, the Navy offered you the chance to have a more permanent duty station. To be part of the most elite squadron in the history of the program.

So, you packed your things and moved across the country to take on a role as the newest member of the Dagger Squadron on the North Island in San Diego.

Today was your first day. This would be your once chance to establish yourself, to assert your dominance. If you went in there friendly and smiling, they would think you're weak. You refused to let that happen.

So, you slicked back your bun, laced your boots, pinned your medals, and put on your game face. The metaphorical mask you wore to protect yourself and them. You weren't here to be best friends with the Daggers. You were here to train with them, fly a mission in a few months, and leave.

Making friends made the last item on the list harder. So, you would come in cold and calculated, team build enough to keep up appearances and earn their trust.

After giving yourself a once over in the mirror of your apartment, you grabbed your things and headed towards base.

.............

You stay quiet at the back of the room, taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself. The last thing you needed was to flame out and hurt someone. You're vaugly aware of your commanding officer introducing you to the group.

The first days were always the hardest. Just like in school, everyone always wanted a piece of the new kid. You could tell that the other aviators in the room were used to being the best of the best. Today, you took that title from them. You out ranked all of them and had more confirmed kills than the whole lot combined. You had thirteen. You'd personally sent thirteen souls to the Underwold.

You would think that being surrounded by death your whole life would make killing easier. It doesn't.

You remember the ache in your heart after your first confirmed air to air kill. People congratulated you, slapped you on the back, and applauded your accomplishments. You got a medal for it.

Everyone around you made it seem like it was a good thing, but it troubled you deeply. You remember sitting on the floor of your tiny rental downing bottle after bottle of whiskey and tequila, trying to ease the pain, but the relief never came. Finally, you broke down and cried out to Dinoysus. He'd answered your call and provided you with some lotus flower. You swallowed them quickly and let the numbness wash over you.

After coming down from the high, you swore you would never do it again. But you did. Each time making you feel worse than the last.

You prayed that your thirteen kill would be your last one.

You sucked in a breath and wiped your sweat palms against your uniform pants before quietly opening the heavy metal door and entering the hanger that was currently being used as a briefing room.

Though you didn't need much of an introduction, your reputation proceeded you.

You took a deep breath and walked to the front of the room. Just like clock work, the lifetime counters appeared for you over the heads of each of the new aviators that you were meeting for the first time. All of them still had decades left. You'd make sure it stayed that way.

One by one, you made eye contact with each of them. Everything was fine until your eyes met his.

You could see a spark in them that was oh so familiar. You felt a heat creepy over you. You had to squeeze your palms to keep them from bursting into literal flames.

Don't lose control

Don't let them see what you really are

You swallowed thickly before speaking.

"Good morning all. My name is Commander Y/N Kolasi. Call sign: Hades."

Twelve sets of eyes stared back at you. Each one of them wearing a different expression. Some were shocked, others surprised, and a few looked intimidated. One looked at you like you were his next meal, a challenge for him.

Keep it together

Each one came to introduce themselves. And shake your hand. Harvard. Yale. Halo. Fritz. Omaha. Payback. Fanboy. Coyote. Phoenix. Bob. Hangman. Each one telling you their call sign and welcoming you to the group.

Finally, after waiting his turn, he came up to introduce himself. He was tall and sun kissed. Golden brown curls and honey colored eyes with a thick mustache that he made work. He wore a smile on his face, but you could feel the lifetime of pain and the burden of the world that he carried with him.

"Good morning, Commander. My name is Lieutenant Commander Bradley Bradshaw. But you can call me Rooster." He told you before giving you a firm handshake.

You prayed that he wouldn't notice how hot your hands were from the flames that threatened to creep out of them.

You could feel the desire burning inside you. Something you hadn't let yourself feel for a very long time. You couldn't risk it. You couldn't allow yourself to lose control. Not again.

No, you can't do this again

You'll only hurt him

You could already tell that you would have to keep as much space between the two of you as possible. You wouldn't let yourself fall for him.

"'Rooster is going to be your wingman for the time being. He'll help you get acquainted with everyone while you're getting settled." Your commanding officer, Maverick, told you.

After a day of training and flying and fending off the flirty remarks from Hangman, you headed to the locker rooms to take a long hot shower. The water wasn't nearly as hot as you wanted it to be, so you gave it a little extra assistance.

Great. So much for keeping your distance.

...............

After spending some time soothing your aching muscles, because yeah, even the Gods get tired, you finished getting ready. You slid on a black sports bra and black v-neck shirt. You slipped on a pair of jeans and sighed as you pulled them up to cover the inked words and images across your hips and thighs.

You left your hair loose and swiped some mascara and a dark red lip on before leaving. You thought you might ask your new coworkers about the best place to get a drink around here. You couldn't actually get drunk, but you needed to keep up appearances and earn their trust. You've found that mortals are more apt to let their guard down and show their true selves after a few social drinks.

You grabbed your things and slipped your sunglasses over your eyes as you exited the building to walk to your car.

You fished your keys out of your bag. And you were just about to unlock your SUV when you noticed some of the boys crowded around your car.

"Excuse me?" You said as you unlocked your blacked out Land Rover Defender.

"Hades? This is your car?" Hangman asked you with wide-eyed amazement.

"Yes. It is." You deadpanned.

"Damn. This is fine as hell, darlin. Custom paint job?" He asked as he leaned against the hood and traced his finger down the electric blue pin stripping that ran down it.

"Yes, along with custom black chrome wheels and a custom sound system and custom interior." You tell him.

"So if you could back the fuck off and not lean on it, that would be great." You say sarcastically.

Good, don't let them think you're weak

"Sorry, honey." He smirked before standing up.

You rolled your eyes before looking over at the car parked next to you. It was a vintage blue Bronco.

"Whose Bronco is that?" You asks, looking at the group of men whose eyes went back and forth between ogling you and your SUV.

"It's mine." You hear Rooster's voice cut through them.

Of course it was

"I like it. I'm a big fan of the classics." You tell him.

"Thanks." He smiled. "Is this the Bond edition?" Bradley asks as he gestures to your car. "Yeah." You shrugged.

Don't smile back

Don't lose control

"So, Hades, how many drinks would I have to buy you at the Hard Deck for you to let me take this beauty for a spin?" Hangman asks you.

"Seresin, there isn't enough alcohol in the world for me to ever agree to that." You shoot back. Coyote laughs and smacks him on the back.

"But, the Hard Deck, is that where you guys go to get a drink around here?" You ask them.

"Yeah, it is. Mav's girlfriend owns it. If you want to, you can follow me over there, and I can buy you a welcome to the team beer." Rooster pipes up.

"Sounds good. Lead the way, Bradshaw." You say as you open your car door and climb in. A grin breaks out across Bradley's face as he jogs over to his car.

Great, you've been too nice.

Stop it.

You press your push to start button and the engine under the hood purrs to life. You can see the shocked expression of Hangman, Coyote, Fanboy, and Payback through your tinted windows.

You select your favorite playlist and turn the volume up. The beats ring out as you rev the engine before following Bradley out of the parking lot.

As the bass drops, you tap your shiny black fingernails along your leather wrapped steering wheel as you listen to the song

"She's in her villain era"

You cut your eyes to your rearview mirror. "You aren't here to make friends, and you aren't here to fall in love." You tell yourself.

"You'd better send a prayer up"

You took a deep breath as you pulled into the parking lot next to Rooster. You could do this. You killed the engine, but before you could open your door, Rooster rushed over and grabbed the handle before offering his hand to help you out.

"You didn't have to do that." You tell him.

Don't let him charm you.

Do you want a repeat of last time?

"I know, but my mom would roll over in her grave if I didn't." He tells you with a smile before leading you in.

The moment he mentions his mother, you can see her. You can see his memories of her. You know her. You had met her when she came through the gates. The first thing she asked you was if you knew where her Goose was. It took a few minutes of her explaining for you to realize she was talking about her husband. You think fondly of their reunion. Moments like those made your godly job more tolerable. It must have been almost fifteen years ago. You realize how young Rooster must have been.

Now you know why he carries sadness in his eyes.

"Hoping that she'll maybe spare ya"

You vow to yourself to not cause him anymore.

Don't lose control

................

You spend a few hours in the Hard Deck with your new squadron. You try your best to ignore the countdown timers of all the new faces. You swipe them away until you notice one of a young man who is sitting at the bar alone. He looks depressed and is clearly intoxicated. You see that he's got thirty minutes left to live.

He's fumbling for his wallet to pay his tab, and he sets his keys on the bar. You know exactly what he is going to do. You also know you shouldn't interfere because Minthe will tell you that all your time on earth has made you soft. But you can't help it.

You discreetly make your way through the crowd and swipe his keys without being seen. You look back and see that his time has jumped up several decades. You breathe a heavy sign and pocket his keys to turn into the bartender at a later time.

God, you are getting soft.

You're just about to pay for your drinks and the rest of your coworkers when Phoenix grabs your arm and tells you to come over to the piano.

You gather around to find Rooster sitting and playing a few melodies.

Then, he breaks into a song, putting on a show for the whole bar. You figured that's probably how he got his call sign.

As he is singing, he throws his head back, and you see them. You don't know how you hadn't noticed them before. His scars.

Before you know it, his words aren't his anymore. They are hers from ages past echoing in your brain.

"Come Hades! I want all of Olympus to know you're mine, mine, mine! I want to shout it from the mountain tops and tell the world you belong to me and I belong to you!" She chants out as you're racing her up a hill before catching her around the waist and kissing her. "Persephone, calm down, you'll wake the dead." You half scold her. "Well, I want them to know too, Hades." She tells you before kissing you again.

Her voice is as clear as day in your head. You can still feel the tingle from her kiss on your lips.

You didn't realize you had zoned out until Phoenix shook you to see if you were okay. You snapped back to reality and wiped a stray tear from your eye as Rooster began to play another song.

Don't lose control

Don't drop the mask

"Yes. I'm fine." You lied to her so easily. "It's just getting late. I'm going to head home. Will you tell everyone their tabs are taken care of." You call over your shoulder as you push your way through the crowd and out the door.

You struggle to draw in a breath as you get in your car. You turn on the headlights and zoom out of the parking lot as you try to regulate your heart rate.

It was all too much. Too similar. Too overwhelming.

You could feel the control slipping.

Get it together

Build your walls higher

You peeled down the highway towards your apartment, needing to put as much space between you and him. He was so much like her it scared you. You remember how easy it was for her to break down your walls. You could already feel them slipping again after just a day around him.

This is not good

Make your armor stronger

You couldn't relive the worst moment of your life. You would not let yourself fall in love with Bradley Bradshaw. You couldn't let yourself go through that heartbreak again. You might not be strong enough to survive it a second time

Do

Not

Lose

Control

Taglist: @thedroneranger @roosterscock @shanimallina87 @teacupsandtopgun @mayhemmanaged @wkndwlff @roosterforme @daggerspare-standingby @dakotakazansky @startrekfangirl2233 @hecate-steps-on-me @cassiemitchell @na-ta-sh-aa @milestellerlover @katieshook02 @mak-32 @je-suis-prest-rachel @soulmates8 @ohgodnotagainn @diorrfairy @eli2447 @xoxabs88xox @djs8891 @roosters-girl @sebsxphia @rosiahills22 @dempy @callsign-magnolia @alchemxx @gretagerwigsmuse @sunlightmurdock @withahappyrefrain @lt-spork @multifandomlover4life @lewmagoo @bradshawsbaby @seitmai @kmc1989 @bcarolinablr @roosterisdaddy36 @itsdesiree86 @waywardhunter95 @hisredheadedgoddess28

[yoshitsuno]

[wafflestheweeb736]

This damm episode😂

Shun is literally like so patient and Seiya is so adorable I can't with these two. He's literally a toddler and Shun is his babysitter XD

[saintseiya-underworld]

New Specters added on St Seiya Awakening game (Chinese version) Where's Aiacos ?!

[jayahult]

SFF / YA ideas that are taking up space in my head right now, for future reference to myself:

-Apparently cliche YA story about young heiress in a low-fantasy world who learns of forbidden magic that rapidly transforms into a gender-swapped retelling of the story of King Solomon, complete with a four-hundred man harem, occult elements and sealing demons.

-Relatedly, inspired by a prompt from @prokopetz, a teenager who has read far too many YA novels seeks out a powerful, immortal mage for apprenticeship who hasn't left his secluded home for centuries; immortal mage swiftly becomes deeply invested in her well-being after learning that she may actually be an orphan with little or no adult supervision.

-Reconstruction of minotaur myth as transgression of nature and man. Want to fit that in somewhere sometime.

-Related to the above, I've been on a real occult kick after reading The Black Arts by Richard Cavendish. The chapters on astrology, summoning spirits, and ritual magic are percolating a lot in my head, and I've come up with some interesting ideas for SFF-oriented magic. Nine divine houses that loosely match with the nine astrological planets, with access to them and their power often being associated with a geas / taboo / sacrifice; Odin gives an eye for knowledge, Samson cannot cut his hair for his strength, and so on and so forth. You can sort of think of these as King Solomon's heavy crown or some such; a regalia of divine rulership over the world predicated on a sacrifice. -Contrarily, there are also Chthonic / profane powers, but they aren't inverted to the divine ones; after all, the shape of the stars do not correspond one-to-one with the shape of the Earth. I imagine them as more primordial or chaotic than the structure of divinity, being ills that are as old as or might even predate human beings. Where the divine has houses, the profane has "gates" - you're letting this power out of the box, not being invited into power on condition. Most of this "letting out" is done by proxy of a demon. My initial instinct was to have the gates be based off of the five rivers of the Greek underworld (Forgetfulness / Ignorance, Woe, Lamentation, Flaming / Violence, Styx / Fear) but those feel vague. The Nine Circles of Hell of Dante's Inferno make sense also.

-Oooh, or maybe these gates are less where a demon is from, and more where they were put. The religious poetry of William Blake describes Salamandrine Men as inhabitants of "the Cave" - interpreted as Hell by some - IIRC. So maybe there's the primal Chthons - let's call that Tartarus - and then there's the structured Chthons, which might be called Hades. Human beings bound the primal furies / salamandrine men of Tartarus into the defined name and form so that they were easier to understand and deal with instead of being big morasses of awful plagues and possession and sin and death. These gates that the demons were put behind gained a power all their own, and opening them... that works! Now just to decide on what the gates should be. Maybe I should tag in @victoriadallonfan for that one in his DMs...

-Been on a bit of a "weird guns of the late 1800s" kick. Not sure how to integrate this knowledge. More work to be done.

-(Is @-ing people on tumblr bad form? I am entirely unsure!)

-This reminds me, I need to read more William Blake and do some serious interpretation on it.

-Still need to do that trans Frankenstein thriller thing. And that Confessions of an Agriculturalist and War Criminal thing. And that one thing about cloning that'll probably get people super mad at me.

[prismartist]

Fandom: 3rd Life SMP

Chapters: 1/1

Words: 512

Characters: Scott Smajor

Additional Tags: Canonical Character Death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Inferno References (La Divina Commedia | The Divine Comedy - Dante Alighieri), Metaphors, Extended Metaphors, Prose Poem, freestyle poetry, River Styx (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Referenced Blood and Violence, Injury, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Drowning, Flower Husbands (implied)

Summary:

there is a tradition of old. a coin placed under a tongue that can no longer taste, so that one may pay for safe passage to the underworld. if not, they were condemned to wander the bank of the unknown, or as a lost wisp on the surface, never to reach the afterlife.

all the gardener had in his mouth was blood. nowadays, that was enough.

it is not always pleasant to ride the tide of the river to hades.

but if you listen carefully, it can tell a story.

[btsslowburnfic]

Chthonic Love 22

Series Summary: A Greek Mythology AU featuring Yoongi/Suga as Hades and reader as Persephone. Olympian ruler Namjoon has delivered you, Persephone, as a gift for his brother, lord of Death, Yoongi

Chapter Summary: You and Yoongi find each other in Inferno

Previous chapter here

Yoongi gingerly stood up in the boat, monitoring the rocking. “It’s been what, a few hundred years?” He said smugly as he gazed across the icy dead-filled sea. He smirked at the arch-demon, Lucifer.

 Lucifer completely stopped beating his huge leathery, causing the Cocytus Sea to fall still. His form was that of a giant Beast; the head of a dragon and the body of a griffin. His lower half was encased in an icy miasma. His taloned arms flailed and clawed at the ice, trying to drag his lower half out of the sea. “Almost a thousand. Let me out!” He roared in Anger, venom dripping from his mouth.

 Yoongi stood there, he didn’t have time for this. Acting bored, he sighed. “No. I don’t think I will. Did another living being pass through here?” He attempted to remain calm.

 Lucifer laughed, a deep and terrible sound.  “And if someone did? Why would I tell you? You and your brother put me here to torture me.” He struggled once more, “Release Me!”

 “My brother and I put you there because you fought for the Titans.” Yoongi paused; remembering the end of the Titan wars, he shuddered.  “You have at least another millennia of penance.”

 The dragon snarled, assessing Yoongi with his golden eyes. “Who can say the girl is still alive? Perhaps she succumbed to the wailing souls and slipped into the sea.”

 Yoongi felt nauseous at the thought, and yet he knew in his heat you were still alive. He snorted in disgust at Lucifer and angrily sat down, grabbing the oars. "Then it would seem we have nothing to discuss.”

 “Wait! Wait! Let me out!!!” Lucifer continued to claw at the ice. “If you release me I’ll help find that Goddess. She’s probably in the middle of the Inferno right now. You won’t be able to reach her in time.”

 Yoongi bit his lip wondering what his chances were. Wondering what your chances were.  Lucifer was responsible for keeping the souls in Cocytus. Was there someone else who could do it? He cursed in irritation that he had to make this decision. Why did he tell you to leave? Fuck. Lucifer has tortured thousands of mortals when he was free. He had ripped apart lesser gods and goddesses.

 Yoongi sighed, “No.” He said decisively. “I’ll see you in another thousand years.” He started to row further East, feeling the temperature increase almost immediately.

 “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” He heard the dragon roar, but it was too late. He knew you wouldn’t approve of releasing a monster, even if it meant saving you. And he hated it. Because for you, he would have done it.

--------

Beyond the Cocytus Sea lies something far more treacherous. Beyond the wailing souls and the icy waves, you will find the Inferno. Saved for the souls of tyrants, the fire is so hot that at first it feels cold. The caldera of Magma is fed through channels that run deep through the Underworld. Flames rise up through poisonous geysers , threatening to suffocate anyone who breathes the air. 

 It would seem this chapter in the Compendium had not been an exaggeration. You had dipped your cloak in the water of Cocytus when you saw that you were approaching the lake of fire. You wrapped the damp fabric around yourself and began to say your prayers to Athena. Silent tears fell down your face. Would the boat catch on fire? You had no way of knowing. You tried in vain to paddle against the wind, but the Cocytus breeze was unrelenting; the pull of the Inferno unyielding. You took a deep breath as the boat quietly slipped from the seawater into the lava. You waited for the boat to melt; for the wood to catch fire. It did not.

 You looked around. The sky was pitch black. The surface of the Lake was molten lava. And it was so very hot.  In the distance you could make out the silhouette of rock features, geysers rising and spewing noxious fumes into the air. You laid down on the bottom of the boat. It had gotten you through Cocytus, maybe you could float through Inferno. 

 Time passed by slowly as you felt the boat rock gently. You recounted your youth, playing with Hoseok, your mother braiding your hair, helping mortals with their gardens. Really, you had lived a good life. You hadn’t planned on coming to the Underworld. But you were happy you did. Other than today. Even then, this morning had been great. You breathed shakily as you remembered resting your back against Yoongi’s chest; his fingers exploring your body. You really thought you had a future with the Lord of the Underworld. You hadn’t thought your future was to die down here. At least not for several thousand years. They say for mortals their life flashes before their eyes before they die. Was this the same thing? The tears evaporated off your face almost as soon as they fell. Your lips began to feel exceedingly dry; unable to keep saliva in your mouth anymore. It was so hot.

 To your surprise, you felt the boat suddenly and decisively change direction. Your eyes went wide as you sat up and saw a cave entrance, carved into a sheer rock wall. The mouth of the cave was dripping with magma, looking like the jaws of a fiery beast. In your heart you knew that all that lay on the other side of this entrance was nothingness. This was the end. No. Nonononono. You started trying to row against the pull. 

 Yoongi sailed through the rest of Cocytus easily, his powers regenerated when he paused for his chat with Lucifer. Once he entered Inferno though, the magma pushed against the boat trying to keep him out. He scanned the horizon in annoyance. What good was being the Lord of the Underworld when everything down here attempted to defy him? Annoyed, he removed his shirt and prepared to shift. He had little use for his true immortal form. The monsters that lurked in the Underworld for enough. He much preferred the comfortable form of a human. He winced in pain as he allowed the skin on his back and shoulders to rip apart. 

 “Ahhhh….” He cried out. It had been hundreds of years since he used his wings. The last time was in a contest with Jungkook. He had lost and swore off ever using the useless things ever again. The midnight black appendages unfolded, flanking his back. He stood up and flapped them several times. Just like riding a horse, he reassured himself. He took a deep breath and leapt up, allowing his wings to beat down against the air. He slowly became airborne. 

 Where were you? He flew up higher, attempting to study the flow of the magma. He saw you finally. The small boat was a few meters from the Nihil Cave. No. Anything that went into that cave became nothing. No Elysium. No Underworld. Just nothing. He swooped down, too fast too fast.

 You turned your attention from the cave mouth behind you where you had heard a whooshing sound, followed by a splash.  What? Your surprise turned to horror as you saw Yoongi pop up on the surface of the magma.

 “Yoongi!?!” You cried, as best you could with your parched throat, trying to row over towards him.

 Yoongi resisted the urge to gasp for air, keeping his mouth tightly shut. He was immortal, but he felt pain. He imagined magma down the throat would be extremely painful. He felt his skin start to burn.

 “Oh my God.” You cried, seeing Yoongi’s skin melt off, revealing red and black underneath.  Your eyes stung with tears. “I’m coming.” You said, but the oars wouldn’t budge. 

 Yoongi’s eyes widened with fear as he watched you throw the cloak to the bottom of the boat and look at him. “Persephone. No. No.” He started to swim frantically towards the boat.

 You jumped in. The Compendium was right. It was cold for a split second before you felt the fire erupt around you. Fuck this was a bad idea. You swam up towards the top of the caldera. You looked around frantically when you finally surfaced. Yoongi, Yoongi, fuck this hurt. Ouch.

 You felt something pull on your shoulders.  “Hold on,” you heard Yoongi say gruffly. You barely had time to comprehend before you felt yourself being plucked out of the magma and soon flying over it. You didn’t have time to register being dropped unceremoniously into the row boat you could only assume was Yoongi’s. 

 Yoongi plopped down in front of you, breathing heavily. His wings were tattered and his human skin sloughing off his body. In their place was a mix of red and black seared flesh. He had such beautiful skin, and now it looked like burnt meat. Your eyes filled with tears not for the pain that was traveling through your own body, but for what he must be feeling.

 You looked around. This vessel was between Cocytus and Inferno. You looked back over at Yoongi. "Yoongi,” you cried out. You wanted to embrace him but you weren’t sure with the condition he was in. “I can fix this. I can fix this.” You said, more to yourself than him.

 “Just leave it,” he yelled. He fell to his knees, exhausted. The injured wings folded in and he took a deep breath, willing the boat to change directions. The boat slowly turned back towards Cocytus.

 “Yoongi,” You slowly extended your hands towards his, trying desperately to start healing him.

 “LUCIFER,” You heard Yoongi bellow. “Helps us cross and I’ll take 200 years off your sentence.”

 The wind died down. You peered through the mist.  Was that a dragon? You were so confused. The creature began to cackle.

 “Not looking so smug now are we Yoongi?” The dragon tapped it’s claws against the ice block surrounding it’s torso. 

 “That’s Lord Yoongi you ungrateful bastard, now take the deal or don’t,” Yoongi cried, clutching his side in agony.

 “Make it 500 years.” The dragon snapped.

 Yoongi tried to stay standing, but his one leg gave out underneath him, causing him to kneel. 

 Lucifer bellowed. “The Lord of the Underworld kneels before me. Ahahaha. You should have accepted my help when I offered it to you.”

 Fuck. You stood up, trying hard to not rock the boat. “250 year or nothing. Now help us sail back to the Stygian Sea. Now.” 

 Lucifer laughed, “Do you give this woman the authority to speak for you, Lord Yoongi?”

 “I do,” he gritted out.

 “Very well, it is done.” He inhaled and blew his icy breath, causing the boat to abruptly change it’s speed and direction, towards the Stygian sea. Yoongi collapsed onto the bottom of the boat.   

 “Yoongi, Oh no.” You knelt down next to him. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have waited and left with Hoseok. 

 "Shut up. I was an idiot." Yoongi coughed. “I shouldn’t have told you to leave.”

 “It’s fine. All I do is hurt people. I’ll go. It’s fine. Let me fix this.” Your body wracked with sobs as you placed your hands onto his chest.

 The boast slipped back into the Stygian Sea. Sensing Yoongi’s dominion, the sea gently began to push the boat back towards the estuary. 

 "I'm so sorry," you sobbed. "Holly, help me," you asked as the boat approached the gates. Holly whimpered and very gently used one of his mouths to pick up Yoongi and place him gently on the black sand. 

 You clamored out of the vessel and threw yourself down next to him. You conjured as much energy as you could. You were used to healing flowers and plants, not people; not Olympians. "Please Yoongi. I'm so sorry. Please." you placed your hands on his arm and chest where the fire had burned him. 

 His skin slowly started to return, a pale patchwork at first and then a whole canvas. You continued, feeling some of his energy mixing with yours. He was coming back. He would be ok. Energy flowed out of you, a purple glow emanated into his chest and arm. Purple leaves and vines spread out over his pale skin. In exchange, flame snapped at the energy, sending a burning sensation up into your hand. 

 "Ow," you cried out as more tears fell involuntarily. 

 Yoongi tried to push your hands off him. "If it hurts stop," he coughed. 

 "No. I love you. I have to fix this." You pushed your hands down even harder against his protests ,the flames growing up your arms. "I can fix this." you whispered more to yourself than him. You don't know how long you stayed that way, the pain changing from sharp shooting pain to a dull throb. Before long you were exhausted, the energy barely glowing. The last thing you saw before you blacked out was a pattern of purple and clack chrysanthemums on Yoongi's chest. @sugas-bbygirl  @twilight-loveer

[thr34t2sanity]

Inferno

Chapter One: Pompeii

Part Two: The Meeting

Hades froze. He did not expect to encounter someone so soon in his venture into the human realm. Yet, he found himself so engrossed in this mysterious woman that he completely forgot his original purpose for leaving the Underworld’s palace. The way her long, ginger hair flowed down her back in a soft, flower-infused braid reminded him of all the beauty that was absent from his world. It was then that he decided that he needed her- desperately.

And ‘fake it’ is what she did for nearly two whole weeks. Aurora’s life became a cycle of not enjoying the way her life was going, yet feeling too powerless to do anything about it.

Her day-to-day consisted of going to work, being Allen's lackey, and hating life. Then she would go home, avoid her ex like the plague, cry, drink herself to sleep, and wake up to hate life all over again. The weekend was a lot harder than the work days. Without the distraction of her busy office, she was left to think about how quickly it felt like things were getting away from her. She had it all just days ago. Now she was sitting in wine-stained pajamas, eating a mix of her own tears and ice cream out of a cup while watching some awful talk show that she, honestly, was not able to keep up with.

“We interrupt this regularly scheduled program to bring you breaking news. Another woman has gone missing near the intersection of Cromer and Mobius in Seattle, Washington. The 26 year old woman, Momo Hirai, was last seen outside of club Inferno with an unknown man. At the time of her disappearance, Momo was seen wearing a black crop top with a hot pink skirt and black thigh-high boots.” The monotonous voice of the anchor woman relays. “The man she left with has yet to be identified but according to police sources, he could be tied to the disappearance of Kim Minjeon- known to friends and family as Winter- who had been reported missing last Tuesday. That is just one of the many missing person’s cases that have been filed this month. If you know anything, we encourage you to come forward with information.”

“Oh wow,” Aurora mumbles to herself, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. “Things are getting serious. I need to start checking in on Lilly more when she goes out.” As if she summoned her, Lilly’s face lit up Aurora’s phone screen and the chorus to “Obsession,” by Exo, filled the room.

“He—“

“We have to go out this weekend! You and me! We need a girls night. There’s this hot new club I keep hearing about and Dawn is dying to take me. Also you desperately need to get out of the house, so you can’t say no,” Lilly said all in one breath.

Aurora raised an eyebrow, confused by the blonde’s sudden outburst the minute she answered the phone. “What happened to: ‘Hi, hello, how are you, how is your night?”

“Just say you will come out with me on Saturday,” Lilly said and Aurora swore she could hear the rolling of eyes through the phone. “You don’t need to eat out of another carton of ice cream.” Aurora subconsciously clutched her cup of ice cream closer to her chest. “Also, you have to meet Dawn.” Dawn is Lilly’s work crush that Aurora always heard about. They never really interacted because they work in different departments but they seemed nice enough.

“First of all, it’s a cup,” Aurora replied defensively. “Second, I’ll think about it.”

This made Lilly groan loudly through the speaker. “You have to come, I need a wing woman…I’ll buy all the Long Island Ice Teas that you want… And I’ll make sure to get us a ride,” she whines.

Aurora hesitates. When Lilly goes out, she goes hard. Aurora was not sure she could keep up after having been a homebody these past 4 years. She wasn’t that same wild 20 year old that she used to be. The wear and tear of nurturing a relationship had weathered her. Without the support of the man she once loved, Aurora was not even sure she would make it to the end of the year and it was currently October.

“C’mon, Dawn has been there a few times and they swear it’s a vibe,” Lilly said enthusiastically. “Saturday is a costume party and we have to go. I’m already working on getting us matching costumes. I’m thinking of going as sexy witches because we’re bad bitches.” Aurora didn’t even have to see her best friend to know that she was on the other side of this phone wiggling her eyebrows.

Aurora sighed out a laugh before pinching the bridge of her brows with her fingers. “Okay,” she begins and she could hear Lilly begin to squeak in success. “AHT! Not done. I’ll go on the condition that you get me a costume, buy my drinks, get us a ride, and promise not to get me to hook up with some stranger at a nightclub.” Lilly groaned, she should have known.

“Rory, you are extremely sexy. You need to use your assets to your advantage.” Aurora rolled her eyes.

“I think you use your assets more than enough for the both of us, ” Aurora said playfully. “I’ll keep my assets to myself, thank you very much.”

Lilly sighed dramatically. “You’re no fun, but whatever. Have it your way if you must. Just be ready by 9.” That’s kinda early for clubbing, Aurora thought.

“Oh, and I'll get your costume by tomorrow so you can do any last minute tailoring.”

“Tomor– tomorrow is Friday, Lills.” Aurora said in confusion. “That’s literally only one day–”

“Bye,” Lilly sings-songs on the other end of her phone before hanging up. This bit–.

Friday arrives quickly along with the costume Lilly bought Aurora. When Aurora takes the costume out of the black garment bag, she finds a black, velvet wicked witch of the west costume. The sweetheart neckline, long, flowing sleeves, open back, and lace trimmings were snugg around Aurora’s whole body. She was a bit on the thicker side but you can see every crevice that made up her curves. This costume was nothing but scandalous.

By Saturday night, Aurora fully understood why they needed to be out of the house by nine. The ride there was horrendous. They spent several minutes stuck in traffic and that was just getting on the freeway to head downtown. Once they reached the downtown area, it was absolute hell, but when you go out with a carouser, you’re always on time in their world.

Aurora followed behind Lilly- who gracefully floated her way to the queue of the club- huffing in annoyance as she struggled to keep up. The striped thigh-high knee socks that Aurora wore kept rolling down and exposing her skin to the cool Autumn air. Taking a brief pause to adjust the flimsy material once more, she bent over to give the hem of her sock a tug when she was overcome by the densely ominous feeling of being watched. The sensation stopped her in her tracks. She stood up and, for a moment, she was unable to focus on anything other than a vague vision of eyes burning a trail on the exposed s–kin of her upper thighs. She was so lost in the sensation that she nearly forgot where she was, but then, these ‘fucking ruby red maryjanes’ were killing the heels of her feet- snapping her right back into the present. She looks around for a moment, trying to find Lilly as she regains her sense of reality. And there Lilly was, waiting for Aurora to join her in the line, and waving Aurora over like a mad woman.

Aurora decided to ignore the feeling as she took in Lilly’s excited expression. She hadn’t been out clubbing in a while, maybe she just forgot what it felt like when so many people were occupying the same space. “Where’s your little work crush at?” Lilly flinched at the sound of Aurora’s voice.

“They said they were coming, Rory. We just have to give them a minute and they’ll get us in,” Lilly said, giving Aurora a pleading look. “If we don’t get in within the next 30 minutes, we can leave. I promise.”

“Within the next 15 minutes,” Aurora glared, annoyed by the blonde who had her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I am not standing out here for another 30 minutes. I want to go home.”

As if by a miracle, a burly man dressed in all black appeared in front of them. He looked at them then nodded his head while his fingers pressed against his ear piece. “Alright, you two come with me.” Lilly looks back at Aurora in surprise, but follows behind the man without much thought. The people that were left in the long line Aurora and Lilly stepped out of complained loudly as the two were escorted from the back of the line to the front entrance, making Aurora curious as to what was so good about this place.

Music blared through Aurora’s ears so loud that she swore her head was vibrating. She was slick with sweat as she danced with Lilly and a very drunk Dawn who had just arrived, but was all over Lilly. Aurora had no idea how long they had been dancing for, but she was already several songs in and it felt amazing.

Almost as if it was attempting to ruin her night, Aurora’s striped socks began sliding down to her knee, forcing her to bend over just as the bass of the song drops. As soon as her hands grasped the tops of her socks she was weighed down by the same ominous feeling that gave her pause outside the club. This time, the feeling was so strong that it pulled her out of the cloudy haze of euphoria that the people around her were engulfed in. The tap of a hand on her shoulder causes her to spin around and meet the intoxicated eyes of her best friend.

“I’m going to go get a drink,” Aurora yelled to Lilly over the thump of the Jersey mix she had never heard before. “I’ll be right back!” She needed to drown out her anxiety. Unfortunately for Aurora, the bartender was behind on orders. He was running around pouring, shaking, mixing and serving to the best of his ability, but there was truly no way he could catch up to the overwhelming crowd of people surrounding the bar. Dejected, she realized that she was going to have to wait a little while if she wanted that Long Island Ice Tea- and she did.

Three club remixes had played while everyone else had gotten more drunk when suddenly a stool opened up at the bar. Aurora jumped at the chance to give her feet a break. She sighs in relief as her weight shifts off of her heels and onto the chair, but that relief is short lived. The moment she relaxed in the chair she felt a cold shiver run down her spine which was fully exposed in her backless, tiny, black costume. Instantly, Aurora’s gaze swept the foggy scenery of the dark club in search of the eyes she knew were watching her– they were in the room with her. She searched and searched the hot, sweaty bodies grinding all around her until she heard–

“What can I get for you?”

Aurora is forced to turn her attention to the bartender.

“Oh! A Long Island Iced Tea please,” she says, still slightly distracted.

While she waits for her drink to be made, Aurora finds herself interested in the TV hanging above the bar. She let her eyes wander to a large sign illuminating the word ‘Inferno’ in neon blue. That’s when she noticed that there was a second floor lounge area with a view of the entire club. Her thoughts were cut off as her eyes landed on a man behind the glass.

He sat with his legs spread, a glass full of dark liquor pressed against his lips, as he eyed Aurora from the elevated VIP section. He was incredibly intimidating: dark hair, dark eyes, dark suit- dark aura, and yet, Aurora found herself absolutely entranced by him. Who is he?

Aurora found herself feeling compelled to stand up. She needed to talk to him. Or if not, to see him up close. She made her way over to the stairs that lead to the VIP section, and away from the overbearing music of the dance floor. Their eyes remained locked her entire way up. The closer she got to him, the louder the alarm bells rang in her head but she couldn’t stop her feet from moving to where he was. Before she knew it, she had passed the velvet ropes. It was too late to turn back now. She took a few more steps forward to find herself directly in front of him.

He lifted the corner of his lips to offer a smirk. The motion revealed a small dimple, but she was only focused on his pouty, pink lips. Those same lips parted to reveal his deep, alluring voice,

“Hello.”

[raylie18]

Saint Seiya

Hades★Chapter Inferno