Chapter fifty five

The last pillars protecting the castle from caving in gave in and the entirety of the castle collapsed. Thunderbolts surged through the sky blasting concrete to smithereens but it wasn't enough to stop the impending catastrophe. Suddenly, thick broad vines of greens shot out from the marble floors interlocking and entangling through one another to form a stronghold that could protect many from imminent death. The basket of vines succeeded in catching the killer debris and many were saved thanks to Persephone's will but someone's view remained unchanged. Persephone's gaze remained on her son who returned with a spiteful glare. He hadn't even flinched when the whole castle came collapsing. Of course, he was immortal but Persephone had always known her son was an empathic one. It was far-fetched that he would be the one to bring ruin to his own realm. Her heart trembled to hear the screams of people outside as the dome covering the second collapsed piece by piece. Soon saltwater would pour in to finish the job. Most citizens of the second realm were water breathers and excellent swimmers but the creatures of the deep were still lurking. If the dome totally collapsed, Persephone knew everything she and Poseidon had built would be wiped out in an instant and those who survived the blow would be eaten alive by the creatures. Despite everything she had done to prevent this hell from coming to pass. The old god's word had prevailed.  Her world felt numb as she peered around the damage she had caused to flourish. Zeus had gathered the witches and powerful Faes prepared to teleport them to safety. It was his duty after all. The treacherous yemoja was outside along with her son calming the chaotic sea that wished to broaden its horizon so citizens could escape the realm to safety. Like that would change the fact that they assisted the god of the underworld. For the first time in a long time, Persephone felt human. She had always detested her true nature. She hated to acknowledge she had been a human despite being born with a titan father and witch mother. Humans were weak. They had no control of their destiny. When Persephone chose to change the cards fate had dealt her, she never imagined she would still have to keep her volatile destiny. How wrong she was.

  The serpentine jewelry on her neck strangely bore heat. It felt more like a sign. A sign of Hades' victory. He had promised he would claim her for millenniums but like always, his plan had always flunked. She had dreaded those words since the very day he spewed them but she deserved it. This was karma. The justice she had tried to prevent. Tears flowed freely just thinking about everything she had lost to prevent Hades from claiming her. Poseidon had died. Orion was cursed to be Pegasus till the end of time and her last child despised her with every fiber of his being. There was practically nothing to fight for anymore. Hades had won. So Persephone ripped the protective totem off her neck just as Zeus teleported many to safety freeing Hades from his oath. In the blink of an eye, skeins of darkness pooled towards Persephone like smoke. It curled around Persephone, brushing against her face, arms, and legs. A loud crack beneath followed and it was the thing to snap Denys out of his blind rage.

"Mother... What are you doing?" He demanded, shooting himself upright.

"The right thing." Persephone retorted. "I cannot keep fighting Hades at the expense of everyone's happiness.

  As the words left her lips, two golden hues of light smiled at Persephone through the nauseating darkness right before they turned electric blue eyes. Those eyes seemed to see everything she had done and everything she would ever do. His skin could have been carved from marble; his hair was the same disorienting black with the breathing darkness and it made it look like he was semi bald. A terrifying power emanated from his tall, statuesque frame as his body slowly formed revealing a fitted black suit and a scythe to the right hand.

"Hello Persephone," The devil himself smiled. "Looking graceful as ever."

"Hello Hades," Persephone swallowed as all eyes turned to her. Zeus had returned to take his wife, the vampires the shifters to safety but he was stunned to find his brother in such dangerous proximity to Persephone. Taking a difficult sigh, Persephone continued. "You promised that no matter how  hard I tried, no matter how far I went to keep us from ever being one that you would always win and that one day you would claim me...willingly or by force."

"I do remember." He giggled, clearly enjoying the fact that Persephone was swallowing her words whole. "But I am not sure what you are getting at."

"I give myself to you Hades." Persephone chimed in before the words got stuck in her throat.

That was the binding straw. The darkness crept upwards Persephone slowly but surely swallowing her body whole.

"But," She added.

"But what?" Hades questioned.

"You have to fix my family. Fix them and I promise to all six realms and the celestials that I shall be your till the end of time."

"It is done," Hades assured.

  Persephone looked back to her son as the darkness continued to clothe her. A tear escaped her eye right before she surrendered to the blissful darkness.

***
Denys felt numb. He was torn between running for his mother or just accepting that destiny couldn't be fought. There were two scenarios to prove the latter was the correct answer after all. Talia had rained hell before dying all because they tried to play the old god's words Persephone had also lost everything trying to prevent being the bride of the death god. While Denys' legs willed him to walk and yank away from his uncle's hold. A bigger part of him knew if his mother saw this as a last resort, she had to have a plan, and then she went on with it. She wanted Hades to fix all he had broken. The moment she accepted and looked into his eyes for the last confirmation, Denys felt a searing pain shoot through his heart and veins. His legs finally moved but it was too late when he was close enough. Persephone was long one when he reached his uncle's side.

"Bring her back." Denys breathed

Hades ignored Denys' wishful thinking as he retrieved a sealed bottle out of the darkness that wouldn't leave his side.
"You have that choice." The go of the underworld said. "This bottle contains water from the beautiful gate. The waters are known to make desires real."

Denys had an insatiable urge to knock the bottle off his hands but he had to remember his mother had just sacrificed herself just so he could fix things. If there was anything piece he could fit together anymore.

"Then why did you torment us if you could have just wished to have Persephone for yourself?" Denys questioned, snatching the bottle from Hades.

"Now where is the fun in that?" He snickered. Denys did not entirely believe him. How would Hades have this much power in his hands and not use it for his own gain?

"So how does it work? Do I just wish for my family, Talia, and kingdom to return as I drink it, or is there some sort of ritual involved?"

" I believe you drink it but one bottle isn't enough for that. Sure you have to desire it enough for something like that to come into fruition but you can't bring your father back. You can however go back, Fix things."

Well, that was the last thing on his mind. Denys had barely considered his father family. If Poseidon had never betrayed his brother in the first place, perhaps they would still be a whole family however here they were, broken.

Denys had guessed right though. If Hades could wish Persephone to himself, he would have done it a long time ago but he couldn't because the liquid in the bottle did not grant wishes as genies did. His subtle denial put Denys in a tough position. He wasn't sure how long his uncle had been in possession of the liquid but he could have done the same thing himself. If he did not, Denys wondered if there was some kind of risk involved without leaving out the fact that Hades wanted him to do one specific thing.

"Hades," Zeus chipped in, his voice loud as a thunder crack. "You can't possibly suggest that he time walks."

"Keep out this brother," Hades flared. "This is between me and my nephew."

Denys studied the crystal clear liquid bubbling in the bottle. Time walking was a feat. Only the old god had that seed. He also happened to be the creator of the water in his hands. Denys briefly considered the missing link might be that Hades did not want to thread the rebuke of the old god. Then it hit him. The bottle was indeed powerful enough to bring back everything he had lost. Hades could have desired for two Persephones' but he had an ego. The god wanted the real deal. Hades was willing to play dirty to feed his ego and keep Poseidon dead. That was the missing link.

"You don't want me to revive Poseidon. Isn't that it?"

Hades whipped his head back, surprised that Denys had managed to figure it all out. "I didn't think you would figure it out but I am trying my best to keep your dead father well...dead. Most gods would have jumped at the opportunity to change something about their past because no matter how powerful a deity might be, they have made a mistake somewhere along their life. The question now nephew is do you accept my offer or not?"

"I have a subtle feeling that is a lie. I am sure as hell my father isn't enough to stop the strongest god alive but if you are going to continue to keep secrets, I have a counteroffer of my own. You will swear to bring Orion back as I jump a little bit back in time to save my realm. My mother has promised herself eternally to you and going by the fluidic time zone of the underworld, my mother's vow will still be valid and she can be claimed. So uncle, what do you say to that?"

"I accept," Hades responded. Denys didn't believe he would be that trusting. It felt exceptionally easy tricking the god of bargains. In fact, how easy it was to trick his uncle made Denys fearful that something else was at play and he was only engaging in a loser's game but if he could momentarily have it all back, Denys was willing to risk it all. Without a moment's hesitation, he corked the bottle open and drank. As the sour liquid receded at the back of his throat, Denys had only one thought in mind, to go back to when it all went to hell. The day Orion was cursed but before his desire could be made real, Hades leaned in and whispered into Denys' ear;
"If you bring Poseidon back, Talia would never have been born."

Hades' revelation disrupted Denys' calculated thoughts. It also seemed to unleash the powers of the water as Denys felt divine energy steer deep within him right before it exploded.

A bright flash filled the devastated castle and for a split second every detail in the castle stood in stark relief against the light. Denys swore he saw a smile creep unto the god of the underworld's face like this had been his plan all along and right when Denys proceeded to redirect his thoughts, his desires, whatever it was that needed to be done to correct his grave mistake, the light then seemed to suddenly warp Denys before snuffing him around Denys like a liquid whirlpool of pure energy and he began to fade out of the picture like a blot of ink that never belonged.

"Desire made real," Hades repeated just as Denys disintegrated into ashes.

AUTHOR NOTE
So there will be a book two, this is going to end on a slightly happy note and the second book will be up this fall. An epilogue to wrap most things off and a teaser on what to expect in the next book. I also want to thank you all for joining me through this hell of a ride. I had little faith in this book but I'm glad I got to write it. I have a Facebook page by the way so if you want to keep tabs on lazy me, I am all for it (samuelade's bookies)