~Nix's P.O.V~
Unfortunately, our happy reunion and introductions were cut short abruptly by the thundering volcano of a man (uhh... God) known only as Hades. During my first visit to the Underworld with my mother and sisters, Hades had appeared to be a normal man with unusually bright amber eyes and uncommonly gorgeous (not that I'd ever admit it) biceps. Now he was like a monster from the mortal fairy tail books I remember reading at the public library when I was younger. He was enormous, towering thirty feet tall with shining maroonish-red skin and big, withered, leathery wings. His eyes were the same, but instead of the conniving glint I remember from before, they were filled with complete and utter distaste and hate, like I was a piece of dog dung squished to the bottom of his shoe. But the majority of his loathing was directed at Eros. If I was dog poop in Hades' eyes then Eros was the horse dung.
"YOU DEFY ME?" He roared, loud enough to shake the cavern. "YOU, WHO OWE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE TO ME AND MY SONS, DEFY MY VERY ORDERS!"
I felt the sudden urge to turn tail and flee. Or soil myself. Or both. Never in my short eternity alive had I been so terrified of one single being. Hades was not just a demon. He was not an unpleasant man I would soon forget as he grew old and I did not. He was death incarnate, one of the three first creator's, son of a mad titan who ate his children. With a single crunch beneath his gargantuan feet, he could wipe us from existence and we would not come back. We were immortal children, not invulnerable— and I definitely don't feel liking being reborn in this hell-hole.
It was in that moment that I realized how insignificant I— we— were.
"With all due respect sir," I said, somehow managing to sound a lot more confident than I felt. "You did not create any of us, and we do not belong to you, nor are we even your demigods. I belong to Gaia, Caden is of Boreas, Eros belongs to no-one and Benoni is of age, therefore you cannot order us to do anything."
"DO NOT CITE THE CODE AT ME!" He spat. "I HELPED WRITE THE DAM-"
"Then you realized that although you struck a deal with Gaia that your sons could have their choice in any of her daughters, and that the chosen daughters would then be placed under your control, you have no control over the unchosen daughter. I was not chosen by Benoni or Oulixes, therefore I do not have to follow your orders, no matter how loudly you shout at me."
Hades stared at me wide eyed with shock.
"Good on you," Caiden muttered beside me, and I gave a small nod to show that I had heard him and appreciated his support.
"So, you know politics, girl," he said, calming down just a little, something like interest sparking in his fiery eyes. I nodded stiffly.
"I do." I admitted, without pride and without evident emotion, but I could feel my hands still trembling. "I studied them should I ever come across a God or Demigod stepping across their political boundaries."
~Val's P.O.V~
Hades looked between us all a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I'll make you a deal." Hades says rubbing his chin probably trying to cover up a grin. Most people who make deals with Hades don't make it through.
"Fine." Eros and Phoenix state in unison before the rest of us could speak. Hades smiles pleased with their answer. Ben and I exchange a look before we follow Hades down the tunnel I had come out of shortly before.
"Each one of you must go through a trial of your biggest fears. Alone. If you all make it through the trial, the deal between Gaia and I will be destroyed, and you will all be free to go- including you Valentina.
"However, if you fail, you all belong to me." Hades explains. He turns down another tunnel and we follow. I could feel Eros' uneasiness deep within my stomach as if it were my own. I walk closer to him and he interlocks our fingers together as Hades stops in the mouth of one tunnel.
"Benoni. You're down there." Hades states pointing down the tunnel. Ben looks at all of us before slowly walking down the stone corridor. "I shall be down to explain to you soon. The rest of you follow me." Hades continues down the tunnel. He stops about 10 feet from the other tunnel.
"Caiden, you shall be down there. I'll be by shortly." Hades mutters crossing his arms impatiently as Caiden kisses Phoenix's cheek before walking down the dark tunnel. We start walking again and Phoenix walks on my right and I take her hand as well. We stop in front of another tunnel and I knew I'd have to say goodbye to Eros once more.
"Eros," is all Hades had to say for him. Eros kisses my lips softly before walking down the tunnel alone. I step closer to Phoenix my fear rising in my throat.
"Phoenix. Yours." Hades says I hug my sister tight.
"We will make it through this." she whispers before walking down the tunnel. Hades leads me down to mine and stops.
"I wish you luck. I'll be back to explain what you're suppose to do." I ignore him and walk down the dark corridor it was much longer than I expected as I finally reach the end. It opened into a tall cave with a small pool of water on one side and a lava pool on the other. The lava keeping the cave warm with an almost home feel. I wrap my arms around my middle and pace back and forth afraid of what lay ahead. I stopped when I heard footsteps walking down the tunnel. Hades steps out from the shadows with a smug smile on his face.
"Valentina. This is going to be a test for you to face your biggest fear. If you fail, you will stay down here for the rest of eternity. However if you should succeed, and you find that your friends were also successful, then you are free to go, and the deal between Gaia and I will be terminated." Hades explains. I keep my arms crossed across my body and keep an expressionless look on my face to keep from glaring at him.
"Good luck." Hades turns and walks back down the tunnel, and a bright light starts forming as he is leaving. I didn't realize what the light meant until I heard stone grinding against stone, and noticed the tunnel closing. I run to the slowly closing tunnel but I am too late. Once I hit the wall where the tunnel had just been, it was completely closed.
My fears started running through my mind as I looked around the cave. The only light coming from the lava pool. I froze when I heard the sound of something crawling towards me. I follow the sound towards a small child-sized tunnel slowly forming in the cave wall. I spot a shadow move across the other side, and I back pedal as the shadow grows bigger and whatever was on the other side started coming through the new tunnel. A scream escaped my lungs as a giant spider the size of an adult cougar comes into the cave, and the tunnel behind it slowly starts to close.