- Lucifer and Death's side -
Lucifer and his team approached a wall of pitch-black stone. The wall was covered in chains with a sign that read "Will immolate if touched!"
"Once again, I appreciate the extra security," Lucifer said to Hades.
Hades touched the chains. "Yes, well normally my guests' weapons would go in the other armory but given the value of some of your team's items..."
The chains ignited into blue flames and disappeared. The wall opened up to reveal a small room. Hades shot blue flames into the hanging braziers. Lucifer's team grabbed their respective gear.
Hades stared at the team and leaned over to Lucifer. "Two sets of void metal gauntlets and a void metal sword and dagger," He clenched and unclenched his hand slowly, "You know buying an army would be cheaper?"
Lucifer didn't respond to that. He could tell Hades was trying to hold back. He caught the sheathed dagger that Peter threw to him and hung it from his side. He gave looks to the team to make sure that they had gotten everything. With a nod from all the team members, he motioned them to leave.
Hades put a hand on his shoulder. "I mean no offense when I say this," He whispered, "Stay out of my way once this starts."
Lucifer and Peter exchanged a look as Lucifer spoke to Hades, "I'm used to staying out of the way of Ancients."
Elijah sighed as he spoke to Dimitri, "Sorry you're here for this."
Dimitri looked confused. "Why are you apologizing?"
Elijah shrugged. "I just...I can relate."
- Poseidon, Thanatos, Chronos -
Chronos shook his head to move the hair away from his eyes. ["Not going to have that golden whore try to convince me, are you?"]
["Hera died,"] Poseidon revealed. ["She's...She's been dead for quite some time now."]
Chronos laughed. His laugh was almost manic, shaking his hair as he went. He started to speak to himself between laughter.
["All of THAT! All of it just for that whore to die by some other god's hands. I shouldn't be surprised! Surely her tricks would fail her eventually,"] He tilted his head up as he looked Poseidon in the eyes. ["I must know, who did it? Which god plucked that weed?"]
["Ra,"] Poseidon clenched his fists. ["I'm not here to talk about the past, father!"]
Chronos faked a lunge at Poseidon. Poseidon shook as he took a quick step back.
["Go on then,"] Chronos laughed.
Thanatos was off to the side, picking his teeth. ["There's a new organization that would like to offer you a membership."]
Chronos tilted his head to look at Thanatos. ["Am I correct to assume that joining them will be my payment for freedom?"]
["That and one other thing,"] Thanatos added. ["The organization wants you to kill Death."]
["The hunter?"] Chronos questioned.
["Yes,"] Thanatos replied. "He's currently in the Underworld with the fallen archangel Lucifer. The organization would like you to kill him before leaving to join them officially."]
Chronos shifted his arms slightly, rattling his chains. He looked up at the fake sky. ["What about the archangel?"]
["Not a priority,"] Thanatos said.
["I'll be handling that one,"] Poseidon interjected.
["Look who can suddenly fight,"] Chronos jeered. ["I suppose one angel shouldn't be too much for you to handle. Though, it is a good thing he's a fallen. I assume that boy's father is still a nightmare?"]
Poseidon and Thanatos exchanged a look. The two felt like they should be hurrying this up.
["We'll tell you more about what's happened on the way out of here,"] Thanatos said. ["I'll warn you once,"] He grabbed Chronos's hair, "[the beings that you'll be working with when you get out of here can put you right back where you are if you betray them. This is the only chance you'll ever get, don't waste it."]
Chronos looked up at Thanatos with a smile. ["I'm going to ask whoever is to thank for my freedom if I can kill you when this is all said and done."]
"Go ahead, you failure," Thanatos released Chronos's hair.
Thanatos waved Poseidon over. The two pulled the chains out of Chronos's arms. As they did, the chains whipped back down and attempted to re-snake their way through Chronos. Thanatos caught the chains with his scythe. He held them back as Poseidon released the last of the bindings. Poseidon couldn't stop shaking as he went.
["I'm not going to kill you,"] Chronos assured. ["I know you're not a threat to me. Your brothers, however, shall not be so lucky,"] He let out another manic laugh.
"COME ON!" Thanatos yelled at Poseidon.
As Poseidon pulled the last chain out of Chronos, Chronos fell to the floor and gripped the grass beneath his hands. He looked at the scythe that Thanatos had constructed and grabbed it. He stared at the middle section for a moment before being yelled at to keep moving.
The chains in this fake world chased Chronos the entire way as the three ran. The other beings that were chained to pillars stared in awe at the scene before them. The whisperings of the others joined the metallic rattle of the pursuing chains.
["Why would they free him?" What are they doing? Does Hades know? What about Zeus? Surely Olympus isn't so desperate?"] The other beings whispered.
Eventually, the three were out of the fake world and back in darkness. Chronos looked at the back of Thanatos's neck and gripped his scythe.
["I wouldn't unless you want to spend an eternity finding your way out of here,"] Thanatos said as he walked forward.
Chronos grunted, ["Go on then."]
- Julius and Salim -
Julius spoke through his echo, "We're about finished here. Thanatos and Poseidon should be freeing Chronos right now."
"Are you sure that Chronos can defeat Death?" Salim asked. "I still think it would be better if we just left once Chronos joins our forces."
"I understand the concerns," Julius said. "But as we discussed before this, we can't fully trust Chronos. Pointing him in Death's direction is still the best use for him. And remember, don't engage Zeus under any circumstances."
"I know," Salim insisted. "The sooner we're out of here, the better. I don't like the idea of potentially having to fight Death."
"You won't have to," Julius sighed. "Just hurry to the meeting point so we can proceed with the next step."
- Ash, Sophia, and Mezir -
(Sometime in the future)
Ash was laughing as she looked down at Mezir. The battlefield the two were standing on had been turned into a field of flames. Sophia and the other beings were staring at the two in horror.
"Tona is yours..." Mezir said, clutching the burnt nub of his left arm.
"That was incredible," Sophia said as she approached. She looked down at Mezir with bitter hatred in her eyes.
"He's not with them," Ash waved her hand in front of Sophia's face. "Hatred is a valuable thing, so long as it's pointed in the right direction."
"Still reading the Church's teachings?" Mezir stood up. "I thought you would have grown bored with such things?"
"What can I say?" Ash shrugged. "Maybe I long for a different time?"
Ash and Sophia started walking to their laga. A being ran over to Mezir and started healing the charred limb.
"Who is she?" the being asked.
"Just a god that loves fire," Mezir answered.
Sophia jumped up onto the laga's back. Ash created a flame in her hand and held it up to the laga's mouth. The laga sucked the flames into its mouth and made an expression that looked like a smile. Ash patted the top of its head and hopped onto the front. Sophia stared at Mezir being healed and spoke her thoughts out loud.
"Who are you?"
"No one," Ash smiled. "Just a god that loves fire."