- The Underworld -
The two cloaked figures took up a long-range position with an overview of Lucifer, Hades, and Persephone.
"Remember, Hades first," The green-cloaked figure said.
As the green-cloaked figure pulled her bowstring back, a memory flashed in her mind. It was of her and Persephone. The two were laughing together while enjoying a meal.
"I really appreciate it, Artemis," The memory of Persephone said.
Artemis took a breath in. Her arrowhead filled with a green light.
"Ready, brother?" Artemis asked.
Apollo's arrow was a fiery orange. "Ready."
Before the two could release their arrows a large stone shot into the side of the building they were perched on.
"Who saw us?" Apollo questioned.
Sabu was straining his now glowing eyes as he spoke to Heinrich, "Little low, aim higher."
Lucifer pulled out his echo as he continued flying around Hades and Persephone's magic. "Snipers? Two hundred meters southwest? Got it."
Death had an idea for Heinrich. "Let me onto the stone before you fire the next shot."
Heinrich nodded and readied his next stone. Death climbed onto it and gripped the rock with his bare hands. The stone launched towards the building with a smoky black streak on top of it. The two jumped off the side and landed at the bottom of the building. Without a word they started running, expecting that they would soon be chased.
Peter spoke into his echo, "Death's on it. Should we assist or stay put?"
"Assist," Lucifer answered. "I have a bad feeling that something worse is coming our way, so it would be better if all of you are with Death when it happens."
"Got it," Peter put his echo away. "Come on! Stay close together, don't chase, and point out anythin' or anyone that seems out of place!"
Death had jumped off the stone and checked the rooftop for the snipers. Once he saw that they had moved he scanned the area below for them. Once he had sight of them he moved, jumping off the building and blinking forward to stop his fall.
"Two snipers?" Death mumbled to himself. "Doesn't matter."
Death picked up speed towards Apollo and Artemis. He knew how dangerous they could be if left alone. As Death chased them, Apollo threw out a bright orb of energy that exploded into a blinding flash of light. The purple-haired god wasn't sure it would work on Death, and given the still fast-approaching footsteps he knew it hadn't. The two threw out long ropes with spikes on the end and swung themselves up into the air.
Death looked up at Artemis and Apollo who were now readying multiple arrows in his direction. He stopped for a moment and conjured his scythe. As the two shot their barrage at him he threw the scythe, using a spinning motion as he did. The whirling blade caught part of Artemis's cloak and side, revealing her long, green-tinted black hair.
Before Death could push his advantage he heard a whistle to his side.
"You really aren't that difficult to escape, are you?" Thanatos insulted.
Death blinked over to Thanatos and went to grab him. As soon as he appeared, Thanatos teleported to where Death had been standing. Death looked over his shoulder at the smiling Thanatos and clenched his fist.
"Don't you have a team of lessers to protect?" Thanatos laughed.
"Didn't your mother teach you to respect your betters?" Death responded.
Thanatos's face filled with rage for a brief moment before going back to a smile, "You--You have no idea what it means to be 'better.'"
It was obvious to Death that Thanatos was stalling. Death knew he had wasted too much time with Thanatos. He needed to find Artemis and Apollo. He was about to continue his chase of Artemis and Apollo when a large blast of blue fire roared toward him and Thanatos.
["Did I hit the silver-haired one on accident?"] Chronos laughed.
["I'm fine,"] Thanatos said as he reappeared next to Chronos.
["Shame,"] Chronos looked disappointed.
Death had blinked into the air to avoid the fire and blinked back down once it passed. He noticed that Chronos was standing next to Thanatos. The moment he did, it felt as if an eerie chill was spreading throughout the nearby area. Death's words were filled with vile anger.
["Why are you alive?"]
'Why is he...' Thanatos questioned Death's tone.
["Am I not allowed to live, hunter?"] Chronos leaned forward. ["Was I supposed to be on that list of yours?"]
Death didn't respond. He conjured his scythe and slowly moved toward Chronos. Thanatos took steps back as Death approached. The feeling of tension made Chronos's smile seem even more out of place. The three beings seemed as if they were in completely different worlds.
Back near Hades and Persephone, Lucifer was done trying to use words to get the two to stop. He flew over to Hades and grabbed the god's wrist as a jet of blue fire shot out.
"WHAT ARE YOU-"
"ENOUGH!" Lucifer shouted over Hades. "TWO SNIPERS WERE JUST SEEN ON A ROOFTOP! YOU TWO NEED TO BACK OFF!"
Hades went to pull his hand out of Lucifer's grip but couldn't manage to free himself. He struggled for a few seconds before Lucifer's other hand dug into his shoulder.
"I'm done staying out of your way," Lucifer tightened his grip. "Back off now before you get yourself and Persephone killed!"
Hades looked around at the destruction below him. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to watch your home be attacked like this? To live a peaceful existence only to have someone try and destroy what you've worked so hard to create?! I know for a fact you don't. I want our response now to serve as an example to any future vermin," He put his hand on Lucifer's arm and squeezed. "So, let me go now, or else."
Lucifer let go of Hades's arm and loosened his other hand's grip, "You think I don't know what it's like to have someone destroy a peaceful existence?"
Hades was about to turn to fly away from Lucifer when he noticed Lucifer's eyes had changed. He stared at the spiky orange ring that sat in the iris as the pupil shifted into a sharp dilation. He felt Lucifer's grip retighten into his shoulder, except this time it felt as if his shoulder was close to being broken.
"How about you prove that you deserve this "peace" by not pissing it away?" Lucifer's eyes twitched with pain.
"Alright!" Hades said, wincing from the pain in his shoulder. "Just release your grip, please!"
Lucifer let go of Hades's shoulder and looked at his hand.
"How long have you had a contract?" Hades rubbed his shoulder as he flew down to the ground.
"What do you mean?" Lucifer asked as he followed.
"Your eyes," Hades said. "I've never seen anything like it."
Lucifer pulled out his dagger and stared at his reflection. The second he noticed the change in his eyes he felt the pain get worse. The pain he felt wasn't nearly as bad as before but it still made it difficult for him to keep his eyes open.
"I'll be fine," He said, rubbing his eyes. "Go stop Persephone."
Hades flew over to Persephone to tell her to stop. He was only a few meters away when he barely noticed the two arrows speeding toward him. One dug into his arm while the other hit the side of his face, blinding his left eye. He fell to the ground at Persephone's feet, clutching his arm and covering his face.
"Snipers!" he yelled frantically.
On a different roof overlooking the battle, the two snipers were redrawing their bows.
"Missed," Apollo said to Artemis.
"So did you," Artemis retorted.
"Why did your shot hit his arm?" Apollo questioned.
"Won't happen again," Artemis drew her bowstring back.
The tree roots grown by Persephone were now raging out of control. They grew rapidly as they wrapped all around the nearby buildings and shot into the air. The entirety of the Underworld looked as if it was being consumed by a forest.
Lucifer blinked his eyes a few times before turning his head to see what was happening. His eyes widened at the scene before him.
"Two snipers..." Lucifer mumbled to himself. "And they didn't aim for Persephone? Those two?"
Poseidon was hovering far above the fighting. He had his trident and the orb Thanatos had given him. He broke the orb in his hand and took a deep breath.
"Forgive me, brothers."