Into the Abyss.

In the suffocating darkness of Tartarus, Mike's descent felt like an eternity. Time lost meaning as he plunged deeper into the abyss, his mind shrouded in a thick fog of despair. Whispers echoed around him, sinister murmurs that seemed to penetrate his very soul.

As he wandered aimlessly through the void, grotesque shapes materialized in the shadows, haunting him with their twisted forms. Greek monsters, born from the depths of mythology, prowled in the darkness, their eyes gleaming with malice.

The air grew heavy with the stench of fear and decay, suffocating Mike with its oppressive weight. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a relentless reminder of his dire predicament.

With each passing moment, the darkness threatened to consume him, to strip away every shred of hope and sanity. He felt himself unraveling, his mind fracturing under the relentless onslaught of despair.

No escape. No salvation. Only endless torment awaited him in the depths of Tartarus. The realization struck him like a physical blow, crushing his spirit beneath its weight.

He sank to his knees, his body trembling with exhaustion and fear. Tears welled in his eyes, silent witnesses to his overwhelming despair.

In the depths of Tartarus, surrounded by monsters and darkness, Mike's spirit was broken. He had lost all hope for escape, resigned to his fate as a prisoner of the abyss.

And as the shadows closed in around him, he surrendered to the darkness, his cries echoing unheard in the void.

As Mike's despair threatened to consume him, a flicker of hope appeared in the form of a mysterious figure emerging from the shadows. Her presence was like a lifeline amidst the suffocating darkness of Tartarus.

"Quick, we need to get out of here!" she exclaimed urgently, her voice tinged with fear.

Mike's heart pounded in his chest as he looked upon the woman before him. There was a sense of urgency in her eyes, a desperation that mirrored his own.

"Who are you?" Mike asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm Selina," she replied, her tone urgent. "And if we don't leave this place immediately, we're both going to die."

With those words, Selina grabbed Mike's hand and pulled him to his feet, her grip firm and determined. Together, they ran through the twisting corridors of Tartarus, their footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls.

But their escape was not to be easy. Behind them, a thunderous roar echoed through the darkness, sending shivers down Mike's spine.

"The Minotaur," Selina gasped, her eyes wide with terror. "It's coming for us!"

Mike's blood ran cold as he realized the magnitude of their predicament. The Minotaur—a fearsome creature of legend, half-man, half-bull—was a relentless predator, hunting them through the labyrinthine depths of Tartarus.

With every step, the sound of hooves grew louder, drawing closer with each passing moment. Mike could feel the creature's hot breath on his neck, its monstrous form looming ever closer in the darkness.

But Selina refused to let fear dictate their fate. With unwavering resolve, she led Mike onward, her presence a beacon of hope in the face of imminent danger.

Together, they raced through the winding corridors, their hearts pounding with each desperate stride. The Minotaur's roars echoed through the darkness, driving them forward with a primal instinct for survival.

Finally, they reached a dark and foreboding cave, its entrance looming ominously before them. With no other options left, Selina led Mike into its depths, their footsteps echoing off the cold stone floor.

As they ventured deeper into the darkness, the sound of the Minotaur's pursuit faded into the distance, replaced by an eerie silence that hung heavy in the air.

But Mike knew that their ordeal was far from over. With the Minotaur still hot on their trail, they would need to summon every ounce of courage and determination to survive the nightmarish labyrinth of Tartarus.

As Mike and Selina delved deeper into the cave, a growing sense of unease settled upon Mike like a suffocating fog. Selina's demeanor had shifted, her once friendly facade now replaced by a sinister smirk that sent chills down his spine.

"We're almost there," Selina purred, her voice dripping with malice.

Mike's instincts screamed at him to run, to escape the clutches of this malevolent creature before it was too late. But trapped in the depths of Tartarus, he had nowhere to go, no hope of escape from the clutches of the Empusa who had ensnared him in her web of deceit.

As they navigated the winding passages of the cave, Mike couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Shadows danced along the walls, their movements unnaturally fluid and unsettling.

Suddenly, with a flick of her wrist, Selina unleashed a barrage of dark energy, sending Mike sprawling to the ground. Pain shot through his body as he struggled to regain his footing, his mind reeling from the shock of Selina's betrayal.

"You thought you could escape me?" Selina taunted, her voice dripping with sadistic pleasure. "You're mine now, little mortal. And I plan to make you suffer."

Mike's heart pounded in his chest as he faced off against the Empusa, his every instinct screaming at him to fight back. But Selina's power was overwhelming, her sadistic pleasure in inflicting pain upon him all-consuming.

As the darkness closed in around him, Mike knew that he was facing a foe far beyond his own strength. Trapped in Tartarus with a sadistic Empusa as his tormentor, he could only pray for a miracle to save him from this living nightmare.

~~~~~40 years later~~~~~~

"Aaagh." I gasped in pain as Eris continued to rearrange my insides.

It had been days since I had made the fatal mistake of venturing into Tartarus. I had fallen through at such high speed that I couldn't react fast enough to even contemplate flying. All the bones in my body had broken down. For a second my heart started failing. Then a mysterious red energy covered my body. I didn't heal but I didn't die either. Eris was there to make sure I didn't go down easy any way. Apparently Tartarus was not satisfied with my seemingly disrespectful use of his domain. So he sent a suitable welcoming party to renegotiate our relationship dynamic. Unfortunately Eris was a sadist. Which is why she's getting off while stabbing my leg with her dagger.

"Ohhh! Aaaaah."

"Why so quiet Mickey?"

She twisted one of the numerous daggers in my torso eliciting a sharp grunt. Over time despite the new and numerous ways Eris had found to pleasure herself at my expense I had grown numb to the pain. Throughout my time with her I switched between two emotions. Pain and boredom. I could tell I was starting to bore her. There's only so many times you can read a book before it becomes predictable. It went two way.

These days I just looked forward to Fridays. The only day where Eris would in childish resistance against her father Tartarus do the R word to me. It was a break from the norm.

"I'm bored your boring me." She looked at me as though expecting a sollution. The gods are actually insane.

"Huuuhh. I'll leave for now. I'll be back for some nostalgia later."

*

Then she left. I don't know how long I stayed there hanging on that wall. My lung's raw flesh exposed to the elements. She had placed celestial bronze cuffs on my hands and feet. Two hooks made of what looked to be primordial silver pierced through my two protruding lungs. My neck bled from one of the many blades across my body. Yet I couldn't die. Tartarus refused to allow me to die. 

~

Then I met an angel. Angel Mikoto. Red eyes, red skin. Black wings, twin horns. Well endowed. Succuby? No, not in my eyes. Salvation. Perfection given form.

"Oh heavens!" Her blood red eyes widened in shock and horror at the sight of what was done to me. She took a step back no doubt believing I was dead. My steadily moving lungs told other wise. My eyes were still permanently closed due to the two pins Eris had left as a parting gift so I didn't see her. I could hear her clear as day though. Hear colors, shapes , sounds even smells.

She hesitantly placed her hands on my cheeks and then gently but swiftly removed the two offending objects. My eyes regenerated. Whatever Tartarus had done to me was working out for now.

Staring in her beautiful eyes I knew I would never love anyone like I loved Mikoto.

A gentle request.

"Sleep."

I was out like a light.

~~Time skip~~

I woke up under an animal's hide under a grass roof with a round red wall and two windows and a wooden door.

"Haaagh." I gasped out a breath for the first time in what felt like ages. I continued to take deep breaths the lack of pain I was accustomed to jarring me.

I noticed the warm body lying on top of me. It was the beautiful woman who had saved me. I didn't bother moving. I was used to being still. Besides, for the first time in a while the pain was gone.

I couldn't help but chuckle as seeing the faint blush on her cheeks.

"Hehe well this is awkward." She seemed nervous. The red haired lady pulled herself up sitting on my stomach.

Tilting her head in confusion she asked," Can you-can you talk?"

"Yes." I rasped out.

"Oh. That's great." She blushed. Quickly getting off me she took some bowl from one of her compartment filled with what looked to be liquid fire.

"I'm Mikoto by the way and ah... welcome to Tartarus. Hope you can leave soon."

I opened my mouth about to ask my current state when suddenly the doors to her hut flew off their hinges.

Two Dracenae slithered into the room.

"Ahhhh. Well if it isn't the lost little princess. We've been looking for you. Who'd have thought that delicious sent would lead us to such a great sight. A broken demigod and a weakened ruler of hell. Tyche does love me!"

My heart immediately tried to jump out of its rib cage.

'This woman she was like the other one!' She stalked toward me motioning for her partner to take care of Mikoto.

Launching her spear toward me I lost all feeling in my arms and legs. The instinct to lie there and allow her to have her way with me just like all those other times was overwhelming.

"Shliccckk!" I stared in horror as the spear went through my angel's shoulder.

"You b***h!!" She raised her hand poised to strike her down with the dagger in her hand.

A nuclear bomb lit up in my head.

With a surge of lightning-imbued energy, I unleashed a devastating blast that coursed through the Dracaena's body, reducing her to nothing more than smoldering ash in an instant. The force of the blast sent shockwaves rippling through the air, shaking the very foundations of the hut as the second Dracaena recoiled in horror.

But even as I stood victorious, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, threatening to pull me into unconsciousness. The strain of channeling such immense power left me drained and weakened, my limbs trembling with the effort of maintaining my stance.

Mikoto rushed to my side, her eyes wide with concern as she steadied me, offering her support in my moment of weakness. With a grateful nod, I leaned heavily on her, drawing strength from her unwavering presence as I fought to keep myself upright.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.

I nodded, forcing a weary smile as I struggled to catch my breath. "Just... exhausted," I managed to reply, my words coming out in a hoarse whisper.

Together, we collapsed onto the ground, the adrenaline of battle giving way to the bone-deep weariness that now enveloped us. As we lay there, battered and bruised but alive, a sense of relief washed over me—a realization that despite the odds, we had emerged victorious against our would-be assailants.

But even as I closed my eyes, drifting into a restless sleep, I knew that our trials were far from over. In the depths of Tartarus, danger lurked around every corner, and only by standing together could we hope to survive the challenges that lay ahead. And so, with Mikoto by my side, I surrendered to the darkness, knowing that no matter what the future held, we would face it together, united in our determination to defy the forces that sought to destroy us.