Woman's Thing's 3

In a spacious chamber of cavernous stone, adorned with bronze accents, an array of pools and fountains ceaselessly spouted forth boiling water. This infernal water, heated by the tormented sinners engulfed in the nearby furnaces, emitted dreadful cries that permeated the air, creating an atmosphere akin to a never-ending nightmare. Amidst this eerie scene, Haemon sought solace and equilibrium, submerging himself almost entirely beneath the water's surface, as if merging with its depths. Only the visible crown of his head hinted at the presence of something best left undisturbed beneath the tranquil facade. The water enveloped him, providing a respite from melancholic ruminations, allowing the Olympian to relax and find sanctuary. Gradually, his weakened body underwent an agonizing yet transformative rejuvenation, aided by the unwavering efforts of his sentient armor, dedicated to assisting its master.

Emerging from the water with urgency, the Olympian hastened toward the pool's edge where the steps awaited. Taking a seat, he drew in a deep breath, exhaling forcefully and releasing steam from his mouth. Pushing back his damp strands of hair, the warrior succumbed to a fit of heavy coughing, reminiscent of an elderly man afflicted by tuberculosis. His hand instinctively reached for his chest, where the armor once resided, only to discover its absence, revealing horrifying wounds that lay bare before him. Two immense fist-sized cavities marred his chest, and the mere touch of the water against his exposed organs ignited sharp waves of pain. Squinting his eyes and hissing in agony, Haemon plunged his hand into one of the wounds, endeavoring to realign the bones that punctured his internal organs. In a moment of despair, he cursed aloud, "Tartarus, tear me apart!" Regrettably, underestimating his own strength, he inadvertently applied too much force, causing the bone to shatter into countless fragments, further exacerbating the already dire situation. From the warrior's back, a tendril of darkness emerged, its touch gentle as it caressed his face, offering a modicum of relief in the face of his father's suffering.

"I love you too, and don't worry, it's not your fault," the Olympian whispered tenderly, embracing the affection from his nameless son. With gentle strokes, the warrior caressed the creature, beseeching its aid in extracting the shattered bones and stitching his wounds. "Please, do it swiftly and, if possible, with minimal pain. Let this be a lesson for me!" The creature promptly heeded its father's plea, its dark appendages delving into his body, disassembling and meticulously reassembling it with utmost care. "Ha-ha, you must relish this, don't you, beast?" the Olympian whispered softly to the unseen yet undeniably present entity. His crimson eyes burned with hatred and disgust as he fixed his gaze upon something before him. His claws pierced his palms, drawing forth blood. Then, a hot, putrid breath forcefully assailed his face, confirming that his words had been heard.

"I hope you relished the taste of newfound freedom, for the light of day shall never grace you again as long as I possess even a trace of sanity!" the warrior coldly uttered, his gaze unwavering and fixed upon the unseen entity. In response to his stern words, a growl reverberated, and the water in the pool, resembling a tempestuous sea, crashed against its surroundings, conjuring monstrous waves. Yet the Olympian remained unaffected by this spectacle, holding his ground with unwavering resolve, maintaining a stoic expression amidst the chaos. His resolute figure stood before the invisible being in a renewed light, akin to a horned beast-father devoid of fear, standing tall and ready to engage, willing to sacrifice his life to shield his kindred from perils akin to a deadly predator. Emitting a deafening roar and leaving a fresh scar on the warrior's face, concealed from sight, the beast receded, opting to shroud itself behind the dark veil within the Olympian's subconscious, vowing to resurface in all its grandeur.

"See you soon, old friend," murmured Haemon, his fingers grazing the fresh cut on his face. Licking the blood off his hand, he let out a laborious yet relieved exhale, deciding it was time to unwind. The warrior stretched his weary bones and tired muscles, fully surrendering to the soothing embrace of the water element. Submerging his chest in the water, he allowed only his head to remain above the surface. A smile of pure, childlike joy blossomed on his face, and with the enthusiasm of a playful child, the Olympian began to splash and frolic in the water. Cupping his hands, he collected warm water and released a powerful stream from his mouth, unintentionally demolishing a substantial chunk of the stone wall. "I should exercise greater caution," the Olympian silently chided himself, observing how the massive piece of stone inadvertently crushed several demons.

"Are you enjoying this?" Hel, the queen, materialized out of thin air, addressing her husband with a joyful tone. "Wow, this is going to cost me a fortune!" the queen exclaimed, her eyes widening as she noticed the extent of the damaged wall. "And please, do exercise more caution with your powers. I wouldn't want to be left without a single servant due to your impulsive antics and ever-changing moods!" Her wide smile carried a hint of irritation, and she gestured with her hand towards something small, emphasizing her point.

"I thought I expressly asked you not to bother me!" Haemon retorted venomously, his expression growing serious as he turned away from his beautiful wife. The once joyful, childlike smile vanished, replaced by an expression of weariness and torment as if he were plagued by an inner turmoil.

"And I thought I asked you not to wear such a gloomy expression?" the queen parried with a soft smile, arching an eyebrow playfully. With a wave of her hand, she effortlessly discarded her dress and adorned a bathing attire, carefully tucking her hair back. Confidently, she entered the water, approaching her spouse, standing just a fraction closer than necessary. Their breaths mingled, the warmth and chill blending together. Haemon instinctively averted his gaze from his wife's pale and exquisite form, instinctively shielding his own with a light armor of modesty. Hel couldn't help but laugh, her hand quickly rising to cover her mouth, maintaining the decorum befitting their station.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" she asked, a lingering amusement dancing in her eyes.

The warrior remained silent, refusing to respond with words, and only grunted, not even daring to cast a fleeting glance toward his wife, further fueling Hel's anger. Seizing the opportunity, the woman approached from behind and began gently caressing her spouse's back, tracing symbols with her fingers.

"You behave like a boy who has never seen a woman. We are bound by the ties of marriage, and this inhibition has no place in our shared life," whispered the queen in a tender voice into her husband's ear, who was trying to concentrate.

"Leave me alone, I'm not in the mood for this right now," Haemon hissed wearily in response, attempting to move away from Hel, but she wouldn't let him go.

Feeling a surge of anger, the queen's actions took a violent turn. Instead of heeding her husband's plea, she grabbed him by the throat, her grip tightening with each passing moment. In a shocking and gruesome act, Hel swiftly extended a long, sharp-tipped tongue from her mouth and thrust it into his eye, inflicting a painful and debilitating injury.

With clenched teeth, the warrior seized the woman by her elongated tongue and forcefully propelled her through himself, as though she were a limp puppet. However, the creature remained unfazed, landing gracefully on its feet. Despite the forceful yank, the woman's jaw suffered a slight dislocation. Ascending swiftly, the Olympian closed the distance between himself and the entity that had assumed his wife's likeness. Anger blazed in the warrior's eyes, while the creature, despite its deformed jaw, seemed to wear a sinister smile, creating a disturbing spectacle. Retracting her lengthy tongue, the woman swiftly restored her facial features, returning her jaw to its rightful position.

"Who are you truly?" the Olympian demanded angrily, delivering a precise strike to the head. It would be reasonable to expect the woman to retreat, but like a panther, she evaded the warrior's attack effortlessly and countered with a powerful blow to his jaw.

With his claws firmly embedded in the ground, the warrior deftly evaded the precise strike, averting a fall. Sinister black serpents slithered forth from his torso, poised to attack his daring adversary. Yet, just as they lunged towards the illusionist standing nearby, they froze in mid-air, their intended target seemingly disappearing. The Olympian was left astounded as his own progeny turned against him, their venomous fangs now aimed at their master. Swiftly, the animated armor, adorned with dagger-like tendrils, severed the heads of the serpents. Haemon had intended to inquire about the woman's incredible ability, but he had no chance as he had to quickly block a strike aimed directly at his head.

"Ha-ha! You must have countless questions, such as 'How on earth does she do that!'" the woman exclaimed with joy, a smile gracing her countenance. She took satisfaction in observing the warrior retreat several paces under the impact of her attack.

"And I bet you're dying to know who I am, right? Oh, wait, you already asked that!" the imposter Hel whispered uncertainly, deftly evading the swords and spears hurtling towards her. "Could you please stop hurling all this debris at me while I'm trying to have a conversation with you!?" she exclaimed with indignation as a massive block of ice loomed in her path. Undeterred, she chose to confront it head-on instead of retreating. With a swift gesture of her hand, she conjured a pillar of crimson flames, instantly obliterating the ice and leaving behind a thick shroud of smoke that engulfed the surroundings.

"You must be that red-haired woman from the human realm, right!?" the Olympian quickly deduced, but receiving no response, he pressed on, "But your name remains unknown to me, witch!"

"I am Lilith!" the beastly creature exclaimed, disappointment lacing her voice as she swiftly scanned the surroundings with her crimson eyes. Noticing movement in the mist, she whispered quietly, "Ah, there's my prince charming!" Her index finger pointed towards the source of the movement, and a powerful beam of red energy surged through all nine circles of the underworld.

"Well, did you hit the mark?" the warrior sarcastically asked, abruptly appearing behind the demoness and embracing her tightly, akin to a bear. Retaining her joyful tone, Lilith replied, "Perhaps?" and delivered a forceful headbutt to the Olympian's nose, dealing a significant blow. Struggling to recover, he was swiftly brought down by a peculiar technique, finding himself flat on the ground. Lilith leaned down, executed a swift 360-degree spin, and thrust her leg forward.

Lying on his back, Haemon tasted the bitterness of defeat, realizing that for the first time, a woman had overcome him. With a contemptuous smirk, Lilith decided to push his humiliation to the limit and placed her foot gracefully on his chest, treating him as nothing more than her servant. "So, bunny, shall we move on to more serious matters, or would you like to play a little longer?" she casually taunted, pressing her foot against his chest, demanding an immediate response. However, her provocation was met with a retaliatory stream of corrosive acid to her face.

"Apologies, witch, but deep down, I am still a child!" growled the warrior, swiftly removing Lilith's footing and bringing her down to the ground. "Damn it, you ruined my entire makeup!" groaned the red-haired witch, wiping away the smudged mascara from her face. Haemon wearily and disgustedly raised an eyebrow, asking, "What is wrong with you?"

"Divorce and the role of a mother!" Lilith answered before receiving a punch to the face. The warrior intended to strike the demoness once more but halted when she made a "timeout" gesture. "Wait, before you turn my face into mush! I want to tell you that I possess the power to bring back to life anyone who is dear to you!" the demoness quickly and loudly proclaimed, observing as Haemon's fist drew closer to her lips. The blow stopped just before impact, and in gratitude for sparing her, Lilith kissed him. Haemon swiftly rose to his feet, extending a helping hand. With a serious expression that conveyed his willingness to kill if she was lying, he asked, "Are you capable of resurrecting someone killed by the Primordial?"