Ch.10

I squinted in attempt to make out her features. It was Ivy- Kore.

I looked away from her and back to Thanatos. He probably sense my anger. Why the fuck would he bring her here? She was only safe with Hades in any of the underworlds. He wasn't in hell though. He was in what we considered the graveyard.

Thanatos mouthed an apology and I mouthed back "later". Unclear if he got it or not but he will.

"You there! You're first." Lucifer pointed towards an older lady, or at least a mimic of one.

She smiled coldly as she approached me.

"Hello Son.Im sorry to ha-"

"Just get it over with." I cut it off.

Their eyes widened with shock then annoyance. I called the mimic part. It was indeed some unholy creature using an old woman as a disguise.

Their long nails came down on my sweaty skin, drawing blood. I bit my tongue. I would not scream. I would not show Im bothered by it. I will not show Satan I am weak.

10 slashes. 10 cuts. 20 slashes. 20 cuts. They just continued to come. My body screamed in agony each time. My chest was tender with wounds. Every inch of my torso was covered in wounds, like a canvas with paint. My arms were next, mince my wrists. They were still wounded from the vines.

Soon enough it was over and the Kingdom was pleased. My body on the other hand was drenched in sweat and blood.

"Thank you for cooperating, brother. I'll see you on Kiriaki." He winked and patted my face.

Kiraki. I haven't heard that word since our mother passed. It was what the Greeks called Sunday.

I zoned out for what seemed like weeks. I sat there just watching the sand soak up my blood. More and More pooled onto the sand. It look like an ocean. A small one.

"Paimon!" I heard a little voice call out to me.

"Pai, Get your head on straight my friend." A warm voice flooded my ears.

I looked up at the 2 in front of me- Ivy and Thanatos.

"Ivy?" I questioned.

"I'm here. I've got you." She smiled as tears leaked from their sockets.

I looked over to Thanatos, "We need to get her to Hades' home. It isn't safe here." I stood with the help of Thanatos.

My body burned all over. Would god accept me finally?

I laughed out loud to myself. He would never accept me even if I begged for it.

"Selfless bastard." Thanatos wrapped a gentle arm around me and Ivy did the same.

"Twig looking bastard. You should really get some meat on your bones." I wiggled my eyebrows at him then fell into a pit of laughter.

"Get it? Meat on your bones? You're a skeleton!" I grabbed at my stomach.

"Fuck me!" I yelled once I remembered my wounds. I accidentally slid my finger inside the one next to my belly button.

Im grateful for my demonic body. If I was mortal I'd be on my death bed.

"Calm down. You're a comedian we get it." Thanatos gave me a sarcastic response.

We made it half way to the underworld before the world began to get dark.

"Paimon!" my friends said in union.

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Thanatos

"God. He's so heavy." Ivy grunted while attempting to hold Paimon's feet.

"Just a few more feet and we can sit him down mi amor." I tightened my grip on Paimon's torso, being careful of his wounds.

"Holt! Please return to No man's land. This is a restricted area. Hellhounds will be set loose if you do not obey." A robotic line came from the guards out side of the Underworld's gates.

"We've come to see Hades." I spoke confidently.

"Holt! Please return to No man's land. This is a restricted area. Hellhounds will be set loose if you do not obey." These guards were just broken records.

"I have Persephone with me!" I called over their repetitive line.

They stopped mid sentence and the gates opened.

I helped Ivy with Paimon until we were just inside of the gates.

"Stay with him until I return. He will be fine, I promise." I winked at Ivy and whispered a prayer to Paimon.

(Prayer was: You better get with Ivy before that egoistical asshole gets out here. Okay bye love you.)

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Ivy

I watched as Thanatos shuffled away to retrieve the man called Hades.

I wonder if he's the same one from my dream? I remember it vaguely. Well him. I remember everything Paimon told me.

As if on que, he woke.

"Paimon? Are you okay?" I asked and pushed his curly hair out of his face.

"Ivy, you are so beautiful." He squeezed my hand.

He's delusional. Blood loss does that, even to a demon. Or a devil?

"Im sorry." He whispered.

"Sorry?" I cocked an eyebrow at his random apology.

"I abandoned you. Made you come all the way to hell to find me." His eyes glazed over with tears.

"I'd walk through fire or go through any hell, to find you Paimon." I smiled sadly at him. He nodded at me with a smile.

We sat for a few minutes. It was freezing here.

I shivered.

"Come here," Paimon who was now sitting up, held his arms out to me.

"Lay back down Paimon. You've lost a lot of blood." I edged him back down.

"I'm fine. But don't make me say it again." He smiled at me as I sat next to him, leaning into his embrace.

He was 10 times warmer then anything else in here.

"This is the underworld." Paimon tightened his hold on me.

"Isn't that hell?" I looked up at his pale face.

"No. It's different. Hell is where people and creatures are banished to. They face great torture and pain. Underworld is just like a jail in the after life." Paimon shivered.

Where the hell is Thanatos?

"So if I robbed a bank or mugged someone, I'd end up here?" I thought about it in my head. It made sense.

"Well it depend-" Paimon was cut off by a cough. Which turned into a fit. Which turned into blood being vomited onto the concrete.

"Paimon!" Thanatos shouted and took off running in our direction. A tall man following after him.

"I'm fine! Just my cells regenerating." Paimon waved us off and held his stomach.

Thanatos and the strange man helped him off of the ground.

"I'm Hades. Nice to finally meet you in person, Kore." The tall man smiled at me