Chapter 5: Hades District

The Phoenix flew through the sky and over the city's streets until its stop on Eros, dropping Hydro into the huge crowd below.

"AAAAAAAAAH!!!" Hydro cried before landing a carriage filled with hay.

Hydro sighs with relief. "Are two alright?"

"no..." Cairo stuttered as his small body trembles.

Artty jumped out of Hydro's hood and played within the hay. "How are you still fine? Out of the three of us, I thought you be frightened the most,"

Artty turns to Hydro, titling his head. "I guess I was wrong..."

"Hey pup! Get out of there!" Hydro turns to a large Shepherd Beast man barking at him.

"Sorry! I'll hop off, sorry!" Hydro pandered, before jumping off the carriage.

"Pups like you shouldn't be playing around in someone else's hay, or else you will start losing your fur," the large Beast man grinned devilishly.

"NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!" Hydro squeals.

The large Beast man soon got wracked on his head by a small Poodle Beast woman. "Stop scaring the poor pup! It was obviously an accident and you know it,"

"I give you a apology for my husband's behalf, he's seems to find amusement through frightened pups as yourself," the Poodle Beast woman spoke with a gentle tone.

"No! No! No! It's fine! It was my fault!" Hydro stuttered.

The Poodle Beast woman gave a sweet smile as she patted Hydro's head. "You are a good pup..."

Hydro felt flustered as he clench onto his hood and covered more of his masked face.

"I have to go now... it was nice to meet you. Bye!" Hydro grabbed Artty from the carriage of hay before rushing into the crowd.

"Farewell," said the Poodle Beast woman as she watches the small pup disappearing into the crowd.

"He was a weird one," said the large Beast man, holding his wife's hand.

"I prey for that pup to returns his home safely," the Poodle Beast woman whispered to herself.

"Do I have to go..?" Hydro whims as he reached to his destination.

"JUST GO ALREADY!" Cairo squawked.

"Fine!" Hydro howls as he stomps into the dark alleyway his tail between his trembling legs.

I'm not scared; he repeatedly saying to himself, to keep any little amount of confidence Hydro has remaining. Hydro pulled out the letter and unfolded it as he continued to read the letter.

[What I need you to do is get a mask and cloak then go to the third alleyway down Eros street.]

Hydro whims rereading that specific part of the letter.

[When you get into the alleyway, find a specific brick on one of the two walls and push it. Trust your nose.]

"Trust my nose? Does the brick have a weird smell?" Hydro folds the letter and putting it back in his pocket.

Hydro closed his eyes, pointing his nose to the wall and gave it sniff. Hydro could imagine molded clay, warped and misshapen. Hydro continued to walk down the alleyway until something noticed something shocking different for one brick. When Hydro smelled it, he could imagine instead of molded clay. He'd imagine fire, the scent of smoke of ash by burning trees. When Hydro opened his eyes, he only saw a brick wall. He couldn't tell the different brick compare the rest on the wall by sight.

Still aware of the different brick, he place his paw on it and gave the brick a small push. The brick sunk into the wall. Hydro suddenly felt the ground underneath himself starting to shake.

"What happening?!" Cairo squawked.

"I don't know!" Hydro said before he suddenly started falling as the ground underneath him flipped over.

Hydro continued to fall until he finally landed on the solid ground. "That was really scary..."

Hydro trembles on his knees until calmed down and straightened his posture.

"Wow... what is this place?" Hydro said as he witnessed to an entire district underground.

"You new around here?" Hydro turns to see a masked Minotaur towering over him.

"Uh... yeah?" Hydro spoke nervously.

"Thought so, I haven't seen anyone like around here before. I'm Isaac and I welcome you to Hades District!" the Minotaur said, lifting his mask up to reveal his face to Hydro.

"The Hades District?! I thought the Hades District was only a myth," Hydro howls, where Isaac responded by chuckling.

"Well, it's not. By the way, can I ask you a small question?"

"What is it?" Hydro gulped.

"Are you Hydro?" Isaac asked.

"How did you know?" Hydro squealed, feeling his fur on its end.

"Have you not finish reading your letter?"

"How did you know about my letter?"

"Because I got a similar one a mouth ago," Isaac said as he shows a piece of paper with the author written at the bottom of it.

"DON'T BE FOOLED!" Cairo squawked.

"IT'S A FAKE, HE'S HAS TO BE LYING TO YOU!" Cairo squawked, glaring at Isaac with a death stare.

"Oh! I didn't expect you to bring your pet peacock with you," Isaac said in a joking tone of voice.

"I'M NOT A PEACOCK! I'M A CROW, YOU DUMB BULL!" Cairo squawked again.

"Aww~ aren't you a cute little thing," Isaac said as he petted Cairo fluffy head.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" Cairo squawked as he ruffled up his feathers.

"This is going to be a long night..." Hydro sighed.