Inexorably drawn

Chapter 7

   Running away from the ticking clock, Zagreus is just one room away from entering Elysium, but it won't be so easy. He has only five minutes left, according to the pact of punishment, before he meets the same inescapable fate as humans, death. This time can only be extended as long as he enters a new area in this underground battlefield.

As he slows down his raft to find himself in the last room, the giant Bone Hydra emerges from the lava, spilling some on the Prince's foot.

"How welcoming of you Lernie." He kicks the lava away with his equally hot feet.

The snake hisses just after Zagreus gets in position, reminding him of the hell he has went through with this last obstacle to Elysium.

"Ominous!" He huffs a laugh, jumping forward towards the angry Hydra.

She drags her body upwards, drawing more lava up to the surface which forces the Prince to back away. With another angry hiss, she snaps her jaw forward, biting.

"Woah. Easy with the teeth." He says in a struggling tone, grabbing the top of the Hydra's head and getting on top. A risky move since she could throw him right in lava. That is, if she could even think properly.

His strong legs keep him on the raging snake as he punches away, fructuring its skull in multiple locations. Malphon hungers and with each blow, it builds up energy for the upper cut. Once that energy is full, Zagreus uses that build up force to break through the Hydra's skull. Its undead capabilties keep it steady in place, letting it call for help.

The lava seems to boil like water before three more heads come up, hissing and using various abilities to kill the now once again, running Prince. His body swiftly dodges away from their pink like spike magic that cuts deeply, getting close to the head using it.

He holds his fists together, jumping up and using all his body weight and force to punch down the head. It wails in pain, dizzy from the impact. He keeps himself focused and finishes it off, looking back at the rest.

I could've easily killed you by now Lernie. Be glad for your defence ability while your other heads are being squashed.

His red eye shines, spotting the next target in a blink. After all the failure and death, Zagreus has ended up the most dangerous foe in the rooms of hell, moving swiftly and with calculated steps, just like how Achilles taught him.

Having defeated even his own Father in his most serious stage, there's this feeling of undoubted strength that manifested itself inside the Prince, urging him to keep moving forward.

The white bones of the snake rattle as she feels the rest of her heads get destroyed again and again. No matter how many times she may try to bring them back. She looks at the Prince with boiling hatred that may be the only thing she is capable of feeling. An emotion from the depths of Asphodel that oozes out of the bone Hydra as quick blows of bites and magic spikes that almost look as if they seek out any living thing. Zagreus rushes behind a strong pillar, keeping calm while they pass by him with incredible speed. When the last one passes, he wastes no more time and rushes towards the Hydra.

"This one's for you Lernie."

His grimace says it all. The final blow is ready to land now, visibly surrounding Malphon with force capable of finishing off even the Titans. Her bones can't take it anymore. They snap to little pieces from all that powerful energy that just cracked through them.

"Phew...Any more heads you'd like destroyed? No? Good. I'm almost out of time as well...Ugh I'm not gonna make it." Zagreus states, falling down on his bloodied knees. "Five seconds." His voice comes out as a quiet mutter that fades through the hot room.