Hunter: Fate & Fury

Cains POV

Didn't plan on this, but apparently, I am doing something a little different tonight!

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Hades sat under a large willow tree, a glass of something that had to be alcoholic in one hand while the other slowly stirred whatever was in the small pot. He looked quite at home by the little campfire, despite sitting on the grass doing such a simple task. I'd never seen him this way.

"Hungry?" He asked.

"What am I walking into right now?"

"Dinner," Hades smirked. "This realm is somewhere beyond Earth. It runs on a different time system."

"What does that have to do with him bringing me here?" Hermes rolls his eyes at that but says nothing as he takes a seat opposite Hades.

"Nothing. I'm just hungry."

"And drunk?"

Now Hades smiled. "Absolutely. That's why I needed noodles, and they taste so good this way."

"I was expecting to find you near death or something just as dramatic," I admit, taking a seat with them.

"Disappointed? You forget who I am."

"Easy to do. It's been some time since you demonstrated your power." I taunt.

"Pot. Kettle. Black?" Hades shoots back.

Hermes laughs, instantly trying to hide it with a cough

"Eat your noodles, and tell me why I'm here."

"There's a rather large gathering of witches not far from here. They've constructed a protection ward over what looks to be a small village. Hermes got in, briefly, and some of our old friends the Berserkers found him very quickly." Hades explained as he scooped out three servings from the pot. "There is a portal in there, but because of whatever they're doing to hide, he can't see where the entrance is."

"So we're breaking down the ward?"

Hades smiled. "Think you can manage it?"

"I'll put you on different sides, I can sense some weakness near this portal and I think it might actually be fighting whatever they're doing to cloak it." Hermes tells me, slurping the noodles a second later. "It shouldn't take much to bring down."

"Are we worried about what is in there? Or who?"

"I didn't sense the Furies, if that's what you're asking. I think it was Loki's hideout. His presence is old, but there. Other Powers too, but they are lesser than what we would normally deal with." The air of superiority was something Hermes had perfected, but this was good news.

"Since when do you worry?" Hades smirked.

"I said, we. Hermes gets anxious in social situations."

"Yes, because you two don't know how to play well with others." Hermes snorted.

We eat in silence, and I'd never admit it but Hades had made some decent noodles. A bottle of whisky is passed around, and despite knowing what we're about to go and do, this is nice. All of my problems seem far away despite being just beyond the ridge; it's a type of peace I'm not used to having. The sky begins to darken and from the trees, a thousand little lights dance around the vines. All around, these tiny bright bugs appear and we all just sit and look out over the trees. Elise would love this.

"How is the girl?" Hades asks gently, as if sensing where my mind is at.

"Tired. I'm not sure how much more she can take." I admit, filling him in on Hecate's latest move and what happened with the Harpy.