The Five Demigods Who Saved Olympus | Book 1, 2, & 3

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"Heath, can we please light a candle?! The rest of the mind realm isn't as dark as it is in here!" Zander whisper-shouted as he walked closely behind Heath. Heath sighed, knowing what Zander was really saying; that he was afraid of being in the dark.

"Zander, nothing can get you in here." Heath spoke as he led both him and Zander up the stairs in Hades palace.

"You don't know that! We're dealing with some sick freak that took over our precious Noelle, they could be lurking around in the shadows, watching our every move and ready to attack at any moment!" Zander said, sounding terrified. Heath only sighed as they walked up the carpeted stairs.

"Zander, if you're really afraid, just go hide out downstairs." Heath said.

"No! Then I'd be leaving you alone with the enemy! Or maybe, he's down there waiting for me!" Zander exclaimed.

"I don't know for sure if the enemy is here." Heath replied.

"Then why are we here?!" Zander asked, his voice going only slightly above a whisper, making Heath turn and scold him with his eyes.

"I told you before we came that I had a theory I wanted to check out." Heath said. Zander stayed silent this time, continuing the follow after Heath. Zander hadn't been watching where he was going and ran into a table, making a loud noise that echoed throughout the hallway, making Heath turn to him. He once again scolded him with his eyes.

"Sorry!" Zander whisper-yelled before turning and looking at what he had run into. "Oo!" Zander exclaimed excitedly. He knelt down and found a bowl of fruit sitting on top of the table.

"Oo, pomegranate! I've never had this before." Zander said as he thoughtlessly took a bite.

"You're lucky we're in the mind realm and not back in the real world." Heath said with a sigh as he gently pulled Zander up off of the floor, continuing to lead the two of them down the hall.

"It doesn't taste very good, has it gone bad?" Zander asked. Heath reached back and took the pomegranate from him. He tore off a piece and shoved it into his mouth.

"That's not how it tastes in the real world." Heath said as he tossed the pomegranate behind him, stopping in his tracks almost immediately. He then held up a finger, indicating Zander needed to be quiet.

"What is it?" Zander asked. Heath shooshed him as he quietly took careful steps down the hall, finding a door open with a light on the other side. Heath carefully and quietly opened the door, finding that they were on Thanatos's side of the palace. Heath looked around the room, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hmm, what's this?" Zander asked as he picked up Thanatos's inverted torch. He swung it around to show Heath but accidentally knocked him in the head.

"Oh, sorry man. This thing is insane!" Zander said as he examined it. The sound of a thud caught his attention. He turned to find that Heath was no longer beside him and was now on the floor. Zander immediately dropped the weapon, clasping his hand over his mouth. Zander then dropped down to the floor beside Heath, resting his left ear against his chest to find there was no heartbeat.

"Oh, man!" Zander exclaimed.

"How is this possible in the mind realm?!" Zander whispered to himself. After a moment, Amara, Hermes, and Helios ran in to find out what had happened.

"Dude, you killed my best friend." Hermes whined. Zander scoffed.

"You mean mine! And he's not dead... he'll just be resting for a few minutes." Zander said. Heath slowly sat up, his hand going to rest on his head.

"I'll bet I have a massive headache in the real world." Heath groaned out. He turned to realize the group hadn't heard him, making him look down behind him to find that his body was still on the floor. He sighed as he brought himself up to his feet. He noticed the room around him was now dark and a few feet away sat a door slightly open with no walls surrounding it. Heath frowned as he slowly began to move towards it. He could hear the struggles of another on the other side, making him go cautiously.

"Why won't you comply?!" Hypnos shouted out, frustration lacing his voice. Heath peaked his head around the door frame to see Hypnos facing his direction looking worn out with a hand running through his dirty blonde hair. Heath frowned, wondering who was behind Hypnos. He finally learned when he heard the voice deeply sigh. The voice was all too familiar to him. He could feel his heartache at this moment. Hypnos turned around, striking her with the back of his hand. Heath almost stepped out, almost making himself known when Noelle laughed quietly.

"You said so yourself that this wouldn't be easy. I am stubborn. And no matter what you do, no matter what you offer me, I will never comply." Noelle spoke lowly. Hypnos gripped ahold of her jaw, glowering into her deep brown eyes.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Noelle. Thanatos still isn't back yet with our guest." Hypnos replied. Heath frowned once more at the mention of his father's right-hand man. He was taken aback to learn that one so close to his father, even closer than Melinoe ever was, could betray him like that. Hypnos had been gone for so long, that his loyalty wasn't much there anymore. But, Heath believed Thanatos still had his loyalty.

"You couldn't put my own, suffering father in front of me to make me comply. I know how close the two of you are to getting what you want. To have Olympus, Atlantis, and the Underworld under your ruling. And I know that you both are entirely capable of taking this world by the reigns. But you will never, and I mean ever have me too." Noelle answered lowly. Hypnos didn't speak, he only huffed. The sound of chains caught Heath's attention, making him turn over to the door. He quickly ran over to hide behind a curtain but still managed to catch sight of Thanatos who would soon enter the room. He walked in with seemingly nothing with him. Noelle watched as Thanatos forcefully dragged a soul into the room. Once Thanatos was fully inside, Heath quietly made his way back over to his place in the dark room, continuing to peek his head around the door frame.

"What if I put your mother in front of you?" Thanatos asked. Thanatos immediately tore away the chains wrapped around the soul as the flesh regenerated, revealing Noelle's weeping mother. Noelle immediately tried to tear herself away from the chains, the chair scraping against the floor as she struggled. She knew deep down it was hopeless. That this was Hypnos's world and she had no control. The sound of her mother's voice weeping, calling out to her made her react in such a way. It broke her heart.

"Let her go!" Noelle screeched, continuing to try to break free. Hypnos only laughed at her failed attempts as Thanatos came closer. He rested one hand on the arm of the chair, the other going up to cup her cheek. She tried to pull away, making Thanatos's grasp more firm.

"My dear, the moment you submit, her suffering will end." Thanatos said, his fingers stroking her jawline. Heath gritted his teeth at the sight, now understanding what Thanatos's intentions were. He had noticed the long stares in all of the time Noelle would stay with him in the Underworld. Heath had just thought that Thanatos found it unusual to have a visitor at the palace considering Hades never had many guests over before. But, he understood fully now. It made his blood boil. Noelle parted her lips to speak but didn't. Her struggle stopped. Noelle reached a foot forward, kicking at the soul to find that it disappeared into a cloud of smoke. Her eyes drifted up to Hypnos as she tilted her head to the side. Heath frowned before realizing it had never been there to begin with. The couple then both made their own realizations.

"I'm immune." Noelle whispered, her voice barely being heard.

"It was Hypnos in all of our heads." Heath quietly said to himself. Almost immediately, Thanatos and Hypnos turned back, spotting Heath standing at the door frame. Heath's eyes went wide as they all turned to face him. Noelle quietly gasped out before saying,

"Heath?"