Hell Is An Empty Body (Book Two of The Triple Moon's Chronicles)

06 | A Beautiful Paradox ***

A gentle warning for some gore: this book is non-stop violence so far (and sorry about it ><).

Heavy became the weight of Alcaeus' gain on his back. Patches of sweat drenched his body while his jaw clenched as he walked into every path of the underworld, only to be led into a circle. A theatrical groan pushed through his lips as his being slumped on a mountain of stones within an orchard, the inert body of Cerberus still tightly held over his shoulders.

He took a deep breath and was about to stand up again when the sound of a disembodied cry attacked his ears. Alcaeus shot up, darting his eyes from one side to another, no one on the horizon until he bent down to look behind one of his thick ankles to spot the face of Theseus. His limbs were fused to the stones, and he only had eyes to weep at his misery.

Alcaeus was maybe overly strong, and perhaps a little thickheaded, but he had a heart of gold. He couldn't bear to see another human sad.

With pain seeping into his veins, he didn't waste a breath and dropped Cerberus over the head of Pirithous so he could pull out the entire golden throne of Theseus. Most importantly, Theseus and he did so, only leaving a small part of his right thigh still stuck to the trap. The latter didn't mind the injury as he celebrated his freedom with tears louder than pain. Euphoria being the best anaesthesia for the wound of his torn skin.

Menoites, Hades' herdsman, saw everything from the distance, and after taking his animals back to their enclosure, he dashed towards them. His voice yelled at them for undoing the deed of his master. Theseus only hid behind his strong saviour, while Alcaeus didn't utter a word. He simply seized Menoites's body with one hand and crushed his ribs until the latter's head burst out.

Another victim at the hands of Alcaeus. He just dropped the dead body on the ground with a curling lip at the sight of his limb soiled in ichor.

Theseus then hastened to drag aside the heavy-weighted body of Cerberus, hoping to release Pirithous. As he turned back to ask his new friend, Alcaeus, for some help, this one was already long gone with his prize.

Pirithous begged at Theseus for help until his throat became dry and sore, but the latter only sniffed powerlessly against Hades' ordeal until they both heard the dreadful voice of Hades coming closer.

A sudden wave of panic swept over Theseus, and he hurried to hide behind a tree trunk, sweat streaming down his brows.

"Believe me, Mintha is no enemy or trouble. Please release her!"

With a heavy sigh, Persephone averted her gaze and readjusted her dress over her figure. "No!" As Hades' chin dipped into his chest, she drew nearer, lifting his head up with her cupping hands. "Not until you free at least one of our prisoners!"

Upon their arrival at the orchard, Hades frowned, unsure of which situation to be more furious at—the disappearance of one of his captives or the lifeless body of Menoites on the ground.

There was no doubt for Persephone, though; her knees instantly buckled down near Menoites with her hand stroking over his stomach—the only part still intact of his being. Her chest ached at the loss of her friend, and in the same way she had rescued Askalaphos at Mount Olympus, she pulled Menoites remains over her laps, then breathed life back into him through the rain of her sacred tears.

Once revived, Menoites thanked Persephone with a broad smile before returning to his duty as if nothing had ever happened.

Adrenaline shot through Hades's body as he grabbed Pirithous by the collar. With one of his legs stabbed into the golden throne, Hades pulled his last remaining victim out in a haze of blood, only leaving his spine on the abominable gilded chair.