Hades' Apprentice [[ON HOLD]]

2) Minotaurs' attack

The griffin landed just outside the heavy-looking gigantic palace doors. There were some figures carved in it, giving it such a unique appearance. But as expected, our path was once more blocked by another group of soldiers.
Argh! This was getting more and more annoying. I just wanted to see how Hades was doing. Michael had said he was in bad shape after absorbing the miasma.

Why did he do such a thing anyway? With my little knowledge, I was aware that yin and yang didn't mix too well, especially when forced. He was still in transition from yang to yin, taking in too much yin would obviously throw off the balance within him and even hurt him.

How had he lived for so long yet his brain wasn't growing smarter?

"Tell Hades that-"

"Do not take any further steps or we will attack!" One of them yelled with his spear raised to us.

I sighed closing my eyes, bottling in the rage scorching my chest. If I released it, I would hurt them badly. And that was not something that'd create a positive first impression.
"Should I dispose of them?" Aimon asked sounding just about ready to slaughter the poor soldiers.
He was strong. Of course, he had to be one of the strongest beings in order to serve directly under Laziem. If I let him do it, blood would surely flow like a river under my feet.

"No. Just protect me as you were instructed."
He gave a short bow and stepped back. How was his monocle still in place? And why were his eye colors mismatched? These odd questions suddenly popped up in the back of my mind but I hastily pushed them further back.

The atmosphere went still for half a minute as the wary soldiers waited for us to make a move. But I was busy contacting Michael. Maybe he had gotten lucky and secured a position here enough to speak up for me.

But all of a sudden, the horns blared out as they had when we approached the city's wall.
Our attention was pulled towards the sky where the signal was coming from. The soldiers I had frozen were still in place, but their mouths were busy screaming, 'an attack!'

Dammit! Were we about to be caught in another useless fight between hell's kingdoms before I could reach Hades?

A weird energy wave spread through the air. It felt like an invisible punch in my guts but a painless one. The ground beneath us began shaking like an earthquake. I lost balance for a second and Aimon's hand was quick to wind around my chest for support.

"What is that?" I asked as the tremor persisted.

"Beasts," Aimon answered.

"Beasts? What kind of beasts?"

He looked down into my eyes. "The kind that devours all that is in their paths... minotaurs."

I swallowed hard, a fraction of fear stabbing my heart, but it was quickly erased when I remembered that deities never died. Maybe if I helped these soldiers fight these monsters they'd cease being on guard against me.

I looked up at the helpless beings levitating in the sky and released them. The orbs vanished, setting them free.

"Aimon, fly me up there!"

"Do you plan on interfering with-"

"Didn't the Supreme god not wish me to help this realm?"

He said nothing more, just bowed. "As you wish."

The ground continued trembling, and soldiers began gathering in the sky, while the civilians below us screamed and panicked at the incoming attack. If I had no assurance of not dying, I'd never have mustered the courage to go and face these large beasts.

The first group of soldiers I had frozen quickly gathered their peers, explaining to them that we were from the heavenly realm. There was no trust between us, but that was okay. It'd be earned with time.

The griffin flapped its wings.
The ground shook.
The enemies approached.
Yet...we had no visibility due to the miasma hanging tightly in the air.

The panic on the soldiers' faces was as clear as Earth's sunlight. Even with their hands clinging to their weapons, one could feel the fear leaking from their souls.

Looking at them like this made my heart hurt. I couldn't understand why, but the need to be on the first line of defense grew stronger and wilder than before.

The horns continued blaring, warning and alerting everyone in the city of the coming attack.

I knew I had to do something about the miasma but had no faith in my intuition. Regardless of my hesitation, I gave in and stretched out my right hand.

*********************************
3RD POV
*********************************

Like a flock of birds, the city's soldiers created a live wall in front of the brick wall surrounding the city.
The enemy was coming, and they were using the miasma to blind them. Fear and panic were inevitable, after all, they had fought so many enemies that their stamina was wearing off.

Without someone stronger to lead them, they were bound to feel hopeless. Yet they couldn't cower away. So many lives depended on them to protect the holy city.

She had made it to the underworld, but it was nothing like she had expected. Every form of life seemed to be at death's door, from the beings she had come across, to the plants all around.
Compared to the heavens, the underworld was the definition of death and sorrow.
Seeing this realm so broken made her soul weep. Why? She couldn't understand.

"What are you doing?" Aimon asked collected.

"I...I don't know," she answered truthfully but kept her hand in position, hoping for another miracle.

"Concentrate. As a yin deity, you have the power to contact the Yin tree. Harness the energy in this miasma and you will command it as you wish," Aimon directed.
He never interfered with other's matters, but she was the first kae the Supreme god had taken interest in.
He had been around Laziem for millenniums to feel that he wanted her to find her place in the realms.

Had she been just another being who had committed her sins, they'd have been obliterated from existence long ago.

"Stay here. I'll go down and help these savages you wish to protect."

"Wha-"

"Concentrate!" Aimon reminded sharply before jumping off the griffin and diving into the thick purple miasma, a flaming red sword materializing in his left hand. His fall was graceful and swift.

"Dammit!" Melanie hissed, disappointed in her incompetence.

"Charge!" A loud order boomed in the air, startling Melanie.
Her head jerked to the soldiers now flying straight into the miasma as if following Aimon's actions.

"Shit! Why can't this fucking miasma just disappear?!" She screamed furiously and suddenly, black orbs formed in the air.
She paused, perplexed.
The last time the orbs were black was when she was facing Aurora.
"What now? Shit! I'm so terrible at this! Why is there no damn manual on how to control my power?" She yelled at the sky.