Son of Hades (Redo)

And I Rise

Xavier was confined to his room. Not allowed to leave... I shut myself up in my own bedroom for as long as I could. Anna comes by to congratulate me, and I wish I would have poisoned her food.

Zeus stayed periodically over the next week. He spoke privately with me once. "Castiel truly does have a delicate heart, Ariel. It's yours, now, and if you break it. . . Well. You don't want to know what I'll do to make you suffer. You will make a great Queen," he smiles. Looks away. "You and Xavier make a great pair, even I must admit that. You and Castiel couldn't be more wrong for each other. But who knows? Perhaps he'll be right, and perhaps not. I am here to thank you. You really helped him, even if you don't see it, yet. Which is why I want to give you and Xavier — " he produces the watch from his pocket.

It looks like something straight out of a sci fi movie. Silver white, just like Oscar's.

"You know what this does. Use it well, and don't make me regret my decision. Xavier was already sent to the LOTL, and you'll soon follow in his footsteps. You two have an important mission to carry out. But you will marry my nephew first, or I will destroy their world myself trying to find you. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

I was allowed to pick out my own wedding dress, and I'm too young to marry, and I wish my handsome servant were here to point me in the right direction. I just need to know that he's okay, that Xavier isn't really in the dungeon, that he's safe and already searching for Jasmine and Oscar.

          Over the next few days, I have nightmares. I'll wake up in a cold sweat, screaming, thrashing, yelling. A hole has been growing inside my chest, a hollow feeling only Xavier can mend back together again. But Xavier is gone.

         Castiel let me use his new all access card to search. No place was off limits. I checked Xavier's bedroom, every dungeon in the place. I called Charon, and sailed each part of the Styx and searched and searched each one of the separate Fields.

          I approach the edge of Pride, and my heart swells. The corners of my eyes start to tear up.

         The entrance is dark, and I want to reach my hand out and grope for whatever lays inside this darkness. How do I know my Xavier isn't in Pride? I can't help it. I begin to cry. Exhausted from our search, I inch closer and closer to the entrance. The odd wind is still here, still manages to touch my face.

        "No," Reappearing by the side of Pride, a translucent hand grabs mine. They hadn't been there a second ago, and all of a sudden, I can see Pride, the darkness of what's inside.

         Each person is held in a room. They're strapped onto a bed, screaming their secrets or refusing to tell. Their worst nightmares are displayed onto a screen. The nightmare isn't over. Screams greet my ears, and I search every face for the familiar one I'm looking for, feeling more and more like I belong here.

         "I am the guardian of this field, and who you are seeking was not hidden from you here."

         " – Do you know where he is?"

          "No," the sharp voice insists. "If you insist on looking inside of Pride, you will be stuck here forever, even your betrothed cannot get you out. But I will not stop you a second time." The voice didn't have identifiable features, but it was a male voice. "You belong here, but now is not your time to enter."

         The guardian vanishes.

          I reach out again, still mesmerized by what's on the other side and imagine what would be on my screen. Xavier. My finger touches against the darkness, than my hand and I watch it ripple. And then I turn away. Clear as day, as if the guardian invaded my thoughts, I pull my hand back.