The sound of moving feet and leather falling on tile echoed through the palace, mixed with heavy breathing. A young man, a boy of about 14 years, is running down a dark corridor, the shadows whispering in his ears, his forehead beaded with silvery sweat, his white robes causing him to stumble as he ran. His black hair clung to his forehead, and his gold eyes flashed with fear, but he didn't dare stop to look back. He was too scared.
His lungs burned, screaming, aching for air. The boy ducked behind a pillar, breathing hard, fear pumping through his veins. He knew he should keep running. He should keep moving, for if he stopped...
"Where are you, my boy?" a deep, cold voice resonated down the hall. "Come to your father. Listen to what you are told."
He took a few more deep breaths, then continued running. He was afraid. So very, very afraid. He knew that if he didn't find the exit to the palace, then his father would...
Don't think about it, he told himself.
Instead, he ran. He ran and ran and ran. Until he could run no more. He had reached a dead end.
"There you are." He turned around to face a large man, feet taller than him.
The man had cruel, dark, maroon eyes, and the same black hair as the boy. His lips curled upwards in a cruel sneer. The boy whimpered softly, backing up against the wall, his whole body shaking. He knew what was coming next. He'd seen it happen four times. And he knew what came next.
"Please, father, don't do this!" The boy pleaded, one last sad attempt to save himself, but his father only laughed, reaching for the boy, his mouth a gaping hole that would swallow everything and everyone who got in his way...
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Hades' Second Chance
RomanceYou've probably heard the myth of Hades and Persephone before. But perhaps a change is in order? When Hades catches the eye of the young and dashing Apollo, an athletic youth with a penchant for literature and music, after a recent break-up with the...
