"There's no way of escaping is there?" I could hear the hope slipping out of Ursula's soul.
"There's no way. The house, it will prevent you from escaping, Hades enchanted it to ensure that trespassers couldn't leave. They had to have Hades's permission." I clarified before lying down flat, my eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Then we'll get it." Her words made me look down from the ceiling and to stare at Ursula in confusion.
"Look, he says that he needs me right? I can ask him to let us out or I'll kill myself Er-I mean...can you die as a soul?"
"I don't think you can but-no, its hopeless. I don't think that you'll ever be able to do that."
"Do what?"
"You have Hades's blood in you, actual flowing blood so the house might mistake you for him if you play your cards right. I will be able to place a cloaking spell on you so you can appear like him but only Hades's blood can allow him to leave but here's the thing. You must act exactly like Hades, one false move and the house will reject you. I can't leave for I am bound to Hades and as his leash is stashed in the house, I'm stuck here until he releases me or kills me but you, you can get out." I fumbled with my cloak, removing it and tying it around Ursula as she looked petrified.
"Don't be scared. It doesn't hurt. You need to pay close attention for I'm going to tell you the spell to reverse the disguise. Run far far away from the Underworld, tell Sharon the ferryman my name and get back to Earth. I'll try to hold Hades back for as long as I can but you should run as far as you can. Hades will have his hounds after you and search every corner of the world for you. I can do something to hide you from him but this will hurt so bite on this." I gave Ursula a cork from the wine bottle as she bit on it.
"Hold on..." I pressed a finger on her head as light flowed from my eyes.
"MMFF...MFF!" She screamed and reached out blindly for my hand and squeezed it with every force that she could exert.
"What was that?!" She spat out the cork as I removed my finger.
"I carved protection and hiding wards into your ribs. That should hide you from any being or entity. Now go." I muttered the spell as Ursula shifted in a shimmer to appear like Hades, her voice and expressions were of Hades and that made me start.
"Goodbye Uncle Death." She smiled sadly but all I could see was Hades.
She disappeared into the hallway as I was left alone in Hades's office. The silence foreboding and painful but I knew that I had to stop running away and if I was going to die, I was going to die fighting. Hades if you want me so badly, come and get me.
"Hello fam-wait a minute...someone's not here.." He shot me a look which I graciously decided to ignore and took to whistling merry tune just to spite him.
"Where is she." I looked up to see that Hades was in front of me, sparks flickering off his fingers and his eyes had turned completely red.
"How should I know? You're the one with the magical house and superpowers." I said innocently.
"I'll say this again, WHERE IS SHE." He grabbed he by my collar and slammed me against the wall with such force that a crack appeared in the wall.
"Far away from you." I laughed hysterically as he punched me again and again, throwing me across the room as I pushed myself up, spitting blood on his floor.
"You want to know where she is? Get the answers from my dead body." I motioned to him to charge towards me like a bull.
"You want to do this little brother? I won't promise that you'll get out of this room alive." He cracked his knuckles, he had no intention of making sure I was alive after this, I knew this much.
"Likewise." I prepared myself for a fight, the meagre amount of power I had radiating through my fingertips.
We moved in tight circles around each other, daring the other to charge. We kept up this charade for a while before Hades strikes first, using his fists to pummel me to the ground while I fought back.
"You know little brother, I never thought you had the spine to stand up to me. All these years you ran away but this? This is rich." He punched and ducked as we fought through the office, using books, broken wine bottles and tables as weapons.
"Well I learnt something from a friend of mine that everyone has a choice and my choice is to not run away. Not anymore, if I die, so be it!" I slammed a table against Hades as he slammed against the wall with a groan.
"I'm surprised Thanatos, I thought you were always quite soft. I didn't think that you had it in you." Hades flicked the table away and straightened his tie.
I broke the glass case of the weapon behind me and snatched the Japanese Katana and brandished it. Hades did the same but summoned a sword to his hand that was bursting with shadow energy. We fought with our weapons, both hoping to pierce the other with the sharp blades. The was clinks and clanks of the blades as we swiped and hit each other.
"I never understood why you hated me Hades. I had never done anything to you!" I yelled as I hit our blades together, grunting at the weight of Hades's force.
"Nothing? You're either incredibly stupid or incredibly forgetful. Did you really think that I'll ever forgive you for what you did?! What you've done!" Hades cried as he slung the blade down towards me.
I winced as I felt the blade slice through my arm, blood rushing to its surface as I staggered back.
"What are you saying?!" I yelled before dropping the Katana and summon my scythe, this battle was going to require more than the average weapon. I had to channel my true form in order to fight Hades.
"When we were kids, you were always such a poster child for the prince of the Underworld and I was the devil child, the one who was nothing but a child with a temper. When you got promoted, I was actually able to rule the Underworld MY WAY. I renovated it and eventually earned the respect of several of the Gods and even got someone of my own. You remember her do you? Charon? She was one of my most loyal in fact, she told me you were here and to get prepared for your arrival." I did not expect Sharon's Betrayal, I had always thought that she was not loyal to Hades.
"Surprised? I was the one who got her the job here and saved her from the god that was tormenting her. In fact, I had planned this whole elaborate plot to get you here after I've heard from Hermes about your involvement. You see, I have eyes and ears everywhere and now that I've got you in my claws, I'm never letting you out, alive at least." Hades smiled widely before shadows illuminated behind me and outside it started raining which was unnatural in a world of fog and dust.
