The Phantom of Scranton Hill

35

Sometime during the battle, both parties had lost their weapons, thrown across the palace like rag dolls. It was down to magic. This wasn't a sword fight anymore, it was a duel of illusion.

"I haven't used my powers in like twenty years! I can't remember what I can do, nevermind how to use them!" Dax shouted as he hid behind an overturned column of pillar quartz.

"You're Adonis, the god of desire and beauty!" Justine shouted as her hands wriggled around the golden bars of Charlotte's cage. Her life was slipping from her fingertips. "Why can't you smile at him and flash off your pearly whites? I've seen it blind people on television!"

"That's not the same," he murmured, accidentally letting his eyes wander from the playing field to look at her. Her eyes met his, but reflected a ball of light, and it was coming closer.

"Watch out!" Justine warned. She sprinted toward him, intending to intercept and push him away but was by instantly hit one of Hades' balls of Greek fire that was directed toward Adonis. Her body was thrown backwards from the massive and forceful impact into one of the columns in Hades' obsidian palace.

Enraged, Adonis charged Hades, pushing him and pinning his arms and legs to the stone staircase that led to his bronze, brick throne. Adonis repeatedly punched Hades' jaw with his fist as he held him firmly against the flooring.

"No!" Hades yelled. "This is not how it's supposed to be!" Paranoia replaced the gold ichor in his veins, flowing throughout his godly being as his advantage was stripped away. "Σας καλώ!" Hades shouted, summoning assistance from another.

From the hallway across the palace theater, a body stumbled to move, his short brown locks a muddy mess as if he had crawled out of a hole of dirt. His once chocolate-colored eyes glowed red with rage, bloodlust.

Wide-eyed, Daxius backed away, mouthing, "What the Hell is this?" He shook his head frantically. "That's Everett's body! You used him for your sick games!" he howled, the anger inside of him building.

"Oh, no, it most certainly is not," Hades denied, wiping the golden blood from his upper lip as it sealed shut. "That's the soul of a deceased Minotaur. He never fulfilled a promise to me, the God of the Underworld, and has been enslaved for all of eternity." The god's diabolical laughter consumed the chamber, echoing off of every bit of plated silver. "Adonis and friends, meet Rufus."

The once bull-headed animal growled, not as friendly as his name made him appear. Everett's heavy breathing filled the palace as he caught the eye of his target, slobber dripping from the corners of his lips. He began to paw at the ground, readying his charge before committing his attack.

Daxius was caught at a crossroads. He didn't want to harm his brother. He wished to save him. But Adonis had no relation to this man. His two sides thrashed against each other like two ends of a war, his mind the battlefield.

Just in the nick of time, Adonis jumped out of the way, letting Dax get the best of him.

"Daxius," Charlotte yelled weakly. "His hands! There's something in his hands!"

"What about his hands?" Dax called back, but when he found her in her cage, she had almost passed out from the immense pain and exhaustion, and her limit was nearly hit. His line of sight changed from Charlotte to Hades' grip, and he almost smiled in recognition. In Hades' palms was a game controller, specifically a PS4, just like he had at home. "What is this? Street Fighter V?" he muttered.

Wow, he thought with a chuckle--the girls must've thought he was crazy. Even the gods had modernized.

Dax watched as Hades fiddled with the joysticks, taking control of the motion, as he fought off Everett. But something seemed all too familiar. Everett's actions were in sync with Hades' thumb movements. Everett could only go as fast as the god allowed him.