I wince in pain as mom cleans my wounds. I see dad doing the same when Karai treats his leg.
K-What did she hit you with?
Ha-Her shoe.
K-No, seriously dad, with what? No joking.
-Is true, I saw when she stuck her heel against his leg while trying to get away from his hold on her. Which did work for her.
Ha-I really loved those pants.
He-I'll get you two new pairs when this is all over.
She touches roughly on my wound and I get back from her touch.
-Easy, you're supposed to heal me not hurt me more.
He-Sorry, now stay completely still.
Ha-When was that one? The hit on the head.
-When she threw us both backwards with the double kick. I must've landed on something sharp or very hard.
K-Must have? Did you not felt when you got hit?
-Not really, I was too focused on her to even pay attention to myself.
Ha-When did you notice?
-When I tried to get up. I felt a pain and I tried to soothe it a bit and when I saw the blood on my hand afterwards I just, ouch, mother. You call that gentle?
He-Don't move.
I sigh and I keep talking.
-I didn't pay much attention to it as I tried to stop her. Nova is like a completely different person.
Ha-Not the nice lady she always is. She is being bloodthirsty.
I agree with him when mom gives me the free pass.
He-There you go, that's done. Now then, let me see that.
She turns my face to her and she looks at me closely.
-What are you looking?
She grabs my nose and I jump backwards with an energy I didn't know I still had.
-Oh no here is no way you're touching my nose.
He-Why not? I can fix it just as I did with your head.
-That's different.
He-Why?
-Well, the head is more fragile and more important.
I keep away from her with an arm lifted to keep out of her reach.
-It, it, it protects the brain which controls the body. Yes that's it, the head protects the main instrument that helps me think and be rational and a good brother, good god, good son, I'm adorable even like this. Yes, there is no need to fix my nose, um, girls like broken noses. Gives a bad boy appearance.
Dad and Karai laugh at my lame excuses.
He-Karma.
-Mom, please, I'll do anything you ask just don't touch my nose.
He-Anything?
-Yes, anything, I promise I'll be a good boy and obey anything you say. The next thing you ask for you shall get without complaints. I promise, I swear, say it. What do you want?
He-I want to fix your nose.
-Except that. Anything else.
He-You promised.
-Dad? Help me?
Ha-You did promise the first thing she would ask for you let her.
-Karai?
K-I'm with mom fixing your nose.
I look at mom and she points to the seat and I slowly sit. She gets my head back and she holds my nose.
He-Stay still.
She prepares to fix my nose and I freak out.
-Wait, wait, wait, I changed my mind.
He-Too late.
-Mom.
She turns and I grunt as it hurts a lot.
-Gods that hurts.
He-Oh shush, it wasn't that and and it was what? Two, three seconds.
I relax on the couch when we hear a tiny voice from the doorway. I turn to see Isabella looking at us. I smile getting on the floor reaching a hand out to her. She comes and I lift her up with me to the chair again.
I-I heard you and mom and dad are sleeping so I came with you because you were already awake.
-That's fine, we're all here for you. Do you want to see something nice?
She nods and I turn to mom.
-Can you get me a water bottle please and a bit of dirt?
She looks at me but she gets me what I ask for. I get the water out of the bottle and I twisted into a heart shape. Then I take the earth and do the same linking it with the water and then I add a heart of fire with my fire breath and I link the three of them together and I breath on the water freezing it on place until it turns into a nice crystal. I make sure is solid and I give it to Isabella.
-Here you go, three hearts just for you.
I-Cute. I love it.
-Just take good care of it so it doesn't break.
I-Does it mean anything?
-Only if you want to.
I-What is the fire heart representing?
-Power and strength.
I-The earth one?
-Stability and balance.
I-The other one? Is it water or ice?
-Glass. That means delicate and nice.
I-Can I keep it?
-I did it for you. So yes you can keep it.
I give her a kiss on the top of her head and I put her down on the floor.
I-Be right back, I'll put it on a safe place so it doesn't break.
I nod and she walks away and not long after she comes back now with her hands empty and a smile on her face. She sits on the floor looking at me happily.
I-How?
-What?
I-How did you do it? The hearts I mean.
-That's my aura. I can use nature as I want and desire.
She stands and she goes towards mom and asks her the same.
I-What is your aura?
He-Feathers, they form a shield to protect me.
She goes towards Karai and asks the same.
I-Yours?
K-I can speak with animals, turn into them and anything that involves an animal. You've seen me do it before.
She turns to dad getting on the seat with him. He has his face turned away from her and everyone else.
I-And yours?
Ha-Shadows.
I smile at his response. He managed to not tell her his title but still keeping it not so scary for her.
I-Does mom and dad have one as well?
Ha-Yes they do. You haven't seen them?
I-I see them shine sometimes but they never do anything like that. At least not that I can remember or seen.
Ha-Persephone is shaped like butterflies and she is the goddess of spring and Cerberus is three dog heads.
I-And the other gods?
He looks at her and when she turns to see him she quiets down before she hides her face on his chest. For a moment we think she's crying until she speaks between laughs.
I-You're funny.
-Who's funny? What are you laughing about?
She turns to me and she comes and whispers on my ear something.
I-It looks like grandpa fought with a mad kitty and the kitty scratched him on the face.
-Mmm, that is funny.
I laugh along with her and I write on my phone what she just told me and I show it to dad and he rolls his eyes before he frowns sadly.
Ha-Do check how the situation is progressing.
-Will do, Isabella, stay here with everyone else, I'll be right back.
I-Can I go with you?
-Sorry cutie pie but you can't.
She nods sadly and I go to the basement to check on Nova. I find her with her head down and panting softly and exhausted. I knock on the glass and she lifts her head a bit and she frowns when she sees me spitting fire towards me again. I feel myself cry as she's still out of control. I press a button on the wall and I speak through it.
-Nova, do you recognize me? Say something please.
N-Hurts..........it, hurts.....kill, kill, kill.
She breathes fire again and again and I turn away but suddenly getting an idea I enter the room with her evading the fire with my own fire and I lower her so she can sit down on the floor and rest from being standing for hours. I leave this time for good and I go back up. I excuse myself from everyone as I turn to lock myself on my room to cry silently. I curl myself sitting against the door and I hug my knees swinging back and forth as I cry silently on there. I can't lose Nova, I'm not strong enough, what am I without her? I keep questioning myself and torturing myself.
Hades POV
I see as Karma comes back up and directly to his room. I look as Isabella turns to follow and I stop her.
-Not now, leave him be for a while.
I-Why is he so sad?
-Not yet. I'll tell you later.
She nods accepting that no one will tell her until the problem is solved.
-Don't worry, he'll be fine. Eventually.
I-What happened to your leg?
-I fell, on a knife. By accident.
She looks at me confused but then she hugs me softly and not long afterwards she falls asleep on top of me. Karai and Hera go to sleep to the rooms but I stay with Isabella on the living room. I hold her tight against me and I make a soft prayer. A wish from my heart.
-I wish you could keep on being always happy. Enjoy being a child while you can.
I give her a kiss and I rest my head on hers softly. I sing her a lullaby and before I know it I'm asleep as well.
Karai POV
The next morning when I wake up I take my phone and I groan as I see is late morning. I go to the kitchen to get a drink and as I go I find that dad is asleep on the living room with Isabella on his arms. I smile at how innocent and gentle they look together. I quickly snap a picture of them and then I turn to do a video and I walk around them. They move a bit but they don't wake up. I finish the video and I save it on my memory to show him later when he wakes up. I hear a couple steps from the hallway and I see the guardians and Persephone come in awake and I motion for them to keep quiet and they do as they keep going to the kitchen to eat lunch. I give them a last look before I join them to eat. We see him a bit more and we see dad twitch a bit like he's suffering and he hugs her tighter like he's protecting her.
Pe-What do you think he's dreaming about?
-Probably last night or an alternate version of last night.
C-What happened last night?
-He fought Nova more or less. She lost control trying to kill Hercules, dad and Karma saved him and stopped her but in the process they both got hurt and now she's still out of control and I suppose since he's sleeping with Isabella he must think he's holding her and he wants to protect her. Not that he wouldn't protect her anyways but I think that due to what happened and what I'm seeing that's the highest possibility.
Nemean-I hope everything turns out alright very soon.
O-How is Karma?
Ka-Did someone call my name?
-Brother, you're awake. How did you slept?
Ka-I didn't. I just went to get a drink and check on Nova.
He takes a water bottle before he goes away. He stops by dad's side and he looks at me with a silent question and I just wave my hand at him dismissing any thoughts he might have. He smiles and he bends down and makes hornlike with his fingers on the back of his head while he does funny faces and he takes pictures of them until he moves and he backs away scared of the thought of being catched on the act. He resumes what he was doing and he goes down to check on Nova. I resume eating with everyone else and I take more pictures of dad and Isabella sleeping together.
To be continued............
