Death and Darkness

Chapter 7

"Do you gods ever take a break? Visit Hawaii? Sip on some martini or coconut?" Delta asked with a quirked brow.

I stifled a laugh. She beamed.

"Did you forget of what I am capable?" Zeus's voice boomed through the Eagle, feathers ruffled in anger.

"You punish Prometheus by making him die everyday while your eagle eats his liver," Delta stated with a roll of her eyes. "I'm beyond death and have lived before you shaped this world. I don't believe I'm afraid of you." Her tone was icy cold, entirely unexpected of someone with her energetic personality (at first glance).

The Eagle huffed, wings shifting as he turned his head to me. "Report."

"Lucifer is involved, sir," I answered like before. It took much willpower not to scowl in annoyance. "We encountered the Seven Deadly Sins. They've seemed to have taken Hades and are preventing souls from entering the Underworld. There is also an increase in Demon activity."

Zeus sighed. "That's no good. Lucifer is a powerful foe. If he has captured Hades then we cannot defeat him."

"What the hell does that mean? Can't you just lock him up or something?" I quizzed, breaking from my trance.

"No, he's not powerful enough," Delta said with a hint of mockery in her tone.

"Lucifer is just a fallen angel," I intoned.

"Yes, but he was God's trusted lieutenant. Only God himself can rival Lucifer on his own because of their power type. If Zeus wants to defeat Lucifer, he'd require the help of his broth— er, Poseidon and Hades," Delta explained.

The Eagle glared at the Shadow with its beady black eyes. He gave a shrill screech.

"So what now? We let God deal with this?"

"The Lord's not going to deal with this. He's got his hands tied with other things," Zeus muttered.

"Well, then, what now?" I asked.

"We're gonna have to fucking deal with this ourselves, aren't we?" Delta grumbled.

"If you would be so kind," the Eagle replied sarcastically.

"Might as well," the Shadow said. "Next stop: Hell."

"How do we get there?" I asked.

"By the Underworld; it's the fastest way," the God of the Sky answered.

"Hell no!" Delta protested. "I ain't spending another Greek coin for our ride! Do you know how expensive that shit is?"

The Eagle's head cocked sideways, indicative of an eye roll.

"Can't you take us to the Hall of Spirits?" I asked him.

"No. I wish not to go nearer to Hades's domain. It could be very troublesome."

"How helpful," I muttered under my breath, hoping he didn't hear me.

"If you wish to enter the Underworld through another mean, try the passage from Tartarus. It is darker and a long walk, but it'll save your obols from the ferryman," Zeus said.

"Tartarus?!" I exclaimed, almost whining.

"Why? Is it that dangerous?" Delta asked, clearly excited.

"It's somewhere in the Grand Canyon," I told her glumly.

"What?"

"Well, it's either a tedious walk or the loss of a Greek coin. Your choice," Zeus said. "Personally, I'd just spend the coin."

"No one cares what you think," Delta hissed.

"I'd have cut off your tongue and thrown you into Tartarus myself if I weren't so merciful." The Eagle's eyes narrowed at her.

"I'd have fought Cerberus and broken all the seals to get her out of Tartarus," I returned fiercely, surprising them and myself.

Having cornered into silence, the Eagle gave a curt nod before flying far passed the clouds.

"We better get going if we're going through Tartarus. Arizona isn't really next door," I told Delta.

She nodded before slipping into the ground in her Shadow form. "I'll race you."

My body evaporated into a wisp-like mass of black, grinning challengingly.