The Fugitive - Chapter 178

(This has been updated)

A fire ignited from the ground; its spark burned across the land into a large circle behind Nyx and Gabriel. She watched as the grass between it dissolved, revealing a dark and gloomy place where trees grew black like charcoal and souls cried out for help. Nyx didn’t hesitate for a second in accepting Gabriel’s outstretched hand, taking a step into the unknown.

Gabriel wrapped his arms around her as they dropped into this bitterly cold, dark and dying realm. Nyx knew then that they’d been transported into the underworld. Black limbs of trees hung over them, their leaves were non-existent, the ground was dry and cracked, revealing an almost fire burning beneath the ground. Nyx was transfixed with it, her mind momentarily lost about the frost and snow in the air that never solidified once meeting the blackened earth of heated embers.

Nyx looked up at Gabriel and blushed, looking away and lowering her hand that had gone up to feel the snowflakes melt against her skin. His eyes were alight in amusement, and his lips twitched upwards. “I thought you already visited the underworld?” He asked, raising a brow.

“Hmmm, no, I haven’t even met my brother Tartarus here. When I met with Hades and Zagreus, it was always in Khaos’ realm,” Nyx replied, tilting her head to the side after reading his darkening expression. “What..” She trailed off after feeling the ground shake, making her stumble and lose her balance.

Gabriel groaned and threaded his fingers through his long locks, dishevelling his usually tidy look. “I should have asked before coming here, but it was better to get us out of there..” Gabriel inhaled sharply and pulled Nyx to stand behind him. She frowned and looked around him after the ground continued to rumble, growing louder and fiercer.

Then Nyx came to realise why everything shook. Before them was a large, black, three-headed dog, the infamous gatekeeper known to be Hades’ pet. The three heads snapped and barked, looking to run around Gabriel, but he pulled a whistle out and blew on it, pointing his finger down. The giant beast continued to growl but lowered itself to the ground, lying on its belly.

“Nyx, this is Cerberus. He protects the entry and exit of the underworld. Only the souls of the dead may enter and never leave, and entry of the living is forbidden unless granted access by Hades. However, my father bestowed upon me this whistle so that I may leave and enter as I see fit. It is a powerful tool that no one should use lightly for others, and so I have never granted another entry until now. This is most likely why Cerbeus is still acting so aggressively towards you,” Gabriel explained with a slight shrug when Nyx looked at the beast in awe.

“Hello, Cerberus.” She stepped towards it, causing it to growl some more.

“Nyx, my love. I know you are powerful but Cerberus only follows Hades’ or his sons commands,” Gabriel cautioned her but she went towards one of the dead branches of the tree and snapped it off, its size as big as her. She shook it and and the three-headed beast stopped growling, and its ears perked up, its faces now looking more puppy-like than monstrous and beastly.

“Oh.. Cerberus is only a big old dog,” Nyx replied smiling before she threw the stick away and Cerberus raced after it, making Gabriel stop and stare after it. The three dogs were all fighting over who would pick the stick up before the middle one grabbed it and the side heads grabbed the sides of the large branch before they jogged back, its heads held high, proud of itself. The branch was dropped to the ground with the drool from their mouths. Nyx scrunched her face up but one look at the dogs who started to whine she picked it up and threw it away.

“I think we need a new guard dog,” Gabriel muttered as Cerberus returned, dropping the branch and lowering itself to the ground panting after the tenth time of fetching the branch. Nyx stepped closer to the beast that did not seem so fearsome now and scratched behind each of their ears and rubbing its belly where it rolled over.

“Cerberus!”

Nyx and Gabriel looked over to see Zagreus in his long black robes calling to Cerberus and the multi-headed dog ran over to the Crown Prince before sitting upright its tails wagging revealing its excitement to Hades’ other son.

“Go back to the gate,” Zagreus ordered before smacking his side affectionately. The large beast barked and turned away, the thunderous sounds of its feet hitting the ground growing quieter in the distance. The Crown Prince looked back at Gabriel and then to Nyx, his brow raised and stepped towards her, one hand held behind his back and other extending towards her as he bowed. “My lady, Nyx. Welcome to the underworld. My father would come greet you but he is in the middle of making a deal with.. a mortal.”

At his words Nyx shivered. Hades was well known for his deals with mortals, sometimes they were fair and most times unfair. Or so she presumed from a few stories, but like how she was portrayed as evil, she did not wish to create this opinion of her future father-in-law. The goddess had met with the god of the underworld on various occasions and none of them had been unpleasant. Although she could not say the same for the foolish mortals who wished to bargain their souls for whatever they were so desperate for.

Nyx placed her hand in Zagreus’ and let him kiss her knuckle and smiled at her with his dimples flashing that many would find swoon worthy. “That is no bother I have dropped in.. unannounced,” Nyx replied smiling gently until she felt Gabriel’s hand wrap around her waist and pull her into his side. She looked up at him and was surprised to see him glaring at his brother.

“My fiancé will no longer need to make appointments to come to the underworld, brother,” Gabriel said sharply, his voice deep as his hand tightened on her waist,

Zagreus dropped Nyx’s hand almost like he’d been burnt with his eyes wide looking between them. “Your.. fiancé..” He replied slowly and looked back at the goddess with a raised brow. “News had already spread of Nyx and Erebus engagement..”

Nyx leaned her head against Gabriel’s shoulder. “They had it wrong,” She replied looking up at her the work of art that was her soulmate.

“I see,” Zagreus drawled, he didn’t sound convinced but he smiled again before gesturing for them to follow him. “Please, I will show you the way to the palace, I am sure Hades will want to meet Gabriel’s.. fiancé.”

“You do not need to escort us, I know the way, Zee,” Gabriel hissed making Nyx look back up at him and reading the annoyance on his face. Why was Gabriel so bothered by his brother? She didn’t think there were any family disputes, certainly not with the sons of Hades.

“Of course, you do. But father has asked me to escort you.” Zagreus turned on the spot, dismissing any retort from the younger brother.

Gabriel released Nyx’s waist and instead laced his fingers with hers kissing each finger before he tugged on her hand and they started following behind Zagreus.

“So.. When did this happen?” Zagreus slowed down peering between the two and decided to walk by Nyx’s side, something that Gabriel seemed displeased by.

“It is none of your business-”

“Now now, Gabe. I am only asking after Nyx hasn’t shown any interest in others besides Erebus,” Zagreus replied nonchalantly with a sly smirk crawling across his lips while he stared down at the goddess in question. His words made her flinch. Nyx didn’t realise rumours had been circulating about her and the god of darkness. Was this why nobody seemed surprised by the announcement of their ‘engagement’?

Nyx refrained from sighing and hid her frustrations in which Zagreus had called forwards.

“Gabriel is the only one who I have shown interest in and for good reason. Erebus has always been and forever will be a friend,” Nyx replied sternly. She knew Zagreus being irksome on purpose, it probably came from his pride. He was the Crown Prince and had on a few occasions shown his interest in courting her, but the goddess declined, he was good looking like most gods but there was no spark. Even with her previous lovers they had only been a pastime, they never spark her interest for too long.

However, Gabriel was on a whole new level, it was indescribable the way she felt for him. The goddess had never felt something so strong before and the very idea of not being near him or being without him caused a pain in her chest that made her feel like a mortal. It was painfully and blissfully sweet and she didn’t mind it at all.

When they finally arrived after walking through the barren, died land of the underworld, Nyx herself staring at the palace Hades had created for himself and later for his family. Although the walls were black and seemed made out of slate on the outside, the inside was beautiful. The tones were still of dark hues, black and navy with the golden hues and engravings of narcissus flowers on the large doors that led elsewhere, away from where Zagreus was leading them. She did note how the same white and gold flowers were in vases and pots along the corridors.

Nyx knew without a doubt that those flowers were not created by Hades but by his wife Persephone. The goddess wondered if she would get a glimpse of the goddess of spring, the whole of Olympia knew of the story between Hades and Persephone, one that started of his kidnapping her based on love at first sight, but rumours had started again and the ruler of the underworld had captured the heart of his queen.

This is what gave her more confidence walking into the throne room that Hades was a bit a of a romantic. So even if he had heard of her ‘engagement’ to Erebus, she felt the King would not deny protecting their love. Nyx kept her head held high as Gabriel squeezed her fingers while their steps echoed across the black marble floors. He seemed nervous, she could feel it radiating from him but his features were masked with a confident smile. She followed his gaze down the rows of guards holding their spears high and met Hades’ gaze.

Hades did not look happy and the air around him seemed to be freezing the walls, the frost reaching out until a woman’s hand placed atop his on the black slate throne he rested his arm. Nyx looked at the hand and followed the golden skin back to the goddess of spring whose smile was warm and gentle.. In those warm honeyed eyes Nyx felt hope blossom in her chest again.