I realized that I made a HUGE error in the last chapter! Forgive me if I confused you! I accidently wrote Eros instead of Amor! All of these names can be confusing sometimes and I guess I wasn't in my right mind lol. I went ahead and changed it, but if I missed one let me know! So sorry for the confusion!
Jack watched helplessly as the soulless bodies surrounded everyone that had shown up to help them. The pain that seared through his body was blinding him, but he could tell that they were in trouble. He tried to call out, wanting to give them some kind of encouragement, but he could only hang limply from the vines. Hades had said some horrible things to him, making him relive all of the pain he had experienced in his life, but the worst was reliving his murderous thoughts. He had to kill the mortal that murdered Clementia over and over again. Not only was he watching these memories, but Hades was pulling and stretching his thin limbs. He wasn't sure what was worse.
Battle cries erupted throughout the lair and he could hear the sounds of magic and flesh ripping. Poseidon roared like the giant he was and slammed his fist to the ground, making the walls shake violently. Loki roared, still in his lion form, and tore corpses apart without mercy. They were dead, so there was no punishment for killing. Tooth was flying around the room, spinning like a mini tornado and damaging a few of the surrounding bodies. Jack could see Sandy's golden whips sway around the room, just like he had done when he fought of Pitch's nightmares. Jack forced his eyes to focus and he saw Hera unsheathe her long and majestic sword, spinning around and beheading more bodies. Jack was glad to see that they looked like they stood a chance against them, but then he heard a chamber door open. The first chamber opened, which was the one Clementia wasn't in, and unveiled more corpses. He wouldn't call them zombies, but they were similar.
He heard Hermes fly past him, using his staff to defend himself. The sisters were using what they could to fight, but they seemed weaker and outnumbered. Jack screamed, trying to use his powers without the conduit, but it was weak. The vines binding him froze again, but he knew they wouldn't break. North flew through the air, swinging his swords happily and taking down several of the bodies easily. But the second chamber opened and more were filing out. Jack tried to swing, making the vines move so he could at least help them. If he extended his arms far enough, he would be able to reach at least one of the bodies. He should have enough power to freeze them.
"Jack!" North yelled, trying to jump into the air again and aiming for his binds. However, he was intercepted. Jack never knew the corpses could move quickly. He saw them sink their decayed teeth into North's tattooed arms and the large man fell. Poseidon looked to be having the best of luck, able to move quickly in the large room and swinging his arms wildly around, knocking several over in one movement. Loki was having a blast, beginning to toy with the ripped off limbs and taking his time to destroy another. Jack looked around, realizing someone was missing. He could barely see Amor, in flight, shooting his love arrows at the advancing bodies. This obviously didn't have the same effect on them since they were organ-less and under complete control of Hades. The realization of Hades being absent dawned on Jack. He swung his body, spinning the vines around so he could get a clear view of the entire lair. Hades was in the shadows, watching the immortals fight. He looked just like Pitch had when everyone was fighting his nightmares. He looked victorious and sneering at them all. Jack screamed again, swinging his arms and try and catch onto something. He grabbed a body by their thinning and greasy hair, using all of his power and froze them into a solid ice block. Hades laughed loudly, echoing off the walls. He opened another chamber, but not the one with Clementia. Jack hadn't realized the entire lair was full of hidden doors and chambers. More and more bodies came out, completely overpowering them all.
He felt his binds loosen suddenly and saw Tooth fly by carrying a body with her. The arms and legs fell away as she zoomed around. She had cut through the vines on accident, but he didn't care. He was freed. He blocked his face as the vines finally gave out completely and scrambled quickly once he hit the ground. He ran the short distance back to his staff and used as much of his power as he could. Several of the bodies slid and fell from the sudden eruption of ice. This made it easier for all of the immortals to attack. North and Loki cried out again, taking more and more down. Poseidon stood up completely, now stomping on the corpses and pulling the jagged rocks from the ceiling to make them fall and collapse onto them. Jack blasted again and again, realizing he was moving closer and closer to Clementia's chamber. He had to get her out.
However, as soon as he was close enough to touch the door, he was blasted away by Hades' power, as were everyone else. Another wave of his power kept everyone down. Jack could see him move across the ground, circling everyone. His corpses were immobile as he walked by, brushing past everyone. Jack groaned, trying to move past the pain that seared through his abdomen. It felt like Pitch had snapped his staff in half again. He looked up; ready to strike at the god of death, but scabbed and rotting hands grasped his throat, lifting him up. Jack swung his staff, summoning as much power as he could, but Hades seemed unfazed by it all. He let out a groan as Hades tightened his grip, obviously moving through the lair. Jack's bare feet were dangling and his eyes were closing. The only way for an immortal to die was by the hands of another immortal. Everyone had weaknesses and Hades knew them all.
There was a sound escaping him, coming from somewhere in his collapsing throat. Hades was smiling maliciously, tightening slowly. Just as Jack was about to black out, battle cried resumed. He could feel several attempts to attack Hades, but they were not doing anything to unstable him. His red eyes were still fixed intently on Jack and the pale boy could feel the power radiating off of him. Things were about to get dangerous and Jack was helpless. He was only able to help his friends for seconds and he wasn't able to do much. He failed them. He felt worthless and miserable.
The bright and shocking blue in his eyes were darkening as the despair settled into his mind. Hades was using his power to get into his mind. He was making Jack suffer again. This time, Jack watched Regina die. She would collapse in his arms and her green eyes would lose their light slowly. He felt the sadness and anger course through him. He watched the scene again and again. It was torture. He writhed in Hades' hands, trying to get away from him and the memories.
Moans echoed through the lair, pulling Jack from his memories. He fought against the visions and tried to open his eyes to see what was happening to his friends. They were still fighting, trying to clear off the corpses and also to free Jack. From the corner of his eye, he saw Amor. He shot his arrows aimlessly, hoping to hit one of the bodies, but he was running to the third chamber; the chamber that held Clementia. More bodies flooded out, attacking and carrying Amor away, but Clementia was freed. Jack fought some more, wanting to get to her and escape with her. She was freed, but now everyone else was being taken down. Hades' power was radiating through the lair, pounding into the immortals. Jack could sense the despair growing thicker in the air around them. He saw Tooth shake as she tried to fight, obviously reliving something from her past. Hera was red in rage, swinging blindly at anyone and everyone. Hermes had stopped flying, swinging his staff half-heartedly and holding his head to try and block the thoughts. Poseidon was enraged, becoming even more violent as the thoughts invaded his mind. The sisters cowered in the back of the lair, holding onto each other. Sandy was looking distant, staring at North in worry and the large and jolly man was losing the rosiness in his cheeks. He leaned on his swords, hanging his head as his own despair crept in. It was a horrendous sight. Everyone had demons and the only one unaffected by the evil was Loki, who was still tearing at the advancing corpses.
Clementia rushed over to Jack and Hades, looking afraid and nearly traumatized. Without a moment's hesitation, she latched onto Hades. She placed both of her hands on the arm holding Jack.
Jack could see the pain spread across her face as she sucked and pulled all of the evil out of him and tried to replace it with mercy and compassion. She fought against the pain and the evil. Steam was slowly rising up from their adjoining parts. She cowered, losing her balance but not once let go. Jack could feel the god of death's grip loosen. He fell to the ground, dropping like dead weight, but he could only watch as she started to shriek in pain. Hades' large body was sinking lower the longer she held on. Suddenly, all of the corpses stopped moving, turning their unseeing eyes to their master. After another moment, they dropped, falling lifelessly to the stone floor. Clementia was still screaming, trying her best not to writhe in pain. The steam was growing thicker and Jack shuffled closer to her, ready to grab her the moment she let go. He could see blisters forming on her arms, red and pulsing.
Hades finally dropped completely, falling like one of his corpses. That instant, she released him. She stumbled, crying and screaming. Jack caught her, rubbing his freezing hands over the large blisters. She curled against him and cried into his sweater. He couldn't even imagine the evil Hades had in him and how much pain it had caused her. But, nothing else mattered. They had won. She had defeated Hades. They were all free to go. The despair in the lair was gone and everyone was slowly recovering.
They were all silent, watching as the two lovers held on to each other tightly.
What did you all think of the battle?