Sorry for not typing this chapter for so long!! I just haven't had any good ideas and I'm one of those writers that like to take their time on writing their stories! So hope those who liked my story so far appreciate this chapter…major conflict between Hades (aka Randy Orton) and Apollo (aka John Morrison)!! Also in this chapter we will see some things through Apollo's point of view (POV) XD I can't wait for what I type either! Enjoy!

Chapter 8

Next Day

Layna sat in the chair next to the breakfast table. Her eyes never lifted for she had only gotten a few hours of sleep before waking up to the messenger gently shaking her shoulder so she could join Hades for breakfast. Hades was sitting across from her talking to the messenger trying to find out when exactly when Apollo was to arrive! Layna rubbed her eyes still not believing that Apollo would follow her there just to start shit with Hades! She was going to die by the end of the day she knew it! She glanced up long enough to see Hades place a pomegranate on her plate. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him suspiciously. He's giving me a pomegranate? He really doesn't want me to leave here…why? Am I really that valuable? It has to be because of what happened between Apollo and me…but how did he find out about that?!

Layna's eyes scanned Hades' trying to figure out what he was up to when she felt the presence of the sun behind her back. She slowly turned around just as the messenger hid and Hades smirked. Apollo stood there in all of his sun-god fury. His eyes narrowed on her and the pomegranate on her plate. She quickly grabbed a couple of the seeds and popped them into her mouth realizing that Hades was trying to keep Apollo from hurting her. She chewed and swallowed the seeds she had eaten and waited for the roar she knew was coming. Just then the messenger slammed itself into her belly hugging her tightly. She lowered her head and then she heard what she knew was coming.

Apollo's POV

Apollo stared at Castle Darkness and Dreary. It was nice to see that the sun reached even here but seeing such a black castle in the distance would scare anyone! Apollo shivered at the sight of it knowing his ex-future-wife was to be staying here. He sighed as he rode his chariot to the garden's edge. Such lovely flowers shouldn't be able to live here in such a dark and dreary place. And Layna should have known better than agree to staying here and being a guardian! Apollo sniffed the air to smell the delicious scent of the narcissus blossom and ambrosia…Damn that Hades! Damn him for taking Layna from him! He was never an abusive man! He was always kind to her! Until he snapped when he heard Layna agree to come to the very place he tried to protect her from!

Odysseus and Athena had no idea what this place was really truly like! They thought it was better for her to be away from him when they had given her to him at her birth!! He had already been 5 years of age even though he looked to be a teenager since gods grew up faster than mortals did. After all if they aged like mortals they would all be nothing but dust in the human world. His eyes narrowed in on flowers. If he had control of this land it would be nothing but what he saw fit for the dead. Bleak and dreary like it should be! And the souls of the dead shouldn't be allowed to live here peacefully! They should be in the ground just like their bodies! They didn't deserve such niceties such as the scent of ambrosia and narcissus flowers! They deserved the stench of their decaying bodies and the trees should be bare! Nothing growing and nothing shining beautifully in the sun light! It should look like death itself! Apollo slowed his flame colored horses down to a slow trot.

His eyes shined deadly when he saw the three remaining guardians. He could tell Layna hadn't eaten the food that was combined with this land…the pomegranate. Apollo severed the shiver that was beginning to climb his back. He closed his eyes and took ten deep breathes as his chariot continued to the castle. He wasn't going to lose his calm nature just because he was in the Land of the Dead. He slowly opened his eyes to see he was closer to the castle than when he closed his eyes. He walked the horses up to the front steps and slid off the chariot. He was still irked that Hades had marked Layna as his but he wasn't about to let that rage him. He walked into the castle and headed to the breakfast room where he saw Layna sitting there across from Hades rubbing her eyes. She must have been up all night thinking of him! Apollo smiled at the thought and then lost it when he saw Hades look up grab a pomegranate and set it in front of his Layna.

His eyes narrowed just as she looked over at him. Her eyes widened further and she quickly turned grabbing some of the disgustful fruit's seeds and eating them. His eyes began to see flames all over the room even though he knew it wasn't happening to the room for the whole castle was made of the stone Ebony.

He sneered at Hades and wished the older god would burst into flames and die right in front of her so then he could have this world and it would be his side she would be stuck to! But it never happened because the older god had one power other gods didn't against him…the power to stop threats to him and his world by a mere muttering of the word protect! BAH! Like he knew the meaning of that word!! The older god was at least a thousand years older than Apollo himself and Layna was a few years younger than Apollo.

His eyes began to shine and he saw vaguely the messenger he sent slam itself into Layna's stomach looking for cover and comfort from her and her cover the creature with her arms and upper body. Such tranquil protection on her behalf and then he heard Hades utter the word and felt the temperature cool down but Apollo still let out the roar that had been building in him ever since he had seen the guardians as well as the land!

Hades POV

Hades walked out of the room heading to the breakfast room. His eyes felt heavy for he got less sleep than when he was watching over Layna. He rubbed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He sleepily stumbled into the table and then growled at Apollo's arrogance. He flopped down in the chair and groaned at the pain forming in his shoulders since he slept on his side and nothing else. He looked over and saw the messenger that had appeared last night and smiled.

"Messenger? Can you do me a favor?" he purred as he watched the little gargoyle stare at him.

"Yes m'lord?" it replied.

"Go and wake up Layna…And tell her I would love her to join me for breakfast. Thank you." He mumbled as the messenger flew off like he had been burnt and she was his salvation. Hades leaned against the back of the chair and sighed as the muscles in his back and neck began to loosen up and get rid of the knots he felt forming. First he had to save Layna from Apollo and now Apollo was going to come to his home just to get Layna back. Hades sneered at the fruit and saw the one fruit that could link Layna to his world forever and Apollo wouldn't be able to do anything!!

Hades sat up straighter looking at the pomegranates and smiled as he got a brilliant idea on what to do! He would wait until Layna was sitting in the only other chair at the table. He glanced up when he saw the messenger and Layna walk into the room. He got up and pulled out the chair and waited for Layna to sit down in it. His eye roamed over her from the tip of her head to the sandals upon her feet when she sat down. She wore her normal clothing and she was still tired from the night time visit and no doubt was up all night worrying about the Underworld and its God. He smiled and then went back to his seat watching her sleepily sit in the chair looking at the food.

The messenger joined Hades on his side of the table and began to talk with the little gargoyle. His eyes lifted up and he saw Layna sit in the chair not getting any food for her plate. He was about to ask her if she would like to go back to bed when he saw something flash in the corner of his eye. He looked over to see Apollo's chariot slowly approach the castle. Hades smiled to himself as he grabbed a pomegranate and placed it upon Layna's plate. He watched as Layna's eyes widened then turned to the Sun God behind her. He looked at the younger God and chuckled deep in his throat as Apollo's rage got the best of him once again. The little gargoyle went to Layna for the protection and comfort it needed from Apollo's rage but the God was called the Sun for a reason. His rage would burn down all of Olympia if Apollo got that riled up! Hades muttered protection because he didn't want to have to look for a new guardian…if he could help it!

"You know Apollo…if you destroy my guardian I'll have to destroy you!" Hades' eyes glowed brighter with the threat being said. Apollo laughed and roared at the same time. Hades stood up and watched Layna and the gargoyle slide to the door getting out of the way. Hades unhooked the shoulder strap he had on his toga knowing the belt around his waist would keep the bottom up. He stared straight ahead as he glared at Apollo who was also letting the shoulder strap on his toga unhook. Just this show of defiance to Apollo was showing who the better God was. Hades admitted that Apollo was defined and you could see the obvious six-pack the younger god had but by the way Apollo's eyes narrowed on his body he could tell the other god was jealous of his stomach. Well that's what happens when you have to show off other gods constantly as he did especially Zeus.

"You look like you were going to say something to me Apollo," Hades smiled knowing the god was going to think of what to say next, "So what was it exactly you were going to say?"

"Don't antagonize me Hades! This is not over! You and me…in a duel as of this moment!" Apollo sneered.

"But of course 'cause what other way to show off to your ex-fiancée then by trying to beat the one that now protects her!" Hades smiled. Apollo left the room with Hades right behind him and Layna following. Hades looked over his shoulder and saw Layna looking down at the ground while walking. He watched her eyes glance up then back down to the ground then glance up once again. But she never met his eyes…she was looking at the tattoo he got done before he lost the guardian that she now replaced. He silently chuckled at her failing attempt to stare at him. So cute! She thinks to keep from meeting my eyes acting like I don't notice! He looked back at Apollo smiling. He passed the younger god heading off to the dueling field of the castle. He looked over his shoulder seeing Apollo and Layna following and the little messenger flying off probably to get the other guardians. Hades scoffed! Like he needed their help!

"Tell me something Apollo," He looked at the god, "Have you ever been allowed to drink Ambrosia?" Upon seeing Apollo's glare Hades snickered. "No? Shame! I have been drinking it for a long, long time! It is quite good! You would like it! Might help you cope with losing your fiancé! Ah! Here we are! The dueling grounds!" With his arms he showed them the fields upon which he and his guardians sparred to hone their skills.

I know I hate cliffhangers too! But sometimes that is what you have to do with these kinds of stories! XD So hope you stay with me long enough to know that chapter 9 is being written as you're reading this! Enjoy! And the Next chapter is the duel between the young god Apollo and the dark god Hades! XD