Chapter 5: Ares' Return
Ares was up on Mount Olympus, preparing to become the King of the Greek Gods, when he heard his friends voices. He quickly finished his coronation and sent his spirit into his statue.
"What is it?" The statue asked as it looked at its friends.
"We come with news that you won't make you happy. Hades and Proserpine betrayed the gods. Mars has escaped Pandora's Box," Flamma said.
The statue's eyes widened. "What?" It asked. "How?"
They were about to answer when they heard someone clear their throat behind them. They turned around to see Pandora in her physical form. She looked very similar to Umbra, but with minor differences. Two hoop earrings were in her ears and she wore bracelets on her arms along with a necklace, Roman toga and sandals. She also held the box in her hands.
"Pandora," Ares said. "Tell me what happened."
The Guardian bowed and spoke. "Hades started to talk to Mars and told him about you. They created a plan to get him out and I heard every word. I did my best to stop them, and I used all the power I had but they were too strong. I feel so ashamed because I failed the gods. My deepest apologizes and I'm ready for any punishment you have for me," Pandora said.
"That won't be necessary," Ares said. "We had no idea this was going to happen."
"What should we do now, Pandora?" Argentum asked.
"Get ready to fight. Hades said to fly far away from Greece. Most likely he'll got back to the Seven Hills of Rome. So if you want to stop them before they do anything, we should go there," she responded.
Ares nodded. "I will join you on this quest and will come down to Earth. Wait for me here."
The statue stopped speaking. Minutes later, a bright light shone from Mount Olympus. Ares landed and looked around. The giant wolf howled and ran off to the temple, eager to see its friends again. When it arrived, everyone stared up at it. Caudus had to shout to talk to Ares, for it had gotten bigger the last time they saw it.
"Hey Ares, is it possible you can become your hedgehog form again so we can talk to you?" he yelled.
I no longer have my hedgehog form, it said. But I can speak to you telepathically like I am doing now. Caudus and the others nodded as they watched Ares shrink, turning into a dog. Now let's go find us an asshole, Ares said. The others nodded and followed Ares as it ran off.
"Any ideas on where he could be?" Caudus asked the dog. It looked at him.
We already established he would go to the Seven Hills of Rome. Other then that, I'm not sure where else he would go.
Caudus nodded and followed it. They got to Rome a few hours later.
"We need a sign. We need to know for sure that Mars is here," Pandora said. Suddenly, they heard a roar and they saw a dragon fly over them, heading for the hills.
"That a good enough sign for you?" Articulos asked, drawing a glare from Ares.
The dog growled and nodded. They ran for the hills, as Caudus talked. "Hey Ares, do you know what Hades and Proserpine's true forms are?" he asked.
Hades is a Cerberus and Proserpine doesn't have a animal form.
Caudus looked at Argentum. "Looks like you have some competition. But what does Proserpine look like then?"
Ares thought about it. She looks like a female human.
"It's a way she disguises herself. That way she travels around the human world and no one notices. But don't be deceived. The goddess of the underworld is very conniving, and has demons of the underworld at her disposal, so be ready," Pandora said.
"We'll be ready," Caudus said. He looked at the avatar. "What do you think?"
"I think we need to take some gods down before this gets complicated like before. Remember the Chaos Emeralds?" he asked, and everyone shuddered. How could they forget Mars turning everyone into his servants, excluding Caudus and Ares.
"Where are the emeralds now, anyway?"
Up with the gods where they originated. We didn't want innocent people to pick them up and have crazy things happen to them, Ares said, as they neared the hills. They nodded and followed the dog. It stopped and sniffed, then growled. He's here, it said.
Sure enough, Mars came swooping down and landed with a crash in front of them. He growled at them. Ares barked and turned back into his true form.
"Hello brother," Mars said. Ares snarled at the dragon.
"You are no brother of mine," he growled back, slowly advancing towards Mars.
The giant wolf growled at Mars as it advanced. Mars looked at it and chuckled.
"It won't be as easy as before Ares. I have help," Mars said, as they heard another roar coming from behind Mars.
The wolf looked and saw a Cerberus. It bared its fangs and growled at the three headed dog. "Hades," Ares growled. Argentum saw this and quickly transformed into a Cerberus, roaring a challenge at his opponent. Hades roared back and the two Cerberus attacked each other.
