The journey to Mount Olympus had taken longer than Soul had expected, since certain charms blocked using the ring he used to summon Kid to transport him. Curiously, when Soul made it to the top, there had been no guard at the gates. It had been easy enough to enter.
Only three people were in the throne room when he opened the doors: Spirit, a woman who matched Maka's description of Demeter and a goddess who he had seen enough to recall that her name was Azusa.
They gaped at him in silence, which Soul took advantage to make his introduction. Admittedly, Soul didn't think that he would be received with open arms when he introduced himself to Demeter. He'd seen enough of people's reactions, both immortal and mortal, to know he was never a welcome presence.
But what he hadn't expected was for Demeter to launch herself across the room, grabbing hold of his wrists and shrieking for him to give back her daughter.
Soul had been too stunned to do anything but freeze. Luckily for him, Spirit had reacted quickly, prying Demeter off of him.
"Let go of me!" Demeter shouted, ripping herself free from Spirit's arms. However, while she threw several poisonous looks at Soul, she refrained from attacking him again.
Soul eyed Demeter. Although she and Maka bore many similarities, there was a certain hardness in her eyes that made her green eyes icy.
Melinoe's giggle echoed in Soul's ears. "You sounded like a kidnapper."
He looked down. Melinoe's pale face beamed up at him, her eyes glowing mischievously. "Get out of here!" he hissed.
"Afraid I can't do that," she sang, starting to circle him.
A harsh voice cut in. "Who are you talking to?"
Soul looked up. Azusa fixed Soul with a piercing gaze that would even make Asura stop in his tracks. Beside her, Spirit and Demeter also looked at him perplexedly.
Soul snapped his mouth with an audible click, mentally berating himself. He was almost always alone so he forgot others couldn't see Melinoe. "Nothing," he said.
He stiffened involuntarily as Melinoe spoke again. "Haven't you figured out by now that while you may have erased me from your body, you'll never erase me from your mind?"
"Hades!"
He snapped to attention, glaring at Azusa. "Soul is my name."
She crossed her arms. "Well then, Soul, would you like to explain why you're here?"
"I was trying to," Soul said frustrated, ignoring Melinoe's whispers. "But she attacked me," he said, jabbing a finger to Demeter.
"We'd just finished talking about you and emotions were running high," Azusa said smoothly. She tossed a glance at Spirit. "Take the lead while I go find someone."
Without waiting for Spirit's answer, she swiftly exited the room.
Spirit cleared his throat. "Right, so what are you doing with my daughter?" Spirit's expression changed as he registered his own words. "What are you doing with my daughter?"
"Relax, old man!" Soul shot back, temper flaring. "You should be thanking me. If I hadn't been there, Maka would have died!"
"We know that you conspired with the Gorgons," Demeter seethed, obviously unable to contain herself.
Soul went numb with shock. "What?"
For a moment, it looked like Demeter was going to attack him again. But then she spoke in a rush, flinging the words like knives. "Don't pretend that you don't know. You're the one that allowed the Gorgons' snake into the Styx."
From behind, Melinoe laughed gleefully, her voice an octave deeper. "Of course they think you're the bad guy. You would too, if you were in their place, wouldn't you?"
Soul resisted the temptation to run. Instead, he dug his heel in the ground and said through gritted teeth, "That's not what happened at all. I would never ally with those monsters."
Demeter laughed sardonically. At that moment, Azusa came back in, trailed by a tall man bedecked in gold armor. Soul recognized him as Helios, the god who pulled the sun across the sky each morning.
"I am certain you all know Helios," Azusa said, confirming Soul's suspicion.
"Sid, actually," he corrected. "That's the name that fits the kind of god I am."
"Yes," Azusa said, pursing her lips. "In any event, Sid here will be able to tell is if Soul's story is true."
"True? Of course it's true!" Soul said exasperatedly, struggling to keep his patience. "Didn't you get my message at all?"
"Message?" Spirit repeated. "We've received nothing, Soul."
Soul cursed his luck, running a hand through his hair. As quickly as he could, he explained what happened in the Underworld and then later on Earth. "The only reason I took Maka was to keep her out of harm's way," Soul finished, hoping that Demeter and Spirit would believe him. "The best place for her safety is the Underworld."
Spirit looked uncertain while Demeter still seemed unconvinced, looking at him like he was a common criminal.
Azusa glanced at Sid. "Well?"
"I can't speak for what happened in the Underworld since my vision doesn't extend that far," Sid said carefully. "However, what happened outside Mount Olympus occurred exactly as Soul told it."
Sid crossed his arms, sunlight glinting off the breastplate of his armor. "I'd say I would be inclined to believe him."
Azusa nodded. "I'd have to agree, though this is a matter that's no business of mine." She glanced at Spirit and Demeter. "I think Sid and I will be taking our leave now," she announced matter-of-factly.
With a proper bow to Spirit, they left the room. Melinoe's taunts, only heard by Soul, filled the room.
Surprisingly it was Demeter who broke the silence. She fixed her gaze somewhere beside Soul's head and pressed her mouth in a line. "I…believe you." The words fell from her mouth unwillingly.
Spirit nodded, less grudging in his acceptance.
"Aw, all's well that ends well," Melinoe cooed, pacing back and forth in front of Soul.
Soul gave a heavy sigh of relief. "Good." For the first time, he moved from where he stood by the door, into the room.
"We'll have to get going soon," Soul said. "If we want to get to the Underworld before night falls."
Demeter gave Soul a strange look. "I beg your pardon?" she asked coldly.
Soul frowned in confusion. "The safest place for Maka right now is the Underworld. I came to escort you so you two could be together."
Demeter gave Soul a smile that didn't melt the iciness of her eyes. "I thank you for your hospitality but it isn't necessary."
Soul felt the sting of her words like a fresh slap.
"Oho, she thinks you're a monster!" Melinoe tittered, unknowingly echoing Soul's thoughts.
"There is a creature on the loose that wants to kill your daughter," Soul said slowly. "And you want to bring her back to the place where it's looking for her. You may as well be offering her up on a silver platter."
Demeter flushed, eyes narrowing in anger. "I know what's best for my daughter."
"But do you know your daughter?" The words burst from Soul before he could restrain himself.
Spirit chimed in hesitantly. "Perhaps Maka could stay here…?"
Neither Soul nor Demeter answered Spirit, glaring at each other. Demeter's voice came hushed, all pretense of civility gone. "How dare you question me? I've known her all her life while you haven't even known her for the space of the day."
She jabbed a finger at Soul. "I am Maka's mother while you are nothing more than a half-mad god."
"Wow, she really didn't hold back, did she?" Melinoe cried, her giggles sounding more like Oni's cackle. "It's the truth though, isn't it, Soul?"
Soul felt as if he had been struck something heavy. Even after all he had done, that's all anyone saw. All the hell he had put himself through to make himself somewhat normal, gaining a jagged scar on his chest as a permanent reminder of the taboo he committed. Oni's laugh rang in Soul's ears now, Melinoe writing on the floor as her robe swallowed her whole.
When it peeled itself away like before, Oni's face greeted Soul with a smile full of serrated teeth. "Did you miss me, Soul?"
Too much was happening for Soul. He could hear Demeter shouting at him while Spirit attempted to calm her down but their words meshed together, making no sense to him.
He needed to leave, needed to escape into his Underworld where Maka, the only outsider that looked at him with kind eyes, waited.
Picturing her calmed the raging sea of thoughts in Soul's mind. A loud groaning sound came from above.
Soul glanced up as a large crack in the ceiling appeared.
Soul glanced at Demeter and Spirit. They gave no sign of noticing the black liquid that now seeped from the crack.
The smell of blood pervaded the room and still no one noticed but Soul. It wafted into his nose, inviting him to give into the madness.
A drop of Black Blood fell onto Demeter's cheek.
Soul briefly wondered how Demeter's blood would compare to the black blood.
His horror brought him back to his senses.
He took quick and sharp breaths, resisting the siren song of the blood and holding onto the image of Maka's soft smile.
Ogre, who had been engaged in some sort of wild dance, came to a halt in front of Soul. "Your nightmares have come for a visit, Soul, and let me tell you they are out for blood!"
Ogre hooted uproariously at his own joke, rolling on the ground. "Will you go for lady love's blood too?"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Soul shouted, losing his composure.
"Excuse me?" Demeter said incredulously.
Soul's heart constricted in panic. He didn't know what he was doing here anymore. He just wanted to go home.
"I demand that you give my daughter back!" Demeter took a step forward. In doing so, she kicked some of the Black Blood pooling at her feet into the air.
A few drops landed onto Soul's arm.
It felt as if someone had lit his skin on fire.
Soul let out an anguished cry, falling forward on his knees. Instead of dripping down the side of his arm, they dissolved into Soul's skin.
It wasn't just Ogre's words that echoed in his ears-a million voices flowed in Soul's veins, whispering poison.
"Join us, Soul. Give in, Soul. Become the nightmare."
Soul's hands went limp as his mind went blank.
"Hades!"
Soul's head snapped up. "That's not my name." His voice came out harsh, a mix of his and Ogre's.
Demeter looked at him with a mixture of disgust and apprehension while Spirit cautiously approached him.
Spirit lifted his hands palms-up.
Like someone would to a madman, Soul thought, a wild laugh escaping his lips.
He pushed himself to his feet, moving so fast that he took Spirit by surprise. He closed the distance between him and Spirit in two strides, grabbing Spirit by the throat with a strength he didn't know he had.
Demeter let out a cry but instead of attacking Soul, she ran out of the room, calling for help.
Ogre and the voices goaded him on, setting Soul's blood on fire.
Soul bore his eyes into Spirit's. "Listen here and listen well, Maka is staying with me."
"But-"
"No," Soul said as Ogre and the voices goaded him on. "I have never asked you for anything and I'm asking you for this."
"Besides…" A wave of anger threatened to break the little self-control he had left. "You never were the greatest father, were you?"
"I did my best," Spirit choked out.
"Well, it wasn't good enough," Soul said savagely, burning to be gone already. "And if you try to stop me, I'll seal the Underworld from the dead and let them roam your land."
He laughed wildly. "Then, we'll see how the people will shun you. We'll see how well you'll fare when you have to deal with them. Then, we'll see if you turn into a monster."
Soul released him and staggered back.
The room spun in lazy circles, threatening to throw Soul off balance.
He had made it to the doors when they swung closed of their own accord.
The voices screamed for violence.
Soul turned back slowly. "Open them, Spirit."
"I can't do that," Spirit said, massaging his throat. "You know I can't, Soul."
"I will do it right now, Spirit." Soul curved his mouth into sardonic smile. "You better mark my words, Spirit. Or you'll regret it, I assure you."
There was a tense pause. Then the doors behind Soul slowly creaked open.
"Wise move, old man," Soul said, backing up. "And if you think of sending anyone after me, I'll seal the gates immediately."
With that, Soul half-stumbled out of the palace doorway, only keeping what remained of his sanity by focusing on Maka's green eyes.