CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN- The Underworld

"Ok, so before I get started on this whole take over the world thing, I suppose I should explain your role in the shebang, Savior. Why don't you come over here? Not that it's really up to you, is it princess?" Hades still clutched Kendra's heart in his slender fingers.

"Call me what you wish, flame head, but don't call me princess." Kendra mumbled as her feet drug her over to the map.

Hades smirked at her, and then turned to examine his layout of the town. "WHAT IS THIS?" Hades, hair erupting in red flame, gestured towards the map, which Colette had completely rearranged in her alone time in the castle. "Okay, it's fine. Just give me a sec, would ya?" Hades carefully but quickly put the pieces on the map roughly back in their original positions.

"I think you got a couple mixed up. That one is supposed to go over there." Kendra tried to buy herself time while she thought of a plan, not actually knowing the placement of most places in the town.

"You get the general picture. Anyways, I have this curse. I know, I know, cliché type of thing here, but this one is a bit different."

"How is it different?"

"Well, you see, I need you to cast it. My magic can only do so much in the world of the living. I kinda got punished after trying to kill Zeus' kid. Anyways, it won't take too much. I just need a bit of that Savior light magic that you have, and then badabing! Your job is done and I will let all of your friends off the hook."

Kendra held in a giggle at Hades unintentional pun. "What if I don't cast the curse?"

"Then everyone you love will join me here in the underworld, and you will be left all alone. I am pretty sure you don't have a choice in the matter anyways, sparky." Hades held up her glowing heart. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Maybe it's better if I am alone," Kendra said softly to herself. "I…um…don't really have light magic, so it might be difficult."

"WHAT?" Hades' hair re-erupted into red flames. "YOU ARE THE SAVIOR! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LIGHT MAGIC, ARE YOU NOT?"

"You're right. The Savior does have light magic." Kendra hoped that her plan would work. "Light magic and Savior magic go together, but they aren't the same thing."

Hades ran his hand over his face sighing. "You aren't The Savior."

"Nope! You would think that the lord of the dead would know that you can't take the heart of the Savior."

"What am I supposed to do with you now?" He paced the length of the room, mumbling to himself.

"You could let me go and we could just call it even?" Kendra suggested.

"I was thinking something a bit more, well, permanent." Hades clutched tight to Kendra's heart, trying to squeeze it into ash, but something prevented him from doing so. "Why isn't this working, your soul should be well on its way to its suffering by now."

"You can't crush a product of true love's heart. I am thoroughly unimpressed with you, candle brain." Kendra winced slightly at the pressure Hades exerted on her heart, but it was still glowing brightly in-between his fingers.

"Then I will hurt everyone that you love," Hades loomed over Kendra.

"Can't do that either. We have a deal. A deal which states you can't hurt anyone I care about," Kendra smirked.

"Then you will help me find the real Savior, so I can have her cast the curse." Hades' hair was slowly turning back into a crimson color.

"Um, that would be another no on the list of things you can do," Kendra crossed her arms.

Hades threw his arms in the air, "AND WHY IS THAT?"

"I know that you would hurt her in doing so. I love her more than anything in this world, so I am thinking that the agreement applies," Kendra said harshly.

"What is it with mortals and their fondness for every single person that they encounter?" Hades plopped down in a seat that he had conjured up, burying his head in his hands in frustration.

"Believe me. I do not like every single person I meet. Besides, The Savior gave birth to me. I think she deserves my love and respect."

"You are her daughter? Of course you are. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU BE?" Hades looked up at Kendra. "You are her daughter. Which means she cares about you just as much, if not more, am I right?" Kendra went pale, she did not like where this was going. "The deal was that I can't hurt the people that you love, right?" Hades demanded.

"Right." The word fell out of Kendra's mouth. Is this what father felt like under Rumple's control?

"Perfect! That means there isn't anything against me using you as my little pawn in this game of chess. You have a great deal of magic, don't you?"

"Yes.'' Kendra's hand flew to her mouth.

"Then let's go pay your mother a visit, shall we? Oh, and while we are at it, maybe we can see how your friend is holding up?" Hades led Kendra out of the palace, out of the Underworld, and back up into the town.