Nadri was Nathaniel's prisoner for months, she went from being one of the most powerful magical beings on the planet to being made into a mere mortal woman. A magician came to her in the night, conjuring dark forces and evil upon her chains to keep her enslaved to the one who betrayed her so deeply. He used her magic to conjure demons out of the darkness, making him Nadri do everything and anything that he wished. He could make her turn into her draconic form at will and make her do anything he wanted as long as he held the power within her jewel.
Nadri spent her nights in the dungeons of the Asari keep, beyond the pair of worn statues lied a narrow, humid room. It was covered in ash, large bones and rubble from the battle, now it became Nadri's home. Her wrists were bound with the enchanted bonds that were linked with her power, making it impossible to free herself. In the day-time Nathaniel would drag her into the throne hall to serve all of his possible needs. She couldn't shake the feeling of ultimate betrayal, feeling the rage and anger consume her every time she was brought to Nathaniel's presence.
The only way she could be free was to meet death and that's the one thing that Nathaniel had refused to do. After he proclaimed that Nadri was no longer of use to him, he couldn't muster the strength to slit her throat when he knew that her death could come at a great cost. Time was ticking on, one day he would make sure she was gone and all the power would be his without feat.
He just needed to find out exactly what the price of the deed was.
The forest was enormous, misty, and flourishing. It extended for several miles throughout the Underworld, Nadri often wondered why Hades had placed such a beautiful forest in such a terrible place. Its canopy was reigned by oak, cedar, and magnolia trees, it allowed the sunlight to shimmer through branches dominate the leaf covered grounds, grass and wild flowers growing below A mishmash of beastly noises, which were caused by small creatures, filled the air, and were backed by the swaying of tree tops in the wind.
Nadri was summoned directly in the middle of it, she felt the crunchy autumn leaves and grains of dirt between her bare toes. It had been a long time since she felt the warmth of the sun across her skin and breathing in the crisp, fresh air. She took a moment, taking in a deep breath as she finally felt the tug on her soul disappear. It felt like it her soul had been grabbed by a vicious, dark evil and dragged to its source, as soon as she gave in the feeling of relief washed over her like waves of a calm sea.
The young woman looked ahead, a gentle breeze combing through her hair, blowing gently the bottom of her shoulders as her eyes met with Hades own darkened ones. The moment of freedom ceased when she realised the true meaning of why she was here.
"You took your time." Hades commented, crossing his arms over the chest of his suit, the sun glowing down on the God. "Fighting it that much, Nadri? Why don't you just give in?"
"I've been a zaam to the King before being a zaam to you, Hades." Nadri remembered, brushing herself down, pulling her dress up as she stepped forward, careful not to catch it on the branches and thorny plants trying to grab at her. "I still have some humanity from this life as a vahdin." Her words were full of poison towards Hades, pure hatred for the man keeping her captive. "Why couldn't you just have let me go free? Why do you need to continue my suffering?"
"Because it's so much fun watching you ache for freedom." Hades snapped just as loudly as she did, his words rippling through the forest and Nadri stopped in her tracks. "You can't expect to live as a slave and then be free in the afterlife. You are too powerful to go free, don't you get that? Why do you think your pathetic excuse for a King killed you not realising the price of his bargains?" Hades moved from the tree slowly and picked up his cane before carefully walking up to Nadri, careful of the rabbit holes and uneven ground of the forest.
"Power hungry jul do not understand the consequences of their agreement. What makes you think you would not be included?" Hades halted in front of her, leaning over his cane down at Nadri's short frame. Hades towered high while Nadri only stood at 5'3, Nathaniel asked for this purely for the purpose to make her look as harmless as possible yet in her dragon form she was compared to the size of a two bedroom house.
"I am no man, Nadri." Hades flashed a pearly white smile. "I have big plans for you little one." The older man told her, straightening back up again before holding his hand out before a twirl of bright blue smoke transformed into Nadri's gemstone in the centre of his palm. Nadri could only assume that Hades had found something to order her to do and it wouldn't matter how hard she tried saying no. The strength to continue to defy orders was becoming less and less.
"I have a job for you."
"What now, do I need to go throw some souls into the Pit?" Nadri bitterly retorted back, placing her hands on her hips. Hades gritted his teeth, frustrated. She was really trying to get on his bad side, what was she expecting? If she annoyed him enough then he would take apart her soul, obliterate her to the beyond? It didn't work like that with Hades. He wouldn't let her leave so easily. "Burn the souls in their cells?"
"Not quite. Hook's friends are beginning to unnerve me." Hades spoke with a distasteful tone. "I'd like to think I can trust you enough to find them." Hades said simple enough for her to obey. Nadri felt the power ready to pull and swallow her, it tugged within her, trying to lure her into the darkness further. "Even if you have to make them permanent residents."
Raising his hand and flicking his fingers towards Nadri, the dark rags that once clung to her body slowly transformed into a long sleeved, black coat wrapped around her body tightly, dragon-scaled armour plates across the shoulders of her coat. Her slender legs were covered in a tight legging-like material. Nadri looked down at herself, feeling the new material brush against her skin, running her fingers along the scaled cuffs of her coat. The bangled still dazzled on her wrists and she internally sighed.
"As much as I love to see you in that dress, I thought you'd appreciate something you can fight in." Hades almost sounded as if he was doing Nadri a favour, taking away the perverse undertone.
"Don't buy me with your feigned kindness." Nadri bit back, approaching Hades. Her feet were now covered with thigh-high suede boots with lace woven at the back of her legs to keep them tight. It had been many years since she had felt the comfortable fabric of shoes for a very short period of time. "This fire will burn always." She promised him and Hades reached up, expecting Nadri to flinch as he brushed a loose strange of curled hair behind her ear, only for her stone expression to hold on her face.
"I plan on snuffing it out." Hades held his hand against her face, crooking his head to see that her wounds were starting to heal and the bruising easing up. "Sooner or later." His thumb gently brushed over her lip, leaving a tingling cold on the flesh. "Enjoy this powerful sentiment that you have found while it lasts, Nadri. I can imagine the pirate has stirred some fight within you." Nadri felt his words uneasy to hear, his voice icy and cruel. He wasn't completely wrong. Killian had given Nadri a reason not to give up so easily, he had a way out of this hellhole and Nadri wanted to desperately help him. He didn't deserve to be trapped to this afterlife being beaten and threatened to be thrown into the Pit. If he could get out, she could too.
"We have work to do."
Hades brought the smoke and shadows together, binding them and placing them in another location of the Underworld. The old mine tunnels were as the arteries of the earth, blackened by the abuse of years. They went on and on into the black without and end in sight or possibility of sunlight, tracks to nowhere that lead only to the cold. The walls were dimly lit by sconces, the low light struggling to light their space that Nadri and Hades appeared into.
"Why am I standing in a wet cave?" Nadri shot point blank, hearing the dripping falling from the stalactites that grew from the ceilings of the caves. She looked around, the caves wet with moisture from the environment, feeling uncomfortable in the confined space.
"Our visitors are here. Cerberus managed to sniff them out. At least one of my pets are obedient." Nadri refused the urge to roll her eyes heavily back. Nadri was becoming fed up with Hades boring her ear off about obedience and loyalty. She had already heard this several times before and not from Hades.
Hades began walking down the cave, whistling a tune as he went. Nadri shadowed behind him, the growls and barks of Cerberus echoed against the cave walls. They turned a corner, Nadri watching out of the rocks that she had to step over to keep up with Hades' fast past. They were greeted with the evil, vicious fiend snarling at four terrified individuals in the dark cave.
Cerberus had three women and taller, more muscular man pinned up, cowering against a cave wall. The shortest woman of the two had a dark pixie cut, her arm drawn back on her bow ready to shoot an arrow straight through Cerberus' eye but the monstrous dog did not flinch at having the weapon pointed at one of his faces.
A very pretty blonde stood with them, she held a determined energy within her, and Nadri could feel her strength emitting. The other older lady next to her had a furiously intent look, her lips were painted with bright red lipstick and Nadri could see in her aura she was ready to kick someone's ass. The gentleman…well…Nadri had already met this soul before. His strong body, chiselled good looks and combed back almost gold-like hair was a face from many stories and the face of her accomplice in her escape.
Hades whistled sharper at his pet, for it to instantly stop barking and snapping near to their faces. The four of them only slightly relaxed when the animal started to back away from them, still on guard at the sight of the two newcomers to the cave and already determined that neither of them were friendly.
"Who the hell are you?" The blonde woman came forward first, brushing the particles of stone and dust that had fallen upon her bright red jacket. She looked worn out, dark circles underneath her eyes from severe lack of sleep and unbearable stress.
"Is it not obvious?" Hades scoffed, opening his arms out to show himself off like a prized horse, turning around on the spot slowly with a prideful grin.
"My uncle." Nadri knew the voice of Hercules. She knew his story well but did not know where he went when he entered this realm. His bright, god-like beaming blue eyes laid on Nadri, troubled. He had hope for her once, hoping that she was free from Hades for the last time, hoping that she had finally found her unfinished business. "Nadri." Hercules nodded at Nadri, swallowing hard with shame on his face.
"Herc, what are you doing here?" Nadri reached out for him, feeling overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of him. She couldn't believe that she had not seen him for centuries being the last time Nadri had met Hercules she was escaping out of the backdoor of Hades' keep and Hercules was making sure she had a safe exit into the depths of the castle beyond everyone's eyes. Hades immediately brought his cane up to the front of her body, slapping it against her suddenly and stopping her from going any further.
"Did you forget our discussion?" Hades lowly growled, Nadri groaning and hissing in pain as she felt the cane hitting the bruises that he had inflicted along her body. They looked at her with multiple confused expressions, Hercules stepping forward with concern for Nadri.
"Uncle, please." Hercules begged. "She doesn't deserve this." He shook his head, wanting to reach out and embrace Nadri in his arms.
"Oh, don't you start!" Hades slapped his cane onto the ground in rage. "'Uncle please.'" Hades whined, mimicking a pathetic version of Hercules voice before pointing towards Nadri. "You helped her escape for a pathetic crush, you lost me my servant." Hades started to erupt, looking at Hercules as if he stared at him long enough then he would disintegrate.
"Herc-"
"If you speak one more word, I will hurt you a lot fucking more." Hades gravelly growled underneath his breath, his eyes darting at Nadri as she had spoken Hercules' name. She knew he meant it, he was growing continuously fed up with her insubordination and it didn't matter how many times he had beaten her on his throne room floor, how many times he tortured her or how many times he had used her she still managed to find that voice inside to make her keep going.
She wasn't breaking.
"Hold on a minute. Your uncle is…" The blonde knitted her eyebrows together, confused.
"-Hades?" The oldest woman yelled in utter disbelief, her eyes widening at realising who was standing in their presence. Nadri noticed that it wasn't the tone of gratefulness, but one of hatred and dread, something they obviously had in common with each other.
"Don't look so surprised, Regina." Hades leant forward on his cane. Nadri pressed her lips together, trying not to blurt out anything that could get her sent down into the Pit by Hades. Was this the Regina that Killian had spoken about? She was desperate for them to listen to her thoughts, hear the truth and see that she wasn't on Hades' side. "Who'd you think was in charge of this place... your mommy?"
"Well, if this is your realm, maybe you can answer a few questions." Regina crossed her arms over her chest defensively, Cerberus being ordered to come away from the group entirely by Hades, whistling at him. "Another tortured soul to do your bidding?" Nadri couldn't help but think to herself that this woman didn't look anything like an Evil Queen, she was also wearing a lot more modern clothes than what Killian was wearing.
"You've not met my pet. This is Nadri, she's harmless. Well, in the right hands she is." The four of them looked closely at Nadri, she may have been wearing scaled armour but she looked like the shell of a sunken woman. Only Hercules knew the true power that Nadri hold, the others just stared at her as if she was a mere mortal woman who held absolutely no relevance to life. "Nadri, darling, you can talk now." He looked between the woman and then back to Nadri, who cleared her throat and forced a smile on her lips.
"Drem yol lok." She greeted, her teeth were so grit together that she may as well have been crunching her teeth together, uncomfortable in Hades presence.
"Pet? You have this poor woman enslaved as a pet?" The one who previously held a bow and arrow had it lowered, looking at Nadri with a face of absolute heartbreak for the slave.
"This is lovely Cora's daughter, Regina. And these two…Snow White and Emma Swan...The Saviour." Hades' voice was riddled with distain. This was the group that had come to find Killian, prepared to do whatever it takes to bring him out of this realm and back to the living. Nadri had to get a message across to Regina while she still could and let Killian know that his rescuers were coming for him. The first time escaping was easier, she didn't have anyone depending on her and if she was put in the Pit then she could do it without leaving consequences.
"Why does this hell-hole look like Storybrooke?" Regina put a hand on her hip, frowning at Hades. Nadri cocked an eyebrow, still silent, all she had known was this realm and how it came to be.
"I have my reasons, and I don't have to share them with you." Hades suddenly stifled his venomous words and quips, a conversation he was not willing to divulge. Nadri raised an eyebrow at her master, this didn't have anything to do with that wicked witch, did it? Nadri remembered Hades returning to the Underworld after a long stint of roaming around on Earth, a place called Kansas, and he came back a more heartbroken and murderous fiend that before, anger overtaking him every night that he would hit and break Nadri until her soul was almost entirely depleted. Nadri heard only fables of the Wicked Witch of the West, but did not think she existed. No wonder the Underworld started going under serious construction when he had come back to the realm.
"Uncle why are you doing this?" Hercules brought his courage back up after being shut down by Hades previously.
"There's that famous courage people love to talk about." Hades rolled his eyes with jealousy, bored of Hercules behaviour, bored of his existence all together. "Hercules, did you really think you could face Cerberus again?"
"Again?" Mary Margret came forward, looking up at Hercules seemingly confused and hurt. Hades gasped dramatically. "You mean he didn't tell you?"
"Cerberus killed you." Snow confirmed, her voice almost sounding like it was breaking.
"Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of, nephew. After all, losing your life to my little pet is what finally brought us together as family." Hades widened his arms, leering. "I've got Nadri back on my side now."
"We're not afraid of you." Snow snapped at the God, only for him to laugh at her attempt to try and intimidate him.
"Oh you should be." Hades ceased the laughter, his voice dark and deadly serious towards the group. "My nephew said you were a spitfire, but trust me, you should be quite afraid of me because the next time you interfere with my family, I will come after yours."
"Bring it. We're not gonna rest until we find Hook." Emma finally spoke again, stepping closer to Hades. Hades simply laughed at her trying to act tough in his presence, he already had enough of that from Nadri to keep him on his toes.
"Captain Hook and Nadri are occupying the same floor, quite an attractive couple really." Hades spoke, Nadri's face burning with embarrassment and anger. Emma looked towards Nadri, confused as if she had just been found out as the 'other woman'. "You should see them, it's all puppy dog eyes and 'I'll never let go Jack' moments. It's cute." Hades mimicked Rose, from the Titanic film, as Killian to Nadri. Nadri's face burned further, red flushing through her cheeks and the tips of her ears. Was he watching them the entire time, how could he be able to pull off such a trick? The guards were outside of the room and Hades had disappeared leaving them entirely alone.
"You know Killian?" The Saviour spoke, Emma squinting her eyes at Nadri. Nadri tried to croak out words but Hades held his hand up, only for everything she tried to say come out as muffled words as if someone was actually holding their hand over her face.
"I'll tell you what, I'll give you this." Hades slipped his hand into his suit jacket, pulling out Killian's hook that he had roughly twisted off from him before he left the room. It was splattered with blood, his friends looking devastated at the sight. Emma snatched it away from him, her eyes wide at the capabilities that had happened.
"What have you done to him?"
"It's not what I've already done you should worry about now. It's what I'm about to do." Hades turned to Nadri, flicking his hand and with a puff of dark smoke around her hand, a very long, wide, smooth blade made of silver is held by a grip wrapped in rare, red goat leather appeared. Nadri looked down, observing the sharp blade, such a weapon would slice, dice, stab enemies and shred whatever's left of them. "Darling, I want you to keep our new friends busy, I've got business to take care of." She felt the power emitting from the cuffs on her wrists, feeling the surge of control overwhelming her body, her hands shaking.
"Uncle, don't!" Hercules shouted at his relative, pleading with him as he watched Nadri try and fight back at the control. "Don't use her."
"Oh Herc, I play to use her how I like. Nadri, if you please." Hades disappeared into the flames of smoke with Cerberus and left Nadri alone, raising the sword in front of her, correcting her stance and preparing to strike.
"Nadri-"
"I'm sorry Herc."