NOW I'VE GOT YOUR BACK

Erianthe had messed up. Because of her careless behavior, she was now confined to her room, only allowed out to eat, work, and bathe—nothing more.

She had to be accompanied by Pain or Panic whenever she left the room, especially when she had to do her chores. Once the tasks were done, they ate together and bathed, and finally, they locked her back in her room, where she remained without being able to leave. She had truly become a prisoner in the realm of the dead.

She remembered that night so clearly; in fact, she still shuddered at the memory of when the god of the dead appeared, and she understood why Hades was the most feared of all gods.

The night of the incident…

Everyone there stared at the Lord of the Dead, who stood directly before Erianthe. His expression said it all: he was furious—so furious it seemed as if he might incinerate everyone present, especially Eri, who had broken the rules of the Underworld.

Erianthe knew she hadn't acted wisely. She'd helped a soul to escape from the river Styx and, even more, had let other souls join a huge party. But she didn't regret it. Those souls looked so "alive"—they were enjoying themselves, dancing, and singing. Dorien and his band were excellent performers, singing with energy and joy about life and about fighting for one's dreams until the end, without giving up.

To be honest, Erianthe envied them. She'd fought for her family and friends, for her people, but she had never been allowed to think about herself. She didn't want to be selfish, but deep down, she realized she held back because she was a coward.

Hades looked at her. He didn't shoot her down with his fire, but he didn't hesitate to take action against her.

"What do you think you're doing? Huh? Souls should NEVER leave the river without permission—didn't you understand that on your very first day?"

"I, I…"

"You WHAT? I should throw you into Tartarus right now!"

"It was my fault, sir," Dorien replied.

"Oh? And who are you?"

"Dorien, sir. Apologies for what happened, but this girl has so much talent. Did you see her—?"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT HER DRAWINGS! OR IF SHE HAS TALENT! SHE IS MY SUBORDINATE!" Hades interrupted furiously. He noticed the piece of parchment that remained in the hands of Meg's daughter. Grabbing it, he incinerated it in front of everyone. "No more drawings, kid."

The souls looked at the god, terrified, as Hades unleashed his full power in the blink of an eye, sending every soul back into the river Styx. Now, only the god and the mortal girl were left. Erianthe, very nervous, looked at Hades with fear, uncertain of what punishment awaited her.

With a snap, Hades transported both of them to the entrance of Erianthe's room.

"Alright. You caused this, young lady. I tried to be generous with you, but remember, NEVER disobey a god. I won't send you to Tartarus, but from now on, you may not leave your room without permission. Understood?"

Eri looked at him and nodded slightly. Hades opened the door to her room, indicating that she should enter. Before leaving, the lord of the dead added:

"One more infraction, and I'll lock you in Tartarus for all eternity." And with that, he closed the door.

The girl couldn't hold it in anymore and began to cry. "How stupid!" she thought, wondering how she could have even imagined for a moment that she was still allowed to dream.

Since the night of the incident, it appeared that the girl's usual light had disappeared. Pain and Panic tried to speak with her to cheer her up, but nothing worked. She barely spoke to them and only completed her duties without complaint. The two imps missed the old Erianthe.

Hades, on the other hand, hadn't faced Eri since the incident, but occasionally, he spied on her, noticing how she moved through the underworld like a lost soul. Once again, a voice inside him whispered that he should speak with her, but he wasn't about to lower himself, nor would he regret his decision.

Pulling souls out of the river was dangerous; it was lucky none had dragged the mortal into the river, as they'd tried to do with him hundreds of times. Yet, once, a group of souls slipped away, making it back to the world of the living. News of this incident eventually reached Zeus, who reproached him, questioning how hard it could be to keep the souls in line. As a result, he made fun of him in the council of gods. The other gods mocked him. If there was one thing he couldn't tolerate, it was having his work called into question. And he wasn't about to let anyone, especially his nephew's daughter, jeopardize his duties.

He was seated in the throne room. The hole had been repaired, the Underworld was back to how it had been, the board had been fixed, and everything gleamed, spotless and pristine. So why did he feel like something was missing?

"You've grown fond of her. Admit it," an annoying voice inside him said.

"Damn! Since when did I get so sentimental? Or worse, since when do I have a moral sense?" muttered the god of the dead to himself. He was on the verge of a headache.

He hadn't noticed that Panic had entered the throne room.

"Sir, I've brought you the weekly report of new arrivals. We have an excess of souls on the east side of the river. We should send more of them to the vortex. What do you think?" informed the little demon.

"It's already full? This war's turning out to be very efficient. Fine, that sounds like a good idea. By the way, where's Pain?"

"With Erianthe. Today, she's assigned to clean the area by Cerberus, sir."

"WHAT? By Cerberus? You've got him tied up, right? I don't want to lose E— my cleaning personnel," Hades corrected himself.

"Yes, no worries. He's tied up. But did you know Cerberus gets along well with Eri? It's not her first time there; she even plays with him."

"Really? That damn dog… always gets attached to the wrong people."

"Sir, if you're worried about Eri, why not just talk to her?"

"Me? Worried about that mortal? Not in a million years, and don't even think about suggesting it again," Hades said, sounding somewhat agitated.

"My apologies, sir! This shift of souls might be a good opportunity to tidy up the area around the vortex, don't you think?" Panic added.

Panic had an idea. He was aware of the incident with the souls and how much Hades likes to be strict with his rules, but the situation between his boss and Eri had to come to an end. He couldn't stand seeing her so apathetic anymore, especially since he felt some affection for her. And he didn't want his boss on the verge of exploding either—who knew when he'd get scorched over it? So if there was a way to get them together, maybe they'd finally talk.

"Hmm, yes, I think it's about time to check on that area. I'll transfer some souls to the vortex this afternoon, and tomorrow I'll take the girl to clean up that section."

"Excellent, sir." And with that, Panic vanished.

Hades was left deep in thought. "So, the brat's with Cerberus. I don't believe it—yet another rule is broken. Damn that mortal!"

Just like Panic, he disappeared and reappeared near Cerberus's domain, where he saw Erianthe cleaning while his minions were trying to calm the dog.

He hid behind a pillar and observed. It seemed that Eri was minding her own business and not breaking the rule about not getting too close to the dog. But his minions never had a way with Cerberus, even with his favorite toy: a red ball.

"Easy, boy! Don't bite me! Eri, help us!"

"Guys, you know I really shouldn't."

"Pretty please?" They looked at her with puppy-dog eyes.

"All right… Cerby! Sit, boy, behave," Erianthe called to him. Immediately, the dog calmed down and sat as she instructed. "That's better! Good boy." One of his heads was lowered for petting, while another gave her a large lick. "Cerby! Don't do that! Now I'll stink all day," she said with mild annoyance but a slight smile.

"I can't believe Cerberus actually listens to her," said Pain.

"Yeah, he NEVER listens to us, and he certainly doesn't let us pet him," Panic replied.

"You just have to be friendly. You know that. Let me finish up here. Otherwise, I will be behind on my work."

"Yes, ma'am!" Hades' two minions said it in unison. Of course, Cerberus behaves, because she's got a pretty face,they thought, sneaking glances at each other.

Hades was shocked. Cerberus NEVER behaved, and with that mortal, he was actually calm? It had to be a joke, but it made sense. There was something special about that girl. "Hades, stop it! She's only a mortal." And with that thought, the god vanished, returning to his usual work.

"Panic, you managed to get the boss to take Eri to one of the forbidden areas to clean," whispered Pain.

"Yes, tomorrow he'll take her to the vortex for cleaning," Panic replied in a whisper. Hades was going to be alone with Eri. Now they just needed to come up with something to nudge the two into talking. Perfect—what could possibly go wrong?

Erianthe was nervous. Hades was taking her to the vortex of souls to clean. She didn't know if that area was dirty, since she had never been there, but it unsettled her—she knew that her father had once descended into that very place searching for her mother's soul. Being alone with the god made her even more anxious. Since the night of the incident, they hadn't spoken or met in any place.

Hades, on his part, was also uneasy. He realized he'd be alone with the girl and, moreover, would be returning to the vortex of souls. He hadn't set foot in that place since he left it a couple of weeks ago, and just yesterday, he had drained a significant amount of his power, channeling numerous souls to the vortex. This meant he wouldn't be able to use his powers if anything went wrong.

The Lord of the Dead and the daughter of Hercules made their way to the vortex in complete silence. Hades glanced at the girl. They had met in the throne room, and she had only greeted him politely. He had tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but she barely acknowledged it.

"Welcome to the vortex! See, the Underworld really is a small world, isn't it?" He tried again, but she just gave him a look that said, Yes, I can see there are many souls here. Resigned, Hades told her she only needed to sweep, so it should, in theory, be quick.

Erianthe got to work, soon sweeping everything thoroughly until she reached the edge of the vortex. At that moment, she had to stop. Seeing all those souls in the dark waters and hearing their laments, she couldn't help but think that her mother had once been down there and, possibly, her father too, right where she now stood. Mom, Eri thought, missing her intensely. She wanted to see her and hug her again.

Hades noticed that the girl was at the edge, looking into the vortex. Damn, she's right on the edge—if she falls, she'd be killed, thought the god, concerned. Although he'd planned to keep his distance from the vortex's abyss, he stepped closer to see why the stubborn mortal seemed frozen there, as if she'd suddenly put down roots.

"Hey, Erianthe, it's better if you don't just stand there. If you're done, let's go. It's not safe here," Hades said. He saw she was staring intently into the vortex, her face showing a mix of pain and sadness. Could she be thinking about?

Meanwhile, the two minions, who were at the entrance to the vortex cavern, were still debating what to do to get those two to talk and resolve things.

"Hey, I just thought of something. What if Erianthe has a 'little accident,' and Hades has to help her? They'd probably start talking," suggested the purple imp.

"Isn't that a bit extreme? She could fall into the vortex abyss! If that happens, Hades would most likely use us as targets for his fireball practice!" replied the green imp nervously.

"Well, I can't think of anything else," said Pain, who was holding Cerberus's ball. They'd just taken the Underworld dog out for a walk, and Pain still had his favorite toy with him.

Unable to agree on a plan, they didn't realize that both the god and the girl were on the edge of the vortex—or that Pain had accidentally dropped Cerberus's ball, which was now rolling suspiciously toward the vortex.

There, on the edge of the abyss, Hades and Erianthe stood together. Eri realized that the god was speaking to her, but she hadn't been paying attention. What does he want now?she wondered, glancing at him, only to find him suddenly silent.

She noticed that he was staring into the vortex of souls, his face twisted with an expression of horror, as if the situation terrified him. What's wrong with him?

"Hades, are you alright?" Eri asked, somewhat concerned, since this wasn't typical behavior for the Lord of the Dead.

The god didn't respond. Suddenly, memories from those seventeen long years trapped in that damned place hit him like a slap to the face. Those memories still haunted him, and each night, he was plagued by nightmares of these waters, of souls pleading, cursing him as they were doing right now.

Let us out!

Have mercy, Hades!

Help us!

Damn you, Hades!

Erianthe didn't know what to do. She was about to grab him by the arm and pull him away from the edge, sensing something wasn't right, when she felt something bump against her foot. She looked down and saw Cerberus's ball. What the heck is this doing here? She thought. She crouched down to pick it up and then noticed something alarming—a crack in the stone.

"HADES! We have to leave now! This ledge isn't stable. It's cracking!" Erianthe shouted, trying to get the god to react. But she wasn't fast enough—the rock split, and both of them began to fall into the abyss.

The daughter of Greece's most famous hero reacted quickly, grabbing the god's arm and lunging forward, but most of the ledge collapsed. With one hand, she clung to what remained of the rocky outcrop, while with the other, she held tightly onto the god. He was incredibly heavy, and she wasn't going to last long. Desperately, she wrapped her legs around the god's torso to reinforce her grip.

"Help! Pain, Panic, I know you're there!" Eri yelled desperately. She looked at Hades, who was starting to come back to his senses. "Don't move, or we'll both fall!"

"What the hell happened?" he asked, terrified. He didn't want to fall back into the vortex.

"Use your powers, Hades! If you don't, we're going to fall," Eri pleaded. Hades saw the fear in her eyes. Damn it, my powers. I can't use my powers!

Just then, the two minions arrived, stunned by the scene before them.

"What should we do?" asked Pain.

"Get us out of here!" Eri yelled again.

"We don't have enough strength." Panic replied nervously.

"What? Well, never mind. Listen, can you make some ropes appear? If so, tie one around my waist and secure the other end to that sturdy-looking rock over there." They quickly conjured the ropes and fastened one around her just in time. Eri's hand, which had been gripping the edge, slipped, and a deep cut opened up on her palm.

"Ah!" she cried in pain. Now, both the Lord of the Dead and Eri were dangling over the vortex, suspended only by the rope holding them. "Hold on tight to me. I can feel you slipping, Hades."

Without hesitation, Hades wrapped his arms around her; he had no desire to end up in the waters of the vortex. He noticed the blood seeping from her injured hand. If they didn't do something soon, they were both going to fall.

"Please think about using your powers, Hades. I don't think this rope will hold much longer," Eri pleaded.

"I am unable to," Hades replied, resigning. "Yesterday, I used up a large part of my power, so I can't just teleport us somewhere else." He didn't understand why his power had drained so quickly or why it hadn't regenerated. Something was off, and now here he was, clinging to his nemesis's daughter to avoid falling into those waters that had haunted his nightmares.

Holding her, he could feel her warmth, her rapid breathing, and the frantic beating of her heart. Her head rested against his chest. Wait, her chest? He suddenly realized how close he was to her chest. Hades, don't be a creep. Don't think about it, he scolded himself, though a sly voice whispered, They aren't exactly small…

"You can't use your powers? So now what are we supposed to do?"

Hades looked at her. He knew there was one option—one that would save her, but not him. If she fell, she'd die, and although he couldn't explain why, he didn't want that. Damn it, why can't I bear to see her dead? He thought, realizing he might have some shred of a conscience.

"Let me go," he said. "If you do, you'll have a better chance. If I were in your place, I'd do it. You could even escape the underworld."

Erianthe was stunned. What? But why would he want me to save myself? He hates me. He doesn't have a good side, does he? She looked into his eyes and saw exhaustion, frustration, and anger, but also suffering and loneliness. A loneliness she knew all too well.

Erianthe made up her mind.

"I'm not letting you go," she replied, resolutely.

"What do you mean, you won't? Are you an idiot? This is your best chance, and you know it."

"Yeah, I know," she answered. "But I belong here now; I signed a contract, and I owe my loyalty to the Underworld and to the god of the dead. Let me quote: By signing this contract, you are bound to serve the glorious god of the dead, Hades, who will be your master and lord for all eternity." Part of her was bluffing; she wasn't staying because of that ridiculous contract, but because she felt the King of the Underworld deserved a second chance.

Hades looked at her, barely believing what he was hearing. This girl is either incredibly naive, incredibly foolish, both, or just too good-hearted.

"Do what you want, kid. But for the record, I think it's a stupid idea."

"Probably because I'm a fool." She glanced up and saw Cerberus's ball near the edge. "That's it!" she exclaimed. "Guys, I have an idea. Get Cerberus over here!"

"WHAT?" everyone shouted.

"He's strong enough to pull us both up! Quickly, guys, make him come over. His ball is right there—use it!" Hades had to admit that the girl was smart and determined. She didn't give up easily.

The imps sprang into action, appearing where the Underworld's hound lay sleeping. They woke him up, saying:

"Cerby, want to play?"

"Come on, Cerby, let's play with the ball."

The dog ignored them until Panic muttered, "Cerby, Eri wants to play with you."

The hound perked up, barking enthusiastically at the mention of her name. Satisfied, Hades' two minions dashed back toward the vortex.

Meanwhile, Erianthe was busy with the other rope. She tied one end to her waist and prepared a loop at the other.

"What are you doing?" the god asked, watching her expertly tie knots.

"I'm making a loop. When Cerberus gets here, I'll toss the rope onto his tail. Then we can throw him the ball, and he'll be strong enough to pull us out with no problem."

"And you think that knot will hold?"

"Of course! What do you take me for? I'm a pro at knots and climbing. Plus, I used to work in a quarry, remember? I know what I'm doing."

"Alright, knot expert. I won't argue with you on this," the god replied, unconvinced but left with no choice but to watch and see.

Suddenly, they heard Panic and Pain shouting, along with Cerberus's bark. The two grinned as the giant dog appeared.

"Cerby, good boy! Do you want to play? Yes, of course, you do! Look, Panic has your ball. Go get it," Eri called out. The dog turned around, and she quickly tossed the rope onto his tail. "Yes! I got it on the first try." she said, sticking her tongue out playfully at Hades.

"Pfff, that was pure luck. Don't get too excited."

"Party pooper." They immediately felt the strong pull of the dog tugging them upward. To avoid being dragged across half the Underworld, Erianthe called to Panic to make a dagger appear so she could cut the rope once they were safely up.

Cerberus, thrilled, took off running, yanking both god and mortal higher than they expected. Realizing they were going to hit the vortex's entrance if she didn't act quickly, Eri cut the rope. Hades, noting they were still a few meters above the ground, calculated that he'd be fine, being a god and all. But Eri wouldn't have the same resilience—she could get seriously hurt. So, he held her tightly, cushioning their fall with his body.

"Hades! Why did you do that?" Eri asked, concern on her face.

"Teamwork," the god replied with a grin.

At that, the girl laughed. For someone as ill-tempered, twisted, and selfish as he was. He was pretty funny.

Hades noticed Erianthe laughing and found himself chuckling, too. In the end, this girl's ridiculous plan had worked, and here they were, safe and sound.

"We did it! We're not dead!" Eri shouted. Hades gave her a look that said, I wasn't going to die, so she amended, "Fine, you win! I'm not dead, and you didn't end up trapped again! See? I've got your back, too!" Her triumphant shouts likely echoed throughout the entire Underworld, but the strain and exhaustion from the ordeal suddenly took their toll, and she fainted.

"ERIANTHE!" was the last thing she heard before everything went dark.

Hello everyone! Here you go! Another chapter of this story.

I was really excited to write this chapter and to make some progress in the relationship between Hades and Eri, and I think it turned out quite well. What do you all think?

I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Also, remember that English is not my mother tongue. So, sorry if you found some mistakes.

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Thank you for your support and for continuing to read it!