Thanks go to SwingingBeskar for beta-reading this chapter.

Maximus didn't want to abandon God. The very notion sent him reeling. He didn't know why he was behaving like this. Some part of him remained uncouth. Why was he acting like this? He could practically feel God hunkering down on him.

Maximus snarled, not enjoying this. "Lord, leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you!"

God sighed. "Then why do you abandon Me? What have I done to you?"

Maximus snapped at God, telling him in rage. "Because… I teamed up with Lucifer! Okay? The very fact you made me a dog doesn't help! What use am I to you?"

God smirked. He told him, "One day, you will come back to Me. Until that day comes, you'll suffer. You won't abandon me forever. I'll see to that. Good luck! We will meet again." God vanished, leaving Maximus scared.

What did God mean 'He'd meet him again'? Maximus did not like this. Oh, what was he to do now? Surely, if he thought of it, he could embrace himself first. Yeah! That would set things right!

But what about Janus? She was loyal to God. Grrr, Maximus would deal with Janus later. That much was clear. But for now, he needed a place to hide. Already, he doubted himself. Maybe Janus was right. Maybe Maximus did have something to offer her.

She was a nice dog. A kind dog. And then, there was Maximus, who would give anything to change his ways and be with her. But to change himself for her? No! He would have to change himself alone. He'd much prefer to be himself anyway.

Oh, what was he to do? Whatever the case, he just hoped he'd do all right out here, for however long it lasted.

~o~

Maximus found himself back at the massive cave entrance. The stench of Death reeked in the air! Maximus wanted to go home, but where was home? Back in the Heavenly Realms? Oof! No sense in going back there yet! Or was there?

Maximus sniffed the air again.

Someone was coming!

Maximus quickly hid behind a rose bush with lush green leaves and red roses circling the bush. There were no thorns on this rose bush yet. Did all rose bushes here, on this world, have no thorns? Would thorns ever sprout?

A dark shadow engulfed Maximus. He looked up at the face of a man with grey skin, blue flaming hair, and wearing a dark grey robe. The man looked positively scary, enough to freak the poor dog out!

What did this man want? Who was he? And why did this man smell of death on him?

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Maximus cried. His legs shook with perspiration. Never before had he met a man so vile and cruel. He could smell it on this scary man.

The man smirked with deathly delight. He told the poor pointy-eared dog, "Now, now, no need to fret! The name's Hades, Lord of the Dead, Lord of the Underworld! Ah yes! It is your lucky day! What you see before you is a rose bush. I want you to eh… pluck a few roses off this rose bush. No need to fret! It'll only last for a while. Hmhmhm!" Hades chuckled.

"R-R-Roses? H-H-Here?" Maximus whimpered. He had this feeling he shouldn't have abandoned God. Not compared with meeting Hades. Oh dear. How was Maximus to win God back? Still, Maximus found Hades intriguing. Oh, this was not good. What was Maximus to do?

Hades leaned down in front of Maximus, petting him with deathly cold hands. Maximus shivered, not appreciating being in Hades' presence.

"Now, now, you little stinker," Hades said, comforting Maximus and leaving him rolling on his back. Hades enjoyed himself, petting Maximus, getting him comfortable. It was enough to send Maximus under Hades' control.

Maximus was now under Hades' command!

Maximus stood up on his four legs. He looked over at the red rose bush, wondering which roses to pluck.

He thought of God. He thought of Janus. They needed him! But right now, Maximus had a job: plucking those red roses. He dared to take one, but what would happen here.

He turned to Hades, not preparing himself for this most unexpected task.

"I can't do it! My friends!" Did Maximus have friends? Why then did he scream it out loud, for Hades to hear? Maximus didn't know where God was at right now. Maximus was too scared to think otherwise. Still, Maximus faced Hades, who seemed urgent about getting the job done.

"Come on, come on. We don't have all day!" Hades complained, rushing Maximus to do the task that he set him out to do.

Maximus' mind went blank. He froze at the sight of this burden. He didn't think straight. No! He dived for a red rose, plucking it, then another, and another. By the time he got to the third rose—

Prick!

Maximus was struck by a thorn. His paw bled, seeping out red blood from his paw down to the green grass. The grass turned brown. The red rose bush grew thorns. Even the roses Maximus plucked had their stems growing thorns out.

Maximus risked dropping the plucked roses, their stems shooting out their thorns, landing a couple of thorns square on Maximus' lower jaw.

Maximus let out a terrifying yip! He rolled uncontrollably as the thorns seeped into his coat, before leaving a trail of thorns crashing to the ground soon after. Maximus felt his lower jaw. There were wounds from where the thorns had been, but they left him with his irises turning from brown to red.

It was in this moment that Maximus' neck grew two more heads. His body heightened in size and shape, leaving him to be an enormous dog whose heart only grew colder over time.

Hades was impressed. He clapped at Maximus, delighting in his new appearance.

"Welcome Maximus! Or should I say, Cerberus," Hades cackled, admiring his newfound pet. "Come now, Maximus. Let me show you around." He perked up, telling his new pet, "Oh that's right! You're not Maximus now. You're Cerberus. This way, Cerberus."

Maximus followed Hades further into the cave. Already, he was forgetting who he was. Drawn to his new name Cerberus, Maximus became more and more like Hades' guard dog.

Was this really the plan? Was this part of God's Plan?

The last thing Maximus remembered was seeing God shaking his head, before Maximus took his spot at the entrance to the Underworld, where the ferry waited for weary travellers to make their grand entrance into Hades' dominion.

~o~

God let out a long, slow sigh. He lowered His head in shame.

This was not what God wanted Maximus to do.

This was not what God had planned.

Maximus becoming Cerberus would go down in legend! But who knew how Cerberus' origins started? That was a good question. God hoped for Maximus' redemption, but even that journey would take longer to live through.

How was God supposed to redeem Maximus? The dog didn't want anything to do with Him! Or so, Maximus thought until Hades tricked him into becoming his guard dog. God was furious. Of course, God knew Maximus would return to Him! But it would be Maximus who would return to God by his own doing.

No one could help Maximus out except for God!

As for Hades, God had plans for him, too. God would not let Hades win so easily. But then, Hades was Lord of the Underworld. That job required looking after the first souls who came to Hades' dominion, before those souls could come to God after their time was up in the Underworld.

And now, Maximus had done it! And God would see to it that everyone knew it.

It was time to bring Death to the First World.

~o~

Hades looked around at his throne room. Here he was! Champion of the Underworld and bringer of the souls to God Himself.

Oh, how Hades loved himself for this deed! He wanted some wine to celebrate and he chose a splendid wine!

"Ah! Victory is mine!" Hades drank his glass of wine with pleasure. He won himself a good guard dog, and now he had nothing to fear.

So, how come God entered his throne room? What did God want with Hades?

.

God observed Hades' throne room. There were a few iron chairs, and a fireplace brimming to life with orangish-yellow lights. There weren't any souls in the Underworld yet. No, God couldn't even hear the screams of souls around these parts.

As he observed the tiled floor and the iron pedestal where Hades kept his swords and shields, God knew who he was dealing with.

"God?" Hades asked, intrigued. Hades drank down some wine, loving himself for it. "More wine, if you will?" He offered to God a glass of wine. It was his specialty.

God shook his hand. "I'll pass."

"Fine," Hades groaned, setting the glass down. "You were always hard to please."

God looked at him in pity. "What are you doing here? Taking one of the First World's dogs and making him your guard dog. Have you anything to say for it?"

Hades shrugged, taking a seat on his throne. "That dog was already failing you. I just did you a favor."

God shook his head. He proceeded to laugh. He looked at Hades, telling him, "Oh Hades. You certainly know how to pick the best dogs for the job." He sat down with Hades, taking his glass of wine and drinking it down. Much to Hades' disdain, the wine didn't affect God. "You know this won't work on Me. I began it all, remember? There is nothing you can do to stop Me."

Hades shrugged. He clearly didn't enjoy this. "Well, you are the Top God. God Almighty. Nothing gets past you. Darn it!" Hades shook his fist in the air. "I almost had you!"

God laughed. He was intrigued with Hades. "Come now, Hades. The Lord of the Dead needs to bring Death to the First World! Did you not think I hadn't thought this through? How else do you suppose I was going to bring the Fallen Angels back to Heaven? Well, the High Heavens." He smirked, loving how His Divine Plan was falling into place.

Hades shrugged, sipping on more wine. "Well, it's your Plan. Do with it what you will."

"Gladly. Maximus is now Cerberus. I shall begin work on bringing Death to the First World. Then, to other worlds. I'll see you later!" God walked out of Hades' throne room, loving how everything was falling into place.

Hades looked up at God, stopping God Almighty in his tracks. "Wait! You're not really leaving me down here, are You?"

God smirked, knowing what to do. "Hades, do yourself a favor: find a bride. Then see me after that task is done." He walked out of Hades' throne room, vanishing on cue.

Hades slumped. "He'll be back. He always is." He drank the rest of his wine, preparing his counter for the first souls to arrive down in the Underworld.

As for Cerberus, he took his new position well. Just what was God up to with him?