Chapter Twenty-Nine

Percy leaned against the railing. "It just doesn't make sense. They've fought before, and from the way you explained it, it seems like it wasn't even that intense of a fight. How could my Father have died? Is it possible that maybe he isn't dead? That he's just reforming like a monster?"

Artemis sighed as she too leaned against the railing. "I do not think so, Percy. Gods do not reform the same way monsters do. And if a God's physical form is destroyed, it usually crumbles into dust. His body… it… it just remained there. He is dead, Percy."

"How?" Percy said, his voice stressing. "He's a God. And Gods… Gods don't die!" He clenched a fist, his hand shaking. He moved away from the railing, moving towards his room. "They.. they can fade, but, but, but, they can't die! That's the way it works! That's how it is, that's how it's always been. I mean, even Kronos didn't die, and that fucker was sliced into a million pieces! Make it make sense!"

"I do not know! Percy, I watched a God die today, do you think that I am not just as scared and confused as you. I watched Poseidon, one of the Big Three, get fucking murdered." Artemis said. "Why do you think I came here?"

"Something has to be happening. This… this isn't normal. Something… Something bigger is at play here, there has to be."

Artemis sighed once more and traced a pattern on the railing. "At the very least, we should be safe here. Zeus, or any other God, should not be able to reach this place. We have the only knives."

"Shit. Rastr stole a knife. I'm assuming you don't know what happened to it."

"Damn it."

"Let's hope they haven't found it."

"Or if they have, they do not know how to use it to reach us."

"I doubt they would know how. And if they do, hopefully they'd see flashing as more convenient."

"That sounds likely."

Percy sighed as he walked back to the railing and leaned against it. "Can't fucking believe this. My father, a God, dead."

Artemis reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. "We will figure it out, Percy."

"Figure what out, Artemis? What is there to figure out? There couldn't be any satisfactory explanation for any of this. No matter the reason, my father is dead, and that is the end of it."

"Percy, you said it yourself, this is not normal. It goes against everything we know and have experienced. . We have to find out why."

Percy stood up straight. "I'm going to go for a walk, clear my head. Want to come?"

Artemis stretched. "I have not seen outside your castle, not seen your realm. I shall accompany you."

"Our realm. Warning you though, it is not a pretty place."

"I do not expect beauty from this realm."

Percy chuckled. "All right."

LINE BREAK

"That was certainly…something." Artemis said.

"To be fair, I did warn you."

"I am aware, Percy, but I was still not expecting that."

"If you think the succubi and incubi were bad, you should see the other half of Asmodeus' citizens." Percy looked out to the sand dunes on the western part of Hell. "I think there is a place you might like. It's a forest, a little macabre, not gonna lie,but I think you'd like it more than the Lust ring. It's to the southeast, come on."

Percy led her back through the main city of Hell, passing through the rings of Sloth, Wrath, and finally Pride, before reaching the southeastern edge of the city. Before them was a sprawling forest of dead trees.

"Are those… bodies? Hanging from the trees?"

"Yep." Percy sighed. "Told you it was a bit macabre."

"I am surprised you know what that word means." Artemis joked.

"Ha ha. Another 'Percy is so stupid' joke." Percy rolled his eyes.

Artemis smiled. "I am just joking. You are smarter than a lot of people give you credit for." She slipped her hand into his. "Come on. Let us explore these woods."

They walked into the forest passing hanged body after hanged body. Each one was alive, their punishment to hang forever. It wasn't too bad a punishment, as they were already dead and did not need air in their lungs. As they walked deeper into the woods, they started to hear people talking.

"Those words used to mean something." Voice one said.

"I know! I mean, what happened to the meticulous planning, the stalking, the actual kill itself, it was an art form! What happened to the intimate cat and mouse chase with the detective. The sexual tension between the two of you, as he stayed up for countless hours, pouring over evidence specifically left for him. I tell you, we used to be a proper country, damn it." A second voice ranted, passion oozing from his voice.

"You know what? I bet it's that damn TikTok. Kids' attention spans are so short, they can't even fathom being a serial killer."

"I agree! Kids these days have no respect for the art. I mean, nowadays any kid can just waltz into a school with a rifle, shoot five people, barely even killing them, and suddenly they're branded a serial killer! It's a disgrace!"

"That's exactly what I've been saying! It's sad, the state of the community these days."

"Okay, but who's your top five?"

"Oooo, that is a tough one." Voice one said. "I think, gotta start with Ted Bundy."

"Number five, or number one?"

"Five. At four, I think I'll place Abert DeSalvo, with Jack the Ripper at three."

"Really, Jack? In number three? I don't know man. I mean, he only killed five people."

"Yeah, but the mystery is still there to this day. Never got caught. I think that's a good reason to place him."

"It's your list, not mine." The second voice said. Percy could almost hear the voice raising their palms in a placating manner.

"In spot two.." A snap rang out. "H. H. Holmes. Admitted to twenty-seven, could be up to two hundred."

"Okay, okay. I see. Number one?"

"I think I gotta go with John Wayne Gracy."

A third voice, this time a woman, scoffed. "Of course, all men."

"Oh yeah? Then who would you put?" The first voice said.

"Elizabeth Bathory." The woman said smugly. "Upwards of six hundred victims. And, she is said to be the inspiration behind Bram Stoker's Dracula."

"Okay, fair. I'll give you that one."

"What about Dahmer? After that special, he's gotta be up there." A fourth voice interjected.

"Ew, fuck no." The second voice said.

"What, why?" The woman said. "Cause he's gay?"

"WOAH!" The first and second voices said.

"No, of course not! Geez, I might be a serial killer, but I'm not homophobic. Why do you think I'm down here?" The second voice clarified.

"Wait, do you think you're down here because you're not homophobic?" The fourth voice asked.

"Well, I mean, yeah? Everyone knows God hates gay people, but I don't, so why would he let me up there with him?"

"I mean, do we know if God hates gay people? I thought that was what people who didn't read the Bible said?" The fourth voice asked.

"Didn't he say not to lay with boys?" Second voice asked.

"As in pedophilia, jackass."

"Oh."

"Wait, we're in Hell, we can test this. Anyone got a gay friend down here or something?"

"I'm a lesbian." The woman said.

"My Uncle is gay. He died before me, but I haven't seen him down here." A fifth voice interjected.

"Hmm. Mixed results." The first voice said.

"What if it doesn't matter?" The woman asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what if your sexual identity is just tied to your mortal flesh? And once you shed it, it just doesn't matter?"

"Nah, I still feel horny sometimes. Like, this one time, a succubus took a stroll through here, and goddamn." A sixth voice said.

"Wait, when did the succubus walk through here?" The woman asked.

"I think it was before you got here."

"Damn." A moment passed. "Was she hot?"

"Very."

"Damn."

"Wait…" The second voice said. "Then why would I be down here?"

"Probably because you're a serial killer, man." The sixth voice said.

"I prefer the term, 'corpse artist'. It's more dignified."

"Weren't you just having a discussion with the other guy about people using the serial killer term wrong?"

"Well, yeah, why do you think I now want a different term?"

"Wait." The fourth voice. "You never answered, what's wrong with Dahmer?"

The second voice sighed. "A dead body is… it's like a work of art. One created by God himself. You wouldn't eat a painting would you?"

Mumbles of no all around.

"If you wouldn't eat a painting, you wouldn't eat a body. It's a disgrace to the art. Dahmer disgraces the art form. To call him a serial killer offends me."

Artemis turned to Percy. "I think we should go." She said quietly.

Percy nodded. "I agree."

They turned around and started to walk back out through the forest. "That was certainly macabre." Artemis joked.

Percy chuckled. "Sorry. Wasn't expecting that."

"I mean… It was kind of funny, in a dark way. I see why they're in Hell. Although, what did the lesbian do?"

Percy shrugged. "I don't know. Murder, maybe? She seemed to fit right in with the others."

Artemis smiled. "Love to see women breaking into male dominated workforces."

"Oh my God, Artemis."

She chuckled. "Let us head back. I am tired."

"Can you even get tired? I thought Gods didn't need to sleep."

"Life is exhausting, Percy."

LINE BREAK

Ra sighed as his barge entered the Duat. He stood up and summoned his bow. It was of simple construction, but it glowed with the power of the Sun—his domain. His eagle eyes scanned the river below him, waiting for his old nemesis.

The water beneath him stirred. Both Gods tensed. The water in front of the barge erupted as Apep, the serpent, emerged, towering above them. His scales were as black as night, his eyes glowing blood red with rage and fury. They were like stars against the black night sky. "Helllllllooooo, oooolllllddd friiieeeend." The serpent whispered.

Ra's hand gripped his bow, as he summoned an arrow, too made of light. He drew back the string and fired at the large serpent. Three arrows in quick succession. None hit their mark, and Ra knew they wouldn't. Eons of battle had granted him intimate knowledge of his foe. The serpent was quick, surprisingly quick for a creature his size.

Apep crashed down, rocking the boat with massive waves. The boat flew to the side, riding the surge. It crashed on the river bed, throwing Ra onto the black sand. He stood, brandishing his weapon. Ra fired more arrows as Apep quickly slithered towards them.

Ra fired more arrows, most of them glancing off of the serpents' dark scales. A couple found chinks in the armor, penetrating the soft skin underneath. Apep screeched, before changing direction and breaking through the rocky ceiling above them, sending rock and sand pouring into the Duat. The moon shone overhead.

Ra leapt out of the hole Apep had made, landing on the sand. The night air was brisk. Stars twinkled above them, eager to watch the nightly confrontation between Ra and Apep, glad they were able to actually view the spectacle. In the distance was a pyramid, a black silhouette against the starry sky.

Apep coiled up, his head rising far above his body as he hissed. His red eyes tracked the duo. He slithered forward slowly, sizing up his opponent.

Ra took in a deep breath. He couldn't afford to lose this fight. It already went wrong. He wasn't supposed to be on the surface during the fight. The barge wasn't supposed to be abandoned in the Duat. He needed to return quickly, which meant he had to deal with Apep quickly. But he couldn't rush and end up being eaten.

He summoned another arrow and fired, aiming for the serpent's eye. He hit his mark, hitting the serpent right in the pupil of his eye. Apep snarled and charged at Ra. The God King threw down his bow and summoned his sword, which, just like his bow, was made of golden light. The bow landed on the ground before disappearing.

He held his sword out in front of him. The serpent opened his mouth, fangs out as he quickly approached the Sun God. Ra's sword met Apep's fang, which slashed clean through. Apep veered off to the side, venom dripping uncontrollably from his broken fang. Ra whirled around to face the serpent. Apep snarled and rose above Ra. His broken fang rumbled before growing back.

Apep charged at Ra. He was faster than Ra anticipated as the snake's head slammed into him. Ra felt his feet leave the ground as the serpent kept charging. Ra gritted his teeth. Suddenly, he felt something break across his back. Then another, then another. Finally, his back met the night air once more as Apep kept charging. Ra groaned and tried to kick off of the snake's face.

He managed it, and fell to the ground in the sand. He stood, grunting as he did so. He held out his sword in a defensive position as Apep whirled around quickly and charged towards him. Ra ran diagonally towards the serpent. Fighting Apep in such an open place was new to him. He had already been caught off guard once, he couldn't again. The rising sun depended on him. Him and him alone.

The serpent flew by him, missing by just a centimeter. Ra stabbed his sword into the serpent's side, cutting through as Apep continued his charge. Golden blood spurt from the long cut, spilling onto the sand. Ra turned around to see Apep continue going around, smashing through the pyramid, creating another hole. The first one must've been created when Apep had smashed through with him. Apep whirled around, coming around the pyramid and rose. A large breath exited his nose, blowing the sand near him.

Suddenly a loud horn sounded through the air. Followed by five more. A large light split the night sky. Ra looked up, confusion etched into his eagle face. The light grew before revealing an uncountable number of winged men, each glowing with the same light. Each held a sword, with the winged man in the front holding a sword of flame.

As Ra was taking in the sight, Apep took the chance to defeat his enemy once and for all. Ra noticed too late, and was eaten by the giant abyssal serpent.

A seventh, final horn blew, and the winged men charged. "FOR OUR FATHER!" The winged man with the flaming sword yelled, his voice rolling over the sand dunes like thunder. They focused on Apep. The winged man with the flaming sword took point, slicing through the serpents scales like they were butter. He severed the head of Apep, the head falling onto the sand, spilling golden ichor in the dunes.

The night air stilled as the winged men scanned their surroundings. Suddenly the dunes lit up with more light. The lights faded to reveal the remaining Egyptian Gods. Ra's sister, Neith stood in the front, her bow drawn. "Invaders!" She yelled, loud and clear.

The winged men stared down the Gods. The one with the flaming sword simply sheathed his blade and floated down and touched down on the sand dunes in front of Neith. He stared at the Goddess.

"What is your name, trespasser?"

The winged man continued to stare for a second. The tension was palpable, as if the entire desert was holding its breath. Finally, the winged man spoke. "I am the Archangel Michael, lieutenant of My father, Yahweh."

"What quarrel do you have with us, Michael?"

"None. You are simply… in the way." Michael quickly drew his blade of fire and slashed through Neith's body, bisecting her diagonally from her right hip to left shoulder. Her top half slid down the bottom half, landing on the sand, golden ichor splashing the sand, dying them golden.

The rest of the angels charged. The Gods summoned their own weapons and fought. Old grievances all put aside as they worked together to stave off their own extinction. However, there were only a limited number of Gods, and no matter how many angels they took down, more seemed to join the fray.

One by one, each God fell, their ichor joining Ra's, Apep's, and Neith's. The last one standing was Osiris. His hands held his signature crook and flail. Ichor leaked from various cuts on his body. He was breathing heavily as he stared at his aggressors. He grit his teeth. "Come now. I have died once before. I do not fear it."

"That was no death." Michael said as he came forward. His burning sword was pointed to the ground, the sand beneath it darkening. "This is not personal. Submit, and I will grant you a merciful death. One befit the King you are."

"No death is befit a King. None, save for one fighting for his kingdom. For his people."

"On that, we agree."

Michael swiped with his sword, which Osiris blocked with his crook. He countered with an attack with his flail, but Michael blocked it with his forearm. "I have been fighting since the dawn of time. It is all me and my siblings were created for. We are servants of my Father, shepherds of death, of my sister, Azrael." Michael said, before headbutting Osiris.

The God stumbled back, his head now aching. He held up his weapons in front of him. He was seeing double. He blocked and parried Michael's first strike, managing to get his crook through the Archangel's guard. He hooked the weapon around his neck and pulled his head forward, before he smacked it with the blunt end of his flail. Skin burst and white blood spurted forth, the pure blood of angels.

He pulled more, forcing Michael to eat sand as he fell onto the ground. The archangel quickly rolled and jumped up. He poked with his sword, stabbing Osiris's shoulder as he wiped his blood from his cheek. Osiris tried to wrap his crook around the sword, wanting to wrestle the sword from the archangel's hand, but the reach was too long.

Michael punched Osiris, knocking the God to the ground. The God tried to rise, but Michael stepped on the God's chest, pinning him to the ground. The Archangel raised his flaming sword and brought it down, stabbing Osiris through his chest. The God's body twitched, quick little spasms, before stilling. Michael pulled his sword free and sheathed it.

A horn sounded, and a light split the night sky once more. The angel's flew to it, disappearing in it. Once the angel's were gone, the light faded, leaving the desert in silence. The sands were painted gold, littered with corpses, both angel and God. The pyramid in the distance crumbled, the hole finally causing it to collapse. The stars shone overhead, missing their friend the moon, who had now vanished from the sky.

And when the morning came, the Sun did not come with it.