Hades sized up his opponent, feeling Apollo’s disoriented nature. “
You and that bitch tricked me.”
Hades hit in hard in the face again. “Less name calling, more fighting Apollo.”
Apollo removed his golden shield. Swinging his arms back and forth, he mimicked Hades’ movements. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.” He dodged a punch from Hades’. Laughing, he dodged another before landing one into Hades’ ribs. Apollo connected his fist with Hades’ face causing him to slightly trip from the impact.
“GET THE FUCK UP!” He screamed. Hades’ wiped the small amount of blood from his nose and reposition himself. Connecting his fist twice to Apollo, he heard Kore let out a small grunt. Apollo hit him two more times in the ribs.
“FIGURE OUT THE PATTERN!” Kore shouted.
Before he could react, Apollo kicked him hard in the groin. He doubled over, and Apollo tackled him, landing on top. Hands around his throat, he gave Hades’ a twisted grin, “You are NOTHING without your powers.”
Hades swung his body and pushed him off. Apollo grabbed his throat from behind. Placing him in a chokehold, he winced as Hades elbowed him hard in the ribs. Releasing him, the two scrambled to their feet. Using as much strength as he could muster, Hades’ fist smashed into Apollo’s face knocking him out cold. Bent over, Hades breathed through the pain.
“HE KICKED ME IN THE NUTS! WHO KICKS SOMEONE IN THE NUTS!” He belted, glaring at Kore as she stifled her chuckle.
“LOOK OUT!” She screamed as Apollo stood producing a hidden bow and arrow.
“You lose Hades.” His grin turned into a shriek as Aphrodite’s pink mists wrapped itself around his throat. She tugged hard, grunting and Adam placed his hands over hers. Feeling his powers flow through her, she tugged with all her might. Apollo tried to his hardest to remove the mist, but his flailing ceased as his head flew from his body and landed next on the ground next to Hades.
“FUCK!” Hades shouted looking at her.
Aphrodite’s hands shook and she looked back to Adam. “I-I DIDN’T MEAN-OH NO! I-I-”
He grabbed her. “Calm down baby it’s okay…breathe.”
Her entire body trembled as she wept, “I didn’t’ mean to kill him, I was just trying to help Hades.”
Adam clasped her face, “You SAVED Hades Dite…you saved him.”
Slowly she turned to look at Hades, as he joined their sides. “I’m eternally grateful to you.” He knew how hard taking a life was.
“Aphrodite…absorb his powers.” Thanatos said coldly.
Her blood chilled. She looked to Thanatos. “I-I can’t.”
“DO IT! WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS SHIT!”
“THANATOS!” Hades growled, but the Grim Reaper ignored him.
“Do as I say, Aphrodite.”
She shook her head and murmured, "Okay..." Walking slowly over to Apollo she absorbed the green mist that floated from his body. Her purple eyes tinged, and she heard a laugh.
“Well, well, well, I have to say I’m truly impressed Aphrodite, I thought you were only good for a decent lay.”
Quickly, she retreated to Adam as Ares took a step towards her. Athena grabbed his arm, “That’s not what we’re here for.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine, killjoy.” Waving his hand, he produced a bubble encasing everyone but Kore and Adam.
Hades roared, “LET US OUT!”
Athena folded her arms to her chest. “We will deal with you soon…the both of you." Turning their attention back to Kore and Adam, Athena arched her brow. “I have to say I pictured you both a bit more…mature.”
“AND YET THEY’VE BESTED MOST OF US JUST THE SAME!” Adam’s eyes cut into slits as he saw Zeus and a woman land next to Ares and Athena. He sneered, “Oh, don’t give us that look. We have nothing against you. Aphrodite was pleasure and this is business.”
Kore could feel the heat permeated from his body, “Calm down Da-Dem,” she whispered.
“Yeah, *Da-Dem* wouldn’t want to go kaboom.” Ares laughed wildly, and the mysterious woman adjusted her robes.
“You will surrender now, or we will be forced to continue this war.” The mystery woman said with an air of self-importance.
Kore looked to Hades. “Who the chick with the deep voice?”
He shook his head, “That’s Hera, Kore.”
“INSOLENCE!” Hera boomed and Kore folded her arms to her chest.
“Soooo let me get this straight. Your husband just bragged about cheating on you, in FRONT of you and you accuse me of insolence?”
She turned to Hades again, “You all are messed up.”
“Kore…” He warned and Hera’s eyes yellowed.
Slamming her staff into the ground she started to grow. “Perhaps it’s time you learn a bit of manners child.”
Kore looked to Adam, “You know, I REALLY hate being called a child.” She closed her eyes, and as they opened, they were as black as the depths of her father’s soul. Cracking her neck, she summoned a ring of fire around Hera. As the Goddess looked in shock, she heard a hissing sound. Snakes made purely from the embers slithered towards the queen.
Adam leaned over, “Why snakes?”
Kore shrugged, “You ever piss off a snake? It’s not pretty.” Raising the depths of the ring, Kore trapped Hera inside.
“ZEUS!” She cried, but only heard silence return. Eyes burning into her, the snakes sank their teeth into every part of her body, tearing away at her until once the fire satiated, nothing but her ashes remained.
Athena swallowed her spit. “H-How could you just sit there and watch her die that way?”
Zeus chuckled. “The same way you could, in horror and without any desire to step in.” He adjusted his suit. “To bad there’s nothing left, I really could have used her powers for this, but I guess I’ll just take yours instead.”
“Wha-”
Producing two thunderbolts, Zeus hurled them into Athena and Ares. Caught off guard by the betrayal of their king, the two felt the bolt slice through their core and they fell to the ground.“YOU SEE FOLKS! UNLIKE YOU, I HAVE NOTHING THAT HOLDS ME BACK FROM PROGRESS!” Shooting a thunderbolt at Kore and Adam, he distracted them long enough so that he could absorb both dying God’s powers.
“YOU’RE FUCKING SICK!” Aphrodite raged against the bubble.
He laughed, “NO, I’M A REALIST!” Producing Ares spear, and Poseidon’s trident, he lunged both of them at Adam and Kore hitting them both at the same time. “WHO’S BETTER TO DEFEAT THE UNDEFEATABLE THAN THE KING HIMSELF!” Hermes booted wings sent him quickly across the passageway and he used Hephaestus anvil to strike them both hard against the face. They collapsed, their faces bloody and he sneered. “Unlike you, I don’t have the weak notion of love to keep me from reaching my full potential.” Adam stood and he pulled Kore up. Bracing themselves for the fight, they gave Zeus everything they could. Using every power that he stole, he bested all their advances, Kore collapsed, and she heard Hades’ scream.
“USE IT!”
“No…” She cried.
“PLEASE!”
Zeus held Adam by his throat and squeezed tightly, “You are nothing compared to me.” He grinned as Adam's bones cracked under his skin. Summoning fire daggers once more, Kore shot them at Zeus. He released Adam, whose body fell limp to the ground. “YOU LITTLE BITCH!” He seethed as he patted out the flames. Adam and she crawled to one another, and they locked hands. Hearing both Aphrodite and Hades, they could feel each other’s heart's break.
“We…we love you so much…and we’re so proud of you two,” Aphrodite called through teary eyes that locked with Adam’s.
Hades gave Kore a sad smile, “Wrap this up Kore…you promised me.” Kore and Adam looked to their family, who bore the same heartbreak as they did.
Nodding his head to his daughter, Thanatos mouthed. "Apart you're strong…”
She looked to Adam and repeated the words aloud, "Apart we're strong..." She cried.
His blue eyes teared, “Together we’re unstoppable.” And then two heartbroken souls, closed their eyes and unlocked their full power.