Hermes took a step forward and looked from Kore to Adam. “I have to say, I find that a part of me is truly impressed with the result of my…fun experiment.”
Trying his hardest to squelch his temper, Thanatos glared at him. “Do not speak of my daughter and nephew that way again. I don’t care if you’re a God or not. You entered my home and threatened my family. If I were you, I would leave.” His words like ice, Evie could hardly recognize her husband’s voice.
Hermes laughed loudly, “Oh, you are as brave as they mention Grim Reaper, but apparently also as stupid. If you think you could POSSIBLY defeat a God, your entire family is about to watch your blood stain the floor under your very feet.” He was taunting the reaper, having heard only that he’d gained his powers through Apep. What neither Zeus of Hermes knew, was exactly how powerful he was.
A guttural laugh escaped Thanatos throat as he looked to his wife. Nodding her head to him, Evie spoke low to Kore. “Close your eyes okay?”
“Kay.” Doing as her mother instructed, Kore dug her face deep into her mother’s chest.
The words of Hades in his mind.
*“Life with death, life with death.” *
Thanatos shouted, “EVIE AND DERRICK! TAKE THE KIDS AND RUN OUTSIDE NOW!”
Shooting an orb directly at Hermes, Derrick managed to distract him long enough for him and Evie to escape. “YOU’RE GOING TO REGRET THAT!” He seethed turning to Thanatos. With lightning speed, he charged at the reaper, grabbing him by the neck. Though Thanatos was larger, Hermes' God-like strength allowed him to pull the reaper from the ground by his throat. Thanatos closed his eyes, and Hermes eyed him curiously, “Why don’t you beg Grim Reaper?”
A sinister smile formed on Thanatos lips. Blackened veins formed on his face, and Hermes dropped him in fear. His eyes darted from left to right as the array of screaming black mist of the damned souls, attached themselves to Thanatos.
“WHAT THE-" Romulus began to exclaim.
Standing, Thanatos' eyes were so dark, they left a void. Thanatos turned to his brother, "Do you fear me?”
Romulus shook his head. “Never.”
Thanatos smiled and extended his arm to his brother. "Romulus...separated they are strong…connected…”
Romulus's eyes widened. “They’re unstoppable.” Racing towards Thanatos, he grabbed his brother’s arm. His eyes the opposite of the reaper, burned bright into the God, “STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN!” Clenching his teeth, Romulus felt a surge of pure darkness pulled through him. “AHHHHH!” He pushed against it with all his might and poured pure light into his brother.
“FROM THE INSIDE OUT!” Thanatos instructed. The damned souls poured from Thanatos’ body, holding the power from Romulus. Flying through the God one by one, the injected both death and life into Hermes. His eyes bulged red, his skin blackened, and white light shone through the cracks. The God still held together by the pure life energy, but soon was to die by deaths.
“I WANT HIS FUCKING NECK!” Thanatos voice boomed, and immediately the souls wrapped themselves around Hermes' throat, pulling him to Thanatos. Reattaching themselves, to his body, Thanatos turned to his brother. He could feel the light Romulus poured through him, keeping him from losing himself as before. “Outside.”
Locked forearm to forearm, Romulus and Thanatos walked outside with Hermes, with Thanatos enlarged hand still wrapped around his throat. Derrick and Evie looked at them in shock, as the power coursed through both brothers. “DERRICK! CAN YOU SEAL IT?!” Thanatos shouted, pointing his head to the sky. The sorcerer shook his head and handed Adam to Evie who placed his face against her chest.
“You two keep your eyes close for me, okay?” She felt little nods in return.
Pushing himself past the comfort zone of his powers, Derrick's hands shook as he pulled purple lightning into them. Darkened clouds swirled in the sky forming what appeared to be a twister that would never come to Earth. Winds pulled around them, and Evie held the children tighter. Thanatos pulled Hermes' swollen frame inches to his face.
“Before you die, before your burst apart, and your blood stains the very floors the Gods stand on, I want you to deliver a message to Zeus. Tell him that he started this. The moment he threatened our children, he declared war on our family and we’re going to finish it. We’re going to seal the earth; we’re going to train them. And when they’re ready, we're going to show up to his front door and watch Kore and Adam slaughter every single one of the Gods. And I promise him as he lays dead on the floor, I'll make it my mission to personally bring his fucking head back to earth as a trophy…’SEND HIM FROM HERE!’”
The souls latched onto Hermes, pulling him into the air. Higher and higher they took him until he was beyond the clouds.
“SEAL IT!”
Shooting pure power into the sky, Derrick’s entire body, engulfed itself in purple lightening. The ray pulled the sky together until nothing beyond the clouds could reach the earth. Thanatos looked to the souls who waited for his instructions.
“You will NEVER control me. If you want this portal to remain you will respect me as your master.” Screeches of understanding flowed through the damned souls. “NOW RETURN!” Thanatos boomed, and they shot through the sky and the ground, until the light of the world, returned once more.
Romulus released Thanatos. “Are you alright?” He asked breathlessly.
Feeling the veins pull back to his chest, Thanatos’s eyes returned to their natural hue. “You save me,” He smiled.
“H-how did you know?”
Placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder he looked at him. “Hades said something I remembered. Life with Death, Life with Death…balances out the powers. Death seeping dark energy into life. Life turning it into pure energy and injecting it back into death. Both keeping the cycle going, both needed to keep the balance. You did the same thing that day with Jack and Rose. Your light Romulus, kept my darkness at bay.”