*The next day*
“How is he?”
Aphrodite bit the side of her nail. “Stable, but we need to get that arrow out of him and soon. We have to find Apollo.”
Evie looked down to the table and huffed under her breath.
“What’s on your mind Poppet?”
“How did Apollo know where to find us? Didn't Hades say this was protected land?”
“I-It is. She never lets anyone on her land, especially not men. The only way Apollo would have known we were here is if-”
“If Demeter told him where we were,” Evie said finishing his statement.
He blew steam from his nose, “She saw us coming and sent Apollo to us.”
Romulus clasped his hands in front of him and leaned forward. “We can’t tell Kore. If she finds out Demeter of all people is behind this…she’s going to lose it.” He looked around. “Where is Kore anyway? She still with Hades?”
Aphrodite shook her head no. “I thought she went out to gather wood with Adam.”
“No…Derrick went with him.”
Evie's eyes shot to her husband, and her face paled, “Oh no….”
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The flowers of Demeter’s garden shriveled under Kore’s feet as she walked up slowly behind the Goddess. “WHY?!” She screamed in anger, it growing as Demeter continue to prune her flowers.
“Why not?” She retorted and gave a small chuckle.
“You could have aimed for me! Why would you get him to attack Hades…”
Cutting a rose from the bush, Demeter turned to her and smiled. She inhaled the flower. “Because killing him, kills you KORE!” She seethed, “You don’t fucking deserve her name.” Kore's lip trembled in anger.
“Is that what this is about?! You’re upset because I’m Per-”
“YOU ARE NOT PERSEPHONE!” Demeter shrilled. Standing, her eyes glowed as she walked towards Kore. “You are a representation of everything that destroyed her. You are the very thing that led to her death.” She poked Kore, “He dazzled her with his sinful ways, and when that wasn’t enough, he took my daughter away from me.”
“And he let her go…and she returned.”
Demeter struck her hard against the face. “SHE WAS ALREADY TOO BLINDED BY THEN! DON’T YOU SPEAK ABOUT HER AS IF YOU KNOW HER!”
Kore breathed in deep, her anger mixed with hurt. “I-I just-tell me where I can find Apollo."
Demeter laughed harshly, “Beg and I might.” Kore shook her head no. “BEG FOR ME TO HELP YOU SAVE HIS LIFE OR HE DIES!” She pushed Kore hard to the ground and sneered, “I’m waiting child.”
Breathless, Kore rose to her knees. “Please help me.” Demeter kicked her hard in the face. The impact causing her to fall to her side.
“YOU’RE SO WEAK!” She kicked her again. “PERSEPHONE WASN’T WEAK!” Kore felt the Goddess’s foot collide with her stomach over and over again. “He couldn’t have possibly loved my daughter if he could compare you to her. You are nothing like her. She was grace and poise, and you’re just a pit of nothingness too lowly to be given your own soul.”
“Stop….” Kore's eyes teared and Demeter laughed louder.
“Whatever Hades does to you young girls, I have to give him props. You should just let him die honey! Save yourself the trouble of constantly being compared and not measuring up to my child.”
Kore grabbed her stomach and groaned, “I just need to know where Apollo is, and I’ll go.”
Demeter kicked her again, “What makes you think I want you to leave?” Leaning down she spoke icily to Kore. “I knew you would show up here. You’re predictable, you all are. You let your emotions cloud rational reasoning, and that’s why today you’re going to die alone here today.” Weakened from the blows, Kore felt her anger rise. “Ah ah ah, volcano, blow and you’ll kill your love along with all of us.”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t but you do…you wouldn’t have risked your life to try to save his if you didn’t.” Demeter dropped the rose on her bloody body. “Hermes should have left my child’s soul in peace and not put it in some worthless-AHHHHH!” She screamed as a dagger tore into her stomach. Bending over, she attempted to pull it out, but its blade deepened inside her flesh, its magic draining her.
“You have a lot to say for a woman with such a horrible green thumb.” Evie looked around and smirked, “Isn’t this like your job or something?”
“YOUR ABOMINATION DID THAT TO MY GARDEN YOU INGRATE!”
Breathing in deep Kore stood. Eyes marked with the death of the dead plants around her, she hugged her mother. “Thank you.”
“You’re my child. I’ll always come for you.”
Kore gather her strength and inhaled, taking a step towards Demeter she seethed, “You’re right…I may not be one of grace and poise…but-” Demeter looked in horror as her dead Thorn Acacias grabbed hold onto her legs and body. Holstering her from the ground, its spikes pulled blood from her as it wound tighter. “I am NOT an abomination-YOU ARE!”
Demeter screams echoed through the garden as the plant dropped her hard on the ground. Crawling to Kore's feet, she weakly looked up at her, “M-Make…them stop-”
Kore sneered, “Beg and I might.” The Thorn Acacias grabbed onto Demeter again, dragging her away, until her screams turned into a blood-filled gurgle and then finally silence.
Evie pulled her daughter in close. “Don’t you ever run off again do you hear me? WE. ARE IN. THIS. TOGETHER. Until the very end.”
Kore looked down to her feet. “I’m sorry…I just wanted to find Apollo.”
Evie sighed, “I know Kore, but let us all work together to do that…we just need to use our wits.” Kore’s body froze and Evie pulled her away. “What’s wrong?”
She smiled, “Mom…I know how to get Apollo to come us. But before we go-” Kore looked at the ground, and a fire slowly started. Kore and Evie waited and watched ensuring nothing remained of Demeter and then, mother and daughter left to lure a God to his own death.
-------------------------------------------------
Kore dropped Hades in the front of the path. His body writhed in pain, as it hit the ground. She laughed. “OH MY GOODNESS! WHY ARE YOU ALL SO WEAK!” Slapping fives with Adam, she bent down and flicked the arrow.
Hades breathed in sharply, “Stopp pleaseee.”
Kore’s cackle ripped through the air. “AND NOW YOU’RE BEGGING?! WHY IS THIS SO EASY?!” She turned to Adam.
“You know…I can't believe that he and Aphrodite fell for it.”
He grinned back at her, “Yeah, they even helped us slaughter a few, though Hestia had to be my favorite. The way she cried and begged as you tore her throat out.” Kore and Adam laughed louder.
She kicked Hades who grunted. “I should have fucking killed him when you killed Aphrodite.”
Adam rolled his eyes, “You’re too damn sensitive, I told you that.”
Kore pouted and looked down at her shoes. “I know…but I was kinda hoping for some fun poetic justice. He turned on them-he’s killed by them.” She placed her finger under her chin, “Maybe he and Ares can fight it out, at least then I’d finally meet an *actual* adversary. I’M TIRED OF THE WEAK-” An arrow landed directly in front of her feet.
“You have no idea how close you came to me killing you.” Apollo sneered.
Kore arched her brow, “Then why didn’t you?”
He shrugged, “Figured I’d give you what you want.” He smirked as he approached them. “So you killed Hestia huh?” He was trying his best to hide his emotions, but they were written all over his face.
Kore shook her head, “Nope, all Hades but I did watch in enjoyment…he said something about letting her join her *true* soul tie.” Anger immediately lined Apollo's face as he raised his bow again at Hades.
Adam nudged Kore. “I told you.”
“He told you what?”
She laughed. “Nothing-it’s just that-”
“SPIT IT OUT!”
“Well, when Artemis and I fought, we actually fought ya know? Adam made the comment that she was almost as strong as her brother and she said she was stronger. So Adam and I kinda had this bet. I said you would heal Hades and battle him to death fairly if I gave you a chance and Adam said you would cowardly wound him and then kill him because you were too afraid to fight fair. And seeing how you did technically perform a sneak attack...I figured I was wrong and should just let Ares kill him.”
Apollo blew steam from his nose and lowered his bow. “I’m way stronger than Artemis, smarter too. She didn’t even realize that I’d help her set up her own death.”
Kore's eyes widened, “You helped her put that together?”
He nodded, “I knew you all wouldn’t stay under, and eventually figure her out.”
Bending down, his hand glowed, as he tore the arrow from Hades. His wound slowly healed, and Apollo took a step back, preparing for their fight. Hades stood, and Kore's eyes quickly shot to the bow and arrows. Incinerating them, she tilted her head to Apollo and shook her head. Leaning over to Hades, she kissed him hard on the lips. He reached up and pulled the tie from her hair and replaced it in his. “We’re going to talk about you kicking me later.”
“Sorry,” she grumbled.
“WHAT IS THIS?!” Apollo seethed. His mouth dropped at the sight of Aphrodite. Hades cracked his neck and removed his shirt.
“Proof that you're an absolute dumbass.” He smiled as his fist collided hard with Apollo’s face.