He told her everything—how he beat Hers to the ground, his eting with Hercules, how he declared war on Olympus.
She wasn’t upset about what he did—rather, she was proud. They both broke into laughter, while making fun of the gods. They were the very definition of the perfect phrase—like mother, like son.
She had once defied the will of the gods. Walked away from Olympus. Chose the Underworld—not because she had to, but because she wanted to.
And now... Kael had done the sa.
But in the end, he found himself back in a place not so different from where his first life began.
He once left a place called Hell. He thought he could outrun what was forced upon him—the responsibility, the weight. He thought distance would make it easier to carry. But it didn’t. And in the end, he was cursed by the god, and now he’s right back where he started it.
But in the end, he was forced to co back.
Not as a duty.
But because it was his.
Because it was the only way... to save her.
Because no matter how far he ran, no matter how hard he tried to carve out a different path... this place was his.
His past.
His burden.
His kingdom.
This wasn’t just where Kael ended up. It was where he was always ant to be.
Her eyes shimred.
Not just with joy, but sothing more explosive, sothing deep, ancient, and fierce.
Like she was holding back centuries of pride, and this... this was her proudest mont.
Then she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug—tight. Bone-crushing tight.
CRACK
He swore he felt a rib crack as she lifted off the ground, arms locked around him like a vice.
"Mother—" he managed, voice strained against her shoulder, "I can’t breathe."
He never knew how strong his mother was.
She was a monster.
She hugged him even tighter... then started swinging him around like he was weightless.
"Aww," she said, her voice warm, threaded with sothing almost proud.
A little too excited, even—like she’d been waiting for this mont a long ti.
"Does this an you’re finally taking over the Underworld?"
She let out a laugh—sharp and sudden, like the sound had been waiting to escape her for centuries. Then hugged him even tighter, just to prove a point.
Kael groaned, but he was happy to see his mother smiling again—for the first ti since his father passed.
"Gods, you are a monster."
"You turned out strong, didn’t you?" she said, smiling down at him.
"You’ve got a point," he grunted. "Now let go—we’ve got work to do."
She paused, holding him just a little longer—like she’d forgotten how long it had been since she last did that.
"Fine. But only because you said it nicely."
She finally let go, but not before punishing his cheeks like he was a child—but it was mixed with affection, warning.
Then she turned to Liz, eyes steady with sothing unspoken, and Liz tensed up without aning to, because deep down, she knew what was coming. But she shut her eyes and let it happen. It’s not like you say no to a goddess.
But Persephone just smiled and pulled her into a hug. Gentle. The kind that said welco without needing words.
Kael watched them but didn’t let himself get pulled in. As much as he liked seeing them like this—smiling, laughing, letting that rare warmth fill the room—he hadn’t co here to feel better.
It wasn’t why he ca.
So he stepped in. His tone shifted, lower now. More grounded.
"Mother..." he said, voice quiet but firm.
"Can I talk to you in private?"
His voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough that his mother understood it was sothing important.
He and Persephone walked into another room.
There, behind closed doors, he told her everything he rembered.
Everything the old man had shown him.
He told her about the tilines. How each one was different, with a different version of him. But no matter what life he lived, it always ended the sa.
Then he told her the part that hurt the most.
How he and Liz had died—again and again.
Killed by the sa person.
His old friend.
Both Liz and he are cursed to et. To fall in love. And in the end... she always watched him die.
And every ti, she would also die next to him.
He shook his head.
"Does she know?" she asked.
"Kinda. But she had a dream about it. Which is the start."
He lowered his gaze, then flicked back up, feeling sowhat uncertain.
"I think she’s started to suspect sothing," he said. "But maybe it just takes one more push."
He paused. He bit down hard, holding the words back.
"And honestly... I hope that push never cos."
He exhaled through gritted teeth, slow and quiet. He tried to calm himself down, but it didn’t help. Not even a little.
"When I rembered it..."
His voice dropped, like he was trying to hold sothing down.
"I felt all the pain at once. Every version of ... all at once."
He clutched his fingers at his side, squeezing them tightly, like he was trying to hold sothing in. But even thinking about it made his chest throb—sharp, like the pain had made a ho there.
"I think the worst pain..." he said, barely above a whisper. His eyes didn’t focus on anything.
"It wasn’t dying. It was watching her die. Over and over again."
He gripped his chest tight, like he was trying to pull the pain out. But nothing.
"The pain of watching her die... while I lay there, completely useless."
She pulled him into a hug, tighter than before. Like she could squeeze the mory out of him. But it was the kind of pain that he didn’t want to forget—because that’s what drives him to beco strong.
He didn’t resist, though. He let her hold him. It was nice, warm, comforting.
Then, quietly, he spoke.
"Don’t worry, Mother."
A small, sowhat bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"This ti will be different. I’ve got ti now. I’ll be ready."
She pulled back just enough to look at him. Her expression softened, brows drawn together.
"Then tell how I can help."
He let out a short breath, a mix between a laugh and a sigh.
"You?" He smirked, trying to brighten the mood.
"Just sit on the throne, look terrifyingly beautiful, and let do the dirty work."
She gasped, placing a hand over her heart, while getting teary-eyed.
"Oh! I never thought I’d live to see the day you’d take over the throne..."
She sniffled dramatically, dabbing at her eyes like a theater queen.
Kael rolled his eyes with a smile. "Gods... you’re worse than the Fates."
They both started laughing.
"You know, Liz," Kael called out, a grin on his face, "you can’t hear much through the door. Just co in."
The door creaked open.
Liz stepped through the door, slow and quiet. She had her head low. She didn’t say anything. She just stood there looking guilty, like soone who knew they’d been caught.
Kael smirked. "Since you’re here... ti for Plan A."
Without missing a beat, he turned and walked out of the room. He pulled her close.
They stood together by the balcony, the sky above them red mixed with black. Liz glanced at Kael—and when their eyes t, she smiled, just a little.
He looked at her. "We’ve got so work to do today," he muttered.
She looked at him. Her eyes didn’t quite et his, and her voice ca out low.
"They’re coming for ... aren’t they?"
There was guilt there, even if she didn’t na it.
Kael didn’t answer right away. He exhaled through his nose, slow, as if the weight of it didn’t surprise him.
"Ahh, so you heard it."
A faint smirk played at the corner of his mouth—but there was no humor in it.
"Well... not you," he said, lifting his hand. "But this."
He pulled out the ring—the useless one the demon king gave him—and let it hang from his fingers. Heavy. Cold. A useless ring.
"What is it?" she asked, while sharpening her gaze, the suspicion in her voice no longer hiding.
Kael stared at the ring for a long second, trying to co up with a story. Deep down, he knew this ring was useless. Then it hit him.
"It completes the ritual," he muttered. "They need this... and ."
He paused. He is horrible at lying, especially to her.
"That’s why Aria gave this—just before leaving. Just in case she got captured."
He bit down hard, trying to make the story convincing, since he heard the story about how they were looking for Aria.
"They won’t be able to get the ring."
He looked up at her, eyes cold. Trying to sound as serious as he could.
"Since we were with her... they’ll co for it here."
She looked at him like he was making it up.
And she was right—he was.
But he didn’t flinch. He didn’t need her to believe him fully. Just enough...
Enough so she wouldn’t start asking the wrong questions.
"But it also needs the blood of a powerful god," he said, flashing a smile—one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
"Which is ." He smiled while pointing at himself. "I an, it doesn’t have to be , but they want revenge for us ruining their plan and killing their people."
He let the mont stretch, then leaned in slightly and pinched her nose.
"But to get to ... they will co for you, maybe."
His voice dropped, low and calm.
"But the chances they’re coming for you... is very high."
"What does it do?"
Her suspicion sharpened, voice cutting in with growing intensity.
"Aria didn’t say much..." he said quickly, eyes flicking away for a second.
"Except—they’ll beco gods."
In his mind, he begged her to believe him.
Even put emotion into it—forced just enough weight into his voice to make it feel real.
She stared at him, hard. That look again.
The one she always gave him when she knew he was lying.
Angry. Focused. Quiet.
She knew.
She always knew.
But maybe—just this once—she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Maybe she saw how distressed he was.
So instead of calling him out... she pushed it away.
Let him lie.
For now.
Kael stood still, his eyes locked on her. He held her hands. He realized he had to break this curse—he was going to make sure she lives.
Even if that ans he doesn’t.
He took out the ring he gave her before and started to chant:
"She is the light, and I am the dark.
She is the sun that warms my mark.
Without her, I feel lost—no path, no sound,
Just endless dusk, no solid ground.
She is the chain that keeps bound.
Break her... and I am set free.
But what walks then—will not be .
Yet now, we share one beating heart.
No god, no blade, can pull us apart.
By shadow’s vow, by fire’s fla—
She lives as mine, in soul and na."
Slowly, the shadows began to bind them together. Her body shimred faintly. Nothing too dramatic—just enough to notice. Her red hair now carried streaks of black, like an eclipse had touched it.
And now, she was bound.
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