Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
N o one in the kitchen said a word for a moment. Atticus sank down into one of the kitchen chairs.
“Your mates will come back to you,” Zeus consoled, offering comfort as best he could for the moment.
Atticus nodded. “I know, I just worry about how being down there will affect them, especially Puff.”
“We'll all look after Puff and make sure he’s okay, and if he comes back traumatised Demi can help him like he did with the kidnapped children,” Baylan said looking at Demi.
Demi touched Atticus’s arm and gave him a gentle smile. “I will indeed and anyone else that needs my help.”
“I’ll be going now, there is more I can do, but not from here,” Zeus said.
“Do you need help?” Dask asked him.
Zeus shook his head. “No, stay here for the time being. Blake, if I’m not mistaken you have a car coming down the drive. I’ll let you get them settled. Be safe, everyone.” And with that Zeus vanished.
Kieran sniffed and wiped his face. Nancy, Maddy, and Tobin rushed over and hugged him. Forrest and Willow rushed to Demi's side and hugged him, much to his surprise.
“I think what we need is really unhealthy snacks and to watch some films,” Nancy suggested, glancing at Baylan.
“I think just this once we can let you off lessons,” Dask said before Baylan could say anything. “In fact, we can call this film studies.”
Tobin looked at Dask. “That’s sneaky.”
Dask grinned. “Whatever works. Come along, let’s go to the family room.” And with that, he ushered the children out of the kitchen.
Forrest and Willow stayed behind, still hugging Demi.
Just then Frederick walked into the kitchen. “Someone new has just arrived. I’ll go and talk to them.” He paused and looked round. “What’s wrong?”
“Ares is missing. Hades and some of the pack have gone to look for him in the underworld,” Blake explained.
“I’m guessing that’s the cliff notes version. Fill me in later after I’ve seen who has arrived,” Frederick said, without waiting for a reply.
Hades and the others appeared in what looked like a desert landscape - at least there was sand everywhere, boulders here and there, and a large stone structure in front of them. It was so high and long that you couldn’t see the top or the corners.
Hades looked at Tatum. “Where’s the entrance?”
“This way,” Tatum said, leading them further along the grey stone wall. All the stones seemed to be covered in different types of engravings.
After a few minutes, Tatum stopped and pointed. “The entrance is just here.”
Wynter squinted, looking hard. “I still don’t see the entrance.” All he saw was more engraved grey stones.
Tatum smiled at him and moved forward. “Watch and be amazed.” He then raised his hand and started pushing and turning stones in a strange manner. Finally, after about a minute, a section of the stone structure moved backwards and rolled away, opening the back door into Tartarus.
“I can’t believe there really is a backdoor. Silas and I searched for hours trying to find it,” Wynter said, shaking his head.
“So cool,” Puff said, looking at it in awe.
“We need weapons,” Hades announced and suddenly there were swords and crossbows in front of them. “Pick a weapon.”
Everyone stepped forward and took one or two. Puff picked up a sword and looked at it with a frown.
“The pointy end goes in your enemy,” Tatum joked, grinning at him.
Puff burst out laughing. “You’re going to fit right in with the pack, just think of all the fun we can have.”
“Suddenly, I’m scared,” Wynter said, looking from Tatum to Puff. “Are you scared, Saxon?”
“I think I am. Do we need to be?”
“That would be telling,” Tatum said, standing on his toes and kissing first Wynter’s cheek and then Saxon’s.
“I would be, Wynter, Saxon,” Hades said with a quick grin, before sobering. “Follow me, everyone,” he said, taking the lead, a sword in each hand.
“I have a question,” Puff suddenly voiced. “If where Ares is being held suppresses his powers, then what will it do to ours?”
“Unknown at the moment,” Hades answered. “It could just suppress god powers. We’ll soon see.”
“Should you not wait here then, my lord?” Wynter asked him.
Hades shook his head. “No, you need me with you.”
“Then we will protect you,” Saxon assured him.
Hades looked at them over his shoulder. “Thanks.”
They all walked inside. Just as the last person entered, the stone rolled back into place and the back door closed behind them, sealing them in and plunging them into semidarkness.
The inside of Tartarus was, at the moment, not very impressive. All that could be seen was a dark stone corridor that seemed to go on for miles. There were no doors or cells, nothing but a calm corridor with dull candlelight here and there.
“Don’t let this place fool you. It may seem calm and nondescript at the moment, but that can change in an instant. Every corridor can lead to unimaginable horror and pure terror.”
Puff moved closer to Mateo and made sure Jason was by their side. “Don’t either of you leave my side,” Puff told them, Bob close to the surface.
“Yeah, I’m not going anywhere,” Jason agreed. “I don’t fancy being caught alone somewhere down here.”
“I’m wondering if you should shift, Jason,” Mateo suggested.
Hades, obviously hearing Mateo, turned and looked at Jason. “That might not be a bad idea.”
Jason nodded, handed Mateo the crossbow he was carrying, and then quicker than he ever had before, he shifted into his light brown wolf.
“I know you’re a wolf now, but still stay close,” Puff told him.
Jason nodded and walked along beside them.
They had been walking down the long corridor for a few minutes when cell doors started appearing in the walls and corridors revealed themselves. Suddenly, out of nowhere, loud screams of terror could be heard and pleading voices calling out for help.
“Maggon?” Puff asked out loud, stopping by one of the cells when he recognised one of the voices and peered inside.
“No, your brother’s not here,” Hades said, turning to look at him. “This place will play tricks on you; don’t believe anything you hear or see.”
“Remember your brother is under guard with Lord Woodcot,” Mateo reminded him.
Puff felt Bob come forward. Listen to Hades and our guardian.
Will do , Puff said to him. “I remember,” he said, turning away from the doorway and grabbing Mateo’s hand, carried on walking.
“Puff, you traitor, you always were nothing, and you will always be nothing,” fake Maggon called out from behind them.
“You are not nothing,” Mateo declared to Puff, squeezing his hand. “You are King Puff McDuncan and King Bob of the dragons and all mythical creatures. You have a family, a pack, friends, Atticus and me. You are not nothing.”
Puff looked at him and grinned. “You forgot ‘totally awesome and a bit of a brat.’”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“I’ll remember and add that in next time,” Mateo told him.
As they were talking they walked along the passageway. More screaming could be heard, but no one stopped. As they passed entrances to different chambers, they dodged hands trying to grab them.
Wynter shook his head, those hands looked wrong – like rotting flesh wrong. “We’ve not seen much of this place and it’s already giving me the willies,” Wynter grumbled. “I’ve lived such a sheltered life.”
“Stick with us, we’ll unshelter you,” Saxon told his mate, grinning.
Hades smiled at him. “Rumour has it you were getting bored.”
Wynter nodded. “In heaven I was. Since I left, not so much.”
“Oh Tatum,” a voice called out pleasantly. “Stop for a moment and talk with me. I’m so lonely down here with no one to talk to.”
Tatum snorted. “Nice try, Uncle Drea, but not today.”
Saxon looked at Tatum as they carried on walking, Tatum ignoring the voice. “Was that really your uncle?”
“Yep,” Tatum replied. “He got a thousand years for robbery and attempted murder, although he said that was an accident.”
“Do you believe him?” Puff asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know. He’s not totally sane, so who knows.”
“I know,” Hades replied, looking at him. “It was an accident, he only meant to rough him up, but took it too far.” He stopped talking when he reached a stone door covered in more strange carvings and stood looking at it.
“Do you need me to open it for you?” Tatum asked gently, coming to stand next to him.
“No, I can do this one.” He looked at the group. “This will lead us down to the darkest of the dark chambers. Don’t trust anything you see or hear.”
“You mean like now?” Puff asked.
“No, this is nothing compared to what’s down there. What’s down there is the darkest of dark beings: humans, demons, anything of pure evil. Just remember, trust in each other and don’t go off alone.” And with that Hades touched several of the carvings and the door slid open.