Here And After.

Battle in the Red Sand.

Let the fight begin...

Nico.

I held my sword tight, black smoke rising from the blade I listened for this monsters approach and the fog felt heavy.

Festus was ready, to protect Leo, Leo looked fearful yet stood tall beside me.

Thundering foot falls were drawing near and then silence.

It was here.

Without warning a tail crashed Festus across the red sand.

"No!" Leo cried but I leaped to him pushing him down as the large tail came around again.

"Leo get to Festus now!"
I cried, Leo scrambled through the sand to Festus.

I turned and saw what we faced.

A large form of a woman, covered with animal heads and snake like scales.
Her hair was snakes and her fangs dripped venom.

It was the jailoress of Tartarus.
Kampé.

"At last" she hissed, "I will feast on you" she was watching Leo, my blood turned to ice.

My resolve would not be broken.

"Hear me souls of the dead!" I cried, black smoke emanating from me.

Spirits appeared only a few dozen but it would be enough... just a small diversion.

"Protect your king!"
The spirits obeyed possessing the bones the scatted the sand into a mesh of forms.

"Go!" I yelled.
They flew at Kampè ripping and tearing it wouldn't do much only to slow her down.

I ran to Leo, Festus standing he was alright.
"Leo can he fly?" Leo nodded, "Then get air born" Leo nodded.
He mounted Festus and reached his hand out for me.

I sighed, I didn't want to do this but...
"I love you. Never forget about us" Leo started to panic "Nico-" but I didn't give him a chance.

"Festus, activate emergency flight sequence."
I cried tears taking my face.

"NO!" Leo roared, but he could do nothing as Festus lurched and shot straight into the sky.

My heart went with him.

My thoughts were shaken by Kampè crushing the last of the spirits.
She turned herself to me, hissing and thrashing the red sand.

"Let's do this." I whispered raising my blade.

I lept to her slicing as flew, causing small incisions the pour with acid green blood.
She clawed her large talons for me but I dodged rolling in the blood sand.

My hand flew in instinct and black smoke flew from my fingertips I aimed at her thick scaly leg, pulling within as much power I could muster.
Within seconds it decayed and crumbled green blood burning through the sand.

She tumbled onto her side but she still fought with pure rage.
I lept over her body and sliced her side through the air.
Landing on my knees I looked up and wasn't fast enough, I felt her claw gaze my back I tumbled forward gasping in pain but I would endure.

For Leo.
I ran forward and ran my sword into her eye with all my might.

She screamed as blood pooled from her face and she smashed her tail into me.

Flying thought the air I felt ribs break and waiting to impact the ground.
Yet Kampè caught me.
She held me tightly in her claws I struggled pathetically.

"Son of Death"
She hissed.
"You cannot beat me, no mortal ever has. I shall feast on you and then hunt down the Son of Fire."
Her eyes attempted to hold me in a web of fear.

But I did not fear nothing now.

"I wonder Kampè... snake of Tatarus" I whispered as Kampè crushed me harder, my blood soaked her claw, air leaving my lungs.

I closed my eyes.
Feeling the darkness soak through me like mud in water.

"How many... centuries it will take for you to crawl back out of death?"

Kampè hissed.

And then.

I let the Darkness free.

My eyes shot open, empty and hollow as tendrels of black thick smoke burst from me.
The tendrils swamped slowly over Kampè and she and her body decay in a burning darkness.

Her claw became black and cracked then burned with pure dark ash and I fell into the sand.
Still the Darkness burned her she tried to get to me, to take me with her.

But the Darkness took her whole burning and decay sending her thousands of years into death centuries of decay to end her til nothing remained but green smoking ask upon the red sand.

I tried to stand, to close off the Darkness.
But it was as Will Solace warned me years before.

If I  let in the Darkness... would take me.

My hands became cracked and black like broken stone.
This would be it.

"I will end you Di Angelo!"
Khione.

She gripped my shirt and tossed me, I crashed into the sand right by the chains of godly gold.

Khione stepped to me a flurry of anger like an avalanche aimed straight for me.

"I will soaked your blood across Olympus!" She cried in pure rage.

She gripped my throat and squeezed air left me and I could not stop her...

"You will die wasteful and alone. I will kill Leo so he can join you in torment within the earth!"
The chains rattled by my hands and I welled up my energy.

Within a second I twisted my body and grabbed the godly chains and clasped them on her wrists.

"What-No!" Khione cried in fear.
Those chains could not be broken and were known to hold anything unless released... even a god.

I crumpled to the floor, the red sand smelling rich of blood.

Khione struggled effortlessly to remove the chains but nothing.
They held back magic in those chains Khione was mortal.

My mind was slowing.
Yet as I watched Khione  thrash and scream.

Spirits of three young girls appeared around me.

Son of Hades we are the ladies of Oygiga.

I did not move nor react.
My body was fading.

You have released us from Khione's grasp and for that we are grateful.

I tried to smile but I could not.

We shall take her to your father and she'll be dealt with.

I tried to thank them but I could not.

He comes back for you child, wait for him.

She meant Leo.

I watched motionless as the spirits grabbed hold of Khione and they faded, Khione still screaming in disdain her eyes never leaving mine.

I was alone.

The wind howled.
My eyes closed slowly, my body burned and my life ebbed away.
The Darkness finally taking me.

I'm sorry Leo, I can't hold on for you.

...