Enchanted and Hexed: A HEX Oneshot Collection

||COLLAB WITH CRYSTAL_QUEER|| A Champion's Honor (angst with a happy ending)

HEX!! 

COLLAB!!

GO!!

Warnings for a lot of combat, blood, mentions of death, and overall just Hels not having a good time. Oh, and swearing!

WC: ~4,600

Enjoy!

Hels remembered a time when his life wasn't dull and monochrome. He couldn't have been older than fourteen, sparring with his brother Wels in the sunny garden of their family's home while their father looked on, absently giving advice to his sons every so often. He remembered the green grass, the brilliantly blue sky, and the smell of a fresh breeze in the air. They had only been kids then. They couldn't even imagine a reality where these sword-fighting skills would be anything more than a bit of fun, let alone necessary for survival.

But that had been so, so long ago. So old were the memories that now they only came back to Hels in dreams.

His world was gray now, the swords, the armor, the stone walls of the arena - all gray.

Except when there was a flash of red and the scent of blood.

That warm and coppery smell seemed to permeate everything he did now, even when the fight had long since ended. Not that there was ever ample time between them - no, when you were the champion of the Hels dimension it was your duty - your honor to fight each and every day.

And what was a knight without his honor? So, he did - each day attacking whatever or whoever was put before him and killing when the screaming crowds deemed it right that blood should stain the arena floors.

Every time he drove his blade down for the final strike Hels could see his brother's expression in his mind - the one he'd worn the last time he'd seen him, the one he'd worn when he'd told Hels what he already knew by that point.

'You've chosen to become this monster and you'll never be anything more.'

You were right, brother, he'd think every time.

And so he became numb to the screams, of pain and rabid joy alike - resigned to spend the rest of his life a monster whose only perception of the world was a lifeless monotone.

That was until Ex walked through - quite literally - the gates of hell that one fateful day.

"Did you see the new guy?" Badtimes had asked, coming up behind him. He was the only person who'd dare to just walk up to Hels and talk to him- they were 'friends' on a good day, and had gained some sort of mutual respect for one another.

"No," Hels replied simply, though his curiosity spiked at the words.

"His name is Ax or something," Badtimes continued. "At least, that's what True told me, and she heard it from Zedeath, who heard it from-"

"Whatever, gossip king," Hels snorted. Badtimes huffed.

"Void forgive me for informing you about the state of your dimension," Badtimes said indignantly. Hels rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but wince a little at those last words- the last thing he wanted was to call this hellhole his dimension.

"Why don't you talk to him?" Badtimes suggested. "Show him how we do things here. Although, come to think of it, he'll probably figure that out once he sees your fight today." Hels pressed his lips together.

"Sure," he said flatly. "I'll talk to him."

He considered going back on his words once Badtimes waved him off, but decided against it.