Son of Fire

Chapter Sixty Three.

As the cottage is filled with a bright pink light, Josh had already chucked the unconscious body onto a nearby table and forced his fist into the man's face causing him to shoot awake. His eyes dart around.

"You..." He growls and Josh rolls his eyes and rips his mask off and holds it up, a flame engulfing it as it melts in his hand.

"Yes. Me." Josh scowls as he forces his fist into his face again, blood splattering out of his mouth. Josh takes a step back.

"Hold him against the wall" Josh tells Audrey and she nods, twirling the staff and pieces of wood fly and grab the minions wrists and fling him against a wall. He struggles against them but to no avail. The wood had seemingly moulded into the wall.

"Hades, you wanted first crack?" Josh says and he nods tightly as he walks forward, reaching into his coat and pulling out a serrated dagger.

"Now. This can go very quickly for you. If you tell us what we want to know" He threatens, taking slowly steps towards the minion.

"I will never betray our King!" He spits and Hades smirks. His eyes full of rage.

"Oh I was hoping you'd say that" He said as he took another step. He holds up the dagger and gently pulls it across his face. "You know, I do wonder what your threshold for pain is. I do guess you were taught to withstand a good amount of pain. Withstand it till you pass out." He states as he turns around, pulling out his ember then smirking. "But I can keep you awake" He says as he spins back around and the ember erupts with energy, vines of blue lights attach themselves to the minion. His dark brown eyes widen as he felt the magic surge through him. "A simple curse. One I've used once or twice in situations like this. So let's ask again. Where is your invasion force" Hades asks slowly, his voice had a clam rage to it.

"You might aswell kill me" He spits.

"That will come soon enough" Hades states as he plunges the blade into his shoulder, a pain filled scream escapes from him as his body jolts around, but he couldn't get loose. Hades seemingly feeds of his pain as his hair ignites brightly as a smile forms on his face.abd slowly, he twists the blade. Blood seeps from the wound and cascades down his chest. The blood soaked the leather chestpiece, giving it a dark red colouration to it.

"You... Bastard. You'll not get anything from me" He says through gritted teeth. Hades chuckles as he yanls the blade out, blood erupting from the wound and hitting him on the face.

"That's just a starting point" Hades comments as he places the knife on a nearby table. Then his hand shoots forward, straight into the wound. Another scream follows. Everyone's eyes widen in surprise. They hadn't expected that.

"Oh, so much to play with here. Muscles. I wonder what would happen if I just applied some pressure" Hades says and yet another scream blasts from the minions mouth, his body spasming but Hades grip doesn't slip. His veins Bulge against his skin as the screams grow louder and filled with more pain. Then Hades hands comes out, and strands of muscle covered in blood was gripped tightly in his hands.

"Anyone else want a go?" Hades smirks as he chucks the muscle onto the table and wipes his hand on the minions clothes before stepping back. Josh's eyes flicker to the wound and smirks.

"I can get him to talk" He says as he marches forwards, his fist engulfed with fire as he forces his hand into the wound, and his eyes almost pop from his eyes. He couldn't even scream anymore. It was too much energy. Blood filled sweat covered his face as his head falls to face Josh, whose eyes were almost black. Like when he was under the curse. His anger was unparalleled.

"Can you feel it? The fire surging through your body. Your veins burning up. I can stop. We can stop all this. All you have to do, is tell us where the army is based." Josh demands.

"I... I... Can't.... Too much..." The minion gasps.

"Your loyalty isn't going to mean anything. We can go at this for days. When you tell us what we want to know. Your misery will end." Josh tells him.

"The... Kingdom..." He mutters through breaths. Josh looks at the others who nearly jumped at the sight of his eyes. Mal's hands subtly tensing up ready to fire.

"Your eyes" Audrey gasps.

"What?" Josh questions.

"They're black. Like when you were under the curse." Mal explains.

"Anger... Rage..." The minion says, his voice low, full of defeat. "The power" He adds.

"That makes sense. Your powers are influenced by your emotion." Hades nods.

"Whatever. One more thing and we will let you die." Josh says as he pulls his hand out of the wound, the flames evaporating the blood from his hand. "Where is the Kingdom?" Josh asks.

"South... Of Regan...tara... Two hundred miles." He tells him and Josh turns to face Audrey, orange now burning through the black void in his eyes.

"Does that track?" Josh asks Audrey.

"Theres a series of islands south of Regantara where he mentions. Three to be precise. We have never had the power to explore there though." Audrey confirms and Josh nods, his hand grabbing the minions neck, melting through the skin as his body jolts around, trying to escape Josh's grasp but to no avail. The smell of burning flesh filled the cottage as the body flops down, but still held up by the restraints. But the head was still in Josh's grasp.

"That... That was something" Audrey gulps as she looks at the now bloodstained oak floor.

"It needed to be done" Josh states as his eyes returned back to the bright orange colour and the flames around his fist dissipate.

"I know, just doesn't make seeing it any better" Audrey sighs. She opened her arms, and Josh walks over and embraces her. Her head resting against his chest. Mal leans on her hands side and he wraps his arm around her.

"This war is going to change us." Mal sighs.

"War is a different world. We need to adapt if we are going to survive" Hades states. "I've seen War. Those who are unprepared won't survive. We will look like monsters to some, but if that's what we must become to protect our home. So be it" He states and Mal looks up at her dad with admiration.

"I love you, dad." She says softly, and it seems to catch him off guard.

"Oh... Well, I suppose I... You know" He stutters. Then he coughs and looks down at Mal, brushing a stray hair aside and smiles warmly at her. "I love you too" He states.

So, pretty damn dark chapter. Is it bad I enjoyed writing it? God I love writing the Dragon War! It's so fun. And we got some bonding amongst the four. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter!