Didn't plan on this, but apparently, I am doing something a little different tonight!

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Hades sat under a large willow tree, a glass of something that had to be alcoholic in one hand while the other slowly stirred whatever was in the small pot. He looked quite at home by the little campfire, despite sitting on the grass doing such a simple task. I'd never seen him this way.

"Hungry?" He asked.

"What am I walking into right now?"

"Dinner," Hades smirked. "This realm is somewhere beyond Earth. It runs on a different time system."

"What does that have to do with him bringing me here?" Hermes rolls his eyes at that but says nothing as he takes a seat opposite Hades.

"Nothing. I'm just hungry."

"And drunk?"

Now Hades smiled. "Absolutely. That's why I needed noodles, and they taste so good this way."

"I was expecting to find you near death or something just as dramatic," I admit, taking a seat with them.

"Disappointed? You forget who I am."

"Easy to do. It's been some time since you demonstrated your power." I taunt.

"Pot. Kettle. Black?" Hades shoots back.

Hermes laughs, instantly trying to hide it with a cough

"Eat your noodles, and tell me why I'm here."

"There's a rather large gathering of witches not far from here. They've constructed a protection ward over what looks to be a small village. Hermes got in, briefly, and some of our old friends the Berserkers found him very quickly." Hades explained as he scooped out three servings from the pot. "There is a portal in there, but because of whatever they're doing to hide, he can't see where the entrance is."

"So we're breaking down the ward?"

Hades smiled. "Think you can manage it?"

"I'll put you on different sides, I can sense some weakness near this portal and I think it might actually be fighting whatever they're doing to cloak it." Hermes tells me, slurping the noodles a second later. "It shouldn't take much to bring down."

"Are we worried about what is in there? Or who?"

"I didn't sense the Furies, if that's what you're asking. I think it was Loki's hideout. His presence is old, but there. Other Powers too, but they are lesser than what we would normally deal with." The air of superiority was something Hermes had perfected, but this was good news.

"Since when do you worry?" Hades smirked.

"I said, we. Hermes gets anxious in social situations."

"Yes, because you two don't know how to play well with others." Hermes snorted.

We eat in silence, and I'd never admit it but Hades had made some decent noodles. A bottle of whisky is passed around, and despite knowing what we're about to go and do, this is nice. All of my problems seem far away despite being just beyond the ridge; it's a type of peace I'm not used to having. The sky begins to darken and from the trees, a thousand little lights dance around the vines. All around, these tiny bright bugs appear and we all just sit and look out over the trees. Elise would love this.

"How is the girl?" Hades asks gently, as if sensing where my mind is at.

"Tired. I'm not sure how much more she can take." I admit, filling him in on Hecate's latest move and what happened with the Harpy.

"That one has always been a fighter and she's never had more of a reason to keep going than she does now. Neither have you, but she, well you know."

I did.

"He's right. She's worse than you in that regard. You've never pushed yourself to the point of actual death. Repeatedly." Hermes mumbles, causing Hades to reach out and slap the back of his head. "Ow! What? It's true."

"Are we having a picnic or shall we destroy the last of Loki and Co's legacy?" I get up, closing my eyes and feeling out into the darkness.

The darkness answers.

The magic is dangerous, strong and hums with a lifeforce all of its own that tells me these aren't ordinary witches and not all the powers here were as beneath us as Hermes assumed. It had been a long time since I was met with magic like this and as Hades puts a hand on my shoulder I sense his excitement. We might be in for a challenge after all.

"Now you know why I got him to bring you here, brother." Hades smirked, the malice in his eyes as he looked at Hermes enough to make even me flinch. "Though perhaps we could make a trade if she is in the mood to indulge us."

Hermes shivered, masking his fear well but not well enough. In all the years I'd known Hermes, not once did I ever feel this kind of pity for the man. I had thought he and Hades had been able to call a truce and move on, but this must have been too good an opportunity for Hades to ignore.

"Circe does not indulge herself with fools. Repeatedly." Hermes' paled and swallowed nervously. "We have nothing she'd be tempted to trade."

"True."

We move as one and near the wards, the energy from them is electric. I reach out just to feel it, impressed at what she has created. It would almost be a shame to destroy it.

"The shadows move, we do this quickly, and stop her from regenerating. It's always puzzled me how someone who is part nymph was gifted with such abilities." Hades mused, looking at the invisible barrier with as much appreciation as I was.

"Her worshippers fuel her ego. That is all any of this is." Hermes grunts, not as impressed.

"Careful Hermes, we may mistake you as a scorned lover." The teasing between Hades and Hermes continues as I start to walk around the perimeter.

Hades was right, we're not alone. More than once I catch sight of a figure moving around in the dark which means we were already running out of time for this strike to work. Circe, despite her lineage, had power. It was a mystery how and why our abilities manifested how they did, Elise was another example of that. A mortal and the daughter of an ocean nymph both holding enough power to challenge, and in Elise's case, to defeat, the strongest of us.

Not for the first time, I wished she was here. I had a feeling if she was, things could go differently. Better. I didn't know why, to even consider her being here was ridiculous. She didn't need more stress, or to put herself in yet another dangerous situation yet I couldn't ignore that niggle. The more I tried, the more frustrated I became and the non-stop banter beside me only began to irritate me now, rather than amuse.

"Can you two stop?" The order was clear; I wasn't asking. "Let's look around, and we'll get this over with."

"He started it." Hermes snapped, bold or stupid enough to glare at Hades who saw it.

"What's on the other side, is it like this?" I ask Hermes, pulling him away from Hades.

"Ocean."

"Of course it is." Why wouldn't the daughter of an ocean nymph keep her greatest ally close by.

A second later we were standing at the edge of a cliff. Ocean spray carried on the wind towards us and even with the light fading, there was no missing the white caps of the ocean below or the roar of the waves as they crashed into the rock with intent and anger. As if sensing we were there, it only got worse, a larger tide coming in from the darkness.

Circe knew we were here.

"So much for the surprise." Hades looked over the edge, whistling as he did. "Someone has a temper."

"You would too if you knew you were under attack." Hermes defended.

"We're just admiring the view. No one is being attacked." He shrugged.

"Yet." I added.

"I'm not one to disappoint, unlike our friend here." Hades slapped a hand, hard, onto Hermes' back so he stumbled forward until I grabbed the back of his shirt to stop him from falling over the edge. "Where do we need to be?"

"Now you want to hear what I have to say." Hermes huffed. "Cain, you go back where we just were, and Hades you can go near the portal. At least if that implodes, you'll be the one to take the force of it."

"What does that mean?" Hades' face went blank, his anger rising to the surface.

"Don't fuck it up and you won't have to find out." Hermes snapped. "I'm going to be in the middle, and we should create a bit of a triangle to help break this barrier."

"You're actually helping with this?" Hermes flinched as Hades growled at him.

"I will be ensuring the flow of your powers go where they are needed." Hades shook his head, and vanished a second later. "Asshole."

"You know you only brought it on yourself." I remind him.

"Just get into position. You'll know when to start."

I didn't get time to think about what that might mean, when a second later a bright spark seemed to skip down that invisible wall like stones across the water. Tiny fragments of lightning cracked through the air, highlighting what was previously invisible. Holding out my hands, I felt the electricity being drawn in; a sour, metallic taste on my tongue as my fingertips felt the heat and spark of the ward beneath them. Tapping into the connection, I felt Hades join up with me, and a lesser weight brushing over us which had to be Hermes as I closed my eyes and saw the protection barrier Circe must have spent weeks perfecting.

Not that it mattered as more power pulsed into it, a battle between Hades and I outweighing the one Circe was slipping away from. It felt like hot sandpaper, rough and brutal, desperate to keep burning despite how fast it was being extinguished. Shadows rushed towards me, and opening my eyes I saw each in my peripheral vision; before they vanished. We controlled the shield now, and each of her warriors guarding her territory were removed before they could even become a threat. Hades did the same, I felt our powers wipe away the last of Circe's and her people hidden out here.

I wouldn't deny I wasn't impressed with what she had been capable of creating. Team work had made destroying it easy, alone it may have been a little more of a challenge. Hades must be thinking the same as we regrouped further inland now we had access, and with a subtle raise of his eyebrows and a nod of his head, we moved on.

Hermes stayed behind us, which was fine and as we landed at the doors to the castle, it was like entering a smaller copy of the palace back home. The stone columns were lit up by small blue fires, the light they gave off making everything seem otherworldly as if we'd entered yet another realm within this one. The guards positioned by the door didn't move, didn't react, not even as I brushed a slip of my power by them. They kept their heads down under the dark hoods, the ones who opened the door for us much the same.

"Circe is not alone," Hades whispered as we entered the building. "They hide behind her as Hermes hides behind us."

"Good. It will save us from needing to come back." Our task ahead was simple and one we all understood. "The dead aren't a threat."

I caught a glimpse of something moving beside Hades, another crawling along at his feet and I had no doubt he had his minions covering every inch of this place. When the screams started ahead of us, that only confirmed it.

"One day you will show me how you do that."

"Unlikely, but keep asking. I enjoy hearing you sound as stupid as Hermes."

Hermes grunted behind us, and as I opened the doors in front of us to reveal the throne room, the guards were indeed fighting Hades creatures, and so were the Powers hiding in here. I didn't recognize many of them, Hypnos stood out amongst the fighting as she always would. Her pale skin and albino features had always ensured that, but her heart and mind were darker than perhaps even ours. Red covered her neck and chest, pooled around her and painted her hair. Two guards fell over her, meeting a similar fate as Hades' army took care of them for us.

Circe stood, looking remarkably fierce as anger renewed her strength that maintaining their defences had taken. Water nymphs sat among lions at her feet, their gowns shimmering like a calm ocean down the steps, seemingly bored and unaffected by the chaos around them. They leant on the animals as if they were cushions, curling their fingers through the auburn manes, and whispering into their ears. The beasts snarled and looked at us with as much venom as Circe who managed to stand on shaking legs to stare us down. Even now, facing death she refused to show any sign of weakness. The animals stood with her, the nymphs staying down as they lounged lazily beside deadly claws. One inspected her fingernails as none of this was of any importance to her, while one began to braid the hair of another.

Nymphs.

"Powers showing off their abilities. How impetuous." Circe called loudly, her voice full of anger. "Why would two Kings leave their kingdoms, to come here of all places? Are you expecting me to stroke your dicks and your egos as the ones before you? I'd rather die."

The lion's roar, the sound fierce and able to block out the sounds of fighting behind us.

"Those you have gathered within these walls, the outcasts, the banished. We seek to end the war before it can begin." Hades voice was deep and dangerous, the darkness he carried with him seeping into each word.

Circe hesitated, but I didn't think it was out of fear. I'd heard tales of this woman, not only of her beauty and abilities, but also of her wit and intelligence. It would be better to destroy her quickly than allow this linger on.

"As you wish." She announced, sitting down on her throne.

Hades looked at me, not sold on how quickly she dismissed what was happening here or how easily she had given in.

"We will kill them all." Hermes spoke up, finally stepping out from behind our shadows. "You know they will do it."

"Who am I to stop them? I tried, yet here they are." Circe shrugged. "Hermes, it's been so long. Still following orders in an attempt to find your self-worth and silence those loathsome thoughts in your mind, or have you finally worked out that being what we are, is not simply about power and how we wield it over those less fortunate than ourselves? Judging by your current company, and the toxic masculinity, that I have no idea how I was able to tolerate long enough to fuck you for all that time, I think not."

"I forgot how ugly that mouth of yours could be." Hermes huffed, glaring at her.

"Miss me, dearest?" Circe smiled, leaning forward ever so slightly so that he would be unable to avoid the slip of her breast as the fabric almost fell away from her chest if not for the necklace that sat heavy around her neck. "I bet you are still haunted by what this ugly mouth can do."

"Is this some kind of foreplay for them?" Hades whispered; the fighting behind us went quiet as his minions gained control. One order and it was over. "This isn't what I signed up for."

"In the same way Glaucus would rather bed a demon than be seen with you."

It wasn't what I signed up for either, but there was that feeling again. I was missing something, and it wasn't just Elise. She would have already worked it out, I was sure of it which did little to improve my mood.

"You too? Only the girl puts that look on your face." Hades scolded as he nudged my arm with his elbow. "Can you focus on what's happening here before these two decide to make our efforts pointless? I can't stand Hermes, but I'm not going to kill him. At least not on purpose."

Focus.

"Enough." I declare, not holding back as I allow powers to wash over all in the room. The lions stilled, the nymphs finally looked at us and now Circe showed fear. "Who else is involved?"

Circe swallowed a lump in her throat, slowly sitting back up as Hermes was forgotten. The Nymphs slid out of my way as I went up the stairs towards her; even the lions dropped to their bellies and bowed. Yet, despite her exhaustion, the way she tried to hide her shaking hands and stop her trembling lip, Circe met my gaze with defiance and rage.

"There are others. The Berserkers returned home with tales of the God Killer. The death of the Dark King, of Loki and Hercules. Eris. Some left once news of their defeat reached this world, to seek their own fortune or revenge as the stupid often do." She responded in a soft tone, one that did not match her fury or her fear. "How is the afterlife treating you?"

"Well." I smile, which makes her press further back into her chair. "I've never felt more alive."

I leaned down over her, giving her plenty of opportunity to strike if she wanted to, but she didn't so much as raise a finger, and I finally understood as I saw what I had been looking for. It had never been clearer, despite the way her eyes were glaring at me, her breathing had practically stopped and there was hesitation as Circe's brow wrinkled in concentration, trying to work out exactly what I was doing.

"If you expect to keep me as your pet, be sure I will make you wish you were dead until I gain my freedom. I am not scared to die, nor am I scared of you."

"Those here remain loyal to Loki and their cause?" Again, that hesitation. Her gaze left mine, looking beyond me where she could. There was a threat in here, many and this time when I spoke, it was for her only. "A prisoner in your own home. What a cruel fate."

"I'm a fucking survivor." She hissed through clenched teeth.

"You are, because no one in this room will be left alive once we leave." This seemed to please her as a flicker of smile appeared before she hid it back behind her scowl. I stood up, turning to Hades. "Kill them all."

There was a gush of wind, a gasp in the air and then nothing but the weight of the dead dropping to the ground. Hades looked around impressed with his handy work before his gaze landed on Circe.

"Did I forget one on purpose or are you planning on letting Hermes have a present and by that I mean, giving us all the gift of seeing him being put in his place until that ego of his is no more?"

"What do you know of the Furies?" I ask Circe, allowing the nymphs to flood her throne as they check her over. She shooed them all away, making them pout, but they soon found their places among the lions and settled down.

"Not enough." She answered, her hesitation still obvious. "What is happening here right now?"

"Tell us what you do know." I prompted. "How did you get mixed up in all of this, because I don't think it was by choice."

"My terrible taste in men." Circe rolled her eyes as they landed on Hermes. "Hercules was the first. He came from across the sea, and I've always been a sucker for a man with scars and a story. It was fun at first, but as always I tire of man and their ways. I was prepared to let him join my pride, but the bastard worked out I was planning on poisoning him instead, killing my most loyal kitty rather than joining him. Loki arrived soon after, then the rest. Eris was the worst, driving them to do more. She played them well, leaving both unaware of what she was doing exactly until I made a potion. But it was too late by then. Even immune to her powers, they weren't immune to her charms. It was pathetic really, but most men are."

"And you just sat by while all this happened?" Hermes asked, clearly not believing it.

"While group activities aren't something I shy away from," she winked at Hermes, making Hades groan. "They are a little out of my league. Besides, Eris never invited me along to the more private parties. I was kept in my quarters for the times she wasn't around for them to play with, at least until Loki was killed, the orders he'd enthralled my girls to obey ended and they were able to free me. The worst left, the ones that remained, I couldn't fight alone. Keeping my head above water has been hard enough, I wasn't going to drown and give them the satisfaction. Even if they wish to use me as the sacrificial lamb when the King of the Underworld and his sidekicks come to visit. Everything you see here isn't real. This throne is an altar I was left to bleed out on not rule from."

"So we saved you then?" Hermes took a step closer, earning a warning growl from the nearest lion.

"They saved me. Why are you here, moral support?"

"The Furies?" Hades cut in before Hermes could respond.

"Bad news. A bunch of those bitches over there were getting their panties wet over them. A reckoning. I am enjoying the talk of a new era, one where females rule and have control of things. I've been fucked one to many times by some asshole with a Power complex that thinks of me as weak and merely an object to lie beneath him. Let's see how you all like it." One of the lions yawned as if this bored him, making her smile. "I know you didn't Odysseus, but you did leave me like all the others."

The lion moves closer, letting her scratch under his chin which has him purring.

"Does she screw the lions?" Hades whispered, not so subtly.

"Regularly," Circe smirked. "But I do only enjoy the company of men and women in my bed, not animals. I can make a decent potion, whatever you like, if you ask nicely. My loves all talk too much to keep around long term, so this arrangement suits us all. I get peace, they get to be king of the jungle and occasionally get their human forms back to fuck. Do you want to join them, Hermes? I'll let you watch next time your friend-"

"Can we stick to one topic at a time?" I sigh, feeling a headache coming on. "We were told there is an army here, Loki's, that the Furies were inheriting. What do you know about that?"

"I know you just killed most of it, at least the ones that were still here. Maybe you should have kept at least one alive? Oh, what was that shapeshifter's name?" She wondered.

"Nemesis." A nymph answered.

"Yes. Her. She seemed eager to make a name for herself, after Hypnos, she seemed to be the leader only she left a month ago, maybe a couple of weeks. She hasn't returned. Three others went with her, two men and they had a woman from the North lands with them. They'd been searching the realms for Loki so were quite disappointed when I told them the news. Apparently Frigg is Queen there now. They didn't like that."

"We think the Furies may be coming here." Hermes shared, and I watched Circe closely for a reaction.

She focused on the lion's chin, before letting it lick her hand. Circe's jaw clenched, as her forehead wrinkled slightly.

"Take me with you." She said a second later. "If they are, they will come expecting allies and I do not want to be subjected to their revenge once they see what remains of them. I'm an asset. I can tell you who is on their side. I have a wonderful memory."

I looked at Hades, and I could tell he hadn't been expecting this outcome, then again neither had I. As if reading our minds, Hermes spun around, grabbing both of our arms as we're dragged a little further away.

"You are both out of your mind to consider this. She'll have poison in your drinks within hours of coming back with us, and you know what happens once you're turned into pigs don't you?"

"I thought you'd be all for it. How long has it been since you were last with a woman?"

"Not long enough for me to consider her." Hermes wrinkled his face up. "You know the lions always watch?"

"Sounds like your kind of kink." Hades shrugged.

"We need to decide." I point out. Hermes suddenly stops, and then he's gone. "Where did he-"

"Too late. They're here." He appeared a second later, looking terrified. "They're not alone either. I counted at least six others, and I think more may be coming."

"Can we fight?" I wanted to say yes as Hades looked ready to do just that, but I wasn't sure. "If we don't get them now, we could at least hurt them."

"We can try. If not the Furies direct, we can take out their friends. Even one less is better than none." I decide.

Hades smiled while Hermes groaned. "This is a bad, bad idea. You two are as reckless as she is!"

Yet there was a hint of fondness there I didn't miss.

"I'm not reckless!" Circe roared behind us.

I'd almost forgotten she was even here, but apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed how he had talked about Elise.

"Not you. The Empress!" Hermes snapped back at her.

"Who the fuck is that?" Circe demanded. "Hermes!"

"Can you fight with us?" Hades asked her.

"No, I'd barely stop Hermes right now." She huffed, glaring at him.

"Hermes, stay with her. Try not to kill or fuck each other while we're gone. If shit gets bad, go." Hades ordered. "Ready?"

"Try and keep up. This isn't the Underworld, old man. Your crown won't save you now." I rolled my neck before slapping Hades on the back - hard.

"Bastard." He snarled.

And then we're gone.