[color=84a5aa][sup][h1]
[center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6f/46/64/6f46646b186e386b65a582b85964bb50.gif[/img][/center]
[b][center][color=black] 𝐦 𝐞 𝐫 𝐜 𝐲[/color]
[color=84a5aa]𝐦 𝐞 𝐫 𝐜 𝐲[/color][/center][/b][/h1][/sup]
[sup]𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘣 [right]𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: [color=a4ac92]𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦[/color] [@Aewin], [color=0054a6]𝘏𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴[/color] [@sly13] & [color=295751]𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘪[/color] [@KZOMBI3][/right][/sup]
[center][color=#A4AC92]▅[/color][color=#9EA992]▅[/color][color=#99A693]▅[/color][color=#94A393]▅[/color][color=#8EA094]▅[/color][color=#899D95]▅[/color][color=#849A95]▅[/color][color=#7E9896]▅[/color][color=#799597]▅[/color][color=#749297]▅[/color][color=#6F8F98]▅[/color][color=#698C99]▅[/color][color=#648999]▅[/color][color=#5F879A]▅[/color][color=#59849B]▅[/color][color=#54819B]▅[/color][color=#4F7E9C]▅[/color][color=#4A7B9C]▅[/color][color=#44789D]▅[/color][color=#3F769E]▅[/color][color=#3A739E]▅[/color][color=#34709F]▅[/color][color=#2F6DA0]▅[/color][color=#2A6AA0]▅[/color][color=#2567A1]▅[/color][color=#1F65A2]▅[/color][color=#1A62A2]▅[/color][color=#155FA3]▅[/color][color=#0F5CA4]▅[/color][color=#0A59A4]▅[/color][color=#0556A5]▅[/color][color=#0053A6]▅[/color][color=#0154A3]▅[/color][color=#0254A0]▅[/color][color=#03549D]▅[/color][color=#05549B]▅[/color][color=#065498]▅[/color][color=#075495]▅[/color][color=#095492]▅[/color][color=#0A5490]▅[/color][color=#0B548D]▅[/color][color=#0D548A]▅[/color][color=#0E5587]▅[/color][color=#0F5585]▅[/color][color=#115582]▅[/color][color=#12557F]▅[/color][color=#13557C]▅[/color][color=#15557A]▅[/color][color=#165577]▅[/color][color=#175574]▅[/color][color=#195571]▅[/color][color=#1A556F]▅[/color][color=#1B566C]▅[/color][color=#1D5669]▅[/color][color=#1E5666]▅[/color][color=#1F5664]▅[/color][color=#215661]▅[/color][color=#22565E]▅[/color][color=#23565B]▅[/color][color=#255659]▅[/color][color=#265656]▅[/color][color=#275653]▅[/color][color=#285651]▅[/color][/center]

[indent]Blood.

Divine blood.

It stained the bottom of Persephone’s shoes a deep red, the glass crunching beneath her feet as she tread closer to the scene. Dread filled her stomach, [i]something[/i] telling her not to see. Not to explore further into the room, but her feet moved before her mind did. 

The mangled bodies of her children met her eyes, punishing her for her curiosity. Her first words were inaudible, and frankly Persephone was barely in control of herself in the first place. She fell to her knees beside her children, one shaky hand touching Macaria’s cold face while the other reached for Zagreus’ hand. Neither moved beneath her. There was no life in them.

A sinking pain enveloped her heart, numbing the sharp dig of glass shards into the Goddess’s legs. [color=a4ac92]“[abbr=My flowers][i]Λουλούδι μου[/i][/abbr], please, wake up. Hades, why are they lying here? Why? [i]Why?[/i]”[/color]

The world around Hades seemed to fade away into nothingness until all he could see was his wife's crouching figure and the lifeless bodies of his two children.  The whispers and the murmurs no longer could be heard by the god as they were replaced with the sounds of his own heart beating.  As he stared at the body of his lifeless son for the second time in his long life Hades felt truly powerless for the first time in his long existence.  As the feeling of hopelessness began to set in, Hades noticed his wife had asked him the simplest of questions and he felt his spirit destroyed once again.  

Hades felt his knees give as he grabbed his wife and embraced her as tightly as he could not caring about the shards of glass digging deep into his flesh.  [color=0054a6]“I'm so sorry, Persephone.  I'm so sorry.”[/color]  Hades did his best to console her as he slowly whispered the apology to his wife.

Persephone clung onto Hades like a lifeline, but it couldn’t wipe the blood that burned her palms - the blood of her, their [i]children[/i]. Zagreus, who they had only just gotten back before the fall and Macaria who still was growing into a strong woman in her own right. No more would Persephone get to use mortal technology to contact them, if only to hear their voices after a bad day. Their family of five was now a family of three and Persephone wasn’t sure if they would be lucky to get their children back a second time. [color=a4ac92]“I’ll… I’ll kill them! I’ll kill them [i]all[/i]. Somebody harmed [i]our[/i] children”[/color] She hoarsely promised into Hades’ shoulder. [color=a4ac92]“We’ll get them back. They’re waiting for us at the gates, we’ll get them back.”[/color]

After having rounded up the mortals and assured them that the situation was nothing other than a murder mystery luncheon - of which they believed quite easily - Hati returned to the main area where the commotion had taken off. There were some missing pieces of this game, having slipped out from under the brilliant detective's nose, to which he scowled.

Eyes darting around the room they landed on the grieving parents kneeled down beside the bodies. As quick as the wind, and just as graceful, he was beside them gently laying a hand to Hades’ well tailored suit, motioning for the pair of them to stand. It was a tricky thing for the white wolf to be so careful, trepidation wasn’t a strong look on him and he worried what the outcome of being so close to the Greeks would be. Yet, here he was, biting his tongue from spilling too much information to upset them further and end his life this day as well.

[color=295751]“Come, we must get you out of here,”[/COLOR] His voice was low and soft, a whisper to anyone else listening in, [color=295751]“There is nothing more for you to do here. Don’t let your wife suffer more with this sight…”[/COLOR] If he couldn’t pull them away with physical strength he would pull via the heartstrings. No one, parent or child, should have to sit among their dead like this. 

As Persephone sobbed and threatened the world many times over, Hades just held her tighter as he tried to comfort her.  [color=0054a6] “I promise I'll find them and when I do they will wish Tartarus was their destination.” [/color]  Hades could  barely contain his anger and his sorrow within him but did his best if only for his wifes sake.  

As he was attempting to comfort his wife Hades felt hand on his shoulder causing his head to whip around.  His eyes glared at the poor soul who dared to touch him at a time like this.  As the lord of the dead stared at the intruder he nodded at his words agreeing with the norse god before turning to his wife.  “We need to leave honey.”  he whispered to her as he lifted her from the ground and began carrying her away from the scene.  [color=0054a6] [i] ‘Charon, if you're still down there, please guide our children across the river.’ [/i]  [/color] 

The presence of Hati was no comfort. Persephone was ready to wrap her hands around the young God’s throat for daring to take her from her children but Hades’ firm arms around her body kept her grounded in their reality. What good would it do harming Hati when he was likely one of the few that they could rely on? [color=a4ac92]“What of Melinoë, Hati? Where is my daughter?”[/color] Panic started ebbing up her throat as her thoughts grew uncontrolled.

When she rounded on him Hati feared more for his life than with Hades. A mother's wrath is nothing compared to a father's. Scanning the room around them once more he noticed that Melinoë had long since been pulled away, a blessing in disguise. Steeling himself the Norse wolf turned to her with a small smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes, [color=295751]"Phobos and Apollo have pulled her away. Most likely taking her back to the Acropolis."[/color] Extending his hand to the Queen of the Underworld he motioned with his head once more towards the door. 

[color=295751]"We really need to get you two out of here. Someplace safe. I don't have to know it, just get there and wait to hear from Athena and Artemis, they're running point,"[/color] With an added thought he continued on, [color=295751]"We're going to find who did this to your children. It's not just an attack on you, it's an attack on us all."[/color]

Hades nodded at hearing that his daughter was safe, or at least with other gods for the time being though he would much prefer her under his watch.  As they exited the door Hades glared towards the valet who appeared to be shocked for only a moment before running away with the keys to grab their car.  In truth Hades was not happy about being told to sit on the sidelines as the norseman was insinuating they do.  This feeling wasn't exactly helped either by the fact that his nieces were apparently taking charge of the situation.  It wasn't that he did not believe in their ability, if anyone from their pantheon could find something it would be the goddess of wisdom herself.  But the last thing Hades wanted was to be left out of the loop of information while Athena reported to his brother Zeus. [color=0054a6] “Well if they learn anything please let us know.”[/color]  Hades let his words hang with a hint of threat to them that he was sure Hati could detect. 

Likewise Persephone struggled with the idea of handing over all control to the rest of the Gods, but Hades’ threat was enough to quell the growing storm in her chest. She left a hand on his arm, hoping it was as comforting as he had been to her. Leaving it up to Athena was the best they could do for now. Persephone could trust the Goddess, her friend, but that trust in the other Gods was beginning to wane. One look at Hades confirmed that neither of them intended on staying out of the investigation for long. She gripped his hand, [color=a4ac92]“Come, [abbr=my love]αγάπη μου[/abbr], let us get some rest. We will need our strength, so that even the Erinyes will be begging for our mercy when we find the [abbr=foolish rat]ανόητος αρουραίος[/abbr] that dared to cross our family.”[/color] 

The valet returned with the keys, shakily offering to the God without looking him in the eyes, as to avoid incurring his wrath. Before climbing into the car, Persephone turned to Hati to offer him one last look. [color=a4ac92]“Thank you, Hati. I, too, hope to hear something soon.”[/color] [i]‘For all our sakes’[/i] remained unsaid.
[/indent][/color]