The closer we got to the mouth of Hell the hotter it became. The smell of brimstone and rotting flesh singed our noses, burning our lungs with each breath.

As if that wasn't enough, the surrounding fog seemed to have a life of its own. It's mission: to confuse the person trying to make its way to hell.

Although I'm not certain there are many who would want too. For Jinx though, I'd go anywhere. Even this dreadful place.

Kira kept sneaking looks at me. Her expression was one of mistrust. Encountering two strange men that seemed like wizards to her made me a suspicious character.

"Who were those men?"

"People from my past that I'd like to forget."

"Okay... but are they wizards?" She inquired like a child. Her eyes lit up at the possibilities. I sighed.

"Much worse. Probably far more aggravating too."

"So they have powers?"

"Over too much..." I mumbled under my breath. She quirked her brow.

"The guy with purple eyes... he seems like trouble."

"Well if he had a middle name, trouble would be it."

Kira laughed, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

"It's so hot."

I nodded, taking in my surroundings once more.

The ground trembled beneath our feet, cracking here and there with ash sifting up through the fog. Kira covered her mouth with a cloth like before and I followed suit. She nodded towards me to indicate we were getting closer.

With the ash mixing in the fog it became more dense. I could barely see Kira, her form disappearing with the dull grays and black ash.

"Kira?" I called out. Shadows formed around me, whispers filled the air, the sound of souls screaming through the chasms in the ground took over the senses with an overwhelming fear and despair.

"Kira!" I cried out once more, a hand wrapped around my wrist pulling me through. I couldn't see who it was, my only hope was that it was her.

A thick popping sound resounded through the cave. Almost like suction when you try to pull your robes off after you were soaked from the rain.

Standing before me holding onto my wrist was the god of Punishment. His face was void of any emotions.

"You!" I growled. Taehyung narrowed his eyes at me, releasing my arm in frustration.

"You are a fool." He hissed, scooping up a leather bound book from a rock, tucking it into his dark robes.

"Where's Kira?"

Taehyung pointed to a circular hole in the middle of the cave.

"She's there."

"Is that where the fates are?"

He shook his head, vanishing in a cloud of black smoke. Why is it when they don't want to share information they just vanish. But when they want information from you, they never go away until they get what they want?

Stupid meddling gods. I suppose I could have said thank you. He did help me get out of that overwhelming smog. Turning to look out the mouth of the cave, I could see the black figures lurking within the depths. Lost souls never able to return to the living.

"Kira!!" I yelled, the walls repeating my call down into the hole. The flutter of wings was my response. Moments later swarms of bats billowed out of the crevice.

Covering my head I dropped to the hot stone floor, waiting for them to pass. A shrill cry followed the swarm of bats. It sounded like Kira. Somehow I had to get to her.

Pressing my body as close to the ground as possible, I crawled towards the crater. The screams grew louder once I was leaning over the edge. Down at the bottom, beasts that screamed like humans surrounded Kira.

Their snouts skin peeled back revealing their jagged teeth and muscles. One of them leapt at Kira, claws extended, ready to tear her apart. She swung her broad sword across its chest making it shriek and shrivel back towards the other two.

"Kira!!" I screamed. All three pairs of red eyes stared up at me. Kira ran towards them running one through with her sword. While another swiped at her. Scratching her across her cheek. She didn't even cry out.

Kira yanked her sword out and spun it, cutting the vile things head off with a thud. A moment of pride ran through me, quickly turning to fear as the ground gave way beneath me.

Falling hard onto the burning floor before, brimstone raining down on my body in chunks that felt like they were crushing me.

"Seriously." Taehyung's deep voice broke through the darkness surrounding us. He emerged from the dust and rubble with a pissed off look on his face. Slowly he dropped his arms to his side turning his palms up. Black smoke formed in his hands, trickling through his fingers, surrounding the rocks all around. A subtle hisss began and the rocks began to disappear.

I looked over at Kira who had made herself small under a ledge. All three beasts had been crushed. I had nearly the same outcome. Pretty sure my arm was broken and my lower back was throbbing.

"Can't you do anything without a mess?" Complained Taehyung. I shrugged, instantly feeling pain run down my arm.

"That's broken. Such a mess." Taehyung shook his head.

"Why are you helping me?"

"The things I do, go unnoticed here. It's a smoke and mirrors type world below the surface."

"That didn't answer my question." I glared up at the brooding god.

"That's all the answer you are gonna get." Like always, he vanished in his little puff of black smoke.

"Care to explain?" Kira asked, I almost forgot she was there.

"Another annoying person."

Kira rolled her eyes. It would seem we have lost all formalities down below. But then again I didn't care about them. Just funny how she wasn't using them as much now that we were away from the castle.

Carefully I pushed myself up off the ground, the pain in my arm and back not going unnoticed. Kira pulled a long strip of fabric from her satchel and made a sling. Gently putting it around my arm and tying on my neck.

"Thanks." I grunted, probably resembled more of a complaint.

Cautiously we moved along the smoking rocks. Creatures slithered along the walls, some made hissing noises while others coward.

"So this is Hell?" Kira asked, adjusting the cloth around her face.

"I think this is just the entrance..." I observed, the further in we went the hotter it got. The walls gained more disturbing creatures with the strangest forms you could think of.

On one side of the wall was an opening with a greenish light protruding from it. The sound of voices met our ears and we both looked at each other.

"You think that's them?"

I shrugged. Either it was or it wasn't. One way or another we were going to find out. Quietly we moved towards the doorway.

"He's here."

Well, so much for a surprise entry. We both charged inside, swords drawn, we were ready for anything.

"Oh! Seulgi aren't they just the cutest!" Squealed the one known as Yeri. Seulgi curled her nose in disgust.

"No manners. They're anything but cute."

I narrowed my eyes at the deceitful fate.

"I did what you asked, give her back to me!" I demanded. Just like last time she just laughed. My wants were of no concern to her.

"She is fated to be with someone else. Why not be with the one you came with. Surely she'd be a sustainable mate for you. I mean that's all you want right? Someone to continue your heir."

Kira looked at Seulgi repulsed at the statement. I was almost offended by her expression had it not been for her demeanor towards me any other time.

"Not all women are meant to bear children."

Seulgi smirked.

"You child will have twenty, if I see fit."

"Not if I run you through with my sword." Kira threatened. We are starting to get off the topic of why we came in the first place.

"Leave her be, Kira. She's not worth your time."

Kira flexed her fingers around the hilt of her sword. Her eyes fixed on Seulgi who had an evil grin stretched across her black painted lips.

Yeri and Irene stood silently around the cauldron, occasionally dropping things in it. They were like Seulgi's henchmen at best. Or was it henchwomen? Or
Henchfates?

Whatever they are... I feel like they don't always agree with her. One in particular, Yeri.

Seulgi never took her eyes off from Kira, even when she spoke to me.

"You'd be wise to turn around, little king."

"I don't take orders from you."

She scoffed, Kira gripped her hilt tighter. I stood firm and confident in her skills. I also knew she wouldn't do anything unless I gave the okay.

"We should have turned you like your brother! Should have used someone much more pleasing to my eyes than you!" Seulgi snarled, this time her eyes bore so much hatred in my direction.

"Would have made killing you so much easier." I shot back.

"Her fate is sealed! It can't be changed!"

Both Yeri and Irene looked at each other then at Seulgi. If I could just get them to talk to me without her. But they seemed to always be together.

"Stop looking at them. They're about as useless you as a bag of bones."

"It's a wonder they stick around such a sour puss."

Yeri covered a laugh with a cough, receiving a death glare for the sour puss. Seulgi looked back at me with a wicked grin.

"Times running out, little king." She glanced at Kira. "The one to steal her lingers as we speak."

"What?"

So Jungkook was telling the truth. How can I find her? Wait... she's trying to distract me.

"He doesn't stand a chance in this hell." I spat at the ground.

"I will find her."

"Tick tock, little fox king."

Kira yanked her sword from the hilt. Black smoke swarmed around her, then she vanished.

Taehyung must have taken her.

"How the toad nuggets does he get away with that!" Whined Seulgi marching over to a string and tossing it back into a giant bowl filled with strings of many colors.

I wonder which one is mine... could I steal it? I went to take a step towards it, when Yeri started shaking her head furiously. Irene shoved her and shifted her eyes towards Seulgi.

"What is wrong with you?" Hissed Seulgi

I smirked. Which pissed her off more.

"What just happened."

Not really sure if I have a friend amongst the fates. However, I'm going to roll with it.

"Like I said..." I started to walk away and just as I walked out the door, I called back. "I'm the one in control of my fate."

Now where did Taehyung go with Kira?