Palette's POV

"Paint-boy! Come here!"A voice shouts

"Yes, Sir!"I say, quickly running as quick as I could

The chains and shackles on my ankles and wrists clink as I run through the dark lands around me. I move as quick as I can so I don't disappoint the voice who calls. He is very powerful and not that happy telling by his tone.

"Gades, he has a name! Be nice to the boy!"A nicer voice shouts

Gades smiles once I reach him, seeming to ignore the other voice for the moment. I see my seat set up already with a canvas and paints set up. This becoming routine by now, I take my seat. I curiously glance around to see what I may be painting now. I see a table with a feast that had clearly-poisoned foods or beverages in twinkling goblets. Two strangers sit in a pair of chairs, looking terrified as snakes hold them in their seats. Gades snaps his fingers and dark spirits and demons gather with bright yellow eyes, their fangs shining as they grin. Delecto, Meguerno, and Listiphone, three furies were among the group.

"You shall paint the punishment of Tesues and Prithidous to serve as a reminder to all who dare to test me."Gades says with a nod

I look at the two trapped to their seats as their faces go pale. What could they have done to recieve this doomful fate? With the nod, the furies and spirits pounce on their prey, attacking and tearing the two apart in their seats as the victims shriek out in horrorfic pain. Gades laughs at their misery.

"This'll teach them not to try to steal my husband again. Get painting."He says

I nod, painting to the best of my ability. I take careful detail with it in order to please him but try to be quick with this so I can get away from what I cannot stop. I don't want to be a witness to a torturous death. I finish the last few details and hand it to him. Then he drags me away with a grin. Their screams and the sight of that table fades away. Then a bright light shines up ahead as an oasis of bright flowers in the dark land come into sight instead.

"Palette!"The nicer voice cheers

I get tackled into a hug and smile, feeling warmth and safer once more. I gaze up to meet eyes with Peaco, Gades' sweet husband. While Gades rules as the God of the Underworld and Death, Peaco brings a more optimistic perspective and charm to his realm, bringing life into this empty wasteland. He squeezes me closer to him, smiling like a ray of sunshine. He has been the one keeping Gades in line, protecting me from his....unstable temper lately. Gades found me among a group that I didn't know, yet he knew them as souls that had wronged him. If it weren't for the fact that I could paint and that pleased Peaco, who wanted stuff to brighten up the dreary place, I would've been killed. But instead, I serve them as an artists, though chained by Gades so I don't try anything.

"What has Gades have you do now? Has he harmed you? He's supposed to be showing some soul and care for you."He asks

"HEY!"Gades snaps

"The poor boy is shaking! And you're horrible when angry! I just want to make sure you aren't hurting or traumatizing the poor boy with your land of horrors! You know as well as I do that some things here aren't for young ones to see!"He snaps back

Gades frowns, the flames raising and swirling on his head.

"But Peaco dear, there's just this teenie weenie little thing about this-"

*Whoosh*

"Yea, your hair is out again so calm down already."He says with a shake of his head

Gades marches away to fix his hair and Peaco smiles at me.

"Are you alright?"He asks

I hesitantly nod, knowing that if I say anything about what Gades did that I am doomed.

"Hmmm, I think he needs some time to cool down. How about we go to the surface? It's been a while since I've felt the sun on me."He says, taking me by the hand and leading me away

I didn't even know that there was a surface! I guess there has to be since this is the Underworld....

After a quick boat trip and climbing up a trail winding upwards, we feel the sun welcome us with warm rays on our faces. Peaco quickly pulls me along as he runs ahead, claiming that he had an idea. He hops on a boat and pulls me onto it before it leaves the docks. It sails away from the small town that is near the Underworld's entrance and I take my seat, the chains clinking. Peaco sits beside me with a big grin on his face.

"So tell me Palette, do you have a life up here? What was it like before my husband dragged you down there?"He asks

I physically tense up, remembering what was done before Gades found me among the crowd that wronged him. The council....Aleena's parents...were merciless before they tossed me away here.

"Umm...Not really. It was definitely warmer...And rough."I say, gripping my arm and refusing to look at him

"Did you have anyone? We could visit them."He says

I cross my arms, this time not just my chains clinking. I shake my head.

"I didn't have anyone."I say

Not anyone that can be found here at least.

"Were you single?"He asks

I glance at him.

"Why so personal?"I ask in response

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Just curious."He says

After a while, the boat docks and he leads me to a small hut between two statues in the center of a desert city. A figure peeks out and marches over from the hut, still holding a hammer once spotting Peaco.

"Hello Peaco, what brings you here?"The stranger asks

"Hey Jestulpho, I brought my friend Palette here with me to seek your help. Gades trapped him and has been quite cruel to him. I was hoping that you could free him from these chains."Peaco says, pushing me forward

"Hmm, well I'm not quite sure. Those are divine chains so simply hammering it won't work...."Jestulpho says

"Which you shouldn't even try in the first place!"Gades yells, appearing in front of us, his fire burning high from his head

"We are freeing Palette! You've done enough to the boy!"Peaco snaps

"He is stuck with us, Peaco! He was with the wrong group and has to pay!"Gades snarls

"Is there any proof that he did anything wrong besides being near them? He seems so innocent!"He shouts

The ground suddenly trembles and we each freeze.

"Innocent?"A voice says

I glance up, seeing the statue to the right stretching with glowing white eyes as it seems to wake up. The statue has long robes from their shoulders and covering their feet. On their wrist was a ribbon and in one hand was a sword with a scale of weights in the other. The statue blinks a few times and grins.

"Well, this is certainly new. Who is accused of innocence?"The statue says

Peaco points to me and I see the statue grin.

"Put out your hands."The statue says

I do as told and the sword gets dropped, slicing between the chains that connected my wrists. The statue giggles and slices the chains off of my ankles before lifting the sword back up.

"What the heck? This is an injustice!"Gades snaps

"Don't talk to me about injustice. Trapping him was an injustice."The statue says

"He belongs in the Underworld with us!"Gades snaps

"Is there any proof of where he is meant to be? What's the truth?"The statue asks, snapping two fingers as their voice thunders and the ground trembles

My necklace slips out of my sleeve, rising from me in a red sphere of magic.

"Oooo, so this is where you went..."The statue says, sitting down on the pedestal it is placed on

It sets the sword aside and grins, putting a hand down in front of me. I hesitantly climb into the hand and get raised to their eye-level.

"Have they harmed you, Palette?"The statue asks, the necklace wrapping around my neck

I shake my head, looking up curiously at the living statue.

"Good. My brother is on his way now. We're glad that you're safe, Palette. Radier was very worried about you."The statue says

"Umm, who are you?"I ask, unsure who I am talking to now

"Shino. Oh and the council has been dealt with."She says

I smile up at her as she puts me back down.

"Don't try anything, Gades."Peaco says, pulling me closer

I feel something bite my ankle then my other ankle. Everything starts spinning until it goes dark. When I wake up, I find my body getting dragged along on a sled. I sit up, finding chains on my ankles again holding me to the sled.

What the....?

"Ah, you are awake. Good. Maybe now I can continue the tradition with you."A stranger says

I sit up and see a snake-like stranger pulling the sled.

"What tradition?"I ask

"To find someone fit for me with the help of the Great One and All Seeing One."He says

I frown, shaking my head. I see a temple in the distance that shines with the sun behind it. High walls surround it and it looks secure. I take some deep breaths and my body shifts into ink, slithering away from the sled. I move as quick as I can, unable to clearly see where I was going but when I no longer hear the stranger's shouts, I took that as a good sign. I take the chance to reform again, finding myself inside the walls around the temple. I glance around and come face to face with a tall woman with multiple snakes for hair that hiss and examine me, her eyes piercing right through me. I step back nervously.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude...I just wanted to get away from the weirdo that took me."I say

"Ugggh, let me guess..Tradition involving my husband aka the Great One and I?"She says

I nod and she hugs me close with a warm smile.

"Well do not fear dear boy, you will be safe here. Come inside and let's heal those bites and scratches on you."She says, taking my hand and leading me inside

I grip the necklace tightly, feeling safe again but unsure where things will go.

TBC

Note: BRUH WATTPAD STOP UNPUBLISHING MY CHAPTERS! THIS GLITCH IS SO WEIRD! Anyways everyone have a nice day :)