Red String (Under Revision)

Chapter 10

I am right that there are two of them as two figures stop in front of the iron grill door. I cannot see their faces; the shadow from the cloak they wear covers their faces. I look at them intently from head to toe just to determine who they are. They are in a red and black robe that wraps their skin; black gloves on their hands; black cloak hugs their body. They unveil their identity, hanging the hood of their cloak on the back of their head.

"How are you, dear cousin?" Hercules greets, smirking deviously. The atmosphere around him changes. It's different from the usual force around him when our path crosses on the palace. It's dark and full evilness than his usual light and happy-go-lucky spirit. "Do you like this place?" laughing, he adds.

I make no answer. I just stare at him.

"Silence means yes. I hope you enjoy your stay on this prison, Cupid."

As much as possible, I will hold my temper. He will never win against me by mocking. He's just a demigod. I am higher than him.

I remain silent. I furiously watch their every move. If I do something stupid with this condition of mine, it will only harm me. I must calculate every move I'll make. I know I am on that god's place; the one that stands beside him – Hades.

"Give me the golden bracelet, Cupid," he commands like I am one of his followers. He places his open right hand in front.

"Where is my mother?" I ask in a hush instead of lending the bracelet. I secretly grip my left pulse where I put mother's bracelet.

"Give it to me." His voice changes into an evil sound.

"Answer my question first, Hades."

"You want to know where your mother? Well, I want to thank you for your cooperation, Cupid. You make it much easier for me to get Aphrodite away from the palace and bring her here in Underworld and make her my new wife. Because of you, she's with me now together with my concubines. I've been waiting for this moment to come."

"How dare you... How dare you to trick me? I trusted you. If I only know that you two did an alliance, I never did a deal with you. It turns out that you only wanted to get my mother for yourself. "

"You're emotions make you weak, dear cousin. I told you that. You are weak."

"At least I give back your pair of wings, Cupid. Now, give me the bracelet."

"No. I will never give it to you. You both deceive me," I stand, clenching my jaw. I try to hold the handle of my sword but my hand only grasps the air, it's not there. Even its cover is gone from my hip.

"Just give it, Cupid, before I will use my force to get it from you."

"No."

He raises his right arm. The iron grill disappears. His eyes glow red trying to intimidate and scare me, closing the space between us. "Give me the golden bracelet," he says once again.

I fight against his red eyes. He can't fright me with that. Even if he's higher in rank than me, I will never forgive him. He can't inferior me with his looks. "No," I resist.

"You leave me no choice, Cupid." Red colored force surrounds him; his cloak sways.

Suddenly, I feel like I am being squeezed by a force; my arms stick on my body tightly. He uses his power to control things by thinking and looking at it. I need to fight. I won't let him control over my body.

"Just give up already, Cupid. You cannot do anything against me knowing that you just turned eighteen and you do not know how your power works. I am still powerful than you." He looks at Hercules; he moves his head, pointing the bracelet on my left pulse. "Get it," he commands.

"You'll pay for this, Hades and Hercules. I know that father founds out now that my mother is missing from the palace."

"You think that will happen, Cupid? Well, you are wrong. I sent someone who will act like your mother and be like her," he scoffs, laughing evilly.

Hercules moves quickly. "This is the end, Cupid. I and your beloved Psyche will live together forever," he mocks, dragging the golden bracelet away from my pulse.

I need to do something. But I don't know what I am going to do. I'm hopeless. I bow my head; I am useless. I can't even do something to save my own mother and my beloved Psyche.

"That's it, Cupid. Just cry. Hercules is right that you really are a weakling. You cannot even protect yourself."

They walk away, closing the iron grill, before Hades let goes of me. I fall hard on the ground. My chest hits on a sharp stone. I clout the ground. Why am I being like this? I am very useless. I can do nothing but to make a loving couple and to make them miserable.

Tears stream directly to the ground. It lights up every time it makes a contact on the base. The light gets bigger and bigger as every single drop touches the floor until it illuminates the entire room. There's only a white colored light that conquers the surrounding. A transparent stature of a girl forms in front of me. Her right hand holds my chin, guiding me to stand on my feet.

"Remember everything what I and your father taught you. Do not let the thought that you're weak triumphs over you. We raise you to be strong. We raise you to be good. And remember that goodness always be the victor over evilness. I know you can do it. I trust you, son," she speaks softly before she disappears.

The light eats me, entering my body. And once more, it glows, surmounting the darkness that shades in every corner. I can feel a powerful force inside me, a power that makes me feel strong... stronger than before. My body radiances the colors of red and white; an armor outlines all over my body; a sword shows up on my hand, extending. Using the sword, I hit the iron grill. It breaks to pieces.

All I need to do is to find where they bring Psyche and my mother. I will save them no matter what it costs – even if it costs my life. I want to say sorry to my mother for everything that I did wrong, to oppose her. I will make everything right.