Power

Though the demon is ugly, it lets out a laugh.

"You must be the human that I'm supposed to catch."

Alessia stands her ground, knowing that she has to be brave. "I am," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "But you won't catch me."

The demon laughs again, its voice booming through the forest. "And why is that, little human?"

Zagreus was in front of Alessia, his blade out.

"Because of me."

Zagreus's voice is cold and determined as he steps forward, his sword ready. "You won't lay a hand on her, demon. Not while I'm still breathing."

The demon snarls, its eyes glittering with rage. "You think you can defeat me?" it growls. "You are nothing but a mere spoiled God. Thanks to your rule, demons from the underworld became stronger. You let your guard down because of that Goddess."

"Enough!" Zagreus yells.

"There is nothing you can do to stop me. Cronus will be returning," the demon says, continuing. "So why don't you just run away and let me catch my prize and hide?"

Alessia's eyes widen, and she steps back as the demon advances. She can see the demon's eyes travel to her, and she looks at Zagreus with fear.

"Zagreus," she breathes.

He looks over at her shoulders and smiles at her.

"Don't worry, I may not be a king, but I'm still a God." Zagreus looks to see Gabriel behind the demon.

"Gabriel, now!" Zagreus yells.

Gabriel nods, and in a split second, he appears behind the demon, aiming his weapon at its back. The demon turns around, but it's too late. Gabriel's weapon pierces through its chest, and a loud, agonizing scream escapes the demon's lips.

Alessia watches in horror as the demon falls to the ground, its lifeless eyes staring at the sky. She can feel her heart racing, the adrenaline still surging through her veins.

Zagreus and Gabriel approach her, their eyes filled with concern.

"Are you okay, Alessia?" Zagreus asks, his voice soft.

Alessia nods, still in shock from what just happened.

"Yeah," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm okay."

Zagreus wraps his arms around her, holding her close. Alessia leans into him, feeling safe and protected in his embrace.

Gabriel approaches the lifeless demon and bends down. He then looks over at Alessia.

"Zagreus, I know how to break the seal placed on Alessia."

Gabriel stands back up and takes a small black notebook from his pocket.

"Alessia, you might not remember me. I put a request in for your help. You got rid of a demon that possessed my sister. I wasn't a hunter then and was clueless about the supernatural. After witnessing your powers, I spent a long time gaining powers and strength, as I wanted to be able to fight by your side. But I soon realized that dream was impossible. I soon learn about the power you hold." Gabriel's eyes show a glimpse of sadness.

Alessia looks at Gabriel. Confusion etched on her face. "What do you mean?"

Gabriel takes a deep breath before speaking. "You have a power that surpasses even the Gods."

Alessia is taken aback at this revelation. "Mania?" she whispers.

"Mania's power was an ancient, dark power," Gabriel explains. "Her power grants you control over the dead and other powerful beings beyond human understanding. It can be used to create and destroy but must be used cautiously." He looks at Alessia intently, then continues, "You have more power than any God or Goddess in existence, Alessia. With Mania's power, you could do anything you wanted."

Gabriel stops and looks over at Zagreus. His gaze was full of rage.

"But you have no idea about Mania's power, do you, Zagreus? You have been living in your own world and never looked beyond it. You don't understand the magnitude of what Alessia is capable of, even though you are a God." His voice was filled with anger.

Zagreus steps closer to Gabriel, his hands resting on his sword.

"You don't know anything, human!" Zagreus spits out angrily.

"Oh, but I do, your majesty." He says with sarcasm. "When I first met Alessia, she opened my eyes to a new world. Don't you think it's odd that I know more about Mania's power than you, Zagreus?"

Zagreus falls silent for a moment.

"You see, Zagreus, I learned about Mania's power because I'm human, and it was easy to undercover. I would talk to your father, Hades. What you remember about Mania isn't what you think. Memories can be manipulated, especially if you are God who can do that."

Zagreus's eyes widen in shock as he looks over at Gabriel. "What are you talking about?" he asks, his voice shaking slightly.

Gabriel smirks, his eyes filled with amusement. "You heard me. The memories of Mania are missing. They are not what they seem. Hades erased what he wanted to. It was when you became too obsessed with her power."

Zagreus shakes his head in disbelief, his mind struggling to absorb this new information. "No, that's not possible," he says, his voice hoarse. "Why would my father do that? Why would he take away some of my memories of the woman I loved? How do you know all this? You are just a human!"

Gabriel's eyes turn cold as he looks at Zagreus.

"I know because I've been studying the history of the Gods and their powers for years," he says, his voice low and even. "And as for why Hades had some of your memories are missing, it was because he knew that Mania's power was too dangerous for you to handle. He wanted to protect you from yourself."

Zagreus feels a surge of anger and betrayal, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.

"You have no right to speak to me like that," he growls, his eyes flashing with fury. I am a God, and you are just a human. How dare you tell me about my history and being a God?"

Gabriel's expression softens, and he steps closer to Zagreus.

"I'm sorry, Zagreus," he says, his voice gentle. "I didn't mean to offend you. I want you to understand the magnitude of Alessia's power and how it will affect her life."

Zagreus's anger starts to dissipate a little bit. He takes in all of this information. If what this human said is true, does that mean his memories of Mania are not what they seem?

The words that Gabriel has spoken bring a wave of anger toward his father. However, it all seems so far-fetched that it all fits together. His father sacrificed her at first. Was this a way to stop Zagreus and not stop Cronus? Is Hades worried about Mania's power?

He will need to meet with his father once again.

Zagreus looks up at Alessia. His mind is filled with thoughts.

"We should return to the underworld. We need to talk with Hades." Even though Zagreus knows that bringing her back isn't a great idea, he has no choice.

He needs to know more about this power. If it's what Gabriel said, Alessia holds the key to defeating Cronus and Lucien.

Though, one thing Zagreus wants to know is what Hades real end game is. Alessia nods in agreement, her eyes filled with determination. "Yes, we need to confront Hades and get some answers."

Gabriel places a hand on Zagreus's shoulder. "Be careful, Zagreus. Hades may not take kindly to your questions."

Zagreus brushes off Gabriel's hand and turns to face him. "I am a God, Gabriel. I will not be intimidated by my father."

With that, Zagreus takes Alessia's hand, and they disappear in a flash of light, leaving Gabriel alone in the forest.

Gabriel rubs his head, unsure if he did the right thing. There was a ping of regret. He owes Alessia his life. She saved his sister, and he only wants to repay her.

He lets out a sigh. He will meet Alessia again. But right now, the most important thing is for those two to find the truth. Truth is power, and so is knowledge.

Without either of those things, it will be impossible to face the Titan God Cronus.

It took years to understand Alessia's powers, and he could travel through realms, thanks to the force of a hunter and spells he came across. There are portals all over that are entrances to different worlds.

Gabriel closes his eyes, focusing on his thoughts. He knows he needs to find a way to help Zagreus and Alessia in their quest to uncover the truth about Mania's power.

He remembers a portal that he had discovered a few years back that leads to the realm of the Fates. They might have answers that could shed some light on the situation.

It's time for a new journey to another realm.

Gabriel looks over his shoulders at the land of the Fae. He should tell the Queen Titiana of his plan and the whereabouts of Alessia and Zagreus.