The King’s Command

I stood there, gripping my new sword, still reeling from everything that had just happened. The weight of the Underworld, the missing king, the chaos in the afterlife—none of it had fully settled in yet.

Then, instinct kicked in.

I lifted my hand and called out, "Cyrus."

The shadows trembled.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then—something huge emerged.

A dark form rose from the depths, stepping forward with slow, deliberate movements. It wasn't the tiny, adorable creature I remembered.

No.

The little shadow cat I had raised? Gone.

In its place stood a massive, monstrous feline. Its fur was pure darkness, shifting like mist, its glowing silver eyes piercing through the gloom. Bat-like wings stretched from its back, powerful and sleek. Its tail lashed behind it, crackling with barely restrained energy.

I felt my breath hitch.

Then, Cyrus blinked at me.

And I lost it.

"Oh my gods—look at you!" I lunged forward and threw my arms around his massive head, practically tackling him. "You got so big! What happened?! Look at you, you're terrifying! I'm so proud!"

Cyrus let out a deep, rumbling purr, pressing his enormous head against me. His fur was cold, like the air just before a storm, but I didn't care.

I buried my face into his neck, completely ignoring the fact that his claws could probably rip through steel now.

Then, he turned to Persephone.

For a second, he froze. His glowing eyes locked onto her.

Something clicked.

Then, he launched himself at her.

Persephone gasped as the massive beast leapt forward—then broke into laughter when Cyrus licked her entire face.

She wiped at her cheek, still laughing. "You remember me too, huh?"

Cyrus let out a chuff, nuzzling against her before stepping back to my side.

I grinned, scratching under his massive chin. "Yeah, I missed you too, buddy."

But there wasn't time to sit around and cuddle.

Not with that mess still happening outside.

I turned toward the balcony. The sounds of chaos still echoed through the Underworld—spirits arguing, fighting, howling in unrest.

It was time to put an end to it.

I marched forward, stepping onto the ledge. My grip on the sword tightened.

Cyrus padded beside me, his wings rustling, ready. Persephone stayed behind, watching. Waiting.

I stared down at the restless crowd below.

Then, I shouted.

"ENOUGH!"

The ghosts. The monsters. The River Styx itself seemed to still.

Every single pair of lifeless eyes turned toward me.

I glared down at them, my grip on the sword firm, my heart hammering.

"I am Kael Voss, son of Hades!" I announced, letting my voice carry over the stunned silence. "And I will NOT have my kingdom in chaos."

A murmur ran through the crowd. Some of the spirits scoffed. A few of the more ancient souls whispered among themselves.

Then, one particular idiot yelled from below.

"You're just a child! You have no power here!"

I let that hang in the air for a moment.

Then, I tilted my head. "Oh?" I called back. "And what exactly happens to souls who defy the King of the Underworld?"

Standing above them.

Holding a sword forged from pure darkness.

For a moment, the silence held.

Then— another idiot scoffed.

A restless spirit stepped forward, glaring up at me. "And who exactly do you think you are, boy?"

I clenched my jaw.

I expected that reaction.

I counted on it.

Slowly, I lifted my sword.

"You dare question me?" I said, letting my voice drop into something cold. Something steady. I narrowed my eyes. "You dare speak to the son of Hades like that?"

A ripple of unease spread through the crowd.

I stepped forward.

"I am the heir to the Underworld," I continued. My voice didn't waver. "I do not tolerate chaos in my kingdom. And I do not tolerate disobedience."

A few spirits shuffled back.

The scoffing ghost sneered. "We listen to no one but Hades."

I smirked. "Then you listen to me."

I let the shadows curl around my feet, rising and twisting into the air.

A demonstration. A warning.

"Unless, of course," I said smoothly, tilting my head, "you'd like to find out exactly what kind of punishments the son of Hades is capable of."

The Underworld went dead silent.

Every eye locked onto me.

Cyrus growled low beside me, his wings spreading.

Then, one by one, the spirits knelt.

The ones who had been fighting dropped their weapons. The ghosts who had been shouting bowed their heads. The restless souls who had ignored Persephone for so long finally obeyed.

I exhaled slowly, the tension in my chest loosening.

Then, I raised my voice one last time.

"You will listen to my mother," I commanded. "You will obey her word as if it were my own. Disrespect her, and you disrespect me. And I promise you—" I let my voice drop, cold and unyielding. "You do not want that."

A final hush settled over the Underworld.

They had heard me.

They had listened.

And I had no idea what to do next.

I spun on my heel, walking back into the castle as fast as humanly possible.

The second I was out of sight—

I collapsed against the wall, letting out a sharp breath.

"Oh gods," I muttered. "Oh gods, oh gods—what did I just do?"

Persephone burst into laughter.

I glared at her. "Mother, this is serious!"

She was laughing so hard she had to hold onto the wall. "Kael, my love, that was perfect."

"I was bluffing the entire time!" I hissed. "What if they hadn't listened? What if they'd challenged me? I had no plan!"

She wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, but they did listen."

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "I need a nap."

She smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You did well."

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

Cyrus nudged me with his massive head, nearly knocking me over.

I smiled faintly, scratching behind his ears. "And you. You really are all grown up, huh?"

He purred in response.

Persephone tilted her head. "You're learning, Kael."

I exhaled, glancing back toward the balcony. The kingdom was silent now. Order restored.

For the first time, the title didn't feel quite so heavy.

"…Yeah," I muttered. "Guess I am."