Chapter 163: Sleep
Hades had expected something like this, even though he’d tried to settle things without blood.
That’s why he dragged Kalwank into this bunker—so if things went south, Alazar would have nowhere to run.
The place was cramped, especially for someone over seven feet tall like Alazar. Fortunately, Hades had fought in tighter spaces before, down in the choking dark of mines. He knew how to move where there was no room to breathe.
The two hunters glared at each other, bloodlust thick in the air.
"I might’ve run if you were someone worth the trouble," Alazar sneered. "But you? You’re nothing but a shrimp."
He drew the second dagger strapped to his side and twirled it easily in his hand. "So? Are you the so-called Chaos Heir? If you are, shouldn’t you be ashamed of being this weak?"
Hades let out a low chuckle. "And what about you? A man hunted by three nations, rotting in a hole, living soft while your family starves outside."
"You think that’ll shake me?" Alazar growled.
Hades shrugged. "Just spitting truth." His voice dropped into a snarl. "You act like you’re gathering wealth to save people, but it’s all bullshit. You only care about yourself. Stealing’s your obsession. You don’t give a damn about your family, or they must have realised it as well. That’s why they might have started selling themselves off to buy food."
Alazar exhaled through his nose, sharp and loud. "And people call me a shit-talker. You’ve got a real gift for crawling under someone’s skin, brat."
Hades didn’t waste words.
He lowered his stance, eyes fixed, shoulders tense.
The candle trembled in its wax pool, shadows twitching on the stone walls.
Then—
DHAK!
Steel cracked against his guard. Hades crossed his arms, catching Alazar’s dagger inches from his skull. The wolf snarled, trying to drive it through sheer force, but Hades shifted, twisting the blade aside.
A knee shot upward like a hammer, but Hades met it with his own leg, the clash ringing bone against bone. The redhead hissed, teeth bared, and shoved Alazar back a step.
The bunker was too small for footwork, every motion pressed against stone. They didn’t have space to dance—only to break.
Alazar lunged again, dagger flashing. Hades ducked under, feeling air split over his scalp. In that half-second, he snatched Alazar’s wrist and wrenched—
CLANG!
The blade slipped free, spinning once before Hades caught it.
He slashed upward, grazing Alazar’s chest, red staining the older wolf’s shirt.
Alazar hissed, but it was shallow—skin and nothing more. He twisted, his massive frame smashing Hades against the wall. The stone cracked behind him. The dagger clattered loose.
"Mine," Alazar growled, seizing it back with his other hand.
The blade came down fast—Hades caught his wrist again, veins bulging in his arms as the dagger hovered over his throat. He jerked his head aside, but not fast enough—
TSSK!
A line of fire cut across his shoulder, deeper than he liked. Blood poured down his sleeve.
Hades snarled through his teeth, slammed his forehead into Alazar’s nose, and ripped the dagger loose once more. Both staggered, breath ragged, their blood splattering onto the stone floor.
Alazar wiped the blood dripping from his nose with the back of his hand, a cruel grin curling his lips. "Not bad for a rat."
Hades didn’t answer. His eyes never left the wolf. He shifted the dagger into a reverse grip, blood running warm down his arm from the gash on his shoulder.
Alazar rushed in again, no hesitation. His size filled the room like a wall of muscle and rage. He slammed Hades against the stone, the dagger scraping across the redhead’s ribs
Hades gritted his teeth, twisting sideways, the blade only carving another shallow cut instead of punching deep. He rammed his knee into Alazar’s thigh, again and again, until the wolf grunted and loosened his grip.
With a burst of strength, Hades rolled them, forcing Alazar back against the wall. He drove the dagger toward his chest—
CRACK!
Alazar caught his wrist, the two straining inches apart. Veins stood out across Hades’s neck, his teeth clenched, while the older wolf’s muscles bulged like iron cords.
Alazar slammed his forehead down.
THUD!
Stars burst in Hades’s vision. He staggered, the dagger slipping from his grasp, clattering on the floor between them.
Both dove for it at once.
Their shoulders collided hard, skulls nearly cracking together, as their hands clawed for the hilt.
Hades managed to grab it first—only for Alazar to crush his wrist under one massive hand and twist.
SNAP!
The dagger turned back in Hades’s own grip, the edge carving across his forearm. A deep cut. Blood sprayed across the bunker’s floor.
Hades hissed but refused to let go. He lashed out with his free hand, fingers jabbing into Alazar’s eye.
The wolf howled, staggering back, and Hades ripped the dagger free again. He slashed upward, cutting across Alazar’s shoulder this time, shallow but enough to draw more blood.
Both men stood heaving, blood dripping, their chests rising and falling fast.
The room reeked of iron and sweat.
The candlelight danced, painting them as two beasts in a cage—one massive, one lean, both unwilling to back down.
"I will admit...you are no brat like my son. Tell me warrior, what’s your name."
Hades suddenly moved his hand and picked the sole source of illumination in the room.
Alazar frowned as he saw Hades bringing the candle close to his face.
His crimson eyes dulled like blood and he responded, "Death."
Fuu.
He blew over the candle.
Alazar’s eyes widened as the whole bunker was engulfed in darkness.
He looked around, trying to find the boy but before he could move, something struck him in the stomach.
"Ghuak!"
Hades stood before him, his fist drove into the beast’s gut as he whispered, "I had a fun time playing, now it’s time to sleep."
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A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you are enjoying the story so far, drop a comment.