Young buckling baby Lily dashed across the field to her father, her small legs barely able to keep up with the joy bubbling inside her. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she watched her father train. He stood, his glasses shimmering in the morning light. He focused his energy, swirling every ounce of it, hardening his layer.

Before him, a towering beast loomed, its long horns curling like sinister crescents, a grotesque mix of bull and man. Its massive form shook the ground beneath them, yet Lily felt no fear. Instead, she trembled excitedly, her heart racing at the sight of her father preparing to fight.

Her father was the one man she truly respected. He possessed incredible blade skills and worked in a legendary sanctuary, teaching others the art of combat. She loved him with all her heart. Screaming out to him before a battle was her norm, and watching him fight always hyped her up.

“Go get him, papa!” She yelled, smiling at him.

Her father returned the smile, “Ok, my love”

Without missing a beat, he charged toward the beast, his movements a blur of agility. The monster’s massive fists crashed into the earth, but her father dodged effortlessly, weaving between the blows with a grace that almost seemed like a dance. The moment the creature’s guard slipped, he leapt high into the air, twisting his body mid-flight. His sword flashed in the sunlight and sliced through the air, beheading the monster.

Her father landed, sliding his sword back into its sheath. His long, flowing hair danced in the breeze, his eyes never leaving the beast as he waited for any sign of movement. But it wasn’t over—not yet. He smirked to himself. Just for the entertainment of a particular darling, he was willing to put on more of a spectacle. His fingertips remained on the hilt.

And then, just before the monster's lifeless body could hit the ground, the space around him shimmered. Parallel space.

From where he stood, without moving an inch, he unleashed a series of lightning-fast slashes, each one invisible to the naked eye. The beast was reduced to fragments, shredded into nothingness before it even touched the earth.

Lily’s eyes widened, her small fists clenched tight as she watched in awe. He didn’t even draw his sword again; she marvelled. How does he do it?

Papa is always amazing, she thought. The strongest, most incredible man to ever walk the earth.

*

The village of Heathens lay to the far east of the sanctuary, a quiet settlement mostly filled with young people and children. As the group strolled in, their dark, matching outfits drew the attention of every villager they passed.

Harold sighed, already getting bored.“Let’s just head to the blacksmith already,” he whispered, his steps growing heavier. He wasn’t sure if it was the extra weights he had on or the half-dead human, he had on his shoulders.

Krissy adjusted her glasses. “We seem to have caught the townsfolk's attention. Maybe we aren’t welcome here anymore.”

Harold nudged her with his elbow. “That’s just your imagination. They’re just staring—it doesn’t mean anything.”

The others appeared unconcerned by the stares they were receiving. Lily guided them toward an unknown destination of her choosing, while Jin attempted to win over Kim and Levi. Meanwhile, Mika tended to Bon, who had just regained consciousness. Everything seemed fine; however, Harold felt a shift on his shoulders—it was Hades.

“Was going on?” Hades whispered.

“So you’re awake that’s good, I’m sick of carrying you”

“Where am I?”

“The Village of Heathens”

Hades sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. The late nights and early mornings he spent training and meditating had taken a heavy toll. After months of his gruelling schedule, he finally had some time to rest. He glared at Lily, who marched forward without a care in the world. Unbeknownst to her, she had just halved the life expectancy of a young boy by depriving him of sleep.

“Let me down,” Hades said.

“Gladly,” he said, dropping Hades.

Jin wasted no time in wrapping his arms around Hades, leaving his new friends behind.

“You seem to really enjoy your nap,” he said.

Hades shot him a dark look. “Nap? I was knocked unconscious.”

Lily giggled, skipping over to him. “Are you really that weak? Knocked out by a girl?” she said, leaning in way too close. “Tell me, Hades! Come on!”

He sighed, pushing away her face. “Where exactly are you taking us?”

She tapped a finger against her cheek, pretending to think. “Oh, I was thinking of showing you guys the House of Quell—my old workplace.”

Maki and Kim rushed to her side, grabbing her hands. “You’re really going to show us?” they asked, eyes sparkling.

Levi approached. “I thought we students of the sanctuary were not allowed in there,” he said in his usual calm voice.

Lily winked at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll put in a good word for you all.”

Kim and Maki hugged her. Meanwhile, Kim glanced around, noticing something off. If Levi was here, who was holding Bon?

She turned over to see a healthy Bon. He stood proudly, his once-ruffled hair now smooth, and his bloodied body gave him a cool, aesthetic appearance that made him look like a seasoned warrior.

He tightened his fist, looking above. If they were really going to the House of Quell, they’ll also meet other dancing girls. Beautiful girls like Lily. His body couldn’t hold it.

Krissy glanced nervously at Harold, then looked away. She hesitated for a moment before asking, “Hey, you still want to check out the weapon store?”

Harold’s eyes lit up. “Really?!”

She nodded.

Harold held back his excitement, trying to remain composed. “But... we can’t just leave the others behind.”

Krissy frowned. “What are you trying to say?”

Jin crossed his arms around Harold. “Don’t worry about us! Go ahead and have your fun. We’ll meet up at the sanctuary later.”

Lily crossed her arms, nodding. “Yeah, we’ll be fine. Besides, fewer people will make it easier for me to get us into the House.”

Before she could finish, Hades thumped her on the head, his expression calm but firm. “You shouldn’t be saying things like that.”

Harold laughed, grabbing Krissy's hand, who was just bamboozled that he had had the nerve to do so.

Alright, see you guys later!” he said, dragging her toward the weapon store. Her face screamed that she wasn’t thrilled about the idea of spending hours staring at swords.

Lily glared at Hades, her eyes hiding the fiery flames of anger.

“What did I do now,” he said, meeting her eyes, undaunted.

“You really hit me on the head”

“Says the girl who sat on my tummy with weights. Fair’s fair.”

She paused, then smiled. “I see what you did there. Clever. Very clever.”

Hades, concerned, placed his hand on her shoulder, asking. “What did I do there, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she replied, her eyes drifting to a dilapidated medicinal shop in the distance.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

*

Lily held her father's cold hands, trembling and unsure of what to do. He had suddenly fallen ill. His once dark, lustrous hair had turned white, and his eyes glimmered as if they were made of crystal.

Despite his condition, he seemed unfazed, staring up at the ceiling with a distant look in his gaze. A tear slipped down his cheek, and seeing it made her cry the more.

“No my child,” he said, cleaning her cheek. “This is our destiny, so don’t cry. If you do, you’ll make Papa cry too.”

“B-But you are dying, Papa!”

“No, no, look I am as strong as a tiger,” he said, flexing his muscles.

Lily couldn’t stop crying, as she hugged her father.

He pats her head, rubbing his fingers through her hair. “Papa loves you, dear”

“I love you too,” she said, still crying.

“Okay!” he yelled, coughing.

“Papa? Papa?”

“I’m okay,” he whispered hoarsely. “I’m okay!” Then, he erupted into laughter, holding his sides. “Since my adorable cupcake said she loves me, I’m filled with energy!”

Lily giggled, collapsing onto his stomach. “Papa is okay?”

“Papa is Okay!”

“Because I love papa?”

“Yes, your love saved Papa,” he said. “But Papa needs to take precautions so it doesn’t happen again”

“Precuptions?” Lily asked, staring at him.

“Humm yeah precuptions, you gave it a new name, dearie,” he said, reaching for his purse. But Lily jumped over, helping him to bring it.

“What will I do without you?”

Lily laughed, rubbing her head.

He smiled at her, opening his purse and handing her some coins. “Take this and head to the herb shop. Tell the nice old lady there that your Papa has crystal hiccups, and she’ll give you a fancy potion to help Papa.”

“‘Crystal hiccups’? What a funny name! Wait a minute,” Lily pouted. “Papa, are you lying? I thought you were okay?”

Papa fixed his eyes on her. “Your love gave Papa more energy to live, so keep on loving Papa okay?” he said, pinching her cheeks. “How dare you say I’m lying! I might just decide to feed you to the demon king one day.”

“No! Not the demon king!”

“Arrgh,” he kept pinching her cheeks. “Now go get your Papa his special potion”

Lily saluted at him. “Aye aye, Captain!”

He saluted back, watching her skip out of the room, closing the door. She peeked back inside. “I love you a lot, papa,” she smiled at him, finally leaving the room.

*

The House of Quell towered majestically, its air infused with the delightful mingling of perfumes and blooming flowers. Bon stood entranced, watching the girls in the yard practising their dance while the boys skillfully played their instruments, all adorned in bright, extravagant outfits. His gaze drifted to Lily, wondering why anyone would choose a hard life at the sanctuary over such a beautiful place.

Maki and Kim felt like they were in some fantasy, the beautiful girls and drop dead handsome boys were moments away from making their hearts explode.

Lily stepped forward with a smile. “Alright, ladies and gentlemen, I guess your eyes are full. Let’s step inside.”

“Wait a minute!” Jin said, raising a finger. “They aren’t full yet.” His eyes roamed over the exquisite layout of the building, where stones and bricks—unusual materials crafted a structure unlike any wooden buildings surrounding it. The House resembled a castle from the tales he had read in the library, truly exquisite.

The House was also built for the main purpose of serving some god, the supreme being that is. Unusual as it is, the building had an eerie feeling to it. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

Lily yanked him over. “Your eyes are overfeeding themselves”

“Come on, Lily, let a guy be”

They wove through the crowd of spectators watching the dancers, entering the building where Lily was instantly enveloped in warm embraces from beautiful ladies of all ages, all dressed in revealing white garments adorned with delicate jewellery.

“We’ve missed you so very much,” they said.

“How’s the sanctuary? Are you really fighting monsters every day?”

“Are you eating properly? You’ve lost some weight”

“Lost some weight huh,” Lily smiled at them, glaring at Hades.

Bon walked forward, holding a smug look.

“Oh my god!” one of the smaller girls gasped, her eyes wide as she took in Bon’s bloodied physique.

Bon showed off his little muscles, not saying a word. The stains of blood from his fight with Lily was the key in getting the sympathy and warmth from these loving ladies. This was the perfect moment to brag about saving his friends from a monster during training—yes, this was his chance to win a girlfriend!

He strode toward the girls, hands in his pockets, head held high, maintaining steady eye contact. Yes, checking out every box in winning their attention, now. He stopped, dropping his voice into a deep tone.

“Name’s Bon, leader of this group,” he said coolly, rubbing his head before closing his eyes. “Nice to meet you, lovely ladies.”

“Oh my god! Your hair is so soft,” they all said.

“Please, Ladies my hair shouldn’t be used,” he said, opening his shining eyes. “In such silly manner- “

Bon mouth fell open. The girls surrounded Hades, gushing over his hair.

“I could tell it was soft, but I wasn’t expecting this,” one of them said.

“It smells nice too!”

“Aww, look at his face! He’s probably enjoying himself,” one girl teased, poking Hades’ cheek.

Bon was ready to die at that very moment. His life was losing value with each passing second.

“Look at this cute piece of pie,” a more mature woman said, drawing Jin closer. “Come on, don’t be shy!”

Jin's face remained, stoic. I just wanted to observe the house some more, how did it get to this, he thought, feeling something very soft pressing against his head.

“Mademoiselle,” a man with a red rose in his mouth approached Maki, clad in the same revealing white garment. “This is for you, but alas, your beauty cannot compare to this single rose. Drummers! More roses for my queen!”

Maki stared at him, her eyes already lost in his while the drummers showered them with petals of roses, igniting fury in Kim, who stood in the corner.

Hades crossed his arms, staying quiet while the girls kept playing with his hair. These ladies are careless, not activating their coating is uncalled for. If an attack were to take place at this very moment, they’d be as good as dead. Also, he felt a strange energy in the air, very faint. Similar to a particular someone.

His eyes met Lily who was just staring at him. He felt her eyes drawing him in. Pulling him deeper into a dark abyss.

Hades sighed. “Excuse me, ladies, but…” He took Lily’s hand. “I have a wife. So please stop playing with my hair”

Silence fell, stretching into an eternity as the girls turned to Lily, whose face flushed crimson.

“You’ve only spent a few months there and you’re already married?”

“You weren’t forced or anything right?”

“Of course, she wasn’t you idiot, are you seeing the cute kid, she has great taste”

Lily couldn’t say a word; her mind couldn’t think of anything. She was moments away from screaming.

Hades settled onto a nearby bench beside Jin, who was still captivated by the building's opulent interior.

“You dodged that arrow like it was nothing, Hades”

“I just wanted her to have a taste of her own medicine that’s all,” Hades said, “You must have enjoyed yours”

“I rather not talk about it”

Across the room, Bon collapsed to the floor, the weight of his despair settling in. This was his rightful place, after all—devoid of hope and love, destined to die alone by the blade.

Kim helped him up. “I knew it was strange you got energetic all of a sudden. Are you alright?”

Bon eyes went teary as he hugged her. “You’re the only one that gets me, Kim”

She blinked, her frustration barely contained. If only he weren’t injured, she would have happily landed multiple blows on him.

Meanwhile, Lily was still surrounded by the girls who were drowning her with their questions. Each she had no answers to.

“Come on now, she’s paying us a visit and this is how you treat her?” a man said, walking forward, leaning on a walking stick, clad in a sharp black tuxedo, complete with a long hat and dark glasses.

“Director,” Lily whispered, running to wrap her arms around him.

He laughed, patting her head. “Our little flower has grown a bit,” he said. “I can still remember the first day you came here with your jingle bell shoes wishing for a job. It feels like just yesterday”

Lily flushed, shushing him. “Come on, not in front of my friends.”

“Okay, okay, I understand you’re at that age,” he said, bowing to the others. “Friends of our dear flower are all welcome here. Please, make yourselves at home.”

“Director where have you been, we’ve been searching for you,” one of the girls said.

“Apologies, I was entertaining an old friend of mine”

Just then, a smaller girl darted forward, tugging at the director’s shirt. “Get this, director! The people at the sanctuary gave her a name; I want one too!”

The director laughed. “Yes, yes, I heard what our flower has been causing for the sanctuary.”

Jin walked forward. “Is there a reason we can’t have names? I couldn’t find a book explaining why, and we’ve all been too scared to ask our instructors.”

The director turned to the little girl, his grip firm on her shoulders as he glared at Jin. “But you’re not afraid to ask me?”

“No that’s not it! It’s just-“

“I was just joking with you. All questions are welcomed in the House of Quell,” he said. “It’s not like we can’t give you all names, it’s just because of the high death rate that’s all”

“High death rate?”

"We live in a land filled with monsters, and at a certain age, we all fall ill. The only way to escape this village is by following the guidance of the supreme being, which is to join the sanctuary."

Jin lowered his head. “I never knew that”

Hades closed his eyes, feeling the pull of sleep tugging at him, while Lily remained quiet.

“Here at the House of Quell, we were granted divine protection by the supreme being, which allows us to live healthier lives as long as we entertain him. We can also spread life and vigour by entertaining others, which is why we often visit the sanctuary"

“I assume not a lot of people know this,” Jin said, narrowing his eyes at the director.

“No, it would cause a ruckus, and there’s no need for that. At the end of it all, there’s no reason to give names, but there’s also no rule against it. It just became our culture.”

“Why are you telling us this?” Mika asked.

“You’ll be told anyway by the grand master, so there’s no problem. Just keep this a secret from him, okay?”

Jin nodded. “We will”

Lily hurried and grabbed Hade's arm. “I told you I’ve got a lot of places to show you, we are just getting started”

Hades stayed quiet. He planned to use the chair here to get a few seconds of sleep. Even that was impossible.

The other girls stared at Lily, all smiling. The story must have affected her, they thought.

Hades sighed, following her lead. While holding her hands.

The director stopped Lily, leaning in to whisper in her ear. “Have you visited him?”

Lily’s eyes widened, her hands trembling. “I’ll do that later,” she said, standing in place.

Saying nothing, the director turned to give the others a tour. He noticed a flower charm on Maki’s belt and his interest piqued.

“That’s the blue spring lotus,” he said, nodding. “A charm symbolising good health and well-being.”

Maki looked up at him, her cheeks flushing. “Y-yes, you’re right. My parents gave it to me before they died.”

Hades watched them, “She really cares about that charm, even during their fight she took care of it all the way,” he said, turning to Lily, who remained still.

He led the way, pulling her.

“Huh? Where are we going?”

Hades stopped, turning back to her.“You’re the one who planned to give the tour, yes?” he said, pulling her closer. “So put your head in the game.”

Lily chuckled and led the way. “Of course, sorry,” she said. “You were almost cool just now, what happened? Eat something funny?”

“No, I did not! I’m just sleepy”

“Still,” she said, eyes forward. “Thank you”

Hades smiled. “No problem”