Legend of the Shifting Sands: The Dark Prince’s Descent
The heavy iron gate of the Underworld's deepest cell groaned, a sound like grinding teeth that echoed through the damp, obsidian halls. Hades leaned against the bars, his eyes burning with a cold, flickering fire. "Let’s cut to the chase," the Lord of the Dead drawled, his voice smooth as silk but sharp as a razor. "I let you out of this miserable hole if you fight Hercules in the Coliseum to the death. It’s a simple trade: your freedom for his blood." A shadow moved within the cell, the clank of rusted chains cutting through the silence. A figure stepped into the sliver of light—a warrior with spiked hair and a jacket bearing a stark cross on the back. He didn't look intimidated; he looked bored. "Yeah, well, here’s the thing," the warrior replied, narrowing his eyes. "This is my story. And you? You aren't part of it." Before Hades could snap his fingers to summon a swarm of shadows, the reality of the dungeon began to shimmer and pe...