CHAPTER 35: BOOK OF DARK WHISPERS

As Hades descended the stairs toward the main entrance of the building, he caught sight of Viktor leaning casually against the wall, absentmindedly kicking his feet. When Hades drew closer, Viktor straightened, adjusting the fabric of his coat with a smirk.

"Why are you here, Viktor?" Hades asked, walking past him while Viktor fell into step beside him.

"I’m coming with you," Viktor replied, his tone laced with amusement. "As soon as I heard you were visiting the old librarian, I just had to tag along. There’s no way I’m missing the entertainment of watching you two interact."

"Don’t you have better things to do? I’m sure your sister could use your company more," Hades said, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"Lucy is fine on her own. And she’s not my sister," Viktor corrected with a shrug. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "By the way, how’s your father? I heard he hasn’t left the palace in a long time. What do you think he’s planning?"

"I don’t know," Hades replied indifferently. "Perhaps he intends to rot away in the darkness of that cold, ugly room. But as long as he stays out of my affairs, I have no interest in whatever he’s plotting."

"I see." A short pause followed, "I told the witch I would help her connect with her powers. She has been kept in the dark for too long, and I believe it’s time she understands her purpose here," Viktor said, glancing at the prince.

Hades breathed out, his expression calm. "I have a feeling she won’t need much help connecting with her powers, Viktor."

Viktor frowned, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Huh? And why do you think that?"

Hades exhaled, his gaze distant. "I’ll explain when I fully understand it myself."

The coachman bowed deeply before pulling open the carriage door. Hades stepped inside without hesitation, and Viktor followed, settling into the seat beside him.

"Very well, Your Highness," Viktor murmured, gazing out the window. He had more to say but decided against it. It was better to wait and observe. Enemies surrounded Hades like bees drawn to honey, and although things seemed peaceful for now, Viktor knew it wouldn’t be long before chaos erupted.

The carriage rolled forward in silence as the two men sat, neither speaking a word. Their destination was a nearby town, sparsely populated, but Hades had no interest in the town itself. Instead, he was headed to a secluded hut deep within the forest, where an old acquaintance resided.

When the carriage came to a halt by the roadside, Hades and Viktor disembarked and proceeded on foot. They trekked for about fifteen minutes before arriving at the front of the hut, which looked as though it had stood for a century. Cracks lined its walls, and parts of the structure appeared on the verge of collapse.

Without hesitation, Hades strode forward and kicked the door open, the loud crash echoing through the forest.

"You could have just opened it," a voice inside hissed irritably. "I just had that door fixed."

"Where is Erick? I need a book," Hades said, stepping inside, entirely unbothered by the broken door or the irritation in the voice.

The dim hut revealed a nearly barren space. A large table and two chairs sat at the center, and an empty bookshelf stood at the far end. From the shadows, a young girl emerged, her oversized dress swaying as she approached.

"Y...Your Highness. My Lord." She bowed, surprise evident on her face as a tight-lipped smile stretched across her face, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

"Where is Erick?" Hades demanded, his gaze sweeping across the room. "I’m here for the Book of Dark Whispers."

The woman’s eyes widened slightly, betraying her surprise. "T-The Book of Dark Whispers, you say?" she stammered. "What could you possibly want with that cursed book?"

Hades’ expression remained unreadable, but his voice carried an unmistakable edge. "I’m certain I didn’t stutter, girl. I’m not in the mood for delays, so fetch the book. Don’t make me ask again." He smiled, but the gesture was anything but comforting. The color drained from the woman’s face.

"I... I—"

"Oh, for fuck’s sake," a voice grumbled from behind them. "Don’t go scaring off my employees. You have already done that to the last six."

Hades and Viktor turned as an elderly man hobbled into the hut, setting a basket filled with leaves onto the large table with a weary sigh.

"Get the Book of Dark whispers, Erick," Hades commanded.

Just like the girl before him, Erick seemed momentarily taken aback by the request.

"If I may ask, why do you need that book?" Erick’s voice dropped to a whisper, fear evident in his tone. "It is a dangerous artifact, if it falls into the wrong hands, it could bring destruction."

Hades sighed, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "If I didn’t need you from time to time, Erick, I would have killed you already. Does it look like it will be in the wrong hands? And you’re a fool if you think I need a magic book to cause destruction. Just hand it over."

Erick studied him for a moment before shaking his head. "I see you haven’t changed after all these years." With a weary sigh, he turned and limped toward the empty bookshelf. "That book is extremely dangerous, as I said, which is why I’ve kept it in a special, hidden place. I built an underground chamber for it decades ago."

With that, Erick pressed several bricks in the wall in a specific pattern. The bookshelf rumbled and shifted aside, revealing a set of wooden stairs leading down into darkness.

"Get me a torch, Gel," Erick said to the girl, who immediately moved to retrieve one and handed it to her master.

Erick took the first step down the wooden staircase, followed by Hades, then Viktor.

The creaking of the old wood echoed through the quiet space. Even with the torchlight, the underground chamber remained dim, its depth and size difficult to make out.

Finally, they reached the ground, and Erick lit the other torches mounted on the walls, casting a warm glow over the space. In the center of the room stood a rectangular stone slab, upon which rested an ancient-looking box wrapped in thirteen thick, iron chains.

Erick pulled out a ring of keys and began unlocking the chains one by one. The clinking of metal filled the air as each restraint fell away, until all thirteen chains were finally removed.

However, one final lock remained on the box, one that required the blood of its keeper.

The ancient box rested on the slab, its dark wood etched with runes and bound in iron. At its center, a blackened silver lock shaped like a gaping maw awaited the final key. Only Erick’s blood, sworn to protect the book, could unlock the box. No fire or force could break it open.

They watched as Erick drew a small dagger, pressing the blade against his palm. With a swift motion, he sliced his skin, and blood droplets welled up before falling onto the ancient lock. The moment his blood touched the surface, a faint sizzling sound filled the air, accompanied by the eerie hiss of burning metal. The box trembled, its engravings glowing faintly before the lid creaked open, revealing a book wrapped in dark, twisting vines that pulsed as if alive.

Erick hesitated for a brief moment before reaching inside, carefully prying the book free from the clinging tendrils. As he lifted it, the vines recoiled, retreating back into the depths of the box as if fearing his touch. He turned to Hades, extending the book toward him with a grave expression.

"Here you go, Your Highness," Erick said, his voice laced with warning. "The Book of Dark Whispers holds magic that was never meant to be wielded again. It was locked away for a reason." His eyes met Hades with caution. "Use it wisely, or not at all."

Hades took the book, his fingers tracing its worn surface. "I’ll keep that in mind," he said before turning away, climbing the stairs, and emerging from the cramped space.

Back in the hut, his gaze landed on the young girl washing the leaves Erick had brought. The moment she noticed him, she shot to her feet, bowing deeply before straightening, her eyes never daring to meet his.

"Farewell, Your Highness. Lord Rune." Erick’s voice followed them as they stepped outside and made their way back to the road where their carriage awaited.

As they settled inside, Viktor leaned back with a thoughtful frown. "Something felt off about Erick. He’s hiding something."

Hades exhaled, a slow smirk creeping onto his lips as his fingers glided over the book’s surface. "I know. He’s been summoning demons, I could smell them all over that fucking place." His eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Get ready, Viktor. We’re about to get our hands very, very bloody."