The Cursed Demon Prince-Chapter 219: Almost Home

Hades watched Lilith run until she was out of sight and out of his mind. His head leaned back against the wall as a sigh of relief escaped his lips. A wave of calm washed over him, making him keep his eyes closed for a few lingering seconds.

I need to get out of here, Hades told himself.

His eyelids fluttered open, and his body jerked upright to his feet. He felt better than he had in weeks, his veins pulsing with strength and determination, his mind clear as day. For the first time in what felt like forever, Hades felt alive.

Without wasting a moment, he began searching for an escape route. To leave this place, he needed to return to the exact spot he had entered through. The problem was, he couldn’t quite remember where that was. He’d been too broken, too disoriented when he first arrived.

He could only hope that as he searched, something would trigger his memory.

Stepping out of the room, he was met with a long, narrow hallway lined with wooden doors on each side, stretching endlessly into the darkness beyond. He couldn’t even make out where it ended.

Determined, Hades started pushing open the doors one after another, hoping something would spark recognition. But there was nothing. Each door revealed emptiness, and the more he opened, the more endless the corridor seemed to grow. After more than forty doors, frustration began to claw at him.

He didn’t know what kind of sick game was being played on him, but he wasn’t going to fall for it. Time was running out. Just like Lilith, he had only a limited window to escape. If he lingered too long, his soul would be trapped here forever, and he’d never wake up in the real world again.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hades reached the last two doors. These were different, it was larger, taller, older. Their surfaces were marked with strange carvings, their frames heavier than the others. Instinct told him one of them was the way out.

He drew in a deep breath and gripped the knob of the door on the left. The moment he twisted it, a strong gust of wind burst out, forcing him to shield his eyes with his arm. When it settled, he lowered his hand and blinked into the darkness before him.

Thick, impenetrable blackness filled the space beyond. Even the faint light from the hallway wasn’t enough to see an arm’s length into the room.

Leaving the door wide open behind him, Hades stepped forward cautiously, each step echoing softly. With one hand stretched out, he trailed his fingers along the wall, guiding himself through the void as he tried to make sense of what lay ahead.

When he realised there was nothing worth his time there, he turned back toward the door. As he drew near, it slammed shut with a thunderous bang, plunging him into complete darkness.

He cursed under his breath and yanked at the handle, but it didn’t budge. He tried again, harder, then slammed his fist against the wood, cursing once more.

He let out a frustrated sigh and spun around, and the floor opened beneath him. He was sucked down, tumbling onto his back. Hades shot to his feet, eyes sweeping the room.

This chamber wasn’t like the others. A single candle burned on a stand, lighting up the room.

"Finally, we meet face to face. I can’t wait to ruin you."

Hades turned and saw a tall figure lounging in the corner, a wide grin splitting his face. The red eyes, the menacing stare, told Hades who the man was. Zal stood there, wearing his skin.

"Get out of my way. I need to leave," Hades commanded, voice cold.

The demon’s smile widened. "I’m afraid that’s not possible. You die here and so does your body. I won’t let you go back."

"If I die, you won’t be able to take my body," Hades replied.

"I’ve accepted that," Zal said, amused. "And truthfully, I prefer you dead. You and that lover of yours have been a constant itch beneath my skin."

Hades shifted to the side, his eyes flicking to the door behind the demon. He recognised the path, it was his only way out.

"I don’t have time to play," he said. "Step aside. Do what you must and let me pass."

Zal’s expression soured. "I’m going to rip the skin off you and watch you bleed," he sneered.

Hades pushed a hand through his hair and sighed, boredom lacing his voice. "Fine. Let’s finish this."

That baited Zal into fury. He lunged, fist launched to crush Hades but the prince moved smoothly, dodging the blow. Zal’s jaw clenched. "Ah...so you think you’re invincible?"

"No," Hades said coolly. "I just think you’re slow."

The demon, blinded by rage, fell into the trap every angry mind walks into, once anger clouds thought, sense dies with it.

Zal spun around, throwing punch after punch, but none landed. Each miss only deepened his frustration, his movements growing wilder, his growls louder.

With a sudden burst of speed, he grabbed Hades by the collar and slammed him hard against the wall. "Look who’s slow now," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Didn’t see that coming, did you?"

Hades smirked faintly. He gripped Zal’s wrist, twisted it sharply, forcing the demon to release him, then drove his forehead into Zal’s face. The impact cracked through the room. Before the demon could recover, Hades followed with a brutal punch to his stomach, sending him crashing across the room. Zal hit the wall with a heavy thud before collapsing to the ground.

Groaning, the demon rose to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips. He adjusted his coat with a dark glare. "Is that the best you’ve got?"

"How about you come find out?" Hades taunted, crooking his fingers in challenge.

Snarling, Zal charged at him, bounding off the wall before spinning mid-air and launching a kick toward Hades’ head. The prince raised his arm to block it, though the impact still forced him back a few steps.

"That was just the beginning," Zal spat, a wicked grin curving his lips.

"Good," Hades muttered. "I was getting bored."

Before Zal could respond, Hades caught his arm, kicked at his leg, and swept him off balance. In one swift motion, he grabbed the demon by the leg, swung him around, and slammed him into the wall with bone-cracking force.

The wall trembled.

Hades straddled him and unleashed a flurry of punches, each one harder, faster, more furious than the last. The sound of bone crunching filled the air. Blood smeared across Hades’ knuckles, splattering his face and the floor.

He was emptying every ounce of rage, grief, and torment he had been carried.

After more than fifteen savage blows, Hades finally stopped. His chest heaved with heavy breaths, his hands trembling and dripping with blood.

He pushed himself up slowly, leaning against the wall to steady his breathing with blood dripping from his knuckles.

"You know," Zal’s voice came in rough, "I’m a little jealous of you."

Hades tilted his head, his gaze falling to the demon, who was already struggling to get up.

Zal let out a low, humorless chuckle. "I haven’t done anything wrong, yet I was condemned to this cursed life. You.." he spat blood to the floor "...you get to have a way out. A family that cares for you. Someone who loves you." He dragged himself up fully, using the wall for support.

"That’s not my fault," Hades said flatly, pushing himself away from the wall and taking slow steps toward the door. "I’m also a victim in all this."

"I know," Zal said, his voice carrying a hint of bitterness. "But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re the favorite while I have to suffer for you to live." He wiped the blood from his lips, his tone softening slightly. "Lilith... that woman truly loves you."

Hades turned to face him, his expression unreadable. "I know."

"You realize this isn’t the end, right? It’s far from over," Zal muttered.

"It soon will be," Hades replied, reaching for the doorknob. "I hope I never see you again, Zal. I can’t say it’s been a pleasure meeting you."

The demon gave a weak laugh. "Well, I can. It has been quite a pleasure meeting you."

"Good for you, then."

With that, Hades twisted the knob. The door creaked open, and a blinding light burst through, flooding the room. Without looking back, Hades stepped into it. The door slammed shut behind him and vanished.

~~~

The prince exhaled deeply as his eyes fluttered open. His vision adjusted slowly, revealing the familiar sight of his chamber. He was back, in his room and his bed.

Lilith.

The thought hit him like a spark. He needed to find her, make sure she was safe.

Throwing the covers aside, Hades rose swiftly from the bed and rushed out of the room.