Outta the Van: Asterius Axe (Preview) (Patreon)

A preview for an upcoming commission, featuring some Hades TFing. Enjoy!

It was an odd sight for Kenneth, but one that made him curious. Costumes, huh? He wandered over cautiously. Not often you see those being sold out of a van…

He stepped closer and peered into the back, realizing this was an especially unusual van. Through the doors led into what appeared to be a vast, warehouse-like structure with velvet flooring. He could see many shelves and boxes all stacked within what should've been a far tinier space. Perhaps the “Witchy” title on the van said a lot more about the van than expected.

The sight would've put off many people, making them too unnerved or scared to get any closer. However, Kenneth was far more intrigued by this mystical discovery. He glanced at the sign beside the door again. Well… they did say come in…

Cautiously, he stepped up the stairs and into the van. It was even bigger on the inside. He could see not only shelves and boxes, but clothing racks, gigantic stacks of crates and boxes, makeshift walls, and more. Everything was filled with costumes, props, wigs, and other items that were tossed together haphazardly.

It was like a disorganized Spirit Halloween, but stuffed inside a van apparently.

Kenneth walked further in, looking around. Does anyone work here? He called out, “Hello? Anyone home? Err… browser here!”

No one appeared or answered back. He kept walking until he found a table in the center with a sign on it. It read, “BRB! Signed, Clawdia”. It was marked with an inked pawprint below the signature.

Guess no one's around then… It seemed like a weird thing to have the van open for anyone to wander into if no one was home, but he supposed not many people might venture into such a place even if it was occupied.

Maybe I should leave until someone gets back? Kenneth glanced back towards the way he came in. Maybe I should stay here? They can't be gone that long if they’ve left the place open…

His eyes wandered around, eventually falling on an aisle of shelves and displays stuffed full of prop weapons. Some were hung up or placed neatly while others seemed shoved wherever there was free room.

Maybe I'll just take a quick peek… He walked over and started glancing over the “weapons”. There were plenty of swords, guns, staves, and more of all shapes and styles. He recognized a Master Sword, the Nail in Hollow Knight, a Tediore pistol from Borderlands, and plenty of other items that ranged from the obvious to the rather obscure, deep cuts.

It's like they got everything her- That was when one weapon caught his eye more than anything else. It was a double-bladed battle axe, a labrys. Its handle was very long and golden, its blades a fierce pink of all things. He recognized it instantly.

This was the weapon that belonged to the great minotaur, Asterius, from the video game, Hades. He had faced that bull down countless times, whether solo or with his buddy as Elysium’s final bosses. He loved that game, but he especially loved that character.

Kenneth could picture Asterius perfectly. His portrait in the game, carrying that big axe with his big, bulgy… muscles.

For a moment, the man felt an onset of disappointment. He shook his head quickly to rid himself of the thought. Stop comparing yourself to a fictional, huge monster! He chided himself internally. Of course you'd feel so small…

Ugh, stupid head. He tried forgetting about that irritating, invading negativity and focused on the incredible prop before him. The axe was an astounding work of art, clearly crafted by a true fan of the game. The detailing and polish made it look like it stepped out of Hades itself!

That'd look cool at home… The thought made him smile, though, realistically, he knew it couldn't be possible to have. Where would he actually fit the darn thing? Heck, he wasn't sure it would even fit inside his car!

Hmmm… Kenneth looked it over. Wonder how heavy it is? He gripped the handle with both hands, carefully lifting it out of the slots holding it up on the wall. It was heavy, but not as  much as he expected. Its weight definitely confirmed it was more recreation than real.

He looked it over more closely, lifting it up and down now that he held it. Heh, the real thing must weigh a ton, I bet! He smiled. Still so cool! Too bad I can't…

Huh? He glanced at the blades for only a moment before his eyes returned to the shaft. In particular, his hands holding it.

They were wearing a blue, fingerless set of gauntlets that had reddish pink jewels on each knuckle. They looked huge, like they were meant for someone bigger, yet fitted perfectly.

He stared at them, his heart's pace increasing. The sudden appearance of these gauntlets and the fact he had seen them before sent his mind racing.

Before he could process or connect the dots, his hands began to tremble. Their grip on the axe tightened harder, a digit occasionally twitching on its own.