“Not in the least. I would rather devote my time to both of my loves. You and our work,” she said with a smile. “We will soon return home.”
I returned her smile and stretched out on the softness of the grass, enjoying the mixture of partial shade and sunlight poking through the trees. The combination created the perfect temperature.
“I love you, Mother,” I murmured sleepily before closing my eyes and holding onto her.
My smile broadened when I felt the warmth from her energy seep into me. I didn’t need to open my eyes to see my Mother’s golden energy surrounding us. The bond we shared could never be broken, and our work was the legacy of our love.
???
With our work completed in the region, I took a final walk. The plains of Nysa were a tapestry of vibrant life. The earth seemed to sing with colour and fragrance. Under the bright sun, the meadows stretched endlessly, a sea of greenery dotted with blossoms. I was pleased to have aided in its growth. It would benefit the earth, the animals and mortals alike. Wildflowers painted the landscape in strokes of gold, crimson, violet and white.
Armed with my basket, I planned to take some clippings back to preserve my memory of my time here. After some time, I came across a very unusual flower. The tall grass of the meadow had parted to showcase the flower. I crouched down to inspect it.
It wasn't blue as I first anticipated, but it had elaborate black outer petals with thick dew drops on it, making it appear blue. The inner petals were turned up and had a dimmer hue. The striking bright golden yellow on each petal drew me in.
“What are you, my precious?” I whispered as I gently touched the tip of the petal and watched the dew trickle down my finger.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and I dropped my hands on the grass to prevent myself from toppling over. When I glanced up, the earth had split open with a deafening roar. Every instinct within me told me to run, and then the chasm appeared, but I remained frozen in fear.
Four black horses appeared, shimmering faintly with a ghostly sheen. Their eyes were nothing but obsidian empty sockets, yet they seemed to flicker flashes of white around the rims. The manes and tails of the beasts flowed like liquid shadows, rippling as though they had a life of their own.
My body moved, and I fell back, trying to scramble away from the giant beasts. When their hooves struck the ground, a clanging of metal accompanied the beat of their hooves, sending faint tremors through the earth. Black and gold merged together until I saw the tall, looming presence on the chariot.
His presence was overwhelming—a shadowy figure radiating power and dread, a stark contrast to the vibrant world above. His hooded black cloak gave me pause until I saw a glimpse of his dark eyes and long beard. Before I could utter his name, he swept me up into the chariot, leaving me to scream one word before the chariot plunged back into the dark abyss.
“Mother,” I screamed hopelessly as the light of the world faded above me, replaced by the suffocating darkness beneath the earth.
Hades had his arm locked around me, or I would have collapsed on the chariot. My heart raced, and I tried to breathe as reality sank in. Each way I looked, I could only see darkness, a dismal pitch-black canvas.
The thought of not seeing my beautiful mother made tears flow from my eyes. My heart instantly ached because the earth was sealed, and she wouldn't hear or see me. The gravity of my situation had not yet sunk in because my mind was desperately trying to comprehend why the God of the Underworld had taken me in such a manner. With a grunt, I tried to push his hand off me, but it didn't budge.
The Underworld was a place of shadows and silence, a realm removed from the warmth and light of the world. This world was not what I was created for. It was unnatural for me to be in a place of death. A sob caught in the back of my throat, and my body went limb as I began to cry. It was a futile exercise as I sunk deeper into the hollow expanse of the Underworld.
The heart-wrenching pain tore at my insides, overpowering my terror. I leaned against my abductor, who never loosened his hold on me and for a brief moment, the contact comforted me, which only made me sob harder. My world had transformed in the blink of an eyelid, and deep within my core, I knew life as I knew it had changed forever. Without my Mother, I didn't know how I would survive.
The chariot landed with a thud, jolting my fear into place and pushing my grief away. I twisted and shoved on his arm until he released me, but I fell on my backside. When I began to topple over, he reached out for me, but I pushed his hand away and fell off the chariot. In a daze, I looked around at the black rocks surrounding me.
The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the faint, acrid tang of brimstone. It was a reminder of the realm's fiery depths. After hearing many accounts and speculation, I couldn't help but study it. My breath caught in my throat when I saw a black river wind through the landscape. The water was still and silent with no current. A ghostly light reflected on it, but when I glanced above it, there was no discernible light source.
“This is the River Styx,” Hades said flatly, making me jump.
“I want to go home,” I whispered, but I scrambled backwards when he stepped off the chariot.
“This is your home,” he said, pulling his hood off as he came to stand beside my bare feet.
He resembled all the other Gods, perfect in their form, but Hades had a similar build to Zeus, tall, and the strength was clear to see in his physique. He wore a short black chiton beneath his cloak. When my eyes made their way to his face, my fear returned.
His long dark hair fell around his face and rested beside his long beard. Due to the lighting, I couldn't tell if his hair was black or dark brown. When I reached his eyes, they were as black as two pieces of polished lumps of coal. There was no emotion in them. They were dull and as dead as his surroundings. He held his hand out, but I stood up on my own to face him bravely.
“We both know I do not belong here,” I said, proud that my voice didn't waver, although it didn't stop my erratic nerves from tugging on my insides.
When I heard a low growl from behind me, my head snapped back to see black fur; I glanced up and saw a giant three-headed beast. I screamed and ran behind Hades to push him towards the monster. He didn't budge, but if anyone should be eaten down here, it should be him.
“Cerberus,” he crooned to the beast, and I realised that it was the first time his voice had any measure of emotion.
I peered over his shoulder and winced at the sight of the ugly beast. It dawned on me that this was the monstrous guardian of the Underworld. Three heads rose from his broad build. Each one was a grotesque masterpiece of horror. Their eyes had been red, but they now glowed in a molten golden colour.
My gaping mouth closed when I saw their jagged teeth, as sharp as broken blades, accompanied by the strands of thick glistening saliva dripping from their jaws. I gasped when a faint sizzling sound occurred as they hit the ground.
