Young Writers Society

Chapter 35: Together

Josephine was silent during the rest of their trek towards Tartarus. She refused to cry, refused to show weakness in front of Jase. Every once and a while, he’d glance in her direction and then look away once she caught his eye. It must’ve been even harder for him, as in watching Josephine struggle with a loss was draining. It’s not like they knew Nyx for a long time, but there was something ethereal about the Goddess of Night. Josephine imagined standing beneath star-lit skies on the darkest of nights, where the heavens stretched endlessly above her, adorned with countless shimmering constellations. That was what it felt like to be around Nyx, a cosmic and beautiful artwork painted by night itself.

It was more than mesmerizing. And now, who would take care of the night? Would Hades or Hecate take over, and destroy everything Nyx so carefully built? Jase seemed to think the same way, because he didn’t dare speak—even when Josephine stumbled over some molten stones. He simply reached out his arm in response and nodded his head downwards, gesturing for her to hold onto him.

Josephine followed, key in Jase’s hand, as they bent down to push their bodies through two small cracks in a boulder. Jase allowed the key to guide them, the bottom of it twisted in tendrils and coiled around the center sigil whenever they moved in a certain direction. It worked as a map—with markings of the journey to one’s untimely death. They stopped on the other side before Josephine smelled something faintly familiar: red roses in full bloom, a hint of Jasmine and salt like the sea.

“Hello, Daughter.”

Josephine looked above them to see Aphrodite in all her glory, the Goddesses’ azure eyes sparkling with a mischievous twinkle. Her body seemed to be glowing with radiance, a golden glow bouncing off her skin and onto the narrow mildewy walls. Her form was nothing but perfection incarnate, every curve and contour a testament to the ideals of beauty and passion. Aphrodite was dressed in a long, flowing cream gown, one of her favorite colors, embroidered with delicate patterns of silver and gold. A crown of glistening pearls sat atop her headful of blonde curls.

Jase seemed shocked and shadows emerged from the depths of the caves, a defense mechanism. He faltered when he laid eyes on Josephine’s mother, the shadows evaporating into thin air when he realized exactly who laid beyond his tired eyes. He glanced at Josephine, frozen. Josephine gulped and looked behind them to make sure Aphrodite wasn’t drawing any attention to anymore surprises, “What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you the same question,” Aphrodite’s eyes glinted with anger for a split second, before turning back soft and elegant, “dear.”

“Persephone is in Tartarus.”

“Is that so?”

“How did you even find me?”

Aphrodite’s laugh echoed seamlessly through the air, light and seductive sounding, “Ah, my dear Josephine. When a mother senses her daughter's distress, even the darkest corners of the underworld cannot hide you from my sight."

Josephine felt a surge of conflicting emotions as she gazed upon her mother. There was a part of her that longed for the warmth of Aphrodite’s embrace, aching for the comfort that only a mother's love could provide. But she held her ground and closed her eyes, sighing frustratedly, “Let me rephrase. Why have you come?”

“Tartarus is a treacherous place, filled with dangers beyond imagining. But with my guidance, we may find a way to navigate its depths and rescue Persephone from her imprisonment,” Aphrodite hummed, glancing at Jase, “is this the man you’ve spoken to Harmonia about?”

“Mother, not now. Please,” Josephine paused for a moment, “Wait. Imprisonment? Why would Persephone be imprisoned?”

Her mother sighed and lowered herself to stand at their height, “You do not know.”

“I don’t.”

“Persephone has betrayed her husband.”

“Does Hades have something to do with this whole thing?”

“I cannot say for sure, but Hades reported to your Uncle that she has committed treason,” Aphrodite placed a gentle hand on her daughter’s arm, “but I will not allow my daughter into Tartarus, if I have any say in it. I’ve told you about the dangers past Olympus’ walls, haven’t I?”

A tight knot of apprehension formed in Josephine’s core. Imprisonment… treason…no. Persephone would never falter to the gods, especially not Hermes, Apollo, and Ares. At least, the Persephone she knew wouldn’t.

"We must tread carefully," Aphrodite continued, her gaze steady, "but there may be a way to rescue Persephone without risking ourselves to the dangers of Tartarus directly."

Jase raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, unable to take his eyes off the goddess. Josephine’s expression changed from desperate to hopeful, “What is this plan?”

"We will need allies," Aphrodite explained, her eyes flickered with determination, "Those who are familiar with the depths of the underworld and possess the strength to navigate its perils. The Shades.”

“The Shades?” Jase questioned.

“Yes, young man. The souls of the deceased who wander the Underworld's shadows.”

Remembering his gift, Jase’s eyes glanced to the floor, “Con I control these… shadows?”

“Possibly, son of Poseidon,” Aphrodite winked.

Josephine gagged and kicked a stone at Jase, who simply threw his arms up in defense, “What did I do?!”

“Shh!” Josephine glared at her partner, “let her explain, please. We can’t go into this place with no plan.”

"The Shades could prove to be invaluable allies. With their guidance, we may be able to find a way to reach Persephone without risking our own safety,” Aphrodite twirled a piece of hair between her fingers, seemingly bored already, “By offering them a chance to assist in a noble cause, we could potentially earn The Shades' trust and cooperation. But to do so, we need to find a way to communicate with the souls.”

“My mother,” Jase whispered, “my mother can.”

“Oh, yes, Hecate, my dear friend,” Aphrodite made a disgusted looking face before waving her hand in dismissal, “she could do. But do you not possess some of her abilities, as well?”

“No,” Jase’s voice shook and he scratched the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable, “I was created by cauldron. I was an artificially made… guinea pig for my father.”

Aphrodite's eyes softened with sympathy as she regarded Jase, understanding the weight of his words. "I see," she said gently, her voice tinged with compassion, "But even so, there may be benign abilities within you waiting to be unlocked. You may discover the exact extent of your powers."

Josephine placed a reassuring hand on Jase's shoulder, offering him a supportive smile, "We'll figure it out together.”

Aphrodite nodded in agreement, her gaze shifting between the two of them, "Indeed," she said, her tone resolute. "But time is of the essence. We must act swiftly if we are to have any hope of rescuing Persephone.”

“Why are you doing this, Mother? Helping me?” Josephine’s voice grew weary as she glanced behind them again, “is there a catch? Do I owe you something in repayment?”

Aphrodite's gaze softened once again as she reached out to gently cup Josephine's cheek. "My dear daughter," she said, her voice filled with warmth and sincerity, "you owe me nothing. My love for you is unconditional, as it is for all my children."

"But why?" Josephine whispered, her voice barely audible above the gentle hum of the cavern, “you could get in trouble for this.”

Aphrodite smiled tenderly, brushing a stray lock of hair from Josephine's face. "Because you are my daughter," she said simply, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. "And no matter what trials may come your way, I will always be there to guide and support you, regardless of what comes with it. I would’ve let Hera kill you if I didn’t support you.”

Josephine paused for a moment, taking in her mother’s features, before pulling away and nodding quickly, “I’m grateful, mother. For this, I mean.”

“Of course,” Aphrodite leaned back and sighed, glancing at the key to Tartarus in Jase’s sweating hand, “Is that the key?”

“Yes,” Jase responded and held it up as if it was a trophy.

“It will lead us to Tartarus, which should be just beyond these walls,” Josephine looked beyond them.

Aphrodite held out her left arm and the rock turned to liquid, melting into lava before their feet. A swirling vortex of crimson beckoned them, inviting them into the abyss that was Tartarus. Jase gulped, “you first?” he looked to Josephine.

Josephine hesitated but slowly touched the orb, evaporating into dust before reaching the other side. She’d never seen something so beautiful yet disturbing. It looked like a war ground, all she could hear was terrified screams from the souls, and no Persephone was in sight. She started to panic slightly. The land was vast and empty, except for the smoke and the fire and the bloody pillars. Wind blew gently, her hair falling behind her neck. Aphrodite followed next, almost grimacing at the sight in front of them.

Jase came shortly after, stumbling and running into a pillar. He sneezed at the dust and brought a hand to cover his eyes from the unexpected light.

“Wow. I never expected it to look so…” Jase’s voice traveled off distantly.

“Eerie?” Josephine finished for him, and took a step forward, “What now, mother?”

Aphrodite surveyed their surroundings with a furrowed brow, her gaze flickering with a mixture of concern and determination, “We begin our search. We must find some friendly souls.”

Josephine nodded, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation. She glanced at Jase, who stood beside her now, "We stick together," she said firmly, her voice steady despite the uncertainty that gnawed at her insides, "No matter what happens, we stay together."

“No matter what?” Jase whispered, making eye contact with his partner. He took in Josephine’s features: the high cheekbones, full lips, and hair as brilliant and gold as the fleece itself.

"No matter what," she affirmed, her voice soft but effective, "We're in this together, Jase. We've come too far to turn back now."

A flicker of uncertainty passed through Jase's eyes, but he nodded in silent agreement, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Together," he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Aphrodite observed the exchange with a small smile, her own expression softening with maternal pride, "Indeed," she said, "Together, we will face whatever challenges may come our way."

“Together,” Josephine repeated, lips curling into a grin.

“Together,” Jase smiled a tad wider and took Josephine’s hand. Their bond had transcended way above mere partnership at this point; it was a connection. He loved the woman that stood before him. He decided right there and then, he’d protect her with his life—even if that meant killing himself in the process. He would do anything for her. Their connection was a lifeline, a guiding light in the darkness that surrounded them. Josephine was not just a companion—she was the person he cared for more deeply than he had ever cared for anyone else.

For her, he would brave the darkest depths of the Underworld if that meant he could see her smile like this for the rest of eternity.