Chapter 36: Into the Depths
It was quiet, a
little too quiet for Josephine’s liking. Aphrodite floated in front of them, humming
what seemed to bae a lovebird’s ballad of some sort. Jase stayed a couple feet
behind them—which put Josephine right in the middle. The air was thick, almost
tangible, carrying a scent of damp earth mixed with an ethereal musk. Each
breath Josephine took felt heavier, as if the weight of the souls surrounding her
added a burden to the very act of breathing. A faint, omnipresent whisper invaded
the silence after a while; it was a concoction of voices that ebbed and flowed
like the tide in Poseidon’s oceans. They spoke in languages long forgotten,
their words unintelligible but filled with emotion—sorrow, longing, and
sometimes, an eerie calm. Josephine grew used to these sounds the more they
trekked, but it seemed like Jase didn’t.
Everything seemed
to slow the more they explored Tartarus. They’d often come across graves, the
headstones were ashy and blurred, as if nobody laid underneath the soil
anymore. Granted, there was really no soil—they were walking on volcanic rock
and long forgotten memories.
Just as Josephine
was about to speak, she noticed a slender figure just beyond the next horizon.
It seemed to be moving closer to the three of them with pristine quickness.
“Don’t worry,” Aphrodite
hummed, “It’s just one of The Shades.”
The Shades was a
term used for millennia, specifically to describe the spirits or ghosts of the
dead. The Shades were believed to retain some
aspects of their earthly personalities and memories but were mostly shadowy and
less vivid versions of their living selves. In the Underworld, Shades could be
encountered in various realms, such as the Asphodel Meadows, Elysium, or
Tartarus. But this specific shade, was different. Josephine’s blood began to
thicken.
“Mother… I don’t know
if this is a good idea,” Josephine whispered.
“Of course it’s
not,” Jase intercepted, “We’re not going to find good shades to help us. Here,
of all places. We’d be lucky if one decides to be a decent enough soul to see
through the looking glass and put their pride aside.”
“Hush, children,”
Aphrodite put her hand up.
The Shade emerged
from the abyss. Its form was a twisted parody of what it once was, a dark
specter of malevolence and corruption. Its body was a tangle of shadows, a mass
of swirling darkness that seemed to devour the light around it. Its edges were
jagged and constantly shifting. Where its eyes should be, two burning coals
glistened with an intense, troublesome red.
Its face, if it could
even be called that, was a grotesque mask of anguish and fury. The features
were distorted and warped, twisted into a permanent snarl. Wisps of shadow leaked
from its mouth with each breath. The Shade's limbs were elongated and skeletal,
ending in claw-like fingers. Weathered, spectral rags hung from its body,
shreds of what might have once been a grand robe.
A chilling aura
surrounded the shade and the group. The air grew colder, and an oppressive
silence fell, broken only by the faint, sinister murmur that seem to project
from the shade itself.
Josephine’s heart
pounded in her chest, each beat echoing louder in the oppressive silence. She
could feel the malevolent gaze of the shade piercing through her, a chill
creeping into her bones. Aphrodite, however, floated with an air of calm
detachment, her serene presence almost mocking the terror that gripped
Josephine.
The shade stopped
just a few paces away, its fiery eyes flickering as it regarded them with a
mixture of curiosity. The air around it shimmered with a cold, dark energy, and
the whispers grew louder, as if the souls of the damned were trying to
communicate through the Shade itself.
Aphrodite’s voice,
soft yet commanding, broke the silence, “Speak, shade. Why do you haunt this
path?”
The Shade’s mouth
twisted into a grotesque grin, shadows curling from its lips as it spoke , “You
trespass on hallowed ground, Goddess of Love. What business do you and your
mortal pets have in Tartarus?”
Josephine shuddered
at the Shade’s words. Jase stepped forward, his jaw clenched, anger burning in
his eyes. “We seek Persephone,” he declared, his voice steady despite the fear,
“We need to find her.”
The Shade’s
laughter echoed around them, a sound devoid of any warmth or kindness, “Persephone…
The Queen of the Underworld is not so easily found. She wanders the deepest,
darkest corners, far beyond the reach of living souls.”
Aphrodite’s
expression remained unyielding, “We will find her,” she said firmly, “Will you
help us, or will you stand in our way?”
The Shade’s grin
faded, replaced by a look of contemplation, “Help you? Why would I aid you in
your quest?”
Josephine found her
voice, though it trembled as she spoke. “Because… because you were once like
us. You were once alive, with dreams and desires. Help us, and maybe you’ll
find an ounce of peace.”
For a moment, the Shade’s
eyes seemed to soften, the shadows around it less turbulent. Then, with a sigh
that sounded like the rustling of dead leaves, it spoke again, “Peace… a
distant memory. Very well, I shall guide you—for now. But be warned, the path
you seek dangerous, and not all shades are as… accommodating.”
The shade turned,
its form shifting with the darkness. Aphrodite followed. Josephine and Jase
exchanged a glance, a mix of determination and fear in their eyes, before
hurrying after her.
As they walked
deeper into Tartarus, the whispers grew louder, the shadows more oppressive.
But with each step, Josephine felt a flicker of hope. They were closer to
finding Persephone, and with the help of the shade—however begrudgingly
given—they might just succeed.
Jase stayed close
to Josephine. Despite the Shade’s guidance, he remained aware, his eyes
scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. Aphrodite floated serenely ahead.
After what felt
like an eternity, they reached a cliff, with a narrow staircase that led downwards
into the depths. The Shade halted at the edge, its fiery eyes flickering with
an almost reluctant respect, “This is the entrance to the deepest reaches of
Tartarus,” it hissed, “Beyond this point lies where Persephone is kept. But
beware—the way is guarded by horrors that even I fear.”
Aphrodite turned to
the shade, “Thank you for your guidance, shade. You have done more than
enough.”
The shade’s form
seemed to waver, the shadows around it becoming less distinct, “Remember, Forbidden
Child,” it rasped, fixing its burning gaze on Josephine. “Not all battles are
won with strength. Sometimes, it is the heart that must prevail.”
With those cryptic
words, the shade faded into the darkness, leaving the three of them standing at
the edge of the cliff. Josephine took a deep breath, the air still heavy with
the scent of damp earth and musk. She looked at Aphrodite and Jase.
“We have to find
her,” Josephine said, her voice firm.
Aphrodite nodded,
“We will. Stay close, and trust in your instincts.”
They descended into
the cliff, the path steep and treacherous. The deeper they went, the colder it
became. The ground beneath their feet shifted from volcanic rock to a strange,
pulsating substance that seemed to react to their presence.
At one point, a
creature of pure shadow lunged at Jase, its claws glinting with a deadly sheen.
Josephine reacted instinctively, flames erupting from her hands and engulfing
the creature, reducing it to nothingness. Jase gave her a grateful nod, his
eyes reflecting admiration.
Finally, after what
felt like an endless journey, they reached a vast, empty plain. In the center
stood a figure, tall and familiar.
“Is that…?” Jase
asked.
“No, no, it’s a trick,”
Aphrodite said, glancing around them, “This is all a trick. Damn, Hades…” she
sighed.
“What do you mean?”
Jase asked and moved in front of Josephine.
“Hades knows we're
here. He's playing with us. That figure... it's meant to deceive us, to draw us
into a trap,” Josephine said in response, not giving Aphrodite much time to
answer.
Josephine squinted
at the figure in the distance. It seemed to shimmer, almost like a ripple in a
body of water. As they approached cautiously, the figure began to take on a
more distinct form—Persephone.
"Persephone!"
Josephine called out, her voice echoing across the plain.
The figure turned
slowly, her eyes meeting Josephine's. For a moment, there was a flicker of
recognition, but it was quickly replaced by a look of fear, "You shouldn't
be here.”
Aphrodite stepped
forward, her presence commanding. "Persephone, we've come to bring you
back. Where are you?”
Persephone's eyes
flickered, “You don’t understand,” she said, her voice trembling, “Hades has
bound me here. If you stay, you’re in danger.”
Josephine’s gaze
remained steady. “We know the risks. But we’re not leaving without you.”
Before Persephone
could respond, a deep, rumbling laugh echoed across the plain. The ground
trembled as Hades emerged from the shadows with his dark presence. His face grinned
with a cold, calculating malice as he surveyed the intruders.
“Ah, my beloved
wife,” Hades said, his voice light yet demanding, “And her would-be rescuers.
How cute.”
“Why do you have
her here?” Josephine asked, standing her ground, “What did she do that was worthy
of a punishment like this?”
Hades glanced at
Jase, sighing in disappointment, before looking back at Josephine, “She betrayed
me—and you, Josephine. She became friends with you to relay information back to
Hermes.”
“No, no…” Josephine
shook her head, “She wouldn’t.”
Persephone's face
contorted, "Josephine, please, you have to believe me. I never betrayed
you!"
Hades chuckled
darkly, "Oh, the lies you tell yourselves. She did it to protect you, I
think. But in the end, all she did was seal her own fate."
Josephine's heart
pounded in her chest. The shadows around Hades seemed to pulse with his every
word.
"I don't
believe you," she said firmly, "Persephone wouldn't betray me."
Aphrodite stepped
forward, "Hades, enough of your games. Release her. She has suffered
enough."
Hades’ eyes
narrowed, his grin fading, "You dare to command me in my own realm,
Aphrodite? Perhaps you have forgotten your place."
"I have not
forgotten. But neither have I forgotten my duty to those I care for. Persephone
belongs with us, not here in this twisted prison."
“Oh, and what will
you do if I don’t let her go?” Hades asked, circling them as if he was a
predator and they were the prey, “You don’t have any proof that she didn’t commit
treason.”
Aphrodite's eyes
flashed with divine fire, "Proof or not, we will not abandon her to your
cruelty. You underestimate my strength, Hades."
Josephine took a
step forward, "We are here to take Persephone back, and we won't leave
without her. If you refuse to let her go, then we'll fight for her."
“Will you, weak one?”
Hades chuckled, “And how do you think you’ll manage to get past me and my
realm?”
Josephine squared
her shoulders, her hands igniting in flames, "We'll find a way," she
said, "We didn't come this far to give up now."
Jase stepped beside
her, "Together, we're stronger than you think. We're not leaving without
Persephone."
Hades' gaze shifted
between them, demonstrating a mixture of amusement and irritation in his face, "You
are brave, I'll give you that," he said, "But bravery alone won't
save you here."
Aphrodite's voice
was calm, "We don't need to defeat you, Hades. We only need to free
Persephone and leave your realm. You know as well as I do that she doesn't
belong here."
Hades' expression
hardened, "You speak as if you have a choice. This is my domain, and I am
its master. To defy me is to wish for death."
Josephine's flames
burned brighter, "We are not afraid of you. Persephone's place is not
here, and we will see her freed."
A low growl projected
from Hades, the shadows around him thickening, "Very well. If it's a fight
you want, it's a fight you'll get. But know this: you will regret challenging
the Lord of the Underworld."
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