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.
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