Daughter of Poseidon, the Girl Who Lived

18. Welcome to the underworld, you will probably not like it here!

I don't recommend shadow travel if you're scared of:
a) The dark
b) Cold shivers up your spine
c) Strange noises
d) Going so fast you feel like your face is peeling off
In other words, I thought it was terrible.
When it was over, I clung to Nico's arm as if it was the only thing steadying me, which it was. Severus had let go of Nico's other hand to take in his surroundings.

"We need to talk to our father," he simply said.

"Will you tell me what happened exactly, Sev?" Nico asked as he helped me stand on my feet.

"The furies happened," Severus said with a terrifying calmness. "So, we therefore need to snitch on them."

Nico's facial expression visibly darkened as he put the pieces together.

"STUPID OLD BAT-HAGS!!!!!" he screamed right after letting go of me. He started to march in the direction of the big dark castle located a short walk away from where we stood. Severus followed him. I had to half run in order to keep up with the furious sons of Hades.

Let me give you a piece of advice if you ever feel like it would be a good idea to kidnap the half blood daughter of Poseidon. Whatever the reason, the kick of it, a ransom, if you want to kidnap her, I tell you this; don't. You don't want her furious cousins after you. Save yourself the trouble and pick someone else if you just have to abduct someone.

I made sure to remember that as we approached Hades' palace. I also made a point of taking in what the underworld looked like. It's not every day you get to see the place you come to after you die, after all.

At the foot of the palace was a gated valley filled with neighbourhoods of various time periods. I could hear laugher and it smelled of barbecue. It was a huge contrast to the rest of the underworld, that contained of a wheat field with a few poplar trees spread out. Further away was a wasteland with rivers of what I think was lava, I'm not certain, but I could hear cries of suffering, as opposed to the laughter from that gated valley that appeared to be such a paradise in comparison to it's depressing surroundings. Like a paradise compared to any places for what it's worth. Nico saw where I was looking.

"Yeah, that's Elysium. And the Isles of the Blessed there in the middle of that lake. Those who have lived a good life, and/or died a hero's death end up there. If you're really ambitious then you can instead choose to be reborn. Only those who reaches Elysium three times in a row get to the Isles of the Blessed, you see."

I nodded. A paradise for the good, that made sense.

"And the other places?" I gestured towards the wheat field and the wasteland.

"The fields of punishment. Where the deceased get their eternal punishment for their wrongdoings. And those fields are Asphodel. The neutral souls end up there, after they drink from the River Lethe and forget all about their lives."

Asphodel seemed to be a bit overflowed with the souls of grey people who didn't do anything but wandering around doing nothing, whereas Elysium, from what I could tell, definitely did not have any problem with overpopulation of any kind. So that was what your life was worth in the end? If you were neither good nor bad, but just lived you life you are doomed to become a mare ghost wandering around a wheat field forever. It was kinda sad to see that's how the majority of mankind lived.

But I didn't get to dwell on that for long. We were approaching Hades' palace.

I don't know exactly what I expected Hades to look like, but I recognised him immediately. How? Well, the apple had not fallen far from the tree. My first thought when I saw the God of the Dead was that Severus had his father's, well, almost everything. Except from their noses, I guess.

Severus and Nico fell down on their knees and I followed their example.

"Father, we need to talk to you about the Erinyes. It is quite urgent." Severus explained looking up at the god.

Hades gave us all a calculating look before speaking.

"What about them?"

Nico stood up while Severus and I remained in our position.

"I think they purposefully didn't tell you who they suspected of the thievery of Poseidon's trident, Dad. They abducted Harriet Potter on her quest to find it." Nico said slowly.

"Poseidon's witch spawn?" Hades asked for clarification.

I have never seen anyone's gaze darkening that fast. Hades called for the furies to come to the throne room instantly. I won't go into detail about the following lecture about the stupidity of taking one of his brother's favourite children against their will, but I assure you; they won't do it again anytime soon.

The furies were then ordered to go get Harriet and release her from her handcuffs. She looked well for someone who had just been abducted. When she went through her pockets she frowned.

"If you're looking for Tsunami, Harri, I should inform you that Megaera purposefully broke it after Alecto and Tisiphone took you away," Severus said glaring at the Guilty Ones.

"Wasn't that a bit unnecessary?" I think Harriet was sarcastic towards the furies. She does have a reputation of being sassy. "I'm sorry about all this drama, Uncle," she said to Hades.

He merely waved it off with an annoyed sight.

"You can leave through the back door. Do so now, please. I now have to apologize to Poseidon for my servants' behavior!" I was surprised to see his face soften somewhat when he met Harriet's eyes. "I will let him know about your broken coat of arms."

Nico led us out through the back door and we found ourselves in Elysium.

"Why did your dad tell us to leave through the Elysian Fields?" Harriet asked Nico.

"I'm not sure, but didn't the prophecy say the late would tell you where to go after a bypath? Maybe you're supposed to meet someone here who can help?" Nico suggested.

"Well, I'm not good with giving directions, but maybe I could be somewhat helpful anyway?" someone said and made us turn in his direction.

The guy had a light skin colour and black hair. His eyes shone with curiosity.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Nico asked.

The young man laughed.

"Oh, silly me!" He offered his hand to shake. "The name is Regulus Black, nice to meet you!"