The God & The Shadow

Chapter 62

PERSEPHONE

"Asshole," she murmured to herself as she trudged up the field.

Her mind was all over the place, and all Persephone wanted was to lay in bed and wait until tomorrow arrived. All she wanted was to leave this damned place from its damned King and all his damned friends.

She hated it. Hated everything, actually.

Persephone cursed out loud when she heard heavy panting from behind. At first, she thought it was Hades, but then she realized just how idiotic it sounded and turned.

She felt a weight lift from her chest upon seeing Cerberus instead, tail wagging and his three heads smiling from ear to ear.

The goddess knelt in the grass to pet the middle head. She had no doubt about Hades' involvement in his own dog's following, probably part of his unmentioned agenda to make sure Persephone never roamed around the Underworld alone.

Scoffing at the realization, she stood and continued on. Even now when she made it clear she was mad at him, he still somehow found a way to be with her. It was as if he didn't want to give Persephone the choice to leave.

You can leave, Persephone. He said it with such resolution that it made her think what Veronica was to him. A friend? A fling? His lover?

Everything didn't make sense. In the letters she'd read, some explained that Veronica was taken. And not only that, but Demeter and Nixon were involved in her disappearance.

Three months ago, she was in her mother's mansion, safe and unbothered. If something as big as an abduction had been orchestrated by them, she would've known. But then again, Persephone was no stranger to the countless lies and information they'd hidden from her.

Gods, everyone around here had winning streaks when it came to lying to her. She had no idea who or what to believe, didn't even believe herself. What if her whole life had been a lie? Who was she, really?

Amid Persephone's epiphany, she nearly blocked out the distant wailing that pierced through the silence on the field. She looked around, noticing Cerberus stopped his heaving panting to listen as well and tried to listen where it came from.

It cried out again and her head whipped east. She'd never heard it before, didn't know what creature could've created such a sound, but it beckoned to her. She could feel its pain and anguish, the intrinsic call in it undeniable.

So she followed it. Normally, she wouldn't have this much bravery to do such a thing, but tonight changed her somehow. Plus, Cerberus was with her; his presence made up for the absence of Hades' own power that she often found herself leaning towards.

Persephone quickly ran up the hill and stopped at the top, overseeing the entire body of water that encompassed the land. It glittered under the moonlight, a sight so beautiful she might've mistaken it as something harmless.

The River Styx. She'd never seen it before, only heard stories of it, the dangers of the water. The creatures that resided in it. Only Charon, the man she'd met with Hades the other day in the town, could guide the souls across. To disobey that rule would lead to grave consequences.

Persephone's heart nearly fell out of her body upon seeing the woman moving directly for the river.

She broke into a run. It was the woman that had begged Hades time and time again to help her daughter soon to arrive to the Underworld. The last time she'd seen her, she easily accepted Hades' explanation. It was nothing more than a lie, she realized.

"Stop!" Persephone screamed. She couldn't remember what the name of the woman was, didn't have anything to connect with her personally. All she knew was that the woman could very well suffer if she decides to cross.

The woman moved faster, feet already wading through the water. The goddess cursed, quickly removing her shoes and tossing them away. To hell with the rocks hidden in the grass, her shoes only slowed her down.

"Stop! Come back!" She shouted once more when the water reached the waist of the woman. From the distance she still needed to cut, she already knew that she was out of time. It didn't stop her from trying though.

By the time Persephone had reached the water, the woman's entire body was already submerged. She jumped, diving in to where she could barely see the woman's figure in the murky water.

She didn't know how to swim, never got the chance to learn how, but her body somehow knew what to do. It knew how to keep her eyes open, to control the limited amount of oxygen in her lungs, and the quick movement of her feet.

Persephone nearly wept with relief when she felt the woman's arm. She pulled, hoping she would come with her, only to feel the woman's fingers pushing against the hold on her. The woman tried prying her off from the flesh she grasped on to, screaming at her under the water.

She wanted to tell her that she was helping, that if she let go the woman could very well disappear into the abyss. So she tightened her grip and pulled harder, not caring if she hurt her. It would hurt much more if she let go.

With great strength, Persephone pulled the woman with her through the water. They were in too deep, too far to make any mistakes. She started praying to the gods that her immortal body wouldn't give up on her then.

They emerged out of the water with a gasp. The woman was still fighting out of Persephone's hold when she pulled her along to the shore. Her vision had turned blurry, the grass merely a mix of green through her eyes but she carried on anyway.

"Stop. Stop it, please." She told the woman with the last of her energy as she pushed her up to the grass. Persephone was so tired, so exhausted.

Her fingers dug through the soil, using it to hoist herself up. She heard something shriek when she did, a sound she knew didn't come from the woman next to her or the dog she couldn't see anymore.

No, it came from behind. It came from the darkness below, the deep abyss that resided in the bottom of the river.

She willed herself to push harder, but it was too late.

The last thing Persephone saw was the woman's wide eyes before boney hands wrapped around her feet, pulling her down, and down, and down.

《♤》

😵‍💫 short chapter but dw about it i got you fam