Meeting Aggie

22.

"I still can't believe you chose Hecate," Apollo grumbled as we walked the palace halls.

"Stop whining. I'm most familiar with Isidore already. I don't even know where to begin to unlock Remiel."

"All the more reason to train with me first! You'll speed through the witch training."

I stopped walking and stared at his pouting face.

"You're a grown ass, millennia-old god. Get over it. I have two months and a week left. I need as much time as I can to focus on my angel and fairy forms. We're spending the week in the Underworld, and that's final."

He raised his hands and backed up.

"You got it."

We walked to the landing area, his arm enveloping me in a comforting embrace. With swift teleportation, we found ourselves back in the Underworld.

The absence of Eris, even after our short acquaintance, intensified the ache of longing within me.

Apollo's gaze fixed on me, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright?"

"Couldn't be better," I muttered, my voice tinged with sarcasm.

Charon occupied the ferry ahead of us, sporting a flamboyant green cape that had a life of its own. His shoulders squared as he flashed a friendly wave at me while shooting a death stare at Apollo.

As we settled into the boat, Apollo let out an exaggerated gasp. Charon pivoted his eyeless gaze toward me, his skeletal visage somehow managing to convey a mix of pity and amusement—though, with his lack of skin, it was hard to tell for sure.

"I heard what happened with Eris. I'm sorry, Agatha," Charon said.

I shrugged my shoulders as the ferry moved down the beautiful river. I dipped my hand in and watched as it left a trail of light blue in the water that eventually blended in.

"Honestly, I've come to terms with it, and it's fair. Eris was never part of this fight. The only difference is the circumstance. I'm not fighting for my own life anymore. I am fighting for the dark species as a whole."

"It is indeed disheartening to witness the dwindling numbers of the dark species, decreasing from ten billion to a mere half a billion. On the other hand, the light species currently counts around five billion, according to my most recent records."

"I'm impressed by your knowledge of the figures," I complimented.

"It's my job to have accurate numbers. The fates determine who lives and who dies, but I'm the one responsible for guiding them to the afterlife."

"Scary task."

"Used to it. Nevertheless, I have faith in you. You only need to have faith in yourself, or you will fail, Agatha."

"Loud and clear, Charon."

The ferry tapped the dock. Apollo stepped off first, holding out his hand to pull me up. I turned back to Charon as he spoke.

"You're stronger than you think, Agatha Youngblood. The only person who is doubting you right now is yourself."

I gave him a sour face. "And my brother and Hera. Probably Zeus too."

Charon stared at me again. It was hard to tell whether it was with pity, with no facial expression, but his aura said otherwise.

"I was explicitly instructed not to return," Charon declared with his skeletal grin as the ferry gradually moved away from the dock.

Apollo's frustration flared. "Well, that's utterly ridiculous! The ferry is the only means of travel in the Underworld."

Charon's retort was swift and cutting. "I wasn't speaking to you, airhead. Your ignorance is beyond measure."

As Charon disappeared downstream, I was left with a perplexed frown, feeling as if he had determined my next course of action. Escaping the Underworld would require me to rely on my angel form.

"Don't worry," Apollo reassured me. "He will come back for us. There's no other choice."

"He expects us to fly out of the Underworld," I said, voicing my concern.

Apollo pondered for a moment. "Can't you fly on a broomstick? I've witnessed it before."

Isidore groaned. "The broomstick must be crafted from spindle wood to enhance a witch's magical abilities. However, it is an incredibly rare material, and the woods where it once thrived were decimated by the angel army."

Apollo's eyes sparkled mischievously as a realization struck him. "Well, flying will be your first lesson once you've completed your training with Hecate."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes as we made our way toward the castle. Before Apollo could even raise his hand to knock, the door swung open on its own accord. Nyx stood there, accompanied by Eris' spirit.

She gestured for us to enter, and we obliged, stepping through the doorway. With a swift motion, Nyx closed the door behind us.

Curiosity gleamed in Nyx's eyes as she inquired, "What brings you both here?"

"I was supposed to begin my magic training with Hecate this week," I explained.

A hint of resignation tinged Nyx's response as she shrugged. "Hecate has been occupied running errands with Hades for the past few days. She won't be back until next month."

I scowled at Apollo, who looked confused about the whole situation. He scratched the back of his head innocently.

"They're almost always here. My bad."

Nyx hummed as Eris seemed to be communicating with her. Then she turned a suspicious smile on me.

"No worries, weak one. I don't mind training you instead."

Fear rose in me. I was honored that Nyx would train me in place of Hecate, but she definitely scared me after our last encounter.

Apollo shrugged. "Listen, it's either her or you'll have to do as is."

Nyx sought my approval, and with a sigh, I relented. "Fine, I'll accept your training."

"Excellent. Follow me. Apollo, keep an eye on Eris," Nyx commanded.

"Best of luck!" Eris' spirit spoke as she fluttered past me.

I trailed behind Nyx as we ascended the stairs and navigated through the labyrinth halls, taking a different route from the one leading to Hecate's room.

"Where are we going?"

"Hush," she said softly as we came upon a room.

She opened the door to a room that was entirely white. I wasn't sure why, but it terrified me. There was absolutely nothing in it, and the void of it all gave me sudden agoraphobia.

I backed away, but Nyx pushed me in. She slammed the door as I pounded against it.

"Your first training session is to face the room of horrors. I won't train you if you don't pass."

She locked the door on the other side, and then it vanished. I looked around in the white nothingness, my heart pounding in fear.

"You're not on your own. I'm here," Isidore reassured me.

"You physically being here would provide me more peace. Do you know anything about the white room?"

"Absolutely not. I know just as much as you do right now."

Within seconds, the scenery of the room changed. It became a familiar forest with a great, big blue lake. A man stood by the lake, and I approached him cautiously. He seemed familiar. I tapped his shoulder and gasped when he turned to me.

"Dad?"