Zelus (Perseus Reimagined) (BXB)

Chapter 58

"If you know what's best for you," Dolus's voice invades my mind. "Don't ever temper with things that are beyond your control again."

???

HE EMBRACES MY DEAD BODY, sobbing loudly, questioning fate.

I kneel before him. My hands go right through him, for I'm no longer made from flesh and blood. My voice is unheard of in the living, and my touch is nothing but a breeze. I gaze at the body I once owned, hardening and turning cold, losing its glimmer. His mother kept a hand on Perseus's shoulder, offering her condolences in silence, but even she couldn't contain her emotions.

"It's time to go."

I rise to my feet and turn towards the figure in black. He wields a silver scythe that traps the pleadings of lost souls. His body is entirely secured in a cloak, black as tar, deeper than the sea, with only his face peeking out of the hood. His terrifying appearance was no stranger to the eyes. His face holds little to no skin, making his bone structure apparent, and his voice is hoarse and husky. He had eyes, but they were pitch black. It feels as though you're staring into a dark hole, and the longer you stare, the faster you lose your mind.

Thanatos, the God of Death.

His bony fingers reached out, and I took it. Though I possess no flesh, I felt the icy surface of his touch. With my hand in his, he lifts his scythe and slashes an opening in the air. A portal appears, growing larger every second. What lies behind it is the underworld.

I took one last glance at Perseus, who was still mourning over me.

"I can tell you now," the God of Death catches my glimpse of him, but he keeps his visions ahead. "He'll never move on."

And with that, he led us straight into the portal.

The portal closed behind us, and our hands were freed. I was welcomed by the scent of rotten eggs and burnt fabrics. My feet stand on the ground once covered with lava, feeling the crusty surface beneath them. The underworld is dark, and the skies are black, with only flames from the fiery pits lighting the place. Though there was fire, it was freezing. There was no balance.

My heart stops at the sound of footprints approaching my side. Before I could turn, a male soul, still in his battle armor, passed me and joined a queue of other souls. My eyes trace the line to the two arch paths ahead. They are sky-reaching tall, large as the mountains, and guarding the gates are two other deities. The keepers of fate.

"Stay on the path," Thanatos commands, his index finger pointing toward the queue of souls.

"What's happening?" Fear starts taking over, and my voice stutters to even ask a simple question. "Where are all these people going?"

"The aftermath is written in the book of life," he points his weapon toward the gatekeepers. Each holds a book glowing brightly as though they are holding the sun. "What you've done in your life will determine the outcome. No amount of wealth will save you if they're not satisfied."