The Day Death Died

The Day Death Died - Chapter 20

"Wait... we can open portals?" I asked, my eyes wide.

Edwin raised an eyebrow. "Yes. If you'd finished reaper training, you'd know that."

"Well, Ed, that wasn't exactly in the cards for me," I muttered, stepping through the shimmering doorway.

"You have a habit of doing things your own way, Maddy," he retorted, a smirk tugging at his lips.

I rolled my eyes as we stepped onto the rugged landscape of Crete. Immediately, the island's raw beauty hit me—the rocky shoreline crashing against the waves, the scent of salt and sea filling my lungs. For a second, the mission faded into the background, and I just felt the place.

The village of Kritsa was a stark contrast to the wild energy of the coast. It looked so peaceful, as if untouched by the chaos we'd just escaped. The winding streets were lined with charming houses, each one adorned with vibrant flowers, the colorful blooms spilling over the edges of old stone walls. It was hard to believe that somewhere nearby, the goddess of night lurked.

As we walked through the village, the air smelled of freshly baked bread and wild herbs—thyme, oregano, and olive trees adding their own fragrance to the picturesque scene. Locals gathered in the square, the hum of conversation blending with the distant sound of traditional Cretan music. The whole place felt alive with the kind of warmth you don't expect when you're on the hunt for ancient deities.

"Now what?" I asked, glancing around.

Edwin shrugged. "I have no idea. This is your plan."

I sighed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes again. If I were the goddess of night, where would I hide? "I'm going to follow my gut," I muttered, veering off toward the ancient Minoan ruins that sat on the outskirts of the village.

The ruins loomed ahead, dark and quiet. Overgrown vines and thick vegetation crept along the crumbling walls, as though nature was slowly reclaiming what the Minoans had left behind. There was a heaviness to the air here—a subtle but undeniable shift in energy.

We ventured deeper into the ruins, the ancient stone archways casting long shadows. The deeper we went, the thicker the darkness became, as if light itself was afraid to follow. A chill ran down my spine, and I slowed my pace, senses on high alert. There was something here.

Then, I saw her.

A woman stood in the shadows, her form barely discernible. She was tall and regal, draped in a flowing black gown that seemed to melt into the darkness. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back like liquid night, and her eyes—oh, her eyes—glowed with an eerie, otherworldly light.

For a moment, I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe.

Nyx.

She regarded me for what felt like an eternity, her expression unreadable. Then, without a word, she vanished, dissolving back into the shadows as though she had never been there.

"Wait... where did she go?" I stammered, spinning around to find Edwin.

"Wherever the goddess of night wants to go when people bother her," he said dryly.

"That doesn't help me," I snapped, frustration bubbling up. "We came all this way, and she just—vanishes?"

Edwin shrugged. "We can keep looking."

"Obviously," I muttered. "This whole thing feels like an endless runaround."

Edwin's expression softened, just a bit. "I get it. If I could change my fate—if I could save the people I cared about—I'd do anything, too."

The edge in my voice eased slightly, though the frustration remained. "So, what do we actually know about Nyx?" I asked, trying to focus.

"She's the goddess of night," Edwin said, matter-of-fact.

"Yeah, I got that part. What else?"

"She's the daughter of Chaos," he added.

I stopped in my tracks. "Chaos?" The word tasted strange on my tongue, and the implications of it were even stranger. "Wait—Chaos is a being?"

Edwin hesitated, frowning as he thought it over. "Yes and no. Chaos is... complicated. It's not a deity like the others. It's more like a force—primordial, beyond what we can understand."

"If I were Chaos, where would I go?" I asked, more to myself than to Edwin.

"Honestly, that's way above my pay grade," Edwin said with a helpless shrug.

I sighed heavily, leaving the ruins behind as we wandered back into the village. My mind raced as I searched for a clue, anything that could lead us closer to Nyx or Chaos. We passed a small tourist stand, and I paused, drawn to a picture on one of the pamphlets. It showed a steep gorge, wild and untamed, with jagged rocks and a violent, rushing river cutting through the heart of the land.

"That," I said, pointing.

Edwin frowned, looking over my shoulder. "What about it?"

"That's where they are."

He raised an eyebrow. "How could you possibly know that?"

"I don't," I admitted. "But it looks... chaotic. It feels right."

"The Samaria Gorge," I read aloud from the pamphlet. The name felt heavy, like it held more than just natural beauty.

"That's quite an adventure!" a voice boomed from behind the stall.

I turned to see a heavy-set man, grinning widely as he pointed to the picture of the gorge.

"How far is it from here?" I asked.

"Not far. Still on Crete!" the man said cheerfully.

"It's on Crete?" Edwin asked, the skepticism clear in his tone.

"Yes, yes! Wonderful place! You can hike it. Big adventures!" the man exclaimed, his enthusiasm palpable.

I nodded, ignoring Edwin's frown. "How do we get there?"

The man's grin widened. "You hike!"

Edwin groaned. "Hike?" he repeated, as if the word were foreign.

"Yes! Beautiful hike. Takes a few days. Very rewarding!"

I glanced at Edwin, who was glaring at the man like he'd suggested we walk to the underworld itself.

"How much for a guide?" I asked, already knowing Edwin would object.

"Three hundred dollars for the week," the man replied proudly.

"A week?" Edwin interjected, his disbelief clear. "We don't need a week. We just need to get there and back."

The man chuckled, his belly shaking with the effort. "Three days in, three days out. One day to explore the gorge. Best deal in town!"

Edwin muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like "rip-off," but I was already nodding.

"We'll take the guide," I said firmly.

Edwin's eyes narrowed. "Maddy, we don't need to hike. We can just use the reaper door."

"I don't want to scare Nyx off again," I replied, keeping my voice calm. "We'll take the hike, enjoy the scenery, and approach carefully. We can't keep chasing her."

He scrunched his nose, clearly unhappy but knowing I wasn't going to budge. "Fine," he grumbled. "But you're going to regret this."

The man beamed, clapping his hands together. "Wonderful! Meet your guide here at dawn tomorrow!"

I nodded, stepping away from the stall. As we walked, Edwin's gaze shifted back to me, his expression softening slightly. "Why can't we just use the portal?"

"Because I'm not taking any chances. What if Nyx disappears again, or worse—what if Chaos notices us? We need to be smart about this."

Edwin sighed, glancing around the village. "Fine. I'll go find us a place to stay."

"Good idea," I called after him, feeling the weight of the upcoming hike settle in. "I'll go grab hiking gear."