Chapter 50 (Y/n)

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Ahead of us was a circle of growing light and, in the distance, a very large and dark palace. 

The faster we walked, the closer we came to a line of translucent people of all different shapes and forms.

"Souls," Harley mumbled, tucking himself behind Leo's leg. 

The line of dead seemed to trickle towards the opening, where someone was arguing loudly.

"Come on," Nico muttered, starting forward. 

I felt sort of bad, cutting in front of all these people, but Nico knew the underworld better than I did, and I trusted him.

It was kind of sad looking at the people who stood in this line. There were many old people, most likely grandparents and children about Harley's age, who wandered their way into formation with big frightened eyes.

Seeing these kids, their babyish faces and innocent eyes, only reminded me more of Robin, I still couldn't believe he was gone.

I couldn't help but wonder that if I had never run away it could have been me standing in this line, flickering eerily blue.

Leo's grip on my hand helped pull me back to the reality of our situation, and I kept walking.Nico shoved and pushed his way to the front.

A man sat in a pressed pinstripe suit with chocolate skin and blond hair cut in a military style. He wore reading glasses attached to a long chain that connected behind his head, his eyes void as if drained of life as he scanned over the papers in his hand.

He sat behind an oak desk at the opening of the tunnel, a silver gilded name tag on his desk and a small lamp in the other corner; a framed picture of Cerberus, Hades's three-headed dog, sat next to it. 

A soul stood, cowering in front of him, as the tall blond man ranted.

"Do I look like a secretary to you?" He asked, and the soul hesitated.

He sighed, "Come back when you have your papers in order." 

The blond man said, shoving the files into the soul's arms, "Next."

Nico stepped forward, and the man looked up from his desk, smiling.

"Nico," he grinned, his reading glasses transforming into tortoise-shell sunglasses in a puff of smoke, "how's it going?"

The son of Hades nodded his head respectively, "We seek an audience with my father."

The man stood up, grabbed onto the staff, leaned against his desk and stretched, considering our proposal.

"I'm afraid in these troubling times one might need, compensation." 

He licked his lips, greedy for coin.

"Drachma," Nico muttered, and Leo called for one from his toolbelt, "here."

"My usual fee is five per soul but I'll reduce it to one for each of you," The blond said holding out his hand, Nico rolled his eyes and placed six drachmas into his hand.

"Very good," he dropped the coins into his pocket and turned, "come along, your father has been expecting you."

As we passed by his desk, I was finally able to read the name printed on the name tag.

Charon.

"You're the Charon? Aren't you the guy who's supposed to take us across the Styx in a boat?" I asked, looking around; we were surrounded by solid ground. 

If there was a river, then it must have been invisible.

He cleared his throat.

"The River Styx is on the other side of Hades palace, not ideal, I know, but hey, who listens to the guy who ferries the souls? Not my Boss, that's who; say's the cardio's 'good for me.'"

(A Promise Meant To Break) Leo Valdez X ReaderWhere stories live. Discover now