Demi-God: The Lost

Chapter Twenty

Flynn lost count at around 2000 steps down. For a while he thought they'd never end. At the bottom of the staircase was a single double door. Two skulls and blood streaming from the mouths and into two small rivers on each side of the pathway.

The doors open before they come close. On the other end is a massive three way bridge. The left reads: "ELYSIUM". The right reads: "ASPHODEL". And the middle reads: "TARTARUS". The final one sends a chill down Flynn's spine. Tartarus is the one place Flynn had heard of the most growing up. Gramps would always tell him to stay far away from that place.

At the point where all three bridges meet is the infamous large hellhound; Cerberus. He's massive. His black fur and white face, it's almost like fire coming off his body. His eyes are even scarier than the skeleton mans.

Persephone guides them to the large beast, who quickly sniffs and growls at Flynn. "Hold your hand out." She reaches her palm to the hellhound with no fear. He growls before placing his nose to her palm.

"You've done so well my friend." She whispers. Flynn hesitates but finally reaches his hand out similarly. He turns his face away as the guardian turns his frightful gaze to him.

A few moments pass before a soft and slightly wet feeling comes across his hand. "Haha. He likes you." Flynn looks back slowly. Cerberus is rubbing his snout against Flynn's hand. And without warning his large tongue comes out and he licks Flynn leaving him covered head to toe in drool.

Flynn stares in shock for a moment before bursting into a laughing fit. "Good Cerberus!" He shouts and pets the large animal as if he were a dog. Cerberus bites the back of Flynn's shirt and lifts him off the ground.

Persephone climbs elegantly onto his furry back. She has the power of a reigning queen of hell but the beauty of a gentle goddess.

The guardian of the underworld makes his way down the bridge and into one of the three tunnels. The name carved above the tunnel reads: "ELYSIUM".

Gramps used to tell stories about the land of the underworld. Elysium is the place where heroes and truly good people come to rest, Asphodel is where neither good nor bad people rest, and Tartarus is the place where the worst of the worst people are sentenced for eternity of hell.

The Throne Room is where Hades stays. So why are they going to Elysium? The dark tunnel stretches on for what feels like forever until a bright light blinds Flynn. He squints his eyes until they adjust and they immediately open wide in awe.

The inside is massive; It's a landscape like nothing he's ever seen before. There's a huge bridge connecting the tunnel to a big pillar of ground that holds a castle that reaches so far into the sky it would take forever to reach the top.

Beyond the castle are insane landforms. The ground under the bridge dips down into a deep valley that circles half of the castle. It rises quickly along the edges and dips down into a sharp plummet. Inside the valley are a few waterfalls and tons of greenery and stone.

Behind the castle in the far distance are mountains so tall their peak is covered by clouds. Miles and miles of plain fields fill the distance between the giant stone mountains and the castle, in the far right being a forest that stretches further than Flynn can see. It's absolutely beautiful.

Flynn walks around, his gaze shifting from every small detail to another. The bridge is decorated with lanterns and flowers. The path following up to the front doors of the castle is mostly made of smooth rocks that look way too nice to be real. The main doors at the front of the castle are massive. They open fully to allow the giant hellhound to enter.

He walks through the large doors made of tons of different metals and materials. The inside is even more beautiful than the outside.

The artwork is sort of crazy looking but maybe that's just what the hero's are into? Most of everything is gold or some kind of expensive gem, flowers everywhere you look, and more food than you could ever dream of.

"Let's go to the top," Persephone mutters, her once cheerful gaze now a stern and firm one. Flynn doesn't say anything as they climb off Cerberus.

He looks back at the large dog and waves with a big smile. "I'll be back later." He turns back to his mother and they start to make their way to the top. Each floor makes his jaw drop even more.

They finally stop walking after eight floors up. Persephone stops at a door and raises her fist to it. She goes to knock but pauses as a loud noise comes from inside.

"This is an abomination! We can't stand for this! We've been pushed around too much by this god who fails to keep a tight leash on the low dwellers!" A man's voice shouts from the other side of the door.

Flynn spares a look at his mother who sends him a look mixed with exhaustion and annoyance. She rubs her brows and takes a deep breath. After putting a bright smile on her face she pushes the doors open and walks confidently into the very tense room.

"Perseus, Hercules, and Achilles. It's been some time." Flynn's eyes scan the walls and open balcony in the very large room. Everything's decorated so nicely and elegantly. His gaze shifts to the loud and arguing group of three males and about five women clothed in very little attire.

The first man has a soft face and short curly brown hair with matching blue eyes, "Perseus." He seems to be trying to calm the raging blonde next to him. Curly blonde hair and very light green eyes, definitely Hercules. The final man in the group is painting calmly in a chair. The painting kind of looks like the others he saw on the main floor.

It looks like he's painting the sun in the far distance. He has short black hair and the greenest pair of emerald eyes. He wears a tattoo on his left shoulder that is almost impossible to not notice. He is Achilles. The invincible warrior of the Trojan War.

These three are the strongest and bravest warriors to ever be sent to rest in Elysium. Perseus, Hercules, and Achilles.

"You brought his child here?" Hercules rounds over on Flynn, his gaze towering threateningly over Flynn's much smaller form.

"U..Um.." He rubs his arm and looks up at the man nervously.

"Don't scare him, Hercules. This kid isn't his child." Perseus sits against a chair and drinks from a very fancy cup.

"Who?" Flynn squeaks out. He flinches back as Hercules rears at him once more. This time it's Achilles to step in. The painter swings his brush and throws a splatter of paint all over Hercules' face. A small smirk spreads across his face at the clear annoyance of the brute.

"We mean Hades."