Demi-God: The Lost

Twenty-Seven

"Hey! Red-head!" Flynn groans, rolling over onto his side. A burning ache filling his entire temple.

"What the heck." His pink eyes open to find the familiar cold metal floor. The lights are almost completely dark, but just enough so he can make out a few silhouettes around him.

"You can't sleep there! Wake up!" One of the voices shouted.

Flynn pushes himself to his knees. The palm of his hand soothing the red spot forming on his forehead. "Where am I?" One of the silhouettes moves closer, coming into a light spot just inches from Flynns face.

The sight forces a scream from his mouth and he crawls backwards into the darkness. The silhouette was a man, his entire left side was bones, a few loose pieces of skin hanging on desperately.

"Come on now. No shouting like that. It hurts mah ears." The voice has a very unique accent. Flynn wipes a sticky liquid from his face, it's all over his body actually.

"What is this?" A very dark colored towel is thrown into Flynn's face.

"It's called Larv. The creatures that guard this place secrete it. The nasty stuff is all over the stinkin' place." A boney hand reaches out to Flynn. "Come on now. We gotta get movin' before they catch up." Flynn grabs his hand and follows the group down a few hallways.

"Who exactly are 'they'?" As they walk a few rooms appear along the hallway. The doors are locked shut, a few groans of pain echoing off the walls.

"They is the Nightmares. They is the guard keepers of Asphodel. The Nightmares of Hades are they names." A room covered with only bars comes up and just as they pass someone leaps at them. A long and ugly arm reaching through the small gap towards Flynn's face. The skin is rotting and a bone sticks out halfway.

"Don't leave..Save me please.." The half skeleton from before grabs Flynn's arm and pulls him along.

"Don't speak to him. There's nothin' we can do for them people." A few more open rooms show up just like that one the further they walk.

"They is the Damned. Asphodel is the middle ground between Elysium and Tartarus. Elysium is for heroes, and Tartarus is the evilest villains the world aint never seen. That leaves all the rest for Asphodel." Screaming fills the metal walls.

"The Damned is those who don't meet the requirements for Tartarus, but are so bad they can't be wit' us." Flynn glances around, the halls are so dark you can barely see two feet in front of you. There's the occasional flickering light here and there.

"What are we?" The skeleton pauses. He turns and looks at Flynn. Emerald green eyes scanning Flynn's body slowly.

"We is the Lost. Neither Damned nor Redeemed. The Redeemed is those who don't meet the requirements of Elysium. Good people who did nothin with their lives. The Lost is those who don't know who they once was." A sad look fills his eyes. "We lost because no one ever cared to keep us." Flynn looks at the rotting bodies that sit slouched in the hallways.

"Redeemed get homes. Happy memories and loved ones. While the Lost wander Asphodel in hopes of findin who we once was." The group continues walking. "Souls sent to Asphodel never get to leave or rest. We wander for the rest of eternity. Even after our bodies rot to the point we can't move, we souls stay condemned here."

"Asphodel is truly Hell."

A loud alarm blares through the halls. "Shoot! We were too slow!" The skeleton grabs Flynn's arm tight and they sprint down the hallway.

"What's happening?!" Flynn shouts, doing his best to keep up with him.

"That is the warning bell. The Nightmares is comin." They turn down another hall.