I was falling.
Down a sky of endless black.
The sea of darkness was quite stark.
Nothing heard but my own screams.
The pain was spreading through,
Erupting like a volcano without any blood,
I was dreaming or was I dead?
The bind, yes, I did not tell Ursula the full story. When I said I was bound to Hades, I was bound tightly like a death wish. If he was to die, I was to die too. It was a small detail that I had overlooked as it seemed impossible to kill Hades at that time but now, my time was rather limited and nothing could break the bind.
It did not matter now, all that mattered was getting Ursula free from the Keres. She cannot stay under their hold, they were blood thirsty beasts that craved death and would wreck havoc in the Underworld. At least that was what the legends stated and legends were usually an under exaggeration.
I pushed myself off the cold dungeon ground, the pain spilling from my guts as I spat out blood, inching and crawling slowly towards the other rooms. The shackles clattered as I crawled, the fire burning in me had faded long ago and all that's left was an old man-no, not a man. A beast.
I wanted to die. Sweet relief rushing through my veins and releasing from this prison of living. The fear of the inevitable strangled others like a noose around their necks but for me? It was more like a necklace placed neatly to decorate one.
Then, Ursula's face flashed past. The memories lightning up like fairy lights on a Christmas tree. It was the memories of smiling and laughing that fueled my attempt to live despite the mind numbing pain.
I crawled, pulling my body against the ground until I reached a flight of immeasurable stairs, I pulled myself up despite all my common sense telling me to stop. I winced as I dragged my legs up, every step taking an ounce of energy.
Eventually, I made it up but not before someone appeared in front of me, someone I did not expect to come back.
"Well you seem healthy."
"Oh piss off Persephone." I groaned as I supported myself against the wall, the goddess of flowers standing in front of me in her radiant beauty.
"Hello brother-in-law. I came back to get my belongings but I see that...he's dead isn't he?" Her voice was devoid of all emotion except a tinge of sadness.
"No, if he was, I would be dead. He's alive but dying." I clutched against the wall.
"Pity. Well, guess I'll be off then...unless you need my help?" She twisted a strand of her long red hair around her finger and gave me a knowing smirk.
"What do you want?" I grunted, I was never fond of Persephone, she was always so complaining and whiny but she definitely managed to keep Hades busy.
"You can't seriously think I can want anything from you. I have my freedom, I'm happy except..." She shot me a coy look, batting her eyelashes that framed her catlike green eyes.
"Queen. I want to be the queen of the Underworld, the ruler." I must've looked confused as she rolled her wide set of eyes and put her hands on her hips.
"Look, I hated Hades but I enjoyed gardening here. Don't you find the place gloomy? So if I become the ruler, I can enforce new rules and...redecorating. Its not like you can rule the kingdom with your death and I can help you. Just tell me what you want." She had a point.
"Fine. I want to expel the...Keres from my niece." At my words, her eyes widened before a disbelieving look crossed her face.
"He didn't."
"Some random girl but she has his blood." I shrugged as painful as it was.
"Oh." My groans were enough to bring her back to earth as she shook out of her daze and held my shoulder, bringing us to Hades's office with Ursula sitting in the chair, her legs on the table.
"Ah, my lovely Persephone. I heard you escaped." Ursula smirked, her irises glowing.
"You heard right but now I'm back to get my crown. I am the rightful rules after all." Persephone cracked her knuckles as power crackled from her fingers.
"You? You're kidding right? You're some whore that Hades decides to pick up. From inside this girl's mind, you are apparently too much of a prude to give him any sexy time. Shame." Keres laughed as Persephone's face burned with rage.
"How dare you."
"How dare YOU trespass upon my home as the RIGHTFUL heir to my daddy's throne." Ursula walked towards Persephone.
"You're no heir, Keres. You're just some blood thirsty monsters." Persephone cried before summoning thorny vines to rise from the ground and trap Ursula, taking her by surprise.
"Now, are you going to be nice or shall I banish you to Tartarus-no, if you can escape I'll have to send you to somewhere more secure. Try Purgatory." Persephone folded her arms as Ursula growled.
"Bite me, bitch." Ursula snarled.
"Ah, sorry. Your time ran out. Cheers!" Persephone snapped her fingers as Usual started shaking, her body convulsing as white blood started flowing out of Ursula's eyes and nose, forming a puddle beneath her which dissolved into the ground.
Ursula then collapsed to the ground as I hurried towards her, limping as one of my legs failed to work, I gently tapped her forehead and shook her but she was out cold.
"She's fine but you won't be in...ten minutes. I will wake her and you'll get to say your goodbyes before death." Persephone nodded as she bent to touch her forehead but I caught her thin wrist which forced her to look up at me.
"Thanks, Persephone." She had a faint smile on her face before kissing my mouth with a kiss that was as light as a butterfly on a flower, brushing against my dry lips.
"Goodnight Death. May you find peace in death." Persephone stroked my face before disappearing. I would that in another life, I would be able to love Persephone.
"Mi-mister..." Ursula stirred as I propped her against the wall.
"Yes Ursula? Uncle Death is here." I coughed as blood appeared in my palm but I wiped it against my clothes.
"De-Death? W-What? Ha-Happened?" She said softly as I felt my head spin and my body dissolve into nothing.
"Listen child, I'm going to die soon. Before that, I'm going to let you rest, I owe you that much. Even if it takes all of my remaining energy, I'm going to force your soul to rest. You deserve that after all this shit." I slumped against the wall and brought my palm to her forehead when she clutched my arm.
"Wait what? Why are you going to die? Don't leave me please. Don't die. We're family, I need you. Please." Her eyes were wide with tears that streaked down her face.
Humans never cease to amaze me. After dragging her into this mess, she still wants me to live even after promising her eternal rest. I suppose that humans are something worth protecting. Love, a thing I thought I wasn't capable of feeling is taught to me by this remarkable child.
Forgiveness, even after all I've done and what I've done, she still wants me to live and not die after showing her true parents and destiny.
Loyalty, I didn't expect her to come back for me but she sacrificed herself to save me. Even if it didn't end as well as she thought.
Happiness, I hope to one day feel it but in this moment, I could feel a snippet of this emotion as I smiled and placed my hand against her forehead.
