When Life Meets Death

Chapter One: The Exchange

Persephone began the early morning breaking her sister's rule as she swiftly made her way to the entrance of the Underworld. The awakening light of the sun guided her as she traveled, and adrenaline surged through her veins like the crashing waves of Poseidon's seas.

The entrance wasn't hard for her find, for she had always secretly followed her sisters as far as she could remain hidden by nature; but this time was different.

She didn't have to worry about being seen, nor did she glance behind her to see if she was being followed.

Besides her electric excitement, she was strangely at peace, her feet moving in the direction of the Underworld almost as if it was second nature– almost like she was returning home. It wasn't long until she appeared before the cave she always saw her sisters disappear into, and for some reason she hesitated.

She stared with wide eyes, the mouth of a cave stared back at her, not a speck of light penetrating its darkness. She assumed the eerie feeling it emitted was to ward off mortals, and she couldn't deny that it's enchantment was working fairly well.

The memory of her sister came back to Persephone's mind, her firm command echoing in her head. It seemed that everyone was commanding her not to leave the world of the living, but her heart was aching to see the land of the dead. So with a deep breath, and the straightening of her small form, she took a confident step into the cave.

I have to know.

Feeling her way through the darkness she was surprised by a sudden gust of wind blowing her brown tresses behind her, along with the blue skirt of her dress. She breathed in the air of the Underworld , allowing its coldness to seep into her lungs before breathing it out in a gust of white vapor through her lips.

The air burned, but it somehow made her feel even more alive.

Running her hand along the cave wall, she let out a small gasp when her foot sank into the snow that covered the downward slope of the path. The only sound that reached her ears as she traveled was the crunching of the snow beneath her feet and her own soft breathing.

A faint light suddenly filled the cave and she rushed forward, carful not to slip on the snow as she neared the end of the cave. She came to a stop when the Underworld revealed itself to her, her eyes taking in the landscape hungrily.

The land before Persephone was barren, and the black soil peeked out from beneath the snow. Below the wide cliffs she stood upon was a small canyon where a river flowed. A river of fire in the distance seemed to illuminate the realm of the dead, the flow of fire burned at such an intensity that it shone white.

She wouldn't have been able to look away if she hadn't sensed a powerful presence not far from where she stood. With batted breath she turned her gaze back to in front of her, and saw a man standing at the edge of the cliff. His back was to her as his fur cape moved by the whim of the wind, the white snow standing out against the deep black of what once was the animal's shaggy mane.

His hair matched his cape, black and unkept, but he didn't seem to mind as it constantly brushed against his face as his tall figure remained stagnant, peering down at the river.

Persephone began to slowly approach him, her grip on her bag that held the precious souls tightened. A memory surprisingly fleeted across her mind, causing her to furrow her brow.

"Do not address him, do not speak to him. Just do what has to be done and leave." Zoe had said to Rhae on her first exchange.

Had they never spoken to him after all this time?

Persephone thought.