I never thought that this was even possible. I knew that Hades guided the souls to the afterlife, but I didn't know we could still communicate with them. Maybe we can't, maybe Hades is actually leading me to my doom. This was probably his plan all along, to just finish the job and be rid of the Lightning's.
"You think you're real smooth, huh?" I stop and spit my words.
Hades turns to me, the most confused expression on his face I have ever seen in my life. He didn't think it would be possible for a mere mortal to figure out his scheme.
"What are you talking about, Cereza?" He questions me.
"You thought I was going to be so willing to walk into the Underworld where you could trap me and finish the job? Be realistic Hades."
"Why would I want to be rid of the very family I blessed?"
"Regret."
Hades stops for a moment to choose his next words wisely, but then he seems to be studying me. More specifically, he is looking at my ribbon that is hoisted at my waist.
"What is that?" He points to it.
"None of your concern, don't try and change the subject, Hades."
He shakes his head.
"That is not what I was trying to do. But that looks an awful lot like the Ribbon of Death."
"So what if it is?"
"Why would you be concerned with being trapped in the Underworld if you have that. You are practically my mortal equal."
I....never thought of that. Maybe he is telling the truth. I can't be certain. In less than 24 hours, my whole world has been turned upside down.
"Alright, fine. Let's just get this over with."
It takes a half hour to reach the gates to the Underworld. There is no road or path to it, so we were forced to walk through the brush. Damn I knew I shouldn't have worn heels today. Hades then suddenly stops.
"We are here."
Hades places his hands over a large stone in the center of four different trees and speaks in the Enochian language. People think that the language of the gods is Greek, and it is for speaking to one another. But rituals and castings they use they angelic Enochian language.
"ODO Q CONGA MPH LGH," as Hades says this, a sudden burst of energy whips through the air.
The air is now heavy, it feels like my chest is going to cave in. At the point that I think I won't be able to withstand anymore of this, it stops. I look to where the large stone was and it was replaced by a lavender portal. Lavender must be Hades' aura color. It's all over anything that has to do with him, his hair, his eyes, the portal to his domain. Oh god's don't tell me that the Underworld is that color too. Lavender is nice, but there is such a thing as too much.
"May I?" Hades' asks, offering his hand.
I simply nod and take it. Once Hades has my hand, he guides us through the portal. The portal itself feels like a soft fabric going over my skin. My eyes are closed in anticipation of what is to come and then....Hades stops. I take the notion to now open my eyes, and when I do, I'm honestly a little terrified.
"Welcome to the Underworld, Cereza." He simply laughs, "you look like you have just seen a ghost."
I shiver at that thought because I have literally come here to visit a ghost. My mother's. There are probably ghosts all over this place. As Hades would call them, spirits. To me, a ghost is a ghost.
"Don't worry, you will be safe with me."
Those words. They sound so familiar. I've heard someone say those words before, but I can't remember who said them.
"Are you alright?" Hades asks me, sounding a little worried. I must've wandered off into another planet for a moment.
"Yes I'm fine," I quickly respond, "let's go."
The Underworld isn't what some might expect it to be. It is dark like Tartarus but, there is another feel to this place. It lacks something and has something. It is truly lacking life. I was expecting that, however. This place has something that Tartarus does not, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Hades shows me to a path that winds through a dark forest.
"This will take us directly to your mother."
We walk for what seems like hours until we finally reach the end. I am surprised at what I see. A meadow, a house of high standards. I thought this was supposed to be Hell?
"How is this even here?" I ask, "this looks like something from Olympus."
"The Underworld isn't purely for the damned," Hades starts to explain, "It is here for all the dead. What you do when you're alive determines where you start out here. But you can cross to a better part if you work hard enough."
"Fun...."
We walk to the house and Hades simply knocks on the door then walks in.
"Alana!" he announces himself, "I brought you a visitor."
"Oh, Hades!" A woman sings from upstairs.
Soon she comes down, and I recognize her all too well.
"W-wait, you're...." I start.
"Alana's title here in the Underworld is...."Hades continues.
"Madama Butterfly." We all finish.
I am taken back, how is this possible. Madama Butterfly, one of the creatures I summon is also my mother?
"Alana, we have found your daughter."
"Well it's about time," my mother almost shouts.
"Mother?" I ask hesitantly.
"Cereza." she calmly says my name.
It's like I'm a little kid again. Listening to my mother calmly say my name as I'm trying to go to sleep.
"Is it real?" I ask.
YOU ARE READING
The Lost Child
Non-FictionCereza Lightning, the last Lightning, had located this artifact some fifteen years ago. Twenty-four years ago, there was an attack on her family and the titans took her in. Ever since, Cereza has hated the gods of Olympus. The artifact that Cereza l...
