𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔽𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕌𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕

Chapter 8. - The Underworld

Underworld

She who walks the floors of Hell
finds the key to the gates of her own Heaven,
buried there like a seed.

----------

WHEN WE ARRIVED in the Underworld the others had to get their bearings. They doubled over and panted a little. I, on the other hand, was already used to the weird feeling of transporting to the Underworld. The only difference this time was that my hair was actually flaming instead of just glowing like it always does whenever I came to the Underworld. Must be because I've come from the magical Auradon, instead of the magic-less Isle. 

We were at a dock, where we had to take the boat over the River Styx before we got to my home. My father had explained this more than once: whenever you take someone with you, you'll end up right where we're standing now. I turned to the others and they were all okay.

"You guys good?" I asked them. They looked at me and nodded. "Good." I walked towards the river and whistled with my fingers. Out of the fog that covered the river came a boat big enough for the five of us. The boat was pushed forward by a skeleton. The others joined me at the edge of the dock. 

"Hadee," Mal said and pointed at the water that held souls in them. Jay, Carlos, and Evie looked too. "What's that?" She asked, her voice seemed a little shaky. I glanced at the water.

"Those are souls. They're trapped in there," I told them seriously. They turned to me with wide eyes. I looked back at the ferryman coming towards us. "Come on then, get in. And don't touch the water."

"Wh-Why?" Carlos dared to ask. I looked at him, my expression remaining emotionless.

"You don't want to find out," I muttered. The four of them sat down in the boat, distancing themselves from the ferryman. I stood in the front, my back facing them.

"No seriously, why?" Mal insisted after regaining her confidence. I sighed and turned around. 

"Those souls in there, they all tried to escape this place, that's what happens when you try." I pointed at the water.

"There are so many," Evie said in disbelieve. I chuckled humorlessly.

"The Underworld is as old as life itself. So, of course, there are a lot. Lots of people tried to escape this place. No one likes dying." I informed them. I stared at the water. "Some souls have been in there for millions of years or even more." I blinked and looked at them.

"Don't you think that they're punished enough?" Carlos asked carefully and, surprisingly, the others nodded in agreement. I was a little taken back but shook that off.

"Even then, I wouldn't be able to get them out, that's just what happens. Those aren't my rules, they're not even my father's. That's the one rule of the Underworld that my father and I can't change."

"So, if we touch the water..." Mal started.

"You don't immediately turn into a soul, you just-" I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "These souls are full of hatred, they want revenge. If you touch the water, they'll grab you. They'd hold you stuck in the river until you die and then your soul will indeed be stuck there. Even Demi-Gods can die in there, just look at Hercules. It's a shame that his act turned him into a God." I muttered.

"Well, let's stay as far away from the water as we can then." Jay chuckled nervously. We all nodded and I turned around again to face the front. We all stayed quiet.