We Bent Fate

Chapter 25.

MARTHA

I had imagined what it would be like to be asked to complete a task. A million impossible tasks had crossed my mind but this is far from what I had in mind.

"You are closest to the west of the Oceanus river. I need you to swim across through all the rivers of the underworld till you reach the holy Styx and pledge on it, that you have come to life for the sake of the good and peace of the world and not because you want to come to power."

His voice rang in my ears and I held my breath as I dive into the deep blue of the Oceanus.

The water is blue like a perfect sky, so much so that it is hard to contemplate the depth. My air bubbles make their way to the surface and after swimming deeper into the water for a couple of seconds, my chest tightens and panic courses through me.

I can't breathe and I don't have gillyweed like Harry Potter.

I struggle my way up to the surface and shuddered with a deep exhale, gasping for breath. There's no way I can complete this task without drowning. I better yet swim just to the surface.

Besides, Minos didn't say anything about swimming to the depths. I just need to cross the rivers of the underworld, no biggie!

With another sigh, I continued swimming. The sky is soft above, sharp stones at the bottom are barely visible from this height. The lacy waves of the water keep me moving, taking me with them and then I hear a splash. Then a sharp shriek of a male and I freeze.

"Trespasser!" The deep voice screams and before even turning to see who it is, I already know. I can recall a few stories that I had heard about Oceanus, the divine figure of the sea itself.

I hear the water curling around my waist as I turn around to face the old man, with long white curly hair dissolving in the foam around his waist, his white beard just as long doing the same.

His blue eyes pierce a hole in my face as I struggle to lift my eyes. "I am sorry, my lord. I was given a task." I manage.

"Who sent you?"

"King Minos, the judge of the underworld." I tell him and his eyes narrow.

"You don't seem dead to me." He considered and I smile, shrugging.

"I was brought back to life."

He looked curiously at me now. "What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't. I am the daughter of Nyx, Martha Moirai."

His pupils dilate with surprise. "Goddess of death and destiny. To what do I owe this pleasure! How may I be of your assistance?"

His sudden change in attitude caught me off guard, although Lila did tell me how Gods feared us, the fates. They know we can control their destinies and whatever happens in their life.

I grin at him as I politely reply, "Just wish me good luck, I guess. I need to cross all the rivers of the underworld. That is my task."

"Goddess, I wish you good luck for it really will be dangerous to cross the rivers of the dead. People don't usually live to tell the tale of them swimming across that far." He says and I pretend not to be bothered.

I bowed and swam away after a little while because I didn't have much time to sit and chat.

After an hour or so, I felt a sudden shift in the air and the waves. The blue of the water had turned into navy blue and the stream had turned colder than before, making me shiver. I look at my pruney fingers for the thousandth time and cringe.