Come Home with Me

Chapter 1: The Test Starts Now

"Young man..." echoed a deep voice, Orpheus looked around frantically trying to pinpoint where the voice was so he could protect Eurydice. Then a shadow loomed over them, Orpheus looked up to see the King of the Underworld looking over the two lovers. "Mister Hades please-" Orpheus pleaded, but Hades cut him off. "Come with me, poet." Hades commanded and turned to walk to his office. Orpheus took a deep breath and started after Hades, then Eurydice caught his arm. Orpheus turned around to look at Eurydice, her eyes were scared. "Eurydice, I'll be fine. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?" Orpheus asked, it was not easy seeing Eurydice so scared and having himself be so terrified as well. Eurydice nodded, tears welling in her eyes. Orpheus turned away and followed Hades to his office.

Orpheus made sure to pace himself so he was behind Hades. They walked up the spiral staircase, through the doors that Eurydice walked through only a few days before and sold her life to Hades. Orpheus had his train of thought broken by a Hades' deep booming voice echoing his words through his head. "Poet, you understand that you've trespassed in my domain. You've broken the wall my workers have worked very hard on the past centuries. I don't know how you managed, so tell me, poet... how did you break my wall?"

"Mister Hades, I sang a song so beautiful, the stones wept and they let me in." Orpheus said, voice trembling but he managed to stay strong. Hades let out a manic laugh, his eyes flashed a sickly golden yellow.

"Oh, if it was so beautiful then why don't you sing it for an old man?" Hades asked, as he dragged a chair and sat down with his eyes locked on the poor boy. Orpheus backed away and dropped his head down, body trembling. He then lifted his head and locking his eyes with Hades. Orpheus closed his eyes and took a deep shaky breath. He started to sing,

"La la la la la la la...

La la la la la la la..."

Hades gasped, his blood beginning to boil. "Where did you get that melody?" Hades tried to contain himself, but that melody...

Orpheus kept singing, ignoring Hades completely. The melody rolling off his tongue with ease, his voice fluid and beautiful to the ear. Hades couldn't stand hearing the melody, he squeezed his eyes shut, covering his ears, but he could do nothing to escape the song. Well as long as Orpheus was singing. Hades stood up rage completely in control of everything, he could only see red. Hades grabbed something, he would do anything to make the melody stop. He threw the object at Orpheus. The singing stopped immediately. Hades heard a pained gasp, the sound of a stumble. Hades opened his eyes to a disturbing sight. Orpheus had one hand that was tightly clutching his desk, his knuckles were white from how hard he was holding onto the desk. The other hand was pressing against a bleeding wound in his abdomen, the knife still embedded in his body. Orpheus had his eyes shut tightly as tears began to escape the corners of his eyes. Orpheus' legs then crumbled beneath his body, not being able hold his weight up any longer. Orpheus looked up, wet and teary eyes meeting with the god's. Orpheus' eyes were pleading for Hades to help him, Hades was still outraged, the melody ringing through his head.

"H-help me. Pl-please, Mis-mister Hades." Orpheus pleded, voice shaking and strained. Hades took a few strides to Orpheus, kneeled down next to him.

"Okay, poet. If you want your songbird, survive this and find your lover. I will let you both go, but only if you pass." Hades said, knowing it was cruel, but he had to make a price for the two lovers. Even if Orpheus died he'd be with his lover working in Hadestown.

Orpheus weakly nodded, he was going to do this. For Eurydice. For the life she deserves.

"Alright poet. The test starts now." Hades stated and stood, walking to the door, and closing it. There was a click of the door locking from the outside. Orpheus pushed himself up, gasping and grunting in pain. Once he was standing on his legs, he fell backwards towards the desk, but his free hand caught the edge and he managed to stay standing on his shaking legs. Orpheus took a step to the door, but fell against the wall. He kept stumbling to the door using the wall for support. He had to stop due to the intense burning of the wound, which still had the knife in it. He took a step unsupported towards the door, but collapsed to the floor a few feet away. Orpheus then dragged himself to the door, leaving a trail of red blood behind him. Once Orpheus finally got to the door, he reached his hand up to the doorknob. He clutched the knob pulling down, attempting to see if he could open the door. The door wouldn't open, "No,no,no,no.No!" Orpheus thought, desperate to find Eurydice. To leave this horrible, dark, cold place and go back to the bar. To Hermes. Another bout of pain rocked Orpheus' lanky body. He curled into himself and pushed himself as close to the door as he could, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Eurydice. Please find me, please." He sobbed out, as loud as his weakened body would allow him too. Blood beginnings to pool rapidly around his body. "Please, Eurydice..." Orpheus whispered, curling into himself more, desperately trying to find some sort of comfort in this new world of intense pain.

Note: 

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy this, I will post the next chapter probably this Thursday! Bye! Remember to 1) Surround yourself with people who's eyes light up when they see you coming, 2) slowly is the fastest way to get where you want to be, 3) the top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing.

-Emma