ATN: THE ELEMENTS OF BEAUTY

THE REALM OF HADES

I won't say the underworld was gloomy. It wasn't, truth be told. It was not gloomy, not dark, not scary. It was much more than that. It was, sort of, depressing. Well, not depressing, but definitely there was no one happy, until I met someone whose type of people are called daemons.

We walked through channels going down and down, filled with jewels and skulls. We could hear wails of different souls. The path ahead, and behind, was dark, with the jewels being the only ones providing any light. At this moment, my sister Riya proved to be a savior. She brought out an electric torch from her backpack, and we could navigate through. We were following Tina, who, apparently, had been here before. "You didn't tell us." Riya had asked her.

"It didn't seem important." She had said.

"Is it dangerous? The path ahead?" Abhro had asked.

"Once we are past the gate, there's no danger. Just got to be careful that we don't fall into one of the rivers." I knew what that was. The five rivers in the underworld: Acheron, Cocytus, Phelegethon, Lethe, and Styx, all existing to punish the dead. Finally, we stopped in front of a long channel of water, and the end couldn't be seen. I looked at Tina and asked, "Now?"

"Now what?" Abhro asked, "I guess we gotta swim." 

Was he here when Tina was saying something? "Didn't you listen?" I said, "Tina just said that we should not fall into a river. And this is Styx, a river people take unbreakable promises on. You don't jump in it unless you can keep something out of the water, and think why you are human."

"And we are not Achilles." Tina said. Abhro laughed, and nodded.

"So now what?" Dadai asked, "We just stand here?"

"I suppose so." I said, "Until the ferryman arrives. Which reminds me, what do we pay him?"

"Got that covered." Tina said, "The last time, I had this problem, and was saved since I had his master's pitchfork, and had threatened to use it on him. This time, I got drachmas enough for two way journeys."

"Drachmas?" Dadai asked.

"Currency of ancient Greece." I replied.

"So, this is how it works? We wait for some ferryman to get us past Styx?"

"Yes!" A voice said, "But since you are living, you won't get that service."

A wooden boat arrived, and propelling the boat, with oars, was a grinning guy with a depressing body. He wore a sleeveless white T-shirt, and black shorts. He had oars in both hands. But his body was a weird one. He was very thin, a figure of malnutrition. His face had a dreamy look. He was bald, but still wore a white head band. He was grinning, but his grin vanished when he saw Tina. "You!" he said, "I think I know you."

"Hello, Charon." Tina said.

"Yes, yes. You are the feisty girl with Hades's pitchfork from five years ago."

"So, you know very well what I am capable of."

"Yes, very much." Charon's voice was low.

"So, if you don't want me to call my Dad, here's what's gonna happen." Tina had the domination in her voice I had seen during battles, "You are gonna get us across for one drachma now, and then when we return, get us back here for one more. Or, I'm gonna complain to Hades."

"You are a horrible person!" Charon said.

"I know. That's what I love about myself." Tina said, and looked at us proudly.

When we got up on the boat, I sat beside Dadai. Abhro and Hiya sat in the middle, and Riya and Tina sat in between. I am not gonna lie, the boat didn't seem this big from outside. As Charon started rowing, I could feel the death around me. The place smelled of that. It was not hideous, but was definitely vile. Hiya looked at Tina, and said, "Tina Di, you are a genius!" Tina smiled in return.