Chapter 11
On the other side of the gate, the scenery wasn't much different. There was still a lot of ice and lava that made all of them feel both hot and cold. And of course, dark red flowers that one had to be careful not to step on. They had very sharp thorns as Roi had painfully learned. The sky remained in hues of red and blue and there was no freshening breeze even though the river ran close-by. Ahead of them, they could make out some weird humanoid shapes of light and shadow that flashed for no longer than a millisecond.
"What are those?" Roi asked Charon, who walked ahead unbothered by his surroundings.
"They're nothing," Charon gruffly replied.
"Wow, I don't know what to do with so much information," Roi rolled his eyes.
"I didn't lie," Charon said without turning to look at him. "There's nothing inside shadow and light."
"Well," Roi walked up to him. "What do they do?"
"They help me with transporting the souls. When they leave the underworld, they take the form of what you would call a vulture. They find souls and then bring them here," Charon explained, slightly irritated by Roi's curiosity.
"You get help?" Roi asked bewildered.
"You didn't think I transported all the millions of souls that come up here every day, did you?" Charon finally looked at Roi, raising a brow at him.
"I thought you would never miss a chance to gain some more coins."
"I never said the vultures transport them through the river," Charon shrugged. "Plus, they work for me. And nothingness doesn't need money."
"How do you manage that?" Roi looked at him with widened eyes. He was certain he could die only by imagining the workload.
"You could call it years of practice," Charon smartly replied. "And I also don't care about making them wait. They have nowhere to go, after all. They're dead."
"But why do some vultures turn into a shadow and others into light?" Thalia joined their conversation, which she was following with great interest.
"It's based on what kind of soul they're guiding," Charon took a loud breath. "Shadows carry evil souls and lights carry the kind ones."
"Oh," Thalia whispered as she squinted her eyes in attempt to catch a better image of the vultures.
"What happens to those who have no coins?" Roi spoke again.
"Let's leave some mysteries for another time," Charon replied with annoyance as he suddenly stopped walking. The path they were following split into five trails in front of them, each leading to a different kind of scenery and atmosphere.
The first one on the left was covered in darkness and fire. If one stood close enough, they could feel the heat crawling on their skin, making them sweat. From the abyss, screams, growls and curses could be heard. It was the path to Tartarus, the place where wicked souls eternally suffered punishments fitting their earthly crimes.
The path next to it was instead made of heavy, grey clouds and withered trees. The smell of rain was almost palpable but the sky never emptied its contents. It was a picture of endless gloom and melancholy, which suited the souls that were doomed to rest there. The Fields of Mourning welcomed those whom ruthless love wasted away. Those who even in death couldn't escape their grief and heartbreak.
On the right, a refreshing breeze of lavender-scented air slightly swayed the purple fields. The birds chirped happily and bunnies chased each other around. The trees were evergreen and the sky was ever-blue, with only a couple of white clouds. A stream of crystal blue water ran across the Elysian Fields, also called the Land of the Blessed, where exceptionally honorable souls spent their afterlife in peace and serenity.
VOUS LISEZ
Crowned King (Throne of Thorns #2)
Fantasy'Heavy is the head who wears the crown.' Rafail knew the words to be true as he weighed the gold piece in his hands. He had finally managed to avenge his father and take back a kingdom that was rightfully his. But at what cost? As a new threat cam...
