Mayhem of Hellish Majesties

Chapter 2: I Have a Dream

When I was younger I used to be enchanted by the moons. I was told bedtime stories as a child about when Earth had one moon and the chariot that pulled it across the sky every night. My aunt Cassia told me that the driver was related to the first queen and my ancestor Persephone. My eyes filled with stars and wonder when I was told about the grand love she shared with the man on the moon. Though they both wished upon each star and galaxy for the day they could be together it was all for naught. An evil man had trapped Persephone below the Earth and she was only able to see her love from afar when she was released for half of each year. I didn't understand at the time how largely entwined Persephone and my own fates would become.

As a girl full of hope and imagination I used to have dreams where the first queen would visit me. I'd wake up in a meadow and find her looking sadly up at the moon. This stopped as I grew older and reality set in, until one night. I woke up in the same meadow and felt déjà vu wash over me. There she was, solemnly gazing into the sky. She turned to me after wiping away a tear that had escaped her defenses. "Mariana, my dear girl it is so wonderful to see you again. It's so dull and lonely without someone to talk to here. Please sit with me we have so many things to talk about."

Confusion would be an understatement to how I felt at that moment. "Persephone? What am I doing here?" She pulled me down into a sitting position, the grass tickled my bare feet. It was at that moment I took notice of my clothing. I appeared to be wearing Grecian clothing from what I remembered of my history lessons they were called togas. A silk toga adorned Persephone and the pale pink seemed to glow in the moonlight. Flowers of various shapes and sizes littered the pile of curls placed elegantly atop her head.

"You never were one to beat around the bush, I believe you get that from your mother. But please promise me one thing before I tell you this." She took my hand and it was as if she were my sister, no longer was I an only child but on who had a sibling that would share news with the power to make me angry.

"What am I supposed to promise you?" I was skeptical to say the least. I supposed even in my dreams everyone was guilty until proven innocent.

"You will not get upset, I know it is a lot to ask especially because of what I am about to tell you but promise me you will at try not to." She looked terrified, as if just saying it out loud would somehow kill me or her.

"I promise." I tried to remain composed and calm but seeing fear in the eyes of the Goddess of the underworld did little less my anxiety.

"Well I suppose I should start from the beginning, long ago before the kingdom existed your ancestor, Kali made a deal. She did it out of love, her daughter was dying and she was offered a chance to save her, but this came with a price. She met an angel while praying for her daughter's health, though the angel was fallen Kali felt it was the only way to save her only child. She agreed hastily after the deal was offered and a ritual was performed so neither side could back out on their word.

"The price was high but her daughter got better and went on to win a war then become ruler of the land she helped defend, Kali was your great grandmother." I stopped her there felling that this story was taking a turn I wouldn't like.

"What was the price?" My palms grew sweaty and I felt my heartbeat increase, the adrenaline was surging through my veins, it was as if my fight or flight instinct were going to kick in and get rid of this invisible fear.

"In exchange for her daughter's life the angel wished for the life of the next female descendant." I quickly added up the math in my head. Kali was the grandmother of my father, he had an adopted sister: she had one son, and his brother died before he could have any children. This meant one thing and the processing of this information was too much for me to bear. I felt that if I said it out loud maybe it wouldn't be true.

"I'm the first female descendant." Persephone nodded sadly. "What did my grandmother have?" I felt that if I knew the facts it could possibly make this easier to process.

"Mariana I'm not sure..." I had lost all my hopes and dreams with five measly little words. I had no patience for pity or sympathy. I needed to know how much time I had left, perhaps if I knew that I could find a way to fix it.

"How much time Persephone?" My teeth were clenched and I had a strong hold on the grass beside me, as if I were trying to choke the life out of it.

"She had Jolintis, when Kali made the deal her daughter had about a month to live." The queen looked so sad when she said this, like she regretted something and if she could go back and change it all she would. We both knew though that there was nothing she could do. This was a lot to process and I saw no light at the end of the tunnel. My future was gone, my family would lose all hope and will to live, not to mention what would happen to my kingdom. Persephone seemed to read my thoughts. "Without a leader your kingdom will fall into despair but..." there was always a 'but', although this time I appreciated it.

"Is there a way to save my kingdom? If so you had better tell me now."

"Well there is one way, though I do not think you should go through with it. The negatives greatly outweigh the positives." I took her hand and pleaded with her to understand.

"I'll do anything, please tell me."

"Alright, but please do not think I approve just because I am telling you this. You must take a life in order to keep yours." It clicked, I had to fulfill the promise of the original deal, and if I didn't die someone else had to.

"And if I don't my kingdom will perish?" She nodded slowly. "Alright who do I have to kill?"

"You've already met him, I believe he's living with you right now. He goes by the name of Lucifer."

I woke up in a cold sweat. Lucifer had taken up residence on my couch though not without protests.) He wasn't sleeping, demons don't need sleep. He sat in a trance like state with his perfectly still and eyes wide open. He looked so peaceful and terrifying at the same time. I had to find a way introduce him to death, I had to kill the Ruler of darkness.

(Hello again my little demons, btws if this story ever gets famous or a bestseller by some miracle that's our fandom name okay? Anyways Persephone is in the picture at the top and my inspiration for this chapter is below. Okay that's all I got as it's late and I'm tired, later.)