Falling Nations

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

  Darkness, that's all I could remember as we traveled through the portal. It was silent too. I went to speak, but it seemed to swallow the words I spoke. I couldn't even hear my own voice. That scared me.

  But not as much as what was on the other side of the portal. It was all dark and hot, just like anyone would think. We were standing by a black river. I didn't know what this river was called but I knew it had a name. I just couldn't think of it. I didn't know enough Greek mythology to know it.

  "You guys were able to come through as well?" Gilbert asked when he saw us. He was a bit shocked that he wasn't the only one that was able to pass through the portal. I really didn't want to tell him why the three of us were able to pass.

  "Sí, because like you we've died before in some stupid way." Lovino said and I frowned. I nudged Lovino and shook my head at him, silently telling him that was a bit rude. He didn't really seem to care.

  "Oh." Gilbert said and looked away. "Well we should get looking, shouldn't we? It wouldn't be very awesome to just stand around."

  "Well which way should we go then?" I asked. With that question I was insisting we stay together. We couldn't split up, not here. We really couldn't take the chance of getting lost.

  Before anyone answered vocally, Gilbert started walking in a random direction. I pulled on Lovino's hand, telling him that we had to follow Gilbert. He was surprisingly willing to follow. I guess he understood the fact that we had to stay together.

  "Do you know anything about where we are you albino bastard?" Lovino asked. He was trying to strike up conversation so we could focus on that instead of the distant screams of human souls as the burned. I had noticed the screams and I knew the others had as well.

  "Ja, I do." Gilbert said and I was a bit shocked about that. I didn't think Gilbert of all people would take the time to learn a different cultures mythology. But then again, people were complex and unpredictable. I learned that when I I had to find Lovino's Ba - personality.

  "Oh really now?" Lovino asked raising an eyebrow. He was trying to keep the conversation going. It was better than letting silence grow around us.

  "Ja, the river we're following is called the River Styx which Charon uses to bring the souls Thanatos harvests to Hades. Or as you two would know Hades as Pluto." Gilbert said and my eyes widened.

  "Are you saying they're the same person?" I asked. Was Pluto and Hades really the same person? How though? They were of different cultures.

  "I don't know. I've never met them. But many people think they are, just with a few changes when it comes to appearance and personality." Gilbert said. He glanced at us to see if we were understanding what he was saying.

  "How do you know all of this?"

  "Well not having responsibilities as a country really frees up your time." Gilbert said and I couldn't help but feel a bit bad for him. I thought he might be over the fact that his country had dissolved. But clearly I was wrong.

  "I'm sorry." I couldn't help but find myself apologizing. I felt so bad that I had never really considered he might not be over it. Being a country you had to get over a lot of things quickly. But I guess since Gilbert was no longer a country, he had all the time to dwell on it he wanted.

  "Don't worry about it. Let's just keep looking, or shall I say start looking." Gilbert said and I nodded. Things went silent between the three of us. The screams of the human souls got louder and louder as we walked. I wanted to stop and turn back, but we couldn't. I felt like that would count as turning back.

  "I don't want to walk farther." I mumbled to Lovino. I was no longer just holding his hand now. I was hugging his whole arm.

  "We can't turn back though, and you know it." Lovino said and I nodded slowly. I was only here for maybe twenty minutes and I already wanted to go back home. I wanted to go see Alesa, Carter and, Axel, my little babies.

  "Just be happy we're not in Tartarus." Gilbert said as he paused his walking for a moment. I walked until I was standing beside him.

  "What's that?" I asked.

  "Tartarus is the deepest and darkest part of the underworld. That's where all the monsters go after they're killed."

  "Oh." I said. I didn't really know what to say. All I knew was I was glad I wasn't there. I couldn't help but feel bad if anyone was or had once been there.

  "Oh look who we have here." I heard a voice snicker. But it didn't belong to Gilbert or Lovino. I knew it didn't.

  "Who's there?" Gilbert asked. He had heard the voice as well. By the looks of it, so had Lovino. Good, at least it meant I wasn't going crazy.

  "Up here." A new voice said. I looked up just as something came swooping down. I squeaked and ducked, letting go of Lovino's hand in the process. Hands tugged at my hair but they weren't able to get a grip.

  "Let go of me you bastards." Lovino yelled. I looked up, only to see him up in the air struggling against two creatures that had wings and were carrying him into the air. I couldn't make out their faces from here.

  "Let go!" Gilbert was struggling as well. Two more had him and were carrying him into the air as well. I started to panic slightly as they were being taken away.

  "Lovi! Gilbert!" I yelled and started to run after them. But I couldn't follow them. The hands holding me wouldn't let me as it pulled me into one of the black bushes. They quickly put a hand over my mouth making sure I couldn't scream.

  I struggled against them, but I had no idea what was holding me. It could be one of those monsters Gilbert mentioned earlier. Whether it was or not I really felt like I was going to die. What ironic way it would be to die, getting killed in the underworld.

  "Shh." The voice said right beside my ear. I instantly froze. I knew that voice. It was one of the last voices I expected to hear.

  "Matthias?"