In Pursuit of Kronos' Scythe (Completed)

X - The Scythe That Keeps Missing - Part II

Piotr Mikolaj

The portal going to the Underworld was sitting right underneath Yanazak's belly, so they paid the goblins some currency to lure the dragon away. Piotr was thinking that they had too many belly businesses on the same day. They had to go through Charybdis' belly in order to get to Kronos' Realm. Then they had to enter Yanazak's belly to retrieve the scythe. Now they had to go to Hades' Realm from under Yanazak's belly to get back the scythe that kept missing.

When the dragon moved away, intrigued by the sight of the bouncing wagon, The Symphony gathered around the vortex of a black storm. It looked like a tornado was happening; only it wasn't hanging in mid-air. It was centered from the pit of eternal darkness.     

Just when they were about to step into it, Tharalea shouted, "Wait, the prophecy mentioned that we should only travel five realms. If we go to Hades'—"

"Hades' Realm is the fifth realm for me. Perhaps the prophecy wants you to stay behind." Cytherea sneered. "You don't really have to come, Whiny Princess."

Tharalea frowned. "That doesn't sound right. The prophecy said one shall perish in—" 

Before she could finish her words, Cytherea pushed her into the vortex that sucked her into nothingness. Tharalea's voice shredded the air, something like "This is so wrong!" Piotr and Rexon exchanged dark looks before jumping into the twister.

Bones and stones cut their faces. Piotr had a few fortunate seconds to see a few other twisters sucking dead souls from different parts of the Gulf before a dead buffalo whammed into him. He didn't know to whom he should thank for the light weight of the carcass, for it was made of nothing now except being a mere spirit. The cow was still chewing a mouthful of grass as if it didn't know it had transitioned. Female ghosts rode on unicycles along the vertical twisters. They banged the pompons in their hands, welcoming the new souls.

Cytherea was always the whiney one, but today, Tharalea seemed to lose her cool totally. She sobbed and squalled and kept lamenting "This is so wrong!" She had only kept quiet when they dropped on a golden wheat field.

Piotr was surprised to see the wheat shone along the sun. He used to believe Tharalea's theory that the Underworld had no sun.

"Mmm... Mmm..." Kronos paddled his limbs among the waves of the ripe plants. A dreamy look spread across his face. "It has been long since I was here." 

"What in the name of Hades—" A woman holding a basket filled with red tulips stopped in her track as she saw the newcomers. A wreath made of little fern leaves and daisy buds adorned her golden locks. She wore a white chiton, which was made of seven layers; each of them was sewn with flowers with different colours.

"What are you doing here, Kronos? You're trespassing my field. Already this year's harvest is bad. You didn't know how painful it is when my head cracks to think of how many crops we can yield to exchange this feeble sunlight from Zeus." Her face was contorted with anger. The blossoming flowers on her chiton withered at her temper.

"Thanatos has stolen Kronos' scythe," Tharalea shouted, a little louder than necessary.

Kronos' face turned grim at the mention of his name. "Yes, Persephone, my daughter, you must help me."

"I am not your daughter." Persephone swung her chiton and pouted her lips.

Kronos sighed. "It doesn't matter. This isn't a family reunion time. Listen, dearest Persephone, no one will know Thanatos better than me. If he has my scythe, he will even destroy the entire Underworld. You won't even be able to protect your husband's crown."