Elysian Fields

CHAPTER 14

The edge of the Styx was muddy, damp earth sucking feet into its depths, wishing for a prisoner. Kore stood ankle-deep in muck, glaring at the ferry carrying souls across the river. Charon, a large, brutish soul with a face worse than death denied her entry to the ferry, demanding a coin she did not have. In truth, Kore found it shocking and antiquated that there was still payment required to gain access to the Underworld. Moreover, she found it unfair that she was not given one upon her death at the behest of Hades himself.

She never saw anyone attempt to cross the river themselves, but she had seen plenty thrown from the ferry into the Styx for attempting to sneak past Charon's defenses and onto the ferry themselves. Even when she told him that she'd been reckoned, he was heartless, laughing loudly and gesturing to the land beyond the distant shores, replying, "You and most of the women coming to my shores these days. Doesn't make you special. No coin, no passage."

Remembering Charon's words made her angry. How was she meant to sit idly by forever? There was no way for her to magically receive a coin that was not given to her. She swore to herself that if she ever got to see this God of the Dead face to face, she would lay into him and tell her exactly what was on her mind.

The ferry docked on the far side of the Styx and Kore decided that was her moment. Without thinking too much about her next move, she flung herself into the river. It was impossibly cold and biting, the water leeching all warmth from her bones. Knowing that movement was the only way out of the water, Kore forced her limbs to move and carry her forward.

Shivering uncontrollably, her lips turning blue, Kore couldn't feel if her body was actually functioning how she needed it to, her movements growing erratic and pointless. She peeked through slitted eyes towards her destination and had to stop herself from crying. She was never going to get out of this water. She had the urge to stop moving and allow herself to succumb to the water -- she was already dead. What could happen to her if she just...chose to fade into the dark, watery depths?

Kore wasn't given much time to follow that thought process through as something slick and slimy grazed her leg. The sensation gave her pause, though she paid it little mind as she worked to start her movements towards her destination once more. She wasn't sure what was in the water and in all honesty, she didn't really want to waste time contemplating it. Moments later, the slimy graze became a vice around her ankles, tugging to pull her under. Kore screamed and sputtered, flailing to fight off the claws at her feet that were surely going to decide for her that she would fade into the depths.

Struggling to kick free, Kore found herself up against two very harsh obstacles that were working together to pull her down. In that moment, she decided dead or not, she did not want to lose herself to the River Styx for an eternity. The harder she fought, the harder she was pulled under, more and more of those hands, those claws, ripping at her skin, biting her flesh and shredding it apart. Tears began to fall down her cheeks, mixing with the river water that was soon to be her permanent resting place. Very quickly, she was spending more time under the water than treading it, what little air she was able to fight into her lungs metallic and scraping against the water beginning to fill her lungs. The water began to taste of her blood and she hated herself for her stubbornness.

Of course no souls tried to cross the river themselves; they still wanted some chance at existence, even if it was pacing the muddy shores for whatever was left of eternity.

A pain, razor sharp and burning sliced through Kore's back, ripping open a seam along her spine and she let out one final scream before allowing herself to be pulled under. Anything to make it stop. She took in a lungful of water, eyes tight shut as she forced a final death into her body. Maybe this was for the best; after all, what could Hades possibly offer her that wouldn't feel this tortured?

The water shook, causing Kore's brow to furrow. She'd never experienced an earthquake, but that had to be what was happening. A new, swift current began to shake her side to side, claws being ripped from her flesh, flesh following their fingers. Something deep in the pit of her stomach gave a tug, uncomfortable and demanding. She wanted to follow but she was beginning to fade into that cold darkness she'd contemplated just minutes prior. There was no following anything.

The sensation gave another tug, this time more forceful, and before Kore could allow herself to sink into that soft goodnight, she was ripped from the water and slammed down against the shore of the Styx, air stinging and harsh against her ripped open body. She screamed, sputtering muddy water that continually poured from her mouth as her system worked to expel the decayed water from her lungs. After an eternity of sputtering mud and death, Kore slumped back against the muddy bed beneath her and she groaned. Everything was beginning to slowly fade again and this time, she was going to welcome it.

She'd been burned alive and ripped to shreds and just wanted a final death to come. No afterlife. No happy existence. Not even a place in Tartarus. Just death. Silent, final, comforting death.

"Kore?" A voice spoke out, a hand on her head. Why couldn't they just let her go?

"Mm," she grunted out.

"You're going to be okay," the voice turned away and spoke to another being, "She needs to be thrown in the Lethe. It's the only choice. This could destroy her."

A kiss pressed to her forehead and everything went completely, wonderfully dark.

Death.

Finally.