Elysian Fields

CHAPTER 17

To call Elysium beautiful would have been a vast understatement in Kore's opinion. Because of the Lethe, she could not remember a single moment of her mortal life, but she did know that Death was not a welcome friend. It was spoken of as a cold, cruel thing that happened to someone. It was painful, terrifying, and lonely. Living in the Elysian fields changed the idea of death, and she wished that mortals could know what was coming so they could rest easy knowing that Death would come for them as a loving friend, ready to usher them into their new life.

The fields of Elysium were stunning, a rich and varied green covered the ground with a plush clover. Each step felt cushioned and warm, as if even the ground was ready to welcome every spirit that would venture upon it. Though the days were bright and sunny, it was always a mild, dewy temperature that lightly wrapped itself around everything and everyone. And the flowers...oh, the flowers that were strewn across the grounds were fragrant and colorful. Every day, Kore found herself admiring yet another new species she'd never seen before. Rainbows of color stretched as far as the eye could see and she couldn't imagine fearing such a thing.

Even the night was calm and unassuming. The darkness that enveloped the Underworld was absolute, save for stars that twinkled in the distance, clustering here and there, creating intricate patterns in the atmosphere. Kore didn't think she ever cared for stargazing until she arrived in Elysium. Each night, the patterns differed, but the stars were a constant comfort. Walking towards the Festival of Souls, Kore had the distinct impression that she looked cut from the cloth of night.

How Aydon had managed to get her sizing correct was something she both wondered at and chose to ignore. The bodice and sleeves hugged every curve of her torso, the lace nearly a second skin, dappled with pearls that shimmered softly with each inhale and exhale. Her skirts hung from the leather belt, just barely grazing the clover as she walked, each step causing the layers of tulle and gossamer to shush among themselves as they came together and apart. She felt stunning and somewhat self-conscious, her core growing more and more nervous as each step brought her closer and closer to the Festival of Souls.

What the Festival of Souls was, exactly, she was uncertain. She knew that it was a celebration held each solstice to welcome new souls to the Underworld. There would be refreshments and music, and time to get to know her fellow residents of the Underworld. To her understanding, it was not restricted just to Elysium, but rather to the whole of the Underworld, though those held captive in the less-desirable areas tended not to attend. Kore couldn't blame them - she would want nothing less than to attend a festival, only to return to prison and punishment the following morning.

She wanted to believe that the nerves were simply a result of being placed in a position to meet new people, but if she were honest with herself, her nerves growing with each step had nothing to do with meeting new people. It had everything to do with the possibility of meeting one person. Lord Hades, himself. Though she'd asked both Aydon and Elizabeth, neither of them would answer her query as to whether or not their overseer would be attending the Festival. Kore hoped not. Never having met the man, she had no experiences to draw upon, yet she had the distinct impression that he was a terrifying man who loved control and abhorred defiance. That is, after all, how all the gods were. Being the God of Death, Kore expected Hades to be all the terrible things she'd imagined at least tenfold.

What would she say if she did meet him? I despise you? I don't know why, but my intuition tells me that you are not a good person? Please don't look at me, I'm terrified of what you'll do and even more afraid of what you'll think? Though she ran these thoughts through her head endlessly, in reality, she knew that if she were met with the Lord of the Dead himself, she would curtsy and ask for his favor, just as everyone else would. Defying the gods in the mortal world where they did not dwell would be one thing; defying them to their face? Kore was certain it would be a death sentence.