Elysian Fields

CHAPTER 23

"Kore."

The name on Hades's lips should have been an anchor, holding her firm in reality, but instead, it made her soul retch, clawing to get out of her body. She stepped closer to the man standing before her, walking through fire that touched her, but didn't burn.

"Who am I?" She asked, eyebrows raising, her fingertips grazing his arm, sending flames rippling over his sleeve. "I know you know."

"You are Kore," he breathed, reaching out to grab her chin, forcing their eyes to connect. "You are in the Underworld. You came to my palace for the Saturnalia and my associate believed you to be an intruder and a threat. You've been sleeping for days."

Kore yanked her chin from his grip, "Liar! You know what I ask. Who am I?" She held Hades's gaze for a moment, growing angry when he refused to answer. She sent flames roaring at his feet and roared in rage. "Fine! Am I a mortal?"

"Kore--"

"Answer the question! Am I a mortal? Why is my heart still beating? Why am I the only one?"

"Put your flame out," Hades commanded. "And I shall tell you."

"Why am I the only one?" Kore's voice began to raise, on the verge of yelling.

"Put. Your. Flame. Out."

"Why is my heart still beating?" Her voice was shrill, eyes wide. She needed answers and every moment she stood burning was another moment she was left in the dark.

"Put your flame out!" Hades's words were a command, cold and powerful.

"I don't know how."

"Behind you," Hades said slowly, pointing to a door on the other side of the room. "A bathroom with a full tub. Please, by all means, take a dip if you must, but put. Your. Flame. Out."

Kore glowered at Hades, eyes narrowed and darkening. Who is he to be giving me commands? She turned on a heel, fire still raging, and stormed into the bathroom. If it took putting out the fires to get answers, then so be it. Fully clothed, she walked into the bathroom, her fire slowly fizzling out and turning to steam rising from the surface of the pool. She allowed herself the luxury of dunking her full body beneath the water, eyes closed tight and lungs full of air.

***

The room began to lose its fire, and Hades assumed that Kore was in the water, her fire snuffed out. He needed to know what happened while he was asleep, but wondered if Kore would even have the answers he sought. He set immediately to stripping the bed and disposing of the tattered sheets when screaming in the bathroom caused his heart to drop.

Bolting for the room, Hades threw the door open and found Kore standing in the center of the pool, screaming as tears streamed down her face. Her body shook as she yelled over and over again, "Don't do it! Don't do it to me, please! Not again! Not again!"

"Kore," Hades began, raising his voice to be heard over the screams. "Kore, what is going on?

Her eyes widened at the sight of his face and her screams were renewed. She clawed at her face, her arms, her hair as if she were trying to rip herself out of her skin. "You can't do this to me! Not again!"

The oppressive flames crept higher and higher, licking at my skin, singeing the hairs that stood on end in fear. Spurred on by the heat, a rage filled my body, the likes of which I had never before experienced. It started in the depths of my core, growing as it collected momentum, fueled by the inferno enveloping me. A void, black and oppressive, pushed its way outward, filling my torso, my arms, my legs, ripping from my throat in a blood curdling scream. There was no fear in that scream. Merely power, injustice, and a need for pure destruction.

"Kore--"

"I'm not ready to die! Why are you doing this! Not another Reckoning! Not again!"

Hades stared at the woman screaming in the bathtub and his heart dropped. Kicking off his shoes, he waded into the water, slowly making his way to her. Each step closer, she took a step back, tears streaming down her face as she begged for forgiveness, begged for another chance, begged not to burn. Holding his hands out, he took a deep breath.

"Kore," he spoke gently, "You are not going to die. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you." He stepped closer and grabbed her arms, giving them a comforting squeeze as she thrashed against him. The fear in her voice rippled through her throat and rumbling across the water. "Look at me. Kore. Look at me."

At her name, something in his tone sparked recognition in her eyes and her thrashing began to calm. Hades took the opportunity to collect her into his arms, cradling her against him and tucking her head beneath his chin. "You're okay," he whispered to her, placing a tender kiss to the top of her head. "You're okay, my love. You're okay." Hades stood, holding her tight as she clung to him, her sobs quieting, making a plea for mercy from death every so often, which he met with a promise of safety.