Elysian Fields

CHAPTER 31

Hades reached his palace in record time, certain that if he walked fast enough, he could not only cut down his agony, but also whatever fear Persephone's soul was experiencing. Though the soul would still be her, souls always went through an adjustment period of accepting that they were no longer a part of the Upperworld.

Never, though, had a moral soul been reborn immortal in the afterlife. Hades couldn't be certain, but he had a feeling Persephone's soul may have an additional bout of adjustment.

With an excitement that had Hades on the brink of passing out, he closed his eyes as he ascended the stairs leading to his palace's front door. Beaming, he took a breath to steady himself as he turned on a heel and opened his eyes, ready to behold Persephone in her immortal form. Her beauty as a human was unmatched, but her beauty as a goddess had to be inconceivable.

It took Hades a few moments to process what he was seeing and absorb the fact that Persephone was not there.

* * *

Persephone leaned back against the cave wall, gasping for air that would not come. She swallowed down another mouthful of bloo, praying that somehow the blood would enter her arteries and give her life again.\

The edges of her vision began to grow dim and fuzzy and sleep felt more and more like a great idea. She slowly sank down the wall sitting against the ground, slumped back behind hanging vines. With each passing blink, Persephone found it harder and harder to open her eyes again. A hand on her shoulder startled her and she frowned, brows tightly furrowed.

"Mmm," she groaned out, "you...w-weren't...sup-posed...to look...b-back..." Her voice was thick, slowed by her impending death. When was her soul going to follow Hades?

* * *

Hades stormed back down the path he took into the Underworld. He wondered why she was taking so long.

Had she chosen not to follow?

Had she been captured by a Tartarus daemon?

His fear mingled with his rage. He could not believe she'd forced him into this stupid agreement. He should have fought harder, asked the Fates for another way, any other way than killing her.

But he hadn't killed her, had he? She'd forced his hand. She'd killed herself. She'd...killed...hers--

A firework blast erupted in the sky far back over the palace. A streak across the sky looked like a falling comment, a fine sparkle of rainbow trailing in a downward arc.

It was a soul entering the atmosphere, heading straight towards--

"Fuck!" Hades reared, rushing towards the landing point of the soul.

* * *

"And this is the Lethe River," Thanatos walked beside Persephone, gesturing at the silver water. His voice was raspy and exhausted, but gentle. He clearly wanted to set her at ease.

"The River of Forgetfulness," Persephone breathed.

"Yes," Thanatos confirmed. "Tell me...what brings you here?"

"Uh..." Persephone bit her lip. "Well, I died, so..."

"Yes, but do you know how you died?"

"Sacrifice," her response was immediate. "I sacrificed myself for the man I love."

Thanatos glanced at Persephone with a sad smile, eyes full of pity.

"Sweet soul," Thanatos reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, "it's okay to call it what it is."

Persephone stared at Thanatos, confusion marring her features.

"I'm sorry?"

"Suicide," Thanatos said carefully. "There is no stigma here.

Persephone let his words sink in. Perhaps it could be considered suicide, but that was not her intent. She didn't understand why it mattered.

* * *

Thanatos cowered slightly in the shadow of his King. He'd been summoned for a hearing and was caught off guard upon realizing that he was neither judge or jury. Rather, he was the one on trial.

Hades had grown to full size and towered over the center of the colosseum. Thunder rumbled and his presence was a looming omen.

"Death," Hades boomed. "You have been found guilty of treason and willful ignorance as well as a refusal to follow through with your duty to your king. As such, you will be sentenced to a stint in Tartarus."

"M-my lord," Thanatos objected. "I didn't know!"

"Your lies taste like bitter wine and ash. You knew, you just thought me stupid. I hope you rot. I hope you regret every miserable moment of your existence. And don't worry; Hypnos will carry on your duties in the interim."

* * *

Persephone walked along the banks of the Lethe, arm in arm with Elizabeth, a new soul she'd grown acquainted with. There was something so warm and familiar about her, and they had grown close quickly. They were collecting smooth stones for a small pond that Elizabeth was setting up outside of her home.

"Persephone!"

The redhead whipped around, glancing back towards the direction of the voice calling her, shading her eyes with a hand. The figure grew steadily nearer, dark hair and muscles rippling with each step.

"Persephone! Thank gods you know your name!"

The figure slammed into her, wrapping her in a warm embrace that smelled like cinnamon and felt like home. She glanced up as he pulled away, smiling up into cobalt blue eyes.

"Of course I know my name!" She laughed, searching his face. "I don't understand, why wouldn't I?"

"The Lethe," the man began, stumbling over his words. "And you...and the Lethe, and..."

"Yes, the Lethe. It's quite beautiful," she admitted. "Are you a new soul?"

"No," his face fell and an indescribable sadness flitted across his features. "I'm afraid I'm quite an old soul."

"And your name?"

"Ay--" he stopped himself. He would not do this again. "Hades. I'm Lord Hades of the Underworld."

Persephone looked up at him and beamed, extending a hand for a shake.

"The man himself! It's so nice to meet you, Lord Hades!"

Hades took her hand and shook it. She was still so much herself, it was both comforting and disconcerting, "Likewise, Lady Persephone."

"Oh, please," pink bloomed on her cheeks, narcissus flowers sprouting in a crown on her head. "Persephone. Just Persephone."

"Just Persephone," Hades breathed, looking her deep in her eyes. "Can I interest you in a drink at my palace?" He offered an arm to her, knowing this was going to be a long shot.

Persephone's blush intensified as she looped her arm through his, glancing apologetically at Elizabeth who had begun to drift away from the pair, continuing the search for her stones. Persephone glanced back at Hades and nodded once.

Who was she to deny the God of the Dead?