CHAPTER XXII:Am I The Only One Who Knows Anything About The Underworld?

The only vehicle that could properly fit our needs was a dirty old van, that had been left to rust in the school parking lot. Seth, the only person in our group that had a license, agreed to drive.

After we got in the van, I snacked on an apple I grabbed from my bag, as Seth started the car. Seth's fear of heights had finally paid off for the group, as the rest of us had no clue how to even start a car, let alone drive one.

Penny sat across from me fiddling with a small token, Mino sat next to me, Olivia sat across from Mino, and Adam was in the passenger seat practicing on his lyre trying to perfect Orpheus' song.

Tucked away in the corner of the van, I saw a small white wooden box that was broken at the hinges that seemed to be calling to me, I opened it and seeing a snake charm. It was gold with some silver lining that highlighted the scales. The eyes were dark green gems, possibly emeralds, and the chain was gold as well with silver segments. I decided put it on, almost by instinct, and looked up to see Penny smiling.

"Nice find, I didn't even notice the box…..so...how's it like?" Penny said.

"Being an Oracle? Ok I guess, just when your powers start showing up it can be annoying." I answered.

"Not being an Oracle, living in the Underworld? I only got through some of the path in Elysium before leaving. I always wondered what each part looked like, it's not like I go to the Underworld often." Penny said.

"Well the main part of the Underworld, The Fields Asphodel, is covered in black sand and glass shards from the heat. Souls drift aimlessly, slowly forgetting who they are, for eternity. My dad's palace resides there, a beautiful combination of black stone and ash stained marble. Elysium is a place eternal spring. During the night the plants glow silver, and the rivers flow endlessly like silver ribbons. It has open fields, and buildings for heroes. If you didn't have memory of dying, it would be like life. Now Tartarus is more like....a void....no, more like a prison for souls that have committed unspeakable crimes against the gods or their mortality." I explained.

It wasn't a terrible description, but it wasn't the best I could give. Truth be told I didn't know much about the other sections of the Underworld besides Elysium.

"What about the rivers? I heard there's five of them with different purposes." Olivia said.

"Well I don't know all of them, but I know two of the five. The Styx is what gods swear over for what are called 'unbreakable oaths', and if you swim in it the river it will make you invincible. However, you need something to anchor you the your mortality. Like Achilles and his heel. The other one I know about is the Lethe river. Drinking from it will put you in a forgetful bliss. The experience is said to be matched by nothing else in the mortal realm." I said.

While I did live in the Underworld I didn't study it much, I was mostly trapped in Elysium to be honest.

"How about Elysium? I heard it's a never ending party." Adam said stopping his practice for a second, Seth laughed at the remark.

"Elysium is like life on earth. You need to eat, drink, and not try to die." I said leaning forward.

"What happens if you die?" Mino asked now interested in the conversation.

"Two things. If you get killed by anything or anyone. You're reborn. If you kill yourself you get sent to Tartarus, to never be seen again." I answered.

"Gods...." Adam muttered.

"How do the dead get along with the living?" Olivia asked.

"They can be jealous, but they also understand that if they can get through the ranks of the Underworld they can get reborn. Sometimes they actually want to stay, like Leonidas or Achilles." Seth answered this time giving me a break.

They all turned attention to him, and I laid back.

"Sorry for all the questions. We're just....you know....curious." Penny said.

I smiled and said "I understand...not everyday you see or hang out with a child of Hades since we're so few in number." I leaned forward again.

"One last question?" Penny asked.

I nodded and got ready for the next question.

"Who has control over who goes to Elysium?" She asked, it was a good question.

While Hades is the god of the Underworld, Elysium was technically Persephone's realm.

"Both my dad and stepmother. My dad judges souls and sometimes sends them to Elysium, but demigods and heroes can request some people to be brought into Elysium. Like if I died I could ask my stepmother to allow you or someone else into Elysium. Persephone would ask my father, and nine time out of ten he agrees. Unless the individual is cursed, or is in the Underworld for a specific reason." I answered.

Penny listened intently, and smiled, "Noted." she said leaning back, giving a thumbs.

I mirrored Penny doing the same thing and relaxing. The questions for Seth continued as we started to drive through the countryside. I could see fields out the back windows of the van.

I closed my eyes, and the next thing I knew I opened my eyes to see bright red and blue flashes coming through the back window of the van. They lit the night sky up, and everyone else in the van was panicking.