Memories

Before she could respond, the vortex at their feet roared to life, shadows twisting and clawing upward like living tendrils. Hades stepped forward, the smirk never leaving his face, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.

Without waiting for him to say anything else, she took a step forward, but her legs felt like lead. The swirling shadows seemed to pulse in time with her racing heartbeat, and she had to fight the urge to run in the opposite direction.

Before she could change her mind, Hades extended his hand toward her. She hesitated for a moment before grasping it, his icy grip sending a jolt up her arm.

"Stay close," he said, his voice low and firm. "The Underworld is no place for hesitation."

She nodded mutely, and together, they stepped into the swirling shadows.

The world around them dissolved in an instant, the familiar confines of her apartment replaced by a void of pure darkness. The air was thick and cold, pressing in on her from all sides. She clung to Hades' hand like a lifeline, the only solid thing in a world of nothingness.

And then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the darkness receded.

Aurelia gasped as her feet landed on solid ground, her eyes darting around to take in her surroundings. They were standing on the edge of a massive cavern, its jagged walls glowing faintly with an eerie blue light. Rivers of shimmering water snaked through the rocky terrain, casting ghostly reflections that danced across the cavern ceiling. In the distance, towering structures carved from black stone loomed like sentinels, their edges sharp and menacing.

"This…" she breathed, her voice barely audible. "This is the Underworld?"

"Yes," Hades said simply, his tone devoid of emotion. "And if you value your life, you will stay close to me."

Aurelia nodded quickly, her heart hammering in her chest. The weight of the place was oppressive, the air thick with a tangible sense of dread. She felt like an intruder in a world where she didn't belong.

As they began to move, her eyes lingered on the black stone structures in the distance. "That's Persephone's temple?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Hades didn't answer immediately. His gaze was fixed on the path ahead, his expression unreadable. Finally, he said, "No. That is the throne room. The temple lies beyond the Styx."

Aurelia's stomach churned at the mention of the fabled river. She opened her mouth to ask what exactly they were walking into, but the words caught in her throat as a faint, bone-chilling howl echoed through the cavern.

Hades paused, his crimson eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows.

"What was that?" Aurelia whispered, her voice barely audible.

Hades didn't answer. Instead, he tightened his grip on her hand and quickened his pace, his expression dark and unyielding.

Aurelia struggled to keep up as Hades pulled her forward, his pace brisk and unrelenting. The eerie glow from the cavern walls seemed to dim as the shadows around them grew thicker, shifting like restless spirits. The howls came again, closer this time—low, guttural, and laced with something primal.

"Hades," she said, her voice trembling. "What was that?"

"Souls," he replied curtly, his tone leaving no room for further questions.

Her breath hitched. "Souls? Like… ghosts?"

"Not ghosts," Hades said, his crimson eyes glinting in the dim light as he glanced back at her. "Stray fragments of the dead. Lost souls who have forgotten who they are, what they were. They wander aimlessly, clinging to whatever life remains in them. And they're drawn to anything alive."

Aurelia's stomach twisted. "So, they're drawn to me."

"Exactly," Hades said flatly, his gaze shifting back to the path ahead. "Which is why you need to stay close. If they catch you, I won't be able to stop them."

Her blood ran cold, and she tightened her grip on his hand, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder. The howls grew louder, echoing through the cavern like a chilling symphony.

"Isn't there a way to stop them?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Hades's smirk returned, though it held no humor. "There's nothing to stop. They aren't alive, nor are they truly dead. They're fragments of despair and hunger, clinging to existence by instinct alone. You can't reason with them."

Aurelia's heart pounded as they continued deeper into the cavern. The ground beneath her feet became uneven, jagged rocks jutting up from the dark earth. The glowing rivers of water grew wider, their eerie reflections casting ghostly patterns across the walls.

As they approached the edge of a particularly wide river, Hades came to a halt.

"Why are we stopping?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Hades gestured toward the dark waters of the river. "The Styx."

Aurelia stepped closer, peering into the inky blackness. The water seemed to churn with an unnatural energy, faint whispers rising from its depths. She couldn't make out any words, but the sound sent shivers down her spine.

"How do we cross?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

Hades raised one hand, and the shadows around them seemed to shift, converging into a single point near the riverbank. Slowly, the outline of a small, weathered boat emerged from the darkness, its edges jagged and worn. A figure stood at the helm, cloaked in tattered black robes. Its face was obscured, but the faint glint of two hollow eyes stared back at her.

"That's… Charon?" she whispered, stepping closer to Hades.

"Yes," Hades said, his tone calm but firm. "The ferryman of the dead. He will take us to the other side."

The ferryman extended a skeletal hand toward them, palm upturned in silent demand.

"What does he want?" Aurelia asked nervously.

"Payment," Hades said, reaching into the folds of his cloak. He produced a single gold coin and placed it in the ferryman's hand.

Charon turned silently, stepping onto the boat and gesturing for them to follow.

Aurelia hesitated, her gaze fixed on the swirling black waters. "You're sure this is safe?"

Hades smirked, his crimson eyes gleaming. "Nothing in the Underworld is safe, little mortal. But this is the only way forward."

Taking a deep breath, she followed him onto the boat, her legs wobbling slightly as it rocked beneath her weight. The ferryman raised his staff, and the boat began to drift forward, the dark waters parting silently around them.

As the boat glided across the Styx, the whispers grew louder, more insistent, like a thousand voices murmuring in her ears. Aurelia clung to the edge of the boat, her knuckles white as she tried to block out the sound.

"Don't listen to them," Hades said, his voice low.

"What are they saying?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"They're memories," he replied, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. "Fragments of the lives they left behind. Promises, regrets, anger… all of it lingers here, echoing in the waters."

Aurelia swallowed hard, her chest tightening. The voices were haunting, their whispers brushing against her mind like ghostly fingers. She couldn't make out the words, but the weight of their sorrow was palpable.

Suddenly, a faint ripple broke the surface of the water. Aurelia's breath caught as she saw something rise from the depths—a pale, twisted hand reaching toward the boat.

"Hades!" she cried, gripping his arm.

His eyes flicked toward the water, his expression hardening. "Stay in the boat," he commanded.

The hand clawed at the edge of the vessel, followed by another, then another. Pale, spectral figures began to emerge from the Styx, their hollow eyes fixed on Aurelia with a ravenous hunger.

Hades stepped forward, his presence radiating an icy authority. He raised his hand, and the shadows around them surged, forming a barrier that pushed the figures back into the water.

"They'll keep coming," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "We need to move faster."

The boat began to pick up speed, the ferryman's staff glowing faintly as he guided them toward the distant shore.

As the spectral hands disappeared into the churning waters, Aurelia let out a shaky breath. But her relief was short-lived.

Because standing on the far shore, silhouetted against the faint glow of the cavern, was a figure she hadn't expected to see.

A woman, her form elegant and imposing, with hair like golden fire and eyes that glowed with a light both beautiful and deadly. She stood tall, her expression stoic, but there was no mistaking who she was.

"Persephone," Aurelia whispered, her voice trembling.

Hades's grip on the edge of the boat tightened, his jaw clenched.

"Welcome to the Underworld," he muttered.