The Demigod Diaries

Chapter 14- Asphodel

•Stella Maris•

As a child, I'd always wondered what death felt like, what happened after death, what happened before, and what happened during. Past, present, future. I know now. I seem to know a lot of things, though. I know what death feels like. I know what madness feels like- not the sort of off-your-rocker type mad, but the screaming at yourself and having wild fits kind of mad. Insane. The only problem with that was that whenever I was screaming, the ghosts around me didn't notice or didn't care, making me feel sane. I wasn't, and I didn't want to be. For once I just wanted to not be okay.

I'd made it into Elysium, but I didn't go. Instead, I meandered into the line of blank-faced ghosts to the fields of Asphodel. I didn't want to celebrate being a so called hero because I wasn't one. And I didn't want to be happy. I just wanted to feel nothing, like a dead person should, and Asphodel seemed like a good place for that, except I was feeling everything and nothing all at once. Was that what was going on in all the other ghosts' minds? Peculiar to think since they seem so grim and calm. Or did they just seem that way? The possibilities were endless, and I couldn't waste the rest of eternity thinking about it.

I was sitting in a tall poplar tree, watching the ghosts from afar, when I nearly had a heart attack. Only, that wouldn't be possible because my heart wasn't even beating. A tall man cloaked in black robes was sitting a few feet away in the twin tree to my left. He was silent.

"Um, Hello?" I waved my hand in front of his jewel black eyes to get them off of the distant horizon of punished souls.

"Is that how you address a god?"

"Depends on which ones."

"Like who?"

"Like you, I already know who you are."

"And who am I?"

"Death, the one that took my life."

"Ah, I wasn't the one who killed you."

"I didn't say that, I said you took my life."

The jewel black eyes fixed on me with intensity. "Clever. Now can you figure out why there would be any problem with that?"

"Uh, I went to the wrong place?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. Hopefully he wasn't here to drag me over to such a happy place.

Death only chuckled grimly. "Much more important than your own isolation."

"Sweet. So if you're not here to drag me over there," I jerked a thumb to the opposite horizon where the heroes dwelled,"why are you here, and why is it so important?"

"So many questions-"

"I'm not looking for your stalling, I want answers."

"I'd be careful how you act, child. I could snap my fingers right now and you'd disappear, vanish into another little molecule in this universe."

"Go ahead, do it. I've got nothing else to lose." I leaned back against the tree trunk and closed my eyes, ready to call a truce to the war in my head. But the treaty never came.

"You may not, but people you care about have everything to lose."

"I don't care about anyone. Nobody can hurt me." More fighting. I want to scream.

"Your lies are careless and transparent, that boy is coming for you and you won't be prepared for what he will bring."

What boy? "So what, you're helping me? This venomous conversation of shit is supposed to prepare me? I don't care about anyone! Nobody is coming for me get that through your head. You're dead! They're all dying!" My voice was yelling, yelling with all it's might. I was angry.

Death only gave me the look that a dissapointed therapist gives their patient after a nervous breakdown. "Were those words meant for you, or for me?"

I honestly don't know, and I don't really care either. "Both."

"Now, about that Connor boy..."

"Connor?" My head jerked up to look at the fallen angel. We were never talking about Connor. Did he mean my Connor? No, not mine, just the Connor. What is wrong with me.

"He means to make a barter with me," Death said, slowly. His black eyes glinted.

"For what?" I couldn't think straight, I had a feeling I knew what he would say. Connor was the one who tried to stop me from going on this quest. The thought that it wasn't quite over made me want to puke. Ironic, since I couldn't remember the last time I ate or think of the next time I would.

"I think the question you are really wondering is with what?"

"What is he trading for my life?" My words were shakier than a fallen leaf in autumn, and with his next words I crunched like one under a foot.

"His own."

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Sorry I took so long updating! Not a very interesting chapter, I know, but next chapter will be more exciting! I'll update when I can, next week most likely. Thanks for reading, please like and comment if you enjoyed it or want to share your opinion(: