𝐩𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 ( queliot )

008. railroad to hell

It had finally come time to venture down to the Underworld. Eliot went to the dragon with Julia because she had been through it before. They stopped at the same sewer drain, dropped the tooth inside and entered the dragon's lair.

"Queen of the Great Worms," Julia announced. "We have come to seek passage to the Underworld."

A few moments passed, a slithering sound reverberating through the air.

"Ugh," a deep and feminine voice boomed. "You again."

"Yes..." Julia trailed off. "Me again."

"Well, you better have brought a gift. You know how this works."

"Of course," she nodded. "Um, Eliot?"

With his best begging face, Eliot presented the finger. The finger that they had worked hard on the black market to get so that she may blow their souls into the next world.

"Seriously?" She sounded disgusted. "You bring me this?"

"Is there something wrong with it, Queen of the Great Worms?" Julia asked.

"I have two hands made up of Saint's fingers," she judged. "Therefore, I will not grant you passage unless you give me something worth my time."

Eliot stared up at her, his demeanor breaking as he realized that even with the most valuable item they could get, she still wouldn't accept it. It would take years, if not decades, to get something as valuable as a fucking Fillory button. Quentin might have moved on by that point and his soul would be unretrievable. Eliot couldn't live like that.

He didn't realize a fat tear had slipped out of his eyes until the dragon was reaching a claw out and gathering it before dropping it into a crystal glass that sealed itself.

"That will do," she told them.

"What?" Eliot rasped.

"A tear shed over a lost soulmate has more power than you humans could ever hope to harness," she informed them. "Now you will have twenty-four hours to come back before I will eat your bodies."

Suddenly they were overtaken by a great huff of smoke and were blown like embers into the Underworld.

"Okay," Julia started. "I already know how to get to Elysium, where Hades will most likely be. Then all you need to do is convince him to give you back Quentin."

"That's going to be hard considering I played a hand in murdering his wife," Eliot murmured.

"Yeah. You'll just have to try your best," Julia said, smiling to try and encourage him.

Eliot heaved a sigh and followed Julia out of the elevator. She led the way through the Underworld with Eliot trailing behind her.

They finally came upon the large castle that Hades and Persephone live (and used to live) in. The inside was filled with shades preforming small miracles. Julia made a beeline to one as though she knew him. And, if the way they started chatting was any indication, they did.

"Can you do me a favor?" She asked him.

"Sure!" He chirped. "What is it?"

"Can you tell me where Hades is?"

"He's in the throne room," he told them, grimacing. "We can't go in there anymore. He's sad because Ms. Persephone won't come back."

Eliot and Julia exchanged a look.

"It's all the way at the end of that hallway," he continued, pointing at the one branching off from the door.

"Thank you," Julia gave him her gratitude and motioned for Eliot to follow her.

The doors were very intimidating. They stood high with pointed arches and black roses and pomegranates engraved on them. Julia pulled Eliot into a hug.

"Good luck," she whispered to him, knowing that the best way to appeal to Hades was as a lover.

Eliot nodded and turned. He drew in a deep breath before pushing the doors open. The inside of the room was dark with two thrones in the center illuminated by a single skylight. The doors slammed shut behind him.

"You have a lot of balls coming here, Eliot Waugh," a gruff voice echoed.

He looked up and saw Hades on his throne, icy eyes piercing his soul.

And, for the first time in a long time, Eliot felt truly afraid.