Hades and Persephone

Chapter 12: Chaos Pits

This is the favorite chapter I've written so far.

"Where are you dragging me now?" Persephone had reverted back to a child after her screaming match with Hades the day prior. Frankly, it would probably be easier for the both of them if he just carried her at this point, but he seemed keen on dragging her by the arm.

"You complained about being locked in your room and I can't leave you here alone-"

"I'm not alone. There are the nymphs."

"-And I'm not letting you touch them- so I'm bringing you with me today."

"Ooo, yay. Take your kidnapee to work day."

"Would you rather stay in the trash nest you turned your room into?"

"I didn't. Blu did."

"And I suppose Blu tore all the books himself?"

"Herself. And yes."

"Just hurry up and get in the boat." The palace backed up against a second set of docks. The wooden docks were much more cared for than the other she had seen. Nothing broken or rotting or slimy- except for one boat tied off to the side. She eyed it warily.

Hades, seeing her stare, "That's Charon's. Don't worry, the one we're using it better."

"That isn't exactly a high bar."

"No, but Charon gets touchy if you bring it up."

The center dock ended with a similar boat tied to the end. It was well cared for, if not stained black by the waters it floated in. A lamp hung at the bow of it. It provided a warm glow that was then absorbed the moment it hit the Styx's black waters.

Hades picked up the child and lowered her onto the boat before stepping in himself and untying the rope. "Don't touch the water and especially do not drink it."

"You know the more you tell me not to do something the more I want to?"

"Then feel free to go against my warning," he said, pushing off with the oar. He stood at the stem to steer while Persephone sat in the center. "But the Styx will tear your soul apart and if I wanted to hear you scream I'd be torturing you right now."

Their destination was downstream, so Hades only had to avoid the banks and the occasional rock. Much to his annoyance, the long peaceful journey was ruined by the girl traveling with him.

"Are we there yet?"

"For the hundredth time: NO."

"You're never going to tell me where we are going, are you?"

"If you shut up I will think about it."

"You'll have to tell me at some point!"

"What part of shut up do you not understand?"

"All of it. Now where are we going?"

"For the love of Styx! The marshes! There, you happy?"

"Where?" It was truly a question, Persephone having no knowledge of the underworld outside of what mortals knew.

Hades hit his forehead against the grip of the oar with every word. "You. Are. An. Imbecile." With a sigh, he explained. "All the rivers flow together at one point. Styx laid claim to them- and I have no idea why- so we called them the Stygian Marshes."

"Styx is a person?!" Hades only sighed at her remark.

This was going to be a long journey.

*****

By the time Persephone stopped asking questions- not that she ran out- Hades had a bright red mark on his forehead. But, thank Heavens, she stopped asking her stupid questions. And thankfully he got at least half an hour of sweet silence before coming upon the marshes.

Persephone watched as the iridescent rivers in the distance grew nearer and nearer. She wasn't entirely sure that they glowed, but against the black of the Styx and the hellish landscape they appeared to. Untouched streaks of paint against a black canvas.

One reminded her of the sky the day Minthe took her cloud gazing. Another of her first snowfall- Minthe had taken her outside for the first time ever. The third of a small campout she had with her- she missed Minthe. Persephone did not realize how much until they passed by a river matching her exact skin tone. She reached out. "Don't touch that," Hades warned.

Slowly the barren landscape turned to mush. Having never seen a march before she took in every sight she could. The soil was something between mud and solid earth. Not a single tree grew, but some of the grasses could rival the tallest ones. The lantern extinguished itself, as if sensing where it was. The water was as dark as the Styx, if not deeper. Yet, it was not pitch black. The edges of the marsh seemed to give off a dark blue tint. She could not see the colors of the world around her, but she knew what they were. Dark green grasses, far richer than anything above, with brown tips. Some even flowered at the tops with small white petals. She ran her hand through a clump of the brush. Pollen swirled into the air by her action. Though, it looked more like tiny fireflies.

For a moment, Hades forgot. He forgot everything. He forgot everything and just smiled at the fact that someone did not cower at the dark. Instead, they marveled at the beauty the hid in it. He now wanted to see her reaction to the Chaos pools.

They were poorly named, he found out when he made his first trip there.

Persephone marveled at the world as Hades steered them around a small island. She could have sworn to have seen the outline of a meadow mouse, but it was gone before she got a clear enough look. As they rounded the island it opened up into a sort of lake.

It was pitch black, perfectly still. Even Hades' rowing did not leave ripples. Persephone could not see a bottom- for there was none. Fear should have gripped her. Hades was only an outline and the boat itself was nonexistent. Yet, somehow, she felt at peace.

"Hades," she whispered.

"Shh." He stepped down from the stem to kneel next to her. His voice was hardly even a whisper. "Just wait."

She watched the empty water as he rummaged in the dark for something. He opened a compartment and silently pulled the nets from them. Persephone was about to ask what they were for when she saw the first flicker.

It floated up from the bottomless depths of the lake. A little wisp, white against the black. It sparkled and glowed, demanding all the attention, as it left a smoke-like trail in its wake. Then, another.

And another.

And another.

Hundreds and then thousands and then millions. All swimming and fluttering at or near the surface. They brought with them the light the marsh seemed to be missing.

Hades reached into the waters with a small hand net and fished out the nearest orb of light. "What are they?"

"Souls," he dumped the little ball of light into her hands to hold. "This is the thankless part of my job." He produced a large urn from below deck and offered it to her.

The fresh soul felt warm in her hands. It sent tingles up to the tips of her fingers and down to the tips of her toes. The only way she could describe it-

"It's purring."

Hades smiled. Something gentle and warm and proud for his realm. "They do that." She placed it into the urn.

They collected souls for hours- until the urn was more than full. Though, it only felt like minutes.