Inner Demons | Phoenix Force Book II

Heir to the Throne Pt.2

I took a stand in the burned cave that acted as the entrance to the underworld. I returned my blade to behind my back as I made my way through the dark cave.

I reached a open clearing, I was still underground, but the cave expanded into the underworld. If I fell, I would fall for miles before reaching the bottom, trails of lava came from far above. A wave of blue and green dust made a trail in the air in front of me. On the trail of dust was a boat, it was a dark red gondola with a hooded figure steering it through the air.

The gondola stopped in front of the cave, and I stepped onto the gondola.

"Hello Charon" I spoke with a smile as I took a seat in the gondola. Bones made a deep croaking sound and jumped off of my shoulder. Taking a seat on the gondola as well.

"Titan, Son of Hades. Withered Bones, protector of Titan son of Hades. It is a pleasure to see you both, if you wish to enter the underworld I'll require two tokens of passage" 

I didn't have any, nor did Bones and Charon knew it.

"I can't bring you to the underworld. Not to mention that you're banished Titan, I shouldn't even be allowing you on this gondola" Charon spoke.

I searched my pockets on my armour, and only managed to find two nickel and copper coins that I found on a chariot of dog of hots. They both had the numbers "25" on them.

"These are mortal coins? Will they work?" I asked "I really need to see my father Charon, please" I begged.

He took the coins and grumbled. "Begging is a bad look for you son of Hades, don't do it again" Charon placed his hands on the gondola's oar and turned the boat around as if the sky itself was water.

The river of Styx, which is what the floating river of the underworld was called, was filled with lost hopes and dreams. As Charon brought me deeper and deeper into the underworld I saw the hundreds of thousands of items throughout the river.

Wedding rings, awards, teddy bears, family photos, and strangely enough, I saw a red unlit torch.

"Why the torch?" I asked. The rest I understood, but that one I couldn't place.

"It was a symbol of brotherhood that died long ago, never to be relit" Charon spoke. It doesn't surprise me that Charon knew the backstory of every single item on the river. 

After a few minutes Charon brought me down to a dock, and I stepped out. Outside of the gate to Hades's palace.

Bones jumped off the boat and transformed into his Bullisk form, standing by my side.

"Until Next time Titan, son of Hades" Charon spoke with a gloomy voice as he rowed the oar and the gondola took off.

I turned and started my way towards the gates to Hades's palace, I had so many fond memories of this palace from my childhood. Training, playing, stealing, I wish I could go back to those simpler days. Guarding the gate were three guards, one on either side of the gate, and one standing in between them, walking towards me with his hand up to stop me.

"Titan?" the man asked in surprise to it that it was me. I instantly recognized the man to be my old friend Phobos.

"Hello Phobos, I wish to see my father" I demanded.

He shook his head. "Titan, I can't do that, you've been banished from the underworld. Turn back and leave, Or I'll have to fight you" Phobos warned pulling his spear from his back in one hand, and a round gold painted shield in the other.

"Phobos, Hades is plotting to overthrow the gods. This will endanger everything! I plan to try to reason with him, and if I can't-"

"You think you can defeat Hades!" Phobos laughed.