"Are you ready, Godfree?" Nox's eyes were alight in the attic. He sat across a chalk drawn circle from Hemlock, who fidgeted nervously. They were surrounded by dozens of candles, all of them flickered in the darkness. The smell of burnt salt, cypress resin, sulfur, and mugwort filled his nose. Nox passed Hemlock the pomegranate; he took it hesitantly but clasped it tightly in his grip. The two of them had taken one berry of the Belladonna plant and had eaten it together; while usually extremely poisonous, Nox had assured Hemlock that this was to pay homage to Hekate and would ensure their passage. Small doses will put you in a trance, and when used in ritual, Her torches will guide us to the Under, and She will keep our souls safe.
"Let's just get this over with." Hemlock said and glanced out of the attic windows towards the moon. Besides the candlelight, the moon was the only source of light in the room. Nox could sense Hemlock's fear, his confidence, and his undying love all balled into one. Hmm. Love. It was so overwhelming and he wondered whom the love was for. Nox wanted to reach out and comfort him, he wanted to touch him so badly; but Nox knew the outcome would only lead to heartache, and there was no time for feelings. The veils would only be opened for a couple more hours. Hemlock looked at Nox and nodded curtly, his blue eyes dancing in the night.
Nox closed his eyes and opened his hands towards the center of the circle. Concentrating, Nox focused his strength on his surroundings, drawing power from Nature, the spirits of the land, and from Hemlock. He could feel that Loretta was standing behind Hemlock, her hands around his shoulders in an endearing embrace. So, she is on board... Nox smiled to himself. While he envied them, he remembered that their love was so small, so miniscule compared to what was going to come. He knew Hemlock would do anything to help her, but would he be able to help himself in the end? Nox could also sense the reeking imposter of Death in the room; an ongoing storm cloud that hovered above Hemlock like a halo of doom. Nox grimaced at this and hoped Hemlock was strong enough to face what was coming. Nox had a suspicion growing inside him, and the more he exposed himself to whatever was following Hemlock, the more he saw who this Death really was. Hopefully it all goes to plan. Nox began his chant, and he knew that Hemlock would subconsciously be contributing in his descent to the Underworld... it was in his Nature, his Gift from the Endless.
Essence of light, darkness of beings.
Life and death are passing the world to us.
Please, Keepers of the Deep, Mothers of Eternal Rest, Chthonic Wanderers Below...
Allow us to come in, help us, we conjure you!
Nox opened his eyes and saw that they were in a circle of cool blue flames. The pomegranate that had been in Hemlock's hands was gone, having been given to the Watchers of the Underworld for safe passage. Hemlock had slumped forward, and Nox was confident that his soul was now making its journey to the world of the dead. Closing his eyelids, he joined him.
<*>
Nox opened his eyes and looked around him. Hemlock stood next to him, his cyan eyes alight in curiosity. They seemed to be standing in an open field, above them were stars and nebulae, but Nox knew that they would be unfamiliar to Hemlock, for they were not of the Physical Existence. Every time Nox made it to the entrance of The Under, the scenery changed. Last time he had been in a castle, an endless array of chambers and hallways. Another time he had been in a boiling desert, with dunes as large as mountains and no water in sight. This time... the field was open, endless, and moonless. Somehow, this was worse... much, much worse. And it made Nox suspicious.
"We need to find The Door. Quickly!" Nox said and ran in one direction.
"What door? You mean we're not in the Underworld?" Hemlock protested, as if it had been tiring work getting here. Nox glared at him and shook his head.
"No. We have to find The Door." he heard Hemlock sigh. "What? Did you think it'd be easy to get there? Please... the Gods make it so much harder than it needs to be. And for good reason." Nox replied and walked away from Hemlock, the grass was at least waist high, silky and tickling his exposed skin.
"Well... what the hell are we supposed to be looking for?" Hemlock asked, exasperated. Nox stopped and pivoted, annoyance filled his bones.
"A... door!" he seethed at Hemlock.
"No shit! I was just trying to help!" His voice cascaded around them but echoed in the distance. "What does the door look like? Is it huge? Is it made of fucking wood? Does it have a doorbell-?" Hemlock shouted sarcastically but Nox put a finger to his lips.
"I hear an echo." Nox whispered. "Yell at me again." Butterflies filled his stomach as Hemlock grinned, staring at him with his stunning azure eyes.
"Of course, there's an echo..." but then Hemlock stopped and raised an eyebrow. Finally, he was catching on. There was nothing in this field for their voices to bounce off of. Nothing, except a door, perhaps. "AHHHHH!" Hemlock bellowed, and Nox laughed. He ran in the direction of the echo, Hemlock hot on his heels. As they ran, Nox looked behind him and saw that Hemlock was beaming, a smile was spread across his lips, his baby blue eyes reflecting the rainbow nebulae that shone above them in the sky. His hands were spread out on either side of his torso, catching the golden-green grass that passed through his fingertips. Nox felt his heart twinge with Hemlock, he wished this happiness could last, and that when they returned to the surface that they could start something together, but he knew it was not going to end that way. Nox turned his attention forward and felt a wave of energy stop him in his tracks.
"I feel it..." Hemlock sighed, breathless from running and slowed to a walk beside Nox. Nox grinned and nodded at his companion.
"Clever; I'd say your senses are improving." He said and walked with his hands outstretched. "But can you find it?"
"I can try..." Hemlock murmured and mirrored Nox, with his hands extended out in front of him, as if feeling through the darkness for someone. His eyes were shut, and his thick brow was furrowed in concentration. Nox noticed that the tattoos on Hemlock's arms seemed to pulsate, and suddenly, his hand rested upon something solid. Hemlock's eyes flew open and slowly, a large door rippled into appearance before them. It was made of bones, vines, and thorns. Above it was an inscription; 'mors tua, vita mea'.
"Your death, My life. After you," Nox gestured forward, inclining his head. He saw Hemlock hesitate, having an internal battle. He raised a shaky hand and pushed upon the door with his fingertips. At his touch, it opened, welcoming them to a world of utter darkness.
"Nox?" Hemlock exclaimed, his voice brimming with fear.
"I'm here. I'm right here." Nox followed him, letting the door slam behind them. He clasped Hemlock's hand tightly in his, trying to reassure him.
In front of them was an endless world of shadow, yet once their eyes adjusted, Nox felt in the air that it was not a place of torment or pain... but calm solitude. They were upon a ridge that looked down into a chasm of rippling black water. Cliffs of darkness sparkled like cut obsidian in the abyss. Wafts of ethereal mist drifted up into clouds that disappeared in the endless horizon. Pillars of wraiths emerged from the shadows at their entrance into the ravine, watching like cloaked guardians. It was neither cold nor hot, but temperate. A dark path bloomed before them and fell down towards the mirror-like waters. Hemlock, seemingly calm, was the first to descend, and this surprised Nox. While Nox knew that this was not where he himself belonged, it was for Hemlock, and his suspicions about Hemlock were confirmed. As they approached the edge of the water, the two stared down into the humongous body of water. Below was a swirling mass of creatures; they had spines that were made of sharped bones, nails that clawed at the edges of the pool, and teeth that gnawed and snapped in their direction. Hemlock kneeled before it and quickly dipped a finger in the water before Nox could stop him. He let out a gasp of pain and retreated his hand, as if burned. His fingers turned a dark shade of purple before returning to a pale peach.
"It's freezing. What is this place?" Hemlock began but then clamped his mouth shut as he looked up. On the ceiling, or rather, a reflection of the pool of demons, was another rippling surface. This one was a chasm of souls. But they did not look agonized or distressed. Rather, they seemed to be resting in peace, all of them wandering in a starlit valley. A waterfall fell in the distance, and Nox thought he could smell a summer breeze escaping the currents of the mirror. He could see that some of the souls were stepping into the waterfall, and then vanishing. He was starting to remember his last visit to the Under, slowly image by image. When you leave the Under, it disappears from your mind, like a forgotten dream... and rarely do people ever return. He turned towards Hemlock, who was agape in awe, his neck fully craned upwards at the ceiling and his arm was reaching towards it.
"Reincarnation is the cycle of life. Everything in Nature is a circle; planets, water droplets, the seasons, even the swirling chaos of the galaxy. There is no heaven or hell... this is where souls come to be at peace. And when they're ready, they'll reenter the living as someone, or something else." Nox then gestured towards the other mirror, the one with the beckoning creatures. "That is where phantoms of hate and destruction are confided. While death is a natural occurrence... murder, hate, envy... those are things that The Nothing creates, and it infects humans most easily. Remember what I told you about Evil?"
"Yes... but what's The Nothing? That's new." Hemlock asked, and Nox could see behind his teary eyes that he was overwhelmed. His fists were clenched at his sides, making his knuckles white.
"The Nothing is your only enemy, Godfree. It influences beings, human or not, to kill, ravage the Earth, and destroy everything that is natural and balanced. While yes, it is man-made, it has evolved... like everything does. When the chthonic gods needed a space for those wayward energies that infect the world, Chaos was made to entrap them. Usually, it's Death's job to take the souls of both deceased beings as well as the ones that The Nothing infects and put them to rest here." Nox noticed that the pool of Chaos below was spilling over, oozing towards the way they came. "And as I assumed, this imposter Death has not been doing its duty. Look at that, Godfree." He pointed at the black slime seeping towards the Physical Realm. Nox then looked towards the Valley of Death above them, hoping that Evil's disease would not float upward somehow. That would truly be a disaster.
"Hemlock..." a wavering voice echoed from beside them. Nox turned to see Hemlock open his arms, and soon, a woman appeared before him. She had dark brown hair that spilled around her shoulders in tight ringlets. Her skin was cinnamon toned, and her eyes were as clear and turquoise as the ocean.
"Loretta! You were able to follow me from the Lodge. I was trying my best to extend my energy... so that you could come with us to the Underworld." Hemlock said, but Loretta shook her head. Nox was surprised that he hadn't felt her with them, Hemlock's power must be growing incredibly fast as his fate neared the end.
"This space, between the pools, is something I've always dreamed of. I've never been able to enter, but could see it in my peripherals on Earth and when I wander the Ether." She pointed towards the endless black abyss. "If you walk further, you enter it, the realm of spirits." Loretta explained, and Nox noticed that her eyes darted to him and then back to Hemlock's face. "Is your name Nox?" she asked. He nodded and then moved aside so she could approach him. Loretta examined Nox and then her eyes narrowed. "I recognize you..."
"Why hello, Miss Armond. We meet again. I've heard a lot about you... you've got this one wrapped around your finger." Nox leered and inclined his head towards Hemlock, he felt a shock of envy flow down his back. "We're here to help you move on,"
When Nox said this, her eyes narrowed again. And she slowly backed away, grabbing Hemlock's arm for comfort. "I don't think I'm ready." She said weakly. Hemlock turned to Loretta and gently held her hand.
"You are ready. I know you are. You can be safe, warm, and you can cut all your ties with the world... you will be free of pain. You might even be able to see your family again." Hemlock whispered. "Trust us. This is what we've been working towards."
"Now that I am here, I'm so scared. What will my parents think when they see me?" Loretta trembled, she grasped his hands and held them tightly. "I can't face them."
"It won't be like that. There is nothing but peace emanating from the After." Nox intersected. "When I lost someone, years ago, they were able to visit me... and they said that the After is the most welcoming, painless, and accepting place. You will get to choose if you want to stay or go. You can be with loved ones, become something else entirely, or flow yourself into the cosmos and become a part of the Endless." He noticed that Hemlock was staring at him with his wide blue eyes.
"I don't know... the Lodge is all I have." Loretta bit her full lip, and looked towards the black nothingness. "Can't I return to Earth with you? We can be together forever?"
"Where is this coming from?" Hemlock's face was becoming frustrated. "What happens when I get old, Loretta? What happens when I lose a job and have to move away? Will you be able to even follow me? I can't stand seeing you in pain, constantly reliving your murder. It's too much. How can you be okay with being stuck?" Hemlock's last word was sharp like a dagger, and she recoiled away from him slightly.
"I don't..." Loretta started, and then set her jaw. "...want that."
Nox stared at the two as they regarded each other intensely, he decided to step away to let Hemlock work his magic. Maybe being alone she would calm down. He turned to look into the pool where the Valley lay. The souls there seemed at ease, all in a meditative state; looking at the stars, picking the moon flowers that hung from the trees, walking up and down the hillsides, or just sitting in the lush grass with their eyes closed. Families gathered under trees and ate from the fruit of the trees, talking and smiling. In the wavering distance, the world was endless, and went on for infinity; an Eden of prosperity, rest, and love. The waterfall was in a constant state of motion; and it seemed as though there was a never ending line of souls walking through it, re-entering the Earth to take on new lives. Beyond the tree line was another portal of sorts, and this one emanated starlight, and dipped deep into the cosmos... the line for that one was also just as long, and Nox could See that any soul that submerged themselves were gone, turned into nothing but dark matter and space, all consciousness gone.
Nox felt another pang of jealousy fill his bones as he gazed at the Valley. He had never been, not once. Despite having lived dozens of lives, when he had died, he was almost instantly reincarnated into a new body. He had no choice in the matter. Usually, when one would become reincarnated, their previous life was erased from memory. But Nox, well, he could recall every life he ever had in vivid detail, and every death was agony to remember. Centuries of lifetimes, dying over and over again... until now; he had harnessed the secret to aging. And he refused to tell a soul, not after what had happened last time.
"Loretta!" Hemlock's cry came from behind Nox, and he turned to see a massive shadow that loomed above them. It took the shape of a being, a being that made Nox's hair raise. Loretta was clutched in its grasp, dangling from her arms as if caught on a crucifix. She was wriggling and kicking the air, trying to fight back. The shadow entity was laughing softly, making the dark abyss tremble.
'You're here... finally...' its voice filled the Underworld, and the air was filled with the stench of rotting flesh and blood.
"I'm here for you, Death. Let her go." Hemlock's voice cut through the darkness, as he approached the phantom. The entity swung a large scythe towards Hemlock, stopping him in his tracks; it was dripping wet with black ichor.
'She was a mere pawn for me to lure you here.' it seethed, but Nox could not see its face. It was hidden by its billowing cloak, the shawl seemed to be made of mist. 'Once I consume her spirit, I will be invincible... The soul of an Indigo is like fuel for my power. Your friend will be next, and then you will have no option than to join me.'
"An Indigo? Loretta isn't an Indigo..." Hemlock began, but then he was interrupted with the low rumbling of laughter deep inside the phantom's chest.
'Oh, did you really think I'd target a boring, mundane human? You really aren't as bright as I remember...'
Nox closed his eyes and felt the being's aura with his power. It was harsh, spiny, and nothing but decaying blackness. Nox had never seen anything like it, but for some reason, Nox knew it was a mask. Something wasn't concrete, something was off. Death was vulnerable somehow... but he couldn't pinpoint how. The future was muffled, and it was like Nox's abilities were muted in the Under. He turned to Hemlock and saw that he was shining, almost glowing with a dark fire around him.
"I won't let that happen. I'm here to kill you." Hemlock spat, a fierce madness emanated from his sharp blue eyes and Nox felt himself shutter involuntarily. This was the Hemlock he wanted to see, because this was the Hemlock he needed to be. He was in his element, completely.
'Kill me? You cannot kill me, Hemlock Godfree.' Death raised a hand, letting Loretta slip from his fingers and fall to the shadowy floor. She looked lifeless, but Nox could see her turquoise aura pulsating beneath her thin skin. Has this phantom taken her soul already? Nox saw Hemlock start forward to go to her, but then remained steadfast, staring down his enemy. Then Death lifted its veiled head and its face was revealed in the dark chasm of abyss. It was a hideous skull, but slowly, nerve endings, muscles, and hair started to form on top of the porous bone... and soon, Hemlock was staring face to face with his mother.