I hate the rain, it turns the sky dark and the ground soft. Right now I'm standing in a inch of mud watching my father being lowered into a six foot deep mud hole. My mother weeps, but I remain stoic and expressionless, my tears have long since fell for him. For the longest time he had Tuberculosis, I hardly even remember him hwne he wasn't coughing up blood, or bedridden because of the ferocious desiease. Now his suffering has ended, and I am left with a griecing mother and a sealed letter. The priest drones on about the end of life and how it should be a joyous thing. Considering my mother is crying so hard she can't breathe, I think it's a complete lie. I can feel the letter burning a hole in my chest as it sits in the pocket of my suit vest.
The priest finishes haying his meaningless words, and mother drops the one handful of dry dirt onto the pine box and I tighten my grip on the umbrella as Mother's hand rests on my shoulder. She whispers to me that it is time to go, and I nod as I turn away from the cursed hole in the ground. We climb into the carriage as lightening lights up the sky. As the carriage takes off Mother takes my hand and leans forwards in her seat. "Lukas, look at me." She says and I move my gaze from outside the window to my mother. her pale skin stands out against the black dress she is wearing. "Are you alright, son?" Mother asks and I smile before squeezing her hand. "I'm fine, don't worry about me." I say as the carriage stops in the middle of the bridge that leads to town.
Mother lets go of my hand, and opens the door before she asks. "Do you have the letter?" I nod as I reach into the pocket it is in and pull it out to show her. "Good, get out." She commands, and I give her a confused look. She takes my hand again, and looks deep into my eyes. "This is your fathers final request, so please step out of this carriage." I am shocked by this and it takes me a few moments, but I finally nod and step out. I turn around to face Mother who is leaning halfway out of the carriage. "After I am on my way, you are to open this letter and follow it's instructions." She explains and I nod. 'When you return home dinner will be ready, I expect you to look presentable." She says before smiling, and I smile back before nodding once again. She closes the door and the driver takes off, leaving just me and a sealed letter.
Unfortunately I left my letter opener in my other suit so I force open the seal with my fingers. I pull the letter out and unfold it, it reads. "My dearest Son. If you are reading this my illness had taken me, or I finally grew tired of the nobles. Anyway, there is something I want you to do. If you haven't already, look into the envelope." The rain had turned into a light drizzle, and I close my umbrella before I set it on the edge of the bridge. I take the envelope in my free hand, and tip it over the one that holds the letter. Out falls a golden ring, and I drop the envelops to pick the ring up. Engraved on the inside is the letter E and nothing more. I looks back to the letter for further instructions on the curious situation.
The rest of the letter is instructions that I follow. It is like this. "As you stand on the bridge turn away from the town, you will see a church and a forest. Do not go to the church, instead go into the woods. As you enter the woods you will come across an old cemetery, at one end there will be a fallen oak tree." I look up form where I stand in the cemetery, and see the tree me dead father is talking about. I look back down at the letter. "Walk over to the tree, and stand there for a moment. Welcome to the Underworld." I finish reading as I stop at the fallen tree, and look up to see several crows have surrounded me. Then, as if on the wind, a voice whispers. "I have waited a long time to finally meet again." The crows swarm me and everything goes black.