Author's Note: And here we are... finally continuing on on our journey to Tartarus. Please leave a review if you have the time!
Chapter 10: The Torment of Tantalus
The Dark Swan and Hades continued to walk through the underworld. They followed the River Lethe until it came to a small pool. The water was no longer the murky Grey of forgotten memories, but instead it was crystal clear. A man stood on the bank of the pool trying to get some water. He looked pained as though he was quite thirsty, but no matter how close he got to the water it always receded just out of his reach.
The Dark Swan could see the anger on the man's face as he turned his back to the water and instead climbed up a small hill to a pomegranate tree. The branches were low lying and filled with fruit but the minute the man got near the tree grew impossibly high and the fruit was far out of reach. The man let out a warrior cry as he tried to climb the tree. The bark instantly smoothed and the man fell to the ground. He let out a broken sob and curled up into the foetal position.
The Dark Swan went to approach him but Hades held her back.
"Best leave him where he is."
"Why?" she asked curiously. "Who is he?"
"His name is Tantalus, and he has been cursed by the gods."
"Cursed?" The Dark Swan asked. "For what?"
"Back in the age of Olympus, when the Greek Pantheon reigned supreme, Tantalus was a master chef. Zeus heard of the fame of this mortal and invited him to serve the gods. Such an honour was unheard of and Tantalus accepted, only when he got to the top of the mountain he discovered that he had nothing to serve the Gods because everything in the Devine pantry turned to dust in his hands." Hades explained. "Fearful that his own life would be taken for failing, Tantalus murdered and served up his son as the meal. The gods instantly knew what he had done... it had all been a test you see. A test to see if the master chef of the mortal world would learn a bit of humility."
"But he didn't," came a new voice. "The Gods cast him to the depths of the Underworld, to the very edge of Tartarus where he would never be able to quench his thirst or abate his hunger. He has been here for nearly three thousand years."
The Dark Swan looked the newcomer over. He was a handsome youth, older than Henry and he had a shoulder made of metal. She instantly knew who he was. "You're his son."
The boy nodded. "I am Pelops. The gods gifted me back my life but they punished my father to be cursed for all eternity."
The Dark Swan looked at the broken she'll of a man. She couldn't abide by the fact that he had killed his son but she also felt a certain sense of pity for the man. Three thousand years was a long time to be tormented.
"Why do you stand here watching him? She asked.
"I stand here to let him know that I am alive that his sacrifice did not hold... but my Father can not hear or see me..." Pelops paused and looked to the Dark Swan. "Please... can you help him?
"She can do no such thing," Hades stated.
"I was not asking you," Pelops snapped. "Please Dark One... I alive not asking you to free him... I am not even asking you to fulfill his hunger and thirst. Just lift the veil of sorrow that covers his eyes and plugs his ears. Let him see me."
The Dark Swan looked from the youth to his broken father and knew that what she was being asked was quite small a thing. Tantalus would still be punished for the heinous crime that he committed but even in the torment there would be a small bit of kindness.
"I don't know if air can do what you asked... but I can try."
The Dark Swan walked over to the broken man, ignoring the furious rantings of Hades. The God of the Underworld didn't scare her... but her own conscience did. She knew that when she was free of the darkness the lives that she took would weigh heavily on her heart and if she could off set that by even providing a bit of kindness to a doomed soul then she would. She placed a hand on the matted hair of the man. He looked up at her with wide eyes. The Dark Swan passed her hand over his face and willed the spell of blindness to be lifted. Tantalus shook his head as though he was coming out of a fog. He looked past the Dark Swan and saw Pelops walking towards him.
"Is that...?"
"Yes," she replied. "That is your son. I could not free you nor would I ever for what you done... but you can see him now and know that though you killed him the gods looked favourably upon him. "
"As you have looked favourably upon me sweet Goddess," Tantalus said thankfully. "If there is anything I can ever do for you..."
"You will be stuck here for all time," Hades interjected. "Come on Dark One. We have a job to do?"
"Dark One?" Tantalus asked as his son came to his side. "No. She is a being of light... and I thank her with all my heart."
"As do I," Pelops said with a bow of his head. "If there is anything I can do for you Goddess…you only need to ask."
"Thank you," the Dark Swan said as she walked away. "I will keep that in mind."
Hades and the Dark Swan walked away from the father and son. The Dark Swan looked over her shoulder and knew that while she didn't do much, what little she did do helped a great deal.