Note: Thanks for the reviews! And I look forward to your new story Shaylei.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Adam swam for what felt like hours. He didn't know where all his air came from but he was thankful for it. He closed his eyes from the pressure and was suddenly dropped from the lake into a cavern-like area. He landed flat on his stomach causing dust to rise around him. Adam got up with a small groan and used a hand to steady his head.
"What a fall.." he mumbled. Looking around, he noticed a pathway started at the bottom of a some stairs to the left of him. At the bottom of the stair, right before the path, there was a black gate that sparkled beautifully in the unnatural light of the cavern. He began to descend. Each step he took echoed loudly.
"One" he breathed quietly as his foot hit the first step.
"two"
"three"
"four"
"five"
"six"
"seven"
"eight"
"nine"
"ten" Adam paused as a low growl traveled from the shadows at the bottom.
"Cerberus" he swallowed. Placing his backpack down, he slowly unzipped it and removed a ziplock bag of honeycakes.
"eleven"
"twelve" The growl grew louder.
"thirteen" He was at the bottom. Shadows were on both sides of him and he couldn't tell where the sound was coming from. Adam walked steadily towards the gate. He was in arms length and reached to push the gate open when a gigantic paw swiped him from the left and he went crashing into a stalagtite. He slumped to the ground. Shaking his head slightly, he pushed himself up although he had four big slash marks on his arm. No sooner was he on his feet than his jaw was agape at the sight before him.
~Just like the stories~
Cerberus stood there, with all 3 of the dogs' heads showing their teeth. His pelt seemed to be made of black velvet but his razor claws didn't look as nice. The serpant tail swung menacingly behind the creature and it growled again. Adam slowly opened the baggy he still held and removed the 3 medium honeycakes. He tossed one to the right head. It sniffed at it, then licked it and began eating. The other two heads looked at their 'partner's' goody and then back at Adam. They growled again, almost as if to say 'You better have some for us.' In response Adam tossed each head a honeycake and made his way slowly past Cerberus. Once through the gate, he sighed in relief and continued with his cautious journey.
~*~
Adam had passed through what he assumed was Persephone's Grove. It had been a magnificent garden/forest that he was reluctant to leave, but he _was_ in a hurry. Adam kept walking the path, seeing a few rivers along the way, until he reached a line of solemn looking people. Waiting patiently, he finally made it to the front of the line.
"Next!" The boatman shouted. ~Must be Charon~ Adam deduced.
"Here" Adam said handing him a gold coin.
"Wow. It's about time dead people brought me coins again. Get on, get on" Adam climbed into the gondola-like boat.
"Thanks but I'm not dead."
"Whoa whoa whoa. You're not dead??" Charon rolled his eyes up. "What's this place coming to. I'll only take you because you brought a coin." Adam smiled brightly in return. Charon began to sail off,
"Stay in the boat at all times. We can't have the living falling into Styx. Now we're coming up on the dream gates, one of ivory and one of horn..."
~*~
He cautiously approached the bridge. Just over it was Hades' castle, the hardest of his tasks. He took one step and the wood plank bridge creeked and swayed. He suddenly bolted across the entire thing, just making it to the other side before it collapsed.
"So much for that way back" Adam said as he caught his breath.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Adam swam for what felt like hours. He didn't know where all his air came from but he was thankful for it. He closed his eyes from the pressure and was suddenly dropped from the lake into a cavern-like area. He landed flat on his stomach causing dust to rise around him. Adam got up with a small groan and used a hand to steady his head.
"What a fall.." he mumbled. Looking around, he noticed a pathway started at the bottom of a some stairs to the left of him. At the bottom of the stair, right before the path, there was a black gate that sparkled beautifully in the unnatural light of the cavern. He began to descend. Each step he took echoed loudly.
"One" he breathed quietly as his foot hit the first step.
"two"
"three"
"four"
"five"
"six"
"seven"
"eight"
"nine"
"ten" Adam paused as a low growl traveled from the shadows at the bottom.
"Cerberus" he swallowed. Placing his backpack down, he slowly unzipped it and removed a ziplock bag of honeycakes.
"eleven"
"twelve" The growl grew louder.
"thirteen" He was at the bottom. Shadows were on both sides of him and he couldn't tell where the sound was coming from. Adam walked steadily towards the gate. He was in arms length and reached to push the gate open when a gigantic paw swiped him from the left and he went crashing into a stalagtite. He slumped to the ground. Shaking his head slightly, he pushed himself up although he had four big slash marks on his arm. No sooner was he on his feet than his jaw was agape at the sight before him.
~Just like the stories~
Cerberus stood there, with all 3 of the dogs' heads showing their teeth. His pelt seemed to be made of black velvet but his razor claws didn't look as nice. The serpant tail swung menacingly behind the creature and it growled again. Adam slowly opened the baggy he still held and removed the 3 medium honeycakes. He tossed one to the right head. It sniffed at it, then licked it and began eating. The other two heads looked at their 'partner's' goody and then back at Adam. They growled again, almost as if to say 'You better have some for us.' In response Adam tossed each head a honeycake and made his way slowly past Cerberus. Once through the gate, he sighed in relief and continued with his cautious journey.
~*~
Adam had passed through what he assumed was Persephone's Grove. It had been a magnificent garden/forest that he was reluctant to leave, but he _was_ in a hurry. Adam kept walking the path, seeing a few rivers along the way, until he reached a line of solemn looking people. Waiting patiently, he finally made it to the front of the line.
"Next!" The boatman shouted. ~Must be Charon~ Adam deduced.
"Here" Adam said handing him a gold coin.
"Wow. It's about time dead people brought me coins again. Get on, get on" Adam climbed into the gondola-like boat.
"Thanks but I'm not dead."
"Whoa whoa whoa. You're not dead??" Charon rolled his eyes up. "What's this place coming to. I'll only take you because you brought a coin." Adam smiled brightly in return. Charon began to sail off,
"Stay in the boat at all times. We can't have the living falling into Styx. Now we're coming up on the dream gates, one of ivory and one of horn..."
~*~
He cautiously approached the bridge. Just over it was Hades' castle, the hardest of his tasks. He took one step and the wood plank bridge creeked and swayed. He suddenly bolted across the entire thing, just making it to the other side before it collapsed.
"So much for that way back" Adam said as he caught his breath.