WOW! I've actually updated this story! No one kill me- I still have no idea what will happen next. This is a short, bad chapter to appease you fans out there.
Hibisca walked. Up the stone stairs from the fields and into the true Underworld, she entered. Her slippers had already been reduced to rags- flowers petals did not hold well on sharp rock. Her legs hurt and her face was scratched from the thorns that guarded the entrance to the fields. With every step, the air seem to rise in temperature. Soon Hibisca's beautiful white dress was soaked with sweat. The poor goddess was not used to these conditions, having been born only a few moments ago. Non-the-less, she toiled on, telling herself that she would at least get out of this wretched underworld, then she would rest before going to Mount Olympus.
Soon, she could hear the tortured sounds of the damned. Her heart went out to these poor souls, doomed forever, but she kept going, unable to stop. The cries and pleas became louder, almost as thick as the smoky air itself. There was Sisyphus, back bent with pain, slipping down the steep slope of a hill, trying yet again to roll the massive boulder to the top, but never quite making it. Hibiscus forced her feet forward as he let out a cry of pain and anguish, his feet slipping dangerously on his own blood against the rocky edge. Another few stairs brought her to the fifty daughters of Danaus, laboring with heavy jars, only to find that when they brought them over to the well, all the water had gone out of them, leaking through holes on the bottom, drenching the sisters. Each gave a weary sigh as they discovered their leaking vessels, eyes dead, the hope and life gone out of them.
Hibisca cried silently for these lost creatures, but none hurt her as much as Tantalus. He had merely been trying to please the gods any way he could. Now he was a pale skeleton, writhing in anguish at the center of a vast, sinfully beautiful lake that he could not touch, and reaching for forbidden fruit that he ached for.
Hibisca watched him sadly, pondering. What kind of rulers were these Olympians, that they could send men and women to an eternity of torture and not spend every waking hour in guilt and regret? Hibiscus dared to believe that these gods were monsters.
Tantalus let out a small moan and turned to the goddess. His sorrowful eyes met hers and fresh tears began bubbling out of them. "Please." he whispered hoarsely to her, "Just one." The plea was too much for Hibisca to endure. Reaching over carefully, she plucked one ripe, sweet fruit and held it out gracefully to Tantalus. The damned soul groaned slightly with anticipation and took the fruit with shaking fingers. He bit into it and a look of euphoria passed across his face. There was a tranquil silence as the man, eyes closed, enjoyed his nirvana. Finally he turned to Hibisca. "Thank you." he breathed.
Suddenly, a thick haze filled the Tartarus. Hibisca couldn't see anything. When it finally cleared, the young goddess found herself at the steps of a huge ebony throne. Sitting atop it were two figures; a man and a woman. The woman gave a small smile to the goddess, and seemed as pale as a moonbeam and just as delicate. The man was a sharp contrast. He glared at Hibisca darkly, his coal black eyes glittering dangerously in the shadow of a large thorny crown. The young goddess shook inside as this man slowly ascended down the steps to meet her, but she held his gaze. She knew him to be Hades, the dark lord of the underworld, and his unwilling queen, Persephone.
Hades regarded this intruding goddess with an angry silence. How dare she enter Tartarus and help a damned soul? The action would be unforgivable. Hades let his piercing gaze fall on the woman. She quivered ever so slightly, but met his eyes and held his stare. The god of the dead faltered for a moment. Never had he met such intriguing eyes. A deep royal blue - like the bottomless sea or the vast night sky- they bore into him, reaching with their crystal sparkle into his soul, measuring it upon an invisible set of divine scales. Hades looked away.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" He asked in a deadpan voice.
Hibisca gave a small smile as Persephone glided down to stand next to her husband. The pale goddess returned the smile and extended her hand, much to Hades' surprise. "Please," she said gently, "won't you stay a little while?" Hibisca was taken aback by the desperation and pleading in Persephone's voice. The young goddess shook her head sadly.
"I cannot stay." She said simply. Then she turned to Hades.
"Tell Zeus I am coming."
Hibisca walked. Up the stone stairs from the fields and into the true Underworld, she entered. Her slippers had already been reduced to rags- flowers petals did not hold well on sharp rock. Her legs hurt and her face was scratched from the thorns that guarded the entrance to the fields. With every step, the air seem to rise in temperature. Soon Hibisca's beautiful white dress was soaked with sweat. The poor goddess was not used to these conditions, having been born only a few moments ago. Non-the-less, she toiled on, telling herself that she would at least get out of this wretched underworld, then she would rest before going to Mount Olympus.
Soon, she could hear the tortured sounds of the damned. Her heart went out to these poor souls, doomed forever, but she kept going, unable to stop. The cries and pleas became louder, almost as thick as the smoky air itself. There was Sisyphus, back bent with pain, slipping down the steep slope of a hill, trying yet again to roll the massive boulder to the top, but never quite making it. Hibiscus forced her feet forward as he let out a cry of pain and anguish, his feet slipping dangerously on his own blood against the rocky edge. Another few stairs brought her to the fifty daughters of Danaus, laboring with heavy jars, only to find that when they brought them over to the well, all the water had gone out of them, leaking through holes on the bottom, drenching the sisters. Each gave a weary sigh as they discovered their leaking vessels, eyes dead, the hope and life gone out of them.
Hibisca cried silently for these lost creatures, but none hurt her as much as Tantalus. He had merely been trying to please the gods any way he could. Now he was a pale skeleton, writhing in anguish at the center of a vast, sinfully beautiful lake that he could not touch, and reaching for forbidden fruit that he ached for.
Hibisca watched him sadly, pondering. What kind of rulers were these Olympians, that they could send men and women to an eternity of torture and not spend every waking hour in guilt and regret? Hibiscus dared to believe that these gods were monsters.
Tantalus let out a small moan and turned to the goddess. His sorrowful eyes met hers and fresh tears began bubbling out of them. "Please." he whispered hoarsely to her, "Just one." The plea was too much for Hibisca to endure. Reaching over carefully, she plucked one ripe, sweet fruit and held it out gracefully to Tantalus. The damned soul groaned slightly with anticipation and took the fruit with shaking fingers. He bit into it and a look of euphoria passed across his face. There was a tranquil silence as the man, eyes closed, enjoyed his nirvana. Finally he turned to Hibisca. "Thank you." he breathed.
Suddenly, a thick haze filled the Tartarus. Hibisca couldn't see anything. When it finally cleared, the young goddess found herself at the steps of a huge ebony throne. Sitting atop it were two figures; a man and a woman. The woman gave a small smile to the goddess, and seemed as pale as a moonbeam and just as delicate. The man was a sharp contrast. He glared at Hibisca darkly, his coal black eyes glittering dangerously in the shadow of a large thorny crown. The young goddess shook inside as this man slowly ascended down the steps to meet her, but she held his gaze. She knew him to be Hades, the dark lord of the underworld, and his unwilling queen, Persephone.
Hades regarded this intruding goddess with an angry silence. How dare she enter Tartarus and help a damned soul? The action would be unforgivable. Hades let his piercing gaze fall on the woman. She quivered ever so slightly, but met his eyes and held his stare. The god of the dead faltered for a moment. Never had he met such intriguing eyes. A deep royal blue - like the bottomless sea or the vast night sky- they bore into him, reaching with their crystal sparkle into his soul, measuring it upon an invisible set of divine scales. Hades looked away.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" He asked in a deadpan voice.
Hibisca gave a small smile as Persephone glided down to stand next to her husband. The pale goddess returned the smile and extended her hand, much to Hades' surprise. "Please," she said gently, "won't you stay a little while?" Hibisca was taken aback by the desperation and pleading in Persephone's voice. The young goddess shook her head sadly.
"I cannot stay." She said simply. Then she turned to Hades.
"Tell Zeus I am coming."