Wishes and Lost Hope
Chapter Six
The Land of the Dead
Athena opened her eyes to a wall. Not like the manmade stone bricks she had been staring at moments earlier, this wall was natural. She realized she was standing in a tunnel, one that sloped sharply downwards. A faint white glow emanated from orbs suspended from the ceiling, allowing her to see the path before her.
It was straightforward and empty. Unlike her previous visits to the Underworld, there were no twists or turns, nor were there doors or branching passages. For a moment, she was unsure if this was the place that she wanted to be. But the familiar smell of deep earth reminded her of similar, less pleasant and more involuntary experiences.
At least this time she knew how to keep her spiritual clothes on, and of that she was proud.
She remembered how on her first trips as a ghost it had taken many tries and some instruction by Larc to get that little detail figured out. She was not prepared to go gallivanting through the Land of the Dead naked, no matter how much of a rush anyone was in.
But that was not the problem at hand. She smiled and began humming to herself as she started down, deeper into the earth. She had already forgotten that she had a time limit.
The passage went on for a short time before opening into a small cavern. The cavern was enough to take the warrior's breath away.
Gems and pale streaks of gold and silver were embedded in the walls of the cave. A trickling stream that flowed from a second passage filled a pool of water in the center of the room, and pinpoint holes in the roof provided an impressive show of light and shadow.
As much as Athena always loved beautiful sights, she knew better than to linger. She spent a few minutes admiring the work of nature, or wisdom, before following the water source. This passage slanted upwards, and downwards again where the water came from a natural spring in the wall. The longer she walked, the stronger and more confident she felt. By the time she entered the City of the Dead, she had burst out singing.
The city was large, with dwellings and burrows fixed into the walls, and passages leading to other, similar caverns. Athena's voice faltered as she noticed the shadows of other spirits; sad, pitiful creatures that watched her with hopeless and sympathetic eyes.
She walked though the crowd, and felt some of them claw at the purple dress her soul wore. Some of the spirits drew back, and some of them rushed forward to meet this new arrival. The young woman tried her best to ignore it, and made her way through the crowded passages as best she could, seeking a friend or enemy that she hoped she could find.
oOo
Daena sighed, and flicked her tail irritably. The trail that had been so clear was now becoming confused. Elazul tried to explain the way in which Athena marked her trails with chalk, but the weary tabby had had enough.
"Yes, I know," she glared at the Jumi, crouching down on all fours, "I know how she travels, I know how she keeps from getting lost, and I know that there are little white marks everywhere!" The lines that could have led the travelers to their friend led every-which-way from the grove that they stood in. Hell, she thought, we might not even be able to get out of here.
"And I also know," Daena growled angrily, "That a wisdom told us to stay with her; something that we obviously haven't done because she's not here!"
"Look," Elazul started, returning the feline's sharp, angry look with one of his own, "If I wa–"
"Children please," Sierra cut off the impending argument as soon as she was in earshot, "Maybe it would be better if we found them, first, then we could start fights."
"I don't see why she'd be here anyway," Daena grumbled, "She hates this place." And so do I, she added mentally.
"Since when?" Elazul asked. Sure, he did not remember Athena coming here in some time, but that was did not necessarily mean that she hated it.
"Since Escad died here," she spat the name, her eyes glowing with hatred.
The Jumi tilted his head back, looking up at the dimming sky, Why does that seem familiar? "Escad?"
"A son of a bitch that Athena had some deal with, but she broke it and killed him when he tried to kill me here." On second thought, "Over there." She pointed to the old monument, and twitched. What if….
"Maybe that's where she is?" Sierra postulated, "I mean, it's a long shot but it's all we've got right now. At any rate, it looks like we can see pretty far from there."
Elazul shifted his weight. He was healing fast, but still hurt, and travel only served to make it worse. He did not want to miss anything, and if he let the others go ahead he could get lost. If they got to the monolith, maybe he could rest while the women explored, "Let's go."
oOo
Athena might have screamed, had she swallowed her pride. It would not have done her any good, anyway. She struggled against the spiteful ghosts that tore at her, ignoring the freezing feeling that accompanied the touch. One, she could handle, two, maybe even a dozen if she were prepared. But these… they were as strong as she was, more numerous, and more used to the rules of the their world.
"Leave me alone!" she yelled, strongly, and discouraged a couple of the creatures. She remembered then that this was the underworld. Strength lay not in physical form, but in the ability to manipulate her own life force.
Magic, something she needed assistance with in her body, bubbled up and burst into flame around her, destroying four of the spirits and frightening away many more. She would have cast another spell, had a shout not distracted her.
The rest of the ghosts abandoned their prize, and one, not fast enough in his retreat, was torn away from the cornered warrior. Athena looked up and swallowed hard.
"Athena," Escad stared, and an expression of disbelief crossed his face. "Oh well, too late to care anyway," he chuckled, holding out one hand to the woman sitting before him. She accepted the gesture timidly, letting him haul her to her feet.
"Escad," she started nervously, "You–"
"Don't bother," the man snapped, imagining her grateful, "If I'd known it was you I'd have walked by."
Athena groaned something under her breath and met her friend/enemy's eyes. He smiled spitefully, and turned to walk away.
"I'd like to hear your story," he called over his shoulder, "But if you're busy, come find me later. We've got all eternity here."
Time!
"Wait," Athena cried, running after him. She slowed down as she caught up with him. He kept his pace even, not bothering to look at her, "Where're you going?"
Escad snorted, "Someplace better than the hallways of hell." He finally cast a sidelong glance at the woman walking beside him, "Dresses don't suit you."
He stopped at a door and opened it, peering cautiously inside before entering the room beyond. Athena followed without hesitation. The small room, furnished only with a bed, small table, and chair, looked confined.
Athena dropped down on the bed, falling daintily across its width.
"Why not just make yourself at home," Escad grumbled, pulling the chair across the room and sitting down, "I'm not sharing, so if you want a room you'll have to go find your own."
Athena pushed herself up onto her elbows and grinned, "Why do the dead have beds? It's not like they need sleep."
"I'd imagine because lying there for ten years would give anyone enough time to think about their meaningless life," Escad watched the mercenary curiously before asking, "So, what brought you down? I never expected to see you here."
Athena's grin widened, and she sat up fully, "You'd never guess."
"You're right, I wouldn't," the knight said. Despite his hatred of the woman before him, he did not feel a need to actually take any of the aggravation out on her. That she was here was good enough for him, and if her death had been pointless it would be even better.
When he looked at her he felt something different, and unsettling. There was enthusiasm in her manner, definitely not something he would have expected from someone dead. Although he kept to himself, he had seen some of the newly dead act optimistic that they would someday live again. If this was the case, he would enjoy watching this one break down when despair overtook her. But, no… every dead he had seen had some bit of gloom in its features, and Athena had none. Then he realized.
"You're not dead are you?" he smirked at her nod, "How… strange. What are you doing down here?"
"Coming to get you," Athena chirped, "I want to take you back with me."
Escad's expression became more amused. The warrior that had bested him had become a lunatic, "What's the point? If I'm dead in the living world, how much better'd that be?"
"Ahh ah," Athena purred, "But I can bring you back to life." She thought she saw a flicker of interest in the man's eyes, and she inwardly praised herself.
"You're joking," he stated. Yes, he heard what she said, but he could not believe it to be true.
"Not at all, come with me and I'll show you."
"If you're telling the truth," Escad asked, "Why would you do it?" Athena's smile faltered, and she stared at her hands.
"You weren't supposed to die," she said plainly after a pause, "I wasn't trying to kill you."
"It didn't look that way to me,"
"Look, it was an accident," the mercenary asserted, "Do you want to come back or not?"
Escad leaned against the chair's backing and watched her with a blank expression. After a few minutes, he relented. If she knew what she was talking about, he would be alive again, and if she was lying, what did he have to lose?
"Alright," he agreed reluctantly, "What do I have to do?"
Athena smiled and stood up. She grabbed the knight's hand and pulled him up, and began to explain while dragging him towards the door.
"I have to get you back to the ruins, where you died," she said, "I've got a friend who knows all about resurrection. But I've only got a little more time here, so we've gotta hurry."
"Right…."
oOo
They ran through the Underworld, Athena leading Escad back to where she had first appeared. When Athena heard running water, she became enthused and ran straight into the pair of demons that had suddenly appeared in front of them.
The creatures regarded the smaller beings with pity, and one of them spoke at length, "Where do you think you're going?"
"Home," Athena answered confidently, making her way past the tall, winged monsters. They allowed her, but stopped Escad as he tried to follow.
"You cannot pass," the second demon said, gently baring the human ghost's path.
"What? Why not?" Athena demanded, turning around to fully face the demons'… backs.
"You don't belong here," the first demon said, turning to the young woman, "And he must stay here."
"Look, you," the mercenary began angrily, only to be cut off by the knight.
"It's okay, Athena," he said, "I know the way." There was a meaning in his gaze that he hoped she could see, and she affirmed the idea with a curt nod.
"Okay," she replied quietly, watching as he began back the way they had come. She, too, started on her way….
And in a blur of motion, had turned around to charge the closest of the demons. Surprised, the monster fought to keep its balance, while its companion turned on the woman. Escad rushed past the struggle, running back towards the freedom so close at hand.
Athena was not so lucky; her spiritual form was battered by the sudden, enraged attack of the two demons. She braced herself, hoping that her time would run out and she would be returned to her body. But as sudden as her attack had been, the demons' own assault stopped.
The young woman stood, shakily, and backed away from the creatures. A hand on her shoulder startled her, and she whirled to face Pokiehl.
The wisdom smiled his strange smile, and held one hand towards where Escad had fled.
"Brave girl," he lauded, "Go."
Athena nodded, and ran.
oOo
Escad stared at the strange room. He did not know how he had arrived, only knowing that he had been in the tunnels one moment and in a circle of chalk-lines the next. The strange wolf-man staring at him somehow reminded him of Daena, and it made him uncomfortable.
"You're her friend, boy?" the creature asked, gesturing to the prone body nearby. He recognized Athena, in a circle of runes much like the one he stood on.
"Something like that," the knight replied.
"Good," the wolf-man suddenly overturned something over Escad's head, pouring its liquid contents over him. He realized suddenly that he was soaked, and it never felt better.
The fluid evaporated, leaving a sweet smell in the air. Escad took a deep breath for the first time in a year.
Unable to believe what had happened, he simply stood there blinking.
Larc bit back on his amusement, "Look, boy, I need your help," he went through the ingredients he had brought with him, "I need you to watch her, as soon as she starts breathing, you tell me."
Escad looked down at the woman. He'd never imagined her so powerless. But even as she was, a sword was at her side, and her spear.
He approached her as to do what the other said, but instead silently picked up one of her weapons. He drew the sword carefully, and turned on the wolf-man that had his back turned to the young man. With all his strength, he smashed the pommel of the sword against the back of Larc's skull. The lupine fell satisfactory, and the knight turned to the helpless young woman and raised the sword a second time.