Demeter inhaled deeply, enjoying the cold freshness of the mountain air in her lungs. She stood in the shadows of the gate that led to Mount Olympus, waiting to be received.
There were times that Demeter missed the Mount Olympus.
The view from its peak was one of the reasons why. The sun, which looked close enough to touch, cast a dappled light onto Mount Olympus, giving it an ethereal look. From this height, it was possible to see how the land stretched out forever, seemingly, until it disappeared into the horizon. It made Demeter's heart sing to observe the breathtaking beauty her beloved nature had to offer.
It almost made her want to come back sometimes.
The gate opened. "Fool!"
But most of the time, she was happy she left when she did. Demeter composed her face into one of complete indifference before turning around.
"Hermes," she said, with a nod of her head.
"Fool!" he cried again. "Weren't you here when the stars dubbed me the great and almighty Excalibur?"
Demeter resisted the urge to punch Excalibur's very large nose. Instead, she calmly replied, "Excalibur, I've only been here twice in the past eighteen years."
"You have no one to blame but yourself then."
Demeter could feel her patience slipping. "Would it be possible to just take me to Spirit?" she asked through slightly gritted teeth.
"And why do you need to see him?" Excalibur asked imperiously.
"He's the one who needs to see me," Demeter snapped, losing her patience completely.
She didn't wait for Excalibur to answer but pushed past him, striding down the long archway that led to the golden palace of Mount Olympus. She flung open the double doors that opened to Spirit's throne room. Demeter heard several gasps, the biggest one coming from Spirit himself.
He sat, face in frozen in surprise, on his throne.
Demeter couldn't deny that he still looked as handsome as ever. Just as she couldn't deny that he hadn't appeared to grow up, given the gaggle of nymphs and goddesses surrounded him.
Spirit seemed to have recovered from his shock. "Demeter…"
"My most sincere apologies if I interrupted anything," Demeter said smoothly. She walked further into the room. "But I would have thought the ruler of Mount Olympus would be more," she paused, eyes sweeping the room with a disdainful look, "professional."
"What are you doing here, Demeter?" Spirit asked weakly, as if he still couldn't believe his eyes.
The scorn in Demeter's voice gave way to annoyance. "Don't play dumb with me, Spirit. You called me here didn't you? What do you need?"
"I called you here?" Spirit echoed her.
He frowned, addressing Excalibur who had sauntered into the room. "Excalibur, you didn't send for Demeter, did you?"
"Everyone knows that the proper time to send for a person is on a starless light, by the light of the full moon," was Excalibur's reply.
Spirit blinked.
"Then, who called me here?" Demeter demanded, infuriated.
She pulled a scroll that she had tucked in her sash, unfurling it. Striding up to Spirit, she waved it in his face. "This is your seal, is it not?"
"Yes," Spirit said in a bewildered tone as he took the scroll from her, face growing more and more confused as he read the message.
When he was done reading, he looked up at Demeter.
"Well?" Demeter asked impatiently when he didn't say anything.
"I don't know what to say," Spirit said slowly. "The seal is definitely mine but I did not send this to you."
The words had barely left his mouth and then Demeter was turning on her heel, making for the exit.
"Wait!" she heard Spirit call.
Demeter didn't turn back. "I have no business being here, Spirit. You know I loathe coming here."
In a low voice, she muttered, "To think I brought Maka here for this…"
Unexpectedly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Pulling away, she turned to see Spirit, who'd actually risen from where he sat to follow her.
When he spoke, his voice held nothing of his usual overconfidence. "You brought Maka? Here?"
Demeter was surprised by the soft look that entered his eyes when Spirit mentioned her daughter. Their daughter.
"Against my better judgment," she said coldly, masking her sympathy. "And now, I have to go to her. You might want to check your guard. I don't want this happening again."
"You didn't bring her with you?" Spirit asked, looking behind her, as if Maka would magically appear.
Demeter resumed walking. "No, I didn't want to bring her here," she said, giving a scornful look to the whole room.
For a moment, she thought Spirit was going to ask to see Maka but Demeter reached the door with no further protest from Spirit.
Just like the first time she left, eighteen years ago.
Soul spent at least an hour searching the outskirts of the Underworld before finding Cerberus, with a wound in his side that definitely looked like a snake bite. Swearing under his breath, he examined the wound. It didn't seem too deep nor did it seem infected with poison. "Cerberus?" Soul called cautiously, seeing if the three-headed dog was conscious at all.
One of Cerberus' heads perked up as he caught the familiar sound of his master. He strained to stand, giving a little whine when one of his legs gave out.
"Easy, there," Soul said, patting his side. "Just rest."
He knelt down and tore a long strip of cloth from his robe, quickly cleaning and wrapping the wound as best as he could. Soul stood, looking at his handiwork. It certainly was nothing compared to Liz and Patti's healing prowess but it was all he could do for the moment. He gave Cerberus another pat. "I'm going for help, okay?"
Cerberus gave a half-hearted wag of his tail before all three of his heads closed their eyes.
Soul found Liz and Patti coming from Maka's room, pleased looks on their faces.
"Hey, Soul," Liz said as she caught sight of him.
"Did you find Cerberus?" Patti asked, her blue eyes wide with worry as she took in the grim expression on Soul's face.
Soul braced himself-Patti was generally cheerful and easy-going but there were a few things that changed the sweet nymph into someone even Asura wouldn't dare take on. Sure enough, the words "Cerberus is hurt" had Patti contorting her face in a look of pure rage and dashing down the hallway, Liz right behind her.
Soul watched them go, knowing it wouldn't be wise to try to stop Patti from going. He looked at Maka's door, his hands suddenly feeling clammy. He'd meant to ask Liz and Patti how Maka was doing but the discovery of Cerberus had driven the thought from his mind. Soul walked to her door, lifting a hand to knock. He stopped his hand before it reached the door, losing his nerve.
He began to rapidly walk back down the hallway, stomach full of knots, but then he abruptly turned, walking back to the door. He knocked once before he could chicken out.
"Who is it?" He could hear light footsteps within the room.
"M-me," his voice came out sounding high-pitched and nervous. He desperately wished for a hole to swallow him whole, even getting eaten by that snake would have been better than this. Instead, he cleared his voice. "I mean, it's Soul," he said, hoping he sounded more like himself.
The door swung open. "Hi, Soul!"
Soul had to fight to keep his jaw from falling open.
If he had thought Maka was beautiful with twigs in her hair and dirt smearing her face, she was downright radiant all cleaned up.
Liz and Patti had put her in a black chiton that had set off her pale skin, making it seem luminous. It wrapped around her body perfectly, showing off her figure. With her hair down, she seemed more grown up. It was her eyes that really took his breath away. Perhaps it had been the gloom of the Underworld but in the light, they glowed like living emeralds.
Not wanting to seem like he was gawking, Soul looked down. Maka held the flower crown she'd been wearing before, playing with it idly.
She followed his gaze and blushed a little. "My mother made it for me. It's a little childish, isn't it?"
"No, no," Soul started blushing himself. "We don't see flowers like those in the Underworld. They're pretty."
She smiled at him, putting the crown on her head. "Thank you."
"And you look," Soul paused, "clean."
Maka looked like she was trying to fight a laugh. "Thanks." She gave him a glance from head to toe. "I'm sorry I can't say the same about you."
Soul looked down at his robe, which was peppered with rips and tears and the occasional bloodstain. He gave a nervous laugh. "Think I'm going to go fix that. You can stay in your room, if you want. I just wanted to see if you were comfortable enough," Soul said as he began to make his retreat.
She stopped him. "Actually, I was wondering if I could explore your library." An almost reverent look entered her eyes. "I've never seen so many stories before."
Soul grinned, relieved that there was at least one part of the Underworld that she liked. "Of course. Do you want help finding the room?"
"I have a pretty good memory," Maka said proudly, stepping out her doorway and into the hallway. "I'll be fine on my own. See you soon!"
She eagerly strode off.
Soul chuckled, making his way to his rooms at the end of the hall. He grimaced at his appearance in the mirror. He looked a bit like a corpse brought back to life.
Along with his dirty and ripped up clothes, cuts and bruises dotted his body, especially so on his arms where the scythe had shattered along his body. He groaned a little at thought of making a new scythe to replace it. He considered cleaning off the layer of dirt with a hot bath but he decided against it, unsure if he would be able to leave the tub once he stepped in. Instead, he soaked a towel in hot water, scrubbing at his face and neck vigorously.
When he entered his study, he still looked a bit like one of the undead, albeit with fresh clothes.
Maka had settled comfortably into the chair next to his, seemingly relaxed. She was absorbed in reading a scroll, her eyebrows knit in concentration. Soul felt a little surprised. Even when Liz and Patti first came to the Underworld, it had taken them a week to feel fully at home.
At the sound of Soul's footsteps, Maka looked up and brightened. "Hey!"
Soul took a seat next to Maka. "You seem to be enjoying that," he said, gesturing at the scroll.
"I already have a pile of all the stories I want to read," Maka said sheepishly, pointing to a pile of scrolls at her feet. "However," she rolled up the scroll. "I do have a few questions about this place."
Soul chuckled at the avid curiosity in her eyes. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you."
Maka made a face at him and then commenced to bombard Soul with questions about everything and anything about the Underworld, what the inhabitants were like, what was his job exactly and a million other queries that Soul himself had barely even thought about before this.
He had spent a good half hour just explaining the Underworld's geography when he heard a distinct rumble coming from Maka.
"I'm so sorry," Maka said, a faint blush reddening her cheeks. "I haven't eaten since this morning."
Soul felt his heart sink. This hadn't been a problem he'd foreseen.
He tapped his fingers nervously against the arm of his chair. "I'd offer you something to eat but…"
"What is it?" Maka prompted, sitting up. The smile she'd worn while they were talking had faded, a wary frown taking its place.
"It's not that I can't give you something to eat," Soul had said slowly. "It's that, if you even took a bite of the food here, you'd have to stay here forever."
Soul watched Maka warily as his words registered with Maka, her eyes widening in shock.
"Not even a drink of water?" Maka asked, a frown tracing her lips.
Soul shook his head. "Unfortunately not."
She was silent for a few moments but then, to his surprise, she brightened up. "It's okay!" she said. "My mother's coming, right? She'll probably bring something from the outside world to eat."
"That's right!" Soul grinned. He'd completely forgotten about the message he'd sent to Demeter.
"I wonder when she'll be coming," Maka wondered aloud.
"I sent a messenger raven to her about a couple hours ago," Soul replied. "She should be on her way here by now."
"Now that I think about it, I'm not so sure that's a good thing," Maka joked. "I'm sure after she's done smothering me, she'll start scolding my ear off for wandering off."
"At least, you won't have to 'ear her once that happens," Soul offered.
Maka burst into peals of laughter. Soul joined her and for a long time, neither could look at the other without laughing again.
Maka was the first to compose herself, wiping a tear from her eye. "That was terrible."
"But you laughed," Soul pointed out, still chuckling.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence.
"So," Soul said slowly. "What is there to know about you?" he asked teasingly.
"Actually, nothing much," Maka admitted. "I've lived with my mother in a small forest my whole life and you know I haven't traveled at all." She frowned. "My mother means the best but I feel like I've missed out on a lot."
Soul nodded sympathetically. "That must have been frustrating."
"It was!" The words burst from Maka with more passion than she meant to show but she didn't care. "I had no friends growing up, no one to talk to but my mother and some stuffy nymphs. There were some days that I just felt perpetually stuck in the same cycle." She clenched her hands, heartbeat thudding in her ears. "I felt trapped and I had to act like it didn't bother me!"
She took a deep breath and continued in a calmer voice. "But my mother did everything to make me happy and she gave me everything I ever wanted so it didn't feel right complaining either. It was just…I don't know." Maka ducked her head. "Sorry. I must sound ungrateful."
"No," Soul said. "You sound lonely. That's not wrong."
Maka felt her mouth curve in a small smile.
"And," Soul said, visibly hesitating. "You're more than welcome to visit here any time, after this mess is sorted out."
"Really?" Maka asked.
"If you want to," Soul added quickly. "I know this place isn't idyllic."
A knock on the door interrupted whatever Maka had been about to say.
Kid opened the door and poked his head into the room. "Sorry to disturb you, Soul, but we need to talk." Kid's golden eyes widened almost imperceptibly, conveying the urgency his words belied.
Soul glanced uneasily at Maka. "This probably involves you and it might not be pleasant. Do you want to stay?"
Maka's gaze seemed to turn inward. She hunched her shoulders as she considered. Then, she straightened. "Yes, I want to hear this."
"Come in, Kid," Soul said.
Kid took a seat in the chair opposite of Soul.
"All right, Kid, what's all the excitement about?" Soul stretched tiredly in his armchair, the exhaustion from the day's events finally setting in.
Kid straightened, interlacing his fingers. "Based on Arachne's actions as well as what she divulged to you, I went back to the Archeron to investigate. I managed to find the place where Medusa entered the Underworld and then I traced the trail to the Styx, where she released Apophis. Then the Styx told me-"
"Told you?" Maka interrupted, leaning forward in interest. "How does a river speak you?"
"That was badly phrased," Kid said. "I should say, there are certain magic in my profession that allows the river to "speak" to me in a way." A slightly indignant look entered Kid's eyes. "And to think that my rivers were so mistreated! To be used as a weapon instead of their proper purpose of being the balance between the living and the dead. Never in my-"
"The point, Kid," Soul cut in.
Kid smiled timorously. "I apologize, any offense done to any of the rivers I guard is a personal offense to me. Anyways, using the remnants of what remained of Medusa's magic with mine, I managed to create a shadow recreation of the magic she used."
"And?" Soul asked when Kid didn't continue.
"As you know, there needs to be a certain protection placed on those who mean to enter the Styx who haven't been authorized by the gods to do so," Kid said.
"Yes," Soul said slowly.
"However, the protection that Medusa placed on the snake was modified," Kid said, throwing a worried glance at Maka.
"Modified?" Maka echoed. "How?"
"She used the power of the Styx to lay a curse on you, Maka." Kid's expression grew grim. "That snake is bewitched to kill you or die in the attempt."
Maka felt her hands go limp in her lap. She barely registered Soul's and Kid's voices, shock numbing her body.
"That snake is bewitched to kill you." The words echoed in Maka's ear, repeating over and over until it became an intolerable din in her mind.
"Maka?" Soul's voice seemed to come from far away. She raised her head. Soul gazed at her worriedly. "Do you want to go to your room?"
With some effort, Maka shook her head. "No, I'm fine." She gripped the arms of her chair hard and stood. Her head seemed to clear a bit.
"What happens now?" she asked, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible.
"We bring your mother here as quickly as possible and then we close the entrances to the Underworld," Soul said, rising from his chair. "I'll go myself. Kid, prepare the seals as quickly as possible."
"Right," Kid said. With a slight bow to Maka and Soul, he strode out of the room.
Maka felt relief dilute the panic that had been coursing through her body. It would be all right. It had to be.
"I should get going too," Soul said, wincing as he rubbed a purpling bruise on his shoulder.
"Are you going to be okay going out like that?" Maka asked. She felt a pang as she took in Soul's injuries, far worse than her own.
"Nah," Soul said. "Now that we know who the snake is really after, I should be fine."
"Though, I probably should bathe-I might have some of your scent on me from earlier," Soul said, face suddenly reddening.
Maka felt her face redden as well and she searched for something to say to break the awkward pause. "And I don't suppose it'd be wise if I came along?" she asked.
"Then what would be the point of going through all this trouble to keep you safe?" Soul said teasingly.
Maka stuck out her tongue. "It doesn't hurt to ask!"
"I know you have to be worried about your mother," Soul said, stepping closer to her to catch her eyes. "But the only one in real danger here is you."
"It's not just my mother that I'm worried about! I'm worried about yo-anyone who has to be up there with that monster," Maka said, hunching her shoulders. "I mean, thank you for doing this all for me," she mumbled in a rush, looking down as her heartbeat sped up.
"It's really you I should be thanking."
Maka looked up to see that Soul was as flushed as she was. They stood like that in silence. Soul broke the moment, gesturing to the pile of the scrolls on the ground. "I'll be back before you get through one of those."
"I don't know if I'll be able to concentrate very well," Maka said doubtfully, her heart still racing. "But okay."