A Trip to Hades
Ever been neck deep in freezing water?
No? Well lucky you, because I have not only been neck deep in absolute zero freezing water but actually experienced drowning in it. It's been one of my closest near death experiences and yes I have had more than one but this one for the lack of a better term authentically qualifies, as I escaped the jaws of death by mere micrometers. I actually saw, the fabled illumination at the end of the dark tunnel, still shuddered at the thought of it.
The last thing I remember is being unceremoniously dropped from a great height. I remember being knocked out and falling head first into the sea below, I made contact with the clam surface with a ricocheting sound.
My head hurt as if an anvil had been dropped on it but soon the chill got to me, at first it felt only cold but then it felt as if my entire body was being simultaneously pierced by hundreds of needles, I wanted to scream but I couldn't. I had gone completely rigid; my senses had been shocked by the intense cold, unable to bring about a reaction.
Imagine my agony, I wanted to cry out in pain but I couldn't. The pain subsided though or maybe my senses got so numbed that I couldn't feel it anymore. I was in a state of comatose, I felt tired, devoid of energy. I now felt comfortable in what was soon to be my watery grave and for a while I thought I had even died as I saw Hades from afar, not the God but his realm.
From afar I could see the River Styx flowing through the Fields of Asphodel and the Fields of Punishment. I could also make out the silhouette of a tower of obsidian and gold which I knew to be Lord Hades' palace in the underworld. A sight to see I have heard but right now with my conscience in limbo, I the hell couldn't come up with words in appreciation. With each passing moment I felt as if I was drawing closer to the realm of the undead and for no apparent reason I felt content, why? But before my question could be answered I felt a tug about my navel, I didn't know what was happening to me but the mere thought of being in the underworld made me panic and before I could react, the world of destroyed mortal dreams around me vanished only to be replaced by the same pain that had been inflicted upon me what I believed were hours but just happened to be a few minutes.
That people, is referred to as hypothermia and it's not a good way to die, trust me; been there and almost done that. So, where was I, the tug at my navel, a literally out of body experienced of being pierced through by a curved blade harpoon. I think I must have screamed like hell, but I didn't have any energy to do so I guess, especially after trying to scream my lungs out, devoid of air.
I could feel someone pulling me out of my misery, I could see the illumination at the end of the tunnel again but this time it was different. The illumination sparkled of new life, the surface of the water netting the rays of the sun to illuminate its depths.
With every tug that I felt, I came closer to the netted illumination. I could feel the drop in temperature or maybe I was just getting used to the extreme cold by now. I closed my eyes, giving into sleep. I felt s tired, drained to be exact. I thought of rejuvenation at the end of my ordeal, but that was not to be. With one final tug I had finally surfaced.
I coughed out water as I drew my first lungful of air, the water had been blocking my airways. I heard a splash, someone had jumped in the water and before I knew it I felt an arm around my waist and as if by instinct I encircled my arms around the person's neck.
"You'll be alright, just let me get the harpoon out of you. Don't move a muscle" He said in a ragged voice, struggling for air. I couldn't keep awake anymore, I was too tired, too drained but I was glad to be in his arms, to be alongside him before I closed my eyes and when I did so, I didn't know that I was breathing my last or was I?
I have known fear and the anger that comes along with it but never had I witnessed the pain that came along with it nor the suffering I knew would follow, is this why death is feared? Fear again, quite a vicious cycle I must say but then again I wasn't in my senses when the girl I so loved went limp in my hands while I tried to save her.
With my arms around her middle, I felt her going limp in my arms. Her body was like dead weight, had she passed out? Had she given in? No...Hell no.
As an endless stream of negative thoughts raced through my mind I tried my best to keep us afloat. I tried to speak to her, to get her to wake up but it seemed that she had passed out. I felt her pulse on the neck but that too was weak, nevertheless she was alive but she needed help.
She needed urgent medical attention, ambrosia and nectar wouldn't do the trick this time. I searched the sky for my steed, unable to see his grey form in the sky lined with dark clouds, I whistled loud enough for him to hear my call, knowing full well that he'd be in earshot.
And I was right; through the dark menacing storm grey clouds I saw the figure of a Metallic white Pegasus, 'Ferrum' somersault towards us. His body was a steal grey in colour and a black leather bridle with matching reigns fastened on the saddle. I heard him neigh as he neared me, but he wasn't alone other pegasi neighed in response from all directions. The other members of our cohort were looking for us as well.
He whinnied in response to those who he couldn't see, I sighed tightening my hold on her. I couldn't give up on her never, never have and never will and as if someone had head my silent prayer, I felt as if a new wave of energy and strength was coursing through my body.
I felt rejuvenated and strong but most important of all I no longer felt cold. I was in the middle of the Atlantic with a small hope of survival and I felt... for the lack of a better term... warm. My senses returned to me as did my divine powers, powers that my father had bestowed upon me.
Ferrum was now hovering over me and I could see other pegasi mounted by demigods fly towards me. The first to reach was my Quarter Guard, Tzefira Landen, daughter of Aeolus, sitting on a chestnut Pegasus.
She tied the reigns of her Pegasus to the saddle and then swept off him, hovering right above us in midair, being a child of Aeolus does have its advantages I must say. She then removed a rope from the saddle and threw one end at me while tying the other end to Steele's saddle.
I quickly tied the rope around myself and wrapped it around my arm, while my other arm held tightly the one I loved.
Tzefira hovered done, almost to the surface of water. "Let me take her" she said opening her arms, "Let me take Alyssa and you'll be free to climb on to Steele" she said trying to persuade me to let her go. I just strengthened my hold on to her.
Tzefira's greyish blue eyes gleamed with anger, "You are going to die and you are going to take Alyssa along with you if you don't give her to me" She shouted at me her jaw clenched and a vein popping on her neck.
I stared at her trying to establish my authority as the commander of the cohort but my stare was met with denial and then I realised that I wasn't thinking straight. I was being foolish but I still didn't want to leave my hold on her, What if she dropped her? What would happen then?
No, I couldn't give her to Tzefira. I'd get us both out of her and I stared her down only to be met with refusal and if I wasn't mistaken disobedience and before I could say anything to her, "Forgive me James", she said without any remorse in her voice and in a flash she detached a foot long metal cylinder, enlarging into a spear and before I could think, I felt pain, a pain that was splitting my head and the feeling of falling into nothingness.
I woke up to a throbbing headache and the after effects of a seizure because as soon as I woke up I began convulsing, continuously hit by spasms and it wasn't over till I threw up the contents of my stomach over and around me.
I don't remember much after that, other than people in white and lime green robes and linothoraxes running towards me and pinning me down to the bed. I remember someone holding my head down and running their hand through my hair, telling me it's all going to be all right followed by a sharp pain on my wrist, they had drugged me, so that I may sleep and sleep I did, the familiar darkness taking over me once again.
I woke up thirsty, my throat dry and burning. I tried to get up but couldn't bring myself to lift up my body but nevertheless I tried hauling myself up on my elbows trying to sit upright which I failed to do, only to be caught before I fell back on to my bed.
I could feel an arm around my shoulders preventing me from falling back on to the mattress, "Easy there mein freund. You gave us quite a scare." I heard the familiar smiling voice of my old time friend Nick Scholz, Son of Nike and my Second in Command.
He then helped me to an upright position and handed me a bottle of water. He stood by me while I drank, observing me for any further symptoms of a seizure. After I had quenched my thirst I looked at him longingly, seeking answers which I knew he won't give me till I get out of the infirmary.
There weren't many other occupants, I counted three on the bases of lamps glowing on the bed sides not including mine, they all seemed to be fast asleep. I gave him another long look and quirked my eyebrow.
He scrunched his in return and drew a chair to sit on. Scratching his head and scrunching his eyebrows, "What do you want to know?" he asked.
I sighed not in the mood for his mind games.
I drew a deep breath, "How did I land up in the Infirmary?" I asked through clenched teeth. To my surprise he smiled and then started laughing. "Nick" I said in my deep commanding voice, glaring at him I repeated my question, "How did I land up in the Infirmary?"
"Tzefira knocked you out when you didn't let go of Alyssa." He said in a grave tone however I wasn't moved; I seethed with anger, letting it out in the form of curses.
"I know you are pissed off." He said looking at me "But she did do it to protect the both of you." He said trying to calm me down.
I don't remember what I did next. I don't even remember what happened to me but I remember the darkness that clouded my vision before I fell into the darkness that surrounded me, separating me from Alyssa.
A/N:
Well I'm glad that this story was admitted to a community, thanks wacko12. I guess I'll continue updating now. Reviews matter to me but so do my readers. So I'm going to upload for all those people who read "Fire in the Void". Thank you for reading it guys and thanks for putting it on your favourite and alert lists.
StardustX- I don't think I'm portraying Hestia as a dark character. She's just rethinking her role and position. I'm glad you like her.
Characters Introduced till now are:
Alec Blackwood, Zeno Leonidas, Astria Cielo, Tzefira Landen, James Steele, Noah Ellis, James Lowell, Nick Scholz, Mikaela Sapientia and Alyssa Li.
Many more to come in the next chapter, Especially the Apollo kids.