Amari412: Thank you very much for the review. Sorry it took so long for an update. Work has been hectic. Hades is a very protective father. Only time will tell what happens. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Darkened training
"Ugh!"
Rubble trickled down a jagged rock formation. Dust covered bare knees, along with a once clean cream chiton. Tousled hair brushed aside with an angry swipe. Standing on trembling limbs; cheek bruised, arms glistening with sweat. Melinoe looked towards her opponent. Well... Teacher would be a better word. With arms folded, a stern look covering pale features, Hecate shook her head, as she stepped forward.
"You're thinking to much. You need to relax.."
Melinoe gritted her teeth. They'd been going over the same procedure for hours. She was ready to tear out her hair.
"If I'd be anymore relaxed, I'd be dead."
The venom didn't even cause Hecate to arch her brow. Melinoe was much like her father. Both wanted results quickly. Each fearing for an unscripted ending.
Hecate stepped forward. Placing a firm but gentle hand upon Melinoe's tense wrist, she forced the young goddess in training to look at her. Their eyes clashed. Each wanting different results. Dampening her lips, Hecate smiled gently even if Melinoe didn't return the gesture.
"Your mother had the same problem, when Demeter taught her how to grow plants. You can do it Melinoe. Just let go and relax."
Watching as Hecate stepped back, once again taking a defensive pose Melinoe closed her eyes. All around her, the Underworld breathed. She could hear everything. At first it became to much to bear. Her head started to pound, teeth ached. Brow creased as sweat trickled down the side of her head. But something else happened. Her fingers began to twitch. This magic wasn't like the flimsy shots she aimed at Hecate out of frustration. This was something more powerful.
Head bowed. Lower lip stinging. Melinoe concentrated until sweat began to trickle down her brow. Palms quivered, as darkness enveloped them. Head snapping back, eyes pale as bone, Melinoe shot the energy towards Hecate. Spiritually, Hecate saw the attack coming. However not even a gasp could pass her lips. Much like Melinoe, Hecate slammed against the wall. Pain shot through the back of her skull. Pressure against her wind pipe, made Hecate's legs kick out only to freeze when it was Melinoe pressing up against her trapped body.
"End of training.."
Hecate whispered. Pulling herself back, Melinoe smoothed down her chiton. Eyes trailed towards the ground, shame caused her palms to sweat, though no words of apologies passed her lips. Turning around sharply on the balls of her heels, Melinoe walked out of the room, dark hair swaying against her back. Hecate watched as Melinoe departed. Brow creased in concern. There was something about Melinoe's eyes. They seemed to change. Hecate wished she knew what was going through the young teenagers mind, when she sent the powerful force her way. It almost seemed as if Melinoe had left her body, even just for a moment.
Heavy foot steps echoed around the room. Hecate didn't show any sign of alarm, only sighed as she continued to look in the direction where Melinoe just went.
"Good afternoon Charon."
Digging his staff into the ground, Charon lent against it almost lazily. Face in a permanent frown, he slapped his lips together.
"Cutting training early today. Something happen?"
Charon's words came out in a heavy whisper. Hecate sighed, forcing her body to slump easing the ache across her shoulder blades. Hecate shook her head, mouth open in a trembling 'o' as she tried to understand the muddled words inside her own head.
"I don't know Charon. Ever since that happened, Melinoe's been different. I thought it would pass, but I fear its getting worse.."
Hecate briefly tensed as Charon tightened his grip upon the staff. It wasn't an act of anger more concern. Rising a hand Hecate placed it upon Charon's shoulder causing him to slacken, followed by a misted blush rising within his hollow cheek bones. Pushing aside his silver hair, Charon turned himself around as if the task was difficult. Much like Hecate he wanted to go after Melinoe, but knew the young goddess needed time for herself. Supper was only two hours away.
"She's her fathers daughter, Hecate. What ever happens, she'll make it through."
Listening to Charon walking back towards his boat, no doubt a lost soul awaiting his arrival, Hecate remained motionless.
"I just hope Hades past doesn't follow her.."
Peering around a damaged pillar, Melinoe watched. Hecate's words bouncing around her mind. Flashes of her nightmares making her eyes become stone white. Like marble. As if by instinct she clasped tightly onto her necklace. The warmth of her magic soothed her, but didn't shut off the many questions fluttering around inside of her head.
"What are they keeping from me?"
She whispered.
Snarls followed by roars caused the gates of the Underworld to quiver in fear. Cerberus snapped his jaws against the thick heavy chain, which rested around three straining necks. Claws dug deep into the ground, trying to pull. To rip the chain. It was no use. Six beady eyes, now blood shot with furry. Snapped left then right. Small foot prints, imprinted on the ground, showed sign of escape. Pulling back his three heavy heads, Cerberus howled. It echoed around the walls. Flames flickered from thick orange to a darkened purple.
Unaware of the first signs of disaster, a figure dressed in a thick cloak hurried across a one way path. Legs trembling in fear. Hands slipping due to sweat, as the figure tried desperately to keep the cloak tightly around a heaving chest.
Skidding to a halt. Owl shaped eyes trailed up. Standing in front of the figures way, was a steep path. No mortal could climb that. Hood fluttered as the head turned, looking down the path it just came. No sign of anyone following. Smacking dried lips together, before licking them out of nervous habit eyes flickered closed.
"What do you mean someone escape?!"
Hades was beyond furious. As Hecate stood before him, showing no sign of fear towards him, she repeated a second time of the opened gate along with a caught Cerberus.
"I don't think a shade did this my lord."
Hecate whispered the words, regretting them the moment Hades snapped his eyes in her direction. She saw the shift in his mood. Knew that saying his furious would be an understatement. Without speaking, Hades allowed himself to be enveloped in a thick shadow of darkness. The flickering of flames all that remained.
Fingers bloody. Feet cut. The figure wasn't even half way up the slop. It tried using magic but every time it made it half way, the magic would vanish causing her to tumble down landing in a heap. Finger nails began to crack. There was nothing to grip onto. Every stretch and strain was by calculated risk. Tears prickled at the corner of the figure's eyes. Though they didn't fall.
"I thought we'd gotten past this..."
Gasping, hands yanked back from the slop. Though the figure had barely made it half way up the slope, it didn't stop the snap of fear. Hood falling back exposing the terrified face of Melinoe.. She squeezed her eyes tight, expecting for a third time that night to feel the cruelty of the ground, cutting deep into her back. Nothing happened. Slowly opening her eyes, for a moment thinking it was some kind of crazy dream, to find herself back in bed, shaking. Melinoe instead found herself being held bridal style by her father.
Hades arms felt like cold iron. His darkened armour no longer a place for her to hide away, as he hushed away a nightmare, or held her with delight after she managed to complete something in training. But what scared her the most were his eyes. They starred down at her with furry, concern even disappointment. Melinoe swallowed down a harsh lump, causing her eyes to burn with tears. The anger in his eyes was enough to make Melinoe cower in fear.
"Father I.."
Melinoe's words became cut off by an angry growl. At first Melinoe thought that Cerberus had followed him, it took her a few moments to realise it came from her father. No words were spoken. Melinoe didn't even demand that Hades put her down when they past Hecate who was busy getting Cerberus out of the chains. Melinoe had a sneaky suspicion her father carried her, rather than teleported them just to add humiliation. It was working rather well.
Entering her room, Hades placed Melinoe on her bed. Still neither spoke. Looking down at her bloody hands and feet, Hades sighed. Resting his palm over the burns and grazes, magic enveloped the wounds before he removed them leaving her skin pale and floorless like always.
"Why can't I ever see a world beyond yours?"
Melinoe's pride for not letting her voice shake was short lived. Hades snapped his eyes in the direction of his daughter. His look cold and uneasily read.
"Its your world as well Melinoe. You know why you can't leave."
Pulling himself back, Hades watched as Melione stretched her fingers, testing out the newly healed bones. He saw the tears threatening to spill down her face. For just a second his hardened expression shifted, though he quickly caught on. Melinoe could've seriously hurt herself. Scratching his beard he turned walking towards the bedroom door, where he paused for a moment, seeing Melinoe's eyes on the floor, though knew they were trailing after him.
"Get some sleep."
Melinoe flinched at the sound of her bedroom door closing harshly. Finally the tears spilled down her face. She'd been so close to seeing her mother's world. But all it got her was a furious father. Laying back on the bed, causing her hair to spill over the pillows, Melinoe looked up towards the ceiling, trying to figure out why she couldn't leave. She knew she was in training but surely her mother would gladly show her around. She could even meet Demeter. It just wasn't fair.
Running her hand across her stomach, feeling the scars lingering under her dress. She didn't remember how they came to be there. Every time she asked her father or mother they would change the subject. Melinoe rolled over onto her side, using her hand to pillow her cheek, as the tears continued to silently trickle.
"I'll find a way out. And I'll find out what they're hiding from me.."
Melinoe found herself in the land of dreams. A coolness in the air, followed by hidden rays behind grey clouds, made her crease her brow in confusion. This wasn't like her regular dreams. They were filled with over active imagination of what the world above her fathers looked like. The ground was so cold Melinoe was sure the base of her feet began to freeze.
A voice rumbled causing Melinoe to twist in every direction possible.
"Your not ready young one. Your journey has only just begun."
Melinoe's brow creased in confusion. She knew that voice. It was Morpheus. The mist around her shifted, causing her to look at it sternly knowing the Daemon had morphed himself into it.
"You stopped me didn't you? I was so close to seeing the world above darkness..."
The mist crackled. Laughter echoed. It wasn't cruel, more pitiful. Melinoe's clenched her hands tightly, willing herself not to lose her patience.
"Melinoe. You know the fates play a cruel game. Your father was put through the same. You must understand, this. Climbing up a steep slope whilst chaining Cerberus is only asking for disaster."
Gritting her teeth in humiliation, while her face heated to twice its natural temperature, Melinoe hissed like a rattled serpent.
"You mock me yet you claim to have answers."
The mist grew thick. Melinoe stepped forward, only to find that her feet wouldn't move. Looking down it was almost as if they were being sucked into the earth. Growling in frustration, she snapped her eyes towards Morpheus trying to ease her anger like Hecate taught her.
"To get what you want takes hardship. Your powers aren't ready to defeat what you'll face. You need time. Practise. How else do you think you'll survive in a world, you have no knowledge of?"
This was getting Melinoe no where. Using all of her strength she yanked her feet from the ground. Stumbling at first only to quickly find her footing again, Melinoe walked forward, keeping her head bowed eyes narrowed in anger. The mist followed her like some sort of lost pup. In front of them was a tree which looked to be slightly bent. Melinoe knew very well what this was place was.
"Lykaios. My name is Lykaios.."
Rubbing her arms in an attempt to keep herself warm, Melinoe turned away. Though this was her favourite dream, it brought on to many questions. Questions which she forget when waking up. The mist moved around her as if trying to comfort Melinoe.
"You'll find out what this all means. In time young one. I promise.."
That was one promise Melinoe found herself beliving almost straight away. For only a moment, before the dream began to take her away.
Hope you all enjoyed that chapter. Sorry it was brief, but I really wanted to get this over with, so I could get to the more exciting parts for you. Please leave a review.
- Signed The Broken Ghost.