AllFreeNovel
Share Us
***
Persephone shook her head, seeming to dislodge a dark thought. Her expression had changed when they’d arrived at Tartarus. She became more serious and troubled. Devon could swear he even picked up a hint of fragility, but he didn’t think it could be possible for this Goddess to feel even an ounce of mortal weakness.
She turned away from Tartarus and held out her hand. “I have one last thing to show you.”
He took her hand quickly, more than ready to leave the awful place. No matter how much Persephone said the place wasn’t hell as he knew it, his instincts told him nothing but fiery perdition waited for any being in that pit.
They landed in a bustling village full of life, which was not something Devon had expected to see here in the Underworld. There were small buildings made of stone, cobble streets that were lit with gas lamps, and storefronts that reminded him of the older villages in Germania. An open- air market lined the alleyway near them, between two buildings.
People, dressed in clothing that seemed to be centuries of fashion and culture merged together. They socialized and moved about as they laughed and caught up with their neighbors. They all radiated a happiness Devon had not felt in so long, and their blissful state was catching. He felt his shoulders relax at the joyful atmosphere around him.
“This is Elysium, where the people who have led noble lives go. They can choose to be reborn or stay here. Should each one of their reincarnated lives be noble, they would go on to the Isles of the Blessed.” Persephone touched his shoulder as the shadows moved them to another part of the realm. To an island that looked to have been pulled straight from a dream. A literal paradise.
Waterfalls, lush forest, and though Devon could see no one, he knew they must live a life that
their mortal souls would’ve never even had the capacity to dream of.
“Do they also not remember their lives? Like the ones from the Asphodel Fields?” he asked as he stepped forward to get a better look. Devon was in awe of the beauty of the island, which could’ve been easily mistaken with the mythical garden of Eden from the Christian religion.
“No, none of the souls do. They all take a sip of water from the River Lethe, and all their mortal memories are gone,” Persephone explained.
They remained quiet as they took in the magical place.
“I won’t be here, live here,” he surmised.
“Correct.”
He looked to her. “Why did you take me here?” he asked. To bring him here to show him
beauty that he would be denied.
A wistful expression lightened her features, and instead of stunningly beautiful, she became heartbreaking.
“Because I wanted to show you that there is more to this place than sadness and cruelty.”
Chapter 9
Devon knelt in the sand and his hands clenched into fists, the grains of sand falling through his fingers.
Failed.
He had failed. He had failed all of them.
Why was he always the one left standing? Why was he not killed in battle with his brothers in arms? His survival must mean a slight against his Gods. How had he angered them to not let him die in battle, die honorably?
He opened his eyes at the sound of a sword being unsheathed. Looking up, he saw a large figure blotting out the sun, the surrounding light so bright that he couldn’t make out the features of the person’s face.
Devon could only close his eyes, not wanting to see what happened next, and felt weak. He had only moments ago lamented over his failure to die on the battlefield yet could not look death in the eyes.
“Open your eyes,” the man growled, his voice not human at all. “You will face me.”
Devon swallowed, gathering his wits before he opened his eyes. The figure held the tip of his sword to Devon’s neck. He could see nothing but eyes glowing gold against the shadowy planes of the person’s hidden face.
“You’ve nowhere to run any longer. I am older than time itself and I will find you. Every. Single. Time.” The faceless warrior ran his sword through Devon’s neck, the death immediate. Devon never felt the blade, it was far too fast.
A quick death; more than he deserved.
His eyes were open, his body unmoving, but he could see his soul leaving his corpse. Could see his killer stepped forward, where the essence of Devon stood over his mortal flesh.
