Hades looked at the man still standing before him.
"Spartans and their pride..." he said with a half-smile. Then, touching the fallen man's forehead with a single finger, he caused the body to finally collapse to the floor. "Erinys, take him to one of the chambers. Tend to his wounds."
"As you command, my lord," Erinys replied with a bow, lifting Damocles' body with care.
Hades turned his gaze to the shield and spear lying nearby.
"Hmm… curious. A shield and a spear. Where did he get such powerful artifacts?" he muttered thoughtfully, lifting the weapons. "They look and feel ordinary. Perhaps the power isn't in them at all? No one can astonish quite like mortals whether through madness or genius. Return his weapons to him."
He gave the order to his servants and slowly returned to his throne. In silence, he placed a hand over the terrible wound left by the spear, still gaping in his chest.
His thoughts remained on the man who dared to defy death itself. Even when the body was at its limit, the soul remained unbound. And when Hades tried to claim it nothing happened.
*************************
I had a nightmare. I was reliving the unforgivable. That door again I opened it and killed Damippus. Then his woman. Their bodies soaked in blood. Everything around reminded me of my weakness, of the foolishness for which there can be no forgiveness.Maybe I wasn't seeking revenge, but death?
I've heard of those who've lost everything. Nothing binds them to this world, and they yearn to lose themselves in battle so long as they die in it.
Enough rest. Time to get up.I felt my body resting on something soft. Something warm touched my skin on the left. Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw a dark ceiling. Turning my head, I met Erinys' gaze. She was watching me intently. Looking down, I noticed my body was bandaged.
"Why are you lying beside me?" I asked hoarsely.
"It's cold in the Underworld. Sometimes warmth is hard to come by," she answered calmly.
I carefully slipped my arms from beneath her and sat up slowly. Only then did I notice she was undressed, covered by nothing more than a thin cloth. Do they even know shame down here?
I glanced at myself aside from the bandages, I too wore nothing.
"Already recovered?" Erinys asked with a faint smile.
I didn't respond. Silently, I began removing the bandages. The wounds had nearly healed only uneven scars remained, running across my body. It seemed there was no spot left untouched. A soft rustle of cloth drew my attention. I looked up Erinys stood before me, completely bare.
"What do you want? Don't think your feminine charms will impress me," I said coldly.
"If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't have woken up," she replied calmly, stepping closer, reaching toward me.
"Did you aid Charon?" I caught her wrist.
"I merely observed him. Nothing more," she said serenely. "He believed I was on his side. Charon longed for more than to be a simple ferryman in the Underworld. Hades found out and sent me to watch him."
"Then why didn't Hades just kill me?" I asked, still holding her wrist.
"As he said himself: your life is more valuable than your death. He wants you to perform a task for him. Didn't he prove his seriousness by sparing you?It's time. Let's go," Erinys said.
A light mist enveloped her body, and in the next moment, she was clothed again.
I found my gear. The breastplate was damaged needed replacing, reforging into something stronger. The shield also required repairs. The spear, thankfully, never did.
Dressed in what was left of my equipment, I stood bare-chested, wearing only sandals and a faded chiton. I took my weapons and followed Erinys.
We walked through the dark corridor until we stepped into the garden.It was warm here, the air heavy with the scent of flowers a sharp contrast to the frozen darkness of the palace. A beautiful place, a tiny fragment of life nestled within death.
Hades sat on a low stone bench. Everything around him was dead: the flowers wilted, the grass turned black. Wherever his feet touched the ground, they left scorched, blackened marks.
"You recovered faster than I expected," Hades said without looking up.
"Why did you spare my life?" I asked bluntly.
"You'd be of no use to me dead," he smirked. "Besides, it's been a long time since I fought like that. It reminded me of my youth."
A few faceless servants entered the hall. Masks covered their features, and in their hands were trays of food. Fruit, bread, meat all looked surprisingly fresh.
"Help yourself. Accept my hospitality," Hades offered.
"I think I'll pass," I replied, never taking my eyes off him.
To eat food from the underworld is to tempt fate. They say anyone who tastes it risks staying here forever. I was sure I could resist it… but I had no intention of testing that theory.
"As you wish," Hades said, picking up a dark red fruit and taking a bite.
"So you had no part in what happened six months ago? At the feast after the victory over the Messenians?" I asked, locking eyes with him.
"Two days before our battle, I didn't even know your name," Hades said calmly.
I stared at him. It was hard to tell if he was lying.
"As I said," he continued, "I'm willing to tell you everything I know in exchange for a single favor."
"I don't make deals anymore. Not with anyone," I replied, firmly.
"It's not a deal. It's a mutual service," he corrected. His voice remained steady, almost weary. "I'll tell you what I need, and then you can decide."
"Speak," I said.
"Almost nothing grows in the underworld," Hades began. "The Elysian Fields are merely illusions for the dead. Even this garden we're sitting in demands great effort to maintain. But there is something that could change that."
He paused, holding the apple.
"In the Garden of the Hesperides, beyond the golden apples that grant immortality, there grows a rare tree the Arobeth. Its root is so saturated with life that it can nourish the soil of the underworld for millennia. I need one of those roots."
"What for?" I asked.
"My wife, Persephone, loves nature. Each year, she splits her time between her mother and me. But being here brings her sorrow. I want to give her something that might bring life to this realm, even if just a little."
For a moment, there was something human in his voice.
"Of course, they won't just give it to me, will they?" I narrowed my eyes.
"They will let you take it," Hades said with certainty. "The nymphs of the garden won't touch you."
"And why is that?" I asked, suspicious.
Hades merely ran a finger across his throat.
I echoed the gesture instinctively, to the spot where Diana had left her mark.
"To give you some motivation," he continued, "I'll tell you something about Hecate. She is the most enigmatic of all the gods. She walks between worlds, watching what no other dares to see. Centuries ago, she began to gather influence among mortals. I don't fully understand her plan, but it's not just about faith. I'm sure she doesn't even care about the throne of Olympus."
He paused briefly, then went on:
"To reach her, you need a path. There are only two things that can reveal it. The first the Eye of Hecate. It belongs to her. You'll never reach it. The second the Feather of Hermes. It can find any path, point to any target, no matter where it hides."
"Why not just take it from Hermes?" I asked coldly. "Why should I help you at all?"
"You're welcome to try," Hades said calmly. "But no one before you has even come close to touching it. I can give you shackles strong enough to bind Hermes himself. With them, perhaps you'll be able to claim the feather."
Hades rose from his seat and headed for the exit.
"Bring me the root of the Arobeth tree, and I will give you the shackles. And I will tell you everything I know about Hecate. But don't linger too long, mortal. If you stay here for too long, you'll become one of the underworld's own," he said as he vanished into the corridor.
I stood there in silence, lost in thought. Too many questions. Too few answers. I need time to think, and to choose.