Chapter 13: Persephone

The four of us stared at the Helm of Darkness in all its glory, gleaming as it rested on the table before us. No one dared to touch it.

"What now?" Rib asked.

"One of us has to use it to get to the Underworld," I said.

"Do you think it would take you straight to Tartarus?" Lena wondered, regarding the Helm with distaste.

"The deepest pit in the Underworld?" Rib paled. "I... I don't think I should be the one to go. One of you would be better suited for this mission."

Eros raised a brow. "Don't you wish to rescue your wife?"

Slumping his shoulders, Rib nodded. "I do. I am acting cowardly, I know." He took a deep breath, rolled back his shoulders, then gave a decisive nod. "All right! I'm ready. I will go and save everyone from the grasps of Persephone and Hades. And all the monsters that might be lurking in the dark...in unfamiliar surroundings...all alone...by myself..." He paled with every word.

Eros put one hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry, human. Even if you did wish to go, we wouldn't let you."

"I'll go," I offered. "I was the one who failed to read the clues that were given to me. It is only fair that I make it right."

"Cassia, it wasn't your fault," Lena said, putting her hand over mine. "Even if you knew that everyone would be taken on the day of the Sunflower Festival, you couldn't have been able to prevent it."

"Don't blame yourself, love." Eros's soft gaze met mine. "It wasn't your doing."

"But that woman came to me. She gave me the warning. I feel like I failed her," I said. I looked at the Helm. "I will find a way to bring them back."

The door opened and grandfather walked into the chambers with a folded piece of papyrus. He glanced at everyone in the room, then rested his golden gaze on the Helm. "You've restored it. Good. I brought you something else that will help you find your bearings in the Underworld."

He unfolded the papyrus and revealed a map. Pointing to a certain spot, he said, "This is where all the humans would be. In Hades's palace. I don't know the reason for his kidnappings, but many of us think that it might have to do with Persephone. If Zeus had come to his senses already, we would be certain by now... But no matter. Use this map to direct the Helm to take you where you want to go." He placed the map beside the Helm. "I must leave now for the meeting. Eros, it would do you good to show your face there as well."

With a nod in our direction and a glance at Eros, grandfather left.

Rib scratched the back of his neck. "Are you ready?" he asked me.

"I'm ready," I said. Taking the Helm into my hands, I slowly put it on my head. Though it looked much too large at a glance, it fit me perfectly.

"Do you feel any different?" Lena wondered.

I shook my head. "I can't even tell that I have it on. It's odd."

"It's magic." Eros smiled. He then handed me the map. "Take it with you. You can use it to teleport to different parts of the Underworld with the Helm. Don't lose it."

I held up the map of the Underworld in front of me and scanned it with my eyes until they landed on Hades's palace — right where I needed to go. "I just concentrate on the palace and let the Helm take me there, right?"

"That's right." Eros nodded. "It is usually guarded, but the—"

I didn't hear what he said next, as I was suddenly thrown into darkness and everything around me disappeared faster than I could blink. A moment later I found myself standing on the edge of a cliff, inches away from a deep and wide river that roared below. I stepped away from the edge and turned.

"My Gods," I gasped, eyes wide. Before me stood a gleaming palace almost identical to the one in Olympus, but the marble was black. It was beautiful — much more than I'd imagined.

The gates were open and there was no one guarding them outside. I walked inside without any trouble, until a loud growl stopped me in my tracks. A huge, dog-like creature with charcoal coloured fur and razor-sharp teeth charged toward me, claws springing out, ready for attack. I prepared for the impact, but it ran past me as if I wasn't even there. That's when I remembered — no one could see, hear, or smell me with the Helm on. I grinned and strolled freely into the palace.

"—without him!" Someone cackled.

Another woman started laughing. "Me too! Should've kept them in Asterin and give us more time to rest!"

"As much as I enjoyed my time away, I must admit, I missed my husband."

"I haven't! It feels good not having to clean up his messes after him."

"I didn't see my husband among them..."

"Oh, don't worry, Dimitra. He's probably there somewhere, among the crowd."

I peaked into the room where the voices were coming from. It was a small group of women, and I recognized two of them. The woman that came to warn me of everything, and the woman whose vision I saw in the desert, disappearing into sand. I put my hands on the Helm to take it off, but stopped when I saw another woman walk into the room.

Dressed in a beautiful, delicate gown with a crown of flowers on top of her head and a gentle smile on her face, she took a seat on an empty cushion. "Not joining the festivities, I see?"

It took me a moment to recognize her, but I was certain that I was looking at Persephone herself.

A younger woman snorted. "Not until I get an apology from Gregory. He didn't even say anything when he saw me here. Just nodded and walked away." They all chattered away about their reasons for staying away from the festivities Persephone mentioned.

I frowned. Even though their husbands didn't believe it, I thought that these women had died. I was certain that I'd seen their ghosts and watched them scream for help, yet they were here drinking tea. Something wasn't right here.

I stepped back into the hallway to explore the palace further and investigate, knocking over a candle by the entrance as I did so. It fell onto the carpet, and would have started a fire had I not quickly killed the small flame.

Though no one could touch me when I wore the Helm, it looked like I could move objects just fine. I had to be more careful.

There was a collective gasp and Persephone stood from her seat, her brows furrowed. "Stay here, ladies. I'll check what happened."

She picked up the candle and put it back in its place, tilting her head. Then she stepped out into the hallway.

"Are you here?" she whispered.

I widened my eyes, but stayed still beside her. Was she speaking to me?

Persephone turned her head in search of someone, but disappointment quickly washed over her features when she didn't seem to find them. She sighed and went back inside.

A stream of music coming from somewhere else caught my attention. Shaking off what I'd just witnessed, I followed the sound until I reached a giant ballroom.

The room clearly had a ceiling, but aside from the one which held the large doors I came in through, I could see no other walls. This place seemed endless.

It was packed with people. They were dancing and celebrating, all with flutes of wine in their hands and wide smiles on their faces.

A head of horns caught my attention and I raised my brows when I saw Bion laughing loudly while dancing with beautiful nymphs. His wine was spilling over and splashing out onto the floors, but he didn't seem to care one bit.

"Bion, what's happening here?" I asked when I approached him, but didn't get a response. "Of course." I smacked the Helm. "This."

I couldn't reveal myself in the middle of all these people and risk being caught by the guards, carrying a Helm in my hands, so I chose to slowly walk around the room and assess the situation. These must have been the festivities Persephone spoke of.

A servant holding a tray of golden flutes of wine passed in front of me. Multiple hands reached out to take them, and the tray was emptied in an instant.

All I heard around me was laughter and pure joy. No desperate souls trying to escape. No one calling out to bring them back to Asterin. No one questioning where they were. Just drinking and dancing.

"There must be something in the wine," I pondered out loud.

I turned to look for another servant with a tray of golden flutes, but found my father instead. He was twirling my giggling mother with one hand, and sipping on his drink with the other. Grandmother stood beside them, smiling and clapping her hands. She still looked so young. Most people mistook her for my mother when they saw us together.

A wave of relief washed over me when I saw them. They were alive.

A dark figure with a crown on his head suddenly caught my attention. He looked a lot like Zeus, but had a head black hair instead of white. There was no doubt that I was looking at Hades himself. He looked angry as he listened to whatever a guard was telling him. Nodding, the brooding man stormed out of the room, his black gown trailing behind like a shadow.

With a quick look at my family, I followed Hades. I'll come back to find them once I figure out what is truly going on in this palace.

"Persephone!" he called out.

I jumped at the sudden boom of his voice.

He kept calling her name as he searched the hallways, until Persephone stepped out of the room she was in when I left her. Closing the doors behind herself, she crossed her arms. "What is it this time, uncle?"

Hades pursed his lips. "Don't call me that."

I saw her form a fist behind her back.

"Why aren't you at the Sunflower Festival?" he asked. "Didn't you say it was your favourite?"

"The beauty of that festival is that it was in pure daylight, with people freely enjoying their time, with real nature surrounding them. Not in the pits of Hell and not under the influence of magical wine. Calling this a festival is absurd."

The wine. I was right in my assumptions. It was laced with something to keep the people of Asterin oblivious to their situation.

He sighed. "When you said you felt lonely, I brought you those women to keep you company. When you said you missed going to Asterin for the Sunflower Festival, I brought it to you. What --"

"I never told you these things!"

"Well, I overheard you talking to --"

"I never asked you for these things!" she screamed. "And you have no right to eavesdrop on my conversations!"

"I've given you everything. I gave you time to get used to your new home. Time to get used to me. I didn't dare lay a hand on you here. Not even once. Can't you see that I'm willing to give you everything I have? Can't you see how much I love you? Can't you love me in return?" Hades pleaded. "I'll do anything for you."

"Then let me go," Persephone said. "Please, just let me go."

His face hardened. "Anything but that."

The hope in Persephone's eyes died as quickly as it came. "Then this conversation is over. Send those poor people back to their real homes. They don't belong in this prison."

With that, she went back into the room and slammed the doors shut.

I looked at Hades, shaking my head. "You're as despicable as your brother."

Not hearing my insult, he walked away after throwing a longing gaze at the closed door.

A moment later, the women from earlier walked out of the room, speaking of joining the festivities at last. One by one, they left the room, but I didn't see Persephone with them.

When the women were out of sight, I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. It was empty, but I noticed another door in the corner left ajar.

Persephone was pacing back and forth in the adjoining room which looked like a small study. Papers and maps were scattered all over a large desk. I looked around to see if anyone else was in here, then closed the door and locked it.

Persephone jumped in surprise, but I covered her mouth before she could scream.

"Don't make a sound," I said, then cursed myself for forgetting that she couldn't hear me. Slowly taking my hand off her mouth to ensure she wouldn't yell for help, I stepped away and took off the Helm.

Her eyes widened when I appeared in front of her. She glanced at the Helm, then back at me. "You did come!" she exclaimed, hope filling her eyes. She smiled brightly. "I stared to doubt you, but you did it! You're here!" Persephone engulfed me in a tight embrace. "My saviour."

She laughed happily when she released me, then engulfed me in her arms again. I noticed a map of the Underworld and Asterin on the desk behind her.

"I don't understand." I pulled away. "You were expecting me?"

"Well, of course!" she said. "I sent Dimitra to warn you of everything and show you where the first Helm piece was. You're the key to my plan." She tilted her head, staring intently at my eyes. "Is it true that you wield both fire and water?"

I nodded. "It was a gift from Hecate."

Persephone pursed her lips. "I wish she had gifted me with such powers. All I was born with is this." She gently flicked her hand toward a potted plant and a new flower bloomed. "Could have escaped this place much earlier had I wielded fire... But no matter! You're here now." She smiled once again.

An image of the woman -- Dimitra was her name -- being dragged into the ground, screaming, flashed through my mind. I frowned. "Is Dimitra all right? I was certain that I saw her as a ghost, and she looked to be in pain when she was pulled away. Why are they all still here?"

"Ah yes, that experience must have been quite painful, unfortunately." She sat down on a cushion near a wall and motioned for me to sit as well. "My uncle had brought the poor women here against their will when I complained to my servant about being lonely in the Underworld. I'd meant that I wanted to return to Olympus, but," she sighed, "he did that instead and refused to send them back. When Dimitra learned that he was planning on dragging the rest of Asterin people into hell, she was willing to do anything to prevent them from being imprisoned here...even having her soul ripped away from her body to relay a message."

I looked down. "I wish I had put it all together sooner and prevented the abduction."

"Oh no, please don't blame yourself! No one could have prevented this. Once my uncle decides on what he wants to do, nothing can get in his way. And those who have the power to do it, aren't willing to step in."

"I think Hades might have something wrong with his head," I said.

Persephone snorted. "You think? All three brothers don't have their heads on straight. I'm certain you and your family know what Poseidon had done in the past, the imbecile. And my father is no better..."

I shifted uncomfortably when I realized that I'd tried to seduce her own father to get the last piece of the Helm. I cleared my throat. "So the plan you mentioned... What does it involve, and how can I help?"

She grabbed both of my hands and smiled, looking at them. "You, my dear saviour, are the key to it all."

~~~

Persephone and I were standing in front of huge, black iron doors. I had to wear the Helm of Darkness when we were sneaking around the palace halls. Though the guards would have no issue with Persephone freely walking the palace grounds -- as long as she didn't leave them -- my presence beside her would certainly raise suspicions.

"Uncle lets me go anywhere I want," she had told me. "Anywhere in the palace, that is... So I explored every inch of this dark prison to find a way out, and that's how I found the secret chamber I'd heard mother speak of when I was young. She'd said it was a rumour among the Gods that uncle had quickly put an end to. But it truly exists. All the darkest secrets of the Underworld are inside that chamber, and I plan to unveil them."

Holding the Helm of Darkness in my hands, I stared at the door before us. It was almost thrice my height and had odd, swirling pipes on opposite sides which connected into the centre.

"How do you know this door leads to that secret chamber?" I asked.

"I feel it," Persephone said. "It has the most revolting energy, different from the rest of this place. Can't you sense it?"

She was right. I could feel a heavy darkness behind the thick iron. I turned to her. "Once it opens, there is no going back. Are you certain?"

She hesitated. I waited for her to decide. When she finally gave me a decisive nod, I gave her the Helm and turned back toward the door.

The openings at the end of each iron pipe had symbols etched into them -- one of a flame and one of a drop of water. All I had to do was fill the swirling pipes with fire and water until they both reached the centre.

I took a deep breath, directing my hands to each side of the door, and blasted fire to the left and water to the right. Guiding both elements through the swirls, I helped them reach the centre at the same time. Then I heard a click of the lock.

Persephone and I gasped as we watched the heavy iron split in half and reveal nothing but darkness behind it. It was pitch black inside.

I lit fire in one hand and took her hand with the other. As we stepped into the chamber, the doors closed shut behind us. We couldn't see anything beyond the small light that my flame illuminated.

I heard Persephone sigh. "This was not at all what I expected. How are we to find the secrets if we can barely see a thing in here?" She sounded frustrated. "Oh! I see a light over there."

Two round, red lights blinked in the distance, growing larger by the second.

I stepped back, pulling Persephone with me. "I don't think that's a light."

My suspicions were confirmed when we heard a low, angry growl. A flame of fire rose just beneath the two red eyes of the creature -- illuminating its sharp, white teeth.

"Run!"