"So now what?" Styx asked, running to keep up with Adreanna. Why did she feel this way? It had been so long... she'd almost forgotten what human touch felt like.
"Adreanna?" He asked, concerned, breaking her thoughts.
"Right. The plan."
The attack's timing couldn't have been better. Hades was distracted, people were wounded.
William controlled this entire kingdom thanks to Cerberus. Could she do the same?
Resero
She chanted mentally, feeling the cold stabs of magic as it flowed through the air. Placing her hands on the open window of the hallway, she screamed, hurling her force of will into the spell.
"ATTACK!"
The effect was immediate. Rage-filled screams echoed through the land, mixing with the clang of metal against metal. Down below, legions of souls fought for their freedom. She sprinted across hallways, hurrying down the winding staircase.
What have you done?!
Hades roared in her mind. Her head felt as if it was splitting apart like a ripe melon.
"Go!" Styx screeched. Their plane was simple. The Styx was the medium used to ferry souls into the underworld.
If it could go in, it could lead her out.
The boats were still tethered; the ferrymen awaiting a passenger. All she needed was an Obolus, the currency of the underworld. Danakes worked as well, but William hadn't had that on his person.
William...
She'd killed him, killed William. All for her own gain. It had been so long since she'd done this, cared about someone. Why had she done it? All for her own selfish motives.
A shriek echoed through the air as an arrow grazed past her skin, whispering along the surface of her flesh. Blood trickled down her arms. She broke free of her stupor, running forward once more. It was so close...
Adrenaline fueled her forward, propelling her to the river. The ferrymen were mindless, ferrying souls across the river. It didn't matter which side. No one had dared to try this until now though. But she had no choice.
Will they ferry me to the land of the living?
Could she be sure her plan would work? No, no she couldn't. But it was too late. Her route was set in stone, and there was no turning back.
She passed the coin into the closest canoe. The ferryman's bones creaked as it rowed. Adreanna knew Hades was searching for her. Any moment now...
"Row faster!" She demanded, but the ferryman barely listened. He had no will, no ability to comprehend mortal speech. She cursed under her breath. Cold hands reached up the canoe's side.
"Nostram celeritatem auge!"
The boat sped rapidly, the water of the Styx propelling them forward. Flesh and gore splashed onto the boat, they held on tight, gliding over the edge.
Above them, the thunder shrieked in anger. The red moon's scowl was harsher, as if furious at their escape.
The boat vanished the moment they hit the ground. Pain exploded in her skinned knee. Her dress was torn apart. She couldn't bring herself to care.
She felt tired.
William's dead. I killed him.
"So what now?" Styx asked. She barely looked at him before replying.
"Why did I do it?" She asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Why did I kill him? Why can't I ever just keep something good? Why do I have to get rid of it?"
"You have me." He nuzzled.
"We're bound by a pact, remember? But William...he cared about me. He loved me. And I loved him. I killed him. Of course I did. The first time something comes along that's actually good, other than you, and I get rid of it."
"Maybe you should design a pact for every single lover that comes your way? I could help with the spell." He chuckled.
She just stared into the open grassland around them. The grass was dead, and the river nearby was stagnant, more of a lake than anything. She felt exposed.
"Listen to me. What happened wasn't your fault. It was necessary."
"Why? Styx, for the first time in centuries I open my heart up, and I fail magnificently. Why bother?"
"Ok." He shrugged, walking away.
Isn't he supposed to comfort me or something?
"...What?"
"Well, if you don't want to try again after one slip-up, that's fine with me. If you want to give up after one stumble, maybe you were never cut out for this anyway."
"Aren't you supposed to be comforting me?" She asked.
"There's only one path ahead Adreanna. You can either stay here, forgotten, or you can go forward. You can't go back, not after all this. We've come too far."
"This life's a cold one-way track." She said.
"Then make it warm."
"If only it was that simple."
Give me your hand." Styx commanded.
She stared at him, an eyebrow arched. "What?"
"Give me your hand." He repeated.
She reluctantly placed her hands in his paw.
"Now, repeat after me."
"What are you-"
"Shush." He told her.
"Post tenebras spero lucem." He murmured.
"After darkness, I hope for light?" She asked. Latin was a second language to her.
He nodded.
"Post tenebras, spero lucem..." She whispered, awakening her magic. She had no energy, but Styx fed her his own. He whimpered, in obvious pain. Was he giving her too much?
"Styx, you don't-"
She never managed the words as the world took on a new form around her. Light filled the dead grassland, the grass sprang to life. The river burbled, and birds chirped all around her. Flowers were everywhere, the sky was cloudy. A chilling breeze filled the air. It was lovely.
"Styx? Where are you?" She called out.
"I'm right here." He smiled, sitting on the grass. A basket of fruits lay alongside him.
"What is this place?" She asked.
"A projection. My last witch, she told me the spell. It shows you your favorite place. I expected an icy tundra from you. How nice of you to prove me wrong." He said, before looking up at the overcast sky.
"Well, can't say I was completely wrong, but I'll take what I get. Apples?"
She took it. It was crispy and sweet. The red reminded her of the cherries her mother liked to eat.
"It's beautiful."
"I know. I'm amazing." He smiled. She chuckled.
"You really are."
It was perfect. They ate and laughed under the cloudy sky, the grass dancing in the air.
For the first time in a while, she felt happy. Really, truly happy. She didn't want to let it go.
A question popped up in her mind. She didn't want to ruin the moment, but she had to know.
"Do you think he was the one, Styx?" Adreanna asked.
"William?" He ventured a guess.
Silence hung between them as Styx considered how to answer her.
"...I think there can be multiple ones." He finally replied. She nodded. How completely characteristic of him. Cryptic, vague replies.
He should make an academy. She thought.
Multiple ones...
"Multiple ones!" Adreanna exclaimed. Her features were excited, her hair ruffled and unkempt.
"What do you mean?" Styx asked, his eyes denoting a clear curiosity.
"Multiple ones...as in twos, as in twins. The Temple of Twin Flames!"
She really was excited now. The world faded around them as Styx took in what she was saying.
"You really have gone mad! You've finally lost it!" He growled.
"There's a reason we didn't go to that cursed place earlier, Adreanna. It'd do you good to remember it."
"Hades is hunting us. The other gods are dead, and soon he'll be the last one. Who knows how long that'll take? It could be a week, a month, or this very second." Adreanna retorted. Her mind was set.
She knew it was foolish, but she had to try. The temple was their only hope, the resting place of the most powerful Hekatean relics in the world.
"We don't have a choice Styx. Do you know what will happen if Hades finds us? He'll destroy us, you understand? Or make us into one of his slaves, just like the other witches."
"Adreanna, the temple, that's just too risky. There's a line to be held here, and we can't cross it."
"We've already crossed it Styx! We crossed it the moment I signed us away, the moment we escaped from Hades. I won't stop here. You said it yourself, there's only one way forwards from here, and that path goes straight through the Temple of Twin Flames."
He scowled, finally relenting.
"What do you even plan on finding there?"
"The Skeleton Key. It can open a portal to anywhere in the world. That's where we're headed. All we need to do is find that key and get to Yggdrasill ourselves."
He sighed. "It's a risky plan."
"It's the only plan we've got. I won't stand here waiting like a lamb for the slaughter."
Her familiar stared at her, blue and green eyes looking at the ground. She knew he was considering it.
"Alright then. Let's get going."
She nodded. "First, we have to-"
The sudden sound of scampering interrupted her. There it was, clear as day. A gargantuan black dog.
A Hadean Hound.
It howled in triumph as it left to find its master.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
