The Underworld
Cupid at Heart
The longer she lingered in the Underworld, the more she grew accustomed to the smell of death. Her decaying soul slowly adjusted to its environment, blending in with the air of death. She had to make progress before her entire soul might disappear along.
The Underworld was shaped like a cave, and she seemed to be trapped in the small piece of land there was available. The Styx river covered every surface she could lay her eyes on. Then she remembered the obols.
Hyunmi hadn’t felt the taste of copper in when she took them out, and tucked one away in her dress. Perhaps her senses slowly disappeared as well, proving her race against the time. Apollo mentioned the gatekeeper, but she spotted no one in sight.
“Excuse me, Charon?” Hyunmi called, detecting no error in her crystal voice despite being a dead soul.
She gasped when a dark creature appeared in front of her from nothingness. His frame was taller than a regular human. He was fully clothed in a dark red cloak, reminding her of the color of blood. His face hid in the shadows. He stood in a small gondola, holding the long paddle made of human bones in his gloved hands.
It did not say a word, but extended his hand out to her.
“Could you take me to see Hades and Persephone?” Hyunmi asked. He did not reply, keeping his hand midair like a terrifying statue in charge of guarding tombs. The princess assumed he wanted the obol, so she placed one copper coin in his hand.
Charon kneaded his fingers over the obol, and resumed his bony fingers against the paddle. The obol disappeared, as if his skin had an additional mouth to swallow and store his payments.
“Get in,” he said, his voice otherwordly.
Hyunmi couldn’t quite explain, but knew she’d have nightmares replaying his voice. She calmly obeyed and nimbly stepped into the gondola, taking a seat at the wooden plank available. Charon began pushing the gondola away from shore, rowing among the sea of dead souls to an unknown destination.
She understood why many souls got lost and ended up trapped in the river. The cave contained multiple entrances and exits, like an elaborate maze. Charon was the only one who memorized the way. The inability to pay him would ransom to one’s doom. Hyunmi was thankful once again to Woohyun’s elaborate preparation.
The silence of the Underworld cave was suddenly filled with low moans from the dead souls. They chorused together to form a discorded tune of horror, like people crying for help despite their inability to form coherent words. It send the shivers up her spine, especially when some souls began rocking the gondola and plastered their arms against the edge of the wood. But they slipped away immediately, like a fish gliding away from its bowl.
After traveling some distance, a large gate appeared in sight. It was as red as Charon’s cloak, and embellished using gold decoration. It may have seen majestic and beautiful, but Hyunmi noticed the broken wood splinters and the fading paint. The magical things of the Underworld appeared hideous to the living.
“We have arrived,” Charon spoke in his sinister voice, giving Hyunmi the chills despite observing the entrance gate. She got off the boat, bowing to the gatekeeper out of formality. He began rowing away from the shore until he disappeared in the distance.
Hyunmi watched the entrance, seeing its flaws magnified from up close. She took the handle and pushed it open. It creaked alarmingly, notifying whoever was inside of her presence.
This place was breathtaking in a queer way. She was certain she was still within the same cave, but everything appeared to be indoors. The interior was painted in black, and the rock surface had been smoothed and glazed. It was a long open area, emitting the same sense of coldness and loneliness. It did, however, smell much nicer like burning firewood.
“Excuse me?” She called out hesitantly, timidly looking around her for any sign of the deities. “I have come to find Queen Persephone.”
“The living does not belong in the realm of death,” a voice whispered in her ear, so close she could feel its air breathe unto her. Whereas one’s breath usually felt warm, this being froze the hair on her skin.
Hyunmi flinched, shivering a little in disgust. She followed the direction of the voice, realizing a black smog spiraling around her. The darkness transformed itself to the image of a man. He was a deity judging on his tall built frame, the shiny glow around him, and the black colored toga. Her fear turned into relief at once.
“You must be Hades,” she said, curtsying in front of the king of the Underworld.
“The mortal knows my name,” Hades spoke, looking down on her petite frame with mocking eyes. He rubbed his long and lean fingers against his chin, nearly the decayed skin from his face.
“Of course. A mighty king such as yourself is known to us mortals. It would be foolish not to know the King of the Underworld,” Hyunmi spoke, trying to flatter him.
On other people it may have worked, but Hades was unimpressed and unamused. He crossed his arms together, squinting his eyes at her. “What business do you have in the Underworld, mortal?” He asked defensively.
“I am in search of Queen Persephone. I need to see her,” Hyunmi said, using a tone showing her steadfastness. She wasn’t leaving until she got Persephone’s Box.
“I recognize you,” another voice chimed behind her.
Hyunmi turned to see another flair of smoke dancing in the air, this time it was darker red in color and less horrifying. It stopped next to Hades, morphing itself into a beautiful female as pale as Hades. Her white skin made anyone suspect her bathing in milk every night. Her face was strangely attractive and captivating to the onlookers. Queen Persephone.
“You must be the mortal we have been hearing about. The one who challenged Aphrodite in order to see Cupid,” the queen spoke, her voice so soft and calm despite its uncomfortable high ring. It soothed her in the most terrifying way possible.
“I am more commonly referred to as Cupid’s lover. I shall complete Aphrodite’s challenge to acquire my right to meet him again,” Hyunmi said, gaining confidence when Woohyun was the topic of the conversation.
“How amusing. However, Cupid isn’t hiding in the Underworld. For whatever reason have you come down here, dear?” Persephone asked, approaching Hyunmi to caress her cheek using her long red nails.
“I came to meet Your Majesty,” Hyunmi spoke, smiling sweetly at the queen who looked appalled at her response. “Aphrodite requested me to bring the box containing your beauty.”
Persephone frowned, maintaining the breathtakingly marvel of her beauty. One could hardly tell whether she was flattered or offended by the request.
“Meeting you from up close, I can understand why Aphrodite herself desires to have your beauty. Even the deities above are unable to outmatch your charisma.”
A deep smile sunk on Persephone’s pale face, squinting her eyes at Hyunmi with amusement. “My, has Cupid taught you such words of flatteries or were you naturally born with it? However, it shan’t have an effect on me for I know of your intention.”
“I may have a greater motive, but my compliments are genuine,” Hyunmi spoke. Her smile remained intact despite the attack.
“I am afraid genuine compliments do not equal a fragment of my beauty,” Persephone spoke elegantly, bearing an intimidation that retracted Hyunmi’s intention to oppose her.
“What may be of equal value to you, Queen?” Hyunmi asked, maintaining her calmness.
The queen hummed to herself, tapping her chin with her long bony finger, the red painted nail nearly piercing into her skin. Then she flinched, staring at the princess with newfound jubilee.
“A dead soul.”
Hyunmi widened her eyes, not expecting the Queen of the Underworld to request for a dead soul when she was already surrounded by billions of them.
“Not just any dead soul, but one of an important man.” A sinister grin briefly shadowed over her lips. “I heard your father is ill.”
The statement was more infuriating than the last one, and Hyunmi started losing her composure when her arms began shaking in anger. “You can’t possibly expect me to surrender my father’s soul to you? I shall not let him die.”
“There isn’t much you could do about it, dear. He is dying. It would accelerate our exchange if you help me acquire the dead soul of a mortal king. You do need my beauty, don’t you?”
Out of all the deities, Persephone was the hardest one to deal with. Perhaps it was for this reason that she became the Queen of the Underworld. However, Hyunmi could not give up on either one. She had committed her entire life in trying to find her father’s cure, and was determined to find a solution. Neither would she give up on this final task. She will meet Woohyun.
“Please,” Hyunmi began pleading, not thinking about her royal status when she knelt down in front of the Underworld royalties. They were surprised by her act of surrender, desperately searching for mercy. “Please, I can’t sacrifice either one of those. Isn’t there anything else of great value to you?”
Persephone found some sympathetic for the princess who threw away her pride, but didn’t utter a word to change her offer.
“I may have an alternate suggestion,” Hades suddenly interrupted, speaking with a whimsical tone that strangely reminded Hyunmi of Myungsoo, but much darker and twisted in nature. Every single word he uttered seemed to bear an underlying dark desire.
“Do speak,” Persephone prompted.
“Retrieving the soul of a man who is on the verge of death would be too easy of a task. Even if this mortal refuses to do so, the king would meet his death either way. So I would like to propose another idea,” Hades spoke, turning to Hyunmi with a grim smirk so charmingly devious.
“Heal the king within five days, or else he shall pay us an eternal visit in the Underworld.”
Hyunmi gasped out loud, utterly horrified at his words. “In five days? Are you going to kill my father?” She raised her voice, nearly wishing she could’ve opted for violence. But her rationality prevented her from doing so.
“It shan’t be because of our doings. Considering the two failed engagements he had been looking forward to, he no longer sees a purpose in living. His sickness is getting worse, and he is unable to bear longer than five days,” Hades explained, quietly observing the wrinkles appearing between the princess’ forehead. “This is the aftermath of your actions, mortal.”
Her anger turned into sadness, and sadness turned into fear like a mess of swirling emotions. When would she be able to stop being selfish and understand the consequences of her actions? The longer she tried to hold on to Woohyun, the more she lost her grip on everything else of importance to her.
Doubt and anxiety filled her heart, unsure of her ability to find a cure within five days. She had dedicated her entire life for this cause and never yielded a satisfactory result. There were no signs of progress in recovery, no matter how hard she prayed for miracles. How could she possibly find the solution within five days and save her father’s life?
“I am very fond of this proposal,” Persephone spoke, breaking the eerie silence. She elegantly folded her arms together, staring at Hyunmi with playful lips puckered out. “What shall it be, dear?”
Hyunmi closed her eyes, barricading her mind from negative thoughts and doubtful ideas. She had five days to save her father, regardless of the challenge. The greatest regret would be not having tried at all. So with great conviction, she answered the only appropriate option she had.
“I accept.”
This is the hardest mission.
Thank you all for reading and commenting! Just a bit more >.<
Yay! Won the bid today! I hope you will enjoy the story~ Would love to know your thoughts, so please do leave comments too~ Thank youuu <3
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