Eternal

He realised after this, the more souls he kept in his domain, the more power he was suffused with, and if those souls were suffering and woeful his power was doubled with every turn.

This is why he was always so confused by Mihaela, she died on earth but never came through the gates. There was a lot of speculation regarding her true fate, some say that she was so pure that she was granted access to Elysium, regardless of how much change Hades had made. Some believed that the ancestors stole her soul from the very earth, keeping her with them to guide the next generation. But there are a small few, myself included, who believe that Mihaela never died and that she still resides somewhere on earth, hiding from the lover that she unwittingly spurned and inhabited the wrath of the scorned being that refused to let her be with anyone else other than himself.

I shook myself free from my melancholy thoughts and returned to the situation at hand, a part of me wondered if the Oracle had been trapped inside Tartarus, but I refused to ever step foot inside there, knowing there would be no escape for the likes of me.

I wandered the dreary streets that laid within the Underworld, you see Hades world doesn’t differ all that much from the earth that resides above. Of course, there are many aspects you would not find above but it still had homes and taverns, as well as a school or two. Hades was emphatic on making sure all the spawns that were born down here were taught about every kind of creature they could one day encounter, as well as harnessing their abilities and strengthening them if it was at all possible. I will not waste my time describing the scene of the underworld, I have spent too much time of my long life comparing this world with that above, and I have never found it pleasing. So, I continued my brisk walk, ignoring the screams that rendered the very air around me.

I found a small tavern and briskly went inside, noticing that no one looked up from the spot they had found. Most were lost souls who had no recollection of what they were supposed to be doing, others were trapped in the figments of their previous lives while the rest were the daemons that resided down here, feeding on the bereft and angry souls that surrounded them.

I sat down at the bar and felt a chill run down my back, followed by talons that scored my spine and left a trail of blood in their wake.

I fought the urge to convulse under the touch and instead just turned my body into her direction, I knew all along it was going to be my greatest mistake to fool around with the Empusa. But my misery had gotten the best of me yet again and I fell into bed with the first creature I laid eyes on, and since that moment, she refused to back down and find herself a new play thing.

True to the myths her hair really was flaming, but she was far from only having one leg or having the legs of a donkey instead, she did not transform into an ox or any other creature.

But she did lay with a male human before feasting on his blood and his flesh and her favourite victims were usually found travelling down lone roads in the dead of night.

Much like a mixture between the modern day zombies and vampires that seem to fill our television screens and books.

The original Empusa had been slain by Zeus centuries ago, but that didn’t stop the goddess Hecate from creating more of her kind and sending them out into the night to spread fear and death in their wake.

“What do you want Lilith?” I inquired, with a tone of ambivalence.

“I haven’t seen you in so long Lawson, we were having such a great time and then you just up and left, it was very rude baby.” She pouted, and it sent a feeling of pure revulsion through me. Yet again she had me questioning my senses, as to how I could have been so stupid to waste a single second with her.

“I have told you time and time again Lilith, what we had is over, it was never meant to be a permanent thing anyway. It was just a bit of fun to pass the time, you have to let it go.”

I watched as her talons grew out from her fingernails and her hair flamed brighter under her hot rage, then she sliced her talons across my neck and latched her mouth onto the wound.

“You fucking leech,” I hissed as I pushed her off of me, drawing a silver dagger out of the sheath around my ankle.

She hissed at me when she caught sight of what I was brandishing, and I knew she wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything with me while I had this in my hands.

“I will never have enough of you Lawson, and you were fine with our arrangement until his Lordship sent you up to watch that little mongrel. Just you wait, soon there will be no rival to me and then you will be back.” She said it with a hiss before running out of the door and I could feel all the eyes in that place, burning into me.

I spent the remainder of my time down there trying to discern who the infamous Oracle actually was and where they were hidden, but either no one knew or they were under strict instructions not to divulge their location.

I have never been one to quit before, but I realised it was a fruitless endeavour at this moment in time and with a heavy heart I returned to Katherine’s place.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Unya

I was thoroughly enjoying not having to fake my emotions if something funny occurred, I threw back my head and laughed out loud, for the first time actually enjoying the comedy that had befallen me. I had no idea how long the feeling would last and rushed to meet with Marcus to try to discover if I really did enjoy his company or if this rush of emotion would make me look differently upon him.

We met in our usual spot and I couldn’t help but notice the sombre look that had taken up residence on his face.

“Marcus, has something happened?” I inquired, revelling in the fact that I actually felt genuine concern for me new friend.

“I should say so, but this is not the place to talk about it.”

With that said he took my hands within his and transported us to his hidden basement and our usual place of residence whenever we were together.

I sat down on the floor and waited for him to divulge the reason for his sullen look when he suddenly sat down before me and connected his eyes with mine.

“I have been in talk with a few contacts that still have a place within the underworld, unfortunately they cannot be sure the words they have heard are completely accurate, but they were kind enough to repeat their version of the prophecy to me.”

“Well by the look on your face, I am guessing it doesn’t paint a very promising light, besides if these are creatures from the underworld, how can you be sure that you can trust what they say?”