Chapter Forty-Three: With a Capital "T" and that Rhymes with "P"

  Jace felt the boat lurch, slicing through the murky waters of the River Styx. The ferryman, a shadowy figure with hollow eyes that possessed the secrets of the abyss, kept his gaze fixed ahead, gripping the oar with a wraithlike grace.

  “So, Hades is out,” Jace said, more to fill the silence than anything else. “You get any time off?”

  The ferryman, as talkative as a tombstone, didn’t respond. Jace pulled his cloak tighter around himself, the Underworld’s chill seeping into his bones like an unwelcome guest. This place had a way of making a guy feel like he was navigating the back alleys of a cosmic noir.

  When the boat finally nudged the shore, Jace stepped off, the rocky ground crunching under his boots. The ferryman’s hollow eyes followed him, a silent warning that lingered in the air like a forgotten whisper. Jace nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to face the twisted paths of the Underworld.

  Navigating the Underworld was like walking through a fever dream directed by a sadistic filmmaker. Shadows danced in the corners of his vision, and the faint cries of the damned echoed like a grim soundtrack. He steeled himself and began to walk, each step echoing in the vast, deep silence.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached the great gates of Hades’ palace. The massive iron doors loomed before him, etched with serpents and flames that seemed to move in the dim light. He placed a hand on the cold metal, feeling the ancient power that thrummed through it.

  With a deep breath, he pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

  The throne room was a cavernous expanse, shadows pooling in the corners and torchlight flickering like ghostly figures. At the far end, the throne of Hades stood empty, a silent testament to the god’s absence.

  Jace approached the throne, his footsteps echoing like a heartbeat in the silence. He stood before the throne and looked around for somewhere to leave a note. He could just leave it on the throne but that felt wrong somehow.

  “Hello?” Jace’s voice cut through the thick silence of the throne room, steady despite the chaos churning inside him. “Is anyone there?”

  Silence. The oppressive weight of the room bore down on him, and Jace lowered his head, frustration gnawing at his resolve.

  Then, a soft swish of fabric broke the stillness. Emerging from the shadows was a tall, imposing figure with eyes like smoldering embers, stepping into the flickering light. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back in waves, contrasting starkly with her alabaster skin. She wore a gown of deep crimson, intricate patterns resembling flames embroidered along the hem and sleeves. Her presence was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, her gaze piercing through the gloom. Her lips, a dark shade of red, curled into a knowing smile that sent a shiver down Jace’s spine.

  “Oh, hello. You must be Hades’ new pet,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension as she glided forward, the air around her seeming to darken. No introduction, just a statement of fact. “Hades is in a meeting with the Olympians. You’ll have to come back another time.”

  “Who are you?” Jace demanded, refusing to be cowed.

  A flicker of amusement lit her fiery eyes. “Oh, how silly of me. I always forget how little your kind pays attention. I’m Megaera.”

  Impatience flared inside Jace. Partly due to her attitude, partly because she was right, and he had no clue who she was supposed to be. “Well, Megs, it’s been a real slice, but I need to reach Hades,” he said, starting to walk forward, though he wasn’t sure exactly where he was going. Finding Hades during a meeting of the gods? Not like he could just waltz up to their divine boardroom and knock. Could he?

  Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw tightened in a swirl of loathing and curiosity. “Aren’t we flippant?” she purred, stepping closer and circling Jace, her hand brushing his shoulder. “We used to flay the skin from mortals for less.” She leaned in, her voice a sinister whisper, her smile practically brushing his ear. “Or boil them in grease. Those were the good days.”

  “Sounds exhilarating. So, are you like, Hades’ secretary?” Jace shot back.

  She hissed and flicked Jace on the nose, causing him to squint and wrinkle it in irritation.

  “My sisters and I are no secretaries, Pet of Hades. I have an oath with Hades... as do you. I am the one who gets to play with you when you inevitably break that oath, like those who have come before you.”

  Jace got the feeling she would relish nothing more than seeing him break that oath. He hadn’t really thought of it as an oath, but taking on the role of Hades’ Chosen was apparently more official than he’d realized. He’d have to revisit that thought later. Looking into her eyes, he saw the joy of torture and vengeance, the thrill of rage and fury, the righteousness in avenging.

  A cold shiver snaked down his spine.

  “So, little Pet, why do you seek the Lord of the Underworld?” Her voice was like velvet wrapped around steel, smooth yet unforgiving.

  “I’d rather discuss that with Hades,” Jace replied, meeting her gaze head-on. “I hope you understand.”

  Megaera studied him for a moment, then nodded. “Very well, Pet. Leave your message with me. I will ensure it reaches Lord Hades.”

  Jace hesitated, recalling Jerry’s warnings. Sensing his reluctance, Megaera’s expression softened slightly. “You can trust me, Pet. My soul is bound by an oath to Hades. Betrayal isn’t an option, even if I desired it.”

  Still skeptical, but seeing no better option, Jace reached into his inventory and pulled out a piece of parchment. Realizing he hadn’t planned what to say, he hastily scribbled, “Can’t log out. Is death safe? - Jace, your Chosen.” It felt woefully inadequate, but it would have to do. As he folded the parchment, it sealed itself with a wax stamp that swirled into existence in purple and silver, bearing the mark of a silver raven. He handed it to Megaera.

  “Thank you,” he said, meeting her fiery gaze.

  Megaera gave a curt nod, tucking the parchment away. As he turned to leave, her voice cut through the silence. “Oh, Pet, a word of advice. Do not stray far from the path. The Underworld is not kind to those who wander. Even Hades’ pets.”

  With that, she turned and melted back into the shadows, leaving Jace alone in the vast throne room.

  “What is it with gods and their eerie last words before vanishing? It’s like they all think they’re Batman,” Jace muttered to himself, shaking his head. He glanced around the empty throne room, the oppressive silence pressing in on him. “Great, now I’m talking to myself.”

  Deciding it was high time to make an exit before any more divine entities decided to play games with him, Jace turned on his heel and made his way out, hoping to avoid further supernatural complications.

  As he navigated the labyrinthine corridors, the dim light played tricks with the shadows on the walls, making them dance like eerie phantoms. A soft green glow caught his eye, flickering and pirouetting in the air before him, an unsettlingly familiar sight.

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  “Oh no, not now, Pik. I’m on my way out. Tell Persephone I’ll catch up with her later.”

  The green light hovered, bouncing in that annoying, expectant way. Jace sighed, rubbing his temples.

  “I get it, you want me to go with you. But that’s going to be a hard pass. I need to get back above ground, catch up with my friends, and make it to class.”

  He paused, a fleeting thought interrupting his resolve. Did missing classes here affect your grades? Wait, do they even give grades? He shook his head, dismissing the distraction.

  Reaching the shore, his heart sank. The passage opened out to the River Styx, the familiar dock and dim lanterns casting their meager light across the inky waters. The ferryman was conspicuously absent.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jace muttered, scanning the empty shore.

  He waited, staring into the dark water, Pik buzzing by his side, bobbing up and down as if urging him forward. Jace glared at the light. “You planned this too, didn’t you?” The light merely whizzed in response. Jace let out a resigned breath. “Fine, I’ll follow you.”

  Pik led him down a narrow, winding path that seemed to defy logic and space, the walls closing in and expanding as if the Underworld itself was alive and shifting. Jace felt the unsettling sensation of being watched, the shadows around him holding their breath as he passed.

  The green light guided him to a hidden path winding through a dense, misty forest. The trees loomed like silent guardians, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers.

  Jace followed, his senses on high alert. The forest whispered secrets with every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs, hinting at unseen watchers. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being led towards something significant, something that would either aid his quest or challenge him further.

  Finally, the path opened to a small clearing, bathed in the ethereal glow of the green light. In the center stood a solitary stone altar, ancient and weathered, covered in intricate carvings that pulsed with faint, otherworldly energy.

  Jace approached cautiously, heart pounding. The green light settled above the altar, casting its eerie glow over the carvings. He reached out, fingers tracing the symbols, feeling a connection to the ancient power thrumming through the stone. It reminded him of the interface to his Society upgrades, but this magic was different—deeper, pulling at his very soul.

  “Let’s get out of here before I find myself mixed up with any more trouble,” he said, more to himself than Pik.

  “Hello, Jason,” said Trouble, her voice wrapping around him like silk, her smile drifting in with the ease of a spring breeze.

  “Hello, Persephone.”

  Persephone stood before Jace, her presence as commanding as a queen’s and as beguiling as a siren’s. Draped in flowing, emerald and obsidian robes that seemed to absorb the very light around her, she exuded an ethereal beauty and an unsettling power. Her hair flowed like waves over her shoulders, framing a face that was both youthful and ancient, her eyes like twin galaxies filled with secrets and sorrow. She glanced at the ring on Jace’s finger, a spark of recognition flaring in her gaze.

  “I see you’ve been keeping busy,” she purred, her voice a velvety melody laced with an unsettling undertone.

  Jace straightened, meeting her gaze with steely determination. “I don’t have time for pleasantries. My people are in danger. My friends... my family.”

  Persephone’s expression softened, her gaze shifting as if only just noticing him standing there. A flicker of pity danced in her eyes. “That is why I called you here. I can help you.”

  “Oh?” Jace’s body tensed, bracing for the inevitable catch.

  “If you might have time to help me with something I need.” And there it was.

  “And what is that?”

  Her smile widened, never breaking eye contact with the ring. “Oh, don’t worry,” she said, her voice like silk, “it won’t be too difficult.”

  Jace raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident. “I’m going to need a little more than that.”

  “Just a simple task,” she replied, her tone light and airy. “I need you to retrieve a single seed for me.”

  There was something in her voice, a quiet confidence that made it hard for Jace to resist.

  “A seed? For what purpose?” Suspicion laced his words.

  She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “It’s for my own purpose. How do your people say—it’s need to know. And you don’t.” Her tone turned flat and final.

  “I’m not one for putting myself in danger without knowing what I’m getting into, or even what kind of danger it is. What is this seed? Does it pose any threat to me?”

  “Are you planning on eating it?” she asked, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

  “I don’t usually eat strange things I find in the underworld.”

  “Then you are perfectly safe. That is all I can say. It is not harmful directly to you in any way.”

  “And what would I get for this exchange?”

  A sly grin tugged at the corners of her lips. “The most precious thing in this world,” she purred, her eyes glinting with a hidden agenda. “Knowledge.” Her fingers brushed against his ring before she pulled back. “You are unprepared for what is to come, like a speck of dust in a storm. You know not what is happening around you. I can pull back the curtain, to some degree. Now, in fairness and honesty, I have my limits, there are rules even goddesses must follow. But I can provide you with knowledge that will be… invaluable to you. Knowledge that might even help protect you, if things ever turn sour with my hubby. Knowledge that may allow you to keep your secret safe, Jason.”

  A prompt appeared.

  Quest Alert

  A Simple Fetch Quest

  Persephone has given you a “simple fetch quest” to acquire a single seed from a box in Hades’ private office.

  Reward: Knowledge that could prove invaluable in the challenges to come.

  Failure: Piss off a goddess. Deal with the consequences.

  Alternative Failure: Get caught. Piss off a god and a goddess. Eternal damnation. Endless torture. The whole shebang. No real telling what Hades would do.

  Rejecting this quest will count as an automatic failure.

  Accept | Reject

  Fat lot of good a quest is if you can’t actually reject it, Jace thought, closing the prompt in a huff.

  Another prompt immediately appeared, this one edged with a golden border.

  System Notice

  I’m just the messenger, I swear. Travelers sometimes. You’re the one getting mixed up with gods. If you don’t want stupid consequences, don’t do stupid things. Don’t blame me for your quests; I just work here.

  — Jack

  Jace’s eyes widened. Jack, the System... He quickly thought, Wait, can you hear me? Don’t go. What is happening? What is causing the logout issue? Hello?

  “Are you there?” he said aloud, desperation creeping into his voice.

  Persephone looked at him curiously. “I assume you’re not referring to me or Pik here.”

  “No, it was just… the System…”

  “Oh,” she said, a knowing look in her eyes. “You’ve met Jack, I take it.”

  “You know of Jack?” Jace asked, astonished.

  “I am a goddess, Chosen. There is much that I know that you do not. But it isn’t common for Jack to appear to Travelers. You must have done something very... particular to draw its attention.”

  “I couldn’t say what. It appeared when I first used my Affinity.”

  “Ah, that makes sense.”

  “Wait, why does that make sense?”

  “There is much to learn, Jason. Some things I can tell you, some things I cannot. There are rules, even for gods. Jack isn’t a person as we think of it; he’s more of a cosmic force. For most of my life, he never appeared directly, like feeling the sun without seeing each beam of light. We see the flower grow, and the petals bloom, but not the seed that came before.

  “Nearly a thousand years ago, he started appearing to the gods. He takes many forms, but I believe he prefers Jack. Even we do not interfere with his machinations.”

  “What sort of machinations?”

  “Ah, now I’ve said too much. As I mentioned, there are rules, even for me.” She pursed her lips and mimed zipping them shut with an imaginary zipper. “Anything else will have to wait until after your success in helping me with my task.”

  Jace opened the quest prompt again and, after a long look and a slow exhale, chose Accept.

  Persephone’s smile widened, her eyes flickering with dark, knowing intent. “And a secrecy bond, I think.” A surge of power coursed through the air as vines crept up Jace’s body, as her voice took on a deep, otherworldly tone. “You may not speak of my involvement or the quest you undertake for me today. Do you consent?”

  “But the knowledge you give me is worthless if I cannot share it.”

  “Fine point,” she conceded. “You may share all that I tell you after the quest. But the details of the quest itself may not be spoken or written or shared in any way without my consent. Fine?”

  He nodded. A burst of green light enveloped him as a vine coiled around his leg, its thin tendrils piercing his skin, making him yelp in pain. The vine vanished, leaving a faint mark where it had been—a green tattoo, the remnant of the oath.

  “Now, take this,” she whispered, pressing a cold, ornate key into his trembling hands. “You’ll have to venture into Hades’ private office. Among countless boxes and relics lies the seed I seek.”

  Her gaze ignited with a spark of fire. “You must move quickly,” she urged, her voice taut with tension. “I’m casting a shroud while Hades meets with the other gods, but it won’t last long. Pik will navigate you through the halls. Trust only him. The shadows are cunning, their whispers treacherous, their kiss deadly. And be warned, Chosen, this is of utmost importance—touch nothing but the box that Pik guides you to. Nothing. Not even I know everything that lurks in his private offices.”