I stand on the bank of a lake. My boots sink into the wet sand beneath me. In every direction as far as I can see lies an ethereal lake. It is calm on the surface and wild underneath. The water is a mix of neon green and blue.
In time a ferryman slowly makes his way towards me. Once he is within arms length he outstretches his hand.
"Payment" he demands and I oblige, handing to him an item most precious to me. A red scarf with the initials, A.T. and D.A. on each end.
The ferryman stares at the scarf but for a moment before accepting it as payment. Part of me hoped that he would not accept. That I would have to search for another payment. So that I would not have to let go of -
A loud screeching took me out of my thoughts. The lake's inhabitants were speaking to me.
You should not be here.
The living have no place here.
LEAVE!
No.
DIE.
SUFFER WITH US DEVLIN!
Anxiety wells within me as they attempt to persuade me into death. My heart trembles. My breath, erratic.
I swallow hard as the memories of my comrades flash before me. As the memories of Akira's descent flash before me. I unsheath the blade to my side. As I hold the blade to my neck the voices get quieter. In a whisper they speak.
Yes, Devlin.
Let go.
Cease your breathing.
"NO!" I lower my blade and grit my teeth. I must press on! I must! I…must.
Minutes later the boat finally comes to a stop and with it the voices. I nearly cry out in relief but stop myself. For my goal is not yet in sight.
Pandora's box lies beyond hell's guard dog Cerberus in a darker, more quiet part of hell: Hades' store room.
I walk the black stony ground filled with cracks of an ominous crimson. I wonder to myself if those cracks are filled with lava or blood before continuing my trek.
Even from far away I can tell the three-headed hellhound is every bit as terrifying as legends told. Perhaps even more so. However, what I did not expect was to see it playing with a ball.
Strange as it is, it does not matter. I reach into the small satchel that rests on the right side of my onyx colored armor. In my hand now lays a box of matches and a thin mummified hand.
I light a match and take it to the wick on the mummified hand that rests in my very lively right hand. I light the hand of a thief once hanged to death.
Shadow surrounds my body and I find myself invisible. I walk past Cerberus realizing the ball in his hand is not a ball but rather a mass of tormented humans. I vomit slightly and quickly swallow it.
I should be glad it's playing with the dead. After all, Cerberus has an incredible sense of smell. Maybe their stench will cover the smell of my sweat.
Or not.
Cerberus rears its head in my direction and drops its "ball". The hellhound crouches as if on the hunt and snarls. Drool dripping from the corners of its curled lips. It pounces in my direction and I reach into my satchel. Before I can take out the item I grabbed Cerberus is stopped… by a man clad in black.
The man scratches under Cerberus' chin. "Who's a good boy?"
He then turns his attention to me and steps in my direction with a sly grin upon his face. It's Hades, I thought seethingly, the man clad in black, the ruler of the underworld.
Of all the monsters to meet Hades is the one I wanted to avoid most. As he speaks my hand never leaves the satchel.
"Devlin Ashcroft. You're quite the interesting man...To want to release the evils again just for a woman. Ha! A womanizer like Zeus!"
I grit my teeth. "Don't compare me to that being."
Hades' smile turns to a smirk and his eyes turn cold. "I wouldn't let him hear you say that."
I respond with confidence. "How could he hear me? This is not his domain."
Hades' eyes light up again. "Exactly. This is my domain."
He glares at me with dead eyes. "So instead of coming in secret-" He twirls fire between his fingers. "-and dying a meaningless death."
He shuts his hand, snuffing out the flame.
"I will give you a choice. Defeat a champion of my choosing."
Hades paces around me. "If you win against my champion I'll give you Pandora's box."
"And if I lose?"
Hades stops. "You will…be mine."
I take a deep breath and accept.