The Viking's Mate Hunt

CHAPTER 125

Oh, goddess, was I wrong! I wanted to run and leave this incredible, horrifying darkness so many times, but Hades held me back. Took my hand and led me forward or held me back; eventually, we slowly walked down the narrow, black stone tunnel, filling my head with whispers. Stories about how they died, their last memories, their lust for revenge and despair. All through the hall, desperate cries of a baby echoed all around us. It was horrible, full of pain and fear, and despite not being used to babies, all I wanted was to pick up this poor soul and comfort him or her. But just walking there, not doing anything, made my heart shatter, my chest ached, and tears streamed down my face while walking silently.

I clinging to Hades' hand like it was the only lifeline I had, and I am not sure I will ever be able to forget this. I don't know if I will ever stop hearing the poor baby crying in utter desperation. I can't explain this feeling, cannot explain how this sound haunted me, pained me, and tore at my heart. I heard how a young boy was haunted by his mother's new love like an animal and slayed like one, two young sisters walked by hand in hand crying for the mother that drowned them, a grown woman with a swollen belly didn't say a word, but her dead and empty eyes followed us through the dark. I wished the thick darkness would fade, but the closer we came to the light, the more I saw, the more I wished I didn't see.

The walk was heart-wrenching.

With tears and sobs, I tried to hold back; I continued forward. I did my best to pretend I didn't hear, didn't see, didn't feel the rush to run away and forget this place ever existed. The weight whispers and baby cries had on my soul; eventually, the body was hefty. It felt like a monster; the worst kind of depression devoured me from the inside. The weight now affected every part of me, and I could no longer feel the tears, how my lip trembled, or how my feet scraped against the cold rocks as I did my best to drag them after me. I just wanted to sleep. to sit down and cry all the pain and weight off me until I fell asleep; there was nothing else I wanted. Nothing else I felt I needed.

Even when my skin and mind felt like a numb shell, emotions raged trapped inside; I went from feeling uncomfortable beside Hades, hating him, fearing he would leave me, thinking I would die if he ever let my hand go. I was filled with gratitude for having him here, but back to hate and frustration as he kept dragging me forward. They refused to let me stop or sit down. Now I'm just so tired, so incredibly exhausted and numb. I am numb in every limb and still feeling too much. My skin works as an emotionless and heavy shield while everything inside me screams in pain, misery, and despair.

My feet dragged over loose gravel as we neared the light, like an entrance growing, allowing the light to manifest and grow and casting light on everything around us, bringing me hope to be able to leave this darkness and showing all the horrifying things leading up to there. A young man with a dirty bandage all over his face, people missing limbs, open cuts, pale skin, rotten, dark, and empty eyes, while others only had dark endless pits where the eyes once used to be.

After what felt like an eternity, I could finally let my feet give in and slide down to a sitting position on the cold ground. This side was lighter; the cold and straight-out horrific feeling from the dark tunnel we had just passed was gone. But even if the other side here is much brighter, the feeling was the same. Cold, distanced but at the same time incredibly heavy and suffocating, leading me to believe this was not the shiny hope I assumed it to be.

"Come on, girly, we had our 5 minutes, and we are not safe yet."

"What was that? Where was that!?"

"The hallway of lost souls. They who can never find peace, they will never find the end and never forget the dreadful way they died. It is not a pleasant trip, but there is also nothing you can do for any of them. Nothing anyone can do, for that matter. This, right here, is the hallways of dark souls. It's kind of strange if you consider the light, but still, it's a little easier than the first stage. The same rules apply, do not answer, do not look straight at them. We will take a longer break at the next stage."

I hated this stage too; it might have been an easier stage, his words, not mine, but it was the exact same as the first, only with more light. Souls that could not forgive could not forget how they were treated and how they lived their lives, while the first stage was mainly held there because of how they died. It was exhausting like weights were tied directly onto my soul and feet with each step we took, and now I saw it all. All the bruises, all the sadness and desp4rations, heard them, felt them, and still, I looked straight ahead. Like a heartless idiot not caring for anyone else's despair. But the journey was shorter, and the break was just enough to let me breathe again and let my imaginary weight be left behind.

"This place is different,"

He paused just before we were to enter stage 3. I could feel fresh air and see the natural light, and I wanted nothing more than to enter. Even if a little voice in the back of my head reminded me that nothing is easy down here. Nothing is what it looks like, but still, I wanted to believe this was another step towards freedom, another step towards my normal life.

"They are here because they place themselves here. Held back by themselves, weighed down by deep regrets and dark and horrible secrets. Something they can never forgive themselves. There is no harm in answering them, but remember, there is usually nothing positive out of it either. They can't hurt you, but they can touch you and even hold you back for a short while. Don't let them fool you; nobody here is here because they stepped on a beetle or forgot to wish their mother a happy birthday."

There was no energy to answer, not enough oxygen to bother. Besides, what am I even supposed to say at this point? I want to shout this isn't real, that it is all a bad dream, but I know it is not. I know even if I really, really want it to be, it is as real as I am, and I just want it all to be over with. My muscles are aching, my body is drained, and I feel worse and worse for each level, stage, or whatever he calls it. Like all these places suck something out of me, something I could never have back. Leaving me empty and tired, like a sickness manifesting inside of me.

My hand was still placed in Hades, leading me on, and I couldn't picture myself ever letting him go again. Like this darkness, sucking out my soul, leaving nothing but sickness and desperation, somehow let me know without him I would have been lost. Lost like these souls faded, forgotten, and still in burning pain. So, I held onto his hand to the point my nails dug into his skin at one point. But he didn't brush me off, didn't let me go. To my surprise, he didn't even stop to scold me or berate me.

Goosebumps exploded on my skin, and all the small hairs on my neck and arms stood straight while a cold chill spread like deadly ice bolts through me. My hand tightened around Hades, and I swallowed hard; it is not real, this is not real, they are playing with my mind; I kept chanting to myself when my name was called. I knew that voice, no, did I really?

"Elisabeth!?"

No, it's not me. Not my name, someone else. Gritting my teeth together, I struggled to keep my eyes straight ahead, struggling to keep going as the familiar voice called for me. A voice that tugged at the strings of my heart pulled forward memories I'm no longer sure were real.

"Elisabeth, please, see me!"

It is not her, and she is not here. That is not her voice, and my mother never said please. She never asked, never used a soft voice. That is not her!

Gasping for air, the bony cold hand that grabbed my shoulder felt like dry ice directly on my skin, and I spun around just to lose my breath yet again.

"Mom?!"