Smother Your Pride
Ζωντανός
“Hades, where are you?” Hermes called out. The cave was dug out deep with sculptured designs of humans engraved in the walls. Candles were stationed out of order and at different heights along the wall. Even though they had burned for as long as Hermes could remember, not once did they extinguish. For nearly half an hour he wandered the tunnels of the Underworld calling out to Hades until the man finally met him.
“It’s rare that you ask for me.” Hades walked out from the shadows and Leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed.
“I’ve come to play for you,” Hermes held out a lyre. Of course he had given the lyre he had made to Apollo and this was a poorly constructed one found in a music store in England.
“Have you now?” Hades looked amused and waved his hand signaling him to play. Hermes wasted no time. He brought his fingers to the strings and strummed. In full confidence he played, not making a single mistake. But what would expect from the person who had invented the instrument?
“Mmm. I have not heard anyone play that well, not even Orpheus.” Hades raised a brow, “You do know he played for me as well.”
“I do. But I also know that I have more confidence in you than he did.”
“So you want to bring someone back with you then.” It was not a question, but a statement. The way Hades looked at Hermes was piercing. If it had been anyone else they would have faltered under him, but Hermes eyes never moved from Hades.
“You remember what I told him, yes? That he can have his wife if he never looks back to see if she is following him. That stupid fool turned around and I got the pleasure of watching him die inside as I took his wife with me.” Hades laugh echoed around the tunnels.
“I hate to let anyone leave me but if you think you can finish what Orpheus couldn’t, then you may take one person with you.” It was a simple condition, but simple or not the only person who had received it had failed. Hermes knew that the only reason Hades had agreed was because he played the lyre even better than Orpheus and because he served Hades, guiding the dead to the underworld.
“Do I have your word?”
“You have my word, now turn around,” Hades smile was crooked as he watched the God turn around.
Hermes closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Already the temptation had started to build up and he wanted to turn around to see what was going on. There were no footsteps echoing in the tunnel or any sounds to let him know that someone else was with them.
“Start walking.” Hades voice was loud and Hermes could tell he did not think he’d succeed, but he would. He’d make sure of that.
There was only one set of footsteps echoing and one nervous heartbeat. Unsure of whether the man was behind him, he fought desperately to see if he was. Perhaps this was what it was like for Orpheus. Either he did not trust Hades or he couldn’t wait to look upon his beloved wife.
Whatever the case may be, Hermes trusted Hades to stick to his word. It was the only thing that kept him from turning around or shifting his gaze from the entrance. The moment he stepped out from the tunnel and felt the slight drizzle of rain did he turn around. His heart was dying to look upon the beautiful face he had fallen in love with, only to find he was alone. A crushing weight fell down on him and he called out to Hades, cursing him.
“Calm down Hermes.” Hades voice sounded bored. “I gave you my word didn’t I? Did you think you’d wander off with his soul? It doesn’t work like that pal. Upon leaving my . . . facilities, it returns to the body.”
“So he’s buried alive?!”
“Not quite. He’s a coma patient.”
“It’s rare that you ask for me.” Hades walked out from the shadows and Leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed.
“I’ve come to play for you,” Hermes held out a lyre. Of course he had given the lyre he had made to Apollo and this was a poorly constructed one found in a music store in England.
“Have you now?” Hades looked amused and waved his hand signaling him to play. Hermes wasted no time. He brought his fingers to the strings and strummed. In full confidence he played, not making a single mistake. But what would expect from the person who had invented the instrument?
“Mmm. I have not heard anyone play that well, not even Orpheus.” Hades raised a brow, “You do know he played for me as well.”
“I do. But I also know that I have more confidence in you than he did.”
“So you want to bring someone back with you then.” It was not a question, but a statement. The way Hades looked at Hermes was piercing. If it had been anyone else they would have faltered under him, but Hermes eyes never moved from Hades.
“You remember what I told him, yes? That he can have his wife if he never looks back to see if she is following him. That stupid fool turned around and I got the pleasure of watching him die inside as I took his wife with me.” Hades laugh echoed around the tunnels.
“I hate to let anyone leave me but if you think you can finish what Orpheus couldn’t, then you may take one person with you.” It was a simple condition, but simple or not the only person who had received it had failed. Hermes knew that the only reason Hades had agreed was because he played the lyre even better than Orpheus and because he served Hades, guiding the dead to the underworld.
“Do I have your word?”
“You have my word, now turn around,” Hades smile was crooked as he watched the God turn around.
Hermes closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Already the temptation had started to build up and he wanted to turn around to see what was going on. There were no footsteps echoing in the tunnel or any sounds to let him know that someone else was with them.
“Start walking.” Hades voice was loud and Hermes could tell he did not think he’d succeed, but he would. He’d make sure of that.
There was only one set of footsteps echoing and one nervous heartbeat. Unsure of whether the man was behind him, he fought desperately to see if he was. Perhaps this was what it was like for Orpheus. Either he did not trust Hades or he couldn’t wait to look upon his beloved wife.
Whatever the case may be, Hermes trusted Hades to stick to his word. It was the only thing that kept him from turning around or shifting his gaze from the entrance. The moment he stepped out from the tunnel and felt the slight drizzle of rain did he turn around. His heart was dying to look upon the beautiful face he had fallen in love with, only to find he was alone. A crushing weight fell down on him and he called out to Hades, cursing him.
“Calm down Hermes.” Hades voice sounded bored. “I gave you my word didn’t I? Did you think you’d wander off with his soul? It doesn’t work like that pal. Upon leaving my . . . facilities, it returns to the body.”
“So he’s buried alive?!”
“Not quite. He’s a coma patient.”