From the Darkness

The world around me was blooming. Persephone was coming. I could see her. The leaves were turning green with the extra rain and blossoms were budding on the branches of trees and bushes. This spring would be a good one.

The Horai. Persephone set it in motion, but the seasons fell under the Horai's realm.

Eirene was the one that set the time for Persephone to come up from the Underworld.

But this time Demeter wasn't there t greet her daughter. I had no idea why. I was though. I waited until she was fully in the rays of Helios. Apollo was carrying the old titan in his carriage across the sky.

Persephone shed her cloaks of darkness and despair. It fell to the grass ground before disappearing back down to the Underworld. The young goddess had upon her person an ankle reaching peplos. It was cream in color with golden accents. The fibula at her shoulders were round with green gems encrusted in it. She looked beautiful, like a new woman. But the longer I looked at her, I found that her beauty wasn't just from her physical appearance. It was the solemn, haunted look in her eyes. Her piercing blue eyes.

I walked towards her, ducking my head as I get to her. She was looking at me with a curious gaze. “Are you here because my mother is not?”

“I believed it would be best to have someone meet you upon your arrival on Gaia.” She scoffed, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. Soft flowers found their way into her hair, twisting into her strands. I looked at her, straightening my back. I kept my mouth shut about how aloof she was being and rude. The Moirai would not approve of me telling to find her own way home.

“Yes. Now, tell me, Hekate, where is my esteemed mother? Is she bedding another god?” I looked at the goddess wondering how she could be this blunt. Her time in the Haides could have changed her, whether that was for the better or not, I did not know. All I could do now, was to advise her on the repercussions of her actions and words.

I did not know where her mother was at this time. And I told her so. She didn't appear happy about that news, but she accepted it. “Shall we head to Olympus?” Persephone glanced at me before shaking her head.

“No.” She turned her gaze up to Apollo and Helios. “I wish to roam the land once more. It has been a long time since I had the pleasure of walking upon the dirt of Gaia and my mother.” Her gaze drifted down to the ground, looking at peace since coming up from the Underworld.

“Persephone!” Both of us looked up, gazing at the familiar figure coming towards us. Artemis. She was running in the field. Her hand in the air, in greeting. I allowed a small smile to form as she stopped before the two of us.

She smiled as she hugged her friend. I stood off to the side, just watching. Artemis then turned to me and wrapped her arms around my form. I was not use to it. I tensed under her grasp, surprised. She never did that before. But then I was very off putting to most of the other gods and goddesses. I didn't associate with them very much.

Unless they came to me first.

She released me, chuckling at my expression. “Hekate, you need to get out more. Come on a hunt with me some time.” I stared at her, shocked she would ask me to come on a hunt with her. She was the huntress, not me. But we did have one thing in common: the moon. We both ruled it.

She ruled the moon in general, whereas I ruled when it became dark.

“Are you sure?” I asked. Persephone gave me a look. She nodded at Artemis as if telling me to just say yes. “I would be honored.” Artemis smiled brightly.

She then turned to Persephone. “I apologize, but I wished to invite you as well, but...” the huntress trailed off. The goddess of the change into spring just smiled.

“I understand. It would not be proper for me to take part. Besides three is too many on a hunt.” She gave me a meaningful look. I bowed my head, acknowledging it. “You two have fun.”

Artemis shifted her bow across her shoulder, making sure it was not going to fall off. “If not a hunt, then allow me to spend time with you, my friend.” Persephone quickly agreed.

“Let us walk. I wanted to do so for a long time.” The two started to walk. They strolled through the plain of grass. The few flowers there started to bloom, rising to Helios. I followed a few steps behind, more to make sure Persephone was safe.

Then I felt it. The magic. It was here.

Tearing my gaze away from the two goddesses, I searched the field around us. There had to be someone there. The same person that created the circle that ensnared me. But this person wasn't that powerful. That did not make any sense.

Unless they had help.

I forced the two goddesses away with a single wave of my finger, protecting them from the spell that was forming. The same circle appeared beneath my feet, but this time I knew how to dispel it. The magic was trying to get to them as well until I sent them to Olympus. Not that they knew. But now they probably did.

With a wave of my hand, the circle disappeared with a whiff of smoke. The spell had been broken. And that surprised the caster enough to reveal their location. They were hiding in the grove of trees at the far end.

A blink of an eye, I was there, casting my own magic. My eyes burned and swirled with the magic inside of me. The person or rather people were caught within my trap. Standing there were two people that I thought were long gone. Either dead or caged. Circe and Medea. They were stuck within my magic until I found the need to release them.

“Let us go! I command it!” Medea demanded, annoyed someone caught her and her aunt so easily. That much I could tell on her face. Her nose scrunched up as she looked upon me. “You! You did this!” I didn't know what she was talking about.

“Hush, Medea. Let's not anger Hekate more.”

“I will not tell you anything, Titanide!” I didn't say anything as the two continued to converse.

“Medea!”

“What?!”

“Do not be disrespectful. It will do us no good.”

Medea, being the younger and more vengeful, huffed. “I do not care. She was our target and now look at us. We were captured by her. We were suppose to be more powerful. Together.” I looked curiously at Medea, wondering whom she could be talking about. So I was someone's target.

Circe with her pulled back curly hair, sighed. “Medea, my dear niece, we are nothing without Hekate. It is by her grace we can use our skills.”

“And it is by my choice I can take those away.” Medea turned towards me, glowering, but it appeared it finally sunk in.

“I still will not tell you anything.”

“Very well. Then tell me this, the man, was he your creation? Or was he an actual human?” The two of them stayed silent. They really weren't going to give me anything. “Then go.”

Circe opened her mouth to say something, but it was too late. They disappeared in a swirl of darkness. I stood there, going over everything in my mind. It was so clogged up with information now, that I had to speak with someone about it. Something was going on, but I could not tell what. I had an idea, but that was it. I didn't have facts.

And now I had another problem. Who was I going to go to to ask to listen to me? Someone that would just listen without interruption. Someone that wasn't vain and wanted me to listen to them.

Both of them were down in Haides. I had to go tell Hades about Askalaphos. That I may have found him.

That I may have figured out, if and when I get through all the information I had, what was going on. What everything meant. But I had to sort through it. All of it.

So my next destination was down to the Underworld.



I stood at Styx. She was gone. It appeared someone needed her services. That left one person. But I didn't know if I wanted to go to him. He...

Deep down, I was fearful of getting to close to him. I feared what would happen in the end. I was scared that if anyone found out we were anything but acquaintances that others would rip us apart. Zeus would order me to stay away from him. Or the Moirai would do something like that. Or would they order me to get closer to him?

That thought scared me.

But if I wanted someone to talk to, and possibly give some advice or say something in return, I had to see him.

That made up my mind. I was going to see Hades.