Status: I'm still in the process of writing this as I am doing snippets here and there whenever I write it. I might update daily or weekly depending on the time I have to write.
Descendants of Heroes
Corra Sang
Two years ago, I made a really selfish decision on my life. One of the most vivid memories other than Nyssa when she first discovered me replacing her flowers everyday. The day I died in the car accident, I felt the pull from the ground, dragging my... How do I put it... My soul into the underground.
I wasn't really surprised when my clothes were replaced by gray robes and a skeletal being stood in front of me. He was in dark, blackish colored robes and his skull was the palest of whites. He extended his hand to me, like he was trying to ask me of something. His mandibles moved slightly.
“Toll?” I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.
A toll? The skeletal being gave a really gruesome smile. I went under my robes, only a bit surprised that I still had the clothes I was wearing when I died. I dug into my pockets, pulling out my allowance. I put the $20 in the skeletal hand.
He clasped his hand around the money and gesture for me to go ahead. I stepped around him, still intimidated by his form. Behind him was a ferry boat, one that looked like bones that had been intertwined together to form this boat. Some people were filing to get on it. I felt this pull as I kind of filed in behind them.
I don't remember when I realized I was dead. The fact that we were being ferried over a river that seemed to be swirling with old mementos, wasn't my first clue. As I peered over and looked at the objects, I saw my reflection. I backed away, kind of elbowing a couple of other hooded figures who chattered at me with irritation. I knew that if I could, I would be much paler than usual. When I saw my reflection, I saw how pale my skin was. And it was a nightmare.
I hadn't really expected to be so... dead. I looked around, thinking that there was no way I was dead. But in my mind, it kept telling me and convincing me that I was. I looked around, seeing stalactites and dark, swirling aura around this little island that we were heading for.
At first, all I could see was the black sand beach, something that was unusual to me. Like any of this was usual. As we approached closer, dark walls were coming into view, walls that were surrounding the area of the island. The only opening is a gap with three lines and something big.
I didn't see what the big thing was, but I felt the presence of it. As we started to get close to shore, the big presence got a bit more real. When I looked up, I saw a dog. But there were three heads. My eyebrows furrowed more and more into confusion. The more I tired to focus on him, the more he seemed to vanish. The three-headed dog stared at all the other robed figures who were stepping off the boat. In the corner of my eye, I got a better look at them.
The three-headed dog was a huge, English mastiff with very drool drenched jowls and a very big dog muzzle. It had a very deep, gray pelt. One that was short and looked a bit... ghastly. It was bigger than a two-story home. Though, it was kind of hard to tell with how much he liked to vanish. The dog started to growl, which kind of echoed because of his three heads, when I stepped off the boat. All three mouths were open and growling, baring his fangs at me.
As I passed around him, I looked at the three lines. 2 were leading into a pavilion that had two skeletons that were dressed in bailiff attire. Then there were two more lines just beyond them that were leading to two different areas. One was a gated area that was filled with nice houses and some carefree lifestyles. There were kids running around, flying kites and laughing. Parents were talking and seeming to be having the time of their undead lives. In a lake, just outside the community were three islands. Very few people seemed to live on them.
The other line led to a more rocky and secluded section. There were so many people there, where all these people were put to torture and torment. Some were forced to ungodly punishments. Some were put into some inhumane actions or rolling boulders up hills. Some other punishments that I rather not describe.
The third line kind of reminded me of an express lane. It had a sign over it, reading “Asphodel Fields.” When I looked over it, there were millions of people, milling around and not seeming to be doing anything. They all seemed depressed and kind of lost. The line to the Asphodel Fields was going faster than those going into the pavilion area.
I started to head over to the Asphodel Fields, feeling like I should be heading that way. As I approached the line, two skeletons came in front of me.
“Hades wants to see you.” I raised an eyebrow.
“Hades?” My voice seemed rougher than usual. The spirits around me started to shy away, like I had just said something that would bring destruction upon me. The skeletons seemed to be immune to it.
“Lord of the Dead. Follow us.” The skeletons started to usher me up a stoned path to a really dark and spired castle.
It radiated a dark aura, the same one I saw before. But it was worse, sending chills down my spine. This stone path lead through a garden with stone statues of people and creatures that seemed too life-like to me. In the center of the garden was a pomegranate tree, etched with flowers of springtime across the bark and limbs. All the pomegranates were succulent and huge. I really had a deep urge to pluck one and take a bite of one.
But I fought it, a nagging voice whispered, “Don't eat it!”
I shook my head slightly and continued to follow the two skeletons. Right up to the castle gates.
I wasn't really surprised when my clothes were replaced by gray robes and a skeletal being stood in front of me. He was in dark, blackish colored robes and his skull was the palest of whites. He extended his hand to me, like he was trying to ask me of something. His mandibles moved slightly.
“Toll?” I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.
A toll? The skeletal being gave a really gruesome smile. I went under my robes, only a bit surprised that I still had the clothes I was wearing when I died. I dug into my pockets, pulling out my allowance. I put the $20 in the skeletal hand.
He clasped his hand around the money and gesture for me to go ahead. I stepped around him, still intimidated by his form. Behind him was a ferry boat, one that looked like bones that had been intertwined together to form this boat. Some people were filing to get on it. I felt this pull as I kind of filed in behind them.
I don't remember when I realized I was dead. The fact that we were being ferried over a river that seemed to be swirling with old mementos, wasn't my first clue. As I peered over and looked at the objects, I saw my reflection. I backed away, kind of elbowing a couple of other hooded figures who chattered at me with irritation. I knew that if I could, I would be much paler than usual. When I saw my reflection, I saw how pale my skin was. And it was a nightmare.
I hadn't really expected to be so... dead. I looked around, thinking that there was no way I was dead. But in my mind, it kept telling me and convincing me that I was. I looked around, seeing stalactites and dark, swirling aura around this little island that we were heading for.
At first, all I could see was the black sand beach, something that was unusual to me. Like any of this was usual. As we approached closer, dark walls were coming into view, walls that were surrounding the area of the island. The only opening is a gap with three lines and something big.
I didn't see what the big thing was, but I felt the presence of it. As we started to get close to shore, the big presence got a bit more real. When I looked up, I saw a dog. But there were three heads. My eyebrows furrowed more and more into confusion. The more I tired to focus on him, the more he seemed to vanish. The three-headed dog stared at all the other robed figures who were stepping off the boat. In the corner of my eye, I got a better look at them.
The three-headed dog was a huge, English mastiff with very drool drenched jowls and a very big dog muzzle. It had a very deep, gray pelt. One that was short and looked a bit... ghastly. It was bigger than a two-story home. Though, it was kind of hard to tell with how much he liked to vanish. The dog started to growl, which kind of echoed because of his three heads, when I stepped off the boat. All three mouths were open and growling, baring his fangs at me.
As I passed around him, I looked at the three lines. 2 were leading into a pavilion that had two skeletons that were dressed in bailiff attire. Then there were two more lines just beyond them that were leading to two different areas. One was a gated area that was filled with nice houses and some carefree lifestyles. There were kids running around, flying kites and laughing. Parents were talking and seeming to be having the time of their undead lives. In a lake, just outside the community were three islands. Very few people seemed to live on them.
The other line led to a more rocky and secluded section. There were so many people there, where all these people were put to torture and torment. Some were forced to ungodly punishments. Some were put into some inhumane actions or rolling boulders up hills. Some other punishments that I rather not describe.
The third line kind of reminded me of an express lane. It had a sign over it, reading “Asphodel Fields.” When I looked over it, there were millions of people, milling around and not seeming to be doing anything. They all seemed depressed and kind of lost. The line to the Asphodel Fields was going faster than those going into the pavilion area.
I started to head over to the Asphodel Fields, feeling like I should be heading that way. As I approached the line, two skeletons came in front of me.
“Hades wants to see you.” I raised an eyebrow.
“Hades?” My voice seemed rougher than usual. The spirits around me started to shy away, like I had just said something that would bring destruction upon me. The skeletons seemed to be immune to it.
“Lord of the Dead. Follow us.” The skeletons started to usher me up a stoned path to a really dark and spired castle.
It radiated a dark aura, the same one I saw before. But it was worse, sending chills down my spine. This stone path lead through a garden with stone statues of people and creatures that seemed too life-like to me. In the center of the garden was a pomegranate tree, etched with flowers of springtime across the bark and limbs. All the pomegranates were succulent and huge. I really had a deep urge to pluck one and take a bite of one.
But I fought it, a nagging voice whispered, “Don't eat it!”
I shook my head slightly and continued to follow the two skeletons. Right up to the castle gates.