Descendants of Heroes

I started the car and headed to the hospital, kind of dreading seeing her again and yet, had been anticipating it for a long time. I knew that I didn't look well. And after what had happened 2 years ago, I let nothing I saw bother me. But I didn't feel well either, like I was paler than usual. I made sure that my wound, from the last descendant I took down to the underworld, was wrapped up tightly. Though, I was wearing black jeans in case Nyssa asked.

I turned the radio on, tuning it to the news and listening to the most recent reports of people going missing. Some of the reports were just kind of out there. People didn't understand the missing people or how they were linked together. I guess, only a few privileged informants of Hades knew. They were all descendants. Those lucky few who were reincarnates or born into a long line from a Greek hero, ones who didn't even know, were brought down to the underworld.

Of course, I wasn't sure what happened to the descendants once I brought them down there. I knew they would die by Hades, but I was unsure of the methods, or I really didn't want to know.

As I drove down the road, I tried to remember most of my past. Some of it, I don't remember from before I met Hades. I only remembered Nyssa. How she had caught me changing flowers in her room. The look in her eyes when she realized I was there for her. I didn't know how to react when she gave me that look, but it was something that stuck in my mind.

I pulled up the hospital driveway, following the flow of traffic toward the emergency exit. I saw Nyssa, seeing her tattered clothing and the dark of her hair flowing over her eyes and right shoulder. She seemed really focused on something. I kind of felt bad for what I was going to have to do. I pulled up in front of her and honked my horn, biting my lip in worry. For some reason, my leg was searing in pain, probably from the pedal use.

I whimpered in a slight pain, trying to keep my pain in as Nyssa approached my car. After I had calmed the pain down in my leg, I leaned over, opening the door and beckoning Nyssa in.

“Come on Nyssa.” I said as softly as I could to avoid giving away how much pain I was in.

I saw her smile when she saw me, her calf-brown eyes seemed to shine. I inhaled sharply as got closer to the car and slipped in, whispering, “Hi...”

She closed the door and turned back to me. Her expression became more worried. That was something that I didn't want her to feel towards me.

“You're paler than usual. Are you sure you are ok?” She started into my eyes and whispered, “We haven't left the hospital yet. They can take a look...” I saw how she was rubbing her arm and shivering. I gave a weak smile, hoping that my voice wouldn't betray me.

“I promise you. I'm completely fine...” I kept my voice steady. “I think I'm coming down with the cold or something....” It wasn't completely off the truth. So I kind of shrugged it off.

I started the car and sighed, “Better buckle up.” I started to pull out, driving away as quickly as the car would allow us. I winced every time I put my foot on the accelerator. I hoped that she wouldn't notice my pain. Though, she was pretty perceptive.

“So, I'm taking you home, right?” I whispered curiously. I felt her gaze fall back on me.

“Yeah. Back home.” She answered and it sounded like she had sighed, though I couldn't be sure for a moment. “Cory, what's been happening at home since I got hospitalized?” I shook my head slightly.

“Nyssa, I'm fine... Just have a bad headache...” I was trying to avoid any questions of what I had been doing for a while.

I continued to follow the same roads to her house, the same roads from four years ago that I took. I started to chew on my lip as my black hair decided to flop over my eyes. I blew it out of my face and took a deep breath, feeling it turn into a yawn, but I didn't feel it coming out.

Was that another perk of returning from the underworld? Not feeling tired at all? I wasn't so sure about it. I heard her apologizing for it and kind of furrowed my eyebrows. But then I quickly dismissed it. I looked at Nyssa for a split second and gave her one of my weak, yet reassuring smiles. In the corner of my eye, I saw her cheeks flush from just below her hairline and chuckles a bit.

“No need to be sorry about that Nyssa!” I exclaimed as I kept driving.

“I still feel that someone needs to apologize for it. You know me.” She stared out the window and sighed. I was planning to just keep driving in silence. But the next question would stop me.

“Cory, do you think there is such a thing as being resurrected into another body but still having the same spirit?” I bit my lip.

Was this a trick question? Did she possibly know that she was harboring a descendant? I had had my suspicions, that she had known for a while. Trying to hide it. I heard myself gulp slightly.

“I dunno... Could happen I guess... Why?” I glanced at her in the corner of my eye.

“It was something I found I was contemplating while at the hospital. What if there were people now-a-days that had a spirit from someone a long time ago that they switch places and bodies to suit them? That it was their time to be alive, but the spirit hung around after the reincarnation and is trying to do some good or bad for the world's sake?” I nodded.

“I get what you're saying.... I'm not sure whether to believe it or not. But it seems feasible...” I admitted, thinking of all the reincarnations I had dragged to the underworld... All the innocent people I had sent to their death's for the sake of my life.

“I think it's very possible.” I noticed that she seemed a bit more worried and wuite a bit more distant.

I smiled softly and then frowned as I pulled up just outside her house. It was eerie looking and since her parents died, it looked even more loveless and empty. The windows were broken and the shutters were starting to splinter and break. Some of the paint was peeling off the door and the outside walls.

I knew that Nyssa hadn't been able to fix up the place. She didn't have the money or the tools to fix everything. I didn't understand why she stayed. But it was because this was where she was most at home. I was no better, but mom and dad left me some money to get by.

“There you go.” I whispered softly as I looked at my lap, resting my hand over the damp patch on my jeans.

Blood from my wound was starting to seep through the bandage, soaking my jeans. I wanted it to vanish and hide it completely. I didn't want Nyssa to worry about my pathetic life.

When she was talking, I started to connect more of the dots. She was a descendant, that was something that she showed a lot of. I couldn't be sure of which ancestry she had though. I also knew I couldn't get attached to her. I had to separate my feelings from what I was doing. Yet, it was a bit late for me to not fall for her. She was so sweet and considerate of others.

Sometimes, She'd pry, but she was always there for someone. I couldn't take her down to Hades. I just couldn't....