Unity Voclain
-Birthplace: Canada
-Birth year: 1887
-Physical age: 22
-Species: Human spirit
-Position: Dancer
*
I’m not sure where to begin. If you’ve been reading this diary in order, then you’ve probably already seen me in Zesze’s tale. I don’t doubt that she spoke highly of me, and I can only assume that she told you the basics of what happened to me. That’s where my conundrum sets in. You already know how I met Zesze: that little huldra rascal tried to hypnotize me but I managed to sneak a peak of her tail and break her spell. Yet, I couldn’t stay away from her. My curious nature wouldn’t allow me to just walk away from such a unique creature. As you already know, we spent a lot of time together. And then…well, you already have an idea about what happened to my family and I. It’s time for me to tell you the rest of the tale. My name is Unity, and this is the story of how I killed a demon with the help of a god before joining the Red Line Circus.
As I once told Zesze, I was born in Alberta, Canada to a family of traveling performers. From a young age I learned to dance from my mother. She was the premier dancer of our troupe, while my father was a bard of sorts. He loved nothing more than to sing and play his guitar, and he had a wonderful voice to match. There were times that I was a little jealous of him, though I took my dancing practice very seriously.
We traveled the world for a time until our funds began to run low. We were in Norway at the time. Essentially, we were stuck there for a time while the troupe found new ways to make cash. Not to mention there was the sorry state of our caravan that had to be fixed up. So, I took that time to explore for a bit while I wasn’t off looking for work. It was in the summer of that first year in Norway that I first met Zesze.
Three years went by with that huldra. Every week I would find time to visit her and bring her food that she had never tried before. I thought the faces that she made when she bit down on new foods for the first time was adorable. We would sit and talk; me telling her about troupe life and her telling me about huldra life. I was intrigued by her and her species. I wanted to know all there was to know about the secret world that most humans were completely oblivious to. And I would be lying if I said that over the course of those three years I didn’t develop feelings for Zesze. But I’m sure you figured that out from her story.
Then one day everything fell apart.
It was late one winter night. A light snow had blanketed the ground, and a chilly breeze whipped through the air. I was sound asleep in the back of my parents caravan, dreaming of Lord knows what. My dreaming state was ended abruptly as I awoke to a lungful of smoke. My chest and eyes stung, and I could feel an intense heat coming from nearby. There were screams, but they sounded like they were so far away. I hacked and coughed as I pushed my way out of the caravan. I could barely see a foot in front of me. As soon as I threw open the back of the wagon, the cool night air burned at my skin. I tumbled out and landed hard on the ground. I’m pretty sure I chipped a tooth on the pavement. At the time, I was too worried about my family’s safety than my own. I crawled away from the blazing heat, calling out weakly for my parents. My eyes burned and I was practically blind, but I saw a figure approach me. The outline was a man’s, so I assumed it was my father or one of my uncles. I pushed myself to my feet and stumbled over to the man. He met me halfway.
“Ssh,” the man said. It was a voice I didn’t recognize. “It will all be over soon.” What happened next was hard to describe. I felt a searing pain tear through my chest, as if the fire had grown sentient and burned its way into me. For a moment, clarity returned to my eyes, and I saw the face of the man. It wasn’t my father. It wasn’t anyone I had ever seen before. That man, with his jet black hair and his pitch and crimson eyes, was a demon. I knew it as soon as I saw him. I tried to fight back against the pain, but it was too great. Darkness consumed me.
What felt like only a minute later, I found myself laying face first in the grass. The pain in my chest was gone. My eyesight was back to normal. I thought that maybe I had been having a horrible, drunken nightmare and I passed out in a random place in Norway. I turned my head and saw the flames consuming my family’s caravan. All the screaming had subsided. It was eerily quiet, save for the crackling of burning wood and the rumbling of the flames. I felt like my whole body was frozen. My eyes flicked up and caught a glimpse of dark boots standing over me.
“Ah, you are awake,” the demon chuckled. “Perfect. Now the fun can begin.” I wish that I had the opportunity to defend myself. I wish that I had attempted to tear myself out of that demon’s grasp and run as far away as I could. My body and mind had other plans for me that day. I was lost in a state of shock, so much so that I could barely even flinch. That demon must have thought that I was far too easy. At the time, I didn’t even realize that I was dead. In a few seconds, I would learn the hard way that even spirits can feel pain. That even spirits can be scarred by a demon.
The demon hoisted me up by the neck. My feet dangled almost a foot off of the ground. I felt the creature’s fingers dig into my throat, and I let out a pained squeal. The demon snickered darkly.
“The first step is to strip you of your good looks,” he said. “Don’t worry, this won’t take long at all.” I watched helplessly as the demon placed his free hand over the right side of my face. For a second, I felt an odd tingling sensation run through my forehead and cheek. Then the pain began. Oh, God, it was unlike anything I had ever felt before. It felt as if the entire right side of my face was being burned off with acid. It was at this time that my mind finally came to, and I spent the rest of my lucid moments screaming in agony. That pain was the last thing I felt until I was once more taken by darkness.
I awoke with a start. My heart was beating at a million miles a minute and my chest heaved back and forth with my breathing. I expected to wake to find the demon standing above me with that sinister grin again, but it was not so. Instead, I was laid in a soft bed inside a medium sized tent. There were three other people standing above me, but none of them I recognized. One was an older man with a thick gray mustache. Another was a woman with long auburn hair and shimmering gray eyes. The third of the group, who was standing closest to me, was a young woman with messy blond hair and completely white eyes. Those eyes perked up when they met mine.
“She’s awake,” the white-eyed woman said to the other two. “Thank the gods.” My eyes bounced to and from each of the three numerous times. I had a plethora of questions in my head, and my mouth was going to blurt them out whether or not I wanted it to.
“Where…am I?” My voice was hoarse and came out as barely a whisper. No doubt that I had shredded my spiritual vocal chords with all of the screaming I had done recently.
“This is the Red Line Circus,” the young woman said. “My name is Cymbeline. This is Sven, my second in command, and Noire, our resident gray angel. She’s the one who rescued you.”
I glanced at the other woman, who gave me a small nod. I was at…a circus?
“What…happened?”
Cymbeline pulled up a chair and sat down cross-legged on it. Her eyes held a bit of melancholy.
“Do you remember anything about last night?”
I remembered all right, but it was something that I wanted to forget. The feeling of my face being burned off is something that has stuck with me through all these years.
“I remember waking up to my family’s caravan in flames,” I said. “There was this demon. He…killed me.” The words escaped without me even realizing what they truly meant. “He put his hand to my face. The pain was…” I trailed off, feeling the stinging remnants of the torture. Cymbeline exchanged glances with the other two. “I don’t remember anything after that.”
“Noire was taking a stroll through the area when she heard the screams,” the man, Sven, explained. “She managed to drive off the demon before he was able to harm you worse than he already did.”
“What about my family?” I asked. Once again, I was more worried about them than myself.
“I am sorry,” Noire spoke. Her eyes lowered. “I did not sense them in the area when I arrived. I believe that the demon who attacked you took them away. He was planning to do the same to you, but I was able to drive him away before he was able to.”
I could not hold back the tears any longer. To think that the demon had stolen away my family and was probably torturing them worse than he had done to me was too much to bear. Why had he come after us? What did we ever do to deserve such a fate?
I buried my face into my hands. My sobs cut short when I felt thick, ravaged skin on the right side of my face. I blinked a couple of times, and finally realized that I couldn’t see out of my right eye. I tenderly touched where my eye used to be, and instead felt nothing but a hole. I yanked my hand away and screamed. I was a monster.
Sven and Noire looked upon me with pity, though Cymbeline seemed to have more of a determined look in her eyes. I wasn’t sure why, but it almost seemed like she was planning something in her head. Without a word, she stood from her chair and tore a piece of cloth from the walls of the tent.
“Here,” she said, handing the cloth over to me. “Don’t think of this as something to be ashamed of. Think of it as a battle scar. I think covering half of your face would make you look pretty badass.” I blinked the tears out of my remaining eye and took the cloth with a shaky hand. I wrapped the red cloth around the right side of my head and tied it snug. It was comfortable. It almost had a calming aspect to it. Even though half of my face was disfigured, I still had my dashing looks on the other side. My flowing silvery hair still fell behind me. Maybe I wasn’t a monster after all. No, I was a spirit whose grief was morphing into rage. The “why’s” became “how dares” in my mind. How dare that demon come after my family? How dare he bring such a fate down upon us for no reason? The thought of revenge plotted its way through my brain. My hands clenched into fists. I wanted to find that demon and tear him apart for what he did to my family and I!
Noire knelt next to the bed and placed a calming hand on top of my tense fists.
“The demon,” she said, “before he departed, he said that he would return for you. He said that he would go after everyone else that you held dear until he found you again.” My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. Zesze. She had her power, but it only worked on humans. She would be powerless against a demon. Now I was really pissed. I had to go back to warn her before it was too late.
I moved to leave, but Noire put her hand on my chest. “There are a few more things that you should know.” She motioned to Cymbeline, who began explaining everything that I missed.
“When that demon attacked your caravan, he put the whole area in a time loop. While it may have only seemed like a couple of minutes or so within the loop, approximately twenty years has passed in real time. At least, that’s what Noire could sense by the energy. No doubt it was another one of the demon’s tricks.”
My mouth dropped open. Twenty years? What kind of mind games did that demon play with me? He kept me trapped in time for two decades only to torture me when he felt that the time was right? Oh, he was going to pay. And what of Zesze? Would she think that I had abandoned her? Would she even remember me?
“How about some good news?” Cymbeline said, trying to lighten the mood. I was in too much shock to see the humor. “We had a few members of the circus head to the Spirit Realm to see if anyone knew anything about that demon. Luckily, we got a hit.” I gave my full attention to Cymbeline. I wanted to know everything about the bastard that killed me. “It turns out that he’s an old human-turned demon who goes by the name of Xanther. Word is that he’s a ‘hit and run’ demon, meaning that he likes to do his dirty work and hide back in the underworld. Sources say that he spends most his time in Tartarus. So, with that—“
“I want to go after him,” I said, cutting off Cymbeline’s words. All three in the room stared at me incredulously. I had a look of grim determination plastered on my face.
“Y-you want to go searching for him in Tartarus?” Sven stammered. I nodded without a word. He exchanged glances with the other two. “Cymbeline, your thoughts?”
Cymbeline pouted. “It’s very risky, but it might just work.” A glimmer of hope began to shine within my heart. At least I had someone’s support. I didn’t care if I had to go to Hell and back. I wanted that demon dead. I wanted my family to be returned safely. I would take whatever help I could get. “I’ll come with you to make sure you stay safe. I just need to get permission from my father to enter the underworld first.”
I breathed an internal sigh of relief. I hadn’t known Cymbeline long, but I could already tell that she was going to be a ton of help. But…what kind of creature was she that she needed to get permission to go places?
“Who’s your father?” I asked.
“The horseman of Death,” she replied matter-of-factly. I admit that my mouth sagged open wide. Noire stifled a chuckle at my reaction. Cymbeline was a reaper of souls. I should have known. “Now, if you really want to take this trip, then I would take care of any outstanding things first. For instance, making sure everyone that’s close to you is safe.”
Zesze!
“Where are we?” I asked. They told me. From what I could tell, Zesze and my special spot was only a few miles from where the circus had set up shop. I prayed that she would still be there. I would not allow her to be hurt should that demon come for her before Cymbeline and I got to him. “I have a friend named Zesze. She’s a huldra that lives close by. I can bring her here for protection.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Cymbeline replied. “Go get her now. I should be back from my meeting with my father by the time you bring her here.” The reaper sighed before turning her attention to the other two. “Either one of you want to join me in my trip to Purgatory?”
“And spend a month climbing to the top of that incessantly tall mountain just to be chastised by the horsemen?” Noire said. “I think I will take a pass.”
“I as well,” Sven added. “I will take up the reins of the circus while you and this young lady are in Tartarus. By the way, young lady, what is your name?”
I had almost forgotten that I had not properly introduced myself. I suppose that I was in too much shock at the time.
“My name is Unity Voclain. Nice to formally meet you.”
My first order of business was to find Zesze. I still couldn’t believe that the damned demon had kept me in a time loop for two decades for his own sick game. I had no idea if Zesze would still be in that forest. She may have departed years ago to see the world as I had once done with my family. Maybe she even went to search for me.
I shouldn’t have worried so much. When I arrived at the old stomping ground, she was there. She looked like she hadn’t aged a day. As I approached her, she acted the same way when we first were acquainted: pretending like she didn’t see me to lure me into a false sense of security. She must have thought that I was some normal human. Boy, was she in for a shock when she saw me. She wasted no time in throwing her arms around me. I could feel her cool tears on my neck. I almost felt like crying myself had I not been so headstrong with my plan.
I had to find a way to convince Zesze to come to the Red Line Circus without making her nervous. Coming out and stating that a demon had plans to come after her would not be a good first meeting after twenty years apart. I should have known better. Zesze was too smart to be fooled. Though she came with me at first, she insisted that I tell her the truth before we reached the circus. She didn’t like it. Neither did I. I could have risked that she would be alright with her family, but I didn’t want anything to happen to her. I didn’t want to lose her like I lost my family. It took me showing her my mutilated face before she understood what was at stake, but she agreed to take refuge at the circus. She was the only person close to me that hadn’t already been taken by the demon. There was no way I was letting him put his hands on her.
When we returned to the circus, Sven was waiting for us. He and Zesze shared an introduction. I could tell the old spirit was worried about me. He asked me if I still wanted to go through with my plan. In a sense, I didn’t have a choice. I could have stayed at the Red Line Circus and relied on them for my own protection, but that would mean that Xanther would do to other families what he did to mine. I couldn’t allow that. I didn’t want anyone to suffer like I had. I may have been a simple spirit, but damn it I was going to travel to the underworld and kick a demon’s ass. When all was said and done, then I would stay with the Red Line Circus. It was the least I could do. They had saved my second life, after all. Besides, who said that just because I was dead that meant that I wasn’t a performer anymore? I still had a lot of dancing left in me. I intended to continue that in honor of my family.
Cymbeline reappeared with the good news that she had clearance to enter Tartarus.
“Are you ready, Unity?” She asked me. I took in a deep breath. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was nervous as hell. I had no idea what kind of horrors waited for me in the underworld. I guess there was only one way to find out.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied. Zesze was staring at me with fallen eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was the last time I would ever see her. I knew that she was safe, and that was all that mattered. Before I departed, I gave her a quick peck on the forehead. Her face turned beet red. I thought it was adorable. “Everything will be okay. As soon as we take care of this bastard, I’ll be back. Then you won’t have to worry about losing me ever again.”
Those words were for me as much as they were for her. Sven and Cymbeline exchanged a few words as the reaper introduced herself to Zesze. I hoped that my friend would get along well while I was gone. I had no worries. She was in capable hands.
Cymbeline approached me and grasped my hand tightly. I felt a tingling sensation wrap around my body as a faint glow emanated from the two of us.
“Unity!” Zesze called. My eyes met hers. She was blinking back tears, but a smile pursed through her lips. “When you get back, you had better have stories about what you see! I am holding you to that!” Who was I to deny her that request? We had built our friendship upon telling each other stories. The ones I would come back with would top all the others.
“I promise that I’ll have a great story to tell everyone,” I said. “Just you wait!”
A second later the landscape around us changed. What was a colorful, summer afternoon turned into a bleak, fiery desert. The sudden change made my head spin. This was the underworld. It was even worse than I imagined.
It was dreary, it was desolate, and it smelled awful. It was like a constant coal fire was burning somewhere in the distance. I could hear faint screams echoing all throughout. A horrid chill wracked through my bones. For a moment, I was beginning to wonder if I had made the right choice. There was no turning back now.
I turned to find Cymbeline shivering. It wasn’t that she was cold. I could tell by the look in her eyes that this was unfamiliar territory for her.
She noticed me staring, and gave me her best reassuring smile. “I should mention that I’ve never been to the underworld before. We reapers aren’t normally allowed in the realms of the afterlife, which is why I had to consult my father first. He wasn’t too happy, but I was able to convince him with my charm.”
I scanned my surroundings. It seemed like we were in a wide open desert, though there was a massive stone wall to the south. It was bigger than any building I had ever seen on Earth.
“Where do we start?” I asked. Cymbeline held up a finger and wandered over to a pile of stones. She rummaged through the pile for a minute or so. She let out an “aha!” when she found what she was looking for. The reaper returned to me with a medieval-age longsword. The blade was rusted in parts and the hilt appeared as if it was going to crumble away to dust in my hand. It was better than nothing. If I was going to face down a demon, then I was going to need to arm myself.
Cymbeline handed over the sword. It was heavier than I expected. I had never wielded such a weapon before, but I needed to learn how to use it quick. I had no intention of spending forever in Tartarus.
“We definitely don’t want to go beyond there,” Cymbeline said, pointing over to the towering wall. “On the other side of that wall is Hell proper. No reason to go there if our demon is hiding in Tartarus. We’re just going to have to find out where he’s hiding first.” With a wave of the reaper’s hand, a scythe began to manifest itself out of thin air. It stood almost as tall as me. The blade was a pristine silver lined with ornate red and violet filigree. Her weapon made mine look like a child’s toy. “Come on, the sooner we get out of here, the better.”
We began our trek through the harsh desert. Cymbeline led the way, stating that she was given a mental map of the place by her father. From what she could tell, we were in an area that was between Hell proper and Tartarus. Our destination was to the west. To the east was the area known as Yomi, and to the north was Helheim. Below us, accessible only through Hell proper, were several other sections of the underworld. I could only imagine what nightmares lurked down there.
“How long do you think we will be here?” I asked.
“If we’re lucky, no more than a couple of days,” Cymbeline replied. I let out a sigh of relief. Zesze and the rest of the circus wouldn’t have to worry about us for long. “There’s just one problem.” Cymbeline scratched the back of her head nervously. I shot her a questioning gaze. “Time moves very differently down here than it does on Earth. In a sense, time doesn’t even exist in these outer realms. Sometimes you can be here for what feels like years, but mere hours have passed on Earth. Other times you may feel like you’re here for a couple of hours, and years or decades have passed in the mortal realm. It’s backwards like that. Purgatory, Heaven and the Spirit Realm all abide by the first of those two. With the underworld, it varies. Let’s just hope we’re lucky and don’t go back to Earth to find that we’ve been gone for fifty years.”
So much for my relief. My heart dropped into my stomach as I realized that I had no control over my time. I could only pray that the time shenanigans smiled down at me. I couldn’t imagine how Zesze would think if I was gone for another two decades. I refused to be put in any more time loops.
Cymbeline and I continued on our quest. A harsh wind threatened to blow the red cloth off of my face. It stung at my eyes and battered my skin. The only saving grace was that I no longer felt tired. It was as if I had an unlimited supply of stamina reserves. I couldn’t complain about that.
“We should be almost there,” Cymbeline said, using the blade of her scythe to shield her face. “I think see our first stop!” I squinted through the mini sandstorm and just made out the darkened shape of what appeared to be a large…pier. It had to be the sand playing tricks on my eyes. We were in the middle of a desert? How could there be something that led to water?
We trudged along. Somewhere between here and there the sand became a dense fog. I couldn’t tell you where the sand stopped and the fog began. It was as if one just…became the other. The landscape seemed to completely change around us. Instead of a desert, we were now in a swampy area. A bubbling river cascaded along. Only the pier that I saw earlier separated us from the murky water. I blinked a couple times and whipped my head around. I could just barely see the remnants of desert through the dense fog. The underworld was weird.
“This is the River Styx,” Cymbeline said. “We’ll have to traverse this way to get to the gates of Tartarus.” I didn’t even have time to stop and think about where we were. The Styx was something that I had read about in books on mythology. I was so caught up in the mindset of going after a demon that I hadn’t even realized that I was now in that mythology. If this trend continued, would I soon meet gods?
“Ah! Here comes our ride now!” Cymbeline exclaimed. Out of the mist came a small rowboat manned by an old man. He looked to be ancient, with a long silvery beard that reached almost to his knees. His eyes were set deep in his skull, and his whole body was lined with wrinkles. As he pulled up the boat to the dock, his eyes flashed suspiciously between Cymbeline and I.
“A reaper and a human spirit,” he stated. His voice whistled like dust in the wind. “Every day brings new surprises.” Cymbeline dug into her pocket and flicked a golden coin over to the man. He snatched it out of the air with a quickness that shouldn’t have been possible for a man his age. The boatman studied the coin for a few seconds before nodding his head. Cymbeline took a careful step onto the boat and held out her hand for me to take. It had been a long time since I had been on a boat. Not since the first time my family sailed to Europe when I was only ten. This was to be an interesting ride. I plopped myself down on one of the hard wooden seats. I held onto my sword like it was my only lifeline. Cymbeline took a seat next to me and allowed her scythe to disappear. I guess she figured that she wasn’t going to need it for our little trip.
The boatman kicked off the pier and we were on our way down the Styx. I can’t say that it was a pleasant trip. The misty fog hung low over the river, inhibiting my view of the scenery. I could see shadows watching and trailing us from the banks. Some were bigger than others. I’m glad that I couldn’t see their whole forms. I may have lost my nerve then and there.
I considered running my fingers through the water to cool myself off, but one look at the surface and I thought better of it. I’m pretty sure I saw several bodies in that river. All of them were staring at me like they were still conscious.
“What brings you two ladies down here on a day like this?” The boatman, who I would eventually realize was the mythical Charon, said.
“My friend here is hunting a demon that killed her and her family,” Cymbeline explained. “Sources said that he was hiding out in Tartarus. We’re here to make sure that he doesn’t harm anyone else.”
Charon nodded and turned his deep-set, dull gray eyes on me. “In all my years I’ve never seen a human spirit willingly come down here in search for a demon. I cannot tell if you are brave or foolish. Perhaps a bit of both.”
“Definitely a bit of both,” I said. The old boatman let out a wheezing laugh.
“Ah, such wit for one so young!”
We continued down the Styx for a time. It was mostly quiet. I was lost in thought about how I would go about taking my revenge on Xanther for everything that he did to me. I may have had a weak weapon, but as long as I had Cymbeline I was golden. That demon didn’t stand a chance against a reaper!
We came to the next pier, and I laid my eyes on a set of large, ornate gates not too far off. The Styx continued on into the dense fog, but we had reached our stop. Cymbeline and I hopped out, thanked Charon for the ride and made our way to the gates. My spiritual heart was pounding. This was where the real fun would begin.
The first manner of business was getting past the…dog.
Cerberus was a lot bigger than I imagined him to be. The three headed dog was the size of a small house. All three heads growled and snarled at us as soon as we came close to the gates. I admit that I almost jumped out of my skin as soon as the massive beast padded up to us. Cymbeline was far less frightened though. She smiled kindly at the beast and held her hand out. I was worried that one of the heads would bite her hand clean off, but it simply sniffed her. That head let out a soft grunt, and the rest of Cerberus followed suit. He padded away back into the fog as the gates squealed open.
“Looks like he likes me!” Cymbeline giggled. I let out nervous chuckle while at the same time trying not to pull my hair out.
The gate of Tartarus opened to reveal what appeared to be a beautiful interior of a mansion. It was a breath of fresh air from everything else I had seen in the underworld.
“Whoa…” I stammered out. Even Cymbeline seemed to be enamored by the interior decorating. We passed into the grand hall and the gates slammed behind us. I noticed that there was a darkened hallway immediately to my left. I tried to block out the horrible things that came from within. No doubt that that was where the sinners walked. The gorgeous hall was nothing but a tease before they were dragged off to their eternal punishment.
At the end of the hall was a large staircase that spiraled out into two directions. On the wall above the stairs was a massive painting of a man and a woman. The man was handsome, with short black hair and a matching beard. He wore armor and was holding an ancient Greek helmet. The woman was gorgeous, sporting long, auburn hair and dazzling emerald eyes. A ring of flowers sat atop her head. Both appeared fairly young, no older than their late thirties. Those two looked like the picture perfect couple.
My mouth nearly hit the ground when everything around me started to make sense. We were in the home of gods. Hades and Persephone, to be precise. Just wait until I told Zesze about this.
As if on cue, the man from the painting came around the corner. He blinked as if he had not expected to see us there, but his eyes softened after a moment.
“Ah, you must be Cymbeline and Unity,” he said. “Death mentioned that you would be coming.” He extended his hand out to the side, leading us into a large dining hall. “Please, have a seat.” I stared at the man with wide eyes for a second. I wasn’t sure what to say or think. I was standing face to face with an actual god. Me, a 22 year old girl who made a living dancing for other people’s entertainment! I wasn’t sure whether to be starstruck or nervous as Hell. Both was a happy middle.
Cymbeline and I entered into the dining hall to find that a variety of food had been laid out for us. Full turkeys and pigs, bowlfuls of vegetables and more bread that I knew what to do with rested on the table. It was a full feast for a whole army. Was this prepared just for us?
I exchanged confused glances with the reaper as we grabbed a couple of seats next to a blazing fireplace. The heat was comfortable after the trip on the musty, damp Styx.
“Dear!” Hades called out. “Our guests have arrived!”
“I’ll be right there!” A sing-songy female voice replied from afar. Hades grinned and joined us at the table. He wasted no time in tearing a leg off of the turkey and helping himself.
“Please, don’t be shy,” he said with a mouthful of food. “Have as much as you would like. The rest you can take back with you.”
I was hoping he would say that. I had never seen so much food in one place before. My eyes were shining like diamonds and I’m pretty sure that I was drooling. I didn’t care that I was dead and didn’t have to eat! This was food prepared by gods, for crying out loud. How could I possibly deny that? Cymbeline took a hefty helping of food as well. She shrugged and shot me a half-smile. I assume she had the same manner of thinking that I did.
I have to admit that I have never tasted anything so wonderful before or after that feast. Every mouthful of food was better than the last. I had to stop myself from squealing with delight with every bite. The taste of that food isn’t something I can explain on paper. It’s just the kind of thing you would have to eat to believe.
“I was a bit surprised when Death informed me of the news,” Hades said, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. “It’s very rarely that a reaper comes to visit.”
“I’m assuming that my father didn’t phrase it in the best way?”
Hades shook his head and let out a booming chuckle. “If I recall, his exact words were, ‘my daughter and a human spirit are traveling to your area in search of a rogue demon. Take care of them, or I will ruin you.’ Ah, sometimes your father forgets that I still outrank him.”
Cymbeline would later tell me that the horseman of Death didn’t get along with many of the gods of death and the underworld. I wasn’t about to pry into why. I figured that it wasn’t any of my business.
“I must say that Persephone has been intrigued about your little crusade,” the god spoke after polishing off a glass of wine. “She’s been talking nonstop about it since Death explained everything. It appears that you’ve caught her attention, little spirit.” He winked at me, and I couldn’t stop myself from blushing. A reaper on my side was good enough. But now I potentially had the favor of a god? Thank you, sir!
Persephone joined us soon later, and she was even more beautiful in person that she was in the painting. Cymbeline had to poke me in the side to get me to stop staring.
“It’s nice to finally meet you,” the goddess said with a polite bow. I hope that my husband has not been harassing you too much.”
“Just enough,” Cymbeline said. All four of us shared a laugh. In that moment, I realized something about Hades and Persephone. I had always expected the gods to be these towering, omnipotent creatures who could smite you into ash with a flick of their wrist. But sitting down and talking to those two gods was just like having a home-cooked meal with my family. I had no reason to be nervous around them. It was almost like they were more human then I imagined.
Persephone took a seat across from Hades and filled her plate up. She may have had a slim figure, but she loaded more food onto her plate than her husband did. I guess that’s just god metabolism for you.
“Now then, little spirit,” Persephone said. “I’d like to hear your side of the story. I want to know all about why you decided to come chase a demon.”
I explained everything that I could. From the night that my family and I were killed to the members of the Red Line Circus aiding me. Both Hades and Persephone listened on intently. The goddess’ eyes were wide with intrigue. Hades hadn’t been kidding when he mentioned that she was interested in me. Once I concluded my tale, Persephone let out a giggle.
“Well, then. I must say that I admire your fortitude, young lady. Most humans would run and hide if they were so lucky to escape from a demon. But not you. You insisted on coming all the way here to the underworld just to chase him! You also mentioned that he has your family. I suppose that’s a better reason than any to want to go after that demon.”
She grabbed a glass of wine and stood to her feet. She raised the glass to me and grinned from ear to ear.
“Then it’s settled. Unity, I shall accompany you on this quest!” I blinked in shock a few times. I wasn’t sure what to say. My mind was at a complete blank. Did I hear that correctly? Did the goddess Persephone of Greek myth, goddess of the underworld and wife of Hades, just tell me that she was going to…help me? I wanted someone to pinch me. I must have been dreaming.
“T-thank you so much!” I said, bowing as many times as was polite. Cymbeline placed her hand on my shoulder and winked.
“Looks like you’re in good hands now.”
“As for you, reaper,” the goddess continued, “you have a circus to run. You should probably return there while Unity and I finish this little task.”
A look of confusion flashed over Cymbeline’s eyes. “Are you sure? I’m still willing to help if need be.”
Persephone waved her hand dismissively. “You’ve done enough by bringing Unity this far. We will have no trouble locating and disposing of a simple human-turned demon. You should return to your circus and tell your people that Unity is safe and sound.”
“And I hope that you bring the rest of this food to your people as well,” Hades added. “I would hate for it to go to waste.” Cymbeline’s eyes widened as she gazed over the table. I could only imagine what everyone at the circus would say when she returned from the underworld with a mountain of food. At least they would eat well for the next week.
The reaper turned to me and embraced me in a tight hug.
“Good luck,” she said. “I’ll tell everyone that you’ll be back soon.” For a reaper of souls, she gave nice hugs.
“Thanks for all that you’ve done,” I replied. “I couldn’t have gotten here without you.”
With Hades help, Cymbeline gathered up the remaining food. She might as well have taken the whole table. It probably would have been easier. Instead, she held enough boxes to nearly completely hide her from view. I couldn’t help but laugh. She peeked her head around the stack and offered me an assuring grin. A moment later, she was gone. I had to stifle a laugh as I pictured what the reactions of the members of the Red Line Circus would be. I could almost hear the clown named Webster saying something along the lines of, I thought you went to the underworld to help her fight a demon, not to come back with take-out!
Once Cymbeline had departed, Persephone let out a quick sigh and slapped me on the back.
“Now, then,” she said with a smirk. “Let’s go find this demon, shall we?”
The goddess led me to the dark alley that Cymbeline and I had passed earlier. The same one that appeared to lead to a plain of everlasting torment. I was afraid that we were going to have to head that way.
“First, let’s get you a better weapon,” Persephone said. I handed over my sorry excuse for a sword. She studied it for a moment, then slid her hand down the hilt and blade. All of the rust stains and blemishes disappeared under her touch. The sword sparkled like new. Flowering plant growth even began to twist around the hilt. The raggedy sword that I had picked up in the Crossroads was as good as new.
Persephone handed the sword back to me with a proud grin stretching across her lips. “A beautiful weapon for a beautiful young lady.” My face turned crimson. All of these compliments from gods was becoming too much.
I stared down the blackened corridor and shuddered. This was it. The final leg of my journey. Hades told me that no creature gets in or out of Tartarus without his or Persephone’s knowing. They knew exactly where the demon was hiding with my family. Once we were through that corridor, the goddess would whisk me right to his position. Then I could finally take my revenge.
I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t terrified.
Persephone laid a soft hand on my back. “There, there.” Her touch calmed my nerves more than any mental pep talk ever could. “No harm will come to you as long as I am here. Shall we?”
I nodded and wrapped a tight grip over my new and improved sword. If I had anything to say about it, it would be crimson with the demon’s blood by the end of the journey.
“Safe travels, little spirit,” Hades said. “Best of luck to you.” I thanked him with a nod. He kissed Persephone on the cheek and tapped her nose. She pouted. “Try not to get too much blood on your nice dress, dear. I would be jealous if I saw you had all of the fun.”
“Zero promises, Hades,” she replied.
With that, the goddess led the way into the dark corridor. She instructed me to keep my eyes closed for my own safety. I didn’t take any chances. I kept them squeezed together while my sword was held out in front of me. Throughout the walk down the corridor, I felt someone—no, something—try to reach out and grab me. Multiple times I heard Persephone hiss out words like, Ah! Don’t even think about it! and Back off, she’s not for you! I shuddered at the thought of what manner of creatures were lurking only inches from me. I tried not to think about it too much.
After what felt like an hour walking down that infinite corridor, the goddess finally told me that I could open my eyes. I blinked a few times to get them adjusted to the dim light. What I saw did not make me feel any better. The area was even bleaker than the Crossroads. Dark thunderclouds hung in the air, ready to spill a monsoon at any moment. Great walls of boulders flanked us on both sides. And there, in a little inlet of stones, was my family. They looked awful.
My mother was strung up by one leg. The other had been chopped off. My father looked to be nailed to the rocky wall crucifixion style. The other ten members of my family weren’t in any better situation. Aunts, uncles, cousins all mutilated as I had been, if not worse. How long had they been down here in this hell?
I almost lost my nerve then. I nearly broke down into a fit of sobs over the state of my loving family. I wanted to scream. The only thing that kept me sane was seeing Xanther, the demon responsible for all of my family’s pain and hardship, standing by my father. He was completely oblivious to the spirit and the goddess who were standing nearby.
“He’s all yours,” Persephone said. “I’ll see what I can do for your family.” My fist clenched tightly around the hilt of my sword. All sadness left me. Rage took its place. That demon was going to pay dearly for all that he did.
My father’s eyes flicked open. He winced from the pain of his wounds. He looked right at me and stared for a moment as if he had never seen me before. His eyes shot open wide once lucidity hit him.
“Unity!” He called out weakly. My family, as pained as they were, pulled themselves to look in my direction. Each and every one of them wore an expression of shock. Tears ran down my mother’s face and into her hair. I think that once they saw the goddess standing behind me, they finally realized that I was there to break them of their torment.
My father’s call garnered Xanther’s attention as well. He whipped around with mouth hanging agape. A malicious grin started to work its way across his lips, but quickly dispersed as his eyes fell upon Persephone. The bastard hadn’t expected me to come for him. He expected even less that a goddess would join me.
“Well, well,” he said, clearly trying to mask his shock. “What a lovely family reunion. You’re very brave to come all the way here to try and play hero. You even got the goddess of the underworld on your side. Impressive.”
“Shut up!” I screamed. Both the demon and my family fell silent. I was boiling with anger. I was sick of hearing words come out of his evil mouth. “You’re dead!”
The demon let out a booming chortle. “No, actually, you are! Do you think I’m afraid of a spirit with a pretty sword? And you, Persephone, why are you wasting your time with this…insect?”
“Because she has much more courage than you could ever hope to have, demon,” the goddess replied sternly. “You’re nothing but a coward. Hades and I should never have allowed you to come here with those spirits.” Xanther bristled, but tried to brush it off. It was clear that he was getting nervous. Persephone turned to me. “Enough talk. Kill him now before he runs his mouth some more.”
I gritted my teeth and began my march towards the demon. He flashed me a toothy grin, but I could see that he was beginning to sweat.
“How about we make some sort of a deal?” He said. “I’ll let you and your family go if you give me that nice sword. I would say that’s a fair trade.” I made no reply. There was a fire in my remaining eye and it meant to roast that demon alive. There would be no bargaining with a dead man.
Xanther stood his ground at first. He raised his hand at me as if he was going to burn the other half of my face off. I don’t think he expected me to keep walking. That was his first mistake. Before he thought to pull his hand back, I slashed upward with my sword. The blade cut through his hand like butter. Xanther screamed and grasped at his bleeding stump. His demonic eyes flicked up just in time to see my boot smash into his face. He let out another hiss of pain and stumbled backwards right in front of my mother.
With all the strength she could muster, she wrapped her arms around the demon’s waist. Xanther struggled, but my mother’s grip was too strong. I peered over at Persephone, who offered me a wink. My mother would have to thank the goddess later for the blessing of strength.
I marched up to the demon and grabbed him by the throat, just as he had done to me on the night that he killed me and trapped me in a time loop. He spit in my face and licked his lips.
“What a big hero you are,” he growled. “You’re nothing but shit. You won’t kill me. You’re too weak.”
He was about to say something else, but I cut off his words as I plunged my sword through his chest. The blade came centimeters from striking my mother. Thank goodness for good aim.
Xanther spit up blood and stared at me incredulously. I did not give him the satisfaction of a witty reply. I simply stared blankly at him until he crumpled to the ground and fell still. The deed was finally done.
Persephone helped me to release my family from their bindings. All at once, my entire family crowded me with hugs and kisses. Tears were shed, and a lot of them were from me. No more would I cry tears of sadness. Only those of joy spilled from my eyes then. I even noticed Persephone wipe a tear from her own eye. She may not have had to do much, but it was her very presence that sent fear through the demon. It was that fear that allowed me to emerge victorious.
Persephone explained that she could heal some of my family’s wounds and send them on their way to the Spirit Realm. I was content knowing that they would finally be safe from harm.
“Won’t you come with us?” My mother asked. The rest of my family looked on with pleading eyes. As much as I wanted to stay with them, I still had the Red Line Circus. They had done so much for me. I couldn’t leave them empty handed.
I explained as much to my family. Even though they were disappointed, we all took solace knowing that they would be able to visit the circus as often as I could visit them in the Spirit Realm. We would be separated, but never completely apart. That, above all else, put my mind at ease.
I remained in Tartarus with Hades while Persephone brought my family to their new home. There, they could continue spreading cheer with their performances. Mother, bless her soul, even learned how to dance with only one leg. She was a professional, after all. I learned my tricks from the best.
Persephone returned to bring me back to the Red Line Circus. It had felt like a long and tiresome journey, but it was finally over. I only wondered how many years had gone by on Earth.
“Thank you for everything,” I said to the god and goddess. “I am forever in your debt.”
“Oh, do not go saying those kinds of things,” Hades cackled. “The last thing you want to do is be indebted to a god. Consider our aid a hand of generosity.” I shook the god’s hand and felt an odd tingling sensation ride up my arm. So that was what coming into contact with a god felt like?
“If you ever wish to visit us again,” Persephone said, embracing me in a hug, “Just tell one of the demons of the circus to bring you down here. I am sure that they won’t mind. And if they do, just tell them that the goddess Persephone doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
I chuckled and bid my farewells. Persephone laid a hand on the top of my head and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was standing in the fairground of the Red Line Circus. It was early morning. No one was around, save for Noire, who was carrying a crate of something to the large tent. As soon as she spotted me, her eyes flew open wide and she dropped the crate. Whatever was in it shattered as soon as it hit the ground.
“She’s back!” Noire called out before rushing over to me. One by one, different members of the circus exited their tents to see what the commotion was about. Cymbeline rushed over and picked me up in a hug. Others barraged me with questions about what had happened. I was mentally drained from the trip and just wanted to relax. They would get their story in due time. I was just about to say something to Cymbeline when I felt a figure jump onto me and wrap her arms around my chest. I knew it was Zesze from the moment she started weeping into my shoulder. I’d be remiss to say that I didn’t start crying as well. It was good to be back. We were all finally safe.
As I later found out, ten years had passed on Earth while I was in Tartarus. I had gotten the bad time differential after all. No one at the circus seemed to care, not even Zesze. She was just happy to have me back. I discovered that she had built her own little reputation as a strongwoman in the circus while I was gone. She even decided to stay once I had returned. I was grateful for that. It meant that we no longer had to be separated by anything. She was enamored by all the stories that I had for her. She had plenty to keep me occupied as well.
I began dancing again a few days after returning from Tartarus. Now that I was an official member of the Red Line Circus, I had my own act that audiences could enjoy. And enjoy it they did. Most of my acts involved me dancing while the ibex spirit Melodie sang or Zesze performed feats of strength. In later years I would perform alongside a nokken named Valorin, who would play his violin while I showed my moves. He was the first creature to join after me, so you may hear his tale soon.
It has been a wild and amazing ride here at the Red Line Circus. It took a ton of hardship to get here, but I wouldn’t give it up for the world. I still do my dances alongside my friends, and my family is still doing theirs up in the Spirit Realm. Every week they come to visit me. I try not to embarrass myself in front of them, but sometimes I can’t help it.
Everything worked out in the end, I suppose. I went all the way to Tartarus, got the help of a goddess and slayed a demon, rescued my family and returned to become a performer in a supernatural circus. Put that on my resume. I still have the sword that Persephone fixed up for me. I keep it nice and safe in my tent. Luckily, I haven’t had to use it since that fateful day. I hope it stays that way. I’m perfectly content keeping it as a reminder of what I went through.
At the end of the day, though, I’m just a performer at the Red Line Circus. Regardless of all that happened, I don’t consider myself a hero. I’m just a girl who loves to dance and tell stories.
Randy's Tempest of Words 