Doctor of the Underworld

Eyes of hell fire, brighter than a coal aflame revealed to me their menacing beauty.

And bewitched, I stood bound by a reality no different from fantasy, for before me was the god spoken of in ancient hymns, the Ruler of the dead.

My grip on the curtain loosen and soon my hand falls limp to my side as I stood in a daze, long enough for a look of nonchalance and a weak smile to be unable to compensate for my rude stares.

This King was not atop any extravagant throne, nor a golden wreath crowned his lustrous hair like ink as he languidly leans back by his bed and under those amber eyes, even the most calmest of souls would falter, with its gaze never to be the first to avert its focus, but they were indifferent to the world, and far from welcoming.

"Can you cure me, mortal child?" A deep voice questions in annoyance.

Audibly I gulp, complaining in my heart, a sweet old man was so much better!

The journey that brought me to this very moment started of with an argument, an argument that I now I wish my mother had won.

And my mind starts to play an awful dramatic music in que for a flashback.

"So you want to spent your summer alone, and in the middle of nowhere." A woman in her early forties scoffs her grey eyes glaring behind large reading glasses as she flips through the pages of the file in her hands.

"I won't be by myself, I will have two maids to look after me." Maintaining a straight face, I say in my most persuasive tone.

She sets the file down on the table and looks at me, exasperated and I knew then that I was in for a rundown of all those times I messed up in my life.

"Do you remember the time you to stayed with Aunt Irene? You broke your cousin's nose! right after he FRACTURED your leg." She sighs looking away as if feeling sad for the poor boy and not her innocent daughter. "There is no way that I would let you stay in that old house even if you had an entire army guarding you."

"Because my love." Her tone softens as her lays down her glasses. "You're a ten year-old soul inhibiting a fifteen year-old body with the MINDSET of a five year-old who plays with a two year-olds toys!!"

Her graceful features contours in anger, and nearby my father who chose to remain in neutral territory hides behind his newpaper presumably smiling at his daughter's plight.

My lips part in a deep sigh stopping myself from rebuking her every word, not even pointing out that I, as a matter of fact fractured my leg when I fell into a ditch, or how my cousin deserved to get his nose broken for smaking down my ice-cream. And how I am actually SEVENTEEN, something she very well knew, but it seems to be a norm for mothers to either raise or lower their children's age according to the situation.

And seeing no other way to get through to this practical mother of mine, I give into emotions. "Ma, you know that...that I miss Nana. And we haven't gone back to that house ever since she passed away."

"Its been four years and now you are selling it...I understand that you don't want to leave it empty so you have to give it away. But please let me stay stay there for a month, that place has too many memories I have of her."

"Ma please."

Her grey eyes becomes gentle knowing how attached I was to my great grandmother and after a series of emotional backmails and desperated yelling she finally gave in with the ending words. "Fine, but you better not visit those ruins."

And a week later, I arrieved in Greece and with a backpack in hand I had hiked through the mountain trials to stand before the same ruins my mother talked of, as if it was only natural.

The degrading structure before me once used to a Greek temple, bringing peace to the land, but now only little remains with the people of the town nearby deadset on the rumours being true, of a curse casted to trap those trespassing into hysterics, unable to leave till their last breaths.

But Nana never seemed afraid unlike her fellow town folks and usually brought me along to this place she used to call Ouránios katastrofí, meaning the celestial wreck.

It wasn't the thirst for an adventure that brought me here, but its rich untented gardens with rare species of plants thriving untouched by the outside world.

My interest for plant life was stemmed from my gift, something most found strange, for from the time I was conscious I knew the medicinal properties of each plant there is, from roses, to moss, to palm trees, like a built-in catalogue with pictures and habitat in my mind, never overlapping or confusing.

On revelation of such an ability it was not uncommon for people to think of it as a joke and nicknames, ohh I had many. My most favourite being witch doctor though I never sported baggy hats or brooms though maybe I could have pulled it off with combat boots.

And being here today was with a specific purpose, for a plant that had long ago quipped my interest but was never let to pluck for Nana said it would bloom after seven years and now those years have passed but even after two hours searching, the odds weren't in favour.

I wipe my forehead relieving it off sweat that took only seconds to be replaced, my clothes uncomfortably clinging to skin. I wanted to find it, figure out what was so special about that one tiny green bud, but I was out of luck. It was nowhere to be found.

It was as I neared the temple itself that I heard the distinct sound of flowing water and curious of its source I enter the ruins I was always warned against by Nana fearing its collapse and whatnot.

The roof was almost nonexistent, the walls eroded inwards and numerous humanoid statues remained by the sides with only few retaining traces of its former artistic beauty. I stepped carefully over pieces of rubble on the mossy floor that clearned in patches to reveal paintings lost of their luster and colour in only blurred outlines.

I neared the end of the edifice, there was a hole in the floor, almost two meters in radius and something about it makes me cautious as I slowly inch as if fearing something would suddenly pop up.

My vivid imagination at times like this, did not help as I peered into murky waters that strangely wasn't stagnant and unable to see past its surface to know its depth. Quenching my curiosity I step away trying to keep a relatively safe distance.

But suddenly rumbling noises come from underneath my feet and with this brief warning, the floor crumbles and slides forward taking me along into the waters beneath.

I fall in with a shriek that was close to animalistic as I plunge into ice cold waters that momentarily leaves me dumb with a lack of response.

And when the shock fades instincts kick in and I force my limbs to work, but as my face surfaces a strange force more powerful than gravity pulls at my body submerging it and I fail to keep my mind and thundering heart calm.

The screams, I push down my throat, giving it my whole to break through to the surface and a single breath is all I gain as I am once again pulled down to its depths.

The breath I managed to hold, fails me as it escapes in bubbles and the light shining down from the entrance, my only hope grows dimmer till only darkness remain as company.

My eyes flutter open to the voice beckoning me to the light, instantly assulted by the coldness of the floor that I lay upon drenched and shivering.

"Are you awake?" The same voice questions and I turn to the silhouette of a man behind steel bars and in response I sit up uncomfortable by the water trapped in my ears.

Did I not drown?

For someone to save me, the chances were really low, but still here I was in a strange place and I wonder to myself, was I ever this lucky?

"Are you human?" The man asks and my hands reach up to my hair pitying myself that my state even made him uncertain of my species.

"What do I look like?" I laugh and find my body's health quite odd since from the moment I lost consciousness water should have entered my lungs, but I seemed entirely fine. And if my saviour did perform basic first aid why leave me soaked to succumb to hypothermia.

While I was lost in thought the man was silent and I realise that he was serious when asking and with warmed cheeks I was made to admit. "Yes, I am human."

There was movement on his side. "Then I apologise for locking you up like this, we had had follow procedure and make sure that you were mortal."

Mortal? Aren't we all? The explanation only leads me to ask for more. If this was indeed the worst day of my life, I was probably kidnapped and put into this cell with chandeliers for lighting.

Watching me knead my forehead I hear him chuckle and drop to his knees after nearing the bars. And a face heavily contradicting what I had in mind for a rough and tough kidnapper offered me a small smile.

A spring sky was held in his eyes of blue, disarming all with a single glance.

Thick lustrous blonde locks created a halo over fair skin of features moulded from granite, polished and smooth but his smile brought to it a certain softness.

My brows were raised in obvious surprise by the man no older than twenty two and clearing all other thoughts I try to be polite hoping to find some answers. "My name is Elizabeth."

In shock he sets himself down crosslegged soon seeming amused when squeezing his hands between the bars. "I am William. "

This man was handsome from the lines of his lips to the gentleness of his voice but the depths of his eyes made him beautiful and the intelligence behind them made him charming.

"Nice to meet you." I shake his hand warmly and like once before he chuckles throwing a query my way.

"You sure that you are human?"

Faking seriousness I play along."I am starting to have my doubts." And here I was getting cozy with my potential kidnapper.

His smile widens and props his chin on his palm. "How did you get here"?

And all my guesses and speculations went down the drain. "You mean you did not take me here?"

He keeps silent, not wanting to answer and I very much wanted to do the same, but given this situation with only cons in an endless list I could only cooperate.

"I was at an old greek temple because I wanted to find a plant, but unfortunately I fell into a pit and lost consciousness and when I woke up, I was here."

"What plant?" It was not William that spoke but someone with a greasy voice behind him and untill now I had thought only William was involved in this strange plot but it surely wasn't the case.

"I don't know."

"Then why were you looking for it?" I get up as William rise looking back to the speaker. This man was much less friendly and his tone like that of interrogating a criminal.

"It has medicinal value so I wanted to know more of it." But unlike my expectations, the reason did not put an end to his curiosity.

"You...you wanted to make a medicine out of it?" A man around his forties having more strands of grey than black finally steps out of the shadows.

Are you cosplaying? I wanted to ask while taking in his attire of ancient armour over red robes, a deadly sword hanging on his belt of leather.

"Sort of."

Chaos soon broke with multiple people hidden away from my sight starting to speak, the echoes too hard to discern.

I shrank back to the wall when it grew louder and the loudest of the group finally letting me hear a clear statement. "She's a doctor!"

"A doctor!" A dozen men said in unison pushing me to correct the misunderstanding.

"I am not a doctor, you have got-"

"Get her out of the cell." William cuts me off puting an end to the enthusiastic screams and I look to him still by the bars, his ocean eyes cautious and calculating.

The door it pushed open and I cramp myself into the corner when another man in matching armour as the first enters, his hands reaching out when saying."Come with us."

I pause for a moment to watch his actions and when he tries to grab my arm, his expression unapologetic I drive my fist to his nose jabbing upwards towards the nostrils. But the man does not stagger and closes in unflinching to the sound of broken bones.

My mind races when he nears as if wanting to hug and in such close range I couldn't find the momentum to throw a punch and so I bent my arm at the elbow and aim at his chin.

But in the last moment lower its force remembering his broken nose and like before the attacker seemed unbothered.

"Don't touch me." Something changes in his stance and surprisingly steps away as if realising that he was being rude.

So instead he tries to grab onto my hands again and now having known that using brute force was futile I evade. This tactic was always easier on the one chasing and within limited space I was already having a hard time before two others join in.

"Three against one? Come on!" But with two on either side holding my hand and the other desperately trying to get ahold of my legs, they were unashamed by such unfair play.

"Let me go, " Finding myself completely defeated, there was no room for strategy amid frustration and I kick around blindly resembling a chick caught in hawk's claw.

"Leave her." William orders stepping towards us and their grip loosen and I slip free, annoyed and angry.

I knew stockholm syndrome took days to set in the kidnapped, but I nevertheless felt betrayed when I met his gaze. "Elizabeth, please come with us no will harm you. We only want to take you to our lord."

"No." I retreat a few steps back, my eyes wandering to find escape routes. "What are you saying? Who is this Lord you are talking about?"

A sigh leaves William' lips and he looks to me a little helpless. "You have trespassed into the domain of the dead, the Kingdom of the Underworld."

"And now you will be our Lord Hades' Doctor."

Huh?!?!

"Look William, if this is a kidnapping for money or simply because my mom pissed you off, you can tell me, lets keep it straight okay." I keep my expression unfazed as more people make the crowd.

"I know breaking the victim's will is very effective, but you don't have to bother I will give you my parents number so ask your men to stand down."

William' brows were furrowed listening intently till I said my piece.

"Elizabeth, the hole you fell into a long ago had an alter built over it where offerings by worshippers were kept, but is no longer of use but somehow it acted as a portal." His tone was soft as if coaxing a kid throwing a tantrum.

"Our Lord Hades is the greek god of the Underworld, commonly called in the human tongue as hell, but it is not as scary as people makes it seem.

After a person's death their soul reaches the Underworld and they are judged for their deeds and sent to the afterlife they are worthy of. I understand this might be very confusing for you-"

"I know of greek myths." My voice was raised but not from rage but frustration. "How long have you been following me to be so thorough, did you really go through my search results?

"Was the floor crumbling also part of the plan. The getups and the set is all very realistic but you should have come up with a more realistic theme."

"This is not a lie." Will seemed rather helpless, his still kept his patience.

"I am a huge fan of mythology and the mysteries that come with it, but please, please don't expect me to believe this."

"Elizabeth. "

"If what you are saying is true why don't I find myself amongst the other souls? And my heart is surely beating, I am sadly sweating and I am breathing so I am not dead." I argue feeling my own pulse.

"You really are in the Underworld."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not."

"You are"

"I am not lying."

"You..are."

There was unpleasant noice from the sides and when I turn in time for it to repeat my eyes widen as a man plunges his sword into another's heart while he doesn't even let out a yelp in pain.

I hold back a scream trying to believe it was a silly magic trick and maybe my stubbornness was written clear on my face for he withdraws the sword with no blood tainting its blade and the man with a gaping hole in his chest only shrugs when the sword is lifted again.

And without mercy slashes cleaving him by the waist and it is only when the torso falls backward and the stumbling legs forward did I scream.

And it was not a second later that the amputated parts turn to dust and disperse in air.

"Elizabeth, he will be alright. He is already dead so his body will regenerate again in the hall of judgement so please relax."

I knew William was trying to soothe out my tense nerves but it only made them taut like a stretched bows' string.

"Do you believe us now?" I stare at the man holding the sword, his expression infuriated and I felt was if sand was grinding down my throat making it hoarse when I spoke. "Why...why did you do that?

Suddenly William moves to blocks away my view quickly apologising on the other's behalf. "Forgive them, they did not mean any harm. But you see questioning the Underworld' existence is similar to questioning their very being.

"Will-"

"Eli -"

We began and end at the same time wanting to let the other speak and hence breaking the names to what would be a nickname each would fall into naturally later on for no reason in particular.

"Listen, don't hit me I won't harm you." He says drawing near and I vaguely look upto him.

Sorry Will, but I won't come with you willingly.

About two and a half minutes later.

Status: Still a backpack.

Position: Piggybacked.

Tactics tried: Hitting, kicking, screaming, punching, begging, guilt-tripping, fainting.

Result: Still a backpack.

"Are you already giving up?" He chides hunching forward to keep me balanced as I sat there arms-crossed unwillingly to lean on him.

Looking to the blonde locks of the man reduced to a horse I supress a smile.

"Don't let your guard down, I'm a tiger in cat's clothing."

"Yeah, yeah, sure sure, " He teases and I appreciate his efforts to lighten my mood but the tears were barely held back and like any other rational person ending up in trouble, a scary thought plagued my mind.

My mother is going to kill me!

And my poor old man would slowly but surely be murdered by her wrath remembering how he helped me pack my bags for this eventful holiday.

I sigh, only if I had listened to her.

And I prayed they never found my body and only wanted it to decay with a trace for I wanted them to have strand of hope when the news breaks of my missing and not mourn for my death.

And death did not bring me regrets of the things I couldn't have and places I wanted to go but only pain with the knowledge that the people who loved me would have their lives disrupted and changed, be it a small like a name uttered in passing that would ignite memories.

"How did you learn to fight like that?"

"Ah?" I was broken away from my thoughts when Will speaks and I discreetly wipe away the tears that had spilled not noticing the dark spots of moisture over his clothes.

"When my subordinates tried to bring you outside, you fought really well."

I clear my throat before answering fearing I would sound like a frog.

"My parents are overprotective freaks and I have had a bodyguard acting as a housekeeper the times I was left home alone when they were on business trips."

"And he taught me a couple of moves in his free time and my brother is older to me by five years so learning them was done with the most sincerity but I my skills are hardly praise worthy, but you know this one time-" I stop myself realising I was blabbering and he turns his head smiling.

"Go on."

"No its nothing important, I am just nervous and I am already talkative by nature and currently since I want to keep away bad thoughts I am just mindlessly chattering, I know its not the best-" I pause realising I was doing the same and Will laughs lifting the awkwardness.

We were now past the prison barracks and entering the halls of a palace painted from fairy tales, the red carpet lining the floors sinking up to the ankles, the sensation no different from running through a lush green meadow.

On the most ostentatiously detailed walls hung paintings of landscapes large and realistic enough to be misunderstood for windows to another land and all stair rails were ornate mahogany, polished and carved to shine.

Furniture likely handmade without a replica to be found of each piece and antics whose variety was not restricted to a single continent or race were set apart where it could be admired the best. In conclusion it would take a small army of servants for its upkeep.

Will had long since been laughing and when the strong reverberations of his chest seize I ask. "Has Hades been treated by someone before?"

"Do not call him by his name." The guard closest to us warns, but finding using the honorific funny in my tongue I do not give any false promises.

Will shakes his head. "You see there are no doctors in the Underworld as staff and neither is our Lord willing to call Apollo, the god of medicine. "

"Sounds like he is stubborn, " It was only a whisper but a dozen heads turn to me all sharing the same thought.

"What a disrespectful young girl!" Someone among them scolds and I did not know how to respond because I never meant to be rude.

"You don't need to apologise." Will says noticing my frown and I nod.

And while I did not know anything of the palace interiors it felt as though we were taking the longest route to our destinations like everybody was stalling from meeting a calamity.

"How does a god fall ill, isn't he immortal?" I ask easing into Will's arms with mine around his neck as he shifts me forward treating me as a baby for a change.

And to all the diligent staff trailing behind it seemed as the small ferocious beast taking hesitant steps had let out a grunt and finally withdrawn its fangs for comfort.

Will lowers his eyes only answering to the second query. "Yes he is immortal. " And in tactic understanding of the sensitivity of the first I do not pester while secretly swearing to get to the bottom of it later.

"Why are your eyes shifting colours?" Will halts his step and so do the rest.

"Oh, you see it too?"

He nods a little confused by my expression. "They were violet just now like iolite."

"You see I have been told that my eyes change colour but I have never caught a glimpse of the phenomenon even when staring at the mirror for ages."

How many people have I had to calm down dismissing it as a trick of the light and I believed it to be so but the number of people coming up to me with the same questionwas clear proof that it was a lie.

"That's really strange...oh here we are." Will announces upon reaching the destination and I steel my heart.

We reach an arched double door with knobs made of jewels that I doubt would get me an island or two and the one who was the most active amongst the group with a goatte knocks and then opens the doors and I finally remember a part that I missed.

The god of the Underworld was also the god of wealth.

A large bedroom comes in sight with a canopy bed big enough to let five people sleep without noticing the other.

One could almost trace a pattern in the details given to the palace decor of perfect assemblance but inside this bechambers there was a noticeable difference which at the same time could not specifically be pointed out.

It was as though the palace was the god's house and the this room, acers smaller to it was his home.

"Lord Hades it is very selfish of us but we have a brought a doctor." Only three enter the room including us, all keeping well away from the bed.

"I am not a doctor, " I mumble to myself as Will lets me down only drawing away his hands when assured I was stable on my feet.

"My lord please approve of our selfless wish." The request was made again with sincerity showing in each word and my curiosity towards the god behind the curtains rise.

How would be look like? A Light too blinding to took at, or similar to a human or simply a white smudge -__-

"Please let the mortal treat your highness." All except Will like a practiced line say in unsion and the echoes dies down to the peaceful quiet.

"Can you cure me human child?" A deep voice comes from behind the curtains questioning in annoyance and my envision of an old man shatters like porcelain.

"I can try, " I genuinely answer, hoping to later introduce myself as a some earthly wizard and not a doctor if I did succeed, but maybe the reply wasn't good enough for no sound came from the other side.

Patience is a virtue, but never my forte.

And so thirty seconds into silence, I was beginning to suspect the supposed patient had fallen asleep.

And so before the overprotective batch of grown-ups could start their lecture on good manners I step forward reaching out to open wide the violet curtains and revealed to me was a deity draped over silk sheets lazily glancing up in displeasure.

The beauty of jade like skin, pale without flaws were magnificently brought forth by the robes of black he adorned and the extravagance of his palace bleached before the eyes of amber and within them were the flames of hell, scorching sinners.

I did not move a single muscle caught up in strange stupor, staring ahead overwhelmed by the outwardly and my shamelessness advanced a level when seconds later my lips part in a gasp as if my brain processing had only just been restored.

The baleful aura exuding from this being was with careless apathy in a dreamy languor, distant even when smiling, but different to it all was the lethergy spawned from sickness but one could not easily tell it apart from his idle nature.

And of a tall stature he seemed accustomed to looking down to see people, his eyes open only halfway and its scornful gaze was arrogant and the brilliance of amber eyes far from welcoming.

Audibly to all spectators, I gulp silently screaming, a sweet old man was so much better.