The wind was gentle, brushing my face in a motherly caress.
'Soft.'
Wherever this place was, it was soft.
And quiet.
Completely quiet.
No sounds of fighting.
No valiant war cries.
Nor clashing steel and thundering boots.
Not even the sound of my own beating heart.
Just….nothing.
I smiled.
'Nothing' was such a misunderstood word.
So abhorred for no reason, completely and absolutely misunderstood.
In a way, the word 'nothing' and myself had that in common.
We were completely and utterly hated, something to be avoided or forgotten amongst the many somethings In the world.
But those very same people who hate the word 'nothing', adored 'freedom'.
But, to me at least, those two words meant the same thing.
Maybe in that sense, I do lose to the word nothing. For under a different name, nothing could be loved.
But as for me, no matter what name I used, I'd always be hated.
'I wonder…am I in heaven?'
It was so peaceful…truly peaceful.
Real peace.
The quiet one that fills your heart, and places a smile on your face you didn't even know was there.
For a moment I thought back to the life I had so recently lost.
Would there be any among them who'd miss me?
If I got lucky enough, would there be someone who'd attend my funeral?
Maybe even sing stories about me from time to time, when the shadows were long and the drink good.
The first person that came to mind was Noah. Brown hair and vivid green eyes, tall for his age.
But no.
Perhaps we didn't hate each other anymore, maybe we had even developed a sort of camaraderie. But missed?
No.
In his life, I would fade into that very loathsome word. Nothing.
I scoured my mind, trying to think of someone else. Another name. Just one other…
But, all I could think of was…nothing.
Was there really no one else?
No one in that short time I had been in that world would miss me? Had I really died both times, leaving no one to love or remember me each time?
I laughed bitterly.
'How disgusting.'
Could there be anything more pathetic than the abhorred, craving love from those who abhor him?
A faint buzz interrupted my thoughts. I ignored it.
'Who else would miss me?'
I heard it again.
'My father?…no, definitely not.'
Then I heard it again, more insistent this time.
I frowned…'what is that?'
Again it sounded…and finally I opened my eyes, realising just then, that I did indeed still have eyes.
A field.
That's what I was sitting on.
A field of endless lush grass, disappearing into soft rolling hills that stretched far beyond the limitation of sight.
But it wasn't that glorious sight that stole my attention.
Instead, it was the blue screen hovering in front of me.
CONGRATULATIONS, ARTHUR GRAVEWALKER
YOUR TRIAL IS NOW UPON YOU.....
My eyes widened.
'The trial?'
'So…that means I'm not dead?'
That meant sooner or later, I would once again open my eyes, and instead of grass, I would see blood. Instead of the wind, there'd be fire.
And instead of nothing, there would only be war.
ERROR???
ERROR???
MEASURING CANDIDATES SOUL...
ERROR...
ERROR….
CONDITION FOR ENTERING TRIAL : UNBLESSED
BLESSING: SUN'S CONCEPT FOUND...
PREREQUISITE CONDITIONS FULFILLED!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE PASSED YOUR TRIAL
PREPARING TO TRANSPORT...
'I-already passed?'
"Hah, a stroke of good luck."
'Sun's Concept. Sounds powerful. I guess the bastard really did give me a little bonus then.'
After a moment of waiting, I opened my eyes again to see…that I hadn't been transported back.
The same message was still there
PREPARING TO TRANSPORT...
'Is it….lagging?'
Letting out a deep breath, I decided to take a stroll instead of just waiting.
'No harm in enjoying a little peace.'
But now it was impossible.
Each moment no longer felt like nothing, it felt like held breath. Tense and fleeting as I waited for it to be inevitably snatched away.
Even nothing was not permitted to the bastard Arthur Gravewalker.
Instead I opted to go on a walk.
As I walked, I couldn't see beyond swathes of lush green grass wafting in a cool breeze.
'Where did the trials send a person?'
I didn't know, but it seemed like something that would be interesting to learn.
It was a shame that the original Arthur Gravewalker hadn't had any interest in anything, it left me with very little knowledge to work with.
'I wonder if the trials sent a person to a place that existed in the real world…I hope so.'
After twenty minutes of walking I finally reached the edge of the island. On the cliffside I stood, looking over the ocean. Deep blue and loud as waves crashed against the cliff bottom.
This was a sound I didn't mind.
It sounded similar to the white noise I used to listen to in the army, when the sound of raining artillery grew too loud.
'Simpler times.'
This place….I wonder if I could ever return.'
PREPARING TO TRANSPORT…..3
'If it does exist in the real word, it'd be a nice place to settle down.'
2
'This would be a nice little corner of the world.'
1...
'Where I could perhaps once again return to nothing.'
ERROR…
INTERFERENCE
SYSTEM CORRUPTION DETECTED…..
CANDIDATE BEING FORCEFULLY EXTRACTED….
'Huh?'
Before I had the chance to process the words, the earth beneath began to shudder. Hands rose, dark monstrous hands carved from shadow, coiling around my body like chains.
I struggled, fighting against it? "No!"
My struggles were pointless. Slowly, painfully slow, I was pulled down.The last thing I saw was the clear before sky, before with a final struggle, I was yanked deep beneath the Earth.
I was kneeling….
That's the first thing I realised.
Kneeling on a cold marble floor. My eyes could only see a small portion of where I was. The rest was swallowed in an abyss of shadow. A darkness so profoundly deep and immovable that it seemed to be more than just the mere absence of light.
"Oh…not bad."
My head snapped forward. A figure appeared in front of me that hadn't been there moments earlier.
He was tall, dressed in shadow that seemed to stretch endlessly on the ground.
His skin was pale, no, it was beyond pale, as if it had never seen the sun. Its hair was midnight, eyes like glittering blood-rubies, and while it certainly looked human…
I could tell it was far from it. The soft smile playing on its face, the smirk in its eyes, all of it was a mask. A cheap, human mask.
"W-who are you?" I stammered, trying to calm my pounding heart. It seemed to thunder within my chest, as if trying to resist the figure's presence.
The figure tilted its head slightly but said nothing. "Think" it replied simply.
Lives underground, creepy, powerful. It controls shadows and darkness…
"…Hades" I whispered, the realisation coming to me as I said it.
"Where am I then?"
The smiling on Hades's face widened. "Good."
I shuddered.
This wasn't good. This was far from good.
He was one of the deities that had little to do with the mortal world. In the novel, Hades had never had a mortal avatar. That meant I hadn't learnt a thing about him.
He was a deity better known amongst the creatures of night…and he was more feared than worshipped, even by the worst of them.
And rightfully so.
Hades…Sovereign of death, eldest of the three, firstborn of Kronos and Lord of the Underworld. Not a person I wanted to attract the attention of.
"Why did you drag me here?"
Hades leant back, and as he did so a throne of shadow materialised right behind him. He said nothing, his ruby eyes merely inspecting me with a mild curiosity.
"I wonder what you have heard about me?"
'What?'
My face twisted into disbelief. Was he really just going to kidnap me then try to have…small talk?
'No calm down, even in the novels the nicest of deities were eccentric.'
"Perhaps…if you release me, I'll tell you."
From what I knew, many deities enjoyed talking with mortals who were slightly difficult to handle, as long as they weren't too difficult.
"I am not forcing you to kneel."
'What?'
Hesitantly I got up. He was right. Nothing stopped me as I got up to my feet. There never had been.
'Did I kneel….out of instinct?'
"I merely want to talk" Hades continued.
"Talk? Why would you want to talk with me?"
Hades leaned forward, his ruby eyes glittering with a shuddering interest. "Your soul…I have never seen its like before."
"What does that mean?" I didn't like the look in those eyes. They were a little too interested.
"Arthur…do you know why I rarely contract with humans?"
I shook my head. "No…sir?"
He smiled softly. "Do you think I hate humans?"
I was about to nod, after all. Nearly all the creatures associated with Hades killed humans for sport or food.
But something made me pause.
'It wasn't because of Hades that they killed humans. It was in their nature to do so anyway.'
In the novel it had never been released the specific reason why Hades, despite being such a powerful deity, never had a representative amongst any of the three continents.
"No, I don't think so" I concluded. If Hades had truly hated humanity, there was much worse he could've done, even while obeying the rules laid out by Zeus.
Hades nodded again, his expression pleased. "It is because of my nature Arthur."
He leaned back in his throne, his voice taking on a distinct fond tone.
"I am of death. Humans are not. You are of life. More so than the elves or the dwarves. And no, I don't speak of lifespans for which your kind undoubtedly has the least off. I speak of life."
Hades then shot to his feet, practically dancing with energy as he gestured to the air, as if seeing something that I couldn't.
"Your so…emotional. Right from the start. Love and hate, friendship and rivalry.
Even the way you hate is exquisite.
Constantly warring with yourselves, in a battle of thought and wit.
Heart and brain. Morals and desires. You live guided by the naïve ideals you learnt through your momentary speck of existence.
But somehow, they are beyond you as well, more than you. More than one, as your life bleeds into the others, staining the universe for much longer than mere years ever could.
You live guided by regret, and experiences, of love and pain. While still managing to hope through it all."
He let out a deep breath, eyes closed as if he was relishing something. "It's all so…fresh."
I bit back a nervous chuckle. "You know for a god of death, you certainly love life."
Hades opened his eyes again, but this time a profound sadness had replaced the almost childish excitement.
"I do…perhaps that's why my brother saw fit to charge me with this duty. But alas, I digress. As I said, I am of death. So, only those of death could ever manage to enter these halls."
"So….what you're saying is, it's because I've killed people that I can enter these halls?" I asked hesitantly. That didn't make a lot of sense.
Hades sighed. "Have you not paid attention to anything I said? There are plenty who have killed more than you" he replied, nose wrinkling.
"Humans have a penchant for that. I'm talking about dying…"
Words died in my throat, my body tensing. 'Does he know?
But then Hades was a deity.
A powerful one at that…wouldn't it make sense he would know. Especially since I had cheated death?'
I opened my mouth to speak, but it was as if my voice no longer existed.
My eyes widened in horror as I stared at Hades. He was smiling now, one long finger placed on his lips.
"Please dear boy…I do hate spoilers. I do not know how you managed to die twice, or how you managed to circumvent my domain. But for now, I am more than content with the mystery."
I nodded slowly, and as soon as I did so, my voice immediately returned.
Hades sighed heavily again, sinking lower into his throne.
"I think you have been kind enough to entertain my ramblings long enough now.
It has been a long time since I last spoke to a living human, and I fear that the prospect of conversing once more has delayed us far too long from the real reason why you are here.
So allow me to be direct.
Arthur Gravewalker, do you wish to become one of my Blessed?"
My mind went blank in a daze.
'His blessed?'
It would certainly have an advantage.
A Blessed of Hades hadn't never been seen before. Or at the very least I had never heard of one. But with the original holder of this body, I was sure there was plenty I hadn't heard off.
"Why?" I asked.
Hades smiled again, as if savouring the questions. "Ahh yes, suspicion. Another emotion that shapes your kind strongly." He seemed to savour it for a moment before continuing.
"I have many reasons Arthur, too many, and to be frank, this place would corrode your soul to dust long before you would be able to listen to them all.
But I will digress a few.
One is that you are in the unique position among mortals in that you can accept my blessing for reasons I'm sure I will learn in the future in a lovely surprise reveal.
And the second is, well, a blessing is a tether. In exchange for giving power, a part of me is bound to you. I will see what you see. Experience what you experience….live what you live."
"So in short" I surmised. "For entertainment?"
Hades nodded, "An absolute gross summarisation that completely disregards all my feelings…but yes."
I nodded. "Will I get a strong blessing?"
Hades shook his head. "You are unable. Unfortunately, you already have a blessing from another deity. A powerful one…"
He reappeared right in front of me, scarlet eyes boring into my skull. "…And I do not say that lightly."
I stepped back. "So I can't handle multiple blessings then?"
"No, it's merely that my blessing and that deity's blessing are quite…incompatible. It would damage you if I were to give you a stronger blessing you see. So I will give you a small flame…let us see how you deal with it."
I nodded, inwardly understanding nothing he was saying. But it didn't matter, I would learn it all when I got to the academy. If I got into the academy.
"Well, I think I'll return you now Arthur."
I nodded, "Thank you Hades."'
Hades smiled again, revealing a row of perfect teeth. "Live for me, Arthur Gravewalker."
Then the blue screen flashed in front of me again for the first time since I had been dragged to this place.
ERROR!!!
TWO BLESSINGS DETECTED!!!
HADES'S FLAME, SUN'S CONCEPT….
TRIAL IS COMPLETED…..
CHANGES ARE BEING UNDERTAKEN TO CANDIDATE : ARTHUR GRAVEWALKER….
A surge of power erupted with me, roaring through my veins with molten lava. I gasped, clutching my chest as my entire body burned from the inside, struggling to contain the raw energy.
"Hahahahah" I rasped through the pain. 'I would finally be able to wield mana.'
Soon the pain subsided and I fell to the floor, body trembling in sweat.
MANA PATHWAYS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN OPENED!!!
BLESSINGS ARE NOW BEING BOUND TO CANDIDATE….
'Ahh fuck.'
My body began to shudder again, shaking uncontrollably. My blood started running cold. Turning into ice, while my skin began heating as if being set on fire. Smoke rose from my body and I felt my muscles tear, and bones pop.
I screamed, the pain was unimaginable.
The cold and heat seemed to be fighting against each other, laying waste to my body.
Darkness began to fill my vision.
The last thing I heard was a faint, haunting laughter.