Persephone's Ring

“Heavy…” Rayen groaned as she came to. Opening her eyes she blinked blurriness clouding her vision. Glancing down as her vision adjusted the heavy object pressing on her body was an unconscious Kerian. “Um…” she shook him. “Are you okay?”

As he didn’t move or make a sound she began to worry. Rolling him off of her she laid her head to his chest. ‘Good, it’s beating,’ she thought.

“So…” he spoke groggily gripping his head. “What are you doing?” Keiran sat up slowly.

“What happened?” Rayen asked glancing around.

“We fell,” he replied. “Are you alright? I tried to break your fall.”

“Oh?” she thought for a moment remembering what happened earlier, how they fell and he pulled her in close taking the brunt of the fall. “No no I’m fine thanks to you,” she shook her head. “But are you okay?” she leaned over pushing back his hair revealing a cut. “You’re bleeding here.”

“It’ll be fine,” he stood dusting off. He held out a hand to help Rayen up to her feet. He took a look around to get his bearings. It seemed they were trapped underground somehow. “We’re here and we’re in the dark we should try and find a way out soon,” he kept hold of her hand as they walked.

“We can barely see, should we get to a wall and feel along it?” she suggested

“Sounds like a plan.” He slowly shuffled about until his hand touched a wall. “You said you saw a sign.” He tried to make small talk to fill the darkness.

“Maybe it was warning about the area being unstable,” she suggested. “we’re only two people and we fell pretty easily.”

“We’re pretty unlucky huh?” he raised a brow. “Chased and then falling down here.”

“Well I hope the others have more luck,” her voice was quiet. It had been a very long time since she cared about the well being of others and she found it a little strange.

“When I think back on it, I did feel like their eyes weren’t as focused on the others…” he admitted.

“Maybe you remind them of someone?” she hinted. “So they could just be taking it out on you.”

“Who knows. But that just shows, bad luck.” Keiran stopped. “Feels like a draft coming in.”

“I kinda feel it so shall we follow it?”

“Hmm…” Keiran went quiet as if contemplating something. “For now I guess.”

They followed the draft still sticking close to the wall.

It seemed like they’d just been blindly walking with no direction in the silent darkness. There was nothing, there was not even a shred of light, only the small breeze they followed and the warmth of the other’s hand.

“We’ve walked for a long time and still no end or more light,” Rayen groaned as she stopped and sat against the wall.

“Yeah,” Keiran slid down the wall to sit beside her.

“So what do you remember most about her?” she turned her head to look at him. “With my parents I remember they were always there when I called, always, when I had nightmares or was sick or hurt they were always there to comfort me.”

“I remember many things,” he turned to look at her. “First and foremost her smile and eyes.” Keiran closed his eyes. “She was also very kind, caring but she could be stubborn and stern,” he reminisced fondly. “She wasn’t afraid to tell me off either like most; an honest person who stuck to what she believed.”

“She sounds amazing,” Rayen complimented.

“She was very one of a kind,” he opened his eyes. “And your parents as well, I’m sorry you lost them to all this.”

“I’ve gotten used to it,” she looked down at her free hand. “I have a jumbled head but I remember a lot of nice things about them, if I close my eyes they’re there.” She was the one to close her eyes this time. “Come on tell me more about her.”

Keiran watched her the corner of his mouth twitching. “Well she was amazingly beautiful and smart.”

Her eyes popped open and she dropped her hand to her side. Shifting she turned her whole body to face Keiran. “You sound completely smitten, how’d you meet?”

Keiran went quiet and his face fell.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Rayen reassuringly squeezed his hand.

“It’s fine,” he shook his head staring at their hands. Standing up, he finally let go of her hand then took a few steps gathering his words. “I’m a workaholic as some would say so I don’t really get many chances to mingle and meet people. I had just by chance saw her one day,” he started a silly smile creeping on his face at the thought. “She was with others but she stood out to me and it’s completely cliche and cheesy but I loved her from that moment even though we’d never met.” He turned to her hand on his hip as he continued. “There was an issue with actually getting close but honestly from the moment we actually made contact I wasn’t very liked by her, she argued at me whenever she could or complained or did anything to try and set me off it was a little exhausting but I kinda enjoyed it though that may sound weird.”

“Sounds nice, she brought something different to the day a splash of color or at least that’s how books describe it, painting always looks the same no matter when or where and when an unknown color hits the canvas suddenly the picture changes and becomes something new.” She leaned on her knees.

“It certainly was like that, a flurry of colors I’d never seen, very different from others I’d met, her mother was not happy though, but eventually we came to understand one another became friendly and then she returned my feelings,” he ran a hand through his hair. “Her mother still hates me though.”

“Her loss, you clearly loved your wife immensely, she should’ve given you a chance.” Rayen stood up and stretched. “You’re a really good guy from what I know.” She gave him a pat on the shoulder, “I feel like you’re the awkward type at least in this story,” she stood. Dusting off she took his hand again, “we should start moving.”

“Thank you but what about you?” he asked. “I did most of the talking.”

“When we have our next break I’ll talk, hows that sound?” she grinned back at him. “Come on.”

“Right.” Keiran smiled back then gripped her hand a little tighter and led the way again feeling along the wall. “And yes, very awkward, I said before not a people person, and honestly a bit clumsy.”

“That is hard to imagine.”

“Well I’m trying really hard here not to be.”

“Oh,” she gave a small laugh.

From there on there was silence. Keiran and Rayen put all their energy into finding a way out. One hand on the wall Rayen tried to feel for anything that could help them using what she could of her abilities.

“I’m starting to wish I spent my free time in that place exploring my abilities rather than trying to suppress them…” she muttered.

“You’re doing fine, learning through experience offers more insight since you have to adapt,” Keiran encouraged her. “The more you do the more you learn.”

“Yeah I guess at least this is safer than almost getting killed by a root I made grow,” she joked.

“A root?” he was utterly perplexed over that one.

“I made it grow without touching it from a distance but it kept growing and I couldn’t stop it,” she told him.

“Sounds very…” he searched for a word.

“Silly, dangerous, annoying, embarrassing since I’ve no control?” she rattled on. “I think it’s a little of it all honestly, I should practice more.”

“I was going to say impressive you did it from a distance, that shows your abilities are growing and you’re getting stronger,” he said. “Though the not stopping part is worrying, you two could’ve been pretty hurt, I’m glad you weren’t.”

Unconsciously he squeezed her hand a little tighter. She noticed but said nothing she thought that maybe he imagined his wife at that moment and didn’t want anyone else to die.

“Well I’m glad I’m not hurt either and that we’ve all made it this far,” Rayen agreed. As her hand passed over the wall she felt something like a lump. “Wait,” she pulled back. Feeling the wall she took a moment to think. “For a while I’ve been feeling these lumps or whatever so I was thinking we should follow them.”

“Getting something off of them?”

“Well it just seems logical to me, it may lead somewhere, the draft is so far in the same direction right?” she asked.

“Well I can feel a few changes but pretty much we keep going this way.” He started walking again. “You feel a change let me know.”

“Okay.”

After they’d walked for a while light became visible just ahead. As they closed in glowing gems extended as far as the eye could see down one of three tunnels.

“Should we follow it?” Rayen asked glancing under her hand as the lump began glowing under it. “The draft isn’t really that strong down this way though.”

“That may be but there’s light and we could always follow it back.” He turned to her. “We should decide together.”

“Well if we can easily backtrack this way then we should do it first.”

“Then it’s settled.”

Now they walked a little easier since there was ample light.

Elsewhere the group made it around the village and to the edge of town. They looked around for some sign but found none.

Andrew took a moment to feed Mazin making sure he kept up strength. Susan sat with DeAnne on a log letting her rest.

“So you’ve been raising him for the last few years?” Susan asked making conversation.

“About six now,” DeAnne responded glancing at Andrew. “When his parents, my son and his wife died I immediately took him, he was always a sweet and caring boy and having him around kept these old bones active,” she laughed. “He looks a lot like his mother, but his smile… always reminds me of my boy,” she was drifting far away in nostalgia for a moment. “They died in a plane crash and look where we are by the same merit. He was afraid to fly for a long time but he braved this just to come with me and now we’re literally fighting to stay alive.”

“But there’s no way you could’ve known that,” Susan reassured her.

“That may be true but I worry so much he’s been throwing himself into all sorts of danger.”

“It’s not your fault, don’t feel bad about it,” Susan grinned. “Rest, I’m going to check on the others.”

Standing Susan walked around looking over everyone and checking in. She was crouching next to Andrew when voices could be heard.

“Did you hear, the old woman chased that pair of travelers out.” A man said as he passed.

This drifted to their ears and they hid while they listened in on the conversation. It must’ve been Keiran and Rayen was what ran through their mind but then again it could’ve and they couldn’t just ignore it, especially when they couple it with the looks they received upon arrival and what just happened.

“And that same group just went to the tavern too,” the man said. “We’ll all die at this rate if people keep getting rushed out by the older folks.

“I heard they’re the reason we’re stuck in eternal winter,” the companion to the man said. “The woman said something about a Goddess freezing this place and us suffering because of something another of her kind did,” he reiterated.

“Her son told me that his grandmother or great grandmother saw the goddess before, even painted her likeness as well as some god and that those two were them.” A third man interjected as he came over.

“That’s crazy.” The first man sighed shaking his head

“But it be true!” the third said. “I saw ‘em runnin’ from town…” he pointed in the direction the group were hiding. “They went into the trees toward that unstable area that keeps fallin’ away.”

“That’s dangerous and no one needs to be listening to that old woman, she’s stuck in old ways that will kill and persecute people here to suit her means,” the first man spat. “She’s ruling through fear and legends than trying to find ways to help us survive, at this rate we truly will all die out in just a few months.”

“The old outnumber the young here, and we’re all weak, maybe there’s some merit to their ways, I mean the Innkeeper is doing pretty well and always has food despite all this…” the third said.

“True,” the first man agreed.

“Well not I hear that they’re chasing them down, they fled,” the third said. “I saw it before I met you guys.”

As the men walked on the group stopped hiding.

“What should we do?” Charmayne asked Cole.

“Why ask me?” he looked confused.

“Because the woman leading us is gone and other than her you’ve got knowledge of this place and these people,” Henry replied.

Sighing Cole took a breath. “We are where they were last seen, we should get moving to find them before the villagers find us.”

“Looks like they aren’t off making goo-goo eyes at one another after all,” Henry stretched. “I think that’s what we all would’ve preferred at this point”

“Right.” Charmanye agreed. “We’d still be relaxing were that the case.”

Gathering themselves Cole took charge. “Time is of the essence, there are many factors at play now.”

It had been a long time and they hadn’t eaten nor do they have a way of staying warm in the increasing cold.

“They could freeze if we don’t hurry.” Susan picked up one of the bags.

Andrew once more was the first to start walking.

“Well what are we waiting for letting, the kid outshine us,” Cole laughed. “Let’s go.”

They collected their bags and went deeper to continue their search.

“A light!” Rayen pointed out. “Come on we could find a way out.”

Speeding up they reached an opening stepping out onto a thin rock bridge. Keiran pulled her back as Rayen stumbled forward.

“Careful.”

“Thanks,” she used him to steady herself then let go.

The newly discovered area was grand and across the upsloping rock bridge before them was a ledge with three openings, three paths. Above there were two other bridges similar in length and width to the first and a pair of stairs highest connected by a ledge and below a river. The stairs led to a shining object that they couldn’t make out from below but one thing was for sure, an exit as the light was seeping through cracks.

What really caught Rayen’s attention was the glowing orbs that swirled and moved as if filled with life floating and flying about. “Wow…” she reached up to touch one. “What is this place?” she finally looked around.

“No clue but someone went through a lot of trouble for this…” He took a step onto the bridge. “This place looks old so we should probably hurry, who knows how long these bridges will last.”

“Then I’ll walk right behind you,” she stepped on sticking close.

Once across they sat for a moment. Rayen and Keiran wondered which would be the best route and which one wouldn’t kill or get them more lost. After a moment Keiran stood then walked from one opening to the next leaning inside.

“Anything?”

“No,” he walked back over to sit by her. “So how about that break…” he glanced at her.

“Nice, real subtle,” she raised a brow. Sitting back Rayen relaxed. “A favorite memory of mine is when we went to the beach, we stayed a whole weekend and we had a picnic on the beach and we picked up shells and sea glass the whole time,” she grinned. “We ate lots of ice cream and dad got stung by a jellyfish it was just a silly fun time it’s one of my best memories.”

“Sounds wonderful,” he laughed. “I bet that hurt though.

“Very much he cried like a baby after hiding it for so long.”

“Well I can understand that, I injured myself once and kept it quiet for quite a while, when my wife found out I got yelled at for being an idiot.”

“My mother did something similar and then called him a big baby,” Rayen laughed.

“Wow, and what was your mother like normally?”

“She was beautiful from what I remember,” she closed her eyes. “Dark hair, tall, she had a nice laugh and a temper at times, hotheaded and it would get her in trouble too.”

“Do you look like her?”

“I don’t know, I never really compared before,” she shrugged then stood. “But she would always tell me one day I’d have to find my way back to where I was from, I guess this is what she meant.” taking a breath she looked at the three openings then turned back toward the floating lights. “Sorry I’ll be bothering a few of you,” she reached out over the edge to try and grab some.

Keiran grabbed onto her after she leaned over to keep her from falling. “That’s dangerous, you should’ve said something before leaning over like that.”

“Yeah…” she answered but wasn’t paying attention as she grabbed one of the light orbs. “It’s warm,” she held it to her chest a moment then reached for another. “There, pull me back.”

Sighing he stepped back. “That’s reckless,” Keiran scolded her. “Be more careful next time.”

“Alright, but we’ve got light now,” she held out her hands. “Let’s take a path.” she headed for the one on the left and started walking. “Middle seems too obvious since the bridge is right in front of it, so probably not the way.”

The tunnel led to a dead end so they tried the right one next. As they walked the began to notice themselves ascending just a bit. As the little orbs moved forward lighting the way they walked.

“This was a good idea,” Keiran complimented her. “I told you leading is something you could do you just needed the confidence and to believe it yourself.”

“I still doubt I’m good, but if everyone is looking to me for a way out then I’ll just have to suck it up,” she told him as the incline got steeped she used the wall to help keep her footing.

“You’re doing great, you aren’t even wearing gloves anymore,” he pointed at her hands.

“That’s cause I just forgot, and speaking of hands yours are warm,” Rayen stated. “Well warmer than most, I’ve touch a few of the other’s hand but yours are the warmest.”

“I just have a high body temperature.”

“Well seems nice in cold weather,” she jested.

“That it does, no need to worry about wrapping up as much as you all at night.”

Reaching the end Rayen lost footing and tripped though she was lucky Keiran caught her. “It’s like gravel so walk in front of me, it’ll be safer. He pulled her in front and let her go.

At the entrance coming up they reached the next bridge. From this way there was only one way up and they had no choice but to go through the only way allowed to them. It was another gravelly path twisting and turning until they reached their final destination. Standing closer now the shining object seemed to be some sort of stone object that the orbs gathered to. They would swirl for a moment then disperse through the cracks that were letting in sunlight. “Shall we?” he asked looking up at the object.

“Well we’ve nothing else to lose,” Rayen shrugged then headed up the steps with him.

They moved slowly and were cautious of traps and surprises. As they reached the stone object it became evident it was an altar with what looked like a cat’s eye. The altar had etchings in it of cats and lions on it.

Without thinking Rayen reached out and grabbed it as if it were nothing.

“Hey!” Keiran tried to stop her but it was too late she’d already grabbed it.

“It’s fi-” Rayen’s hand went up in flames centering from the glass eye. She felt an intense pain but not from the fire. Her heart sped up and her whole body pulse. The orbs of light began dancing in a flurry then encircled her.

Quickly Keiran threw off his coat pushing through the orbs and tried to put out the fire which changed and became a brilliant blue. “What the hell is going on?” he asked as he tried to put out the fire but to no avail.

Gasping in pain on the floor was all she could do as her voice was caught in her throat. Split between increased pulses from head to toe and the pricking in her hand she was going numb and losing consciousness.

“Stay with me,” Keiran breathed as her frantically tried to help. “Damn…”

‘Will it, you are strong,’ a confident powerful woman’s voice demanded. ‘Die or control.’

“S-Stop…” she stuttered. Rayen wasn’t sure whether to believe the voice but she’d try.

“If I stop you die,” Keiran looked confused.

“No… not…” she could barely speak through the pain. “STOP IT!” she yelled as loud as she could. The flame on her hand fizzled out and all the pain disappeared and the orbs dispersed disappearing all at once.

Keiran continued to hold her tight worried what would happen upon letting go but there wasn’t much need as she’d passed out from the strain.

Keiran laid her down covering her up. He sat waiting hoping it wouldn’t take long.

“Warm…” Rayen mumbled getting closer as she slowly came to. “What…” she blinked once then twice and memories came back. “Oh…” she took a breath then looked up. She’d been asleep against Keiran who himself was now asleep and holding her tight. “Hey…” she shook him a little. “Wake up.”

“Yeah…” Kerian stared down at her for a moment then quickly let go and back away. “Sorry.” He looked her over, “are you okay?”

“Fine,” she answered. “But I don’t really understand.” She scratched her left palm. “There was fire but it didn’t burn at all so weird it even left my hand itching.”

“I think it did more than that.” Keiran took her left hand palms up an Egyptian eye tattooed there but faded a few seconds later. “What is that?”

“I don’t know precisely but I feel a little funny,” Rayen replied staring at her hand. “And I’m back to hearing voices, this one told me to will it to stop though I don’t know what this is…”

“Well it’s over now and we need to get out,” Keiran stood then looked around.

“Kay,” she followed suit.

“You know.” He spoke after there had been a lingering silence. “I…” he trailed off stopping hand on the wall he’d been feeling for a latch or lever.

“I’ve been thinking since we got here but something’s on your mind right?” she glanced back at him. “If that’s what you’re trying to tell me now don’t force it if you’re not ready.”

“Even if I’m not it’s something that needs to be said, it’ll be a problem if we don’t get this out of the way now.”

“Alright, well we’ve nothing but time.” She stopped searching then walked to the altar and sat.

For a few moments Keiran stared at her thinking and formulating his words then he finally approach. “I’ve,” he glanced down pausing a moment as he began, “been lying from the start.” He let out a breath standing turning away hard through is hair. “Hades,” his words were a little quiet. “I’m Hades,” he turned to her hand in his pocket. “It’s… I just… I gave up everything and left here that day, even my abilities are pretty rusty and of no real use,” he sighed. “But we’ll be seeing my sister so talking about this now will alleviate some of the shock.”

“You’re what!?” she popped up. “I’m… just why didn’t you reveal it sooner like when Cole did?” she asked. “Were you just going to find what you wanted and leave?”

“No it’s not like that,” he tried to assure her. “I’ve never been one for words, this is where Seph usually helps me…” he grumbled. “I have been honest with you on everything but this one thing because it’s what I gave up, I’ve lived my life until now completely mortal no powers no tricks I have made all I have with my hands this place is a thing that only reminds me of pain I’d sooner see it sink into the sea,” he spat. “I was on my way elsewhere on that plane, though I feel those hags truly put Cole and I on there to meet,” he sat back down.

“After leaving here Cole was the one person who followed, he was my right hand and someone I’d consider a friend, I didn’t ask him to but he did and he told me he’d find anything he could for a while contact was frequent if only because I was alone and lost but eventually less and less, we only talked when necessary. Before this it had been twenty years before we’d seen one another.”

“But still why keep it hidden?”

“I’m useless, I can’t do much of anything to help, I sealed my abilities, most of them and my power sleeps elsewhere and I don’t have it telling you who I am when I can’t do what they’d all want for help would just be silly,” he closed his eyes.

“... You know though, if we’d known maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much with the way and frequency we talk of those things,” she sat. “Trust us a little more will you, spill any other secret that can affect us.”

“There aren’t anymore,” he looked her in the eye. “It’s just who I am, even Cole tried to keep it secret by revealing himself… I owe him a lot,” he looked up.

“I bet, but did you know?” she asked. “About me that is, my family and all that?”

“I was out of the loop on all this,” he sullenly shook his head. “My awareness came when that man brought me her body when it was all over and even then all I knew was that others of our kind pushed it to that.”

“I’m sorry,” she put a hand on his shoulder then pulled him into a hug. “The others will freak you know that?”

“They’ll be fine after a few, I just don’t want them feeling sorry for me,” he sighed wrapping his arms around her in return.