180. I Sensed It Before I Saw It
I Sensed It Before I Saw It
The thing that protected these halls.
It was less of a presence and more
of a feeling. A fear and then
a hollowing of your spirit.
It liked to toy with its prey
before it appeared, or so
I had heard. When it had fed
enough on my dread,
a hooded creature with long robes,
clawed hands that hung
with decayed flesh,
appeared before us.
Red eyes glowing
like ominous lanterns
in its hood.
This was a God in Grey.
And it stood
massive and unforgiving before us.
Thanatos cleared his throat.
‘Let us pass. We are here to see the Fates.’
It lifted its huge monster claw
and pointed at me. ‘She should not
be here,’ it whispered in an old, unused voice.
‘She is here with me.’ Thanatos was quiet,
but his voice was forceful. The thing did not move.
‘You can pass, but leave her here with me.’
I did not want to be left here.
Not with this thing.
Thanatos shook his head,
‘I am on a duty for Nyx.’
The creature let out a rasp and I realized
it was laughing. ‘Your mother
has no sway in Hades’ halls,
Godling. Give the child to me.’
I froze, my eyes wide.
Thanatos and I had just met properly.
He had no reason to fight for me,
especially at great risk to himself.
I took a step back, cursing
my own naivety, and the creature
advanced towards me.
But Thanatos raised his scythe
and blocked its way.
‘Do not go any closer to her.’
The words were soft,
but even I recognized
the cold edges of danger,
a challenge, threatened fury.
Eager to dispel the situation,
I wracked my brains
as the God in Grey growled,
and then I remembered it:
the golden apple I stole
from Elysium. It was still
inside my bag of simples.
Even Gods weren’t meant to eat it.
I knew these creatures loved Hades’ orchards.
Perhaps it was because of the fruit?
‘Wait! I have come with offerings!’
I said, opening my satchel and removing
the golden apple, ‘A gift for you.
And in return, please let us through.’
The creature glared down
at the offering in my hands.
For a moment, the air felt
suffocating as Thanatos and I
waited to see what this terrifying
being would do.
Finally, I felt the air clear
as my trick worked,
and the thing snatched
the apple from my hand,
slowly moving to give us way.
Thanatos looked at me
as we walked past
the strange beast-God.
‘Did you steal that from
the Hesperides?’ he asked,
and I could hear the laughter
tucked in the corners of his question.
He was referring to his four sisters,
named after the setting colours of the sun,
who guarded a garden full
of golden apples with untold secrets.
I decided I liked the sound
of his amusement.
‘Promise me you will not tell Hermes.
I stole it from the Elysian Fields.’
And this made his amusement
turn into a deep, warm laugh.