The Crown of Kronos: Chapter 41

Alexandra’s P.O.V

“Now what?” Vic asked, nervously looking into the passage. The smell of burning and rotten corpses entered my nostrils, making my eyes tear up of the horrible stinking. The passage was completely dark, and we couldn’t see a thing inside of it.

“Are you sure this is the entrance to the Underworld?” Zarana sighed.

“Mhm.” I confidently said. Or… At least my guts said so… There was just this… Weird feeling inside of me. I’ve been to the Underworld once, or at least had a vision of it, and I had this same exact feeling. As if I was…

As if I was coming home.

“You should never question a Hades girl about the Underworld.” Charlie grinned, patting Zarana’s shoulder.

“Let me go first.” I volunteered. I took a deep breath and stepped into the portal. All of a sudden, greek fires lit up on the walls on my left and right side, showing a narrow path of stairs towards a light at the end. The walls were made of pure gold, with carvings about the gruesome torture of the people in The Fields of punishment. Human beings, looking no more than a disgusting, bleeding chunks of flesh, desperately trying to escape from a pool –of acid?-, people forced to lie down on a bed of sharp nails, and covered with mutated insects that tore their skin. Disgusted, I continued to walk towards the light. After what seemed like eternity, I arrived.

And it was NOT what I expected.

A beautiful garden, its grasses green and covered with rainbow-colored dews, and arrays of gorgeous-looking houses everywhere. I could hear laughter and music, and smell mouth-watering barbeque.

“ALEX!” Vic shouted, completely ruining the moment. The girls appeared through the portal, which was part of an enormous rock, their eyes widened. I wanted to see my Mom, but I knew it wasn’t possible. Suddenly, a trail of green appeared out of nowhere above of me, leading towards a tree in the middle of Elysium. It was gigantic, and I could see a tiny golden part-

Wait.

A tiny golden part?

“The crown!” I yelled. I ran towards the tree, wasting no time at all.

“Thanks Dad.” I whispered, smiling.

“ALEX, WATCH OUT!”

I felt someone pushing me to the side. I turned my head to see a black ball of force hitting Vic in the abdomen, sending her flying 2 metres away. She cried out in pain, unable to move.

“NO!” I screamed. Paulo stood there, smirking. Charlie and Zarana bolted towards us, horrified.

“We have to help her!” Charlie yelled.

“Shadow Travel there!” Zarana ordered. I closed my eyes and soon entered the shadows. I bolted towards the end of the tunnel, which led to the tree, and ran straight for the piece of crown.

I was so close…

Paulo appeared out of nowhere and grabbed it, smirking, and ran towards the staircase.

“YOU!” I screamed. I ran after him, breathing heavily. He was running at an impossible speed, with ghostly lights around him.

Melinoe’s blessing.

“Dad, help.” I pleaded, nearly crying of desperation.

Then out of nowhere, a hole appeared on the ground. I tripped and fell face-first into it, screaming. It seemed endless. Then suddenly, I jumped out of another hole, and found myself next to the girls.

“Alex!” Charlie yelled. “Where is the-“

Paulo bolted towards the staircase, the last piece in his hand, and I ran after him. The girls followed right behind me, supporting Vic. Suddenly, it felt as if we were running up the stairs in slow-mo.

“What’s happening?” Zarana’s eyes widened of fear.

Now what?