Persephone

Chapter 2: Into The Light

Ben Lacy

Copyright © 2009 Ben Lacy

All rights reserved

The Return of Persephone – 1891, Frederic Leighton

 Recap: The Norse Goddess of the Undead, Hel, has overrun the Olympian Underworld,
impaling Hades on a spear and forcing Persephone to flee to the mortal world with her son
Zagreus.

*************

I pull Zagreus into the fissure. We will have to climb straight up the break in the sheer
face of rock that connects to the dome covering the underworld. From there, we can reach one of
the tunnels running up through the dome cap. If I can remember the one that I sent Orpheus on
so many years ago, we should arrive in the mortal world not far from Mount Olympus.

I have Zagreus in one hand and the fissure has few handholds, but it shouldn’t be too hard
for me as long as I can keep well ahead of any pursuers. Suddenly though, Zagreus slips from
my hand and starts sliding back down the fissure.

“They’re killing Daddy,” he screams, “I have to help him.”

“No, Zagreus, there’s nothing we can do right now.” I slide back down the fissure after
him. He’s almost back at the bottom when I catch him. Through the crack, I see tremendous
flashes of light, then the shadows of large bodies. Hades can’t hold them for long. They’ll
follow us soon. “Come here, Zagreus.” I start pulling him back up.

“No, Mommy, I can help.” With that, the rock starts to shake and dust and gravel fall
down the fissure on us.

“Stop that!” I shake him hard and the rattling subsides. Too late, though, I can sense a
change in the movement outside the fissure. Zagreus continues to pull away from me. There’s
no time for this. I grab him hard and look him in the eyes.

“Mommy, stop.” He tries to turn from me, but I hold him and force him to look back.
Under my gaze, his form starts to change. In a moment, I’ve turned him into a ferret.

“I’m sorry, Zagreus. I’ll change you back later.” I kiss his furry face and shove him into
a pouch in my dress, carefully sealing it once he’s in. I then start climbing. As I’m approaching
the top of the fissure though, the dome starts shaking again. I look out through a crack in the
fissure. One of those hideous frost giants is following me up the outside, using his shovel sized
fingers to smash grips into the rock face.

I swear under my breath and pull myself out of the fissure and into one of the tunnels. As
I start down the tunnel, I see a large hand following me in, grasping blindly for me. I leap ahead
and turn into the next tunnel just as the hand passes by. This tunnel starts fairly narrow, at first I
hope he won’t be able to follow. Unfortunately, it soon widens. I can feel shaking and hear the
sounds of frantic digging behind me. Soon enough, he’ll be able to scramble in. Even so, he’ll
be on his belly.

If I move quickly enough, I should be able to stay ahead him. I start running. It’s a long
tunnel and not nearly as twisty as I’d hoped. I can sense him back there, clawing his way
forward, slowly gaining on me. The ground shakes under my feet and dirt and pebbles fall from
the tunnel ceiling as his body forces the tunnel wider. Small cracks start to form in the stone
walls and start running ahead of me. I move faster.

Even with my strength, I’m starting to feel winded. I begin to wonder if I’d be better off
turning to fight when I see a hazy light in the distance. Sighing with relief, I head for it. I’m
only a few hundred feet away when there’s a roar and then a shake and the ceiling comes down
in front of me. I draw up short, and except for a few small stones striking me, avoid the cave in.

The dust is overwhelming. I start coughing, desperately looking for any sign of light.
Behind me, the giant continues his advance. His grasping hand sounds as if it were only a few
feet away. I’m about to turn and face him, when I see a glimmer of light to my right. A new
path has opened. I shoot down it just as the giant’s hand slams down on the tunnel where I was.
I slip to the dirt.

“No,” I scream aloud. We’re too close. I will die in the sun. I regain my footing and
burst through a hole and out into the light of day. As I run out into the open air, an incredible
feeling of happiness runs through me. To see the sun and feel the light on my skin, I almost fall
to the ground for joy. Then, the surrounding life floods in on my senses. I draw to a halt and
look around. I’m on a slight hill top clearing surrounded by a large forest. Grass, trees, animals,
I sense, hear, and feel them all around. And with a shock, I realize that I don’t recognize many
of them. Wherever I am, it’s nowhere near Olympus.
 “Mother,” I scream, “Demeter, are you around. Come to me.” I run to a large tree. The
large five fingered leaves are reach for me, but no tree nymph emerges. I reach for the grass. It
sways back and forth against my palm. It’s like no grass I’ve seen before but it still obeys my
commands. I keep running around looking at things and yelling for my mother, when the giant
bursts from the ground. I ignore him while he stands to his feet, the dirt rolling off of him.
Instead, I continue to examine the trees. None of them seem to have nymphs in them. I have a
bad feeling I won’t be getting any answers soon.

“A well run race little Queen,” the giant laughs, “but ultimately futile.” He starts to
move closer to me then hesitates perhaps noticing that it’s becoming more difficult for him to
move.

“Futile,” I reply, tired of dealing with this creature. “I think not. Look around you
monster. You do not fall under the protections of the Covenant and we are in the mortal realm.
A realm teaming with Life. And I am the Goddess of Life. The plants, the trees, and the animals
down to the simplest single celled organisms are mine to command.” Tree limbs erupt from his
body under my glare, his skin begins morphing into bark, he starts to scream but already his
mouth is merely a deformity in the trunk of the tree that he has become.

I look at him silently a moment then turn to go. I pull Zagreus from my pocket and pet
him gently. I walk amongst the trees a little longer but soon realize that no gods, elves or
centaurs will be coming. I walk back up the hill. I can now see past the forest. A large ribbon
of road runs nearby. Fast moving carriages pulled by invisible horses are rolling over it.

Something causes me to look up, a white trail is moving across the blue sky. I focus my
vision, it’s a large metal bird, vastly bigger then anything Daedalus ever built. I look closer; it
has windows in it’s body and there are people inside.

I shiver with comprehension. Since the Covenant separated us from the mortal realm,
time has passed differently here. Men have wrought changes that may be beyond even a
Goddess’ comprehension. I just now begin to realize how long and treacherous my journey will
be.
 Still, I have a child to protect and a husband to avenge. I put Zagreus back in my pocket
and head toward the road.