Page 98 of Hekate: The Witch
A psychopompos,
Charon had told me,
is a guide to the dead.
‘And who are you guiding?’
I asked, looking behind him.
‘I see no one with you.’
‘I too can keep a secret,’
he said cryptically,
then gestured beyond the cypress.
‘Shall we?’ he asked,
and with a fluid flick of his fingers,
golden light poured like magma
from the mountainside
closest to us, spilling away
into the River Lethe.
The Golden Doorway
I turned to watch his clever,
cat-like eyes studying me.
‘How did you do that?’
I asked in complete awe.
‘My uncle gave me a key.’
He shrugged, walking towards
the amber doorway.
Uncle. I thought.Hades.
The transparent, gold-hued glass
revealed…Paradise.
Entry
Hermes held his hand out and I stared at it. His skin was beautiful, smooth like the oaken chair my mother loved so well when we once had a palace. Seeing my hesitation, he gestured open-handed at the soft leather satchel I was carrying, which contained my map and nectar. ‘You cannot carry this inside with you.’ My fingers clutched my bag. ‘I am going nowhere without this.’ Seeing the mischief in his eyes, I made sure that Hermes heard the edge of fire in my voice. He did not push me further; instead, raised his palm out towards the door. It opened easily for him, the amber giving way to gleaming sunshine. The only place in all of the Underworld that was allowed to be touched by the sun were these blessed islands. It occurred to me that paradise existed both here, deep within the earth’s rock, but also in the world above, reflecting upon the salty waters of the mortals’ deathless sea, for what is paradise without the sun? I wondered what divine ancient granted this for just Elysium, what law of celestial spaces allowed it to exist in two places at once? But as Hermes stepped through the doors, his silhouette illuminated in sunlight I had not seen since I was a child, all thoughts escaped me. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the golden rays of the sun.
The Elysian Fields
When I was still new to the Underworld, Styx had told me her waters did not reach the blessed islands and this was why she could never bring me here. Now I think there was another reason. The thought of Styx, ancient, pale and lover of all dark things, even setting foot in this place seemed laughable. As the veil dropped from my eyes to reveal the island in all its glory, the sun warmed my forever cool skin. Sweet birdsong glowed across the lush green valleys and hills. Across the vast expanse of land, I saw groves of abundant trees heavy with golden and crimson fruit rivalling those I once ate as a child. Gentle cows, soft rabbits and playful goats roamed freely across rolling fields. And the flowers! Soft grey, white, azure, ruby, every colour you could imagine, forever in youthful bloom. Past the valleys as I shielded my eyes, I saw the turquoise, light-flecked waters of the open seas. So this was what paradise, true paradise, was meant to be. I turned to Hermes and saw that he was watching me carefully, a smile wide across his face. ‘We will find Cadmus and Harmonia. I am sure they will be glad to meet you.’
