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Zoe turned to Shadow in surprise. He glanced at her nervously, before he spoke once more.
“The night’s still young, and the stars are shining bright tonight.” He looked towards the crooked tip of the Throne of the Underworld, bathed in the light of the moon. “We could take in the view together, if you like?”
Zoe drew a breath, transfixed by the inner light that sparkled in the depths of Shadow’s eyes. With a smile, she took his hand, and nodded.
“It’s a date.”
12
Underneath a vast, starlit sky, the Underworld sparkled with life. The silvery glow of the moonlight reflected along the ice-covered landscape, until all was cast in a glittering light. It was a breath-taking display of magical proportions. And as Zoe gazed at the beautiful panorama, she realized that what she had once viewed as a nightmare, now looked more like a fairytale.
“It’s beautiful.” Zoe looked in awe as the pristine surface of the snow sparkled like a million diamonds, each facet catching the starlight and scattering it in a magical display. But beneath the layers of snow and ice, long-deadened trees and their roots emerged, reflecting the moonlight like a graveyard of bones. “I just wish I could have seen it in its prime.”
“It was a true paradise. The valleys were filled with forests and flowers as far as the eye could see, and crystalline rivers would sparkle in the afternoon sun.” Shadow’s gaze lingered on the deadened tree beside them, its bare branches twisted towards the sky. “And there was no greater sight than the pomegranate trees. That was where you could find the true magic of the Underworld.”
Zoe glanced at the gnarled skeleton of the tree. “What kind of magic?”
For a moment, Shadow was silent. But as a golden light shimmered within the darkness of his eyes, he lowered his guard, and spoke once more.
“Nature has always helped people find the magic in life. It can be found in the scent of a rose that encourages passers-by to stop and inhale its perfume. It can be found in a glorious view that fills people with wonder. And it could be found here, in the trees sown by the Goddess of the Underworld.” Shadow gazed at the small, frozen buds on the skeletal branches of the tree. “The fruits of the pomegranate tree were sacred to Persephone. They tied her to the Underworld, ensuring her love for Hades could transcend life and death itself. And such magic was bestowed in the fruits that grew here, until each pomegranate seed carried her gift.”
The starlight struck the crimson-colored buds, until they shimmered like precious rubies, hinting at the magic they contained within. Shadow’s eyes sparkled at the sight, until he drew a breath to continue.
“Just one pomegranate seed carried enough magic to help a lost soul experience the magic of life again. To give them a final moment with their loved ones. To help them fulfill their final wishes. To help them move on.” Shadow smiled softly as the buds of the tree sparkled in the light. “It was Persephone’s greatest gift to the Underworld. The gift of life, in death.”
Zoe drew a breath in surprise. “You mean… it could bring people back from the dead?”
“For a short time, yes. But even the Goddess’ magic had its limits.” Shadow gazed at the stars that shimmered in the night sky above. “For one night, a lost soul would become flesh and bone, until the first rays of sunlight returned them to their spirit form. Such magic was the reason we could help so many lost souls. Each night, we would host a grand ball, where lost spirits could live again, resolve their unfinished business, and move on. They called it the Spectral Soirée.”
A cold wind carried a scattering of stardust across the valley, like blossom petals that danced in the breeze. Zoe watched as Shadow caught a handful of the glowing stardust, until his palms shone in the ethereal light. As she thought of Persephone’s magic, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to hold those hands in her own. To feel him.
“So that’s the magic of the Underworld? To experience life, even in death?”
Shadow nodded, and released the stardust until it danced through the air once more.
“Yes. And it’s the very power Charon wanted for himself. He stole the last harvest of Persephone’s fruits, and planned to drain the magic from our lands.” Shadow’s eyes hardened as he gazed across the expanse of the Underworld, towards the faint lights of the city beyond. “I can still sense his presence, in the mortal realm. He feeds on the life-force of the living to sustain himself, creating vast cities filled with lost souls. And when a mortal is lost in life, they become lost in death.”
Zoe shuddered at the thought. “Can’t you do something to help them?”
“My remit is to help the dead, not the living.” Shadow’s jaw clenched as he studied the lights of the city. “But until mortals can learn to see the magic in the world again, they’ll be doomed to drift through life. To become just another lost soul, lost in the darkness.”
Zoe shivered as she gazed at the city beyond. A city filled with mortals who chased their goals in an endless pursuit for happiness. The next promotion. The next car. The next must-have accessory. For years, she too had thought these things would make her feel complete. But she was beginning to realize that perhaps such an approach missed the magic of life entirely.
A mote of golden light drifted into Zoe’s vision, pulling her from her thoughts. She watched as a dozen of the lights gathered by the pomegranate tree, fluttering around the frozen buds like fireflies dancing in the night sky. Her eyes widened as she recognized the strange lights, until a wave of guilt washed through her. They were the very same as the one she’d kept within her bedchambers.
“Those strange lights… what are they?”
“They’re the true guardians of our magic. Sprites that still tend to Persephone’s trees, so that one day, they may awaken from their slumber.” Shadow gently reached towards the fluttering lights, until one landed on the tip of his finger. “Look closer.”
Zoe studied the glowing light, until her eyes slowly adjusted. Buried deep within its enchanting aura, were a pair of tiny wings. But as she peered closer, her eyes widened in shock. This was no ordinary firefly, nor a butterfly, but something entirely different…
“It’s a fairy!”
Shadow laughed at her surprise, as if it were the most natural sight in the world.
“In life, they were fairies. But here, they’re known as the will-o’-wisp. Once, they aided Charon, and would guide lost spirits to the Underworld. Now, they tend to our magic, waiting for the day it will bloom once more.” Shadow watched as the creature gently bathed his fingertip in a radiant aura. “For the day that life will return to the Underworld.”
With a gentle buzz, the will-o’-wisp fluttered from Shadow’s fingertip, and flew towards the thick mists that concealed the maze. Zoe’s stomach churned with guilt as she watched the tiny creature flutter through the sky. Not only had she stayed in the Underworld under false pretenses, but she’d also locked a ghost-fairy in a fish tank. She cursed, knowing that if magical karma was real, she was due some hefty payback.
