The night was unnaturally cold, the kind of chill that seeped into your bones and made you feel as if you'd never be warm again. I wrapped my cloak tighter around me, shivering as I looked at the man in front of me.
"Valerie," the figure said, his voice a haunting whisper that seemed to echo through the clearing. “that is your name, isn’t it?."
I said nothing, not wanting to deny or confirm anything.
“wh.. who are you” I asked instead. It was better to avoid any question that could put me in trouble with the earl later on.
He stepped forward, his form becoming clearer. He was tall and imposing, his face still hidden beneath a hood. His presence was overwhelming, a cold, suffocating weight that pressed down on me. "I wanted to see you," he said simply. "There's something different about you. I felt your presence immediately you came”
A shiver ran down my spine. "Different? How?"
He tilted his head, studying me with an intensity that made me feel exposed, as if he could see straight through me. "Your soul is unlike any I've encountered. It's... unique. And I want it."
My heart skipped a beat. "s…s…soul??" I was breathing faster than anticipated. The forest seemed to be more dense that it was few minutes ago
Death smiled, a chilling expression that held no warmth. "I collect souls, Valerie. It's what I do. And yours is particularly intriguing. There's a power within you, something that sets you apart from others."
I took a step back “what are you”
He removed the hood from his face. Revealing the most pristine face I had ever seen. “some call me death, some call me Kali” he said approaching me and looking much more intimidating up close. “but I like the more casual name you know, Hades”
I took a step back, my mind racing. "You can't have my soul," I said, my voice trembling. "I'm not ready to die."
Death laughed, a sound that sent chills down my spine. "It's not about death, Valerie. It's about what you can offer. Your soul holds a potential that could be harnessed, a power that could change everything."
I shook my head, fear and confusion swirling within me. "I don't understand. What do you want from me?"
He stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "I want you, that’s all I would say."
The air around us seemed to grow colder, the shadows pressing in closer. "And if I refuse?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Death's smile faded, replaced by a look of cold determination. "Refusal is not an option, Valerie.”
Without thinking much or even connecting my brain to my thoughts, I ran. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, threatening to fall several times.
It seemed like I was not running fast enough though, because each time I turned back, there he was, looking at me with those soulless eyes, without a care in the world.
He might as well cross his legs and sip tea to make his point very clear.
“are you finished?” he said looking at me with a bore on his face.
It did not make sense. I had ran to the other side of the forest while he barely moved from his standing position and yet it was as though he was following me without moving a finger.
“p-please, I can’t die. My papa, he would mourn me, I can’t do that to my family” he looked at me straight in the eyes before smiling.
“we all know your father would not even bait an eye lash if you were gone”
He took a step forward and i took one backward, tripping on my own two feet. i rushed back up, scarpping my feet in the process, but i really did not mind it. as long as I made it out of here alive.
My mind raced as I tried to come up with a plan, any plan, to escape. But deep down, I knew it was futile. Hades was not a being one could simply outrun. He was Death itself, and he would always find me.
As if summoned by my thoughts, the air grew colder, the shadows deepening. I felt a presence behind me and turned, my heart pounding in my chest. Hades stood there, his dark figure blending with the night, his eyes glowing with an eerie light.
"Valerie," he said, his voice a haunting whisper that seemed to echo through the trees. "You cannot escape me."
I backed away, my mind screaming for me to run, but my body refused to move. "Stay away from me," I said, my voice trembling.
Hades took a step forward, his gaze never leaving mine. "You were destined for this, Valerie. Your soul is mine."
Panic surged through me, and I turned to run, but Hades was faster. In an instant, he was in front of me, his hand gripping my arm with a strength that was both gentle and unyielding.
"Let me go!" I cried, struggling against his hold. “help!!! Anyone… please” I finally broke down. The tears I had been trying to keep at bay falling freely.
He pulled me closer to him, tracing his hands along my face.
“a pleasant kiss, and your soul would be mine. I promise you, it would not hurt” he said those words with sincerity that I almost believed, until I saw his face.
Before I could react, Hades's lips met mine. The kiss was cold, like a winter's breath, and I felt a strange pull, as if my very essence was being drawn out of me. I struggled, trying to break free, but his grip was unrelenting.
Then, something incredible happened. Instead of the soul-crushing emptiness I had expected, a warmth began to spread through me. It started in my chest, growing stronger and stronger, until it felt like a blazing fire. Hades pulled back, his eyes wide with shock and confusion.
"What...?" he whispered, staring at me as if seeing me for the first time.
I staggered back, panting, my mind reeling. "What did you do to me?" I demanded, though I knew he was as bewildered as I was.
Hades shook his head, his expression one of utter disbelief. "This is impossible," he said, more to himself than to me. "No soul has ever resisted me."
I took a step back, my fear mingling with a strange sense of defiance. "Guess I'm just full of surprises," I said, trying to sound braver than I felt.