Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter... Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here... Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say... It's all right...

Zeus supplied Louis with a tent, a bundle of food and one gold coin before he sent them off on their journey. Louis turned to look at the enormous temple of the Gods one last time before he and Gáta began the long descent from the peak of Mount Olympus.

For three days and three nights, the pair hiked through the snow-covered trees, trying to find the place where Zeus had told them they could find Hades and speak to him. Zeus had told them that the underworld, the realm of Hades, was usually impenetrable by mortals such as themselves, but there was one way that he may be able to cross over into the realm of the dead and find Persophone.

The River Styx.

Louis' jaw dropped when he finally saw the enormous cave that the river was supposedly located in; a huge chasm of dark stone leading deep into the ground. One of the borders between the land of the living and the land the land of the dead. Gáta lead the way, the tips of her paws and whiskers fizzing with sparks as she stepped lightly on the rock. They had only been walking for a few minutes when the sound of rushing water filled Louis' ears, and he gasped when his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness.

A huge river rumbled through the cave, spitting foam and froth against the stone walls and hurling itself against every obstacle, crashing through them. As Zeus had promised, there wasn't another living person in sight, but who was to say how many dead souls were waiting at the edge of the Styx. One lonely boat was tied up against the edge of the water, battered by the force of the river. And inside the boat was an even scruffier little man.

The ferryman squinted his eyes when he saw Louis and Gáta approach.

"Who goes there? A mortal?" He yelled, his voice barely audible above the sound of the waves.

Louis stared at the scraggly man who was scrutinising him rudely. "Yes, I am a mortal. I need to get to the underworld."

The man narrowed his eyes and glared hatefully. "Mortals cannot get to the underworld. I am Charon, the ferryman, and my boat is exclusively available to the dead."

Frowning, Louis pulled out the gold coin that Zeus had given him and marvelled at the way it caught the light - giving it a pearly, transparent look. Charon gasped when he saw the coin in Louis' hand and raised his arm to point at it.

"Where did you get that? Only the dead have coins like those... those coins are how they pay for the trip to the underworld..."

"Yes, I know." Louis interrupted and held the coin up again. "I have what I need to pay to get to Hades. Can I go?"

Charon scratched the tip of his filthy beard thoughtfully. "Only if you tell me why you are so desperate to reach the underworld. It's not often a mortal is so well equipped for such a journey, and even less often that they make it this far."

"I'm trying to rescue Persophone."

Charon stared at Louis like he had three heads. "What!? Impossible! Nobody defies Hades, only the power of Zeus would be enough to..."

Again, Louis cut off the ferryman mid-sentence. "We have the power of Zeus." As if she understood what Louis meant, Gáta sat down innocently and shook her feline head, sending sparks of electricity bouncing across the stone floor.

Charon gawped and stepped aside wordlessly, pointing at his boat. "You have proven yourselves worthy." He murmured, his voice slightly shaky and nervous. "Just be sure not to take up too much space on my ferry - it's very full today. And give me your coin."

Louis grinned and handed his coin to Charon, stepping towards the boat with Gáta in his arms. The ferry looked empty, which confused him slightly as he remembered the ferryman's words, but he slid onto the deck quickly and ignored Gáta's mournful yowls. The scrawny tabby cat had always hated water. As soon as he stepped onto the boat, he suddenly felt crowded. The feeling was obscure - there was nobody nearby, but he was certain there was a group of people huddled around him.

There wasn't a sound, a touch or even a disturbance of the air, but Louis could feel people nearby and he was comforted by their presence. He wasn't alone. The souls of the dead were on the ferry with him - also scared, also helpless - but they were quite literally all in the same boat.

Charon looked around quickly before stepping onto his boat, handling the sails with the skills of someone who had been studying their art for years. Perhaps he had been studying it for all eternity.

"Everybody comfortable?" Charon yelled as he hoisted what looked like an anchor away from the dark, swirling water. He didn't wait for a reply when the boat was suddenly torn away from the river's edge and thrown into the tumbling vortex of waves. Terrified, Louis closed his eyes and whispered a prayer to every God he could think of as they were whisked through the cave like a feather caught in a hurricane. He could only clutch Gáta's shaking body and hope they wouldn't be thrown into the raging wrath of the Styx.

The very name of the river meant "hate", after all.

When it finally seemed as though the furious journey had slowed down, Louis opened his eyes and saw a very different landscape to the one he was used to. Blazing pillars of raging fires towered around him and Gáta, the ground a choking, ashy grey. To his mortal eyes, the underworld looked barren and empty of any beings or souls - but the eyes of the dead saw something else. Louis could feel the intangible people in the ferry lean towards the shores of the Styx, desperate to join the rest of the dead who were eternally roaming Hades' realm.

When Charon finally moored his boat, the spirits of the dead leapt into the underworld to locate their lost loved ones. Louis felt them leave and smiled wistfully, thinking of the families they had left behind. At least if he died on this quest, he wouldn't have to travel to get to the underworld.

Gáta leapt off the docked ferry as fast as her stout legs could carry her, shaking her damp fur desperately. She glared at the River Styx and hissed as if the murky water could understand her. After spitting at the dark liquid angrily, she turned around and began to stalk away, taking in her new surroundings quickly. One thing Louis had always admired about cats was their ability to adapt to change.

He was about to follow his pet when a thought occurred to him.

"Charon." He said, turning towards the ferryman, "I want to give you this." He held out a few pieces of food as an offering of thanks. Charon's gloomy face stretched into a broad smile.

"Thank you!" The ferryman grinned, "It isn't often I get a tip." He looked at what Louis was offering him and took a piece of bread and cheese, but turned away the oatcakes that Louis extended to him.

"Don't give me the oatcakes." Charon said, his voice suddenly darkening, "You'll need those for later. An act of kindness such as yours deserves an act of kindness in return. I will give you a piece of advice - don't eat those oatcakes and look after them well. You'll need them."

Louis stared at the small oatcakes before placing them gently back inside his package. "Thank you, Charon."

The ferryman shrugged his scruffy shoulders and took a bite out of the bread and cheese, his eyes lighting up with delight as he tasted what was, to him, a delicious delicacy. Then he began to hum a cheerful tune and boarded his ferry, preparing to leave. "Good luck, mortal Louis!" He yelled before he was whisked away by the Styx.

Louis turned to Gáta who was sat patiently waiting for him, ears upright and alert.

"What's up?" Louis asked, stroking his companion on the head and looking around at the barren and dangerous landscape.

Gáta suddenly leapt up and began to stare coldly in one direction. Her scrawny mane of fur stuck up in shock and she hissed angrily.

"What's wrong?" Louis asked urgently, following the cat's aggressive stare. Gáta was staring at a small heap of bundled up feathers that was lying on the floor, twitching slightly in the wind. It was only about the size of an orange, but Louis watched with baited breath as Gáta approached it warily. You could never be sure what was safe in the underworld.

Suddenly, the heap of feathers erupted into a squawking flurry and a small bird leapt away from the cat, screeching in annoyance. The little creature was covered in tufts of brown feathers, but it's face was not. Instead of eyes, it just had the empty sockets of a skull and its beak was just bone. It was basically a feathered skeleton of what looked like a flying kiwi bird.

Gáta leapt back in shock and hissed, sending sparks of electricity raining down onto the floor. The bird hissed aggressively right back at the cat, making her crouch in fear and back away.

Louis stared at the bird in awe as he realised what it was. This was a psychopomp, a guide to the dead. Legend stated they could communicate with humans.

"Umm... hello?" Louis asked nervously. The psychopomp was preening its ruffled feathers with an annoyed expression on its little face, and Louis couldn't tell if it was listening or not.

"We need help," Louis continued anyway, "We need to find Hades. Can you help us?"

Louis was certain if the bird had eyes it would have rolled them, but instead the little thing gave him an irritated look and began to speak. "Very well!" It squawked, "Mortal! I will take you, for it is my duty! But be warned, I can only take you so far before I turn back! You must face the brute alone."

Louis assumed the "brute" the psychopomp was referring to was Hades, but he didn't question it. It didn't seem to be very happy with them, for some reason.

"Follow!" The bird screeched, spreading its dull little wings and taking off. Louis raced after it, followed by Gáta, who didn't like the fact that this fat little animal was taking all of her master's attention. in

After an hour or so of following the impatient little bird, they came to a halt in front of a huge palace. The entire building was charred and black, with flames and lava licking up its walls. Two double doors the size of the tallest trees towered in front of them, and menace and malevolence crept out from the cracks in the doorway.

"Here. I welcome you to the gates to Hades' palace." The psychopomp announced, backing away, "I must go now. Remember, oatcakes! And good luck."

Louis nodded, although he had no idea what the little bird was rattling on about. "Thanks!" He called and turned back to the gates. 

All he had to do now was figure out a way to get inside...

To Be Continued... Again...

Woah! Sorry for not updating in ages! Also - I know these are meant to be 'Short Stories', but I got a little bit carried away with this one... ehehe... I hope you guys all understand! Part three will definitely be a bit shorter and I'll update as soon as I can <3