The Dead Are Not Brave

A person is built this way: blood courses through their veins, and if wounded, it inevitably flows.A simple axiom, causing unbearable pain at that moment. She had promised herself never to get attached to anyone again. So why this raw fear? And a heart stuck somewhere in her throat with thoughts of chestnut hair mingled with crimson drops on the ground."Two more turns and I'll be there," Alice said to herself, trying to feel the ground beneath her feet.She continued moving, listening cautiously to the rustling that accompanied the demon following her. They quickened their pace as they crossed the garden, the air filled with the scent of roses, creating a deceptive sense of a quiet haven."You know you're a walking disaster?" Emidius whispered, turning into an archway. "Follow me, this place is teeming with new shadows."Alice shuddered but obediently followed him.The shadow referred to a nightingale completely devoid of consciousness and life force. These creatures were dangerous and unpredictable, as they followed only instincts. They were residual processed chaos that simply existed and generally destroyed everything they touched."I thought the existence of shadows was a myth," Alice said timidly, watching the tense back in front of her. "A bedtime scare story from the Reaper, so the dead behave more reasonably."They were surrounded by lush bushes and olive trees, obscuring the view. The plants seemed too alive, too real to be true. Alice was annoyed by this place's feigned tranquility, of which she herself had none left."Why in their right mind would anyone kill nightingales? When you destroy the physical shell, the soul becomes processed chaos. Even demons can't consume it," she tried to distract herself, to order her thoughts that were darting like trapped animals."Why should there be logic in these actions?" his voice was inhumanly cold. The demon spoke to her as if she were a leper. "You're in Hell, and we are children of Kronos. Cruelty is in our blood."A blow. These words crushed the last crumbs of hope, which prevented her from falling to her knees and pretending nothing had happened.In the next moment, they both noticed a human figure standing out against the bushes. With each step, Alice felt her hands sweat more and an urge to scream rise."What kind of show are you putting on here?" Emidius asked in his usual tone, which held only steel."Has the crown prince himself graced our modest competition? Unfortunately, you've arrived at the finale," the figure said, stepping into the light."Aren't you afraid I'll execute you?" the crown prince inquired. "For example, chop off your head and feed the rest of your body to the harpies, Noctis. I can't stand it when someone thinks they are above the laws. Above the rules written by the Gods themselves.""The law states that a demon killing a nightingale is punishable by execution. But nowhere does it say that nightingales cannot exterminate each other," the demon replied politely.He had hair as white as snow in the harshest winter. A silver suit that emphasized a strong body. The same polished, perfect beauty as Emidius. Something built in fine, perfect lines over centuries. Something that meticulously discarded the unnecessary. Something called heritage.Alice couldn't tear her gaze away from this embodiment of perfection, elegance, and superiority all in one. Yet, at the same time, his presence was so prickly that it felt as if it could slit her veins if she stared too long. Surely, his family had wielded power in this scorched red land of Tartarus for a long time. The three skulls on his epaulets were symbols of strength and terror. Noctis was dangerous, but even more frightening, he was unpredictable. He turned any reproach into courtesy, creating an aura of unbearable tension around him.Alice had felt coldness and a certain pride mixed with arrogance before. Emidius treated Nightingales with disdain, but with him, she could fight back, be cheeky, and walk confidently on the edge. His blue irises didn't hold a dangerous explosive wave ready to kill but with Noctis...She understood the expression "icy burn" because she saw in his gray eyes something that had nothing to do with anything alive. The demon could easily slit her belly, enjoying how she painfully turned into a shadow."This is the folly of Persephone, who naively believed that human souls would keep us from sinking into darkness. That they would be our moral compass in the afterlife. A light saving us from ourselves," Noctis continued.The demon glanced at the girl with contempt as if looking for confirmation of his words."And look, they sell themselves, become slaves to filth, to earn even a drop of attention they didn't get in the world of the living. And due to a foolish competition, they might even destroy each other."These words jolted Alice to life. It was as if enough rage had been injected into her veins to take control of herself. Adrenaline pierced every cell of her body, and it, devoid of thought, rushed forward furiously. Noctis's gaze filled with interest, his lips curling into a thin smile.Emidius's hand tensed slightly, just enough to shift from a state of rest to a sharp grip that made her stop. The prince casually released her wrist, closed the distance between them, and whispered:"Don't be an idiot."The realization that she couldn't have done anything at that moment hit her like a blow to the ribs. Alice nearly choked on the rising anger but stood straight, taking a deep breath."Emidius isn't thrilled about this either," she thought. "There's no point in creating unnecessary problems for him and putting myself in danger."With each new step, the amount of blood on the ground grew. It spread around like a river, forming numerous tributaries. The air was filled with the suffocating metallic smell of iron and decay, while in the distance, a dark mass thickened, emitting piercing screams. Just a meter away from Alice, the body of a nightingale with empty eye sockets fell, twisted in an unnatural pose."Those clothes and hair color... Could it be... Connor?" she whispered, recognizing familiar features. She had almost forgotten the face of true death, which made no deals and left no hope.For a few seconds, her gaze froze, then shifted to the other remains scattered across the field. Every broken bone, every torn piece of flesh testified to a ruthless battle. Alice's fists clenched, her nails digging into her skin in an attempt to return to reality. At that moment, she noticed a severed ear with a familiar earring."Matthew... What happened to Sophie?" her voice trembled. "She wouldn't have calmly watched you die."Nearby, a malicious laugh echoed. The demon standing close by watched her confusion with obvious delight. He turned, looking at something behind him."Nightingale, show yourself. The crown prince himself has graced us with his presence to see you and our little test?" there was pride in his words. "You tried so hard. I'm even touched. The true embodiment of your nature."Suddenly, a person appeared beside the statue. As they bowed, blood dripped from them, falling onto the pristine roses. The contrast was absurdly stark."My name is Sophia. I am the personal nightingale of my lord. Pleased to meet you, Your Highness," the girl introduced herself courteously. "I hope today you've chosen a worthy companion. I heard you're not a fan of traditions. Quite a shame."Their eyes met. Did Alice want trust? Here it was, in full measure."Did you create the spell for body exchange? Your magic reeks of decay," Emidius asked."Yes, Your Highness. Forgive us if Alice caused you any inconvenience," her voice was firm and confident. "We wanted to focus solely on the competition, without distractions for the other higher demons. That would have been impossible if the competitions went smoothly.""Even Marcus and Lucius somehow found me and started asking about the selection criteria. Though that was before they saw the first shadow," the demon added."That's why I gave Alice the spell. It's like putting a detonator in a monkey's hands and waiting for it to explode."Emidius squinted, observing Sophia closely."Isn't that too complicated?" asked the crown prince. "Why give someone a sphere with a spell when it could be activated in the building itself?""And become a potential spy or traitor, Your Highness?" the girl laughed. She. Actually. Laughed. "Unfortunately, with the amount of guards since your arrival – that's almost impossible."Alice had no strength left to say anything. She stood and looked at Sophia's face, at her blood-soaked hands. Pain pierced her body as if her ribs were broken and her heart shattered. Should she have guessed? Noticed something? How could she have known nothing?And yet, even in the last of worlds... humanity was the greatest evil.Emidius noticed movement from Alice and instantly shielded her with his body. She touched his chest with her fingers, gently pushing him aside."Not now," she said automatically.The instinct for self-preservation seemed to burn inside her as she approached Sophia. A second. The tension hung in the air. The sound of a slap.Alice looked at Sophia's split lip and took a couple of steps back. A red, sticky substance remained on her hand. Deep down, Alice hoped it wasn't the blood of those she knew."Why didn't you kill me?" Alice asked. "Didn't want to attract more attention? Or do I just not meet your standards?"Sophia raised a hand to her face, wiping the red mess from her lips, and smirked, her eyes gleaming with cold malice."I'm not a sadist who kills everyone left and right. This is the true nature of Hell, and if you can't accept it, that's your problem," the girl replied, her voice full of disdain. "I simply don't care about you. You're nothing more than a line in a plan.""Not to be rude, but it's time for us to go," Noctis interrupted. "Your Highness, you need not worry about the shadows. My subordinates will handle them.""Good night, and may Cerberus guard your peace," Sophia bowed.They disappeared into a portal, leaving Alice alone with Emidius amidst the whirl of dead nightingales and blooming azaleas."You know, I... I need to be alone," Alice barely managed to say, feeling tears welling up in her eyes.Without waiting for a response, she ran out of the garden and, for the first time in a long while, cried.***Alice had always suspected that life would be difficult. But never to this extent. As it turned out, death wasn't the most tragic thing that could happen to her."A one-way ticket to the Elysian Fields, no luggage," she said to the guard.The pier was filled with creatures today. Hundreds of monsters crowded the sand, waiting to depart back to the Elysian Fields on boats or liners. Transfers using portals or magical devices were strictly forbidden to track violators, potential terrorists, and control the level of chaos in the territory where the most important guests of the afterlife resided."Alice, you look terrible. You should wash up," Achilles said. "Are those dried blood droplets?"She closed her eyes for just a second, and Connor appeared before her, broken in half. His fallen eyes. And blood, spurting like a fountain."Yes. Today has been a long day.""And how did you find today's competition?" the guard asked. "It was your first time at the Festival of the Dead.""Can't you tell?" she replied with a bitter smile."It shows. It's an ordeal," he said, handing her a handkerchief. "You look like a Trojan during the war."Alice nodded briefly, taking the piece of fabric and started wiping the dried blood off her face. Inside, irritation began to boil. It was as if old wounds had reopened, and bile flowed from them."In any case, I just need a ticket to the demonic capital," she said through gritted teeth.Achilles looked at her with suspicion."And do you have the permit to leave?""Are all circles of Hell not open to court nightingales? Or do I need separate approval?"She looked at him intently, too intently. It couldn't be that the guard didn't know what had happened at the competition."Can you not be cheeky? I was asking about a permit from your personal demon, he's not accompanying you..."Behind her, the loud chatter of demons, also eager to leave the Island of Nightingales and return to their routine, broke out."Emidius was forced to stay," she replied, her voice steady despite the anger coursing through her veins. "He's busy with important matters, so I'm alone. But I have his word that he will approve my departure."Achilles frowned, pondering."Alice, will there be at least one day when you leave me in peace?" he said, softening his tone. "You know, I have very little hope that the crown prince will endure you for more than a week and not send you back to Erebus.""Can't wait," she snapped back."Just go through the checkpoint and get out of here. Consider it my gift."Alice hurried to the checkpoint before the guard could change his mind. Inside, a sea of suppressed emotions raged, asking, "What are you going to do?"If only she had an answer... But now, she just needed to leave, get as far away as possible. The main thing was not to feel this clinging horror.She approached the magical barrier. The mechanisms worked intensely, scanning her body and the nightingale's identification—a tiny tattoo of a bird's skull on her wrist. It was a common brand given to all newcomers in Erebus. A person could change their gray uniform, move to a lower circle where there were no sand dunes and the cold of Lethe, but it never changed who they were. A mere dead person, bound by a contract with a devil.A sudden impulse pierced her body, causing pain and confusion. Alice felt her muscles tense and her heart race faster. It seemed the spell penetrated every bit of her flesh under the skin, leaving invisible marks."Access granted," signaled the system.Alice exhaled loudly, trying to cope with the constriction in her chest, and took the first step. Too uncertain for someone ready to dash to the boats a second ago.P.S. Perhaps this is the secret of human nature—not understanding what draws us so strongly to the abyss.Someone called out to her, distracting her from her thoughts."You can't go like that!" Achilles shouted. "Think at least of the unfortunate demons who will be around you."Alice stopped and turned, meeting his concerned gaze. She never understood what he thought or what drove his actions.Achilles. Once he was like a demigod, depicted in paintings—young, laughing, wreathed in glory. The guard remained tall and strong, with broad shoulders, but now his light eyes reflected a glassy emptiness, with only a hint of azure. His once golden hair had darkened. His features had become harsher and more serious.He could laugh, but that laughter was short, like a flash of lightning, always followed by a dull silence or a sudden scream that tore through the quiet. Achilles was slowly going mad, bearing the burden of his punishment, guarding this cursed island. No one wanted to prematurely descend into the endless darkness of the underworld, not even the toughest. Exile could quench the rage of the living, but it brought no peace to the dead."What are you talking about?" she asked, trying to manage her irritation."You look like someone who just came down from Hell," he explained, stepping closer. For a moment, compassion flickered in his eyes, or did she imagine it? Alice almost laughed. She could always slit her own throat and become a shadow, but he couldn't."I don't care what they think," Alice snapped."But you should," Achilles insisted. "You need to be smarter and not attract attention."Alice clenched her fists, feeling irritation clash with a sense of helplessness. But Achilles' words were true. She couldn't afford to be weak or careless."Alright," she finally said, her voice quieter and calmer. "What do you suggest?"A barely perceptible smile appeared on the guard's face.P.S. Thank you for your support, everyone! I appreciate all your comments and views! With this chapter, we officially descend into Hell. P.S.P.S. I'm truly a fan of Sophia!