Seeds: Volume Two Read Online Free PDF Page B

purpose was, but was quickly answered when solid forms climbed out of the flames, making various sounds of terror and pain as they sought to escape the heat.
         “These firepits create fleshy shells for the condemned souls, so that their punishment can be administered in a more... effective manner.”
         “I see.” Shades were at hand to collect the newly 'born' prisoners, and she noticed that the shades assigned to Tartarus had a reddish tint to their wispy forms, and some of them even looked solid, with well-defined boundaries to their bodies. In a few moments, she realized why.
         The more solid of Dis's servants had various features that were menacing, like clawed hands, barbed tails, or jagged maws lined with sharp and ragged teeth. Some of them even bore objects such as pitchforks, spears, whips, or other instruments of pain. The newly fleshed souls were poked and prodded by these, and ushered off through different gates.
         “What do the different gates lead to?” Persephone asked.
         “It depends on their sin. Some have let greed or sloth take over their lives. Others betrayed their family and friends. Some were so consumed with vainglory that they did evil deeds, thinking they could escape justice. All punishments are determined by the nature of the sin. Though the Judges decide which of the three realms of the dead a soul goes to, Kampe and the Furies determine these particular punishments and the shades of Tartarus mete them out as ordered.”
         “I am sure that if mortals could actually see Tartarus, it would be a good deterrent to evil behavior.” Persephone commented, already impressed, even though she knew that she had barely begun to see Hell.
         “Some of them would continue their wicked ways nonetheless. There are always those who think they can escape the consequences, however great the risk,” Hades shrugged as he stepped down from the chariot. A couple of shades came forward to attend to the horses as Persephone let Hades help her out. She was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but she had to admit, she enjoyed his chivalry.
         Suddenly, she heard a slithering sound and turned her head. Through one of the gates she saw a large and serpentine form emerge, its scales reflecting the flickering light from the firepits. The creature was massive, standing at nearly twice Hades's height, and that didn't include the length of tail winding along the stony floor. As she got a better view of this creature, she realized that it was actually a she. Though the female traits weren't very obvious, Persephone noted the difference between chest and waist, one she had only ever seen on women. The chest was covered in what appeared to be a brass breastplate, and armbands adorned the she-creature's arms, which were just as flexible as her tail and ended in clawed hands.
         The face was lacking in delicate feminine features, but there was still something about the set of lips and the shape of the face that marked this creature as a woman. Her hair was made up of a writhing mass of scaled coils, much like a Gorgon, though these coils did not terminate in snake-heads. Nevertheless, they coiled and whipped around as if with a mind of their own, and Persephone felt a shiver pass through her body as this creature cast her slitted amber eyes at her.
         “Welcome, Lord Aidoneus,” she said in a voice that was an odd mixture between a rumble and a hiss, giving her words a sibilance that Persephone had never heard before.
         “Greetings, Kampe,” Hades said as he looked up at the impressive demoness. Persephone did not miss the mutual respect that the two underworld deities held for one another, their gazes relaxed and polite as they regarded one another, no differently than any other Underworld deity might interact with Hades.
         “This must be our new queen,” Kampe stated, her gaze moving to Hades's companion.
         “Indeed.