The streetlights made me see the path I am taking. It was past 12 midnight when I left my office and now, I am on my way home along with my laptop and files. Fortunately, tomorrow is my rest day, and I am already done with tons of paper works that my boss left me. I was having back pain and headache because of too much screen time on my laptop but I don't have any choice but to finish all of it. I will punch that bastard president if I could.

Habang naglalakad ako ay napatingin ako sa cellphone ko nang bigla itong tumunog. Text messages this late were expected. Being the secretary of the president wasn't that easy, you know. If only I have a choice, I will continue my passion in arts and pursue it in Japan. But unluckily, I can't. All of my salary goes to the debts that my late father left me. Not to mention, I am also paying rent on my apartment so nothing on my salary will be left.

Huminto muna ako sa paglalakad para basahin ang text message sa cellphone ko.

PRESIDENT KIM:

Good day Miss Shia Leora, I would like to inform you that I am cancelling your day off tomorrow. We have an emergency meeting with our foreign investors. I'll wait you at exactly 9 the morning. Don't be late.

"What?!" I unconsciously exclaimed upon reading the president's message.

Alas dose na nga ako nakapag-out, tapos gusto niya pa na i-cancel 'yong day off ko bukas. And did I read that right? He wants me at 9 in the morning. Ilang oras na lang itutulog ko? Was he even sane?

Padabog akong naglakad pauwi, sumabay pa itong mga sirang streetlights na patay sindi. Maybe if I wasn't pissed off, I would find this creepy, but not now. I badly wanted to lay down in bed and shut my eyes off. The cold wind welcomed me as I walked through the dark alley. I've been walking here every day, but something feels off. Yes, it's dark but the darkness of this street this night is somehow different.

I was never afraid of the dark, to be honest. I don't believe in ghosts or any supernatural beings. I just do believe that these things exist, God, angels, and demons. I left out a deep sigh as I calmed my system. I shouldn't be afraid of anything; darkness wouldn't do any harm on me.

I don't know why people are afraid of the darkness, or are they really? Maybe, they're not really afraid of the darkness itself, but what lies beneath it. I decided to ignore my nonsense thought since I'm too tired because of work. I continued walking until I heard silent scratches on the side.

Binilisan ko ang paglalakad, konti na lang naman ay makakauwi na ako sa apartment na tinutuluyan ko. Para akong naubusan nang hininga dahil sa lakad-takbong ginawa ko. Napasandal ako sa likod ng pinto habang humihinga nang malalim.

"That was quite intense," I whispered to myself as I remember the tension while I'm on my way home.

Binuksan ko ang ilaw ng sala at pupunta na sana ng kusina para kumuha ng maiinom pero sa paghakbang ko ng paa ko ay para akong naestatwa sa aking kinakatayuan. A blue light glowed upon my feet as my room went dark. The lights went off and darkness enveloped the entirety of my apartment. Weird symbol came out from the floor, it was field with different geometry shapes and characters that are unfamiliar to me. Nanghina ang mga tuhod ko kaya wala sa sariling napaupo ako sa sahig. Unti-unting lumiwanag ang asul na ilaw hanggang sa tuluyan na akong lamunin nito.

Tuluyan akong napahiga sa sahig dahil sa unti-unting pag-alis ng enerhiya sa katawan ko. It's like the blue light is absorbing my life force, my eyes get heavier and all I could do is to close my eyes as I asked for help, even if I know that it was pointless.

"A woman?! How come I summoned a woman?! I said, I want a perfect vessel, not an impotent woman!"

Nagising ako dahil sa isang malakas at malalim na boses na umalingawngaw sa paligid. I can tell that he's a man based on how deep his voice is. It's echoing in the whole room and its starting to get in my nerves. But still, I didn't bother to open my eyes.

Where am I? Am I abducted? By whom?

I slightly opened my eyes to gain sight of where am I, but unfortunately, all I could see is eternal darkness. It was pitch black as if my eyes were still closed.

"I know you're already awake, human." His deep tone voice echoed in the whole place. I can't help but to shiver upon hearing his voice. It's like I am drowning on his voice that I have to gasped for air. I felt an eerie feeling whenever I hear him sounds like an overlapping voice of different people.

Wala sa sarili akong napamulat at inilibot ang paningin sa aking kinauupuan. Unti-unting lumiwanag ang paligid dahil sa asul na mga lampara na nagkalat sa buong espasyo. Ginamit ko ang aking mga braso bilang suporta para makatayo dahil nanghihina pa rin ang katawan ko.

Nahinto ang tingin ko sa pares ng mga paa na nakatayo sa harap ko. Sa pag-angat ko ng paningin ko ay ang pagdalaw sa sistema ko nang matinding takot.

The man in front of me screams power, authority, and darkness, enough to make anyone kneel in front of him. Just by looking at him in a split of second gave me chills and I already know that something wasn't right on him.

Napatingin ako sa kamay ko nang mapansing nanginginig ito. Sinubukan ko itong pigilan pero wala akong magawa. Lalong lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko nang maramdaman ko ang kamay niya na humawak sa mukha ko. He held my chin and lift it up so I could face him. Because of that, I saw his glowing deep blue eyes that looks like a blazing flame.

Binitawan niya ang pagkakahawak sa akin atsaka tumayo. Napatingala ako dahil sa tangkad ng lalaking nasa harap ko. He spread his arms as he gave me a smile that I would never want to see. The blue flames on the torches scattered on the room grew bigger that made me see the man in front of me better.

"W-Who are you?" I gathered all my courage to ask him, but I still stammered. My throat went dry that I couldn't say any word.

My eyes widened as the man replied to my question. "I am Hades, the god of the Underworld."