A stranger sat at her table, claiming to be her soulmate. His eyes darker than a midnight sky, without a twinkle of light. Curious, and with devious grin "and what makes you believe that?" said Nyx.


It was a quiet evening in a rundown kapeleia, the year she chose to cling to for her current state of mortality was 111 AD in the city of Athens. She hoped this particular year would bring her some much needed luck. She sat one with the shadows in a dim corner table, sipping a local wine. Bored and out of her natural element, she was curious as to what this stranger could possibly have to say.


"Ive watched you from the darkness for a long time, waiting, stalking your inner shadow. You are her, are you not?" the strangers reply was muffled behind the soft melody of the bards, mixed with occasional chatter of the rummy lot scattered throughout the tavern; but somehow she could feel his words echo distinctly inside of her.


Cachinnation echoed within, from the demon who lives where her soul should rest. Her eyes darkened, and with catatonic stare she replied "how often does your soul dance in such dangerous fashion, do you not care for your own life?"


"Ah, so you no longer recognize me. Has your mortal existence fogged your memory or has immortality abandoned you on this plane." his response came with smirk but the smile in his eyes quickly faded to black.


For the first time since her own disenthrallment she was stricken with fear. Who was he to the demoness? What kind of mortal man could shake the core of the Queen of Darkness. Unless, he was no mortal man. An imp sent to execute a forceful return or could he be Erebus hidden in the body of an innocent mortal. She did not wish to return to her throne. Chained to her brother, her husband by birthright, for eternity. The marriage was an abomination, even for the damned. And she was prepared to run again, for as long as she was able.


He could feel her fear. "Worry not my Queen, it is I, Kalona." Her faithful warrior with whom she fell in love with. Their unhallowed affair is what led to his fall from darkness. She was forced to remove him from his post at her side by her father, Chaos. Soon after his exile, she stole into the light of the mortal world. Where better for darkness to hide, than in the light? Bribing every sentinel and watcher with grand veneration should she unfortunately return to the Mansion of Night. She had thought of Kalona many times since her ascent into the mortal plane, he was after all, the reason she decided to abandon her own post as the Queen of Darkness. "I knew you would not stay in the darkness much longer, I waited at the mouth of the Acheron. "I had to conceal myself from the myrmidons of Hades. I've been spooring you since your escape. Still heartfully devoted to your safeguard."


She knew he would end up in the mortal realm but she did not intend for their paths to cross. She had hoped to avoid it. Perhaps the wine, merriement of song and newfound physical existence is what lowered her guard, a risky mistake. Her eyes met his but she could not cry, for joy nor pain, he was correct. He was her soulmate. Evanescence would be their only hope, but even that would be temporary. Inevitably, they will be found. They will be bound once again to the darkness from which they come. Traitor and traitress. Her father, Chaos, will not be kind to either upon return, and she is certain an innumerable amount of demons will seek the bounty likely on her head. Her lover will be subject to the deepest depths of Tartarus, a prison they were both currently free of. As for her, she is blind to her own fate. She knows not the outcome for herself, but she knows her treachery will come with great punishment. But she will free her lover at all costs and they will run again, and again in immortal fashion.


She rarely spoke with sadness but her foresight into the future, knowing his punishment will greatly outweigh hers; her voice shook "Beloved, do you not know what my father and husband would have for you should the fallen angels track you down. Your head would be a prized trophy in the halls of Tartarus. Even the Titans would not suffer the way you shall." He could not see the vision of fate as she could. Predestination is often a dark gift, death cannot find an immortal but it would be liken to ambrosia compared to the sentence of eternal torment that awaits her love. "The fallen are without hope, your head will win whomever finds it favor in the eyes of Chaos"


His eyes still black and without soul or hesitation "Dearest Nyx, your beauty is like that of a midnight sky. Veiled in stars, shrouded in the mists of empyrean. In your true form should a mortal lay just one eye upon you their soul would be swallowed up in the dark splendor of your essence. I have no soul to sacrifice to your will but if I did, I would offer it thousands of times over. Your darkness is to me, like the light of the gods in Elysium." His words are honey and she the hive Queen. "I shall die by the hands of thine otherkin for eternity and smile, for the reminiscence of you is carved into my mind; like the commandments of the mortal men, you are all I can see, all i can hear and feel and know."


He was a fool but her love for him was just as deep. But she was no fool and she knew they would run together only to be found. They would need help but the power and reach of Chaos is mighty. He would have nearly every deity in existence on his side. Even if she could sway some to her cause she would never be allowed entrance to where they reside, especially if a bounty was already set.

Her original hopes were to wait until spring and the return of her dear friend Persephone to this mortal plane. With this unexpected return of Kalona to her side, hope drowns a little more. But surely Persephone would aid and assist them both in some way. For she too is chained and bound by cursed deceit. Although Persephone's love for Hades is real, it is not true. Love was forced upon her the same way marriage was forced upon the Queen of Darkness.


Wasting no time at all she said "I have some ideas if you would be willing to help. There may be some out there who will aid in our continued escape. My goddess-daughter Hecate and since we are technically in mortal form we may be able to call upon the spirit of Lilith for assistance. Though she may be less willing to help with you, a male, being involved. We must hope that her hatred of the male gods who excommunicated her is greater than the hatred she will feel at the sight of you."


"I will do any thing you deem necessary my Queen." She knew he meant that wholeheartedly and would gladly offer his life endlessly in their cycle of escape from Tartarus.


Her plan is to use Kalona as a bait to gain audience with Lilith, and that she, the once mother of demons, will help contact Hecate for the two lovers. But how could they run from their own immortality, and how would they run from the powerful immortals that will seek her till the ends of time itself. She knew who had these answers, but would her and her lover be able to obtain these answers. They would have to enter the prison, known as home to them, and manage to escape again. It would be no easy feat but the curse of immortality guarantees one thing, eternity. And they would both devote an eternity trying to escape the never ending darkness from which they were born.