While I was on the ferry, I noticed that we were alone all this time.
"If time flows normally here, how can I be the only one?"
"The journey beyond the living world is different for everyone." Charon replied with a serious tone.
"But be sure of one thing: all souls will meet me as soon as they arrive here."
I was expecting that Charon would be in more than one place simultaneously. But, to be alone in the Styx travel, especially after knowing that people could loan one iron coin to travel over.
"One can earn income by working in the afterlife. Not the way you imagine, but there are many things that only mortals souls can do."
"Such as?" I replied after sometime of silence.
"Changing things. Mostly. There are some more mystical paths that in your world were not common, such as providing guidance to other people, writing blessings and curses, discovering new spells, and aiding gods with their own goals."
"Other worlds?"
"You are going to Olympus, and thus, people over there can explain these matters much better than me."
Even though, would I retire some day? Even the afterlife had jobs to be done. There is no rest anywhere, literally!
"Is there someone retired here?"
Charon replied with a heartfelt laugh, as if I had made a naïve question about the life so typical of children.
"Yes, there is. But you see, for that, you require money—not a lot of it. You, for instance, have more than enough to live quite well for some centuries, if it is true that you have platinum coins."
He stressed the "s" in "platinum coins" like a snake would hiss its tongue. I find funny the way he was giving emphasis to my "wealth.". I would never dare to think that my collection of coins would have such applications.
"You don't need to breathe, sleep, drink, or eat here. After all, this is a place for souls to rest. Nonetheless, several ones chose to remain lazying around all the time."
We kept discussing trivialities as Charon refused to give me more details about the everyday lives of the souls. Our journey took about six hours, and I did not understand how a ferry could travel between dimensions. Although, the landscape seemed blurry after some time, as if we were entering a dense white fog.
My vision was almost completely obscured by the fog, and Charon did not even blink during our trip. When I started to feel bored with menial exchanges with him, I saw a majestic mountain. And yes, majestic is the best word to summarize what I was seeing.
A river ascends in open space towards the base of a floating mountain surrounded by clouds, where one can see several classical Greek structures. I could even discern that some of them were temples for the Olympian gods, gymnasiums, towers, and what seemed to be a small town. There was some vegetation growing by the sides of Olympus—olive trees, unmistakably.
As we approached a pier near the mountain, we could see a man waiting there with a cup in his hand.
"Greetings, noble Olympian. I brought this soul because he both fit your requirements and was eager to answer your calls. He shall also pay the appropriate fee in land."
Eager to answer their calls? I am truly fascinated to know Olympus, but eager is a bit too much.
"Master Hermes will see him immediately."
Charon managed to close its ferry near the pier, while I grabbed two gold coins to pay for my trip.
"You should give the coins to the Olympian noble. My payment is already arranged."
He could tell me that beforehand. Charon was not a good communicator. He wasn't taciturn, as the stories say, but an introverted person. As soon as I went to hold my metal chest, it shrank to the size of a small pouch.
"Think of it as a freebie for traveling with me, my friend. I hope you have good fortune at your new home."
It felt that something was amiss. Could I have traveled here without his assistance? I believe I couldn't avoid using Charon's service. Another possibility is that this is his way of saying thank you.
"Thank you, Charon. I hope to see you soon."
"I don't think so, but be at ease. Master Hermes will cover your relatives' traveling expenses."
The Olympian cut into our conversation as if he were dissatisfied with seeing Charon there. Both parties were tense, but I had not noticed it before. I remember from Greek mythology that the underworld and Olympians were not on good terms.
"For sure, Olympian. I will send an invoice to your master later on."
I don't know what to say any longer. Charon, Olympus, invoice, death. This is truly nonsense! What the hell is happening here? I was feeling that I was breaking down in this awkward dream. Do they have payments systems in the afterlife? Some kind of Olympay?
"Farewell, mortal," Charon said, starting to steer his ferry away from the pier.
We waited for Charon to be off into the fog surrounding the pier, then the Olympian turned to me and said:
"Welcome to Olympus, Rufus. As I said before, Master Hermes would like to speak with you immediately. However, before entering, I would like to kindly request your fee in accordance with Charon's menu."
His tone was very formal, like he was a butler. However, it was difficult to see him under that light because he was wearing a white and green tunic with several well-shaped muscles that were not covered by the tunic's fabric. I already had the coins in hand, so I simply gave him them.
As soon as the gold coins touched his hand, they disappeared!
"Don't be astonished by this. I simply absorbed the gold as payment."
There have been too many surprises in the span of six hours and two days since I arrived at Charon's pier. And I was still taken aback by each minor, odd thing that happened.
"My name is Teseu. And no, I am not the hero. I just share his name."
"My pleasure, as you already know. My name is Rufus, a mortal soul that was curious about Olympus." I opted for an honest reply. If a god had summoned me, there should be a reason.
He began to walk and made a sign with his hand for me to follow him. Along the way, we started to talk.
"Many people would refuse our invitation due to high-interest rates or naively believe they could cope with them. Did not Charon explain how valuable the gold coins are here?"
One thing to note is that no one so far has been able to read my thoughts or know what I am carrying.
"Actually, I received those coins as obols."
Teseu stopped his steps and looked straight into my eyes. I felt a déjà vu moment.
"Obols, do you know what they are? And do you have not only one, but two coins made of gold?"
"Yes, I do know. And technically, no, I do not have only one, but twelve of them."
Teseu choked. He simply gulped it down. I was feeling deep satisfaction, as I was not the only one stupefied by this whole ordeal.
"Now I understand why Charon did not explain anything to you. I hope master Hermes could be capable of convincing you."
"Convincing me?" The way people talk here is so mysterious. They could speak freely, why avoiding telling everything?
"Yes, for some strange reason. Call it good fortune. Few people enter the Immortal Realm with any usable currency. Often, the only things they had were some clothes and countless flowers—an awful amount of them."
"I, too, have some flowers. Do you need them for something?"
"Why do earthlings send their loved ones carrying flowers? Do they believe that Charon is a giant bee?"
"I believe they do not believe in Olympians in general, much less that Charon will be waiting for them at the crossing."
"It was rhetorical, Mr. Rufus. But I appreciate that you took it seriously."
His humor was peculiar, to say the least about it.
"Having some money, even as little as a single iron coin, can make your eternity comfortable. Mortal souls are impervious to all mundane conditions; however, all other realms natives, both here and in the underworld, do have basic needs. Some don't sleep or eat, but everyone, except mortal souls, requires something. And guess the best part? Only those souls can produce these resources."
"Natives cannot change anything." Despite the question, I understood that the inhabitants of these realms are powerless in front of their needs, and require the intervention of mortals. However, the souls do not require anything from their inhabitants. What an odd societal structure!
"It is a way to say it. We can produce, but we lack in many aspects. But you are not going to dwell here for so much time anyway." He seemed distressed about this particular situation, but his forewarning that I would not be longer be here made me anxious once again.
Our conversation about the Eternal Realm—that's how I will start calling these places, Olympus, and the Underworld, together—kept going on until we arrived at the doors of Hermes' temple. Similarly to what happened with Charon, he discussed the Greek pantheon, such as whom the gods are and what each one of them protected.
"Here I say farewell, Mr. Rufus. I hope Master Hermes offers you a good position."
"Thank you, Mr. Teseu. See you later."
He left me alone at Hermes' door. The air grows heavy, and I straighten my back. I felt that everything had been so unreal until now, and being at the front door of a mythological god was something that I was not prepared for. I knocked on the front door of the temple.
A maid opened the door, bowed, and then said,
"Please come in and follow me. Master Hermes is waiting for you at the main office."
I entered the temple, and as soon as I walked through the doors, they were closed without a sound behind me, and I felt fear for the first time since crossing.