Charon looked puzzled as I boarded his skiff with the Doctor slung over my shoulder. Quietly his skeletal hands slowly paddled down the deceptively placid waters of the Styx. I gazed out at the dark mists, the glowing lights of the black ferns along the banks our only guide. Finally, a gentle jolt as we embanked on the shores of Erebus. The iron capitol of Dis loomed before me, billowing jets of flame. I reached into my pouch and offered four gold coins, but he raised two skeletal fingers. Curious.
I carried my mortal half over the smooth cobblestones until I stared at the six burning eyes of Cerberus. Triple growls greeted me as streams of saliva oozed from swordlength fangs.
"Down."
The beast lay down, several eyes looking up at me quietly.
"Good boys."
I continued through the gunmetal streets, past horrors that only counted as distractions to on born in this realm.
The twin sentinels towered over me at the gates to my Father's palace. I continued past them as I felt their reptilian eyes follow me beneath their spiked helmets.
Nothing had changed since I was the favored son in that place. Not a damned thing. I knew exactly which passages to take towards the center, towards the lowest level until the last doors opened for me. As soon as I saw the mountainous throne, glittering with jewels inset in the bones of slain abominations, I kneeled, laying the Doctor at my feet.
"Back so soon, errant whelp?" The voice of Hades boomed, rattling the steel walls.
"Yes, Father."
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