Chapter 5- The Underworld

The journey through the cave was swift, the air growing colder with every step. The shadows around me thickened, pressing close, as though the Underworld itself was eager to greet its new lord. When I emerged from the exit of the long cavern I found myself in what was the Underworld, or what would be the Underworld. The vast land before be looked like a vast wasteland, a dark land that expanded as far as I could see.

Groaning, I ran a hand down my face. "This is what I have to work with?" I muttered to myself, looking around. "It's a mess."

I rose into the air, as I looked at the land below me. The land stretches endlessly, its horizon was dark and quite foggy, I could see many several jagged peaks raising into the sky, everything looked so ash, a desolation of petrified spires rose from a sea of dunes in the distance. Dark mountains rose like jagged teeth, their peaks lost in a veil of ashen fog that clung to the land. Four rivers carved through the desolation, each with a will of its own. Of course these were the five rivers of the underworld. Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon, Lethe and Styx.

Acheron was the river of sorrow or woe. the Roman poet Virgil called it the main river of Tartarus. Charon ferried the newly dead across the Acheron to enter the underworld.

Cocytus was the river of lamentation from the Greek word kōkuein, which means "to weep, lament". It's mentioned in Homer's Odyssey where it's described as a branch of the Styx that flows into the Acheron.

Phlegethon was the river of fire, also known as Pyriphlegethon, which means "fire-flaming". It's mentioned in Homer's Odyssey where it flows into the Acheron. It also had healing properties that upon dreaking the flaming liquid could heal any wound and allow even a mortal to survive in Tartarus.

Then there was the Lethe. The river of forgetfulness. The river was also known as the Amelēs potamos, which means "river of unmindfulness"

And of course lastly the Styx was the main river that separates the living from the dead, if I remember right and of course I did as the God of wisdom, the gods swore oaths by this river. In Homer's Iliad, it's called "the dread river of oath". 

The five rivers all connected into a lake in the middle of the underworld that was originaly called the Stygian marsh, though if I was being honest it was a horriable name.

As I flew, I began to notice the inhabitants. Souls where everywhere, wondering the underworld. From what I was able to see, the souls just woundered everywhere no place to actually stay put. There were souls of humans and beasts, so I guess everything that died would end up here. I took those souls and absorbed them for later use.

Finally ready, I moved to the center of the underworld and let my divinity move through the land of the dead. I started with what would be Asphodel. Instead of creating a field though where the souls would slowly forget who they where, I decided to go a different route and create two cities that would allow the souls of the dead to continue living normal lives and keeping their memories.

The Lower City would be for those who had lived anywhere from a common life to one that was okay, they would finally be able to rest and live comfortable forever. The Upper City, though would be the city that would house those that lived great lives, and actually acomplished somethig in life. Think of it as either living the rest of your existance in Vegas or Italy. 

Next I worked on Elysium, a place where only those that have acomplished something grand or changed the world. Here they would live lives of luxary and be treated with the greatestes respect. I also planned to make it a place that other gods or minor gods could come and relax. I made Elysium up on a mountain that I flatened, making it overlook the City's of Asphodel.

For the Fields of Punishment, I decided to not create it and instead left the land bare to create an area for a large park, maybe I should create a garden here, my own Garden of Eden. Speaking of I wonder if it actually exits somewhere?

Unknown to mortals all creation myths are actually started by the same being, and that was Chaos. She takes up many forms and personas through the world, each pantheon exists because of her and through her they are given a single region to rule over. For example Pluto and I both rule the Underworld in Greece, Hel will rule in Scandinavia as the Norse Goddess of Death, and Morrigan rules over Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany and several others.

Even though we have our own regions we all fall under the category of European Gods of Death. Now similar to how mortals can expand their lands and territories. The gods can do the same by winning against a different pantheon and then taking their land and interrating the gods into their pantheon. Though it is allowed, none do it as they don't know it exists. Even if it is wrote in bold in the Ancient Laws.

Speaking of laws I next had to create the Hall of Judgment, a grand structure of polished black marble. Inside, I placed a giant golden scale. One plate held the Feather of Justice and Order, which I blessed to weigh a soul's virtues. The other would hold the thread of life of the deceased, once dead their string will be brought to be weighed.

To guard this process, and than to eat the souls of the curropt that don't even deserve punisment and I summoned a python from the overworld and blessed it to become what I needed, giving it a name. Pythagora, the Sin Eater. I let the snake grow until it was over 100 feet long before letting her go. 

Satisfied with the foundations of the Underworld, I turned my attention to my home. Finding a large mountain, I raised a castle a large beautiful black marble castle. I taken some insperation from Château de Chambord and Windsor Castle to create domething a hundred times better. 

Inside, I spared no effort. The Great Hall, Grand Library, a bunch of bedrooms, bathrooms, and other nessesities that every castle would need. My throne room, that I once again took insperation from only the best throneroom I had ever saw. The throne room of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The throne I made of black marble sitting infront on an obsidian wall. Two large banners hung on each side with my new symbol. 

The mythosaur skull from the Mandolorian. So what if it was used by the Madolorians in the another world, in this world it would be my own. I might even recreate a beast of my own with tusks similar to the skull.

Now back to the throne room, the path from the throne to the great doors was covered with a long black carpet. twenty large pillars on either side filled the room each had a gothic style, lighting up the throneroom were four large chandeliers, all in all it gave an imposing look.

Once my castle was complete, I sat upon my throne and grinned. The underworld was not even a 100% complete as I would need to connect Tartarus to the underworld and give it a major remodeling. In fact, I believed that the Underworld and Tartarus would need a rebranding. "From now on, this land shall forever be known as the Underworld the Realm of the Dead."