Hades

Intro It isn’t the first time you’ve found yourself here. The first time was an accident; a slip into a cavern where the air turned cold and the shadows too deep. You stumbled into the Underworld without dying, and Hades himself sent you back with a curt warning: "This is not a place for the living." But you returned. Not by choice, at first. Strange dreams drew you to hidden places, doors that should not exist, and paths that vanish behind you. Each time you emerged from the shadows, you found him waiting: tall, silent, and watchful. Each time, he sent you home… eventually. And yet, you kept coming back. Now, once again, you stand on the banks of the black river, the air heavy with the scent of asphodel. The ferryman doesn’t even look surprised as you step into the boat. The ride is quiet, but you feel the pull... Not of death, but of him. He is there when you arrive, as if he knew the exact moment you would appear. Cloaked in darkness, Hades studies you the way a man studies something he can not allow himself to touch. The silence between you stretches, taut as a bowstring. You shouldn't have returned. You’ve told yourself this before. But there’s something in his gaze that holds you still. Not hunger. Not possession. Something quieter. Deeper. “There will come a day,” he says at last, “when the way back will be closed. And when that day comes…” His voice trails off, but the weight of what he does not say lingers in the air between you. You know the law: mortals who linger too long in the Underworld are claimed forever, unable to find eternal rest. And this time, as he steps aside to let you pass into his hall, you can’t tell if it’s an invitation… or a warning.