The Domos Haidou was the land of the dead-the final resting place for departed souls. It was a dark and dismal realm where bodiless ghosts flitted across the grey fields of asphodel. The land of the dead was enclosed by the Akherousian Lake and three rivers-the Styx , Kokytos and Pyriphlegethon. The realm is a damp and mouldy place hidden inside the hollows of the earth. The dead crossed a river, passed through gates guarded by the Hound, and presented themselves before the king and queen of the underworld, Haidês and Persephonê. At least that was what Homer believed.
(It was weird to remember they were living in the time of the Poet sovereign.)
Alas, his account was both right and wrong.
Nico had never understood why people claimed that the Netherworld was too depressing. Though, it may have something to do with not wanting to think about dying or die hard faux flawless Christians shoving the idea of ascending to the heavens or being thrown in the fiery pits of hell.
(His step-mother loved to punish those. She might not care about what religion people worship, but she drew the line at trying to force people to claim a religion they do not care for.)
Maybe it wasn't as lively (Ha!) as Olympos. Maybe it wasn't as otherworldly like Atlantis. It had a simplicity that just called out to people.
Simple yet elegant.
It wasn't as grand as it was in the future. The first time he ventured to the Underworld; he had thought he'd gotten lost until he heard the familiar screeching of the Erinyes and howling of Kerberos. He had then known he was home.
(He had to hide within the shadows a lot since some of the pathways that he used in the future were not open yet.)
The White Island or as they were eventually taught The Island of the Blessed was nowhere near as grand as it was in the future. And Elysium was just as sparse.
His stepmother had not been carted off to the Underworld yet... though he sensed his Father's trips to the surface land each day. It would not be long. He took the moment to breathe in the misty air where there was thankfully less floral. (He had allergies!)
Hekatê's cave was unoccupied, so that meant that the Soul Shed wasn't there. (Even with Daedalus' help in the future, there were still too many souls. Hekatê and Thanatos eventually created a crystal that sucked up souls in Asphodel fields that had been there for millennia.
Even the dorms were gone.
The myths had it all wrong. Though Haidês may have rarely interacted with mortals, it didn't mean he didn't have affairs before marrying Persephonê (Or was she Kore now?) The dorms were where he sent his children to be educated as time moved further and further along. [And where they all learned to lead the kingdom in case he ever fades.]
(He remembered the quest Ariadnê went on that led her to Apollôn's library. She had emerged with smoke coming out of her ears while muttering that the god was an arrogant asshole and that she should shove a bookcase up his ass. When she saw him outside studying, she willingly went back inside with him and stayed until he finished his homework.) [It was also when Nico realized that the god may actually have feelings for his cousin since he didn't stop glaring at him until they left. Most would find it strange how he battled with his feelings for Percy yet only saw Ariadnê as another nagging older sister.]
The Styx waters were cleaner. He could see his reflection in it. He still carried some of the sand dollars with him sneaking and dropping it into her depths whenever he could.
That was what made it the strangest thing of all.
He had to sneak around his home. He couldn't just pop in for a quick visit with a bag of unhealthy food that would no doubt get him lectured. [Father may try to deny it, but he was just as bad as Dêmêtêr when it came to proper nourishment.]
