Ascension

Ch 1

Hades' palace is a dark and foreboding place, fitting for the ruler of the underworld. It's massive structure made of obsidian and black stone, with towering spires reaching towards the sky. The architecture is grand yet sinister, adorned with intricate carvings of skeletal figures and ominous symbols.
The entrance to Hades' palace is guarded by massive gates, forged from iron and adorned with ghastly motifs representing death and despair. Inside, the palace is labyrinthine, with twisting corridors and shadowy chambers that echo with the whispers of lost souls. The air is thick with the scent of decay, and the flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the walls.
At the heart of the palace lies the throne room, where Hades sits upon a throne of bones, surrounded by flickering flames and the restless spirits of the dead. The room is adorned with macabre decorations, such as skulls, chains, and dark tapestries depicting scenes of torment and suffering.

Hades is a complex and enigmatic figure, embodying both the dread of death and the necessity of balance in the cosmos. His personality reflects the somber nature of his realm, the underworld, where he reigns as its formidable ruler. Hades is stoic, reserved, and fiercely protective of his domain and its inhabitants. As the god of the underworld, Hades possesses immense power and authority over the realm of the dead. His primary duty is to oversee the souls of the deceased, ensuring that they receive their proper judgment and are allocated to their respective afterlife destinations. While he is often associated with death and the afterlife, Hades is not inherently malevolent; rather, he is responsible for maintaining order and balance in the cosmos. Working together with Anubis and Hel, the three deities make sure the dead remain there.
Among his powers, Hades has control over the riches found within the earth, including precious metals and gems. He is also able to summon and command the spirits of the dead, as well as manipulate the earth itself. Additionally, Hades has a helmet that grants him invisibility, allowing him to move unseen among both the living and the dead.
Despite his somber demeanor, Hades is not without moments of compassion and depth. In some myths, he is portrayed as a just and fair judge, ensuring that each soul is treated according to its deeds in life. However, he is also known for his fierce temper and is not to be crossed lightly. Overall, Hades embodies the balance between life and death, darkness and light, and serves as a reminder of the inevitability of mortality in the Greek pantheon.

The relationship between Hades and Persephone is one of the most famous myths in Greek mythology, revolving around the abduction of Persephone by Hades and her subsequent role as queen of the underworld.
According to the myth, Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, was picking flowers in a meadow when Hades, smitten by her beauty, emerged from the underworld and abducted her to be his wife. Demeter, devastated by the loss of her daughter, plunged the world into eternal winter until Zeus intervened and brokered a deal for Persephone's return.
However, because Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds while in the underworld, she was bound to it for a portion of the year. Thus, Persephone became queen of the underworld, spending part of the year with Hades and the rest with her mother, Demeter.
The relationship between Hades and Persephone is often portrayed as complex and multidimensional. While the circumstances of Persephone's abduction may seem coercive, some interpretations suggest that she eventually came to care for Hades and found purpose in her role as queen of the underworld. Their relationship symbolizes the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, with Persephone's annual return from the underworld marking the arrival of spring and the renewal of life on earth. Additionally, their union represents the merging of the realms of the living and the dead, highlighting the interconnectedness of all aspects of existence in Greek mythology.