Orb of the Protogenoi

The Underworld

It was an ordinary day in the human world. The sun was starting to rise up in certain parts of the world, showering it with its brilliant light and the people started to arise from their slumber and start another day in their lives. People would get ready for work while the children would go to school while others do what they normally do on an ordinary day like this. Yes, people would agree it was an ordinary day. And if so, it was also another day in the land of the Underworld.

Unlike the outside, darkness mostly covered this place and a gloomy atmosphere lingered in the air. Life in the underworld was not particularly unpleasant. It was rather like a miserable dream, full of shadows, without sunlight or hope, a joyless place where the dead slowly fade into nothingness. If one were to see this place, all hope and joy would be lost, only sadness and a tingling feeling of misery would be felt.

The souls enter the underworld by crossing the river of Acheron with the vessel of Charon, which was once a small wooden boat, but because of the increasing souls it was turned into a bigger one. One by one, the souls of the dead lined up to enter the vessel, but first, they must pay a drachma before entering. Those who cannot pay were sent to the shores of the river with the others, waiting for the time they can enter the underworld and the only way to enter is to ride Charon's vessel because a three-headed beast, called Cerberus, guarded the entrance.

The underworld was like a barren wasteland, withered trees, rocks and bones of humans and unknown creatures can be seen. Different creatures surrounded the place, scurrying here and there. In one part of the place, thousands of souls can be seen entering a place where King Rhadamanthus and his brother, King Minos, judged the dead. Then, the souls were divided into three groups, those who had lived a good and heroic life would be taken to the the Elysian Fields. Those who simply lived and did nothing good nor bad would be taken to the Asphodel Meadows, while those who had embraced darkness in their lives were sent to Tartarus, where the souls of the damned can be heard with their cries and pleas for mercy.

In the deepest part of Tartarus, where the most wicked stayed, a giant gate can be seen which was locked by a padlock without a keyhole. Inside was a vast labyrinth with demonic creatures lurking in the shadows. At the end of the labyrinth was where the prison of the once rulers of the world, the Titans. It looked like a dome and its structure was made to make sure that no one can enter this place. The entrance was heavily guarded by demons and with Hecatonchires as their head. Only the three known Olympian Gods can enter this part of the Tartarus because if any being, immortal or not, entered the premises, they will be burned by the flames of the underworld.

Inside the dome, was a large hallway, the walls were decorated with bones of humans and skeletons were lined up against the wall while holding torches with small blue flickering flames on each of them. The main room was where the five prison cells of the Titans, it was filthy and each cell was locked by the same padlocks before. There was a dark and eerie feeling in the room. The only light was a flame in the middle of the room and the fact that it was too quiet made it worst, until it was broken by a loud groan. It made the underworld slightly tremor, scaring the small creatures and souls, but the others ignored it like it was normal, and it was.

"Oh for the love of-, Cronus! Stop it! I'm trying to sleep here!" Hyperion came out from the darkness of the cell. A thousand years ago, he was a man feared and respected like his brothers, he was also tall and handsome during those days, but now he looks like a haggard old man. His face is all wrinkled and his beard's gray and his eyes are red, due to the lack of sleep.

"I swear Iapetus, Cronus isn't the only one repeating the same thing for like…thousands of years". said Crius.

"What?! How dare you!" yelled Hyperion.