Ch. 117: Chanting And The Hooded Figures
Vireo appeared next to me and spoke in an eerie tone. “Is your curiousity satisfied Lord Hades or do you wish to proceed further?”
I tilted my head slightly and responded gruffly. “And why would I do that?”
Vireo hestiated for a moment before saying. “Because you are a god who wants to acquire knowledge. And answers to questions that have yet to arise might be down that way that is if you chose to take it. This is not a test or a challenge, it’s a truth.”
I looked down the path that further led into a mass of bushes. The air lingering there with even more secret, secrets I yearned to unearth. The more I learned about this world the more attached I became.
I turned and started down the path Vireo had hinted at with a hint of fear on my face, my steps as always was calm and considerate with everyone of my actions well though out. “So that is the choice you have chosen then, I wish you safe return from the depths Lord Hades.”
I stopped briefly as looked at the dark part before me, the trees and leaves shrowding most of it in mystery.
“Is anything the matter Lord Hades?” Vireo asked in a tone that hinted at compassion but was merely a mask to delude himself. “Are you perhaps afraid?”
I did not look back but I could tell he had a malicious smile on his face taunting me. Despite all the honorifics he showed me I could sense and immense bloodlust seething from him. He wanted to harm me but for some reason was afraid to do so.
“What’s down that path?” I asked in an even colder tone as usual.
Vireo responded in a distant tone. “The truth.”
I said nothing and continued down the path disappearing into the bushes and heading down the dark path. As I progressed further my mind swirled as the expanse of the underworld and how the constant feeling of being betrayed was constant in the air. There was no perfect king and also no perfect subjects.
I could hear chantings from up ahead as I the stone stone steps that seemed aged and cracked. The surroundings darkened with the most present shade of light being dark purple mushrooms that grew on the roots and barks of trees like a parasite.
The chanting grew louder as I stepped into the courtyard, the strange, almost haunting cadence filling the air. The robed figures stood in a circle, their voices harmonizing in a foreign language and made my stomach churn. Their faces were concealed by hoods, shadows where their features should have been. The air around them felt thick with magic— an ancient, untamed force that vibrated with life… and death.
For a moment, I hesitated. Something about this ritual, this gathering, felt off. I had seen many strange and unsettling things in my time, but this— this was different. It was as though the very air had turned against me, pressing in with a weight that chilled my bones.
The dogs at my side began to growl, their fur standing on end. They sensed it too— the wrongness in the air.
“Stay calm,” I whispered, though the words were as much for me as for them. I couldn’t afford to lose my nerve now.
As I took a step closer, one of the robed figures turned their head, the shadows beneath the hood shifting ever so slightly. A single glowing eye locked onto me— burning with a light that seemed unnatural, almost predatory. It was not the gaze of a friendly soul, that much was certain.
The chanting abruptly stopped.
The sudden silence was deafening. I could feel the tension in the air thickening, filled with melancholy. The figures stood motionless, their focus entirely on me now. The eerie glow from their eyes felt like a spotlight, casting an oppressive weight on my every movement.
“I didn’t mean to intrude,” I said, trying to sound more casual than I felt. “Just out for a stroll, you know. Thought I’d see what all the commotion was about.”
The figure closest to me stepped forward. A low, hissing voice, almost serpentine, slithered out from beneath the hood.
“You walk where you do not belong, outsider.”
I felt a prickle of unease crawl up my spine. This was no ordinary gathering, and I was no longer sure if these beings were even souls of the dead. There was something darker at play here, a part of me felt somewhat excited that I had chosen to go on this walk, that way I got to see so many things. Another part of me felt an unusual dread creeping in.
“I belong here as much as anyone,” I said, tightening my grip on my cane. “This is my domain, after all.”
Another figure stepped forward, this one taller, more imposing. The shadows around them shifted, revealing a hint of bone-white skin, marked with intricate black runes. The aura they exuded was suffocating, filled with a malicious energy that made my stomach churn even more.
“The Underworld belongs to no one, not even you,” the taller figure said, voice deep and resonant, echoing with power. “Not when the old magic stirs.”
I frowned. “Old magic? What are you talking about?” I had very little experience with magic but I was sure I hated it.
The figure said nothing, but I could see the faintest curl of a smile beneath the hood— one filled with cruel amusement. Before I could react, the air around them began to distort. Dark tendrils of shadow snaked out from beneath their robes, reaching towards me like living creatures, intent on binding me in place.
The dogs at my side snarled, lunging forward to protect me, but the shadows were faster. They coiled around my arms and legs, pinning me in place with an unnatural strength. The magic here was far more powerful than I had anticipated.
“You’ve made a mistake,” I said with a relaxed face and tone. “You think I don’t know the underworld? You think I’m just some fool who stumbled into this place? Your pride itself is humorous.”
The taller figure tilted their head, amusement still playing at the edges of their hidden face. “You do not understand, do you? This place, this world… it is older than you can fathom. You think the Underworld is your domain, but there are forces here that answer to no god. Not even you, Hades. Or whoever you really are.”
My breath caught. How did they—?
The grip of the shadows tightened, constricting my movements further. I tried to think steadily as I realized just how dire the situation had become. The air was thick with a darkness I couldn’t quite explain, I would just play the part of the god in distress a bit longer and see what I can get out of these guys.
In the distance, I could hear the faint sound of rushing water— the river Styx, winding its way through the heart of the Underworld. That meant I had to be close to the boundary, if I killed them here there would be no witnesses, I liked those odds.
The figure raised a hand, and the shadows began to pull tighter.
“You will learn soon enough, god of the dead,” the figure whispered. “The old magic is awakening, and your reign is not as secure as you think.”
Just when I thought they had expended their theactrics and aimed to slay them all, a new presence made itself known. From the far end of the courtyard, a new figure appeared, taller than the others, draped in a cloak of black smoke that writhed and coiled around them like a living thing. Their eyes burned with a crimson light, and their aura was darker still— more malevolent than anything I had encountered in this realm.
The first figure froze, stepping back, their power retreating into the shadows as if in deference.
“Enough,” the new figure said, their voice a deep, resonant growl that sent a shiver down my spine. “You overstep your bounds. We of the Serpentine tribe will not toy with the god further. If he wanted you would all be dead by now.”
The taller figure from before immediately dropped to one knee, head bowed. “My lord… forgive us. We did not know—”
“You will speak only when spoken to.” The new arrival’s voice was sharp, commanding. Whoever they were, they held power over the others. Even I could feel the weight of their authority swirling in the air.
The shadow tendrils around me loosened, falling away as if they had never existed. I dug my hands into my pockets and looked at the figure with cold eyes. “What a sentimental ruler.” I wasn’t speaking leisurely with him.
The second figure turned to face me, their eyes locking onto mine. “Hades,” they said, a twisted smile playing at the edges of their lips. “We meet at last.”
There was something about this being that unsettled me to my core. If I was to compare it to what I felt from other gods I would have to say it was something cold and distant.
“What do you want?” I asked, my voice barely steady.
The figure’s smile widened. “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough.”
And with that, the courtyard was swallowed by darkness.
If I revive a magic castle I will mass release 10 chapters
