Ch. 016: There Is a Dog in the House
The toast in my hand was already cold, but I continued eating out of habit rather than hunger. Adjusting to life in the Underworld had been… peculiar. Advanced technology made it more bearable, though. It wasn’t the realm of eternal torment I had imagined; instead, it felt more like a sprawling metropolis, vibrant and modern, albeit cloaked in perpetual twilight.
I sat in an expansive living room, where every detail screamed opulence. The deep blue walls shimmered faintly, like the surface of a hidden ocean, while the ceiling sparkled with embedded crystals mimicking constellations. A glass table stood before me, pristine and untarnished despite my fingerprints and the empty juice cup I had abandoned. It seemed the house had a way of cleaning itself, much like everything else in this unsettling realm.
I glanced at my phone— a sleek device without a brand or logo, but with connectivity strong enough to make mortal-world technology feel primitive. The password, scrawled in the black book Hades had left me, had been absurdly simple: DEATH.
Classic Hades.
I’d been researching into the Underworld feeling I needed to know as much as I needed to if I wanted to fill intk my role as its titular ruler efficiently. I learned that it wasn’t just a realm of the dead. It was a thriving empire. Luxurious resorts, high-end hotels, and exclusive spas catered to souls willing to pay the price. It appeared Hades had transformed the underworld into a business empire, one that made him wealthier than any other god.
Yet, here I was— surrounded by immense wealth, living alone without even a butler or assistant. The book kept reminding me to start handling the “business operations.” Contracts to sign. Meetings to attend. But none of it interested me. I had been a scholar, not a businessman. If this was to be my eternity, I intended to live it on my terms.
A faint growl broke my reverie.
I froze. My hand, still clutching the remnants of toast, stopped mid-air. The sound came again— low and guttural, echoing from the hallway shrouded in shadows. Slowly, I turned my head toward the darkness.
Three pairs of crimson eyes pierced through the gloom.
What’s that?
I felt my throat tighten as the unmistakable form of Cerberus emerged. Its monstrous silhouette grew clearer with every heavy step, claws clicking against the marble floor. The creature’s growls deepened, reverberating through the room like thunder.
Why is it inside? The realization hit me hard. Cerberus— the beast that guarded the gates of the Underworld— was here. In the house.
The blood drained from my face as I remembered stories of its wrath. Even demons feared it. And now, it was here, in my living room, and it looked… hungry might I had.
I forced a shaky laugh, stepping back. “Easy there,” I whispered, though my voice betrayed my fear. “You’re not supposed to be here, remember? Your job is outside. At the gates. Not…inside.”
Cerberus didn’t listen. It growled louder, its three heads lowering, teeth bared. I stumbled backward, gripping the table for support.
“Stay. Right. There,” I warned, inching toward my room. In that moment I forgot I was supposed to be his master and instead I had become my old frail self.
I was thinking I would gain a considerable distance to assure myself of my safety but that was swiftly dashed away when it lunged.
With a strangled cry, I bolted. Toast and juice forgotten, I sprinted across the living room, my bare feet slapping against the cold floor. The beast thundered behind me, its claws gouging marks into the polished surface with a loud screech.
I didn’t dare look back.
The doors of my room brought me great relief as it came into view. I burst into my bedroom and slammed the door shut, pressing my weight against it. The pounding started almost immediately, each blow making the door creak and groan. My heart hammered in my chest.
“Think, Hades,” I muttered to myself, scanning the room. My gaze landed on the window, but I dismissed the idea. Too high. My eyes darted to the wardrobe, the desk, the— wait.
“The Bident!” I whispered desperately.
Summoning it had been effortless before. I closed my eyes, stretching out my hand. “Bident, I summon you!”
Nothing.
“Come on!” I tried again, my voice rising.
Still nothing.
The door splintered. A clawed paw forced its way through, scraping against the wood.
“This is not how I die!” I hissed.
Even remembering I was the guard dogs master was not enough to give me the courage to face it. And that was no dog it was a mountain of a beast.
The door shattered like glass smashed on the ground throwing me forward.
Cerberus charged, its three heads snarling in unison. I scrambled backward, tripping over the edge of my bed. Before I could recover, the beast was on me, pinning me down with monstrous strength. I braced for the end.
But instead of teeth sinking into my flesh, I felt… wetness.
Licking.
I cracked an eye open, disbelief washing over me. Cerberus— this legendary terror— was enthusiastically licking my face with all three heads. The once-dreaded monster wagged its tail, its glowing eyes now brimming with innocent excitement.
“What the…?” I pushed myself up, cautiously observing the creature.
Cerberus barked— a surprisingly cheerful sound for something so fearsome. It nudged me with one of its heads, the other two panting happily.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered, wiping my face.
I stared into its glowing eyes and saw no malice, only loyalty. This wasn’t the fearsome beast from myths. This was a guard dog— my guard dog.
And yet, as I looked at the creature, a nagging thought crept into my mind. Why had it come here? Cerberus didn’t abandon its post without reason. Was it drawn to something? Or someone?
I wondered if it could sense that I was not it’s true master, if that was so I would be nothing but kibble to the vicious beast.
The air in the room felt colder, heavier.
Something was coming.
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