heyo! It's finally winter break!

There is going to be a lot of talking in this chapter.

Enjoy!

Amu's POV

"So what's the plan Had- I mean Ikuto."

"We are going to follow the river of Styx and head to Elysium."

"Elysium?"

"It's the place where the souls of heroes and virtuous people rest. I guess it would be what humans call 'heaven'."

"I see.." I said. Though really I didn't see. How could there be a paradise in this isolated, gloomy place?

As we walked parallel with the river, I stared at the dull soil. It was sandy and definitely lacked nutrients. I hadn't seen any plants yet, only some rocks lying around.

"Does it bother you?" Ikuto inquired.

"What do you mean?"

"This place. The lack of life here, especially the plants."

I thought for a moment. "Well, it's weird. I have never seen anything like this. Even deserts have signs of life, but this place...it's different. I guess as a person who grew up with a parent who has green fingers, it's natural to feel this way."

"Yeah, it's quite a transition."

"What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you!" I rolled my eyes dramatically, but a smile still slipped onto my face. "Who else would I be talking to?"

" Just making sure. Anyways, I'm already use to the underworld. Perhaps too much though. Sometimes when I see a field of flowers, it kinds of surprises me, but not in a bad way. It makes me become envious of you. You have a peaceful, blithe life on the human world with life surrounding you."

"But you're the god of the underworld."

"Only because nobody wanted to take the position. My brothers wanted the air and the sea, which left me with the underworld. Nobody wanted to deal the deceased for eternity. It's depressing, stressful, and vexing. "

I nodded for him to continue.

"Making sure nobody escapes, thinking about what punishment should be bestowed on criminals, listening to people's tragedies, it's not easy. I get perceived as the bad guy, but someone has to be."

Guilt hung over me. Ikuto does have a bad reputation, and I didn't know that he has to do a lot of laborious work.

"I'm sorry.."

"It's just fate."

Is it really?

We kept on walking down the path. The still river continued to gleam, and the cold air persisted.

Then, over the distance, I could barely make out a settlement. And what surprised me was that it looked like the mundane world. There was buildings, trees, and even a little sun hovering over the city.

I was shocked. It's like a bubble of paradise floating in this abyss.

Thank you for reading! Please review, follow, and favorite!

QOD: Do you perceive the Underworld to be cold or hot (or neither)?