voidtreckerexpress Poi: No Place Like Home: The Return

[controlsthedie]

When the message appears on his SCA, Thanatos goes to Nyx. The strange lights, the visions begin to make sense. The Void is the cause... and it likely means he and Zagreus will be leaving their world again. The Ministry on the surface will have to take over from there. In their slow way unless his mother can work something out, do something about his domain in his absence.

But... Thanatos wants more time. He feels the pull and call of the mortals. So many still need to be released from their decaying bodies. Charon and Hermes won't be able to reach them all in time before death stops again.

"Figures I'd find you brooding," comes a voice interrupting his thoughts.

"I didn't expect to be disturbed here," Thanatos says, dropping his fingers from one of the Nectar bottles Zagreus had given him ages ago. Still unopened on his bookshelf. "How did you find me?"

"I have my ways." Megaera walks around the room. Compared to the rest of the House, it is simple, sparsely decorated. Thanatos rarely spends any time in his room to begin with. The only feature that stands out is the small balcony, commissioned for Thanatos after Sisyphus made it hard for the godling to be enclosed in a small space. "Nyx said you and Zagreus will be leaving."

"Not by choice." Megaera is patient with Thanatos when he drifts off into silence like he does. She simply bides her time by looking out the balcony. The River Styx passes by with the River Lethe beyond that. She's rewarded when Thanatos speaks again, voice far too shaky to be coming from a god. "Tell me, Megaera. What do you sense of me?"

"This again, Thanatos?" Megaera sighs and gives him a sidelong glance. They had a similar exchange after Lord Hades confronted Thanatos about his betrayal. Thanatos nods. "Fine. Sisyphus's betrayal is still about you... stronger than I last remember. After your little rant in the Great Hall, I can recognize that you've felt betrayed by all of us even if you didn't realize it then. Of course, there's still the betrayal to Lord Hades, but you also haven't broken any oath to the House. Even now with your prolonged absence."

"What about to the mortals? To the Life of this world? Why aren't I at the end of your whip for--"

Megaera cuts him off. Her patience only extends for so long, and that's with her additional allowance towards the gentle god. "The thing about my whip... it works better on those who fight against my punishment and need to be put in their place. You? I don't have to lift a finger. Anything I can do pales in comparison to what you do to yourself. You think you deserve it, even if you really don't, and you take it without question." She smirks and leans against the balcony railing. "If I didn't know you, I'd almost think you liked it."

"... What? Why would I...?"

Megaera chuckles at Thanatos's completely baffled expression. Oh, Zagreus has his hands full with this one. She's honestly surprised they managed to even kiss. "Well, I better get back to my work. There are plenty of new shades to punish. The lack of Death doesn't excuse them for the crimes they committed up there." She walks past Thanatos, placing a light hand on his shoulder. Mort peeks out from his hood, and he gets a little scritch on the top of his head. "Go. We'll handle things here. But the next time I see you, I don't want you asking if you've broken an oath to our world."

Thanatos doesn't have a chance to reply before she's out the door and flying through Tartarus. She doesn't need to hear one from him.