Epic Of Caterpillar

Chapter 2548: Zagreus Returns To Tartarus

-----

Zagreus moved back to his Realm, Tartarus, through the Teleportation Rune left within the outside of Genesisʼ Palace. There were many Moon and Sun Gods gathered everywhere. Aside from him, a couple of Tartarusʼ Gods joined him, members of his fatherʼs pantheon.

They were all looking as sad as he was, the death of Hades was a tremendous new low for them all, after the kidnaping of his wife and Zagreus and his sistersʼ mother, Persephone, now their leader was gone as he fought the cruel and powerful demons in an act of bravery and self-sacrifice for his family and his beloved ones, and the world.

”We will never forget your father, young lord.”

”May he rest in peace, wherever his soul is now…”

”We will forever serve you with loyalty, as the next King of Tartarus, the only Underworld left in this world.”

”Indeed, please, if you need anything, we are here for you, young lord Zagreus.”

The gods, of all shapes and sizes, prostrated before Zagreus and lowered their heads, showing great loyalty to Hadesʼ entire family. Some resembled huge skeleton knights, others were ghosts, and one of them was a zombie.

They were the type of Gods born in Tartarus, from people that had died, undead that grew stronger and cultivated and leveled, until eventually becoming undead gods and joining Hades in his castle.

Hades was a compassionate man, and also a great and kind leader, they had great loyalty towards him for all the things he had done for them.

Zagreus knew that his father was someone incredible.

”Thank you…”

The Prince of Tartarus held back his tears, as his friends looked at him with worry.

”Zagreus…”

Sindarin, the Moon Elf Goddess of the Moonlight Dew held his hand, looking at him with compassion in her eyes.

Despite the short time they spent together, they put their lives on the line and saved one another many times.

They fought together and grew together through these battles.

Perhaps with the other Gods it mightʼve been different, but this group of young gods grew attached to one another rather fast, perhaps due to their own, shared traumas.

”Iʼm okay, Sindarin, thank you for being here for me… You and Glimmerdust could return back home, however…” Zagreus said. ”You donʼt need to come along with me if you donʼt want to, donʼt feel forced… Tartarus could be an unwelcoming and frightening place for most people.”

”Weʼre going…!” Glimmerdust, the Moon Moth Goddess of Moonʼs Shadows said, her antennae twitching. ”Sindarin is my friend, and she really wants to come with you, Zagreus, and… well, I feel bad by just returning yet.”

”Yeah, it is as she said,” Sindarin said. ”I want to consider you a friend after what weʼve gone through together… but perhaps we are the weird ones? You donʼt consider me your friend?”

As he saw Sindarinʼs adorable face looking sad, Zagreus skipped a beat, blushing.

”I-I do, of course I do… Thank you. Then letʼs go. We also have to find a way to help revive Henshian,” Zagreus said.

”Thanks bro…” Hanshuan sighed. ”Youʼre literally my last hope… I donʼt want my sister to remain dead… I-I donʼt even know what I would do without her…”

”Without my father here, I cannot really guarantee you anything, but I will do everything I can to help,” Zagreus patted the Sun Monkey Godʼs shoulders. ”Letʼs go.”

They stepped into the teleportation rune, the beautiful starry palace and its ethereal surroundings changed in an instant, as they appeared within Tartarus, in front of the large Styx River, where countless spectral souls were being washed, their memories slowly fading away.

The ground was black and there were giant mountains in the background, a huge forest of bones to the west, and a perpetually dark sky, with the shining moon above the skies, Zagreus noticed it had become much bigger now, illuminating more of this dark place.

The entire group was quickly scared as they saw screaming specters, hordes of zombies, flying gargoyles, and other terrifying creatures everywhere… they even saw a massive titan made of many corpses merged together, his steps making the earth rumble.

”W-What a place…!” Glimmerdust said while trembling like a twig.

”I-It is indeed rather… Um, picturesque!” Sindarin forced a smile.

”It feels like I died…” Hanshuan said. ”Oh wow… The smell is… yeah.”

”Youʼll get used to it…” Zagreus sighed. ”It is the smell of the dead… Putrid and dark, gloomy. Donʼt worry, the palace is surrounded by motherʼs garden, it smells like life. Hence why the undead donʼt get closer either. Letʼs go… Time said something about a ”surprise” at the depths of the realm, the underground of the palace… I also need to go see my sisters.”

They walked through the rocky landscape, avoiding hordes of zombies, greeting chatty ghosts, and also looking at the various, lugubrious, and insane vistas of this one-of-a-kind Realm.

”Oh wow, the landscape changed!”

Sindarin, while still holding Zagreusʼ hand, looked around, making the group stop as they noticed a huge field of grains and many other crops.

The sky went from dark to blue in here, as if they had entered the day… The sunshine shone brightly, bathing the plants.

”This is motherʼs fields…” Zagreus smiled, feeling more relaxed. ”Letʼs go.”

They reached his motherʼs beautiful garden after that, with many colorful flowers everywhere, it made the girls very excited.

”Wow! So beautiful!” Sindarin said.

”They smell so sweet… I got a bit hungry…” Glimmer dust sighed.

As a Moon Moth, she enjoyed drinking flower nectar, so this was like a huge feast to her.

”You can drink some of their nectar, Glimmerdust, but a bit.”

”Thank you… Iʼm actually starving…”

Glimmerdust then walked near a few flowers, extended her proboscis, and drank for a few seconds.

”Geez, she always does this when we find pretty flowers…” Sindarin crossed her arms and pouted.

”I canʼt blame her, for her this is a meal,” laughed Hanshuan, trying to stay a bit distracted.

”O-Okay, Iʼm done! Sorry… letʼs go,” Glimmerdust quickly rejoined them.

Once they made their way inside the palace, Zagreus called for his sisters but couldnʼt find them anywhere.

”Makaria! Melinoe! Are you around? Hello?”

He looked around, confused.

Until he felt their presences underground.

”W-Why are they down there?”

-----