Chapter Text
All of it really began when Namjoon asked him to deliver a message.
Usually Yoongi would have whined more. Complained more. About the weather, his feet, how he couldn't leave his flowers alone, about how much he just didn't want to go.
He would have complained so much that Namjoon maybe would have given in.
But Yoongi only whined a little bit, but left in the end.
Left for the Underworld.
He's never been there before. Of course he knew how to get there, knew where it (kind of) was and what going to the Underworld meant.
Going to there meant leaving Olympus or even the human world. Meant leaving it all behind to see the God of Death, Hades.
Yoongi has seen him before. Only brief glances and, naturally, he has heard the famous rumors. The Blank God, he's called. Cold, distant, and strange even. Everyone knows that Taehyung - Hades - is strange, but maybe that's what living away from everyone deep under does to you.
Yoongi would go crazy.
So, yes, Yoongi knew plenty about the Underworld (as much as anyone does who's never been there), but he didn't really know what he expected it to look like.
First of all, he didn't expect a dude to be dozing off by an elevator right by the entrance.
Yoongi clears his throat three times before the guy wakes up, slowly turning his head towards Yoongi with sleepy eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Uh, I have to see Hades?" Yoongi says and it sounds more like a question than a reply.
"Okay. You got an appointment?"
Yoongi feels a bit useless, not really sure if he has an appointment. Did Namjoon make one?
"I'm, uh, Yoongi, I'm here to deliver a message instead of Namjoon?"
Elevator Boy looks at him with an unmoving expression. "Yeah, okay, sweetheart, I'm gonna need your God names."
Yoongi decides he doesn't like this guy. Who is he anyway? Sleeping on the job. "I'm Persephone, and I'm here for Athena."
Elevator guy literally scrutinizes him and Yoongi is really about to punch him in the face, when his expression suddenly changes and a bright smile appears.
"Yeah, I know, I was just messing with you. Two coins and I'll get you over Styx."
Yoongi is honestly so close to hitting a stranger, and he feels his face heat up as he pulls out the coins Namjoon gave him earlier.
Elevator guy takes the coins and presses the button for the elevator, motioning for Yoongi to get in first.
The elevator doors close and they move, but strangely, Yoongi can't tell if they're descending or not.
"I'm Charon, by the way, but you can also call me Sunjae."
'I'm not gonna call you anything,' Yoongi wants to say, but he's interrupted by a loud Bing! and the doors slide open to reveal a long, pristine white hallway.
Now this is definitely not what Yoongi expected.
He looks around with big eyes. "Are we, uh, is this-"
"We're in Styx. This hallway leads through it. Only the Dead get a boat ride. You're a visitor, so we're gonna walk."
Yoongi really wished he'd complain more.
Sungjae starts walking away and they go down the seemingly endless hallway together.
It's strangely eerie, too white, too clean, and too quiet. Every single footstep makes a sound; every breath leaves an echo that travels far. There is nothing here, just white clean marble and Yoongi wonders just how far away they are from Olympus.
Everything is white, but it truly feels lifeless.
They walk for several minutes until the hallway finally comes to an end and they step out to a big, white hall with staircases leading up in many directions. Yoongi eyes them curiously.
"Those lead up to the shore of Styx and the offices for Death Registration."
"There are Death Registration Offices?"
Sunjae shrugs. "Of course. Or there'd be chaos. And not the Chaos that created the beginning of existence, but chaos as in total mayhem. Lotsa people die, and they gotta be registered and sorted and stuff for the Afterlife."
"Huh." They pass the stairs and Yoongi still looks back at them. "I thought mortals just all fell into a bottomless pond or something."
Sungjae snorts. "Disney really ruined everything."
He leads them out of the hall down some stairs and again it all just seems endless.
"What's Afterlife like then?"
"Hmm," Sunjae hums. "Like the life after? It's like everything that comes after life and when Death begins."
Yoongi frowns because, "What kinda bullshit."
They reach the end of the stairs and stand in front of a huge door. "Dunno. Maybe. Never died before. Or maybe I did? Can't remember. Anyway, we're here. Ring the bell and wait. I gotta go back. Have Tae call me when you're gotta go back up."
Sunjae is about to leave, but Yoongi hastily waves his hands. "I'm just dropping something off, can't you stay? It's literally gonna take a few seconds."
Sungjae looks at Yoongi with an unreadable expression, as if he can't understand what Yoongi is saying. He shakes his head. "Can't, gotta go. Ring the bell and wait."
And with that he leaves and Yoongi concludes that this entire place is weird. Literally everyone and everything is weird.
'Maybe that's where the rumors are from,' Yoongi muses. 'A weird kingdom with its weird god.'
Yoongi rings the bell and waits.