Chapter 42 - Sad Death

"Eh..." Ness didn't know how to reply to Joren.

"But you should still apologize. Ask her to teach you and you'll definitely learn. Who is it that proposed to me the ideas of how to get my soul back?"

"That's different from learning. I just know that after all the time I've lived."

Ness replied to Joren's question but the latter was not satisfied.

"Then just proves my point. You could learn it given enough time. Do you think Virena is going to give up on you?"

"No, she's not that kind of person. But... she will think I'm dumb or something."

'What is this girl saying?'

Joren just chuckled before he heard.

"So, since you know I'm already that stupid, you can teach me."

Ness looked at him with hopeful eyes.

'I don't know what kind of work Virena does but... I have to be very ungrateful if I deny her right now!'

"Then I'll tell Virena to teach me then I'll teach you back, how about that?"

"Sure!"

Ness stood up with a bright face before realizing, "Wait, I still haven't compensated you for what I did earlier and you're already suggesting to help me."

"No worry, no worry. If I'm not an undead, I would've been very angry but I can't die, remember?"

"Is that a valid reason?"

"No, you're still at fault. I'm just forgiving you. So, how about you treat me nice with your VIP pass?"

Ness took out the card. She was about to get excited when she remembered, "But what about your soul?"

"Instead of aimlessly running around, why don't we ask others while we make use of that VIP pass? Especially, since I heard that my lower half has become some sort of a celebrity..." Joren cringed hard, remembering the reality of the situation.

"Oh, how about we ride the Flaming Wheel and see from above?"

Ness suggested but it sounded awful to Joren.

"One question, is that like a Ferris Wheel?"

"Yeah."

"Is it hot?"

"No, of course not. It's just a theme from Phaethon's Sun Chariot which he got from his father, Helios blah blah blah. Everything here is not safe. Hades, the Underworld, already transitioned to be accommodating since this is where the dead first arrive, specifically in Erebus. What you should worry about is Tartarus."

Ness warned.

"Can you tell me everything that I should be worried about here?"

"Eh... that's a lot. Just stick by me. If I try to explain to you everything, we might spend the whole day chatting as we go back to where it all started, when the five primordial beings were born out of Chaos. In Greek's myths, that is."

Joren was interested but just gave up, considering that they don't have much time.

Afterward, the two set off and went to Erebus, the supposed entrance of Hades.

"This is where the souls first arrive upon death once Minos, one of the three judges, not the stupid Minotaur. With the trip, did you know that our captain of the cruise ship is actually Charon?"

Ness asked but Joren have no idea.

"Well, whatever, I'm just saying that they are people who cannot mess with so you better not glare at anyone too much. But since, the UnderWorld is big, I don't think we'll be encountering someone important. I mean, how unlucky can we get?"

"Hm, is that you, Loch Ness?"

A hoarse voice suddenly startled both Ness and Joren.

"Huh? Who?"

Ness looked around to see a man with a wicked aura, deathly wings behind him, and a scepter of darkness. His eyes sunken as well as his cheeks.

"Oh, are you not Loch Ness? It's me, Thanatos." the man pointed at himself with a depressed smile.

"Who's he?"

Joren leaned towards the frozen Ness who didn't answer him, instead, she answered the man named Thanatos.

"Oh, Thanatos, the personification of death. Son of Nyx, one of the primordial beings born from chaos, also the Goddess of Night. I know you, Sir."

Sweat glided from Ness' forehead as she glanced at Joren. That introduction was actually for Joren.

'Don't be rude to him.'

She tried to communicate with him with her eyes to which Joren nodded.

"Yes, that's me." Thanatos depressingly sighed, "The supposed death... well, anyway. It seemed that I got the wrong person. The Loch Ness would never call me Sir. I thought I could have someone to talk to. Even though I'm not close to Loch Ness, I've heard her name from the surface and saw depictions of her in art and poetry. But compared to her, you look more mature."

Thanatos then continued while Ness was just nodding in reply.

"I've been just wandering these days. Hades no longer gives me orders. You see, I've been cheated so many times in the past. Even Hermes took my job from me and the Fates no longer update me when a person is due to die. I mean even the Grim Reapers whom I hired were getting overpowered. One of them is Loch Ness whose strength doesn't have any bounds..."

Ness' face twitched while Joren nodded in sympathy, thinking.

'What a poor personification of death, he looks like he wants someone to talk to...'

"... oh, what am I babbling about. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"No, no, if you want someone to talk to, you can always call me. My name's Joren Vierei."

Joren offered a handshake which Ness' eyes widened to.

'Does this guy think that I'm joking when I said that the person in front of him is the personification of death?'

"Oh," hearing this made Thanatos' face perked up, he was about to receive the handshake but stopped, "Wait, I see that you might be from the Charon's ship. You might be a living person who came here on a trip. You might die if I touched you."

"Is that so? Well, I'm an undead... a lesser, that is. I'm actually searching for my lower half of the body." Joren replied to which Thanatos was surprised.

"You're the owner of that soul?"

He pointed with a raised eyebrow.

"You've seen it, Sir?"

"Don't call me, Sir. Just call me Thanatos. Unlike other Gods or the past me, I don't care if you're strong or weak. Also, about your soul, yes, I've seen it."

Joren got excited while Ness found it convenient. After all, Thanatos seemed to be just wandering around with nothing to do. He must've at least seen Joren's half-soul.

"Can you tell me where it is?"

"Wait, Joren...!"

Ness immediately covered his mouth.

"Are you here to take your soul back?" Thanatos asked while Ness sweated before he continued, "Oh, don't worry. They've been treating me like I'm useless. I don't have the obligation to do my task anymore. I won't help you but I won't stop you either."

Joren then removed Ness' hand and smiled.

"Thank you, that's already a great help."

"No worries, no worries, you're the one who first offered me kindness. About your soul, I don't think you'll see it here."

"Huh?" Joren paused.

"Well, your soul has become a sensation. Megaera saw that your soul was making Allecto laugh so hard that she presented it as a gift to her sister in order to mend their relationship. At least, that's the story that I've heard."

"Megaera? Allecto?"

Joren didn't know who these people are.

"They are two of the three Furies." Ness explained with a solemn expression.

"Hm... it seemed that you two have a lot of things to do. I'll be on my way. Joren Vierei, I'll contact you whenever I can. Good luck."

Thanatos then turned and walked away after a wave of goodbye. On his way, demons, souls, and monsters alike would drop on their knees as they meet him. But since he's a common sight there, they soon stood and gave path to him. They didn't want to bother him, no, more like they are scared of him.

"The Furies? Who are they?"

"Allecto, Tisiphone, and Megaera are the three Furies. They are daughters of Gaia and Erebus... there's a lot going on but as you can imagine, they are Gods in their own rights too. If Megaera really gifted your soul to Allecto then... you would've to get to the Furies first, not just the Cerberus."

Ness heavily explained before telling Joren.

"Joren, I think you should give up on this one. This is a hundred percent failure. You only have less than two days left."

"Are you saying I should give up on my soul?"

Joren asked to which Ness nodded.

"Then, how about we just enjoy the VIP pass for the whole day then?"

Hearing this, Ness' face perked up and her spirit went back to her.

"Alright, let's go! I've been going around for a whole day since yesterday around her and I found a lot of fun things to do! Let's be fast!"

Ness then pulled Joren's hand in excitement.. Seeing this, he felt guilty.