I’ve never seen a place that could exclude such luxury and comfort yet feel so unerving. Onyx black marble walls surrounded me and whispered warnings of their owner: “Careful,” they whispered, “upsetting him would destin worse then your demise”. Or perhaps those were just my own thoughts? Do the walls know what I think? Can they hear what I feel?! Are-Do they—

“I’ve seen you’ve made it, good.” Hades’ statement had shaken e out of my…pondering. Huh, I hadn’t even realized I arrived in the—I glanced around for a second—courtroom? Hades was sitting atop a deep purple throne made of some shiny, hard looking material. Stone? Whatever it was, it didn’t look…normal. The purple colors started to look more navy blue then hot pink then—

“…correct?” Shoot, I got distracted again. “Uhh, could you repeat that Ha-Lord Hades?” I stirred eloquently. Hades raised and eyebrow and repeated the question: “Just Hades is fine. You are Tom Harold, yes?” I nodded in response. “Good. Tom, I hope you are aware that you have upset your mother very much.”

“I..what?”

“Your mother, Life, she has been very upset with your actions recently. Not just your of course, really she’s upset with a lot of you but, we’ll, it’s easier to talk to you one at a time,” Hades replied waving his hand. I made a noise (squeak) of confusion but Hades barreled on.

“We both figured, I would be better at helping you all though, for obvious reasons….” Hades trailed off a bit.

“Anyways, the point is,” Hades said seriously “you have forsaken the gift life his brought you.” Hades held up a hand before I could reply. “I understand there are circumstances, but you must right your path before you end up…derailing. I can’t give too many details—Destiny would have my hide—but I will also not sit and watch my children suffer. You all will make your way to me in time, but please do not make the journey up to that point so painful for yourself,” Hades slips in to a bit of a pleading tone before straightening his spine. Oh, is he waiting for me to respond? How am I supposed to respond to that? How am I supposed to feel about that? OMG, Hades, and Life apparently, both think I’m ‘heading down the wrong path’?! Am I skewered? Does that mean I’m sleeted? How am I even supposed to “right my path,” anyway?!

“I fear this is too much for you to process…” Hades said. “Perhaps, Life was right..maybe I should have eased you in more…” Hades mumbled.

“Oh well,” Hades exclaimed; standing up and clapping his hands together.

“Heed my warning mortal, or you will be seeing me again sooner than you wish.” Hades made a shooing motion and I felt myself start to…move?

“I-Wait-but-wha-“ I didn’t even manage to get the last word out before I was back where I started—invitation in hand, sitting at my desk, in my dingy old apartment—shoot.