The Apprentice of Thanatos

Chapter 2: Into the Underworld

      Thanatos raised an eyebrow. "You said you had a math test today. Now, I am curious as to why a ghost would need to take a math test?"

      "Well, I'm not completely a ghost-" Danny paused as he noticed the faint smirk on Thanatos' face. "Ohh, you're joking, aren't you?"

      "Mayhaps." Thanatos' face was difficult to read, but Danny got the sense that he was amused. Thanatos gestured to the open portal doors. "Shall we go to the Underworld?"

      "I mean, sure, I guess." Danny landed in front of the portal. "After you."

      Danny followed Thanatos through the portal. Thanatos used his wings to fly through the Ghost Zone, which Danny found kind of weird since he was a Greek god; couldn't he just float around or even teleport them there? They were traveling for a while before Danny noticed that none of his enemies had even attempted to attack him. Danny asked Thanatos about this.

      "Most beings, both living and deceased, will not approach me if they can help it." Thanatos flew around a door to a ghost's lair while Danny phased through it.

      Danny stared at Thanatos' red sandals and couldn't stop himself. "Nice shoes, by the way. Why are they bright red? Don't they kinda clash with the whole gloomy thing you've got going on?"

      Thanatos turned to Danny and raised an eyebrow. "Are you seriously giving me fashion advice?"

      Danny looked down at his own admittedly garish outfit, and conceded the point. From there they continued to their destination in silence. Danny had just begun to wonder how far away the Underworld was when they came to what appeared to be a rough stone wall. Thanatos summoned a scythe and slashed through the ragged rock. Danny watched in amazement as a portal formed in the wall. Through the green haze of the portal, Danny saw what looked like an enormous underground cavern. The scythe melted into shadows as Thanatos turned back to Danny.

      "Follow and stay close to me," Thanatos said before flying through.

      Danny hesitated a moment before following. He was hit by the frigid drop in temperature as he flew through the portal and he shivered involuntarily; it was even colder than the Ghost Zone. The portal opened onto a dark, rocky ledge. To the right of them was a tunnel burrowed into the cavern wall. To the left lay an enormous chasm. A feeling of dread seemed to waft up from the unknown depths like a foul and pungent scent, and Danny felt fear crawl up his spine as he stared into the void; whatever was down there, he did not want to meet it. Danny lingered for only a moment before hurrying into the tunnel after Thanatos. The feeling of dread lessened its hold on Danny the further he got from the pit, and the tunnel widened until it eventually opened onto a spacious field of black grass. Poplar trees were scattered throughout the field, along with a few blue humanoid wisps that were wandering aimlessly. There was no sky, only dark stalactites and dense mist high above.

      Thanatos landed in the grass a few yards from the tunnel entrance, and when Danny landed next to him he was surprised to see that the color seemed to have drained from Thanatos' entire being. His wings were grayscale, his golden belt was now silver, and his once dazzling red sandals were the color of slate rock. Danny quickly looked down at his own hands, before internally facepalming as he remembered that his own outfit was already black and white. He looked back up at Thanatos, who was now watching him with his still golden eyes.

      "What..." Danny's voice came out in a dry rasp, and he cleared his throat. "What was that? What was in that hole?"

      Thanatos was silent for a moment before he answered. "That pit was Tartarus. It is the deepest part of the Underworld, and only the most evil of creatures exist there." He placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Are you alright, Daniel?"