//------------------------------//
// Fate 
// Story: Death Becomes Her 
// by daOtterGuy 
//------------------------------//

The sickly green water of the Styx lapped against the gondola as Somnambula rowed toward Hades’ palace. Tormented souls moaned and writhed just underneath the surface. Charon, the cloaked and skeletal boatstallion, was bound in chains on the other side of the boat. Thanatos hovered nearby, grinning madly at the bound god.

“Serves you right, you old fart,” Thanatos teased. He flew over to Somnambula. “I admit that I find myself in awe of your skill with chains.”

Somnabula kept her eyes looking ahead as she replied. “As both a priestess and medic, being proficient in using rope is very useful, and chains are simply rope made of metal. My thanks for providing the means to bind Charon.”

“You're welcome.” Thanatos regarded Charon with a malicious grin. Heated flames spewed from Charon’s empty eye sockets at Thanatos. “I take no small amount of pleasure seeing the jerk bested.”

“Do you hold a grudge against him?” Somnambula asked. “More than your usual ire against the gods?”

“Yes. He was the one who forced me into this role without asking about what I wanted. Useless brother.” Bitterness tinged his voice.

“You had other plans?”

“Many. I was going to take a few centuries to really find something I wanted to do for an eternity, but the family wouldn’t have it.” His expression turned sour. “Charon was the one who coerced me into my current role. I never had time to try anything else.”

“At least you have proven capable in your position.” Memories of her failure to stop the epidemic rose to her mind.

“I still resent it.”

“Because you never had a choice?”

“Yeah. What I would do for the entirety of my immortal life was determined at my birth.” Bitterness was joined by an undercurrent of anger. “You mortals have it so much better. You can make your own bad decisions, get into your own trouble, and never have to answer to three old hags with a spinning wheel.”

“Do the Spinning Mares not preside over the fate of mortals as well?”

“Not to the same extent. They only interfere and enforce destiny for the big stuff. Most mortals, they let make their own mistakes.”

“...I’m sorry you didn’t have a choice.”

An unreadable expression crossed Thanatos’ face. After a moment, he flew to the other side of the boat and looked out across the Styx. They continued in silence for a while, with only the lapping of the water and moaning of souls interrupting the quiet.

“Is that why you hate the other gods? Because they didn’t give you a choice?” Somnambula asked, breaking the silence.

“... No,” Thanatos replied. “I hate them for much more petty reasons.”

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“No,” Thanatos said, a dark tone to his voice.

“Then how about more details about this so-called plan of yours?”

“Also, no.” She could hear the mischievous grin in his voice, the darker edges gone instantly.

“Your secrecy in regards to how we will kill Hades leaves me in a place of doubt toward your capabilities of doing so.”

“I can assure you they are unfounded. I know how to pull this off. You just need to get close enough to him for me to make my move. Besides—” He zipped across the boat, hovering in place next to Somnambula “—Shouldn’t you just hope this all goes well? Isn’t that your thing?”

“You confuse hope with faith and stupidity with devotion,” Somnambula replied. “I have hope that I may save my people, but no faith in your ability to keep your promise. I’m also not stupid enough to believe this won’t come at a great cost to myself.”

Thanatos cackled. “And yet you continue to row toward the palace.”

She looked at Thanatos, the fires of determination still burning in her eyes. An unbreakable resolve. It made Thanatos grin wider.

“The mere chance that I may save my people through your assistance is enough to push me forward. Even if this goes poorly for me, I would be happier to have at least tried.”

“I like your resolve, Som. I have high hopes that you’ll manage to keep it.”

Somnambula ignored the obvious barb and continued to row. In the distance, spires of stone and diamond rose above the horizon, glittering in the ghastly light emanating from below.