Ch. 189: Shadows of Tartarus
The air hung heavy with an otherworldly chill as I stood at the edge of the Styx, waiting for the others to arrive. The glow of Charon's lantern reflected on the river's surface, its steady sway mirroring my own unsettled thoughts. Tartarus loomed ahead like a yawning maw, its foreboding presence more palpable than ever. The figure's warning about "choosing my allies wisely" still echoed in my mind, a reminder of the precarious balance we walked.
Talos arrived first, her steel-plated frame gleaming faintly under the dim light of the Underworld. Her expression was resolute, yet her eyes held a glint of concern. She had armed herself with her finest weapon, an unusual move that spoke volumes about the gravity of the mission ahead.
"Hades," she said, her voice a mix of reassurance and warning, "the more I think about this, the more I suspect we're dealing with something far beyond what we've prepared for."
