The Underworld was a system of caves that sometimes opened up into much larger caves. It was drenched with the smell of mold, mildew, and a sort of staleness that only came from forgotten places. But that was only on the surface. Something else lingered in the air—something pressed down on them as Maruble and Sarah followed the God of Rot through a series of stone passageways, clinging to the stone walls like a parasite.

Heaviness. Maruble exhaled as the weight bore down on his chest. It was the feeling of hopelessness and abandonment— perhaps a dash of insanity. The air was riddled with it, and the feeling worsened as they traveled further into the land of the dead.

The Underworld.

It was a place that was supposed to mark the passage from one life to the next, but something wasn't right. For some reason, it had become a labyrinth filled with strange and violent monsters. Maruble shuddered when he thought of the creature that had almost grabbed him.

"This passageway leads to the kitchens. Believe it or not, many grand feasts have been hosted here." Somel motioned to a dark corridor, scratching his arm until the skin flaked off. "Of course, there were only a few of us, and we had to get our supplies from Alta, but they were still delightful."

Sarah blinked up at him. "You have kitchens here?"

"Oh yes," nodded Somel. "I know it's hard to believe, but the Underworld was once very liveable. I'd almost call it pleasant."

"That is hard to believe," she muttered.

"It's Death's domain, after all." The God of Rot paused as if remembering Sarah was human. "Think of it as Noctavius's childhood home."

Somel smiled to himself, but it looked sad. He fell quiet as they continued through the corridors. They walked silently until Maruble finally cleared his throat, asking a question that had been on his mind.

"If this is Death's domain, how did you find us?"

"As the God of Rot, this place is my home as much as his." Somel motioned to the walls around them. "I can come here at will, but the dead are beyond my control. I can keep them contained— but just barely. I also had a little help."

Somel didn't expand. Instead, the god itched a spot on his neck and kept walking. Maruble watched as pieces of skin flaked off and cringed internally.

Out of all the Altans he had ever met, he was sure that the God of Rot had been dealt the worst hand. It was rare that The Sea gave powers that were cursed. This was Maruble's first time seeing it in person, and the idea that something like this could happen to anyone... He thought about all the children walking Nira's Path and felt sick to his stomach.

The god's skin was like patchwork. In some places, it was blistering red; in others, it was wilted or peeling off. And if his scrunched face was any indicator, his condition was painful—perhaps excruciatingly so. But Somel never mentioned it or complained.

Instead, he spoke gently as he guided them through the Underworld, mentioning places they passed or answering Sarah's questions about it. Maruble knew he was distracting them—and he was doing a great job of it. Not only had the passageways felt less intimidating, but even Sarah had stopped looking at her broken fingers and was listening to Somel intently.

"Gods become independent much younger than humans. Once they receive their powers, they are considered students of their craft and can embrace freedom however they wish."

She frowned. "But what about education? Don't you have schools?"

"Children are rare in Alta, so there is no demand for such places," said the God of Rot casually. "Parents often hire tutors, and after that, a god's education is furthered by their community."

"You've lost me."

Somel's lips twitched into a smile. "Our powers dictate our lives. A God of Grass would live in the forests of Florum, while a Goddess of Ships would prefer the waters of Saltis."

"And there's a place— a community— for everyone?" Sarah turned to Maruble. "Where did you live?"

Maruble snorted. "I lived on my own."

"A rarity, but it does happen," added Somel quickly. "Gods can reject their communities. Other gods, like myself, don't really have one."

"Oh."

"I was given free rein of the Underworld, instead." He paused, considering her for a moment. "Don't feel sorry for me, it's quite alright. Though sometimes it does get boring."

Sarah laughed at that, and they continued chatting until they reached a door. Unlike the other doors Maruble had seen in the Underworld, this one looked shabby, as if it had been thrown together in a pinch. It was made of wood scraps and falling apart in various places.

"Here we are," said Somel, wincing as he pushed up his sleeves. "This is our first stop."

Maruble raised an eyebrow. Sarah shifted next to him, but before they could ask any questions, Somel pulled open the door.

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Light burst through the dark passageway.

Maruble shielded his eyes. His heart pounded as he thought about the last room they went through— but this was different. Squinting, he could tell that no figures were moving around inside, and the light almost seemed normal instead of shrouded in fog. Not waiting for his eyes to adjust, he followed Somel inside.

For a few seconds, Maruble couldn't see anything. He blinked as the world slowly came into view.

The ceiling was void of light. That was his first thought, but then he noticed small pieces pulling away and drifting around the room— tiny lights, much like the one Death pulled from Jacob's chest. A lump formed in Maruble's throat, but he couldn't look away.

"Souls," Somel confirmed, speaking almost reverently. "These are the abandoned souls of the Underworld."

Maruble felt the heaviness in his chest again, pressing harder than before. It was the weight of death— the weight of thousands of souls being locked away and forgotten. Thousands of lives danced erratically before him. And even though he didn't belong here, he could feel their distress like a needle in his heart.

Maruble breathed, "They're trying to escape."

Sarah gasped beside him as she noticed it, too. The lights weren't just joined together; they were pushing against the cave's ceiling, trying to free themselves from the Underworld. Maruble watched silently, dread filling his stomach.

If Jacob's soul was here, they would never find him. They would never be able to tell him apart from the others. A hole opened up in Maruble's chest, and when he glanced at Sarah, she voiced his thoughts quietly.

"We'll never find him."

"Your friend isn't here," Somel said hurriedly, giving them an apologetic look. "I'm sorry I didn't say that sooner. I know where Jacob is, and he's not here. Don't worry."

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then where is he?" Maruble peeled his eyes away from the lights and narrowed his eyes. "Why did you bring us here?"

"He's safe, and I'll lead you to him," said Somel assuredly, "but I wanted you to see this, God of Fire, because it's important." Rot paused, frowning at the cave wall. After what seemed like a lifetime, he closed his eyes and sighed. "Forgive me. I'm not used to betraying my friends." He smiled sadly. "This room is one of many in the Underworld— rooms where thousands of souls have been tucked away, unable to pass on. I brought you here because this room is in its final stage."

Maruble asked warily, "Final stage?"

The God of Rot bobbed his head. "Soon, it will transform into something dark. When souls are neglected for too long, they warp into something strange and violent— much like the creatures you saw on your way here."

Sarah's eyes widened, and Maruble knew she was thinking about her father. He exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. Even if the creature that broke her fingers wasn't her father, it was clear that the dead were trapped here— her father had to be somewhere among them. She looked at Somel helplessly.

"Why won't he let them pass on? Why are they trapped here?"

"They're here because Death can't free them." Rot added slowly, "Not while he's alive."

"You mean—" Maruble froze as the realization washed over him. "He can't control the Underworld until he's dead."

The God of Rot pursed his lips. For a moment, he looked distant and weary. A few lights floated around Somel as if they recognized him, and he smiled softly. One landed on the palm of his hand. Stroking it thoughtfully, he turned to face them.

"Noctavius is the closest thing I have to family, but he knows the Underworld is done waiting." The light in his hand fluttered away, and Somel's eyes hardened. "The souls of the dead haunt his every waking moment, but he keeps running away. He refuses to accept it."

Sarah whispered, "Because he doesn't want to die."

Maruble looked at Somel for confirmation, and the god nodded.

"Not at the hands of the Underworld. Now that he knows he doesn't have a choice, Noctavius has convinced himself that it's better to die on his own terms."

"The war," breathed Maruble. "He plans to die fighting the Court of Balance."

Maruble thought of his mother and father. They would be fighting on the frontlines when the war came. The two of them had powers stronger than most gods, and even though the Goddess of Sight wasn't a gifted fighter, she was a member of the Court. Fighting would be expected of her.

"Fear has warped his mind," said Somel quietly, "and even though the Court has no control over The Sea, he blames them for what's happening."

A god acting out of desperation.

Maruble suddenly felt cold. Not too long ago, his own desperation led to a horrible crime. That moment of anger had gotten him thrown out of the godlands, and he had felt like an outcast— until Noctavius came along. The God of Death started a war in his name, fighting for the very things he once believed in.

But Noctavius had never believed any of it.

"He never wanted to control the human lands," said Somel gently, as if reading his mind, "but when he heard you speaking at Theon's party, he saw a chance to give his death meaning— to die fighting for something."

Maruble ran a hand over his face and turned away. After a long silence, he asked, "Where do I fit into your plan?"

"I want you to end it," said Rot desperately, clasping his hands together. "Put an end to all this before Noctavius gets everyone killed."

Sarah's voice was disbelieving. "You want Maruble to murder him?"

"I'm not asking you to kill him." Somel shook his head. "But if you were to weaken him, he wouldn't be able to hold off the Underworld."

"You want the dead to take him," she whispered. "That's the same thing."

The God of Rot looked down at the palm of his hand, the same place where the soul had landed. Now, there was only his shredded skin. He closed his hand slowly, and his shoulders sagged.

"I don't know what will happen when the Underworld takes Noctavius, but I feel his death on the battlefield would spawn something worse. His soul could become trapped here with the rest— until the end of time." Somel met both of their eyes pleadingly. "All of us, every single person that dies, could be stuck here forever."

Maruble looked up at the souls around them. There were so many— there must have been thousands. All of them were trapped here because the God of Death, the one person who could help them, was afraid of dying. His fear had even led him to start a war. And yet, Maruble couldn't blame him.

He couldn't blame him because he had struggled with the same feelings for so long.

"This war is my fault," said Maruble, clenching his fist. "I could have stopped it, but I hid in the human lands because I was afraid." He exhaled shakily. "All this time, I've been a coward."

Hartley had seen his fear that day on the docks. He had seen the look in his eyes and didn't force him to fight, even though Maruble's words had started it. He had hidden away, ignoring the one person who had helped him during his time on Earth, because he was content to live as a human rather than do something that scared him.

But that wasn't living.

For years, he had pushed everyone away and let anger fuel him. It felt like no one in the world listened to him— until someone had. The God of Death was going to war against the Court of Balance based on his words. He had been hiding too long, and Maruble was finally ready to face the consequences.

He leveled his gaze with the God of Rot and nodded.

"I'll do it."