At the hint of smoke curling in the middle of the vessel, SoonKyu abandons her study of the unchanging Styx to watch the silhouette of her friend form within the growing smoke. She expected to see TaeYeon again, but not as soon. The smoke dissipates, leaving a strong note of mint in the otherwise musty air of the realm. In its wake is TaeYeon. The god of death looks grim, but that's a common occurrence. SoonKyu arches a brow at the two small dishes TaeYeon brings along—their contents ever changing. Clearly, there is an additional circumstance contributing to the abrupt visit.

SoonKyu knows better than to address it right away; instead, she asks, "How's Elysium?"

"Unchanging."

TaeYeon shrugs lightly without jostling the dishes she is holding, and that marks the end of their conversation. As she takes a seat on one of the thwarts, SoonKyu retrieves the amphora of nectar she has hidden on the sidewall of the boat, seemingly out of thin air, and puts two filled silver cups between them. Once she accepts her share of the meal, the ambrosia on it finally settles into a simple dish of grilled beef. Peering across, she sees TaeYeon having some kind of lamb stew with a bread crust as a spoon. Meat is a luxury for humans, eaten only during religious festivals, but is never a limited source for gods.

The boat waddles on, without power or guidance from its master, to the only other port by the entrance of the Underworld. TaeYeon loses her appetite mid-meal and wills her stew into a simple, thick broth that she finishes off in two gulps. SoonKyu takes longer, if only to wait out whether her friend will crack under the silence. TaeYeon, however, is similarly patient enough. Even after she vanishes their empty dishes and cups within smoke, banishes to who-knows-where until their next use, she remains mum.

It is when the shore is within sight that TaeYeon relents. "HyoYeon came over earlier," she states, like it is a grievance. Perhaps it is. SoonKyu already guessed that the moment TaeYeon showed up with the dishes, HyoYeon is the only one able to enter the netherworld to deliver Souls and ambrosia. They always eat together after, something she suspects TaeYeon does out of guilt, but she isn't going to call her out on it because she does enjoy the companionship. Instead of expressing her deduction, she nods as an encouragement for TaeYeon to continue. "She has an extra portion," TaeYeon grouses. "Just like old times, she said."

SoonKyu doesn't flinch, but she might as well have. HyoYeon's existence happened after TaeYeon's, even longer after hers. Her visits to the Underworld are limited to the earth's side of the entrance—whether out of laziness, fear of being bound under the earth, or both, SoonKyu won't hazard a guess. All she knows of the much younger god she learns from TaeYeon, and the unthinking commentary is in line with HyoYeon's brass personality.

"So, they know."

TaeYeon nods. "I'm expecting a summon any time soon."

SoonKyu waits, yet TaeYeon says nothing more. Not until the port is near and the Souls—some wailing, many confused and unsure—can see her presence in a moment. She still doesn't want to see their fear. Hurriedly, as though it is a breath she is forced to expel, she says, "I'm not turning another into a tree, SoonKyu." Her jaw sets, and her hands curl into tight fists by her sides. There is a sharp edge to the statement, but also a finality tinted by sadness. "I won't do it again."

"You won't have to," SoonKyu reassures. In the face of hardship, it's better to come back to the facts. "SooYeon was a nymph. MiYoung is a god, no matter how minor. As long as she takes ambrosia and nectar, she should be fine."

The words of assurance elude TaeYeon, but she desperately clings to them.

"In the meantime, we might have a bigger issue." Since there is no use in delaying the inevitable, SoonKyu decides to share it all even though she pities her friend. "There has been a significant increase in Souls. The young and the old. All skin and bones. They have no coin to pay the fare and came like a flood. I've never seen something like this before."

The frown on TaeYeon's face deepens. It's common at times for there to be an influx of Souls in the underworld, and the cause is usually distinctive. A natural disaster steals everyone and leaves them without a proper funeral rite. War claims young, able-bodied ones. A contagious disease outbreak takes the weak and doesn't discriminate. For specific souls to be sent down in poor conditions, a grave change must have happened on earth. TaeYeon hopes it's simply another outbreak, but she dreads it has a lot to do with MiYoung's continuous presence in her realm.

-

After her rousing success in striking a deal with SooYoung, MiYoung stays for a couple of tales from her new favorite hero. Despite not being constrained by time, she does wish to have a look around before reporting back to TaeYeon. Her sense of adventure, something Yuri will be very proud of and the exact one that put her in her current not-quite imprisonment, propels her away from Elysium to wander about.

After crossing the bridge safely (and spending quite some time staring longingly at the coins on the bottom of the river), she comes back to the palace. At a closer distance, she realizes that it is shaped like the temples mortals built on earth. Only this one is made of pure gold.

The front porch, easily the size of a moderate temple on earth, housed the three judges of the underworld, each sitting on their golden thrones. The queue of Souls waiting for judgment is endless. She observes the ones coming out; after their fates are decided, they go to their assigned station on their own. There is no guard, no sign of any enforcer around, yet they still follow the path to the opposite of Elysium, seemingly herded by an invisible force.

Intrigued, MiYoung trails a little away from a group of adults. As she expected, they are heading to Asphodel field—the one SooYoung told her about. There is no river to cross this time. She almost breaks into a run at the first sight of the flowers, stretching like countless white flames upon the otherwise barren land. They aren't quite the same as the ones above, but unlike the trees in Elysium, the flowers in Asphodel field do respond to her, though it is rather muted.

If she hadn't been so consumed by her excitement, she would have noticed the uneven gaps between each flower—as if they were growing around something. She too would have heard the collective murmurs buzzing within the field like a swarm of bees, low but ever present, if she had paid more attention.

She comes to a skidded stop by the skirt of the field, just shy of running over the flowers on the fringe, but apparently close enough to kick something. Looking down, a pair of dark eyes blink up at her. It's a Soul's head—she has just kicked a Soul's head. She doesn't shriek; only a sharp gasp manages to escape from her hands clasping tightly over . The little growth under her feet transforms into a thorny bush.

Frantically, she traces deeper into the floral garden, where she can make out the rest of the Soul's body, tangled with roots and stalks and even more bodies. Trailing the edge of the flower field with her sight, she sees toes, shoulders, and arms—any kind of body parts, uncovered and dressed alike, jutting out at random.

"Excuse me?" MiYoung begins, after assuring herself that the head she just kicked is indeed still attached to a whole body. "I'm truly sorry; I didn't see you there," she says with a flinch.

The Soul continues to stare straight up at the darkness that makes up the 'sky'. Their mouth opens and closes frequently, yet the noise produced doesn't resemble any word. MiYoung takes a step back to survey her surroundings. The group she trailed after has sat down along the border of the field. Nearby, earlier arrivals have laid down, seemingly waiting for the flowers to grow over them to expand the territory. To her utter intrigue, there are young children playing in the field. It is no different, perhaps even better, than their life on earth. They are carefree, not yet being weighed down by life experiences that left the adults jaded, she supposes. The children run about, stumble, jump, and tackle each other in a game of catch. Literally trampling over the many bodies making up the floor of the field, yet not a single protest is heard.

For the first time, MiYoung is faced with the true horror of the Underworld. The people of Asphodel are the ones who were unremarkable during their time on earth, not enough to grant entry to Elysium. They weren't terribly evil either to be thrown to Tartarus. They were nothing, so they have to settle for nothing. With no hunger to satiate, no thirst to quench, no ambition to gain, and no purpose to fulfill, they are left with little to do but stare at the expanse of darkness. If this blankness is what the commoners are left with, she doesn't wish to see how the ones in Tartarus are faring.

-

When MiYoung finds TaeYeon much later, she is subdued from her earlier excitements. Try as she might, she doesn't manage to enter the palace without notice. All three judges follow her with their eyes as soon as she veers away from the Souls' queue. She bows before bolting for the door, lest they see it fit for her to be on trial. She is not a Soul, but by then she understands that the Underworld has its own rules and will enforce them regardless of whom it's being enforced.

The fear of the three judges calling her back outside is easily forgotten the moment she steps through the open doorway. The cella is humongous, with tall walls encasing each side. She can't make out the ceiling, or perhaps there is simply none. A few fires are posted on the walls. Their lights were reflected by the shiny surfaces of the gold and silver walls, giving the room a dim, warm glow despite being as cold as the rest of the land. Deeper inside the room, she notices that there is no hearth. She supposes there is no room for a bed in the back either.

Gods have no need for rest, and TaeYeon doesn't appear to be one who enjoys companionship like her father (then again, he isn't that fussy and will do with a dirt floor or even a swamp for such things). They do, however, need to consume ambrosia and nectar to sustain their immortality. Thus, the one and only important part is the dining room, which is what the entire cella is. Instead of containing the statue of the god like the temples on earth, it houses a dining table. Much smaller than MiYoung expected, but again, the Underworld doesn't dole out invitations to dine with its ruler.

It is on one of the two dining chairs that TaeYeon is sitting on. The golden hue of the fire reflected in the room has given her pale complexion a healthy glow. It's only when TaeYeon arches a brow that MiYoung realizes she has been staring at her for a moment too long. Fighting down her own embarrassment, she takes on the otherwise empty table, save for the dish and cup set on the unoccupied chair across TaeYeon's.

Thankfully, TaeYeon lets the awkwardness pass. "Please." She motions at the other seat. A dish of ambrosia and a cup of nectar are waiting. Seeing MiYoung's hesitance, she is quick to assure her, "HyoYeon sent them over earlier, for you. I didn't dare to alter any of it." There are infamous stories about immortals being bound to the underworld because they consumed something from it. Even though TaeYeon isn't sure any of them are true—the one and only companion she had had chosen to stay, no matter how much she protested—she won't risk it.

Sensing no deceit, especially with TaeYeon's oath by the Styx, MiYoung relents. She wills the ambrosia into roasted deer legs and the nectar into wine. No sooner than after she took the first bite, she washes it away with her drink and leans back on her seat, having lost her meager appetite. The taste is correct; even the warmth is perfect, and she knows after her time in Asphodel field she needs to refuel. Yet all she longs for is for it to be a humid night deep in the forest, sitting around the fire with Yuri and JuHyun, eating the prey they don't really need but Yuri hunted and cooked anyway, and JuHyun voicing her concern about the balance of the ecosystem hurting from Yuri's hunts. The plants surrounding them hum along with the cooling breeze. Cicadas sing in the background while little critters scamper about their camp area. Hell, she even misses the annoying mosquitoes that don't know any better and die right after their golden blood.

In a moment, TaeYeon abandons whatever she was doing on the other end of the table and comes to stand near MiYoung. She is hovering, unsure if her presence was welcomed but also dying to offer support. All without knowing what might have caused her guest to be upset. MiYoung looks up at the older god's helpless expression and can't stop herself from smiling at her. How could anyone ever claim the god of the dead to be cruel and merciless? No one has truly bothered to know her.

With a swish of a hand, TaeYeon's chair melts and then erects itself on where she is. She sits closer to Miyoung this time. The frown doesn't leave her face. "Are you alright?" A concern tinged with confusion is clear in TaeYeon's voice.

MiYoung nods. She really isn't, and TaeYeon knows it, but it's uncalled for her to be rude and snap at the older god just because she is desperate with her situation. Especially not while she is dining at her table. Her mother taught her better than that.

"Just a bit drained."

Being in Asphodel field shook her to the core. She has been watching the living for her whole existence. They are so vibrant, continuously growing and attemping for the sun—but that was how Icarus met his tragic end. Goodness, she wonders if his broken body was lying somewhere in the field, and quickly banishes the depressing thought farther in her mind. She has a more pressing matter to deal with.

"One of the heroes agreed to give me her coin." She doesn't address SooYoung by name, unaware of whether TaeYeon would recognize her. A ruler is to be known by their subjects, but the opposite is rarely true, and amongst all the deities, TaeYeon has the most subjects. "In exchange for a favor."

The sigh is one of resignation, but the corners of TaeYeon's lips lift in a tired smile nonetheless. "What did Sooyoung ask of you?"

MiYoung stares at the older god in surprise but doesn't voice her curiosity. "She wished for a plant bearing fruit."

"Here?" TaeYeon's voice rises in disbelief. "In the Underworld?" MiYoung nods, a bit bewildered by the sudden change of mood. "And you agreed to it?"

"I did."

TaeYeon's shoulders drop. "You can't," she says. For all the vote of confidence she bestowed on MiYoung earlier, she is quick to deny her now. "Nothing grows in the land of the dead."

MiYoung feels a surge of annoyance enveloping her. She is clearly younger and less wise compared to TaeYeon. This land is foreign to her, but she always does as well as she can. It isn't her failing when she is unaware of some absurd fact about the Underworld. Was she a fool for thinking TaeYeon would always have her back?

"I can grow small vegetation," she says, sweeping a hand to present the patch of green under her soles. She has stayed at that spot long enough for thin blades of grass to break through the precious gems that make up the mosaic floor. No thorns have come forward despite her agitation—this has slipped her attention but not TaeYeon's. "The Asphodels react to me."

It is true. Before she left, she had commanded all the flowers in the field to grow their roots to cover every Soul's eyes and mouths—the best version of peace she could offer them. The Asphodel field has fallen into silence afterward, save for the children's noises. It resembles Elysium in that way, even though the bodies are still there and the Souls' existence will endure for eternity.

"There are trees in Elysium. It is plausible to grow another." She isn't all youthful impulse or arrogance, after all.

TaeYeon looks at her and smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "For what you did in the Asphodel field, I thank you," she says sincerely. Her expression hardens soon after. "But MiYoung, the trees in Elysium are not grown. And they won't."

A pained look steals over the little reassurance MiYoung used to seek in TaeYeon, and she has a foreboding sense that whatever the god of death is going to tell her next will somewhat change her task into a herculean one.

"They were someone very dear to me." TaeYeon pushes through to get the words out. If MiYoung had stood any closer, she would have seen the sadness in her eyes. "I couldn't let her waste away here, so I turned her into the trees."

When TaeYeon looks away, it finally dawns on MiYoung what a fool she has been. No one can die or simply vanish in the Underworld; she saw it for herself. They just lie in a never-ending existence, in whatever form they are. Not entirely conscious, questionably sentient, and barely self-aware. After what's going on in Asphodel field, MiYoung knows that this is a fate worse than death, and it is what might become of hers soon.