The Underworld!? Therefore, that confirms it, I truly did parish that day. And now I was trapped in an afterlife full of excruciating pain, regret and severe punishments. Or at least, that is what I presume this place to be.

But why do I act so shocked?

Before the life-threatening event, I was well aware that my death was drawing near. Mindful that I would eventually catch myself dawdling around within a dolorous place similar to or possibly more atrocious than this after I died. Our reign just could not possibly sustain much longer.

Perhaps my surprise initiates from deep within my heart where I simply refuse to accept my extinction. No. Or possibly it is because I conceptualized the underworld to be somewhat different? I am not sure.

"So, I assume you are...Hades?" I asked, twiddling my thumbs. I do not particularly remember developing such a timid habit. Strange.

"Correct."

Before I could say or ask any further questions, he turned around, held his hands together behind his back and in the most compelling and prominent way he asked a significant question of his own.

"How do you interpret the underworld?"

"....Um...an afterlife full of...punishment for the sins you have created?"

"That is Incorrect. What you just defined was hell."

"But isn't that the exact same--"

"No." he interrupt me," Hell is a place regarded as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering. A place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where insolent souls are punished after death. The Underworld however, is neither a place of the living or the death but a place for one to atone for their past immoral actions. Each and every soul you will encounter within this deemed to be desolated place has committed one or more heinous sin. However their hearts somehow remain pure. Here, if one is capable of achieving redemption before their designated time is complete they may find themselves back as a human on earth: re-life. Or not. I guess you may depict the underworld as a dwelling between Earth and hell."

What newly acquired information. I genuinely did not think of the Underworld as such a place. Nonetheless, how is it even remotely practical that one has the ability to commit dreadful sins and still have a heart of purity? I just cannot comprehend such logic.

On a different note, the idea of expiating for my past sins was beyond remarkable to hear. I secretly rejoiced over such words, for a small almost unnoticeable smile established itself across my face. But how was it that I deserved such an immense opportunity?

While I lingered through my thoughts, Hades interrupted them by saying, "Vivian, you are the mere embodiment of an ingenuous entity."

'The mere embodiment of an ingenuous entity?' What caused him to utter such a sentence? Was he listening to the thoughts and questions that generated throughout my mind? And what exactly is 'Ingenuous entity' supposed to signify? Is that supposed to convey as some type of insult? He turned around, facing down upon me once again.

"I forgot to inform you. Your physical appearance is not one that you are entirely accustomed to. And probably never will be. Due to the extreme damages inflicted onto your body, I had to almost completely change it for you to once again continue motion in My World. Unfortunately, whether you enjoy it or not, your body will forever remain as is," he stated, without emotion or signs of empathy.

I am not sure if it was just my perspective but several of the aspects he stated within his sentence sounded distinctly unethical to me but I chose to disregard such words.

He handed me a small black mirror, which I obviously took a look into. There was no denying it, he did indeed change the physical demeanor of my body. If I were to speak to one of my past allies they would not be capable of distinguishing my presence at all.

My once short jet black hair held up into a small messy ponytail was now dark purple, with bangs flowed just barely over my eyes and reached passed the midway of my back. My eyes- which were once blue --were now a light shade of purple: lavender. My complexion was not tanned as it previously was but instead a pale, blank white.

Although I was not able to observe such a thing through this specific type of mirror, I did somehow felt shorter than I once was. However it is possible that was only my imagination, for I remained without evidence to claim such a thing.

As for my outfit, I wore a black short sleeved, denim-jean jacket with the collar up and accompanied by a long, blank, gray shirt. I also wore ripped black shorts with purple leggings and long black combat boots. It was a strange outlook for me but surely I can manage.

I have to anyways.

Hades ensconced himself on what I presume to be a throne manufactured of black diamonds and other monstrous features. The moment he positioned himself in his seat, two demolished black pillars covered themselves with blazing flames. It is ironical that I failed to detect such an ungodly object inhabited in such a vicinity. Perhaps it is due to the darkness of this room.

Hades snapped his fingers. The sound echoed loudly throughout the room. Before I apprehend anything, light blue numbers had established horizontally across the inside of my left arm.

181:24:00:00. (Days:Hours:Minutes:Seconds).

181:23:59:59.

181:23:59:58.

181:23:59:57.

181:23:59:56.

181:23:59:55

I raised one brow, pondering about the newly created numbers that displayed themselves across my arm. Was this a timer? Was this the designated time he stated that each being had within the Underworld, before they diminished into the depths of Hell?

"Six Months?" I asked, looking up from my arm, tilting my head slightly.

"Indeed. I scheduled for you to have only six months total to achieve redemption. Is there a problem?"

"No." I lied. There was a small pathetic side of me that authentically felt compelled to complain about the time I was given but such insolence might have conjured up a worse situation. Considering this was thee Hades himself, if he genuinely wanted to, he could deliberately give me a life span of two insignificant months. Less possibly. Besides, I probably deserved such a time.

"Well Vivian, you have long abide your welcome." He announced, obviously becoming uninterested with my presence."Leave!" And thus by the flick of his wrist, I was once again transported to yet another location.