Back in the land of perpetual winter, something occurred that had also occurred several times by the point. They would merrily fly along, only to have a wave of energy suddenly wash over them. Not long after they would end up at some random location in Helheim, amidst a battle of the dead.

“Again?” asked Scott in annoyance.

Down below monsters and men waged an eternal war against each other. Bright red blood stained the frozen battlefield, even as light gleamed from steel or ivory fangs.

The combatants were no different this time than before. They ignored the presence of the flying chariot overhead. It was as though they were doomed to forever repeat the same battle but find no rest or glory in it.

“Is this normal?” asked Scott.

“No. I have not been here in some time, but the path is not usually so serpentine,” said Hades. “I believe Hel may have detected our presence and is showing her disapproval.”

“Really? She doesn’t like visitors, I take it?” asked Scott.

Hades did not speak for a time. It was his way of saying that he was uncertain of that fact.

When he did inevitably say something, it was to cite the fact that she had a certain personality. He would not go into detail about that personality, or what it happened to be. However, the possibilities were quite numerous.

The next time the energy wave hit, they appeared in an icy cavern. The utter darkness was a minor nuisance due to the nature of the chariot, but icicles occasionally exploded and fell nearby, startling them slightly.

Hades assured Scott that she would not directly attack them, but she was forcing them to take a longer route. It would take an extra day. Worse, they began to enter places that were reminiscent of horror movies. One place was something different. Instead of being a frozen hell, it was extremely hot and filled with steam. Rotting corpses were hung by their feet, but they writhed around crying out in agony.

“Traitors,” said Hades. “Instead of entering the deeper abyss, they are cleansed here by being hung by their feet. They never know when their ropes will break. They will fall then be skewered by rusted metal spikes.”

He was not entirely certain that was a Norse thing, or even if using Norse was the right appellation. Still, Scott could not help but notice that the hanging corpses wailed bitterly. They never knew their rope would betray them until the moment it happened. As they flew by, several ropes broke, and the corpses fell. The screamed out disgustingly as their bodies were pierced. One unfortunate soul was pierced multiple times, and even had one spike through both of its thighs.

“How long until they are reset onto the ropes?” asked Scott.

“I’m uncertain, but I think it happens at random. They can never know when they will be hung up again,” said Hades.

Time passed; the long night led into an equally dark day. They stopped to rest using Persephone’s tears then continued onward. The energy waves sent them all over Helheim, but each hour that passed still drew them inevitably closer to her castle. Those waves only sent them to a lateral distance to where they were originally. As long as they moved forward, they made progress.

Hades made it known that Hel must not mind their appearance despite the theatrics. Otherwise she would just send them the exterior of her realm and keep them in an automatic loop.

So, the journey continued. Eventually, inevitably, they drew close to a giant castle that seemed vaguely familiar. It was formed into the image of a stone skull with spires on either side.

“Hel lives in Castle Greyskull?” asked Scott curiously. Briefly, he wondered if he would see some massively muscled guy with a prince valiant hair cut singing about not knowing what’s going on.

The draw bridge fell open revealing the yawning entrance to the great castle. Hades happily rode down onto the bridge and crossed the impossibly deep chasm that separated the realm of Hel from her castle. The last line of separation, no normal soul could cross that gap without her invitation. Though, they could have tried to fly on in given their station. Try, would of course be the operative word.

They were met by desiccated ancient warriors of the north, little more than grey bloodless skin stretched over a framework of creaking bones, they took Hades’ chariot toward a dilapidated looking stable. Another ancient warrior bid them to follow him further into Hel’s castle.

“I am Scott, Prince Eternal… defender of the secrets of castle Helskull. This is Hades my fearless bro. Together we—" began Scott in an effort to cheer himself a bit despite the bleak nature of the stone edifice. Hades interrupted him, however.

“What is it that you are talking about, brother?” asked Hades.

Scott sighed at him. “You don’t watch much television. Do you?”

“Television?” asked hades. A perplexed expression crossed his face for a moment but then shifted into one of understanding. “Ah. I have witnessed many iterations of a thing known as ‘Netflix.’ Persephone is quite taken with it, though she insists upon being cold while doing so.”

“Being cold?” asked Scott.

Hades nodded to him, then said seriously, “Yes. She enjoys sitting with me on our couch while partaking of a Netflix and a Chill. As she calls it.”

Scott blinked at the man god. “Netflix and chill, you mean?”

“Yes. Did I not say that, brother?” asked Hades in a curious tone. He was indeed certain that he had spoken of such a thing only a moment prior.

“She is of the impression that it is a thing that couples do,” said Hades. “Personally, the cold never bothered me, but I do prefer a nice inferno.”

“How do you even get television or Internet down here?” asked Scott.

Hades shrugged. “It is something Persephone handles. She has told me that she knows a guy.”

“She knows a guy?” asked Scott.

“Yes,” agreed Hades.

Scott was curious and wished to know more, but their guide had reached the end of his journey. He coughed in a gravely manner to get their attention then gestured to a pair of large doors. The underworld, any underworld, seemed to have a fondness for large doors it seemed.

“The great mistress bids you enter…” said the ancient warrior, before his eyes glowed red and he unleashed a sinisterly echoing laugh.

Hades nodded to the dead man as though that was a perfectly normal introduction. Scott glanced at the warrior as they passed by him then put him out of his mind. Dead people had to get their kicks somehow, he supposed.