Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The young prince Zagreus travels through asphodel, searing heat overwhelming him as he moves from room to room. He's tired, having used both his death defiances in the pretty nasty fight with Megaera at the border between regions, so when the crystal ball sitting at the helm of one of the rafts shows Charon's shop he doesn’t hesitate. Happy for any excuse for a break, though as he rides down the ever-bubbling phlegethon he does idly think he wishes he could see Eurydice. Her area was always strangely just a little cooler than the rest, her food was delicious, and her singing was always a treat. Zagreus was certain he could, and likely has, sat there listening to her for hours before.

The raft of skulls gently taps against the dock and Zagreus realizes that he's been parked across from Charon's shop for quite a bit now. He looks over properly at the boatman who is, as always, unimpressed and unbothered in equal measure. Finally stepping onto solid land he dashes towards the wares on display. A pomegranate, some good food (not as good as Eurydice's, and he misses her again) and a bag. He stares, baffled. A bag. Nothing special, no unique markings, no glowing colors or strong scents. It's fairly pricey too, and he tries to ignore it as he scarfs down the food and takes more time with the pomegranate. However as he's picking seeds out of the fruit, popping them into his mouth by the handful while he feels his chosen boon growing, he can't help but wonder.

What's in the bag? 

He finishes the fruit and tosses the rind into the river before turning to Charon with determination in his eyes. He can't help it anymore, he needs to know. It's pricey, sure, but he already bought the rest and he's still got enough coin to spare. It's got no notable markings, yes, but he had realized it's roughly the size of the boons he claims. It's floating a little above the ground like they do too. He steps over to Charon, already determined to buy this thing but hey - a little question never hurt anybody. 

“Charon, mate, what's with the bag?”

He gets a drawn out groan in response.

“O-kay, can I at least get a hint? It's quite a lot of coin and I just want to know if it'll be worth the price.”

Another groan, just as unreadable as the last. Zagreus sighs, but is not defeated. He thought this would happen - he can barely understand Charon on the best of days (or nights) so it's no wonder he makes no sense now. He walks over to the bag, and gently sets his own coin purse beside it - watching as one hundred twenty-five obols exactly vanish from inside.

He hears another groan from Charon, somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh but he's not quite sure, as he hastily goes to open it. His fingers barely graze the surface before it tips forward, suddenly losing it's perfect orb shape, and it pops open. Zagreus dashes back a few feet, readying his weapon as he tries to figure out what's coming out from within all this purple smoke. A heavy thud, something cracking, and he sees something large moving in the haze before it falls to the ground.

“Oh now that is just a real shame, I quite liked that one but a cup is a cup I suppose and they can't all be unbreakable.” 

As the fog falls to the ground to make sticky purple puddles Zagreus lowers his weapon. Confusion and astonishment show on his face in equal measure as he stares down the god before him. The olympian god before him.

“Um… Lord Dionysus? Mate? How did you-”

“Oh Zag my man! It's been so long, almost too long in fact, you know I haven't seen you claim one of my boons in what feels like ages!”

Dionysus takes this in stride, conjuring up another cup of strange winelike liquid and quickly walking over to Zagreus. He's all smiles and open arms as he pats the younger, and smaller, god on the back before handing him his own cup.

“You know this is just a delight, I don't know how you got me down here man but I am loving it!” He looks around, swaying a little as he does. “Where is here, by the way?” Zagreus takes a sip and makes a face, the alcohol is strong - overwhelmingly so - and he thinks Dionysus must be intoxicated already to be drinking this so casually.

“Asphodel, but wait, you think I brought you down here?” Zagreus looks directly at Dionysus now, nothing but confusion on his face.

“Well yeah, all of us on olympus aren't allowed in your dad's domain you know that. It's not like I could just walk in here.” Dionysus chuckles to himself before taking a hearty swig from the cup, bracing himself on his staff he picked up from the floor.

“No… you can't. But I didn't bring you down here either.” Zagreus looks at the now ordinary bag. He'd have a hard time fitting in there and Dionysus is significantly larger. The staff he has alone is about three times the height of the bag and does not look even the slightest bit flexible. “How did you even fit in that?” 

“What was that? You must be joking Zag, how else would I end up down here?” He sees the drunken haze vanish from Dionysus’ eyes as the words sink in. “Well, that's not right. Things got pretty crazy last night but not that crazy.”

“Last night? Did something happen?”

“Oh what didn't happen!” He laughs and the seriousness is gone again, replaced by a loose smile. “It was wild man, absolutely wild. A massive party, all the big guys and gals on olympus were there - I even got Artemis to come! She only came to yell at me for all the noise scaring off her prey but hey,” he takes a quick drink, “You take what you can get with that one.”

“Right, it is hard to believe you'd get drunk enough to just wander down here, and making it all the way to asphodel would be a feat.” Suddenly Zagreus stops, eyes going wide as he turns to the forgotten shopkeep. “Charon, mate, did you… kidnap Dionysus?”

A groan, a plume of smoke, and a clear shake of his head. 

“Right, did you even know he was in there?”

Another groan, another shake. 

“Hey man, I'm sure Charon there had nooo idea what was going on. I was in a bag! Mixed in with all his treasures I bet-” a deep rumble briefly shakes the ground, “Relax! I'm not a god of thieves- if anything I'd just make sure to leave you a good bottle or two.” He sends Charon a wink and a grin, but there's a hint of nervous undertone. 

“I suppose you're right, and you seem to be in good spirits regardless so no harm done.”

“Exactly! Now, how about I give you a boon straight from the source and then get out of here before your dad realizes, yeah?” 

“That sounds great! I'd happily take whatever you have to offer, it's been a rough run.”

After a quick selection of boon, and an even quicker goodbye, Zagreus watches as Dionysus takes on an odd purple hue and begins to blur around the edges. His hair and chiton begin to drip like liquid and soon his whole body follows suit - falling into a puddle on the scorching ground. Zagreus watches in silence as the hopefully-wine evaporates into a fine purple mist. Teleportation, he assumes, but it looked nothing like Than's and he wonders if every god can do that. That doesn't seem right though, because then why would Hermes' swiftness matter?

He shakes these thoughts out of his head quite literally as he passes through the next door.

Chapter Text

Another death, another run. Nyx and Hades were having an argument, or as close as they ever get to one, and Zagreus wanted nothing to do with it. So he’s back in tartarus, varatha in hand, and fighting through waves of the damned. It’s been a few runs since his meeting Dionysus, and despite constantly pestering Charon, he still got no answers. Not even a hint!

The prince would be irritated, but it was pretty fun to meet the god in person. Dionysus took it well too, so no harm was done. Sure his father gave him a look, but when wasn’t he getting disapproving glares from Hades? He notes how many rooms it’s been, and realizes this is probably his last chance to see Charon before he goes to fight Meg again. Checking his coins and realizing he’ll have to either get a boon or some food, he quietly decides that food would be the better choice. The only way he’d get both is if there’s another bag available since that was technically cheaper - but he doubts Charon could pull that trick off twice.

Maybe he shouldn’t be surprised, actually.

“Another bag, Charon? Does this one also have an entire god in it?” Zagreus chuckles to himself as Charon offers an unreadable groan in response. He found himself wishing more and more recently that he could figure out what Charon was saying, but he could never get more than a few bits and pieces. Oh well, he thinks, at least he’s decent at reading the other signs of communication Charon offers.

He sets his coin purse beside the floating boon-sized bag again, remembering just how powerful the boon Dionysus had offered last time was. He barely has enough money for a bit of healing after this, and certainly not enough for the centaur heart next to it, but as the coins vanish again he thinks this will be worth it. 

The bag falls to the ground after payment, and he’s hesitant to touch the thing as it seems to be full of something far less solid than expected. He reaches out, one foot staying behind him just in case he needs to dash, and pulls gently on the string keeping it shut. It flops forward, opens, and a massive surge of water spills forth. He hears splashing as it runs into the styx behind them. This must be Poseidon, then.

“Hoy there, little Hades! How unexpected to be seeing you in the flesh!” His voice is booming and echoes off the stone of tartarus. Zagreus looks up from his staring at the water just as the last of it joins the styx. Hopefully that’s not anything bad, but he can’t say he knows.

“Hello there, Uncle Poseidon.” He turns from his uncle to look at Charon, who is looking on in silence. “What a surprise indeed.” Charon still offers no response and Zagreus resists the urge to roll his eyes.

“Well let’s get right to business then! Tell me nephew, how did you manage to bring me all the way down to- where is this, again?” Poseidon’s eyes roam around the area, oddly appreciative of the ornate carvings and inlays scattered around. Zagreus, for possibly the very first time, finds himself a little proud to be involved with the underworld at all.

“Tartarus, and I didn’t bring you here. I just found you in Charon’s shop.” He gestures to the boatman, still floating silently to the side. “We’re right outside of the room where I typically fight Meg.”

“Megaera the fury, an impressive foe indeed! And this is that mysterious Charon, eh?” Poseidon walks over, and becomes aware that he’s closer in height than anticipated. Briefly Zagreus worries that there might be a problem as the two of them stare each other down, but sighs in relief as Poseidon seems to be as friendly as ever once the initial awkwardness faded.

“Anyone who can traverse the water as well as he has my respect!” He turns back to Zagreus with an odd sort of grin, and the prince remembers that none of the gods have ever seemed particularly fond of Charon. Well, except Hermes. “Don’t you worry little Hades - I’d never cause such a stir down here! Odd as he may be, a friend of yours is a friend of mine.” Despite his words, Poseidon still steps away from Charon and toward Zagreus.

“That’s good to hear, Uncle. Charon’s good to me, his shops help me go much farther than I could otherwise. I’m grateful to him for that.” He finally earns a groan at that, one that he’s long since learned to identify as a sort of appreciative noise. He’s heard it directed at Hypnos or Thanatos enough to know. As his mind wanders to the people of the house, though, he puts something together.

“What’s the matter, nephew, you look as if you’ve seen death himself!” Poseidon chuckles at that, and Zagreus briefly thinks he’d be much happier to see Thanatos right now than to have just put this together.

“Uncle Poseidon, sir, Olympians aren’t meant to enter the underworld without explicit permission from my father.” 

“No we are not! But you invited me, surely you hold enough authority for a quick family visit?”

“I didn’t invite you, though. And… no. I don’t, really.” He hears a distant rumble and starts to panic. “Tartarus is the closest region to the house, and you’re not just family - you’re my uncle.”

Poseidon finally puts everything together and gives a hearty laugh. “Oh yes, my brother will be less than thrilled to know I’m here! I suppose we should do something about that.” He gives a wave and another chuckle as Zagreus starts talking faster.

“Yes, well all we can do is get you out of here. I’m certain he’s sensed you by now, that’s got to be the cause of the rumbling. Uncle Poseidon, it was wonderful to see you but you have to go!”

“Of course, of course! And a boon for my favorite Nephew - you go show that fury what you’re made of!” He gives Zagreus a grin as another tidal wave rises up from between the cracks in the stone. It lifts from the ground and wraps around him, growing smaller and tighter and denser until finally a shining blue gem the color of the sea sits on the ground. Zagreus goes to inspect it just as his father’s voice rings through the chamber.

“Stop inviting such power into my domain, boy!” It fades and he is relieved again, Hades thought it was just a particularly powerful boon. He turns to Charon, noting a strange glint in the eyes shadowed by his hat - one he would almost call mischief.

“Charon, mate, you’ve got to stop kidnapping gods.” He laughs and Charon does too, ultimately it doesn’t matter. All it did was upset his father and as far as Zagreus is concerned? That’s alright.

Chapter Text

Gods bless that man.

It’s the only thing running through Zagreus’ head as he fights through the chambers of elysium. He’d used the last of his death defiances in a particularly nasty room with those flamewheels, and found Patroclus waiting in the next area. He’d never been happier to see the man, and that includes when he realized that he and Achilles knew eachother. 

As a greatshield gets dangerously close to taking another one he finally fills his thoughts with more than just gratitude. It doesn’t do anyone any good if he just goes and wastes them, after all. Well anyone except his father, but doing him good is the last thing Zagreus wants to do right now. He heaves a sigh of relief when he finally clears the room, and dashes over to the doors to see his choices. The coliseum should be coming up soon - he can finally tell - and sure enough one of the paths leads to Charon’s shop. Perfect! He unlocks the door and makes his way over. He’s got plenty of obol this time around and is thinking of all the things that could be for sale as he approaches the pedestals.

There’s a bag.

“Charon, what did I say about kidnapping gods?” Zagreus jokes with the man, chuckling as he places his coinpurse in front of his chosen item. Who could it be this time? He’s seen Dionysus and Poseidon so the question is: is Charon getting new gods every time or just grabbing whoever is easiest to grab? As he pulls the string on this new bag he gets his answer. There’s no way this one wasn’t difficult to get.

The stench of the styx comes from the bag, and Zagreus remembers that’s more commonly known as the smell of blood. It’s stronger here, and rather than tumble out like the last two guests he watches as Ares crawls from the bag like something feral. Bloodlust and rage radiating off of him. Panic rises in his chest and Zagreus looks to Charon for help - what are you supposed to do with an angry god of war? 

“Greetings my kin.” Zagreus whips his head back over to Ares, who is now free from the bag, seething, and standing at his full height. “I assume you have good reason to have… summoned me in such a manner?” The rage drips from his words and Zagreus briefly wonders if it’s possible for him to die die. 

“Right, uhm… I didn’t. Summon you, I mean. I just grabbed a bag from Charon’s shop and…” His voice trails off and he looks again at the nearby shopkeep - this time Ares’ gaze follows. Zagreus could swear he saw the rage start to dissipate in favor of something more agreeable. 

“So it is the boatman that brought me here? How curious.” He looks Charon up and down as if sizing up an opponent, and Zagreus catches himself also wondering how well Charon can fight. He makes a mental note to ask Hypnos next time he dies.

“Anyway, Lord Ares, sorry for the erm… unorthodox transportation method. I'm not quite sure how Charon got you down here, but it's nice to meet you. Properly, that is.”

“Likewise, an introduction in the flesh is something I thought we wouldn't have for quite some time.” He pauses and looks around, the crowd of shades lined up outside the coliseum door seems to hold his attention longer than everything else. “Though, I must ask, is this Elysium?”

“Yes, we're right outside the coliseum actually.” Zagreus’ bright demeanor dims as he continues, replaced instead by a tired irritation. “Thesus and Asterius are no doubt waiting for me.” He looks again at Charon's wares, and brightens again as he purchases a pomegranate to fuel one of his boons with. 

He's pretty sure it would be rude not to use it on a boon of Ares right now, so he quietly chooses while said god looks on in mild curiosity. There's a bit of silence after that, just the sound of the crowd in the background, as Zagreus debates whether the gyro for sale is worth the last of his money or not. Ares steps in after a moment.

“You do have a habit of taking more hits than you ought.” Zagreus whips around to look at him, offended. “I, of course, support this method, but perhaps you should take whatever energy you can.” A single arched eyebrow above that stripe of warpaint, and Zagreus’ defense dies in his throat.

“You're right.” He grumbles while he hands over the last of his coins. “Off to fight the champions of Elysium then, I suppose.” He takes one step before stopping - he's realized something.

“Ares… Theseus often gets blessings from you all in our fights. I imagine, because of that, my father will have a hard time telling you're, well, here and not just blessing him.” He turns to fully face Ares now, a wide grin on his face. “So I'd like to formally invite you to watch our match!” 

“Oh? I imagine it would be rather difficult for him to tell, wouldn’t it? And I wouldn’t dare pass up an opportunity to attend a match in Elysium of all places.” He gets a wicked grin to mirror Zagreus’, and both are too excited over this development to pay any attention to Charon shaking his head in the background. Fools, both of them.

“Right, so, I don’t actually know where the audience enters. I just run in through that door there and it drops me right in the arena where I get to listen to his majesty run his mouth.” Zagreus starts inspecting the wall, hoping a door labelled ‘AUDIENCE’ will just pop up somewhere.

“You mentioned it was both him and The Bull of Minos, do they not both speak?” Ares is not helping Zagreus look, but is instead still idly looking around Elysium itself.

“Not really, no. I’ll have one on one fights with Asterius sometimes, and we get to talk there, but when it’s both of them…” He looks almost pained as he continues. “Theseus never really shuts up.” He earns a single barked laugh from Ares at that, and stops staring at the wall to instead look at him.

“I’ll look forward to hearing this, then. It is rare that the most boastful of men is also the most skilled.” He gives a pointed look to Zagreus at that, who feigns offense.

“I am not ‘the most boastful of men’! I am a reasonable amount of boastful, thank you.” His facade breaks as he starts to laugh at his own statement, and Ares joins him. “All that said, I really don’t know where you’re supposed to enter.”

“Do not be concerned, I’m sure I’d manage just fine but I can feel a shift in the air as we speak.” A pause from everyone, even Charon counting coins, and Zagreus feels it too. The same feeling he gets right before Hades sends a small army of shades to stop him. “As much as I would enjoy a good spar between your father and I, I feel it would do more harm than good to your mission.”

“It would, yes. Maybe you can come watch a match another time, then.”

“I would be delighted. For now, however, allow me this.” Another god met, and another boon for the prince. He’s thrilled. Between running into Patroclus and now this extra boon he feels like he’ll finally make it out properly this time. By the time he’s done thinking about which one to take and how it will work with the ones he has there’s nothing but smoke where Ares had stood, and a brightly glowing line of white left as an afterimage of his warpaint. He notices the feeling start to fade, and again the voice of Hades rings out.

“If Charon and I did not have our agreement you would be back home by now, boy.” Charon and his father have a deal? He looks to the boatman but finds no answers. Typical Charon.