Chapter 5 - The New Age

Now that Hades was defeated, the underworld needed a new leader. The mortal hero who defeated him didn’t want to be one. He left through a portal back to Greece. The shades then turned to Keuthonymus, hoping he could bring back justice and peace into the underworld. Without any doubts whatsoever he agreed to this. He couldn’t believe this moment actually came true.
Now he needed to refurbish the place and install some new rules. He had loads of time to think on the rules while he was still dreaming of snatching the throne from Hades, so he didn’t need that much of a thought now, and by the next day his rules became known throughout the whole underworld, or how it was now known as a realm of Keuthonomaechia.
The following are the rules that Keuthonymus forced upon the whole underworld:

1) Thy shall ALWAYS do what Keuthonymus makes you do
2) Thy shall NEVER question what Keuthonymus makes you do
3) Thy shall take up a machae course
4) Thy shall row your own boat across Styx (Charon is on pension)
5) Thy shall not form rebellions against your Lord
6) Thy shall get drunk 3 times a week
7) Thy shall not set a foot on the overworld
8) Thy shall feed Cerberus at least once a week
9) Thy shall go to Tartarus if thee defy your Lord Keuthonymus

Keuthonymus then provided homes for all the shades and daemons. He combined the Elysian fields and the City of Lost Souls into a single location – City of Keuthonymus. The shades and the daemons didn’t get on with each other for the most part, but there were exceptions, like when a male shade would fall in love with an empusa, or a female shade with a machae. Or friendships similar to Pylades and Keuthonymus formed around the city as well. Keuthonymus encouraged the meetings of shades and daemons as often as possible.
Keuthonymus also made sure that factories now produced better weapons. He designed a special suit for exceptional machae warriors called Homados. That suit has a special magic power to make you superfast at attacking. You may have a knife or a huge hammer – you’ll still attack just as fast with a knife as with a hammer. However Keuthonymus didn’t promote either of the two weapons. As a member of machae course you’re supposed to use spears and bows. He also is responsible for the following items: Keuthonian Spike, Alala helm, Palioxis, Proioxis, better Rancors, and a Santa cane.
Although his rules were tough, the shades and the creatures of the underworld actually loved him. Hades never spent so much effort on battle gear of the inhabitants of his realm. And also now those unreachable Elysian Fields were reachable by anyone (except for the condemned ones in Tartarus who broke Keuthonymus’ rules). However during the first week, no-one went to Tartarus. The underworld life was at its peak, and even shades and daemons began making peace. An Epic age has begun.
However mortal heroes won’t stop with their curiosity and Keuthonomaechia was a new favourite travel destination for them during holiday time.


Picture caption: The Lords of the Underworld
1) Mehrunes Daegon - Deceased
2) The Scorpion King - Retired
3) Lord Slash-a-lot - Resigned
4) Hades - Deceased
5) Keuthonymus - Currently rules