The Unholy Maternal Instinct

As the Second Judge of the Underworld, I’ve grown accustomed to the whispers of the damned. They often mistake me for a harpy, a creature of unspeakable terror. But little do they know, my heart beats with a different kind of maternal instinct. I cradle the souls of the deceased, guiding them through the treacherous waters of the afterlife. It’s a delicate dance, one that requires a balance of compassion and severity. I’ve seen the worst of humanity, yet I still find myself drawn to the beauty of mortality.

My husband, Golitan, often teases me about my ‘dark motherly love.’ He says it’s a contradiction, that a goddess of death shouldn’t be so… nurturing. But he doesn’t understand the depth of my devotion. I’ve watched countless souls take their final breath, and in that moment, I feel a pang of sorrow. It’s a reminder that even in death, there’s a beauty to be found. And it’s this beauty that I try to preserve, to cherish, in the souls that pass through my realm.

Some might say that my role is one of cruelty, that I’m a bringer of darkness and despair. But they’re wrong. I’m a guardian, a protector of the dead. And in my own way, I’m a mother to the souls that I guide. I nurture them, I comfort them, and I help them find their way through the void. It’s a strange kind of love, perhaps, but it’s one that I cherish deeply. And it’s this love that drives me to continue my work, to guide the souls of the deceased through the Underworld, and into the great beyond.