Thanatos remained in front of the open gate while Strax stared at the staircase plunging into darkness. Hades's authority still pulsed slowly through the walls, recognizing that he had fulfilled the three requirements while, at the same time, seeming to evaluate him every second. The silence there was different from what he had found throughout the rest of the Bottom. There were no voices, souls, or creatures trying to call his name. There was only an absolute pressure, as though that entire region had been built to keep something inside, not merely to stop people from entering.
"You can go," Thanatos said, remaining outside. "The soul is down there. From this point on, you no longer need me."
Strax did not answer immediately.
