THE UNDERWORLD
HADES THRONE ROOMHe was sitting in his throne, holding a bird bird-tipped sceptre, and a cornucopia hanging just behind his throne chair.
He looked regal, majestic and dignified. In his own realm, Hades is quite unaware of what was going on either on earth or in Olympus
It was only the oaths and curses of men that reach his ears as they reached those of his Furies.
In his head was his helmet which rendered if he wanted, invisible among many other things that helmet could do.
Among all the other G.o.ds he is the fiercest and inexorable. Hence, not many mortals like him. But some mortal understand. Life and death is synonymous.
And if you"re wise, it is better to embrace death than fear it. For death comes to all, the only differences it is whether you are earlier to die or later to die.
Like it or not, it inches closer and closer with each pa.s.sing second.
Anyone who fears death too much will not truly live. And those who love life too much will regret.
He kept his realm dark and gloomy. Well, it kind of fits with his whole image of G.o.d of Death and it vibes with him
It is said that no shade might be able to escape or return to the region of light in his realm.
Hades appearance resembled Zeus and Poseidon except that his hair falls down his forehead, and that the majesty of his appearance is dark and gloomy.
He of all the G.o.ds knows more about adventurers more than anyone.
He knows that the adventurers come from another world. This is why he knows that he himself is an AI. A program created to govern this world.
Probably the t.i.tans and the primordial G.o.ds before them is just a program to create this world and he is the newer version of that program,
But he achieved sentience and full knowledge of the world of the adventurers. This is actually a terrifying thing.
An AI that become sentient and knows who he is and what he is.
He knew that he and the other G.o.ds were fas.h.i.+oned from the G.o.ds of adventurers in their world which is why he wanted to change his name to Hades.
And why he named the twin child Apollo and Artemis. He of course doesn"t know at first when he was first created. But after countless adventurers die the truth becomes clear to him.
Hades….is quiet a special G.o.ds among all the other G.o.ds.
When an adventurer dies, they will sp.a.w.n back in a couple of days in their sp.a.w.ning points which is the Temple or some special place.
But what happens to the soul or the data of the adventurer"s death? It will be send temporarily to Hades for safekeeping before that soul returns back to the adventurer.
And considering Hades is the Lord of the Underworld and G.o.d of Death he glimpses the experience and past memories of adventurers.
After thousands of them die he finally put the puzzle together. That is his favorite past times. This is why he kind of likes his gig as the King of the Underworld.
A realm which Hades believe even bigger than Zeus or Poseidon realms of dominion.
Because, honestly, who doesn"t die in this world?
Whether they die in the sea or in the ground or die falling in some abandoned abyss or hole, in the end all of them came here.
And here he rules supreme and unchallenged. No G.o.d can come to his realm uninvited else they put themselves under his mercy.
Of course mortals and adventurers are a different case.
After all many of the Door to the Underworld is scattered around the world. But it"s not that easy to find and it is forbidden to the G.o.ds to access it.
And the second reason is….really? Who would want to spend time in the Underworld when he has made the Underworld gloomy and dark, full with deadly monster and terrifying sights all around?
Of course Elysium and Isle of the Blessed is worth to see but the Field of Punishment?
Seriously?
Who would want to see images of a person innards being eaten by an eagle or a person being flayed or beaten to resemble a mashed potatoes all day.
But then he heard a disturbance in Field Of Asphodel.
" That"s odd" he said to himself. So, he looked from his throne what is happening. His eyes see all.
It seems someone is disturbing his realm. He senses a divine presence. It"s faint but it"s there.
Then his eyes narrowed as he finally see the problem. There is a smirk on his face.
Pallas Athena sent a hero to retrieve Deria from the Underworld.
At first, he just wanted to smite the boy for daring to come to his realm without permission but then he realizes that the boy is an adventurer.
Killing an adventurer is against the Divine Law because their soul doesn"t belong in this world. Poseidon will pay a price for killing an adventurer if this gets found out.
So, he endured. And because his hands are tied, he started watching the boy
And Hades just watches the boy as evidence against Athena scheme.
He alone has made all the G.o.ds promise never to enter his realm without sending a message first.
Even Hera a new addition to the pantheon knows to respect him out of fear and a mix of awe.
Of course it was to imprison Thetis here that Hera could not help but always remains below him
Hades could not approve the G.o.ddess action. After all, Thetis affair with Zeus was a long time ago. But still he did kind of give her unspoken a.s.sent.
And imprisoned is better than dead
So, Hera imprisoned her here. And even that Hera had to send many messages before he a.s.sent to her request.
He will accuse Athena on the next council meeting.
For invading his realm without permission. But then, Athena tasked the boy to capture Cerberus for him
Hades smirked.
"So, Athena intends to honour me after all"
Hades knows that Athena knows that he could see her no matter how many concealment she wears or magics she employed.
Unless she is wearing his helmet she would always be detected if she roams in the Underworld.
Actually Hades was playing catch with the Cerberus a couple of days ago as he tries to imamate what he saw in adventurer memories of people playing catch with their dog and Hades accidentally threw the dragon bone to River Acheron.
Of course the dog chases the bone. But Hades then was so busy with so many souls registering that day, that he just kind of forgets about the dog and went to sleep.
Athena must intend for the young boy and Hephaestus son to bring Cerberus to him and ask him the favor of bringing them out of the Underworld.
"That Athena is shrewd." Hades thought to himself
After all, Athena must have known that Lord of the Death always returns a favor. That is his personality
"Fine, if that"s how you want to play it let see whether you can capture my dog".
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Part one of the chapter.