C-32: Death of my brother

The Underworld was blessedly calm, the echoing silence of the vast caverns like a balm to my soul after the chaos of the meeting with the gods. Chaos herself had been... overwhelming, to say the least. After finally extricating myself from her unsettling attention, I was determined to regain some sense of normalcy.

I sat at my desk in my study, pouring over records of souls, the smooth flow of parchment under my fingers grounding me. The mundane work of maintaining balance in the afterlife was oddly soothing. Yet, my thoughts were anything but calm.

The timeline gnawed at me. The war with the Giants hasn't happened. Typhon hasn't risen.

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. These were pivotal moments in Greek history, and yet here I was, existing in a reality where they had yet to occur. Worse, it wasn't a comfort to think they were merely delayed. The absence of these events hinted at a disruption far greater than the pantheon could comprehend.

Was this Chaos's doing? Or perhaps some unknown force pulling at the threads of fate?

"Hades," a soft voice broke through my thoughts.

I looked up to see Hecate leaning against the doorframe. Her expression was warm, but the glint in her eyes told me she had news—news I probably wouldn't enjoy.

"What is it, my love?" I asked, setting down my quill.

"You've got a visitor," she said, her tone laced with equal parts amusement and annoyance. "And before you ask, yes, I did check. He's not dead."

That piqued my curiosity. A living visitor to the Underworld was rare. And to be let in past Cerberus without a fight? Even rarer.

"Who is it?" I asked, already rising to my feet.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Hecate stepped aside, gesturing toward the entry hall.

The moment I stepped into the room, I stopped dead in my tracks. There, standing in the middle of the chamber, was a man whose appearance could only be described as painfully perfect. Golden hair framed a face that might have been carved from marble, his sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes practically radiating confidence—and something faintly sinister. He was dressed impeccably, his long black coat embroidered with shimmering silver threads.

The visitor turned, and a wide smile spread across his face.

"Hades," he said, his voice smooth as honey. He bowed deeply, the picture of respect. "It is an honor to stand before you."

"Lucifer," I said flatly, folding my arms. "How... nice to see you."

His smile brightened, as if I genuinely meant it.

"Thank you," he said, rising from his bow. "I had hoped you'd feel that way."

I sighed. Of course, he didn't catch the sarcasm.

"What brings you to my realm, Morning Star?" I asked, keeping my tone even. Lucifer's visits always came with strings attached—and trouble was usually dangling at the end.

Lucifer straightened, smoothing the front of his coat. "I come to you in great need, O King of the Dead. My former home, the heavens above, has been taken from me. A usurper now sits upon the throne that should rightfully be mine."

I raised an eyebrow. "A usurper? Are you not the one who famously rebelled and left heaven?"

"Yes," Lucifer said, his tone growing more impassioned. "But the one who reigns now is an impostor, a false god who has twisted the heavens into a mockery of what they once were. I seek to overthrow him and restore order to the celestial realm."

I leaned back against a pillar, studying him. "And you came to me for help?"

Lucifer nodded earnestly. "You are the wisest of the gods, Hades. You understand balance better than any other. Surely, you can see the danger of leaving this false god unchecked. His tyranny will spread, and it will not stop with heaven. The mortal realms, perhaps even the underworld, will not be safe from his reach."

I rubbed my chin, pretending to consider his words. Truthfully, I already had my answer. Lucifer's plight didn't concern me. The balance of the heavens was none of my business, especially when it involved celestial politics. But it would be amusing to see how far he was willing to grovel.

"Why not go to someone else?" I asked casually. "Surely there are other gods or beings who would delight in helping you overthrow this so-called false god."

Lucifer's jaw tightened, but he kept his smile intact. "None have your wisdom, Hades. And none command the forces of death and rebirth as you do. Your army would tip the scales in my favor."

Ah, there it is.

"You want my army," I said bluntly.

He nodded again, his blue eyes shimmering with hope. "A fraction of your soldiers would suffice. I ask only for your blessing and your aid in this noble endeavor."

I stared at him for a long moment, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably. Finally, I smiled—a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

"Very well," I said, watching his face light up. "I will send a hundred soldiers to aid you in your war."

Lucifer fell to one knee, bowing his head. "Thank you, Lord Hades. You will not regret this."

"Oh, I'm sure I won't," I said, suppressing a smirk.

What I didn't tell him was that the hundred soldiers I planned to send weren't part of my actual army. They were husks—mindless, soulless constructs with barely enough strength to wield a weapon. If Lucifer wanted to play games, I was more than happy to oblige.

Lucifer rose, beaming. "You have my eternal gratitude, Hades. I will not forget this kindness."

"See that you don't," I said, turning to leave. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to attend to."

Lucifer bowed one last time before striding out of the chamber, his confidence radiating like a beacon.

As soon as he was gone, Hecate appeared at my side, her arms crossed and a knowing smirk on her lips.

"You're sending husks, aren't you?" she asked.

"Of course," I said, a faint smile tugging at my lips. "Do you really think I'd waste my actual army on him?"

Hecate chuckled. "You're cruel."

"Efficient," I corrected.

Months passed, and news eventually reached me of Lucifer's fate. His war had been a disaster. His forces were decimated, and he himself was captured and imprisoned in Hell.

I leaned back in my chair, listening to the messenger's report with a faint smile.

"Lucifer always did have a flair for drama," I said to Hecate, who stood beside me.

She rolled her eyes. "You really are impossible sometimes."

<------------------- >

The Underworld's oppressive stillness was a comfort as I worked in my study, the soft scratching of my quill against parchment filling the air. The delicate balance of my realm required constant attention, and I preferred it that way. Busy hands kept my mind from wandering too deeply into troubling thoughts—like the gaping holes in this reality's timeline or Chaos's unsettling predictions.

Still, there was always something—or someone—to break my concentration.

Hecate entered without preamble, her boots clicking against the obsidian floor. I glanced up from my papers to see her holding a scroll, her expression dark with unspoken tension.

"Hecate," I greeted, leaning back in my chair. "You look like you're about to ruin my day."

She smirked faintly but didn't deny it. "News from the mortal realm—and from Heaven and Hell."

That caught my attention. I gestured for her to continue as she set the scroll on the desk.

"It seems your dear brother Zeus managed to get himself killed."

I blinked, unsure if I'd heard her correctly. "Zeus? Killed? Are we sure it wasn't just one of his many attempts to fake his death and dodge responsibility?"

"This time, it's real," Hecate said, pulling out a chair and sitting opposite me. "And he didn't go quietly."

I arched a brow. "Explain."

Hecate began unraveling the scroll, but she spoke before referencing it. "There was a war—a big one. After Zeus took over Heaven, he cast out Angels that opposed his teachings, creating the Fallen Angels who inhabited in the Underworld alongside the Devils."

"Classic Zeus," I muttered, shaking my head. "Divide and conquer, except he always overestimates his ability to control the pieces."

"Exactly," Hecate said. "The Three Factions of Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels warred against one another under the leaderships of Zeus, the Four Great Satans, and the Fallen Angel organization; Grigori, led by Azazel. During this war, Zeus and the Four Great Satans have all perished."

I leaned forward, steepling my fingers. "And this all happened without me noticing?"

Hecate shrugged. "It's been a few years since you sent Lucifer those husks, and you been quite busy. He apparently used them as a distraction during the war, though they didn't last long. Your brother's antics kept the chaos confined to the mortal and celestial realms—for now."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "What about the mortals? How badly were they affected?"

"Entire cities obliterated," she said grimly. "But Zeus's lasting legacy wasn't the factions or the war—it's the relics he created before his death."

That piqued my curiosity. "Relics?"

Hecate nodded, her expression turning thoughtful. "He called them Sacred Gears. Powerful artifacts imbued with divine energy, capable of enhancing mortals to absurd levels of strength. Some of them are enchanted with unique abilities, while others contain the souls of powerful beings."

"Souls?" I echoed, my tone sharp.

"Two of the most notable Sacred Gears are said to house dragons," Hecate explained. "One holds the soul of the Red Dragon Emperor, and the other, the White Dragon Emperor. They're considered the strongest of all the Sacred Gears."

"Dragons," I murmured, leaning back in my chair. "Zeus's obsession with power knows no bounds."

"Apparently not," Hecate said dryly. "But it gets more interesting. The remnants of the factions are relocating."

"Where?"

"Japan," she said, watching my reaction.

I frowned. "Japan? Why there?"

"That's where the devils have decided to establish their base. The fallen angels and angels are following suit, either to keep an eye on the devils or to continue their war on foreign soil. The mortals there are already reporting strange occurrences—disappearances, sudden storms, and whispers of gods."

For a moment, I sat in silence, digesting the information. Something about Japan tugged at a long-buried memory from my old life. The image of dragons and chaotic power stirred something—something odd.

"Japan," I repeated, tapping my fingers against the desk. Then, the words slipped out without warning: "The Oppai Dragon..."

Hecate blinked, her expression torn between confusion and amusement. "The... what?"

I shook my head, brushing it off. "Pay it no mind. It's a faint memory from another time."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she let it go. "So, what will you do about this?"

"For now, nothing," I said. "Let the factions destroy themselves if they're so determined to do so. I won't intervene unless they threaten my kingdoms—or me directly."

Hecate nodded, though her gaze lingered on me for a moment longer. "What will you do about these Relics? It is said that the dragons could kill gods."

I smiled faintly, though it didn't reach my eyes. "Let them be, they are but mere toys. Thank you for the information."