The Story of Tartarus - (2)

Boom! Bang!

Father, Cronus, strikes the thick bronze, and the sound reverberates through the underground. True to his reputation as the mightiest of the Titan gods, he withstands the scorching heat near the bronze gate and speaks again.

"Hades, I heard that Zeus has seized the hegemony of the world!"

His voice, a beast-like wail, seems to be in pain from the heat. The three Hecatoncheires brothers, ready for any eventuality, exchange glances and summon their strength.

I place my hand on the Styx sword at my waist and approach the bronze gate. The Hecatoncheires brothers suggested ignoring him, but he had already heard my voice.

I need to shatter his hope of escape to prevent him from bothering the three brothers any longer.

"What does that have to do with you?"

"Of course, it matters! Are you truly satisfied being the lord of this dark underworld?!"

I wondered what he was trying to say...

Is he trying to sow discord with the outside news I just shared with the three brothers?

"If you release me, I will overthrow that damned Zeus and share everything under the sky with you!"

I have no interest in power.

You, who tried to kill your children and started a war, think you can entice me with power?

"I will give you any goddess you desire, except for Rhea! Imagine, the beautiful..."

"Give up your futile hope and remain imprisoned forever."

It's impressive that he's still enduring the heat beyond the door.

"Why?! Do my conditions not appeal to you? Though those hideous creatures guard the gate, you could easily open it for a moment!"

By "hideous creatures," he means the Hecatoncheires brothers, who were thrown into Tartarus by our grandfather Uranus and left there by Cronus.

Hearing Cronus's words, the brothers' already grim expressions grew harsher. No wonder we defeated him, given that the former ruler of the world was so rude.

"No matter what conditions you offer, I have no intention of releasing you..."

As I continued to refuse, Cronus shouted in desperation.

"Hades! Do you have no pity for your father?! You are the child of Rhea and me!"

The Lord of the Underworld, Hades, is one of the most virtuous gods. It may be hard to believe that the god of the feared underworld is virtuous, but at least to Lethe, it seemed so.

Despite his high status as one of the three great gods, he respects lower gods like her. Though he is also the god of wealth, Pluto, he doesn't adorn himself with common decorations like bracelets. He always contemplates the lives of the souls under his dominion, showing the qualities of a wise king. He is a merciful god who thinks more about mortal beings than the power of the underworld.

He is very different from his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon. Unlike them, who forcefully take any goddess they fancy, Hades is not a brute.

Sometimes, when she wore clothes that revealed her figure, she felt his gaze, indicating he wasn't indifferent to women... Yet, despite having enough power and authority, why doesn't he pursue goddesses?

Perhaps it was this kindness that made her fall for Hades. Hades may not know, but there are many women aiming to become the queen of the underworld.

Many goddesses from Olympus, the goddess Styx, nymphs dwelling in certain objects or nature... And finally, the goddess of forgetfulness, Lethe herself.

Thus, she subtly used her power of forgetfulness to satisfy her feelings. Though he caught her holding his hand, he didn't scold her harshly and let it pass, which she appreciated.

Even such a kind god could be truly enraged, Lethe realized.

"Did you just say 'father'?"

As the god of the underworld glared at the bronze gate with a twisted smile, the entire underworld trembled. His form was enveloped in pitch-black divine power, transforming into a figure of darkness.

With just a single word, it was clear how tumultuous his emotions were. His anger now was on a different level from when he warned Olympus about the Great Flood through Iris.

The powerful outburst of divine power made Lethe step back continuously. Even the Hecatoncheires brothers, who fought in the Titan War, watched Hades' back with tense expressions, unable to underestimate him.

Unaware of Hades' fury, Cronus continued speaking from beyond the bronze gate.

"Although our relationship has been rough, we are still father and son! I remember when you were born and lay in Rhea's arms..."

"If I could, I would remove every drop of your blood from my body."

Despite the intense emotions causing the ground beneath him to crack, his voice was astonishingly calm.

"You dare! The beings born of my father's blood will judge you!"

"The Erinyes are on good terms with me. They visited my stronghold not long ago."

"What?!"

The abominations born from Cronus' father's blood referred to the three goddesses of vengeance, the Erinyes. Born from the blood of Uranus' severed genitals, they were feared and shunned by all.

Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness, knew well about these goddesses dwelling in the underworld.

Tisiphone, Alecto, and Megaera. These three goddesses had bronze wings, bleeding eyes, and snakes for hair.

They punished all sorts of crimes, especially avenging familial murder and rigorously punishing parricide.

Though feared and avoided, the king of the underworld approached them without hesitation and now shared occasional camaraderie with them.

"You tried to kill us first. The Erinyes are not as foolish as you think."

"Hades! I..."

"As the lord of the underworld, I declare,"

Hades' cold voice cut off the god of time and agriculture. At this moment, his words were both a proclamation and a law.

The declaration, charged with the god of the underworld's divinity, bound Cronus. It didn't interfere with fate, but within the underworld, it became an irresistible prophecy.

"You will never escape from there."

"Do you think you are different?! When someone threatens your authority..."

The voice from beyond the bronze gate gradually faded. Even Cronus could no longer withstand the raging heat.

As his voice faded away, Hades calmed himself. The ominously sinister black form disappeared, and he returned to his usual gloomy but serene appearance.

With a bitter smile, he addressed the Hecatoncheires brothers.

"Ha... The underworld must have shaken, scaring many souls. I'm sorry, but I must return now."

"Well then, see you next time."

"Today wasn't a good day to release our pent-up emotions."

"Go back without worry, we'll keep watch here."

Indeed, he is a virtuous god.

What madness. To appeal to blood ties, thinking I'd fall for it? Offering me the world under the sky and goddesses if I release him?

The underworld shook quite a bit because of that deranged criminal. Can't even control my emotions properly as a ruler...

"Hades."

The goddess Lethe, who had been quietly following me since we left the underworld, spoke. Though her usual dazed expression remained, she seemed to pity me.

"I can make your recent memories a bit hazy..."

"...It's fine."

Though she said it out of concern, remembering my intense rage earlier... It wasn't to that extent. Just a bit unpleasant.

I need to prioritize comforting the underworld's inhabitants who were frightened by the recent tremors. The goddess Styx will likely scold me when I return.

As we ascended, we encountered soldiers stationed there, clutching their weapons in fear. They seemed to think an enemy had invaded due to my earlier outburst.

"Lord Hades. There were tremors from deep underground..."

"Was there a problem with the prisoners in Tartarus..."

I reassured them that it was nothing and passed by. I need to return to the fortress and get back to my duties.

"Lord Hades!"

"Morpheus? What is it?"

The green-haired god of dreams, Morpheus, son of Erebus, the god of darkness, and Nyx, the goddess of night, was one of the underworld gods.

Though he usually had a gentle and serene demeanor like his brother Hypnos, the god of sleep, he looked unusually urgent now.

It was night, the time when he should be delivering dreams to the living above.

"Pant... Lord Hades, at the entrance of the underworld, Hermes was found covered in blood and collapsed!"