Epilogue - 21st Century Olympus (Final)
The Underworld.
Not the kind of underworld riddled with tunnels from human oil drilling or mining, but the spiritual realm detached from the mortal world.
Within this realm stood a goddess and a god, bowing their heads respectfully before soone seated upon a throne.
The two figures were none other than linoe, goddess of nightmares, and Morpheus, god of dreams.
The one reclining on the throne before them, resting his chin on his hand, was Hades, god of the Underworld.
"So, the mortal I saw collapsed because he annoyed you, and you knocked him unconscious. And you ran off to the mortal realm because you were ‘bored’ with your duties in the Underworld?"
"Yes... I only planned to take a day off before coming back!"
How is it that her excuse is exactly the sa as Thanatos' all those centuries ago?
Back then, Thanatos claid he was tricked by the mortal Sisyphus and took a ‘break’ in the mortal realm.
"Well, humans are far more advanced now. It should be fine, right? Monsters are almost extinct, and..."
"Hmm, hmm. Lord Hades, linoe has a point. Perhaps this one ti, you could..."
Morpheus.
How dare he? If linoe neglects her duties, isn’t it his role as a senior god to guide her?
Not only did he seduce my innocent daughter, but now he’s defending her negligence?
"Thanatos! Are you outside?"
Clank.
The doors to the audience chamber swung open, and Thanatos, his black wings folded neatly, stepped in.
With mortals living longer and dying mostly from old age or accidents, Thanatos has been busier than ever bringing souls to the Underworld.
"You called for ?"
"Yes. Take Morpheus with you and assign him to assist in harvesting souls for the next year."
"Oho! I could use the extra help. Things have been getting hectic. Perhaps I’ll even have ti for a vacation to Olympus!"
Thud.
"W-Wait, Lord Hades! I made a mistake..."
Thanatos grabbed Morpheus, dragging him away despite his protests.
It was useless to resist; Thanatos’ strength, as the personification of death, is unrivaled in the Underworld.
With Morpheus gone, I turned to linoe, who was trembling.
Taking a deep breath, I spoke in the gentlest tone I could muster.
Hmm. Perhaps I’d been too harsh earlier.
"linoe."
"Y-Yes, Father!"
"Even though humans have advanced to the point where they scarcely rely on gods anymore, we still exist to maintain the balance of the world."
"Yes..."
"Especially for gods like us, who oversee aspects that mortal science cannot fully comprehend. This responsibility is even more critical."
The gods of Olympus may revel in their parties and indulgences.
Domains like wine, forges, or ssengers can all be explained by human logic and science now.
Even the lesser gods of mountains and rivers have faded from prominence for similar reasons.
But the Underworld is different.
No mortal can observe the afterlife or claim certainty about reincarnation or divine judgnt after death.
This is why, even as mortal science progresses, our work remains vital.
"I know it’s harder to feel like a goddess when you no longer receive the faith of mortals, but you must cultivate a sense of responsibility."
"I understand, Father..."
"Good. And there’s one more thing I need you to do."
Those despicable mortals I encountered earlier needed to be punished, at least a little.
I had already devised a plan.
Even if humans no longer fear the gods, allowing them to misuse our nas for their petty sches is unacceptable.
Olympus, now semi-chanized by the advancents of modern civilization.
I found myself discussing recent events with Zeus after witnessing the chaos in the mortal realm.
"So, you’re saying humans are using our nas for their scams?"
"Yes. Even in this era of minimal divine intervention, I believe it’s necessary to impose so form of indirect deterrent."
"Hers has been keeping inford, and I’ve had a vague sense of what’s happening in the mortal world."
Of course, there’s no way he wouldn’t know.
Ti has llowed Zeus significantly.
In the past, when King Salmoneus mimicked him, Zeus had imdiately hurled a thunderbolt in rage.
"Hmm... If this were the old days, I’d have sent down lightning without hesitation. But the tis have changed. Do you have a plan?"
"I’ve already instructed linoe to tornt those mortals with horrific nightmares. In addition, I’d like to borrow so assistance from the goddess of fortune."
"You’re suggesting sending Tyche to the mortal realm?"
"Just a touch of misfortune would suffice as a warning. It’s disheartening that mortals no longer fear judgnt in the afterlife—poor Dike must be beside herself."
Even though I also hold the divine aspect of rcy, I cannot ignore my role as the god of the Underworld and fairness.
Mortals who brazenly exploit my na and enforce false faith must be reminded of the consequences.
"Very well. But let’s avoid curses or misfortune that could cause significant harm."
"That should suffice."
If they fail to learn their lesson even after this, there’s no saving them.
They’ll simply have to face judgnt in the Underworld.
The Mortal Realm.
In South Korea, a notorious cult known as the Elysion Church faced an unexpected series of misfortunes.
While preaching on the streets, every mber was hit by bird droppings.
But their streak of bad luck didn’t end there. The cult leader tripped over a rock and was hospitalized, marking the beginning of a cascade of calamities.
Breaking news: Over 30 mbers of the Elysion Church were rushed to the hospital after a mysterious bout of food poisoning during a prayer gathering in Seoul.
Interviews with cult mbers seeking psychiatric help for recurring nightmares...
Authorities investigating a string of misfortunes befalling the Elysion Church found no evidence of foul play.
Is divine retribution from the god Hades to bla for the troubles of this cult exploiting his na?
Judgnt has co to the Elysion Church, which lured followers by invoking the na of the god of the Underworld.
With the leader hospitalized, mbers tornted by nightmares and bad luck, and the dia covering their downfall, the cult lost its influence.
Its activities, previously driven by fear of the afterlife and the leader’s cunning sches, ca to an abrupt halt as the group disbanded and went into hiding.
Of course, the intervention of Tyche, goddess of fortune, and other divine forces played a role in this outco.
"Aigoo! Oh great and rciful Lord Hades! Please bless my ungrateful son who’s only ever cared for his old mother! Let him find happiness in the afterlife, at least!"
"If you start living a virtuous life now, you might reach Elysium when you die..."
"Should we start visiting temples? Maybe we should buy a mint plant for the house, just in case."
Though there was a temporary surge in the number of my worshippers, it didn’t concern .
Mortal lives are short. Ti will pass, and they’ll forget.
Having intervened in the mortal realm after such a long ti, I decided to refrain from interfering further for the ti being.
As long as another sudden world war doesn’t erupt, the Underworld will remain relatively peaceful. Unlike the Olympian gods, who have all but severed ties with the mortal realm, I still find it necessary to maintain a presence.
But that doesn’t an we’ve completely abandoned involvent.
Hercules occasionally grants blessings to athletes, and Orpheus, now a god, inspires musical prodigies among mortals.
Even Dike, goddess of justice, has shown signs of lancholy, lanting the growing immorality of humans who no longer believe in the divine.
Still, I believe that moderation is best.
Excessive interference would only hinder humanity’s ability to stand on its own.
Clank.
The doors to my audience chamber opened, revealing Lethe, goddess of forgetfulness and one of my wives.
Her beauty never fails to bring a smile to my face, though today she seed unusually sullen.
"...Hades..."
"Lethe?"
She approached with quick, light steps and suddenly collapsed onto my lap, reclining against .
I wrapped my arms around her, gently stroking her silvery hair. How lovely it always looks.
"Mortals keep praying to my statue, asking to cure their Alzheir’s disease. They seem so desperate... Should I help them a little?"
"Ah."
Temples, built for prayer and offerings to the gods, still exist in the modern era, albeit with a modern twist.
So are grand buildings with state-of-the-art facilities, while others involve burning currency as offerings to the gods.
Naturally, my temple also houses statues of my wives and other Underworld deities.
It seems mortals have been praying at Lethe’s statue, hoping for her grace as the goddess of forgetfulness.
This isn’t unique to Lethe—many mortals swear oaths before statues of Styx, another of my wives.
Of course, those who break their oaths sworn upon the River Styx...
Taking into account the era’s weakened faith, I’ve decided to rely assign them minor labor in the Underworld rather than send them to Tartarus.
"Ahem. Apollo and Asclepius have been inspiring mortal researchers working on diseases. Perhaps we should wait for them to discover a cure themselves."
"Really? I suppose that makes sense... Even Hephaestus complains that humans haven’t yet mastered tallurgy. Sigh."
"By the way, you look particularly radiant today. Since I have no pressing duties..."
As Lethe turned her head, still leaning against , I kissed her.
With my loving wives and children by my side, I am confident this happiness will last forever.
Reviews
All reviews (0)