PART II : AGE OF CHAOS AND ORDER
A week had passed since Zeus's coronation as the Celestial King. While the world above basked in a hard-won peace and tranquility after the Titanomachy, the Underworld knew no such respite. Here, the relentless tide of deceased souls never ceased.
Charon, the ferryman, guided his boat across the River Styx, his body tired and haggard. "Has the Styx water turned to lead?" he grumbled, flexing his sore palm.
With a long, weary sigh, he put his back into one final, powerful heave to reach the shore. A sharp, sudden spasm shot up his spine. The paddle clattered into the boat as he clutched his lower back. "Aahhh! My back!" he cried out.
The vessel drifted the last few feet to the shore on its own. Gritting his teeth, Charon skillfully twisted his torso.
Crack!
With a satisfying pop, his spine slid back into place.
He retrieved his paddle and nudged the boat firmly against the bank. Then, his weary eyes swept over the endless, shifting line of souls. His gaze narrowed, spotting the goddess Apate, and beside her, a muscular Titan with brown eyes and hair.
Apate stepped forward, and the Titan followed her lead. "Greetings, Brother Charon," she said with a slight bow.
The Titan mimicked the gesture."Greetings, Lord Charon."
Charon merely nodded in response. "Hmm…"
"Brother," Apate began, gesturing to the giant. "This is Lord Epimetheus, younger brother of Prometheus. From this day forward, he is to serve under Lord Hades. Please guide him to the central land."
"Very well," Charon said, his voice a low rumble. "Epimetheus, board the boat." He then gestured to Apate, holding up four fingers. Understanding, she collected the fare from four nearby souls and ushered them onto the vessel alongside the Titan.
The four souls boarded first, their ethereal forms weighing nothing. Then it was Epimetheus's turn. As the massive Titan stepped onto the side rim of the boat, his immense, physical weight proved too much.
The boat flipped over with a violent lurch.
Splash!
Charon, Epimetheus, and the four souls were thrown into the chilling waters of the Styx. The Titan and the shades flailed, the dark current pulling them toward the depths. Charon, a strong swimmer, fought his way toward the overturned hull. Just as he was about to haul himself out, a panicked Epimetheus grabbed a fistful of his black robe and yanked.
"Stupid Giant! Release my cloth!" Charon shouted, tumbling back into the water.
Riiip!
The robe tore clean off. Freed from the weight, Charon scrambled onto the bottom of the flipped boat, while Epimetheus was pulled under by the current.
And Charon was left utterly naked, his pale, skinny body exposed to the entire shore.
Apate snapped her eyes shut, her cheeks flushing a deep red. "Brother! Your cloth!" she cried out.
Charon looked down at himself, and his face burned with a humiliation hotter than any forge. He hastily covered his lower half with his hands and, with a blinding speed born of sheer panic, willed a new black robe into existence, cloaking himself once more before leaping to the safety of the shore.
He then faced the river, joining his palms and bowing deeply. "Lady Styx, I humbly beg you. Could you throw them back? Please."
The river stirred, its dark surface rippling in acknowledgment. With a great, gurgling surge, it expelled a sputtering Epimetheus and the four bewildered souls onto the bank. The Styx's waters then gently righted the boat and washed the paddle ashore.
Charon bowed again. "Thank you, Lady Styx."
His gratitude vanished the moment he snatched up the paddle. His eyes locked onto the unconscious form of Epimetheus. Rage took over. "YOU IMBECILE! I'LL KILL YOU!" he roared, bringing the oar down like a club.
"Brother! Brother, calm down! It was an accident!" Apate pleaded, grabbing his arm. When he didn't stop, her expression shifted in an instant. Her lip trembled, and her eyes welled with perfect, glistening tears. "Brother… will you not… listen to me?"
Charon froze, the paddle held high. He looked at her crying face, and the fury drained out of him. Gently, he reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Don't cry," he murmured, his voice soft again. "You are my good sister. Please, don't cry."
---
After the incident, Charon once again loaded his passengers onto the freshly righted boat. This time, Epimetheus was exceedingly careful, lowering his massive frame slowly into the center of the vessel. Charon rowed them in stony silence across the Styx to the central land, where two guards stood waiting at the port.
Epimetheus and the four souls disembarked. The guards bowed. "Greetings, Lord Charon."
Charon merely nodded, gesturing with his chin toward the Titan. "This is Epimetheus. Guide him to Lord Hades."
"At once," the guard said with another bow. They efficiently locked the four souls with spectral armbands before turning to Epimetheus. "Please follow us, Lord Epimetheus."
Epimetheus turned and waved back at the ferryman. "Thank you, Lord Charon! I will see you again!"
Charon narrowed his eyes and shouted across the water, "FUCK YOU!"
Epimetheus's face froze mid-smile. The lead guard chuckled softly. "It seems he is still holding a grudge. Do not worry, Lord Epimetheus. He is always like that. But he has a soft side deep down."
Nodding, Epimetheus gestured for the guards to lead the way.
They were led into a grand hall, crowded with shades and bustling guards. The air was a mixture of emotions—some souls arrived looking extremely happy, others simply looked tired, while still others were sad and terrified as guards dragged them towards a separate hall marked for punishment.
The atmosphere inside was sweltering and chaotic. Epimetheus watched as a pair of guards brought a detained soul forward and pushed it onto a marked judgment post. Before it stood a giant black scale; one plate was gold, the other silver.
As the soul stood on the post, the scale tipped slightly toward the silver side. Hades, seated on a dark throne, wrote something on a scroll and announced, "Sinner. Light punishment." The guards then dragged the soul away.
Another pair approached with a different soul. This time, the scale tipped toward the golden side. Hecate, seated on the similar dark throne beside Hades, recorded the outcome and declared, "Virtuous. One year in Elysium." A guard gently escorted this soul toward a brighter exit.
It was then that Hades's piercing gaze met Epimetheus's. Flustered, the Titan quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Greetings, Lord Hades and Lady Hecate. I am Epimetheus, brother of Prometheus. Lord Zeus has sent me to work in the Underworld."
Hades nodded slowly. For a moment silence hang on the hall.
"Epimetheus," he began, his voice low and even. "Have you forgotten something?"
Epimetheus rolled his eyes upward, trying to recall. His face lit up with realization and he quickly rummaged in his pocket, pulling out an object. "According to the agreement, these are the divine essences and weapons you selected!"
Hecate covered her mouth, giggling. Hades slightly furrowed his brows. "Epimetheus. Is that really what I selected?"
Epimetheus looked confused. "Yes?" Then his eyes fell upon his own hand. He was not holding a box of divine artifacts, but a pair of pink underwear with a red heart drawn on it.
"Oops!"
His face burning red with embarrassment, Epimetheus shoved the underwear back into his pocket. He rummaged more carefully in his dimensional pocket this time, and after a thorough check, produced a wooden box covered in ancient runes. He bowed again, unable to meet their eyes. "Forgive me, Lord Hades, Lady Hecate."
"You are forgiven," Hades said. Epimetheus let out a deep, shuddering breath of relief. Hades glanced at a nearby guard, who understood the silent command. The guard stepped forward, carefully took the chest, and brought it to Hades.
Hades opened the lid. Inside lay the Celestra, the Axisborn, and several glowing divine essences. He probed them with his secret divinity, confirming their authenticity. 'They are real.' His analytical eyes returned to Epimetheus. 'Clumsy, but honest, hard-working, and simpleminded. Complicated work is not his specialty.'
"Hecate, note these in the ledger," Hades commanded before turning his attention back to the Titan. "Epimetheus, you will work under the Underworld general, Julie."
"As you wish, my lord," Epimetheus bowed.
Hades gave another glance to the guard, who bowed and gestured for Epimetheus to follow. "This way, lord Epimetheus."
---
As Epimetheus stepped through the archway, a blistering wave of heat and the sharp scent of ozone assaulted his senses. He instinctively raised a hand to shield his face, peeking through the gaps between his fingers. What he saw horrified even him, a Titan.
Sinners were being punished in a multitude of horrific ways. Some were being nailed with thousands of red-hot needles, their skin sizzling. Others were being fried in vats of boiling oil, while attendants whipped others with thorny lashes, only to throw handfuls of salt and chilies onto the fresh, weeping wounds.
"AAAAAAA!!"
"Aaaaahhhh!!"
The dreadful screams formed a constant, echoing chorus in the vast hall. The guard leading him wore a permanent, placid smile, but his eyes were cold and empty. Epimetheus gulped down a knot of fear, clenched his fists, and followed silently.
The guard led him to a slightly quieter inner chamber. There, Phlegethon and Julie, both blindfolded, were calmly throwing daggers at a distant target. Just as they were about to release their next throws, the guard interrupted.
"Sorry for the interruption, Lord Phlegethon, Madam Julie. I have an order from Lord Hades."
They both removed their blindfolds and looked at the guard, then their gaze shifted to Epimetheus. He met their eyes and bowed. "A pleasure to meet you, Lord Phlegethon, Madam Julie. I am Epimetheus. From now on, I will be working under your orders. Please take care of me."
His eyes then drifted to their target board. His blood ran cold. It was Boreanes, a human emperor and former subordinate of Zeus, hung on the board and pierced by about thirty daggers. The man groaned in agony.
'Boreanes!?'
Epimetheus pointed a trembling finger. "Umm… why is Boreanes hanging there?"
Julie answered with an eerie, placid smile. "Because he is atoning for his sins." A cold sweat broke out on Epimetheus's brow. An awkward silence filled the chamber.
Suddenly, Phlegethon looped a heavy, muscular arm around Epimetheus's neck in a seemingly friendly—but undeniably firm—headlock. "So, newcomer," Phlegethon said, his voice a low rumble. "Do you know what we do when a newcomer arrives?"
Epimetheus's face turned pale. "W-what do we do?" he asked, his voice tight with fear.
Phlegethon and the other denizens of the chamber shouted in happy unison: "We throw a newcomer party!!!"
Epimetheus froze, his mind struggling to process the shift. He tilted his head slightly. "A... party?"
Phlegethon threw his head back and roared with laughter. "Ars! Dire! Open the BOOZE!!"
They answered with a sharp salute. "Yes, Sir!"
Instantly, huge crates of booze were thrown open. A conical party hat was placed on Epimetheus's head, clearly labeled "NEWCOMER." Rocking pop music blared at a deafening volume. In the blink of an eye, a small coliseum materialized, and several sinners were forced inside to fight each other. Guards leaned over the boundary, cheering and placing bets.
"Two gold coins on Dracula!"
"One gold coin on Brontar!"
But that wasn't all. Other "games" were in full swing: throwing darts at a sinner like Boreanes, using living souls as skittles, and many other brutal amusements.
Epimetheus stood dazed, his mind struggling to adapt to the local "common sense." Then Phlegethon bellowed, "Okay! Everyone! As per tradition—the speech from the newcomer!"
A champagne bottle was shoved into the dazed Titan's hand. All the spotlights and every gaze in the chamber locked onto him.
Epimetheus forced a smile, his fingers drumming a nervous rhythm against his thigh. "I am… Epimetheus. Aa… I am… very hardworkin—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the crowd erupted in boos.
"Boooooo!!"
Phlegethon smacked his own temple in frustration. He then produced a small, golden beer bottle. The moment he opened it, a powerful scent of nectar and other mysterious ingredients wafted out, releasing a golden fume. Phlegethon came from behind, grabbed Epimetheus's head, and forced the bottle to his lips. "This will bring out the beast in you!"
Gulp! Gulp! Hhhaaa!
Epimetheus drained the entire bottle, golden juice leaking from the corners of his mouth. For a moment, he stood perfectly still, his back hunched. Then, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. A new fire burned in his eyes. He grabbed the champagne bottle, shook it, and ripped the cork out, spraying the entire crowd while shouting at the top of his lungs, "ENJOY THE PARTY!!"
"YYYYYAAAAAHHH!!!" The crowd roared back, ecstatic.
Not stopping there, Epimetheus ripped his chiton to shreds. Now completely naked, he raised a triumphant fist, clutching the pink panty with the red heart, and leaped into the heart of the frenzy.
Phlegethon and the others roared with approval, "YEAHHH!! THAT'S MY BOY!!!"