King of Underworld

Chapter 133 The Goddess of Prophecy, Thetis

Time flowed like a river.

Whether in the Underworld or the mortal world, no one could resist the passage of time.

Even Zeus, the king of the gods, was not exempt from this truth.

“Hades, the goddess Thetis says she wishes to meet with you.”

“The Goddess Thetis, you say?”

She was the mother in the prophecy of a son destined to surpass his father in power.

Long ago, she had come to the Underworld to see me during Poseidon’s rebellion against Olympus.

I wondered what brought her here this time… now that the issues with Charybdis and Poseidon’s children were resolved.

I was resting with my head on the lap of Goddess Styx…

But I rose from my chambers and made my way to the throne.

The goddess, who should be either in the sea or on Olympus, coming to the Underworld… Surely this wasn’t another rebellion. Perhaps she had come to ask for a favor?

“Please help me! Lately, Zeus keeps trying to force me into marriage!”

“Oh.”

“It had been quiet for a while, but recently, he’s started again…”

I looked at the water-haired goddess with tear-filled eyes and put my hand to my forehead.

I had already asked Zeus to show her some consideration before.

But it seemed his patience was wearing thin, and he was now trying to eliminate any possible risks.

“How forceful has he been to make you come all the way here?”

“He insists I can’t be a god’s wife and should marry a mortal instead. Why should a goddess like me marry a mortal… ugh…”

“Haah…”

Thetis wept as she poured her heart out to me.

From Zeus’s perspective, he couldn’t allow her to marry a god. Could her child become one of the Three Gods?

Only if she married a mortal and bore a child could he rest easy.

I could understand the goddess’s frustration at being forced into a marriage.

But…

“Goddess Thetis.”

“Hic… yes?”

“If you marry a god, won’t Zeus likely bring harm to your child?”

If I let emotions sway me and helped her marry a god as she wished, Zeus would not stand idly by.

Even if Poseidon and I intervened, Zeus would not back down.

That would lead to a war among the gods.

Without one side yielding to Zeus’s pressure, things would head toward disaster.

Facing the Gigantes would be challenging enough; fighting among ourselves would mean mutual destruction.

Zeus’s power was a sensitive matter.

Even as his brother and lord of the Underworld, I had no desire to cross that line.

“But… what am I supposed to do… I came all the way to the Underworld because no one else would help me…”

Still, forcing her into marriage with a mortal was unfair.

The goddess Thetis was so opposed to it. Wasn’t this like being sold off in a political marriage?

I couldn’t think of many solutions, but I would try what I could.

“Goddess Thetis. I will try to persuade Zeus on your behalf.”

“…!”

“But if you marry a god, Olympus may divide in two. Therefore… what about someone of divine lineage but not a full god?”

If she were to marry one of the Three Gods, their child might surpass Zeus.

If she married a god, the Three Gods might become Four.

If she married a demigod, the child might still become a god.

But her pride would not allow her to marry a mere mortal.

“I want to help you, but that prophecy complicates things.”

* * *

The goddess Thetis looked at me, deeply disappointed.

“Still, what if you found a mortal who could capture your heart?”

“There’s no mortal who could.”

“Then… what if we held a contest or tournament for mortals? You could watch and select someone who might appeal to you.”

There were few mortals who would turn down the chance to marry a goddess.

Without strong willpower, like the great heroes Cadmus or Hercules, no mortal could resist the allure of an immortal beauty.

So we could hold a tournament where the winner would have a chance to marry a goddess, attracting competitors from all across Greece.

Only the most courageous, bold, and wise would have the chance to court her.

I roughly explained this plan to Goddess Thetis.

“If no one catches your eye, you can make the prize a treasure instead. Only someone you truly favor would have a chance.”

“But if I kept refusing, saying no one was suitable…”

“But Zeus won’t give up until you bear a child. The prophecy declares that your child will surpass their father.”

The prophecy didn’t say “if she were to have a child,” it stated, “Thetis’s son will surpass his father.”

In other words, it was certain that Thetis would have a son.

From Zeus’s perspective, only once Thetis’s son was born could he feel at ease.

“Sigh. No matter what I do, there’s no way to avoid marriage, is there?”

“Is there anything else you want? You could demand something more from Zeus.”

“…I’ll think about that later.”

“For now, I’ll convey your wishes to Zeus.”

Was this the best I could do? There was almost no chance that Zeus would reject this proposal.

If this could resolve the conflict, then… perhaps I should take this matter to Olympus.

* * *

So, I accompanied Goddess Thetis to Olympus.

Seeing Thetis and me together, Zeus’s expression briefly hardened before relaxing.

“Elder brother Hades wouldn’t be interested in Thetis… is this about her situation?”

“The goddess Thetis has decided to marry a mortal.”

“…Have you finally made up your mind, Thetis?”

Zeus, half-disbelieving, looked to the goddess, who reluctantly nodded.

“But even so, we can’t just make her marry any random mortal. The prophecy may say her son will surpass his father, but… he should at least be a king or a hero with great achievements.”

“Hmm.”

“How about holding a hunting competition among humans without divine parentage, and Thetis may marry one among the winners who pleases her?”

“It would encourage the growth of heroes… a solid plan.”

Zeus considered it and summoned various gods.

Soon, the plan for a hunting competition to win the chance to marry Goddess Thetis was set in motion.

It would be held every two years, open to all Greeks, as decreed by an oracle to the people.

“Have you heard of the hunting competition to marry the goddess Thetis?”

“I find it hard to believe. Sure, there’s a chance to marry a goddess, but doesn’t she still have to favor the winner?”

“The prize is honor and treasure, but the goddess herself will be watching…”

“I thought she was unmarried. This must be to find her a mortal husband!”

“If one of your parents is a god, you’re ineligible, so you won’t be able to join.”

And so, a fierce competition began among mortals to win the favor of the beautiful sea goddess Thetis.

While it wouldn’t be easy to capture her heart… heroes eager for glory, treasure, and honor flocked to the tournament.

* * *

Meanwhile, as the mortal world bustled with Thetis’s hunting tournament, the great hero Hercules quietly continued his tasks.

The fifth labor: cleaning King Augeas’s stables.

It was daunting, even for a great hero, to clean stables that housed hundreds of animals for decades.

So, he diverted the flow of a river, washing away the filth entirely.

Of course, the river god protested…

“Who gave you the right to change the river’s course!”

“I am Hercules, fulfilling the labors assigned by Lady Hera. I apologize, but…”

“A prophesied hero, is it? Hmph… I’ll let it go this once.”

Thanks to his fame, Hercules managed to avoid trouble.

The sixth labor: hunting the Stymphalian birds.

These were man-eating birds with bronze beaks and claws, raised by Ares.

They shot feathers like arrows and pecked people to death.

Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw!

“Annoying creatures… BE QUIET!”

Even his voice was powerful. His loud roar burst their eardrums, sending the birds plummeting to the ground, bleeding from their ears.

For the ones that tried to flee, he shot them down with arrows.

He then completed the seventh labor: capturing the Cretan Bull, the father of the Minotaur.

The eighth labor: capturing the man-eating mares of King Diomedes.

Now he was ready for the next task…

“The ninth labor is to retrieve Geryon’s cattle.”

“The monster king with three heads and torsos?”

Geryon lived on an island at the far western edge of the land.

Hercules sailed there without interference.

Thud! Wham!

“Ughhh!”

Upon entering the island, he heard screams.

Hercules, carrying his club, recognized a familiar face as he approached.

“…Lord Triton?”

“Oh, Hercules, isn’t it?”

“What are you doing here…?”

“Nothing much. I was inspired by your method of ‘educating’ Polyphemus and thought I’d give it a try.”

Triton was disciplining a giant, resting his club on his shoulder.

The giant, bruised and twisted, knelt before Triton, eyes full of terror, looking even larger than Hercules.

“This here is my half-brother, Antaeus. He’s been challenging passersby to tests of strength and then killing them all.”

“Ah… I see.”

“My father told me to keep my children in check, so here we are.”

Crunch! Thud!

“Urgh…”

“Hahaha! Antaeus! Isn’t your mother the goddess Gaia? Show a bit more resilience!”

“N-no more… I swear I won’t harm travelers again…”

Triton laughed heartily, while Antaeus, Gaia and Poseidon’s son, let out dying groans.

Hercules, watching them in a daze, asked Triton a question that had been on his mind.

“Lord Triton.”

“What is it?”

“Antaeus is a child of Gaia and Lord Poseidon… but why isn’t he a god? My goal is to become a god, yet I know nothing about how. Despite my achievements, becoming a god feels distant. Could you advise me?”

Would Triton be able to resolve his doubts?