All things are full of gods. - Thales of Miletus 

 

After a long nag, Scott finally convinced Alex to turn off the Scooby movie and listen.

"Fine, apocalypse? No big deal. What is it, zombies? We'll go buy some food and water, some bats with nails in them, leather jackets, we'll be fine."

'It's much more serious than that Sir. We must prepare immediately.'

"Look, I don't have time for this. I have to deliver daily chapters or I can't pay rent."

'This building will cease to exist, Sir.'

"...So I have to move now too? What other bad news do you have for me?"

'The entire Earth will be destroyed, Sir.'

...

"Define destroyed."

'The fabric of spacetime will crumble and all existence will return to nothingness.'

...

"I heard Elon Musk is working on a spaceship to Mars. Would that work?"

'I'm afraid not, Sir.'

"Alright. How do you know about this apocalypse anyway?"

'...Text from a friend, Lord'

'This bastard.' Alex snorted.

'Sir, we must urgently raise your strength by acquiring cultivation resources or we will perish.'

Alex didn't mind getting buff. "Do they sell them at GNC?"

'...No Sir, we will have to visit relic sites and procure divine treasures.'

Alex felt a headache coming on. "Just where are these relic sites?"

'All over the world Sir: Asia, Europe, the Mediterra--'

"Is there one in Brooklyn?"

'...No, Sir.'

"Then how do you expect me to get there? I can't even afford an Uber to Manhattan."

Scott rubbed his energy beard for a long time before replying. 'I know how we can make money, Sir. However, we first need to visit someone nearby.'

"Who?"

'An old friend.'

***

Alex gazed upon a crumbling, dirt-colored residential building.

"This place should be condemned. It's even worse than where I live."

He'd just gotten off a long train ride and was guided here by Scott.

'This bastard better not be taking me to sell my kidneys. This place definitely looks it houses an evil doctor or two.' Alex crossed his arms over his sides in worry.

'Sir, please summon my soul form in the shape of my body.'

"Can I do that? If so, why didn't you just come here yourself? I could've been living my best life at home."

'You can, Sir. I could not battle, but to simply appear for a short time is possible. However, I would not be able to stray too far from you.'

"Fine." Alex summoned him through their soul link. Scott soon appeared next to him as Alex looked at him curiously. "You a ghost now?"

"...I don't believe so, Sir."

"Good, let's get this over with."

Scott led him down some stairs to a door. Alex knocked and they waited.

After a minute, the door creaked open. A head slowly peered out in hesitation. It belonged to an unkempt middle-aged man with a dead face. His skin was as pale as a ghost, with menacing long black beard and hair, streaked with gray. He looked like depression personified.

Upon seeing Scott, the man's eyes briefly lost focus and his face became bewildered. Several seconds later, he just sighed under his breath, walked inside his apartment, and sat on an old, dirty sofa. He left the door open so Scott and Alex followed behind, finding random places to stand in the room.

The place was filthy. Barely any light was able to enter from the tiny windows by the door, making it seem more like a cave than a living space.

"Why have you come?" The unknown man asked.

'Scott, who is this old NEET? Is this a friend of yours through the John Wick hobo network?'

'He's indeed a friend, Lord, but he's not a NEET. At least, he's not only a NEET. His name is...Hades!'

...

Alex yawned.

'Also known as...Pluto!'

...

'That's not even a real planet anymore.'

'Hades, of the Olympic pantheon!'

...

Alex picked his ear with his pinky.

'Hades, the lord of the Underworld!'

'Lord of the Underworld my ass! Is this the Underworld?!? A basement studio in Newark?!?'

...

'Hades has fallen on tough times recently, Lord.'

'What tough times?'

'His wife Persophone left him, Sir, for Adonis...1000 years ago.'

'How is that recent?!?'

"Why are you here? If Persephone asked you to come here to beg me to take her back, you can tell her I'm busy...being surrounded by beauties." Snort.

'Busy with his hand! He's still sulking! It's been 1000 years and he's still sulking!' Alex's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped at this specimen.

Suddenly, Hades' eyes became large as he put on a hopeful expression. "How is she? Is she well? Can I see her? When is she coming?"

'He's hopeless! She's not coming bro!'

"Hades, Persephone didn't send me," Scott replied.

Hades' face promptly returned to apathy. "Why are you here then?"

"...Zeus and Poseidon are dead," Scott answered.

Hades shot up out of his chair. "What?!? Impossible!"

Scott sighed. "Can't you feel it?"

Hades froze. Several moments later, his face became extremely difficult to look at.

"It's as you've probably guessed. The apocalypse is coming," Scott continued.

Hades' face became even whiter than normal. He slumped back down on the sofa, leaning back against the cushion like a man waiting to die. "Why waste your time here? We're all doomed."

"No, we have a chance. Hades..." Scott turned towards Alex. "This is my Lord. He will be our salvation."

Alex crossed his arms, raised his chin, and gazed far off into the distance.

Hades scanned Alex up and down and sneered. "Is that a joke? A chosen one? Wishful thinking, he has NO chance."

"No...he can do it. I've seen the possibility with my own eyes." He looked at Hades meaningfully.

Hades' face grew serious as he locked eyes with Scott. A few moments later, he turned back towards Alex. He leaned forward in his seat, clasping his hands together in front of himself, studying this chosen. "Are you certain?"

"As certain as I can be."

Hades tilted his head down, staring at the ground for a long time before finally asking, "What do you need from me?"

"Become my Lord's General. With you, we might stand a chance."

Hades continued to watch the ground for some time. Finally, he slowly stood up straight. He looked at Alex again. This time, his temperament completely transformed. From gloomy, his aura grew to that of an inescapable black hole, eyes glowing with the dark determination to swallow all existence.

"Allow me to properly introduce myself. You may call me Hades. Please allow me to serve you...my Lord."

 

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading. If you like it, please add to library!