Like I said in the last chapter, any grammar mistakes you noticed, let me know so I won't make them in the future aight. It'll help boosting my IELTS lul
It's an extra since it's about the two Primordial Siblings in Greece. Still pretty long tho. Like my dick-erson level.
That made no sense, but enjoy my dudes
Death's Chosen
[VI.5 - Extra]
||Against Death's Reign||
Death despised gods.
A rather unreasonable and ungodly stereotypical way of seeing these creations; to paint all gods in the same color, but there were no two ways about it. All gods, big or small, powerful or feeble, whether they have titles that can cover an entire book, regardless whatever 'control' they possess, none of it carried the tiniest jot of significance for Death.
They were but a stubborn tumor in this plane of existence, leeching off the faith of those who didn't know better to lay their faith in these obstinate, pathetic, spineless, know-it-all, supercilious, condescending worms that dared to call themselves as gods despite they have conspired against another. They sacrificed sons and daughters and threw them away. They raped, stole, tortured, and unabashedly murder anyone including humans who had faith in them. Because they were 'Gods'.
And 'Gods' don't fear retribution.
For Death, they were the lowest forms of parasites. Without them, the world would spin regardless, and humans would still be humans.
And today, He was proven right once again.
"You hit my sister."
Those words said nonchalantly fell like a death verdict.
Terror raw in her face as she gazed upon Death's head, seeing nothing but an endless void in his cowl. Hephaestus inched behind as Death stood still, pushing her soles against the stone surface of the ruins until her back hit a pillar.
She had finally met the entity who killed her father. Adrenaline pumped within her system, but it pumped and beat like it was trying to escape. It was rushing so fast she almost vomited. She could feel her saliva thickening in her throat and the cold sweats beading and rolling down her brows.
She met her father's murderer but now she wished she never had. Terrified tears escaped her eye as fear violently trembled her body. Hephaestus found no hope. Her desire to fight banished just by his presence alone. No urge to escape no matter how badly desperate she was to flee.
The Goddess of Blacksmith felt nothing but true terror as Death loomed over her, a curved blade in His hand.
"Please…" The goddess pleaded, her voice hitching. "I meant no ill will-"
"Sure you didn't. But you still hit her." Death's voice carried no anger, almost casual, but Hephaestus knew better. This entity mysterious to all gods had slain thousands of them in one battle without stating His reason. She didn't need to think what He would do to her for swatting His sister's hand.
"I didn't… I didn't know…" No deities knew Death had a sister. "I-I'm sorry… I swear to you in my dignity as a Goddess that I-"
"I don't question your dignity. I'm denying its existence. But not yours alone, don't worry; I'm denying your siblings' as well."
The goddess whimpered as she cowered herself into a pathetic ball; tucking her knees and face to her chest, gripping her scarlet hair tight. She didn't ask why no one had come to her rescue her since she knew, but still, knowing didn't lessen the hurt.
Death knew as well. Omniscient and all, He agreed there was no fun in knowing everything, including the pointless one such as the histories between these Olympians as that'd just be wasted space, but He would fill his knowledge with what needed to belittle these willful gods as possible. To put them in their places, which would always be lower than their expectations.
He hung back on one leg as His sickle-like dagger spun in the air. "Are there no love between siblings among you?" Those words weren't mean for her, but to every Olympians cowering in the apparent safety of their cloudy lands, watching their sister turning to a wreck like hapless spectators. "Hardly surprising. Disappointing nonetheless."
Gods - especially the kinds like these Olympians - were rather practical. They didn't bother with what they couldn't do. If seven thousand couldn't escape Him, what hope have they?
But to say Death was unstoppable would be mistaken.
"Brother! That's enough!" So yelled the only one who could stop Him, currently taking form of a young human girl with an airy voice and look, currently stomping her way to put herself between him and the bullied goddess, her rapid steps sweeping his liquid-y white mists off the floor.
Hands on hip, Life puffed her cheeks. They glowed red instead of their usual white. "SHEEESH- you always do this kind of thing! Bullying is bad you know! This is why you have no friends!"
"Yet I have more than you do." Death casually whisked His spinning weapon off the air, stowing them back to a pocket dimension inside His robe. He did see this one coming; Life would never let Him toy with anything of hers.
At least if she knew.
Life didn't appreciate that comeback because she had none, so she pretended she didn't hear it. Although, after hearing the wracking sobs behind her, she turned around, her short olive hair swaying as she approached the goddess in distress.
"Hey, hellooo~! It's me, Lenore." Life paused to glance to her brother, who was just standing there. "Is it Lenore or Lenora?"
"Lenora."
"Ah yes-" Lenora nodded, smiling before returning her attention back to the goddess, kneeling next to the goddess to clasp her gloved hand. "I'm sorry for my brother, Hephaestus. He likes to overreact sometimes see… It's okay, don't cry! There-there… It's okay. Don't be scared. He's just a big bully."
"Not her first." He scoffed, shrugging as he approached the two. He cast out His mists – the manifestations of damned souls of the deities He had reaped. A rather convenient tool to scare other beings.
Hephaestus' fear began to dissipate in a slow, gradual manner, regaining a little portion of her sanity back as the mists disappeared. That pathetic display was burned inside her memory to haunt her forever. Even if it was Death she faced.
Sniveling, she kept staring at her knees as she gripped Lenora's hand. "…I'm…sorry…"
"It's okay! It's okay, okay? Don't think about it. You just surprised me, that's all! I wasn't upset or anything. Sheesh you stupid brother, you scared her!"
"Not every day you get to see a goddess with insecurities." Death commented. Upon closer inspection, He noticed that her short hair was actually tied to a ponytail that reached her waist.
The goddess stiffened, subconsciously placing a palm on her eyepatch.
Before His sister could chastise Him again, His resonating voice entered their minds, "You mock others' flaws. Instead of accepting the simple reality of 'nothing's perfect', you belittle her because she's imperfect. The same way humans do. And still you have the gall to call yourself gods." Again, not towards them. But to those Olympians. "You gods are weird."
As their creator, Life took full offence. "H-hey!"
Death innocently tilted His head. "Just openly wondering."
"Your 'open wondering' is close-minded!" Life fumed, then patting Hephaestus' hand. "He's just saying that, alright? You're very pretty Hephaestus, why- I think your eyepatch nicely complements your charm! It gives off this… cool… mysterious-like kind of vibe..."
Death watched as the goddess finally raised her head to meet Life's innocent staring, coupled with her always radiant smile.
"Hai." Lenora tee-hee'd, her eyes smiling. "Who cares about what he said? I think you're beautiful."
A blush as scarlet as her hair splayed over her visible cheek, causing her to turn away. "…I-I don't deserve such praise..."
"Aww, don't be too polite!"
"Of course, she's too polite. Now that she knows who you are. Don't expect the same if she still doesn't."
"Aaaaah- brother will you just be quiet!"
Chuckling, Death supposed He had his share of fun for the day. "Fine, fine. Embrace her to death why don't you." Only these two could hear Him now.
"I will!" Lenora pouted. "Alright… okay. Umm…" She reached a hand to the goddess' face, who stiffened in response as Lenora wiped her tears using the sweater sleeve. "I would've offered you tissues but I don't have any."
Hephaestus gawked in wonder, lost in the girl's ditzy smile. How could someone this kind and adorably innocent possibly be the sibling of the Reaper of Souls?
"I do what she cannot."
The Greek Goddess of Fire and Forge swallowed her saliva as His voice invaded her. A reminder that not even her thoughts were beyond Death's reach.
"What's wrong? Am I scary? That's impossible; I'm cute. Right bro?"
"Whatever you say, lil' sis."
Life giggled, before realizing something. "…Wait, since when am I the younger one?"
"Since the start."
"No- we exist at the same time!" Life rose to her feet to try to look menacing. Emphasis on 'try'. "That'd make us twins!"
"Even twins are seconds apart."
"Well then I'm seconds older than you."
"Ah, so you're more of a relic than I am." Death mused, all while Hephaestus and the rest of the Olympians watched the siblings' squabble in confusion.
After thinking a while, Life decided that she hated that idea. No way someone like her was closer to an ancient artefact compared to her grumpy brother. "…Okay I changed my mind. You're the old one."
Once again, Death remained triumphant in the battle of silly wits.
Hephaestus felt embarrassed to be deathly terrified to Him, but that notion didn't last long once she recalled His deeds – reasons why every gods or goddesses hushed at the utterance of the name of this entity clad in black and silver, why every single deity dreaded His Second Coming. Instead carrying their souls to Heaven, it was to banish all of them to wherever damnation He contained the souls of their ancestors.
Slowly, she raised herself – until Life extended a sleeve-covered hand, to which the goddess took in gratitude. Her knees were rather weak after that experience.
She avoided gazing the Reaper. In fact, she wished she had deformities on both her eyes so she could only just see the darkness of her eyepatch.
"You don't mean that." Death absently replied. The goddess was about to prostrate herself but He cut her off, "Why do you hide your eye to start with? Because you don't want others to tease you. Because their seemingly harmless teases hurt you. Them. Do you think we'd change our approach even if you don't have that eyepatch on?"
"Yeah!" Life wholeheartedly agreed on that. "He'll still be a pain in the butt to deal with willy-nilly."
Death shrugged as if to admit it was true. Well, because it was.
To claim that didn't bring joy upon hearing it would be a lie, but after what had happened, Hephaestus was rather wary to show any reactions. Good or bad. "…May I ask as to why you come here…?"
"Why? To take pictures of course!" Life chimed as she grabbed the camera dangling on her neck to proof her point. "Things are way prettier up close you know." Especially when she was in the same dimension. "Oh right, that reminds me. We're done here brother! Let's go the Acropolis!"
"Didn't you say you want to visit the Parthenon first?"
"Doesn't matter! I wanna see all of them!"
"Why don't you get your new friend to take you there?" Death replied, "I want to have a talk with her family."
He let everyone hear that, as an unfamiliar sense of dread filled the Olympians' heart like hot black tar.
"Oh! Great idea!" Lenora beamed, turning to said friend. "Umm- Hephy, can you please take me out?"
That sense of dread was washed away by that smile and the devastating upward glance. The goddess felt her heart skipping a few beats.
Besides that, if Hephaestus should choose between being a tour guide or having a family meeting with Death, the first pick was obviously the right choice.
"It would be an honor."
"Oh you! No need to be so formal with me, I'm just a girl! An endearing one but no less a girl." Lenora chimed, grabbing the goddess hand as she led her off the scene, stepping off the ruins. "Come on then, let's go. I wanna try a strudel next. Does Greece have strudels?"
Once the two girls disappeared, Death did as well.
Reappearing in the giant hall of Olympus; a massive temple on top of the hulk of land floating in the skies, surrounded by clouds and mountains. Home of the Gods. Also known as the place where Olympians spent their time drinking and/or fucking Aphrodite.
They were neither drinking nor were they having sex, as after witnessing and hearing Death's words, they had the decency to pale at His arrival.
"Afternoon." He addressed the Olympians present, each one sitting on their altars – their 'spot'. Either a bed or a cushion or an exaggeratedly lavish couch, uncertain on what to do other than looking at their de facto leader; Zeus.
"As far as I can remember, this sacred temple exists only for the Olympians." A mighty voice said, thundering the great hall. "Your presence is unwelcome here, o'Death."
Until the God of War, clad in his shining golden armor found bravery in stupidity and remained true to his instinct; rushing into conflicts and violent confrontations head-on without thinking and almost always inevitably ended up getting wounded, making a complete fool of himself.
"And yet your stupidity remains welcome at all times." Death responded in kind, as Ares shifted angrily while few other of his siblings stifled their giggles. "What's your name again? Aros? You're just an angry little boy. You're no God of War even to your own people. She is." He nudged his cowl towards Athena, who noticeably shifted uncomfortably. "That's why she has her name as their capital city. Not yours, you blithering idiot. Don't presume to tell me if I'm welcome or not."
Death watched in mild mirth as Ares' blood boiled. Again, anger hot and blinding. Unlike His.
"Now gentlemen," The one with the mighty beard, the God of Skies and Thunders, the King of the Gods, Zeus, finally addressed the primordial. "Let us not resort to our baser instincts and handle this as civilized deities-"
"Civilized?" Death snorted, "You? Didn't you chain Prometheus to a boulder and have an eagle chewing his liver because he introduced fire to your people? Surely there's a woman you need to rape somewhere down there than just spouting lessons you know little knowledge of; you grudging bastard. Close your mouth before I cut your beard."
Zeus quieted down, and settled back on his throne. His thunderous roar unheard.
A figure shot out from his throne next to Zeus. "You dare speak ill of my father?!"
"And you must be Apollo." Death addressed the man holding a golden lyre. "Like father like son, don't they say? How many nymphs will it take for you to understand no one wants to hear you play a single song? A nymph turned into a laurel tree. A tree. She preferred to be turned into a tree than to listen to you." Death allowed those words to sink in like the bite of a viper, before continuing. "Now I'm not a nymph, nor can I be turned to a tree, but say another word, boy, and I will turn you into one."
Red-faced, almost as red as his warmongering brother, Apollo begrudgingly sat back down.
"Now, now, dearest Death-"
As He had with her brothers, Death cut Aphrodite's seducing voice short with a simple sentence; "Do me a favor and close your mouth for once, whore. I've spared your daughter. Spare me your words."
And that she did. Lying down on her bed, the voluptuous, scantily clad goddess who only wore a silk to cover her breasts went silent.
"Forgive my husband and children, my dear-"
"What? Forgive them same way you tortured every woman your husband can't keep his grubby hands off because you think they are to blame of your husband's unfaithfulness? Or by turning them into monsters despite they have rejected his advances? Or by tricking your husband to kill those bastards of his including the women he bedded? Do you call throwing your child off a cliff because he's ugly an act of forgiveness? It's a wonder you haven't tossed off his daughter with that eye of hers. They were not your dears, and neither am I."
Hera pressed her lips tightly, stifling a tear. Not the Queen of the Gods either. It had to be the Goddess of Wisdom and Warfare that Death sought; thought all the Olympians. And so, as the wisest and kindest, Athena stood up from her seat.
"And what godly knowledge will you bestow me I wonder." Death started, His tone painfully wounding their pride. "Of course, you are the wisest. Wise enough to vent your anger towards Medusa who was raped in your temple by that seafaring brother of yours –whatever his name is–, turning her to a monster, which you later killed through the hands of Perseus by giving him a mirror.
"Or perhaps you will teach me your sagely self-control such as starting the Trojan War because your sister is awarded the first prize in an unrehearsed goddesses beauty pageant. Or when you challenged a mortal into a weaving contest, and lost, and instead of wisely swallowing your pride and accepting defeat, you destroyed her work and drove her to the point of suicide. A human. A mere mortal. And as if that wasn't enough, you cursed her into a spider. What an exceptional display of archaic knowledge that is."
Athena wisely sat back down, wishing that the roof would collapse and flatten her entire being.
No Olympians tried to stand up or speak afterwards. As for the first time in their lifetime, the Halls of Olympus was dead silent.
"…Are you here merely to insult us?" A quiet voice spoke this time, almost chaste, coming from His side. Unlike the others, this Olympian had descended down the stairs to be on the same floor as Him.
"Those aren't insults. Those are facts." Death responded. His tone was casual the whole time, even during His epic rant that hit them like a truck of shame.
He studied the owner the voice briefly. Short and petite, almost a third of His size, but not without a stupidly large chest for a body her size. He hadn't heard of this Olympian before. "Who are you, little one?"
"I-I'm Hestia." The little goddess bowed her head, her black twin-tailed hair swaying lightly. "I'm erm… daughter of the First Hestia, who replaced Hades as an Olympian. It is an honor to meet you."
No sickening history behind this little one. That already placed her on top of the rest; one more nail to their coffins. "Finally, a sensible one. Your father is a human is he?"
"Y-yes my Lordship."
"Ah, a demi? If you want to honor me, then do so by sparing me your 'lordships'." Pointless titles. "But no wonder. A demigod can never be as vile as gods. Stay humble little one, and you may yet survive this mess."
Hestia nervously nodded.
He knew Olympians were quick to anger and very vulnerable to jealousy, as shown by their resentful glares at the little goddess. Not even their wisest could turn her head down and admit defeat. No. They just had to take offense on the fact that Death chose to speak to their youngest member, who was a half goddess and half human. An effective mixture to piss off the deities.
"I-I don't mean to intrude you…" Hestia said, stuttering, a very ungodly thing to do, but Death preferred honesty and humility over false modesty at any given time.
She took Him by surprise, however, the moment she knelt down, both knees on the marble floor, and adopted a Japanese traditional 'dogeza'.
"Though I imagine little it means to you, I-I offer you my sincerest apology on behalf of my family."
As she had her face level with the floor, Death glanced around, staring her 'relatives' who did nothing but watch. Some with a mildly amused smirk on their face, which they immediately wiped out the moment they realized Death's gaze was upon them.
"If these are what you call a family, you deserved better." Death nonchalantly said. "Get up. I'm not here for apologies, though I wonder; why should you apologize when you've done nothing wrong?"
Hestia raised her head, but not yet her body, lost for a reply.
"Don't mind it. Up with you then, go on."
"Y-yes. Thank you!" The girl bowed once more, stepping a distance away to His side but stayed on the same floor.
"Nothing's impossible for a god until you ask them to say sorry." Death muttered. "Seems I'm mistaken twice today."
Another figure raised their voice. "Surely you can forgive her. I had never thought Death would be an overprotective brother."
"That's exactly who I am." Death pointed a metallic finger at Hermes as He turned to gaze the rest.
"And you are a bunch of glorified rapists, pillagers, and murderers, who let your own people starve and submerge themselves in debt. And how do you defend yourself? Because you're a god. That's it. You think because you're a 'god' by your own definition, no consequences can tie you down, and give you all the right to do whatever you want without regards to anybody else's wellbeing, but yours. Isn't that right?"
Death didn't need to listen to their reply. He'd think none of it anyway.
"But I'm not here to state facts. It's too late. Far too late for any of you to change. Gods don't change, people do, no? Isn't that what you believe in? But I digress. I'm here for a proposition. An offer for the lots of you to, say, defy me. As you are well aware, I've handpicked a boy to carry my will."
"Hyoudou Issei is he not?" Zeus stated. All to show that he knew.
Death remained true to His intent; he took no note of the God of the Skies' words.
"I'll be honest; you can't ever match me in terms of anything, because gods like you have limits. That boy, however, you may yet have a hope to defeat him. But not at his current state as he is as what you'll say 'pathetically weak'. Not much to a mere mortal, as I believe you'd put it. Try anything against him during this state, and I'll erase you and your entire histories, and have all of you replaced."
The Olympians reacted in their own way. Ares clutched the handle of his sword and spear, making angry faces. Apollo his lyre. Also making angry faces. The few others had the understanding to start fearing their life.
"So. As I have named my Chosen, so can you." Death continued. "Name yourself your own champion from humanity. Anyone you wish, as long as they are willing and is a human. Force them, and I'll know. Threaten them; I'll kill you. Recruit one whoever you want, but respect their stature as a human.
He could see them wagering their cost from their brows. Of course, neither of them could say 'no' for a rare shot against the unstoppable force that was Death. A chance to avenge those He felled. Even if they had to see humans as more than mere ants.
"Do just so, train them all you want, bestow them with your power, and I'll let them face my Chosen without my intervention. However, the initially stronger the human you chose, such as humans who carry the blood of heroes in their veins, you'll have to wait. And also, only one on one battle. Be fair here, because I will.
"Perhaps you can pit them against each other like those loons in Rome while you wait your turn. Just remember that you can only choose one. And should they fail against my Chosen; they're mine. And you may never have this opportunity again. Go back to your godly chores and never lay a hand on these humans, unless you want to face me directly which I will gladly oblige."
Death meaningfully stared at Ares. The God of War who would kill if he could just leap off his seat, and pierce his spear through His armored chest.
"What else… ah yes. Go ahead and face Chosen from other pantheons. With your Chosen, I mean. Should yours defeat them, do whatever you want with them as it's not my concern, but know that they're no longer able to fight mine. Which means shorter queue. I'm certain you gods aren't fond in a game of patience. Revenge is a dish best served cold as they'd say, and I'd say yours are frozen by now after all those years; waiting for my return to this realm, to retaliate for what I've done to your fathers and mothers. Perhaps sisters and brothers. Sons and daughters. Your loved ones. What's a couple of months of waiting to you?"
A giggle. The sultry, breathy kind. "An interesting game you have deve-"
"Didn't I tell you to shut your mouth?" Death reminded Aphrodite, who shut her mouth. "I don't need to hear any of your thoughts. Whether you're in or you're out, that's it and you decide."
"What's for us should our Chosen defeats yours?"
No eyes needed to tell Death was glaring at her, and Athena hoped she didn't say those words.
"Nothing's ever enough to you, is it? You can have a temple in the skies and you'll ask for the entire city. I give you a chance and now you want rewards?" It wasn't hard for Him to control his tone, but it was starting to get annoying. "Do you think this is a competition? No, Athena. This is not a competition. I am giving you a medium where you can wage a battle against me without risking your life in permanent damnation."
He gazed down the Olympians, giving Hestia a little nudge so she could scamper to her altar without feeling she was risking a life in permanent damnation.
"But fine. For the sake of motivations, I'll let you a single wish that you gods can't create. One for your Chosen. A single wish, nothing more. As long as it is sensible and won't break the world. Fair enough?"
"For our Chosen?!" Ares jumped from his seat, and like usual, thought about of his action once he had done it.
Mildly irritated, Death gazed the God of War until he sat back down. "Yes. Your Chosen. Not you. Your motivation is to piss me off. Their motivation is to get whatever they wish for. You're gods and goddesses. They're purely humans. Unlike you, they work to get what they want. Understood?"
The Greek deities nodded gingerly, some reluctantly.
"Good. Lastly, my sister has no part in this. She's no more than a tourist. Should any of you ever try or even think to use my sister, be it laying harm on her, or corrupting her thoughts with your deceit, anything that includes her in your petty plan to get back at me… I swear to you; I'll guide each and every one of you to meet your ancestors. Maybe then they can testify there exists a fate, far worse than death, especially made for gods."
The Olympians swallowed their spit. Even Ares shut down his blind rage.
"You, Herpes." He shifted His cowl towards the Messenger of the Gods, who had the brains to keep his mouth shut instead of correcting his mistakenly pronounced name. "You're the first ones to know of this. Inform this to other gods, and have them tell every other god that gazes down this the same Earth. Spread it the way you spread that particular disease."
Being stared, Hermes owlishly blinked at Him.
"Now."
The Messenger immediately vanished in a ray of light.
"This will be the last time I come to you. The next time, it's you who'll come to me. All paths lead to me, no?" This would be where Death smiled, if He had a face.
Noting that the Olympians said nothing; not that they didn't have anything to say, they didn't want to risk getting cooked to death by His words again.
Death chuckled mildly.
"Until then, I'll always be waiting."
The entire Mt. Olympus was covered in black fog, reducing their visibility to absolute zero for five seconds, staying no matter how wildly they flailed their hands or blowing a wind using a spell or by mouth. Death had vanished, of course.
And of course, He didn't have to introduce them what blindness looked like, but He wanted to. Just as how He wanted to reap their souls, crush their vain arrogance, and rid this world of them.
He couldn't kill them without reason. He still couldn't to this very moment, but gods never listen. At least never permanently. Through this 'small game' of His, no doubt a few will possess the gall to 'skew' the rules. If such was the case, then Death wouldn't mind, for they had fallen into His grip, waiting to be crushed, the moment they joined this game.
After all, what gods wouldn't give for a chance to defy Death's reign of terror?
To be continued
Life is too precious I just can't. must protecc
Alternate title: How to Make Roasted Olympians 101
Cue Ludwig, the Holy Blade Bloodborne ost when Death start spittin fire
All those things Death said to them? They're all according to their legends. So you can see why Death isn't a huge fan of Greek Olympians, or bothering to exchange in an conversation that isn't one-sided. He's actually a bit mouthy too.
And so, the plot thickens. The story's getting a bit serious because this is the foundation of the story.
Both Hestia and Hephaestus are based from "Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon" or smthin like that. Danmachi I think is the short name. The rest of Olympians are up to your imagination
Aight cya bois next chap
