Being reincarnated as a God is one of the best things one could ask for. Inhumane physical strength, mystical powers, biological immortality, and in some cases, true immortality. The benefits were many, but there were drawbacks as well.
It all depended on what kind of God you were. Me? I'm the runt of the family and was born with quite a few defects. Unlike most, I didn't come out all-powerful right out of the womb. On the contrary, I was extremely weak, which kind of made sense since I came out as a stillborn baby.
Not something you'd expect to happen to Gods, but there were always exceptions, and I just so turned out to be one of them. In all honesty, it was probably my fault. After all, I had been a mere mortal in my past life, and it seemed that a mortal's soul didn't mesh well with a God's body. Or something like that… I wasn't really an expert on all of that.
However, what was important was that I'm still alive, and it was all due to my Foster Mother, Nyx. She was the one that revived and brought me back to life with her powers… for like the second time? This was pretty much a theme in my new life.
Due to this, I wasn't sure and still am not when exactly my mortal soul came into play. Was it before or after Nyx revived the body? I asked myself this every now and then, but I didn't dwell on this question for long. Because in the end, it didn't really matter. I am alive now and that's what was really important.
Though I had been surprised, to say the least, when I figured out where I ended up, and who I reincarnated as. You see, I am the son of Hades, the God of the Underworld, and my name is Zagreus.
Even now I'm still perplexed about how I ended up here, a place that I considered to be fictional. I certainly didn't meet an all-powerful being that offered me the chance of reincarnation, and from what little I remembered about my past life, I definitely didn't deserve such a reward. I was, for all intents and purposes, nothing special. Your everyday Joe if you will.
This used to bother me a lot when growing up. And yes, even as a God I had to go through that process. In fact, even now I was still growing and could be considered on the verge of becoming a young man. Though I'm unsure exactly how old I was since it's fairly hard to judge how much time has passed since there was no Sun or Moon in the Underworld.
Another indicator that I was maturing was Megaera as I caught her shooting me appreciative looks from time to time. She still kept me at an arm's length and treated me like a little sibling, though. I honestly have no clue how the Zagreus from the game ever got with her. Nevertheless, I was no longer Hades' little brat.
Still, for the first decade or so, I was conflicted about my existence. I just felt like I didn't belong here and that I didn't deserve this second chance. However, there was nothing I could do to change my situation. Due to my circumstances, I couldn't die nor could I even escape the Underworld. So, I decided to fully embrace my new life.
Unlike the Zagreus from the game, I was more mature growing up. I wasn't as much of a brat and had a better relationship with Hades, though my Father definitely did his best to make this as hard as possible. He appreciated me helping out without needlessly complaining, though.
However, Hades was a hardass. There was no other way to put it. He was always harsh with me, and I could count the times he praised me on the fingers of my hand… if I chopped them all off.
Still, he cared about me in his own weird way. I was given everything that I needed or wanted, and the only thing he asked of me was to help around with his many tasks. That's all he ever wanted, just a bit of help.
And despite me learning about his job, Father told me that without a shadow of a doubt, he wasn't raising me to inherit his position. I might be his one and only heir, but he would never hand over his position to me.
I'd guess that the Zagreus from the game might've taken this statement the wrong way. I couldn't say for sure, but I knew I was grateful for that. Being the Ruler of the Underworld was an arduous never-ending job; one I had no desire for. It was so bad, that I'd wish that fate only to my enemies… if I had any that is.
I pitied Father for being stuck with this position, I really did. He definitely got the short stick compared to his brothers. Not only did he get the toughest job, but he also ended up being bound to the Underworld as well.
Sure, Hades could leave if he wanted to. He could last much longer in the mortal world than I could. However, his power will wane until he succumbed to the poisonous air of the mortal world. Well, the air wasn't really poisonous, but to those bound to the Underworld, it might very well be.
It was no wonder Hades despised the rest of our family. He didn't hate them per se. Father was just spiteful that their jobs were simple and easy and because they were free to go wherever they wished to.
I was jealous of them as well. I wanted to explore the mortal world and see how much the humans have advanced.
Have their technological advancements caught up to the ones from my past life? Was the internet a thing here? Gods, how much I missed that.
Or perhaps humanity developed in a different way in this world? After all, the Greek Gods were real, and if I wasn't wrong, there were other Pantheons out there as well. The humans here could've developed in an entirely different mystical way.
I really wished I could go out and explore to see for myself because I was bored out of my mind in the Underworld. There were just so few things I could do here for fun.
Training with Achilles was one of them. The Trojan Hero knew his way with a weapon, and I learned that the hard way. He was a great teacher and entrusted me with all of his skills.
According to him, I got a real talent for fighting. That was at least one thing going my way since I didn't have the monstrous firepower the rest of my family enjoyed.
While most of them could just smite things out of existence, I had to rely on my technique and weapons. Unfortunately, I was barely on their level since they've been alive for who knows how long. And even this might be a big overstatement on my part.
I could never thank Achilles enough for his teachings because I would've never met Persephone and brought her back without his help. Though that wasn't as easy as it sounded.
Fighting through the various levels of the Underworld was fun, however. Father had been angry with me when I first voiced my desire of going to the mortal world to search for my real Mother, so I didn't get an easy path through the Underworld.
Just like in the game, Hades tried to stop me. Though he never gave it his all, and I could tell he secretly wished I succeeded. He dearly missed Persephone and could never really hide his grieving from me.
However, unlike the game, there were a lot of things missing. For example, the Daedalus Hammer didn't exist. The Infernal Arms were peerless weapons and had unmatched arrogance.
Even though they were weaker than what they used to be, they still wouldn't allow Gods to upgrade them, let alone a mortal. Though the Infernal Arms consumed Titan's Blood like glutinous monsters. Those greedy little shits didn't let me keep even a drop for myself!
My family also couldn't grant me as many blessings as they did in the game. I'd get just a few at most in locations where Nyx had created fractures for the Gods to slip a smidgen of their powers through.
And boy was it a trip every time they granted me their blessings. I had trouble controlling it at first since I wasn't used to having so much power. I've gotten better nowadays, and I could replicate some of their powers with my own essence.
I still regularly got blessed by them even though I had reached a point where I could consistently clear the levels of the Underworld with my own power. I felt they enjoyed doing it, and, in a way, it was our way of bonding.
It's not like we had many other options. I couldn't go visit them since I had to pass through the mortal world, and Father really didn't want them coming to his home. Plus, the Underworld wasn't very welcoming to those that didn't belong there.
Spending time on Elysium was another way for me to have fun. Due to my better relationship with Hades, the many Heroes resting on this floor didn't outright hate my guts. I'd even had the chance to sit down and talk with some of them!
Unlike the game, there were many more shades that kept their physical appearance by sheer willpower alone. Those were true Heroes, and I had the privilege to meet and listen to their stories. Some of them I even managed to convince to teach me once or twice.
There were some very famous names among them like Perseus, Odysseus, and Ajax to name a few. Others like Cadmus and Lycus were ones I didn't recognize –though I wasn't that well versed in Greek Mythology in my past life– but they all definitely deserved their spot in Elysium.
However, my biggest surprise about this level was that Theseus wasn't an antagonistic piece of shit. Well… he was still extremely arrogant and an asshole to boot, but a few times he actually sat down and shared some of his stories with me.
All of those guys played a big role in my development. Without their help, I would've struggled much more against Father, and it would have taken me at least another couple of years to beat him.
Again, Hades never went all out against me, else he could've just blasted me with his mighty Divine Powers. The Helm of Darkness was the most he was willing to use against me. It was a formidable artifact, but I always had an Infernal Arm with me, so I thought it was fair.
Our fights were entirely dependent on our fighting skills. That made my victories that more impressive and sweet since I wasn't even a tenth of his age.
I'd even say that I was at least two times more skillful than him since I couldn't even afford to get hit once by Father. After all, he could literally turn me into a bloody pulp with just a single of his attacks.
Hades' skills might've waned after he got stuck with his never-ending job, but his strength was monstrous. In fact, it was probably much higher than when he faced the Titans with the rest of his family. From what I learned, us Gods never really stopped growing in power.
Even with my ability to heal from any injury in an instant, one hit from Hades pretty much ended our fights. Because that's all the time he needed. In that small instant where I'd be forced to heal myself, he'd land a barrage of attacks on me. And next thing I know, I'd find myself walking out of the River Styx, greeted by a laughing or sleeping Hypnos. You never know what to expect from him.
The first victory was the sweetest. The feeling of achieving something I considered impossible was something else, but it paled in comparison to the true reward.
Persephone… she was special. I hadn't been sure what I thought of her in my search for her little cottage. After all, she hadn't played a part in my life until then.
However, the moment I saw her, I couldn't possibly describe the joy I felt back then. I didn't even know what brought this feeling, but I felt so much happier by just being in her presence.
I didn't blame her for leaving and not being part of my childhood. After all, this was my second time around. Plus, I had someone who cared for me like a mother would.
Mother had just been grieving in her own way after the apparent death of her child. The realization that she could never give birth in the Underworld probably struck her hard as well. This was the realm of the dead. Life wasn't supposed to be born in the Underworld.
Not to mention that Persephone hadn't been gone for a very long time. Just a couple of decades at most. To a mortal that might sound like a lot, but to a God? It was nothing.
Convincing Mother to return was fairly easy. In fact, I managed to do it in our very first meeting. Though I do admit that I guilt tripped her. Just mentioning how poisonous the mortal world was to me and how I wished to get to know her better was enough to convince Persephone.
Father was delighted upon seeing her and has certainly been much happier ever since Mother came back. Everyone in the House of Hades was. Persephone just brought a change with her kind and peaceful presence. It made the Underworld more lively and that's one grand achievement.
Even Nyx was happier. I loved her dearly and had been worried she might take this the wrong way, but it was all for naught. She was just amazing like that.
She might not have been my real mother, but Nyx raised and cared for me as if I was her own son. Everything I knew about the Mystical Arts, I learned from her.
At first, she tried teaching me more mundane topics, but Nyx quickly moved on after I picked up mathematics in record time. Reading and writing wasn't something that I needed to learn. I might've been born with quite a few defects, but I still had the very basic abilities of a God. So we moved on to the more interesting subjects to learn.
I… wasn't very good at Magic. Mostly because I didn't possess the tremendous power all Gods had. Everything I could do could be considered a paltry trick compared to the rest of my family.
Still, I was happy with my achievements. I wouldn't be impressing any Gods, but mortals? I could break the minds of the scientist from my past life with some of the things I could do. However, I wasn't sure about the mortals of this world. In fact, I didn't even know if they could use Magic or not.
Perhaps I should ask Nyx if the mortals could use Magic. Though I might save that topic for Thanatos since he might know as well.
He did frequently visit the mortal world for his own duties, but he didn't really pay that much attention to the people there. To him, mortals were what ants were to a human. I didn't have that much hope, but maybe Thanatos had paid enough attention to know if they could use Magic.
Thoughts like these was how I passed my very short time outside of the Underworld. As much as I wanted to explore, that really wasn't an option for me.
Looking at the crystal blue river near me, I figured I might try and fish. Hopefully, I could catch one before my eventual death. Even now that thought still felt so strange.
'Death is not the end.' That was a quote I vaguely remembered from my past life. I think I've heard it a few times in movies or songs. It carried a nice message, but for me? This quote was quite literal.
No matter how many times or how I died, I always end up coming back to life. The first time I formed back in the River Styx was the strangest one. Especially because the blood-red water also reformed my clothes as well. It didn't work with the Infernal Arms as they returned on their own, but it was a nifty trick.
The pain of dying was also unpleasant, to say the least, and it stuck with me even after I revived. At least, I always learned my lesson since I rarely died the same way. Truly, death was the best teacher, and no, I didn't mean Thanatos. He's actually God-awful at teaching.
I chucked and was about to pull out my fishing rod when I sensed something behind me. I turned and stared in surprise at the pitch-black crack in reality. Chaos Gates were another thing that was different here as they didn't form on the ground. Instead, they looked like portals that led to the Void.
Though just like in the game, going into a Chaos Gate hurt like a bitch. I'd say that I'd gotten used to pain and was quite familiar with it after the uncountable number of times I had died. However, the pain never lessened with Chaos Gates, no matter how many times I passed through them.
So why was I surprised at its appearance? Well, this was the first time I've seen a Chaos Gate in the mortal world. Not to mention that I felt it appear right behind me. Usually, they were already there long before I reached their location as if Chaos knew I'd eventually find them. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case since Chaos was a being that stood even above the Gods and the Titans.
If a Gate forming right behind me wasn't enough, then Chaos walking out of it was enough to shock me to my very core. Chaos was hard to describe because they looked different every time. Male, female, or something entirely amorphous. There was no rhyme or reason behind the form they took, which made sense considering their name. This time around, Chaos took the shape of a man.
"Master Chaos," I greeted him with a bow of my head.
"Zagreus," Chaos greeted me back. It was really hard to discern with his monotonous voice, but there was a sense of warmth in it.
Chaos was hard to understand, but I believed he was lonely. Perhaps I was projecting a bit since he wasn't human or mortal. Chaos was a being that has existed since before the birth of the world, so their thoughts were alien even to the Gods.
However, I still felt like he was lonely. Chaos didn't really have friends or even people to talk with because he terrified even the Gods. So that's why I jumped in every Chaos Gate I encountered even if it hurt like a bitch.
Sure, he'd reward me with one of his blessings, but they really weren't that great. Unlike the game, the detrimental effects didn't go away until I died, and they ended up killing me more often than not. The benefits were significantly better and being able to lift mountains sounded great on paper, but I'd be as slow as a turtle as well. As long as I reached my enemies, I'd crush them with absolute ease, though I usually got killed long before that.
"It's a pleasant surprise meeting you here, Master Chaos," I said, gesturing at our surroundings. "However, I'm afraid I don't have much more time and am about to outstay my welcome."
"You have been… a gracious Guest, Zagreus," Chaos said, ignoring my words as he floated closer to me. "I've heard your prayers over the years, but I was unsure how to respond to them."
Huh? I was unsure how to respond to that. I haven't prayed to anyone in particular, so I didn't know exactly what Chaos was referring to. However, I wasn't sure if telling him that was a good idea. As much as I liked to think that I was friends with Chaos, a part of me still feared offending him. This was probably one of the few beings that could truly end my life, but what scared me even more was what he could possibly do to the ones I cared about.
"I decided to prepare you a gift, like the many you offered to me," Chaos said, stopping right in front of me. This kind of explained why I hadn't seen a Chaos Gate in a while if he was preparing a gift for me.
However, this was a surprise. I knew that most characters Zagreus could interact with in the game gave him gifts in the form of trinkets. However, it was different here.
For example, the many shades didn't have any possessions to hand out. The Gods of Olympus also hadn't gifted me anything, though I couldn't offer them Nectar or Ambrosia as well. Which was perfectly fine since I got to keep them all to myself.
"Thank you, Master Chaos," I expressed my gratitude. "Though I didn't expect anything in return when I offered you those gifts."
Nevertheless, I would still be boasting to everyone about how I received a gift from Chaos! I didn't think anyone else could claim a similar feat.
"It is the thought alone which counts," Chaos said as he raised his hand with his palm facing up and a black glistening orb appeared above it.
"Thank you, Master Chaos," I thanked him again and hid my disappointment. The orb was just another one of his blessings as this was the form they usually took. It seemed my plan had been foiled, but at least I would get to play around with whatever benefit this blessing would provide me with.
I reached out and touched it and instantly realized that this was very different from his normal blessings. It was so much more that I couldn't even describe it properly. Normally, when I touched one of the glistening orbs, they would transform into energy and flow into me. This one didn't. Instead, it phased right through me before settling itself in the core of my being. This was very much different, and I realized that his gift bonded with me to the point that even death wouldn't separate us.
I gasped for breath as something about me changed. My pitiful amount of energy suddenly soared, practically doubling in an instant. My eyes blinked rapidly as a sudden sense of dizziness and vertigo overcame me. I almost stumbled from this influx of feelings, but I managed to regain my balance before I embarrassed myself in front of Chaos.
After taking a few deep breaths, I straightened my back and opened my mouth to thank my benefactor for this. This really meant a lot to me since I was now closer to the rest of my family. Oh, I was still vastly weaker than then, but it was a step in the right direction.
However, Chaos was nowhere to be seen, and I was in an unknown forest. And if that wasn't enough, I just realized that I wasn't dying. The fresh air of the mortal world wasn't killing me! My entire body shook uncontrollably as I realized that Chaos' gift was even grander than I imagined.
"Thank you, Master Chaos." I bowed deeply to the empty air. He might not be around, but knowing how powerful he was, I suspected he might've still heard me. There was so much more that I wanted to say to him, but those were the only words that left my mouth. "I could never repay you enough for what you've given me."
Of course, something decided to interrupt my moment, and I looked to the side, spotting what appeared to be a mutated wolf with a bone mask and bone-like protrusions all around its body.
The moment I saw it, I realized this thing didn't really have any weak points. In fact, it had no organs whatsoever, and it was more like an energy construct than anything else. It seemed Artemis' blessing was still in effect, which should've been obvious since I hadn't died yet.
The mutated wolf howled before charging at me, and all I could think of was how slow it was. I took a single step to the side and avoided its lunge before my trusty blade flashed, dissecting the beast into two. The two halves crashed into the ground before they turned into black smoke that dispersed in the air, proving that it was just an energy construct just as I suspected.
It was disappointingly weak, but I still struggled to contain my excitement. Since the wolf was an energy construct, then that meant that someone must've made it, right? Which indicated that there must be some intelligent life nearby!
Licking my lips, I looked around and it didn't take me more than a few seconds to find what looked to be human tracks. I thanked Artemis in my mind as I immediately began following the trail I picked on.
AN: Cross-posted from QQ.