Chapter 189: Side Story – Rebellion in the Underworld (3)
Prometheus.
A prophet and strategist who was of great help to us during the Titanomachy.
He was a god who loved humanity.
But in defiance of Zeus’s orders, he brought fire to the mortal world.
For this act, he was condemned to eternal torment, bound to the cliffs of Mount Caucasus where an eagle devoured his liver daily.
He likely harbored a hatred for Zeus comparable to Cronus, who was imprisoned in Tartarus.
Yet, with his unparalleled ability to prophesy, Prometheus was someone I had to recruit.
“O Prophet Prometheus, as you said, I plan to rebel against Zeus and take the throne as king of the gods.”
“Using Kynee was a brilliant choice. Now, let me tell you the location of my foolish brother, Epimetheus.”
Epimetheus.
Known as “the one who thinks later,” he is Prometheus’s brother and the one who married Pandora, whom Zeus had sent.
Despite being persuaded by Prometheus to side with Olympus during the Titanomachy, he was exceptionally strong.
Although not particularly sharp, easily deceived, and gullible, he was powerful enough to stand against his brother Atlas.
He regretted ignoring his brother’s advice and marrying Pandora and did not favor Zeus.
“Do you intend to recruit Epimetheus as well?”
“Of course, but there’s more. Once Zeus hears of my release, he’ll suspect Epimetheus freed me. We’ll use that as our ruse.”
“We bring him here quickly and have him destroy the cliffs of Mount Caucasus, correct?”
“Exactly. Is Zeus unaware of your rebellion at the moment?”
I nodded, prompting Prometheus to continue rapidly.
The Titan, with a sense of urgency, presented his strategy.
“Then we have no time to lose. I will go to Atlas, who bears the heavens on his shoulders, and bring him to the underworld. Later, I’ll meet you and my brother in the underworld.”
“Atlas. His daughter, Maia, is Zeus’s wife. Will he help us?”
“Heh. Maia had no choice in the matter, and Atlas harbors significant resentment. Trust me.”
With Atlas, Prometheus, Epimetheus, and my own power combined, we would stand a chance against Zeus.
However, if Olympus became wary of our movements, our chances of success would diminish.
And Poseidon, the wildcard, had to be considered.
For now, it seemed best to follow Prometheus’s suggestion.
Atlas might not like me, but it was Zeus who sentenced him to his punishment…
I would not make the mistake of ignoring the advice of a trustworthy prophet.
“Oh, and if Epimetheus refuses to cooperate, here’s what you should do…”
—
According to Prometheus, even after he was bound to the cliffs, Epimetheus occasionally visited him.
Prometheus claimed he had seen Epimetheus’s wandering whereabouts through prophecy.
“If you head to the place I’ve marked, you’ll surely find him. Just follow the path down from these accursed cliffs. It’ll take a few days at a mortal’s pace…”
Using Kynee to move quickly, I soon arrived at the location Prometheus described.
A modest human village—nothing that would normally interest a Titan.
*Step, step.*
“Barley and wheat for sale! Crops blessed by the goddess Demeter herself!”
“But why are they so expensive? They’re double the price of last time!”
“Can’t be helped. The heavy rains from the skies and the strange dryness of the earth have made farming tough. Well, if this keeps up, surely the gods will intervene.”
The humans begged for Olympus’s blessings, completely unaware that the gods themselves caused this mess.
And all because of Aphrodite’s entanglement in a scandal of infidelity.
“Leather from cows and pigs for sale!”
“Say, have you noticed the strange weather lately? Do you know why this is happening?”
“I plan to visit Hermes’s shrine to pray today. Care to join me?”
I observed the humans carefully. Prometheus assured me I would find his brother here.
But Epimetheus seemed to be concealing himself, suppressing his divine power and blending in as an ordinary traveler.
Understandable. After all, Olympus wouldn’t take kindly to a Titan’s defiance.
His own brother, labeled a traitor, had been subjected to horrific punishment.
I could imagine the burden weighing on his mind.
Hm? Over there…
“Things aren’t going well lately, huh?”
“Ah, don’t get me started. The skies pour rain while the ground stays parched. The gods must be punishing us!”
“…I can’t fathom Olympus’s reasoning.”
“Watch your tongue! You’ll be struck by lightning for saying such things!”
I found him.
A towering man, speaking to a merchant about the current state of affairs.
It was undoubtedly Epimetheus, “the one who thinks later.”
He seemed to prefer remaining unnoticed, but as Prometheus said, the situation was urgent.
I needed to persuade Epimetheus before Zeus caught wind of my rebellion or Prometheus’s release.
Still wearing Kynee, I approached him.
Even if he was slow to think, Epimetheus would realize once I spoke to him.
*Tap, tap.*
“Who would have thought the great Titan Epimetheus would be in a place like this?”
“…Hmm!”
“? Why are you doing this?”
“Nothing.”
Epimetheus’s face stiffened rapidly as he spoke to the merchant.
Abruptly, he stopped the conversation and began walking out of the village. Good, he sensed my intent.
—
Outside the village, in a secluded spot, Epimetheus halted and snapped his head around.
The Titan spoke nervously to the empty air.
“Hades. Why have you come for me? I’ve done nothing to provoke you!”
“Epimetheus, your brother sent me.”
“What?! My brother? Why would he…!”
As Epimetheus’s face contorted in confusion, I removed Kynee.
“Because I freed your brother, Prometheus, from the cliffs to rebel against Zeus and seize his throne.”
“Ridiculous! Do you take me for a fool? Not Poseidon, but you, Hades? Why?”
“Because the Olympian gods have gone too far.”
I recounted what I had witnessed as the lord of the underworld—Olympus’s atrocities, their refusal to change despite my warnings, the disasters on Earth caused by their petty quarrels.
As I spoke, Epimetheus’s expression grew darker.
“…Do you understand now? To distract Zeus, you must destroy the cliffs of Mount Caucasus with your strength—”
“Ugh. Even so, I can’t fight!”
“What? After everything I’ve said, are you refusing to heed your brother’s perfect prophecy?”
“Yes!”
What could possibly make him refuse?
If anyone bore a grudge against the Olympians, Epimetheus should as well.
“I regret not listening to my brother before. But even Prometheus doesn’t always make perfect judgments. That’s why he was bound to those cliffs for so long.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“If I side with you and fight against Olympus, and we lose, I might end up bound to a mountain like my brother.”
Ah, I see now.
He doubts my power and fears the consequences of joining me.
The absence of direct persuasion from Prometheus and the uncertainty of defeating Zeus contribute to his hesitation.
The Titanomachy was a war of evenly matched forces.
This rebellion, however, is undoubtedly a more precarious venture.
Should I stick to the plan Prometheus suggested?
No. Exceptions must not be made—hesitation will doom the rebellion.
Yes. Trust the prophet.
“If you help me…”
“Hah. No matter what you say, I won’t take the risk. I’ve had enough of such ventures—”
“I will resurrect your deceased family and grant them immortality like yours.”
“What—”
Epimetheus’s composure shattered.
This was my ultimate proposal—to break the principle that the dead cannot return.
“As the king of the underworld, I swear it. I will grant immortality to your wife, Pandora, your daughter, Pyrrha, and your son-in-law, Deucalion. I can feed them ambrosia and nectar, and if I become king of the gods, I can even elevate them to divine status.”
I could feel the Titan’s anguish in his silence as he bit his lip and pondered.
After a moment, his strained voice finally broke the silence.
“…If you swear on the River Styx, I will help.”
“Of course. I swear on the River Styx to fulfill every condition I’ve promised.”
With a short sigh, the ancient Titan who married the first mortal woman unleashed his suppressed power.
The crackling pressure confirmed his might, befitting one who had once stood against Atlas during the Titanomachy.
“So, what’s next? Should we march straight to Olympus after destroying Mount Caucasus?”
“Come to the underworld without attracting attention. You know where the entrance is, I presume.”
“Understood, Hades.”
I had successfully recruited Epimetheus.
Next, I needed to return to the underworld and meet the three Hecatoncheires brothers guarding the entrance to Tartarus.
I must persuade them—or, if necessary, ensure they are restrained.
…All before Zeus grows suspicious of me.