Chapter 13: A Death God’s Dilemma

— The Same Day in the Realm of the Gods —

The sun shone brilliantly as the clouds parted, enveloping the entire realm in a golden hue. Thousands of gods, major and minor alike, had lined up outside the Celestial Palace for the annual convention, and though many had felt that it was nothing more than a corporate formality, others had found it enjoyable and used it as the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and trade gossip.

"Psst…have you seen Artemis recently? I heard she took a break from hunting and became addicted to TV shows instead. She's really grown a bit…the Getflix and chips are not doing well for her." she giggled.

"Hey, did you hear? A human proposed to Nemesis. You know, the blond one that's always mad. Ya, exactly, that one. HAHAHA I don't know man, I wouldn't either. But apparently, he only did it because he was desperate," said another.

"No way! I was told that she had only turned him down because he was ugly. I guess the truth is always way funnier lmaoo," said yet another.

The gods merrily chatted away, and slowly but surely, they signed in, grabbed their name tags, and filtered into the Throne Room, maintaining a strict and militaristic order. The Throne Room, which had housed the annual meetings for several millennia, exuded grandeur and refined elegance through its high ceilings, intricate frescoes, and polished stone floor. The walls were adorned with elaborate tapestries, intricately embroidered with gold thread, depicting famous humans such as Jason and the Argonauts and Perseus and Medusa. Even the seats were made with the highest craftsmanship, adorned with a multitude of precious gems and beautiful in their own right.

On the elevated platform sat the fourteen major gods...

Zeus, King of the Gods

Hera, Queen of the Gods

Poseidon, God of the Sea

Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom

Apollo, God of the Sun

Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt

Ares, God of War

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love

Hephaestus, God of Fire

Hermes, Messenger of the Gods

Dionysus, God of Wine

Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth

and Hades, Ruler of the Underworld

...while the thousands of minor gods watched from below.

With a quick nudge from Hera, Zeus raised his hand to the sky, and a hush fell over the room.

"Since it seems that the majority of the gods are in attendance," he boomed before glancing at the vacant throne adorned with skulls, "We may begin with our high priority items. On the agenda, we have the following:

First, Aphrodite, you really need to stop having an affair with Ares; it's getting out of hand. Yeah, I know he's really attractive but it's not really fair to your husband, do you understand? Oh please, stop with the 'love has no boundaries' bullshit! Hephaestus keeps sending me complaints everyday, so for the next four centuries, I will ban you two from visiting each other's living quarters.

Second, Nemesis, your direct intervention into the Isles without having submitted a prior request is a strict no-go. Your house arrest ends in another two months, but I wanted this to serve as a warning to the other gods as well. Remember, the Isles are not a proxy for you to settle your own messy disputes. Anyone who dares to intervene again will be put on house arrest for the next decade!

Last on the agenda is...Hades. Wait, again??? I told you last year and the year before. You can't just retire because you feel like it! Where are we going to put all the dead souls? You know I don't want to deal with that…"

"Can't we just trap them here or something?" asked Hades somberly. Though his dark robes concealed much of his imposing stature, his eyes pierced through his brother's heart, exuding an aura of authority and releasing a frightening chill down everyone's spine.

"I see you're late again Hades," replied Zeus warmly, grinning widely at the sight of his brother.

Though Hades had a bad reputation for his connection to the Underworld and was often feared by many, behind the emotionless mask, he was a kind soul, and the way he looked at his wife and kids said it all.

"Well…death arrives in an unpredictable manner," said Hades with a smirk.

"Brother, you've been using that joke for centuries. It's really not funny anymore." Zeus chuckled, before steering the conversation back to the topic at hand, "So just why exactly are you retiring again?"

"You don't know my struggles," Hades sighed. "I've been so busy managing this damned Underworld every day that I never even get any time with my wife" he said firmly, face flushed red from Zeus's intermittent laughter.

"She threatened to divorce me again, saying that she's tired of hanging out with dead souls and going on dates in the Elysian Fields. Apparently, if I don't stop working and start taking care of the kids, she's going to go back to her mom and leave me for good! I can't deal with this shit anymore man. I just want to have a peaceful life."

Zeus nodded his head, deep in thought. He understood where Hades was coming from since this was something that he himself struggled with on a daily basis. Both brothers were henpecked husbands who never dared to argue against their wives' wishes, but...he couldn't just leave the Underworld unattended.

"Look, can you just hold on for another few years or so? You still need to find a successor and have him be approved by HR first…" he asked in a gentle tone.

"Okay, I'll try my best. Maybe you should think about retirement too hahaha. Those wrinkles won't keep Hera happy for long," Hades laughed lightheartedly. Immediately, his demeanor flipped, and his once smile was now a deathly sneer. "Just remember, if my marriage goes south because of this, I'm taking your head with me," he growled as he slipped into the shadows.

The enamored Death God couldn't wait to tell his wife the good news, and now, all he needed to do was find a successor…

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