The Tale of Typhon - (2)
The traces of Typhon dragging Zeus away after overpowering him were unmistakable. The ground had been completely torn up, enough to make Demeter lose her mind if she saw it. The violent winds that naturally poured from Typhon's body had killed every plant, animal, and human in the vicinity, leaving a gruesome scene of devastation. On top of that were the lingering traces of divine power Zeus had expended in his desperate resistance while being hauled off.
How far had they traveled? I followed the trail until it abruptly ended at a certain mountain. Convinced there must be a cave on this peak where Zeus was imprisoned, I scanned the surroundings—
A voice flowed from a translucent bull-shaped figure as it spoke to a prostrate human. I realized the bull was formed from Zeus's divine power, removed my Kynee, and approached.
"Zeus."
"Hm? It's you, Brother Hades... Thank goodness Hermes succeeded. But my strength is failing. I can't maintain this any longer..."
Zeus's condition seemed dire. As his divine power wavered, the bull-shaped projection vanished. I looked down at the human still kneeling beside me.
"This humble human, Cadmus, greets the Lord of the Underworld, Lord Hades!"
Oh... Most ordinary humans feared and avoided my name, but this man was different. Typically, people only called me Hades when someone precious to them had died or when they were on the brink of death. Otherwise, they used Pluto. As I observed Cadmus—head bowed low, refusing to meet my eyes—he began to explain.
He was Cadmus, prince of Phoenicia. Zeus, defeated in battle against Typhon, was trapped in a cave on this mountain. Zeus had lost his sinews and sent this bull-shaped messenger to request aid. In short, he had received Zeus's command and was attempting to retrieve the sinews from Typhon.
His words were jumbled and hard to follow, but one thing was clear: Zeus had gone mad. Asking a human who would die from a single breath of Typhon to recover his sinews? Was the situation truly that desperate, or had he seen something in this man?
"Do you truly intend to follow Zeus's orders? Your already short life could become even shorter."
If he said he couldn't do it, that it was too terrifying, that he was scared too and begged me for mercy... I was willing to shield him from Zeus's wrath.
But the golden-haired man, Cadmus, did no such thing.
Cadmus, prince of Phoenicia, was an ordinary human. He feared monsters and mysteries and revered the Olympian gods like any normal person. To such an ordinary human...
One day, his father, King Agenor, ordered him to find his sister Europa. He sent all his princes out with the command that if they failed to bring back the princess, they were never to return to the kingdom. Naturally, Cadmus found no trace of Europa. Wandering aimlessly, he eventually reached the vicinity of Mount Cilicia.
Just as he was about to search the mountain in hopes of finding his sister, something suddenly appeared before him.
He hastily bowed his head to the translucent bull-shaped figure. Whether the dignified tone and mysterious aura truly belonged to Lord Zeus or not, it was undoubtedly a god. The god commanded Cadmus to help him. He was to retrieve the sinews from a powerful monster that had even defeated a god.
A divine command was absolute. He had no choice but to obey. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck.
Can I really do this?
The reward mentioned by the bull—presumably sent by Zeus, King of the Gods—didn't even register. Cadmus's mind was consumed by terror and dread at the thought of facing a monster.
That is, until a man with a gloomy expression suddenly appeared.
"Zeus."
"Hm? It's you, Brother Hades..."
In that instant, the fear of the monster was washed away by an even greater terror. Though the sun was clearly shining overhead, the surroundings grew dark and the air became heavy. Breathing became difficult. Cadmus watched the grass around the man wither and die. The chilling aura radiating from him dominated the area, carrying an overwhelming presence and weight.
If this isn't a god, then what is?
They definitely called each other Hades and Zeus... Then that means...!
Could this person—no, this being—be Pluto, Lord of the Underworld? And was this bull truly sent by Lord Zeus?
He cautiously raised his head to observe Hades as he looked at Zeus's projection... but the moment he met the gloomy god's eyes, he turned pale with fright and slammed his forehead back to the ground.
Those eyes were black abysses that could not possibly belong to a mortal. This was no minor river deity. This was one of the high gods of Olympus.
It's definitely Lord Hades!
As Cadmus kept his head bowed, he felt Zeus's projection disappear and sensed the Lord of the Underworld gazing down at him. The look seemed to demand an explanation of the situation, and his mouth moved of its own accord.
"This humble human, Cadmus, greets the Lord of the Underworld, Lord Hades!"
Should I have called him Pluto instead...?!
Under the continued gaze of the Lord of the Underworld, Cadmus swallowed dryly and explained everything—about himself and every detail the bull sent by Zeus had mentioned.
Damn it, I stuttered too much. What if he thinks I'm being rude and drags me down to the Underworld...?
A brief silence fell as Hades contemplated. The continued quiet made Cadmus feel as if his blood were drying up from the tension.
Finally, the god of the dead spoke.
Cadmus bowed his head even lower and drew in a breath. This was clearly a considerate warning. This great being was worried that a lowly human like him might lose his life to a monster. From the Underworld's perspective, a human's death would only increase his own power...
The god of the dead, whose kingdom no one wanted to build temples for because everyone feared and avoided him. Could Lord Pluto—no, Lord Hades—truly be this merciful?
Setting aside those compassionate words, Cadmus racked his brain to answer the question. How should he interpret Lord Zeus's command? As Lord Hades had just said, insignificant humans died easily to monsters. So why had Lord Zeus chosen him, of all people, to ask for help?
Moreover, the monster called Typhon was a terrifying creature that had even defeated the mighty King of the Gods. No matter how great Lord Zeus was, wasn't his own life more important? Perhaps this was some divine prank meant to test this weak mortal.
If he died to Typhon, he wouldn't be able to find his sister Europa, and his brothers...
Head still bowed, Cadmus agonized and agonized until his thoughts finally settled. Then, in a clear voice, he answered.
The fear that had made him tremble in the face of my presence had faded. It seemed he was using his firm conviction as a pillar to support himself against the pressure. Even though I had suppressed my aura the moment I revealed myself out of consideration for him, it would still be difficult for an ordinary human to endure.
Fear, self-assurance, and dignity coexisted in him. Why was he willingly choosing the path to his own death by following Zeus's command?
"...Why?"
Harboring many questions, I asked him directly. Humans were not slaves or servants of the gods. If he felt Zeus's order was coercive, I would protect him.
Cadmus cleared his throat once before answering.
"Hmm. It's because... from a young age, I have learned of the gods' grace. That it was the gods who created humans and all living beings."
It was true that the gods had created humans, but that had only been out of necessity. Was the behavior he was showing truly just repayment to his creators?
"The sun that rises every morning is the mercy of Lord Helios, and the moonlight that comforts me every night is the blessing of Lady Selene."
Cadmus's eyes held unwavering conviction. His voice no longer trembled.
"The food I eat every day is grain filled with Lady Demeter's blessing, and the water I drink carries Lord Poseidon's protection. And besides that..."
He continued endlessly listing the gods' favors. These were not hastily made-up lies, but thoughts that truly came from his heart.
"...And finally, even if I die to Typhon, I would receive the care of Lord Hades who stands before me. So how could I possibly fear a mere monster and run away?"
Amazing. Had someone like this ever existed in the mortal world?
Cadmus slightly raised his head to look at me. It seemed difficult for him to meet my eyes—blood trickled from his bitten lip—but he did not avert his gaze. Those were the eyes of a human who had overcome his fear of monsters and was filled with resolve. Within them burned a courage that surpassed even Ares.
"It is true that compared to the great gods, I am but a trivial human," he said, bowing his head to me once more. Not because he was crushed by a god's presence, but out of gratitude and reverence. "But I am not one who fails to recognize the grace I have been given."
In this moment, Cadmus was undoubtedly a hero.