Hades sat on the obsidian throne in the depths of the Underworld, studying the world he bore with absolute reason.
A very slight fluctuation caught his attention.
His gaze pierced through the layers of the Underworld, stopping at the void where he had finally confronted Metis and ended himself.
There, two teardrops, not yet dried and containing strange power, quietly hung suspended.
These were the last tears he had shed.
At this moment, nourished by this newborn world's law, eager for life force and variables, these two tears of the King of Hades spontaneously absorbed the subtle primordial divine power around them and the escaping origin of the world, beginning to give birth to new life.
Hades quietly 'observed' the process, without interference or curiosity.
The birth of a new god meant the appearance of new authority, which brought new variables and increased the complexity of the world's structure.
He decided to let it be.
Finally, where the two teardrops had been, the radiance of divine power reached its peak and slowly coalesced, revealing two newborn gods.
The first was born with a taller figure, a naturally thoughtful and sharp look on his face, and his eyes seemed to hold an unquenchable flame of knowledge.
He was Prometheus, a name meaning 'forethought', endowed with insight and contemplation.
The other, born later, appeared somewhat more straightforward, with a rash impulsiveness, but his eyes were full of curiosity and open acceptance of everything around him.
This was Epimetheus, whose name means 'hindsight', symbolizing reflection and the accumulation of experience after the fact.
The two new gods looked around blankly and finally subconsciously turned their gaze towards Hades.
Hades's eyes met theirs for a moment, saying nothing, and then looked away, as if merely acknowledging the birth of two gods.
His attention returned to the more pressing problems of the world.
Hell was established, and the Erinyes were in place.
But the number of sinful souls going to Hell was roughly none in today's Golden Age. The energy generated by Hell was a drop in the ocean compared to the energy deficit of the entire world.
The world's recovery required a greater flow of energy, a more efficient... 'circulation'.
His gaze was fixed on the earth.
The fertile land, inhabited by the Golden Race under the influence of his will, was undergoing radical changes.
Lava surged from the depths of the ley lines, outlining the fiery traces of Hades's power of [Lava]; hurricanes roared from the acceleration of atmospheric circulation, bringing the prototype of [Storm]; plants grew and withered in the rapid alternation of [Flourishing] and [Decay]; under his guidance, [Heat] and [Cold] raged like a sieve of cold and heat, testing all living beings on earth.
The Golden Race, the ideal race originally favored by the gods and nearly immortal, seemed alien in this suddenly harsh environment.
Their souls were pure and powerful, but their form of existence was too 'slow' and 'low-consumption' for the modern world that needed 'efficiency' and 'replacement'.
They needed to be 'replaced'.
"Bring all the Golden Race to the Underworld." Hades's will was transmitted to Thanatos, who was in charge of death, like an invisible decree.
As a result, the silent and irresistible figure of the god of death began to walk the earth more frequently.
He did not bring painful killing, but performed a cold 'harvest'.
Amidst a succession of natural disasters, the powerful souls of the Golden Race were extradited by Thanatos one by one, freed from the shells that no longer suited them.
These pure and powerful souls were not cast into Hell—they were not guilty. They were delivered directly to the Underworld.
By Hades's will, the souls of these Golden Race received new forms and duties.
They transformed into 'spirits' of the Underworld—beings with a certain divinity, but absolutely bound to this realm.
They helped Thanatos guide ordinary shades, helped Hypnos maintain stability on the borders of the Dream Realm, helped Hecate illuminate the path in the mist, and even participated in the initial paperwork of the Judgment Court.
They became the 'lubricant' for the efficient functioning of order in Hades, and in another form, contributed to the stability of the world.
With their appearance, Hades became more orderly, and the circulation efficiency of shades significantly improved.
"All gold is wealth, and all wealth goes underground."
The bodies of the Golden Race decomposed with the power of [Decay]; they were conceived by the earth and should return to the earth.
From the macro perspective of the world, this was nothing more than an optimization and upgrade.
However, some did not see it that way...
On earth, the scene once filled with life force and radiance no longer existed.
Prometheus and Epimetheus, the two newborn gods, were driven by curiosity to leave the Underworld and come to the surface.
What they saw was a devastated scene after repeated natural disasters: scorched earth, shattered mountains, dead forests.
Epimetheus looked at all this, his eyes full of sympathy and unbearable pain.
And Prometheus, with his 'forethought', could see more. He saw the cold, the traces of Hades's will behind these continuous natural disasters;
A strong feeling—a mixture of pity for the weak, doubt about the merciless law, and a sense of purpose to sow hope for the future, perhaps stemming from his origins—ignited in his chest.
He crouched down, grabbed a handful of earth mixed with ashes and tears, and his eyes pierced through the desolation before him, as if he saw the fire of civilization that might bloom in the distant future.
"This shouldn't be their end..." Prometheus whispered to himself, his eyes shining with resolve.
He stood up and looked at the wheel of the sun hanging high in the sky, yet seemingly unreachable, then looked towards the dark, deep, and lawful Hades.
Prometheus clenched the earth in his hand, as if holding a seed of the future. He looked at his younger brother Epimetheus, who was still beside him, still in a daze and sympathy, his eyes full of confusion.