Chapter 278: The Arrival Of Death
This good news also gave those humans who feared death a bit more hope.
But after all, who hasn’t seen it, and the gods didn’t say exactly how to enter Paradise.
But just thinking about it makes it clear that it shouldn’t be that easy.
Some also asked the gods, what is the God King’s Sacred Justice Order?
The god pondered for a long time, then softly said: Compassion, mercy, friendliness, affection, tolerance, respect, bravery, wise heart.
Doing things with this sincere heart is good deeds, conforming to the God King’s Sacred Justice Order.
The opposite is evil deeds.
Humans were still somewhat ignorant about this.
So, they only held the simplest idea: if you can avoid death, better not die.
At least, live well during this time of being alive, and do more good deeds.
Humans began to slowly learn to be more careful, more cautious in doing things, and more serious in facing death.
And more meticulously treat life, cherishing what they cherish and possess, pursuing what they want, without casually destroying or harming.
Because, after death, that new beginning also has completely different outcomes.
Death is not all bad; those living beings tormented in various accidents, harms, illnesses, and pains, unable to escape or start over, can now finally reach an end and begin anew in another world.
But Prometheus, in a true sense, began to witness his creations dying one by one.
He also had to begin learning separation.
True separation.
Before this, although many people suffered greatly from various unexpected situations.
But under his shelter, nothing irretrievable happened; not one would truly die.
Even if half-rotten, the soul was still in the body; as long as he arrived in time, they could always be saved again.
But now, the boundary between life and death is clear; for many things, there’s no longer enough time for him to arrive.
For the first time, he truly had to face the “passing” of his creation.
True eternal parting.
Even gods must face this.
Compared to this change with mixed pros and cons where the overall benefits and harms are hard to distinguish, another change was truly valuable.
The other change had absolute benefits far outweighing the harms.
That was the stability and perfection of the laws of sleep.
Whether physical or mental fatigue, now orderly rest can be used for recuperation and recovery.
No longer enduring the innate exhaustion that comes with wakefulness and cannot be escaped.
That is a kind of “compassion” that even gods love, the gentlest one.
No matter how heavy the reality borne while awake, how much heart-wrenching pain experienced.
No matter how fatigued, exhausted, tormented, and tortured…
But as soon as they sleep, all suffering is temporarily shut out.
Perhaps a lifetime awake cannot belong to oneself.
But at least, one-third of life can truly relax, truly belong to oneself.
In that absolute tranquility of private domain, all living beings are truly themselves, belonging only to themselves.
In deep sleep, the self returns to itself, able to briefly and truly say: “This is my moment.”
Prometheus witnessed “death” for the first time.
And faced for the first time that parting which cannot be undone, eternally irretrievable.
Even though his Father God and brother were cast into Tartarus, they still “live.”
Gods are immortal and indestructible; the flames of divinity are hard to extinguish.
As long as spirituality is not extinguished, no matter what happens, no matter how long the separation, it is only temporary.
Time, for gods, is only their friend.
Even if separation is long, as long as still alive, there is always hope.
But mortals are different.
Once mortals die, it is irreversible.
This is the iron rule set by the God King, unchangeable.
Although their souls can go to the Underworld to continue “living.”
But if unable to enter that supreme Paradise, their final outcome is already predestined.
Yes, he can also enter the netherworld to see those dead living beings once more.
But that is all.
Unless the God King or the King of the Underworld personally permits.
Otherwise, any mortal spirit once entering the netherworld is no longer allowed to leave.
Divine Realm, Mortal Realm, Underworld; three realms different three domains, with clear barriers, each with absolute domains, not to be casually crossed.
Prometheus also understands that this order is not wrong; it is limitation, also protection.
Because even gods descending to the mortal realm must restrain divine power, not allowed to casually harm or destroy anything in the world; this is strictly stipulated by the God King’s Divine Twelve Laws.
At this time, Prometheus was in a human tribe, witnessing the first human, true death.
Around him was a group of people.
A group of people with eyes full of awe and fear, a group prostrating, not daring to lift their heads, pitiful people.
They all lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to speak.
What they awed was the god; what they feared was, before the god, that tiny life with no breath at all.
Just because of brief drowning, with no aura left, unable to move, unable to make any sound…
A little boy.
Once, many had drowned, even multiple times, even longer drowning times, and felt that terrifying pain of suffocation.
But never like today, after being pulled from the water, unable to wake again.
This child was only four or five years old, teeth not yet steady.
He had soft chestnut short hair, a pair of brown eyes that should have been lively like a fawn in the woods.
This was a very lovely child.
But those once lively eyes now had no life, only a void emptiness.
That soft and nimble body was now cold and stiff.
The little face that once laughed, cried, and fussed had no light of life.
Damp water vapor still covered his tiny body.
Like an undried dream.
His mother, facing “death’s” eternal separation for the first time, facing the motionless child, had lost all reaction.
No crying, no wailing, not even a sound.
She just knelt dazedly beside the tiny shell like a wooden stone.
As if her life had vanished with this child’s parting.
Her soul seemed drawn from her shell, just staring dazedly at that tiny chest that would never rise again.
This was not just this mother facing death for the first time, but all humans facing the passing of their companion for the first time.
Before this, no matter what they encountered, as long as they waited for Prometheus to arrive, they would not truly bear this pain of eternal parting.
As long as Prometheus came, people believed there was always a method to salvage, always room for remedy.
Whether flesh and blood body broken in two, body burned, or drowning or poisoning, with the aid of the god, none were problems.
Humans actually understood the concept of “death.”
Although they had no companion’s death, they were long accustomed to the deaths of other living beings on earth.
Many deaths were delivered by their own hands.
Prometheus had also told them about “death” and the “netherworld.”
But when a companion’s death truly arrived before their eyes, when the object of death changed from “other” to “kind,” immense fear still instantly enveloped everyone.
That was fear of the unknown; even more, fear of loss.
Once, humans felt they were different from other mortal spirits.
They were the gods’ favorites; gods accompanied them, taught them everything, carefully cherished them.
They never faced death.
They were living beings created by gods to rule the earth; they were different from ordinary mortal spirits!
They firmly believed this.
But now, facts told them they might have no difference from other mortal spirits.
Death would equally descend upon them, perhaps everything was.
Everyone’s eyes were filled with expectation and fear.
They looked at Prometheus, expecting.
Just like every time before, this great deity, one of their creators, one of their guardians, one of their teachers, could once again easily dispel all pain and calamity with a raise of hand.
Could make this child move again.
But Prometheus remained silent.
He could not.
In the world mortals could not see, before him stood a god quietly.
A newborn god—the God of Death, Thanatos.
This god, representing the laws of death, who finally perfected death.
In the invisible netherworld domain, the God of Death had gently held this child’s soul in his embrace.
This god with a stern and cold appearance now used an unimaginably tender posture.
He did not want this ignorant child to bear the pain of parting.
Nor did he want this pitiful tiny child to see with his own eyes his mother’s devastated state.
So, he let this tiny soul temporarily fall into deep sleep.
Prometheus had long learned of the universe’s latest changes from the Heavenly Dao Order and Divine Network’s announcement.
He looked at this god with a stern face but gentle eyes at the bottom, and in the world mortals could not see, spoke in a hoarse, almost helpless voice.
“Respected Ruler of Death, Prometheus salutes you.”
His tone held no blame, only steady understanding and humble eulogy: “I understand your sacred duty, thank you for bringing this universe brand new changes, making the world more complete.”
“Even more grateful to you, for all living beings enduring endless pain, bringing final liberation and tranquility.”
