Tower of Heaven

[How much do you know about the world above your own?]

Hel started their conversation with a question that he could answer easily.

"Nothing. I am almost entirely in the dark. Nobody is willing to share such information."

He didn’t know what provoked him to speak so frankly, but it felt like the right thing to do.

[It is not that they are unwilling. Rather, if they speak, won’t it impede you more than it helps? Such things must be learned organically.]

Was it Hel’s aura? The fact that she addressed him without obviously talking down to him made it much easier to hold a conversation with her.

It felt like she had experience being Mortal, not that Atlas knew if that was true or not.

"That may be so, but it doesn’t make anything easier. I entered the Underworld this time in order to find my friends who were trapped here. If I had known more about this world, would the journey have been so perilous?"

[Perhaps it would not have been. However, if it were not perilous, you would not have gained a thing.]

Atlas shook his head. The purpose of this journey wasn’t for his own benefit, so it wasn’t even something he considered.

"Everything has its time. Even if it didn’t happen now, it would happen in the future. At the moment, time is of the essence. This kind of wasteful journey is nothing but that."

In truth, no matter how interesting the different scenes of the Underworld were, he couldn’t enjoy them. He couldn’t make this journey without thinking about the destination.

Every second he spent searching aimlessly was another second his friends had to spend trapped in the afterlife.

How could he easily accept that?

[Boy, there is not much I can say to you in your current state. However, know that we have been watching you for a very long time. There are many of us who support your development.]

Hel brought his attention back to reality.

[We believe in your potential and wish to create friendly relations with you early. It is selfish, sure, but there is no harm to you in accepting this relationship.]

There was something mystifying about her words. It was an inexplicable feeling that came from a Goddess who represented Death itself.

Atlas felt like he was gaining an understanding of the Dao simply by being in her presence.

Just what level did she have to reach to possess such a presence?

[Atlas Vaun, we will continue to support you in the future. If you are willing to accept it, then we will support you to an even greater extent.]

Atlas hadn’t "received" anything from the Gods yet.

It was entirely possible. The Gods were able to offer gifts and blessings to Ascenders to draw them to their side. It was part of their quest to seek Apostles.

Atlas never entertained Apostlehood. The Gods that still watched him were more than aware that he would never join them as a subordinate.

However, many of them already made the decision to back him regardless. The talent they saw couldn’t be ignored.

Hel continued to speak in tongues, prodding Atlas for information about himself without saying much in return. He entertained the conversation because he figured there was no harm in doing so.

They really spoke about nothing at all. It was such a futile conversation that Atlas almost regretted having it.

But, it wasn’t like that for Hel. Unbeknownst to Atlas, even these interactions were already forging his allegiances. Enjoy exclusive content from

He was already forming enmity with certain Gods while forming friendly relationships with others. As he spoke to them in person, he was involved in their Legends.

It wasn’t something that happened in the Mortal Realm. Mortals didn’t have the presence to hold Legends that could envelop others with pure strength alone.

However, Gods were different. Atlas was too weak to properly withstand their force. If he spoke wrong, he would find himself involved in things that he couldn’t yet understand.

This was one of those moments.

To Atlas, it seemed like their conversation was meaningless and filled with riddles, but Hel saw it differently.

In Hel’s eyes, Atlas had become a part of their plans. He had become someone who they’d have to work with in the future.

He was a piece that didn’t know he was a piece. As he grew and slowly became involved in Godly conflicts, he would find himself leaning towards them rather than their enemies.

’Father will be pleased.’

Originally, her father was the one who took interest in Atlas. He was also the one who told them to try recruiting him if they ever had the chance.

Hel had to admit that to a certain extent, her interest was personal, however…

Well, she didn’t need to think about those things quite yet. There was still a bit of time before it became necessary.

Since she got what she wanted from Atlas, she figured it was best to offer him something on his own.

This place was an accidental stop on his journey. He never wanted to be here in the first place, so what was the point of trying to keep him here longer?

If he was going to become an ally and a weapon in the future, they needed to treat him well so he didn’t think of turning against them.

In the end, all benefits came at a price.

Hel glanced at Atlas and opened her mouth to speak, saying a sentence he never expected to hear.

[I know where those you search for are located. I can give you a path directly there if you would like.]

His eyes instantly widened, but he raised a brow suspiciously in the same movement.

"However…?"

He couldn’t help but question it. He had every reason to do so. Hel didn’t sugarcoat her words once he’d asked.

[However, if you do not wish to anger the Heavens by disturbing the balance of things, you must endure quite a bit of pain to take this route.]

Atlas nodded as if he expected it. Realistically, there had to be something like this.

There weren’t any shortcuts when it came to matters regarding Gods and the Heavens. As a Mortal, Atlas still had to gamble at times like this.

"It is only pain, you say?"

[You will not die unless you lose yourself to it.]

"I see…"

If he was able to keep his mind from breaking, there wouldn’t be problems.

That was the most he could ask for.

"Take me there."

He couldn’t imagine having to walk through Purgatory again. Having to deal with those wandering souls that dredged up old memories was more tortuous than anything Hel could create.

However, even as Hel prepared the path for him, he didn’t realize that it was already too late.

Events had been set in motion. The past he had been ignoring thus far was brought to the forefront, and he could no longer ignore it.

It would rear its head when he least expected it. It would find prominence in his life even if he tried to push him away.

And every step he took in the Underworld contributed further to that purpose.

Slowly, the scenery around him faded away and became something more familiar, the scenery of that same land of death Atlas encountered earlier.

Only, this time, he was not alone.

And this time, a path was being created that would take him directly to Artemia and Horus.

This was exactly the kind of development he’d been hoping for.

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