Greece: I am Zeus!

Chapter 282 Funeral Rites
The man who spoke was the chief of this tribe.

He watched all the children in the tribe grow up from a young age. Although he was not their biological father, all the children called him "Father".

He had long regarded all the children as his own.

The death of a child is like a knife plunged into his heart, leaving a wound that can never heal.

However, he realized more clearly that he had no time to grieve.

When death becomes "easy," when disaster and suffering are irreversible, then the only option is to try to avoid them.

He needs to do even more.

Prometheus looked down at the earth beneath his feet and said in a slow but powerful voice, "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. You were born of the earth, so when you die, you shall return to the earth."

“Bury his body. Bury him deep in the earth, return him to his original form, and send him back to the embrace of the Mother Goddess of all things, so that he may rest in peace.”

"The mortal realm has its own destiny. Let him be free from all attachments in this mortal realm, so that his soul can begin a new life in the netherworld without burden or hindrance."

The man bowed deeply in respect and said in a very solemn voice, "Great God, thank you for your precious teachings. I will remember your words and never forget them. I will also pass on your teachings to all people."

"Those who are alive will live well. Those who have died should also depart cleanly and clearly. We wish them a good life in another world."

Prometheus nodded gently, slowly raising his head to gaze at the sky.

It was a clear sky, no different from any other day. Neither the sky nor the earth seemed to change because of the passing of a tiny life.

He murmured, “Yes…you will. No matter which world you are in, you will live well.”

Next, Prometheus personally established a set of rituals concerning death for humankind.

This ritual is not for welcoming death, but for solemnly bidding farewell to the deceased, so that the living can have a solemn occasion to express their grief and regroup.

This funeral ceremony is both formally solemn and includes emotional comfort. Its purpose is not to conceal grief, but to teach the living how to transform pain into remembrance and strength for moving forward.

He called this ceremony a funeral.

Even with His divine assistance, the mother who lost her child still found it difficult to truly recover from the abyss of pain known as "eternal separation."

Filled with remorse, Prometheus could only offer her a heavy blessing: she would have more children.

Yes, the newborn is ultimately different from the departed.

But this is not a cold replacement; it is proof that life continues.

One cannot dwell on the past and the sadness of what has passed forever.

The present and the future are more important.

This is also a cruel and helpless choice.

Life goes on, and the world will not stop moving forward for anyone.

It wasn't just that one child who passed away.

In just a few days, tens of thousands of people have left this world due to various disasters, accidents, and illnesses.

They were gently embraced by Death, and under the cold light of the Nether Moon, they entered the eternal Netherworld.

It wasn't just humans; countless creatures on earth began to flood into the underworld after the laws of death were perfected.

As a result, the underworld finally gained some "life".

Although, compared to the vibrant land, this place is still too barren and desolate.

Hades, the god of the underworld, has formally requested assistance from the Olympian gods, asking them to bring life to the underworld and create plants unique to it.

This allows the underworld to gradually develop its own rhythm and breathing after the laws of death are fully established.

After completing the most crucial piece of the puzzle—the law of "death"—the Netherworld has finally embarked on its own path of development.

The underworld will not, and cannot, remain forever desolate and barren.

Due to this sudden mass death, the newly formed human society was plunged into chaos and panic, with grief and fear enveloping them at the same time.

The shadow of death, like an invisible plague, spread among all the tribes.

After the illusion that "we are different from ordinary spirits" was shattered, what followed was fear and numbness towards everything.

The laughter and joy of the past have vanished, replaced by a deathly silence in the face of an unknown fate.

Prometheus had no choice but to use unconventional methods, directly imprinting the concept of "death" and the procedures of "funeral rites" into the minds of all the tribal leaders with his divine thoughts, leaving no time for humans to spread the word slowly on their own.

Death is cruel, but humanity must learn to face it.

If we cannot face it, then destruction is the only outcome.

Prometheus, the solitary god, stood atop a solitary, steep hill, the wind blowing from all sides, fluttering his robes.

His gaze was calm and profound as he looked down upon the world below, a place filled with sorrow and grief.

The distant wails surged like waves, forming an unquenchable sea of ​​pain and suffering.

This is not a bystander gazing, but a creator grieving the loss of a child.

It's not just humans who need to learn to face and accept death; He too must learn to accept it.

He accepts that these children, whom He cherishes as His treasures, will inevitably die before His eyes, one after another.

God's eternity cannot exempt the heart from being torn apart; on the contrary, because of His immortality, every separation is etched into a clear and lasting divine memory.

At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through the depths of Prometheus's divinity, startling him. He suddenly thought of his foolish brother, Epimetheus.

After Epimetheus returned to Olympus to report, he remained there and never came back.

Was He really only pursuing those newly born goddesses of beauty?

Or……

In fact, He was unwilling to return because He had already foreseen the sorrow of this eternal separation and wanted to escape this suffocating pain.
Prometheus smiled wryly, shook his head slightly, and dismissed the absurd conjecture from his mind.

If even he, the prophet and god of foresight, could not foresee something, how could his foolish brother possibly have seen it?
It must be impossible!

That foolish younger brother was simply captivated by the beauty of Olympus and the grace of the Graces!
Absolutely!
At that moment, nine streams of light descended from the sky, and nine sacred rays of light came together.

They are the nine Muses.

These goddesses, who usually always wear bright smiles, now have heavy and sorrowful faces, their steps are no longer light, and they are filled with unspeakable grief.

They have accompanied and taught humanity since the dawn of time, and a deep bond has long been formed between them.

But now, too many familiar faces have disappeared forever and can never be seen again.

When the laws of "death" are fully perfected, all the gods must also learn to accept death and get used to this eternal separation.

The life of mortals is far too short compared to the immortal eternity of the gods.

Perhaps, with just a brief sleep and awakening, everything that was once familiar has already changed beyond recognition.

The arrival of the nine Muses was not to share his sorrow.

Instead, it brought news that weighed even more heavily on Prometheus's mind.

They have received a message from the mother goddess Mnemosyne: their mission on earth is temporarily complete, and they need to return to Olympus immediately.

The era when gods taught humanity "hand in hand" is over.

Prometheus had no choice but to accept this.

The cruelty of death made Him understand that God should not interfere too much in human life.

God can teach people how to live, but He can never live for them.

After the nine Muses had also departed, Prometheus, with an even deeper sorrow, turned his gaze once more to the human world.

The vibrant colors that belong to God have largely been stripped away from this land.

The only God who remains among humanity is Him.

Moreover, He had a premonition that He would soon leave humanity.

Moreover, this period of time will not be long.

At this time, human society was filled with sorrow, and every tribe had too many people weeping.

But He was powerless to do anything.

All we can do is watch from afar.

His heart, like that of those who have lost their loved ones, felt the same pain.

He couldn't help but worry deeply. When He also left humanity, and human tribes were separated from His protection, what would happen if they encountered those irresistible harms?

It should be understood that in the universe, there are not only benevolent gods, but also tyrannical and cruel ones.

Even the weakest god is still an existence that humans absolutely cannot resist.

Although humankind was created in accordance with His Majesty the God-King's requirement for a prosperous universe, and is the noblest among mortal beings.

However, a mortal spirit is still a mortal spirit.

To most gods, humans are no different from any other mortal being.

Perhaps it's just passing by, but if you're not careful, the impact could be unbearable for humans.

What should we do now?
Humans can now live peacefully on Earth without facing any harm from supernatural forces or other deities, mainly because of their extraordinary origins—the orders of the God-King and the personal intervention of many great gods.

After its birth, it was cared for by Him and the nine Muses, so naturally it would not dare to lay a hand on anyone.

But what happens after the gods have left? What if a god intervenes when he sees someone as dissatisfied?
It's nothing that mortals possess advanced intelligence; this is what His Majesty desires, and no one dares to object.

Your Majesty's request to create intelligent life is also so that the gods will no longer be lonely, and this is something that the gods can accept.

But! This insignificant mortal spirit actually resembles a god in appearance!

This is different; in the eyes of many gods, the very existence of humankind is blasphemy.

Once there is no divine protection and His Majesty the God-King makes no special announcement, then surely a god will sweep away the filth from these eyes.

As long as humanity isn't completely destroyed, what's wrong with indulging in a little "whims" now and then?

Although His Majesty the God-King's sacred and just order protects all living beings, and humanity is also valued by His Majesty the God-King.

But how severe can the punishment be when faced with such a little whim of a deity?

For God, it doesn't matter at all; but for mortals, this little bit of willfulness is a matter of life and death.

Although His Majesty the God-King values ​​humanity, he has never made any formal announcement regarding this.
(End of this chapter)