Hell Is Empty 1/3
"Although time has passed, as you said, I have indeed discovered the entrance to the underworld in the ancient ruins of City of Kussa and Uruk..."
In a slow, deliberate tone, Hassan al-Sabah emerged silently from the deep darkness of the night, leaning on his sword. He paused briefly before speaking slowly.
"But the entire underworld is empty, and it seems to have been abandoned for a long time."
Are you sure?!
"I carried your divine seal, traversing the Seven Gates of the Underworld, passing through the nine levels of hell and the seven purgatory realms, and finally arriving at the final Lost Paradise. Along the way, I saw that all the places were in ruins, deserted and abandoned..."
"Where is the soul?"
"We haven't encountered a single ordinary undead, not even a flesh-and- Heroic Spirit or a guardian Garula Spirit!"
How could that be!
Samael's pupils contracted sharply, his mind reeling with disbelief.
Even though the birth of the New Gods Sama had given him a vague sense that there might be a problem with the creation of the Underworld by himself, Ereshkigal, Ishtar, their complete and silent disappearance was something Samael had never expected.
"However, I did not find any obvious signs of fighting. The dismantling of the Spear Cage was very neat, and many of the flowers and plants in the Lost Paradise showed signs of being carefully transplanted..."
Fortunately, Hassan al-Sabah's subsequent contemplation somewhat alleviated Samael's anxiety and worry.
No signs of struggle... dismantling the Spear Cage... transplanting flowers and plants...
It doesn't seem like they were wiped out in an instant; it seems more like they relocated for some reason.
Samael's narrowed pupils dilated slightly, as if deep in thought.
Flowers and plants? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Did they all get transplanted there?
Could it be that Ereshkigal and the others settled in Greece after the last battle with the Colossus and never returned?
Upon closer examination, it seems quite possible!
With Athena as the head, the gods of Mount of Ares and the Eighty-Eight Constellations of the sky, Mother Goddess Tiamat, the Eleven Demon Beasts as the head, and Ereshkigal as the head, the gods of the underworld, they could just fill the void left by the migration of the Olympian Gods.
Based on its knowledge and speculation, the ancient serpent deduced the possibility that Lost Paradise was abandoned.
If this is true, then the birth of the New Gods Cyrus, the rise of Cyrus, and the subsequent withdrawal of Zeus and his allies from Greece after the Trojan War to explore the Sea of Chaos would have a corresponding explanation.
"Your Highness, Your Highness? Your Highness!"
Just as Samael was lost in thought, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty, Hassan Sabah's voice rang out in his ears, gradually rising in pitch, which startled him awake.
"Uh, sir, I misunderstood something just now. Sorry, please go ahead, I'm listening."
The ancient snake awkwardly snapped out of its daze, offered a slight apology, and then pretended to listen intently.
"Your Highness, if Persia is still not giving up, they only have one option: a direct attack on Greece. So, what are your plans next?"
"You and I share the same idea. Now that we have successfully dismantled the anti- Hellenic Alliance, the Roman crisis has been resolved, and we can continue to share the pressure from both the Persians and the Huns. With the situation on the flank battlefield remaining stable, I think it is time for me to make a trip to Greece."
Speculation is just speculation. The truth will only come to light when Samael travels to Greece, finds the entrance to the Inner Sea of Stars, and reunites with Athena and the others.
When do we depart?
"Tomorrow! I'll go first. You can make plans after you've finished dealing with your current tasks."
Hassan Sabah nodded slightly, gladly accepting the arrangement.
The Assassins' Order, could inspire his faith and make him listen to divine will. This deity was certainly not just an empty shell who could issue orders.
In the Battle of Wudi, Samael was able to set aside his personal interests and actively meet with Angra Mainyu to seek a chance for the masses, which is enough to prove that he has a sense of fairness and benevolence in his heart.
Given the nature of this angel of death, even if Cyrus were defeated, he would certainly not exterminate them; the Persians would simply have changed their ally.
In addition to being fair, this deity is also not lacking in self-interest. He always genuinely considers the interests of "his own people," and the mountain people will undoubtedly benefit from this in the future. Perhaps the prophecy of the rise of the Arab Empire will soon come true.
For example, Ramesses Great quietly raised an army and destroyed a Persian fleet in the Chaos Sea, causing Egypt and Persia to become enemies. Even if Cyrus the Great did not know the reason, he would have sensed something amiss.
Therefore, Samael and Hassan al-Sabah should not be associated.
Moreover, as the pillar of these Assassins' Order, he needed to settle the Eagle's Nest followers in advance as a precaution, in case the Persians launched an attack.
It is for all these reasons that Hassan al-Sabah is willing to carry out this divine will in the name of destiny.
"Alright, see you in Greece. I'm sure Anna will be very happy to see you."
After making the arrangements, the ancient snake, without any regard for its divine status, made a few teasing remarks in the tone of a close friend, and then headed towards the village under the watchful eyes of the old man.
At the foot of the mountain path, standing under a tree, was the Amazon Queen, her clothes showing signs of being damp with dew, clearly indicating that she had been waiting there for a long time.
Samael stepped forward, a fleeting tenderness crossing his face, but a hint of helplessness quickly returned to his eyes.
"Old friend, I plan to leave for Greece tomorrow, but I still have some concerns that I'm really worried about."
"You mean... Rome?"
After nearly half a month of exposure, Hippolyta and Samael's walking speed increased significantly, and they immediately understood the meaning behind the words.
"That's right. Nero ascended to the throne hastily, and he didn't even have time to reclaim the power held by the Claudian family. In reality, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a figurehead emperor."
The problem is that she's not just a child, she's a girl..."
Samael nodded slightly, then frowned and spoke frankly.
"With external threats looming, large clans will naturally unite to protect themselves, so this title still has some use."
"If there's no external threat, who knows what kind of trouble might arise internally. I hope you can return to the Seven Hills as Ares's daughter and Romulus's sister, wielding the Spear of Creation, to command the Amazons, assist Nero in suppressing any potential chaos, and stabilize the situation!"
Female emperors are an anomaly, regardless of the era or country.
Just like the Amazon, they have preserved their ancient tribal traditions and continued these customs.
If so, only Hippolyta and her Amazon Warrior are suitable to stand by Nero's side, assisting the Rose Emperor and dealing with certain unscrupulous and ambitious individuals.
More than 3,000 Divine Blood Warrior are enough to wipe out all the strange and supernatural beings that have emerged after the Battle of Seven Hills City.
"But you are injured..."
"Don't worry, I have my own plans and I can take care of myself."
"Alright, since this is your order, I will return to Rome tomorrow and do my utmost to stabilize the rear!"
Hippolyta nodded and then turned and headed toward the bedroom.
Samael watched his old friend walk away into the distance, bathed in the lamplight, and felt a strange mix of melancholy and emotion in his heart.
This was the first old friend she saw since her return.
But all good things must come to an end, and everyone must eventually walk their own path.
Then, the ancient snake patted its forehead, laughing and scolding itself for inexplicably feeling melancholy, and turned to walk back to its little hut.
However, he did not notice that as he turned to leave, Hippolyta looked back at him, her eyes flickering uncertainly in the darkness.