When I open my eyes again, Poseidon is at my side, his hand resting on my shoulder. He asks if I'm alright, his voice filled with concern. Nodding weakly, I push myself up from the polished floor, wincing at the throbbing in my head.
He offers me a hand, which I gratefully accept, pulling myself to my feet. The world around me is spinning slightly, and I blink hard to clear the residual blurry vision. Poseidon's grip on my arm is firm but gentle, keeping me steady.
"Take a moment," Poseidon advises, his voice echoing in the grand chamber.
What did all of that mean? I couldn't make sense of the chaotic rush of images and memories flooding my mind. It was a confusing mess.
Poseidon watches me quietly as the vertigo passes, and then he points to the now-open chest. At the bottom rests an aged scroll, seeming insignificant compared to the spectacle that had just taken place. I reach in slowly, my hand trembling ever so slightly, and retrieve it.
The scroll is lighter than it appears, its weight almost negligible. It feels delicate and worn with age, the edges slightly tattered. The parchment is warm to the touch as if it had been lying in the summer sun.
In the dim light of the chamber, I slowly unfurl the scroll, revealing its contents. Strange symbols and runic inscriptions cover the scroll's surface. I trace my fingers over the intricacies of the ancient language, too alien to comprehend.
Poseidon moves closer, his eyes narrowing as he gazes at the symbols on the scroll. His brow furrows in thought, a silent tension lingering in the air. He steps back and rubs his chin. Lost in a deep thought, he clears his throat and looks back at me.
"I think those are codes Hades, not some ancient language but codes developers used to create games or programs."
"Codes?" I echo, my brows furrowing in confusion. The symbols on the parchment before me look nothing like the neat lines of code I am used to seeing. But Poseidon just nods, reaching out a hand to gently take the scroll from me.
"Reality is just a program written by entities far more advanced than us," Poseidon elaborates, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
It made little sense to me. I studied the scroll, but the codes were still a mystery. Why would the game's creator offer this as a reward?
And why did it trigger so many memories that I couldn't quite piece together? Poseidon gave me a knowing look, fully aware of my perplexity.
"This game is more complex than we think," he says, and I could only nod in agreement, still feeling lost in understanding it all.
I rake my fingers through my hair, drawing in a long, shaky breath. Poseidon's explanation only deepens the mystery, his hypothesis transforming this puzzle into an enigma. I squint at the scroll once more, wondering if I could decipher a single piece of this cryptic puzzle.
I let out a slow exhale as I carefully put the scroll into my inventory. The system hasn't sent me any notifications about receiving a reward for solving the code, so I'll have to deal with it later. As for the memories, I'll need to sort through them since they still don't add up.
They all revolve around my time in college as a freshman, but nothing seems to make sense. It's like watching a movie about someone else's life, but they cover the screen in a thick fog and I can't quite make out the details.
My main concern right now is going back to the underworld and handling the rebellion while also searching for Lilith. I'll prioritize fortifying the underworld and establishing complete control over it.
But as I turn to leave, Poseidon's hand on my arm stops me. He looks at me with a seriousness that chills my blood and then speaks.
"Hades," he says, his voice low and grave, "you may not think this code means much now, but trust me when I say it is more important than you can realize. You need to figure it out."
With a furrowed brow, I look at Poseidon, his solemn expression burning in my retinas. My heart throbs painfully in my chest, a dull reminder of the worry that lingered there. A moment of silence lingers between us.
I shake my head, laughing bitterly. "I've got more pressing things to deal with. A rebellion. Lilith. Remember you told me to focus on taking control of my area." I tell him, the frustration clear in my voice.
Poseidon frowns, deep lines etching into his skin as his jaw tenses. "You don't get it," he retorts sharply. "This isn't just about a game anymore, Hades. This is about reality."
Reality? I bite back an incredulous laugh, but my mind races with possibilities - the real-world implications of this code? But why memories from college? It was like piecing together pieces from different jigsaw puzzles; nothing was aligning.
"Reality?" I echo, a scowl tugging at my lips as I pull my arm free from his grip. "You want to talk about reality, Poseidon? The underworld is under threat. Lilith is a player I need to find, and I'm here wasting time over some cryptic message and jumbled memories!"
"There's more to it than you know," Poseidon argues, his cerulean eyes blazing with fierce determination. "Those memories, they're not just random echoes from the past. They're guideposts leading you to decipher the code."
I struggle to keep my rising anger in check. It's becoming harder to ignore the gnawing feeling of unease as he continues to insist on the significance of these fragmented recollections and an enigmatic code.
"I don't have time for this," I bark, turning away from him. His hand clamps down on my shoulder once again, forcing me to halt.
"Listen to me," he commands, the authority in his voice impossible to ignore.
"We'll deal with the code later, Poseidon!" I gave him one last glance before using my special ability to teleport away, cutting off any further arguments from him.
I make my way back to the shore where I had left my dragon and let out a whistle. It obediently lands in front of me, and I climb onto its back.
"Time to head home," I say as we take off into the sky.
As we head back to the underworld, my thoughts are a whirlwind of confusion and irritation. Poseidon's parting words echo in my skull, repeating like a physiological litany. 'Reality is just a program written by entities far more advanced than us...' It's a terrifying thought, one that I am not ready to entertain.
The dragon wings powerfully through the air, the rush of wind against my face a welcome distraction from my turbulent thoughts. The landscape beneath us becomes an indistinct blur as we gain altitude and speed, an inky darkness of night creeping into our surroundings.
I glance at the scroll tucked safely in my inventory again. It feels unnatural - out of place - amidst the swords, shields, and potions. An innocent piece of parchment that supposedly holds vast secrets.
According to Poseidon, it is more significant than anything else we've encountered in the game before.
I look away, staring out into the dark void around us. I must find Lilith. The rebellion is something that needs to be stopped. The underworld is my area, and I won't let anyone threaten it.
My fingers unconsciously clench around the dragon's scales, my knuckles turning white with the intense grip.
The dragon's wings creating a low thunder that echoes across the barren landscape below, shattered the silence of the night. I can feel its power humming beneath me, its strength matching my resolve. Right now, I need to focus on what I can control, not on cryptic codes or fragmented memories.
The Underworld comes into view, and my eyes widen in surprise.
Suddenly, a notification pops up on the screen: "Warning! Your territory is being invaded!" I quickly guide my dragon towards the castle, where a loud thud announces our landing. To my shock, I see that Thanatos and Persephone are not fighting against rebels or monsters, but they are engaged in battle with other players.
I dismount from the dragon quickly, unsheathing my weapon as I rush into the melee. My dragon roars behind me, a powerful sound that temporarily throws off our attackers. Thanatos and Persephone look relieved at my arrival.
"Hades!" Thanatos greets me with a grunt, effortlessly deflecting an incoming attack. "It's about time."
"Sorry for the delay," I reply, striking down an enemy player who'd decided it would be a good idea to turn their attention towards me.
I raise my voice to be heard over the sounds of fighting. "What's happening?" I ask urgently.
"While you were away, someone put a bounty on your head, Hades!" Thanatos yells as he continues to fight.
I am shocked. Who would do such a thing? Zeus? Lilith? I never wanted to harm other players, but now it seems like a matter of life or death.
I am certain of one thing: I don't want to take a life, but I also don't want to lose my own.
I turn to the players who are coming in swarms, "If you value your lives, I suggest you turn away now!" I roar over the din of the clash. "The bounty you want will cost your life. The reward will be death if you clash weapons with me!"