Alright, we are back at it again this week!
"Now that I am here. What have I done that the god of war has deemed it worthy that we may speak together over drinks nonetheless." Lex said as he looked at Ares pour a drink for him, but Lex refused, choosing to not engage in any drink tonight.
"You have attained forbidden knowledge. Luckily, I am the one who found you first, Lex Luthor." Ares said as he leaned forward.
"You say you are Ares, the god of war? If you are from the Greek pantheon, shouldn't I be wary of you? I would prefer to converse with Athena instead." Lex said wearing his confident smile and gauging the reaction and movements of the god of war.
"(Sighs) You really know nothing, mortal. I have been watching you for years with great interest. Because of your machinations, conflicts and small wars have been happening, affecting the world, strengthening me along with the world wars freeing me from my father's punishment after I lead the last war on Olympus against my father to save you filthy humans from the interference of gods." Ares shook his head with a sad smile on his face.
"You who values the pride of humanity over everything. Who do you think fought for your autonomy? Why do you think there is little to no interference of the gods on the world up until now? That is, apart from the gods you humans bring here through unholy means or by other means." Ares explained as Lex leaned back on his chair taking a deep breath.
'It doesn't sound or feel like he is lying though.' Lex thought as accepted the drink poured by Ares.
Ares nodded at the gesture and took a gulp from his cup, likewise Lex.
"But here you are… completely rewritten your human DNA. You know… there should be divine punishment for that. Well, if anyone's to blame, he is serving divine punishment even now, getting his liver eaten over and over." Ares said as he sipped from his cup slowly, his fiery red eyes watching Lex Luthor.
Luthor could only sigh and take another sip from his cup as well, enjoying what tasted like rich flavoured grapes with a little kick to it. He expected some amazing liquor, but it was just fine pressed grapes, but the richness from it… it felt like he was tasting the first ever grown grapes in the world or something.
"Not that I don't understand given our circumstances. But let's cut to the chase as you humans would say. You uncovered a big secret of the universe that should remain as is… a secret!" Ares said, rolling his huge chair to face the floor to ceiling window panel in front of him as light flashed through at certain short intervals.
"If I have… let's say, uncovered this forbidden secret, shouldn't it be mine to keep and use according to my discretion? You do know what I can do with this now, don't you?" Lex answered calculatingly, he may as well put his cards on the table since he was invited to play.
"I have heard it can control the will of organic life in the universe, as technically a living being without a will is considered dead. The…" Ares said as he turned back to face Lex.
"Anti-life equation." Ares drew closer his fiery red eyes illuminating his face, peering into Lex Luthor's soul, seeing the glyphs of the equation on him.
"Impressive. And here I thought you were some warring brute." Lex Luthor said with a hand on his chin, smiling the god before him.
"That stone faced bastard that has invaded this world on occasion will come for this world again, and he already has bits of the anti-life equation, obviously not solved already, or we won't be here. But how will you respond when he arrives? Can you even protect it? Can you… use it?" Ares withdrew his gaze as he poured himself another drink.
"Of course I can. But the time is not opportune yet. Now why are we here?" Lex pressed.
"Then a demonstration is in order." Ares smiled and clapped his hands once. A portal opened as an eight-foot tall centaur walked out, her muscles were taut, her armour if you would call it that given how loose they were had ample space spare cleavage, she had dark skin and her fell to her waist but in her hands she held two mortals, an average looking Joe and Jane and tossed them in front on the floor as she took a knee, bowing before her god.
"You may leave." Ares said with a normal expression, waving her off. As soon as she got up, her ample bosom jiggled from its heft weight as she trotted through the portal, letting the portal close behind her.
"Look at our willing test subjects in perfect testing conditions." Ares chuckled with open arms, his biceps looking amazing in the perfect lighting condition from the flash of light outside the window.
While the mortals brought in began to plead for their lives, Lex gave them a look and turned to Ares with a question in mind, "I have been meaning to ask, what is that light that has been flashing for a while now?"
"Oh that? I forgot to mention… we are in Hades now." Ares said with a wicked glint in his eyes.
"WAIT! WE ARE IN THE UNDERWORLD NOW? Then those light flashes… are they…"
"Yes, they are… let's call them notification beams for the ferryman each time a person falls into eternal sleep, otherwise known as death." Ares explained much to the horror of the mortals who only began grovelling now for their lives.
"My word… fascinating. People really do die every other minute. Hmm…" Lex eyes widened with wonder but soon dulled as he looked behind to find the mortals still grovelling and begging.
"And since you said these are perfect conditions to test, how would we know? After all, many souls are being lost by the minute." Lex said his eye looking at his newly acquired test subjects. He wasn't going to run any tests now, given the state of the world, that can wait. But now that Ares had willingly aided him, how could he not relish in the opportunity.
"Now now, who do you think you are talking to? They have coins on them, one drachma each that the ferryman can collect to ferry them through the underworld and…" Ares said standing up and gesturing Lex to join him at his window panel.
"This is one of the paths along the River Styx the ferryman must pass." Ares concluded with a smile, his fiery red eyes looking down on Lex as if he can't wait to see how anti-life works as Lex watched souls below wander and the river flow eerily. It seemed they were in a castle overlooking the river, and it's bank with death knights patrolling the perimeters.
"Say less then." Lex Luthor said as he closed his eyes, adding something to the equation and directed his intent to the mortals beneath him. His eyes glowed red for half a second, so did the mortals, only that theirs remained red.
There was no fight or struggle, they simply went limp and stood up from their grovelling position and awaited orders.
"..." Ares frowned at the display of power from the anti-life equation, as a higher being he could sense their wills being overwritten completely, and he immediately understood what it meant that if someone has no will they have no life.
Light poured into the room instantly and other light flashed differently than before. Now, because Lex had genetically and magically evolved the krptonian DNA, he could almost see a blur leave the room. That would be Hermes, collecting his toll and delivering the souls to the ferryman. This much Lex could surmise on his own with his knowledge and observation.
All the players are beginning to gather and pick sides within sides.
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