Chapter 0: The Voice, The Reaction

  In the timeless expanse of existence, an ethereal and unseen force resonates across all realms. Its words are succinct yet carry the weight of inevitability:

  “So, it shall begin.”

  None of the gods hear this voice. To them, it seems like a natural shift—one they do not question but respond to instinctively, as if the words of the voice wove themselves into their thoughts by coincidence. There is no grand announcement, just an unspoken understanding that the cycle is turning.

  Atop Mt. Olympus, towering a million meters above the mortal world, Zeus rises from his throne, a king whose presence commands both reverence and fear. Lightning crackles as storm clouds gather overhead, mirroring the significance of this moment.

  He lifts his goblet high, his voice booming like thunder:

  "My children, the cycle of this life has come to an end. We shall be reborn again for the 100th time, signifying yet another new turn for humanity!"

  As if expected, as if they've heard these words 100 times. The words he speaks electrify the divine gathering, his accompanying gods rising with him. Together, they lift their glasses in solemn unity, their agreement symbolizing their acceptance of the new age to come.

  All but one.

  Far below, in the abyss of death where light and life are but a hindrance in the depths of darkness. Hades sits upon his hallowed throne. Encircled by an oppressive silence and the lingering stench of decay, death coils around him like a loyal companion, yet one in which was not chosen, such is his life. He does not rise; he does not join the toast of his fellow gods.

  Disgust twists his features. The eternal bitterness he harbors surges anew, for Hades alone among the gods is denied reincarnation. He is forever bound to his realm—unchanging, unending, stagnant.

  While his fellow gods celebrate the prospect of reliving their youth and rewriting their destinies, Hades remains shackled to a throne of bones, his eternal task to shepherd the dead offering neither respite nor renewal. The annoyance festers in his mind: "To be the god of death is to know the cruelty of permanence."

  The Cosmic Structure: Olympus, Tartarus, Heaven, and Hell

  The world exists in a delicate and incomprehensible balance. Olympus, Tartarus, Heaven, and Hell all coexist within the same cosmic being, almost unknown to one another. Their strange symmetry serves as the backbone of existence, though none truly understand the logic—or illogic—that binds them together.

  However, April 1st, 2025—a day mortals call April Fools' Day—introduces a crack in the foundation of these cosmic laws. On this day, the voice speaks.

  The cycle begins anew. Heaven and Hell’s intricate machinery creak into motion, their paths once again aligned toward reincarnation. Souls prepared to transition feel a sudden stirring, an inexplicable connection binding all beings in existence. You may call it Fate, coincidence, or simply the “will” of the universe. Whatever it may be, it has begun.

  Deep in the shadows of his kingdom, Hades feels the shift. He does not toast to it, nor does he speak aloud. But something in him stirs—a faint flicker of something unfamiliar. Perhaps resentment. Perhaps hope. Or perhaps an inkling that this cycle will be unlike any before.

  As Zeus’s triumphant decree echoes through Olympus, the gods prepare to cast their lot into the next cycle of reincarnation. Even so, the cosmic ripples reach Hades in a way they never have before. For the first time in countless ages, Hades is included in what comes next.

  End Chapter 0