333 Conspiracy
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Nestled deep within the heart of Avernus Lake Cave is an undisclosed section, known exclusively to the chosen few within the Curtained World.
Access to this covert area is restricted to those skilled enough to navigate a concealed teleportation array, cleverly obscured by an intricate web of illusionary magical arrays.
Within the expansive cavern, the ceiling soars to impressive heights, adorned with stalactites resembling obsidian icicles reaching down.
A subtle phosphorescent glow emanates from the unseen depths, casting a dim light that gracefully dances upon the jagged rock formations. The cave floor, irregular and worn unevenly, reverberates with each footfall, composing an eerie symphony of echoes.
In the center of this enigmatic space, a large, iridescent pool mirrors the ghostly reflections of the cave's surroundings. The waters, undisturbed for centuries, seem to hold silent knowledge—a repository of secrets untouched by mortal hands.
Occasional gusts of wind, laden with an otherworldly chill, rustle the unseen recesses of the cave.
Tap... Tap... Tap... Tap...
The sound of footsteps echoes within this vast space, a man in a hooded velvet cape walking with a peculiarly designed lamb in hand.
The lamb bears an ancient Greek design, its luster golden, and its body adorned with the heads of three dogs—more precisely, the design of Cerberus' heads. The flame of the lamb is no ordinary fire; its bluish-green color and cold temperature radiate an ominous aura of death.
The man strides toward the mirror-like pond, holding the lamb over its surface and moving his hand in circles while maintaining the lamb's position.
His mouth begins to chant in the old Greek tongue, muttering repeatedly like a prayer to some higher power, but with an eerie and ominous aura.
Suddenly, the mirror-like pond reflected the scene of a Greek-like castle amidst a green river that emitted an eerie green light. Millions upon millions of wisp-like souls fluttered around the place, creating a weird and enchanting spectacle.
The pond's reflection shifted to the image of a bearded man clad in ancient Greek attire, wrapped in a black tunic adorned with golden lines as if sewn with threads of gold.
The man's eyes emitted a green light, signifying the enduring power he held over life and death.
The man in the hooded velvet cape opened his hood, revealing a figure with brown hair and a distinctive Turkish descent. His eyes reflected only subservience to the man in ancient Greek clothing in the reflection.
"My lord," the man knelt down, displaying his servitude.
"Let me think..." Hades fell silent for a few minutes before responding with a smirk. "Hm... Perhaps the fall of the Hightower might be beneficial for us. Let's use him, Daniel Emberweave," Hades said with a smile.
"How so, my lord?" inquired the man in a velvet cape.
"Listen carefully..." Hades then began to reveal his plan to his right-hand man.
"That's brilliant, my lord! I think this is plausible. Instead of obstructing us, he would never know that he will be helping us reach our goal!" the man in the velvet cape said excitedly.
"Also, help me with something while you wait for the plan to work," said Hades.
Then the surface of the pond started bubbling once again, but this time, an orb surfaced and floated above the pond. It is a transparent orb with a green flame burning within.
"This is...?" The man in a velvet cape asked with confusion.
"Achilles' soul. I give it to you so that you can help me in this task," said Hades.
"What task do you wish me to accomplish, my lord?" asked the man in the velvet cape.
"Recently, someone... or some people, I don't know who they are, infiltrated the deepest reaches of my Tartarus and rescued some of my prized possessions such as Heracles and Odysseus. I want to know who they are and where they are. So that when our plan is complete, I can go to the mortal realm and deal with them myself!" said Hades, filled with grudges and anger.
"Infiltrate Tartarus? Is that really possible, my lord?" asked the man in the velvet cape, seemingly disbelieving at the revelation.
"Are you implying that I'm a liar!?" Hades' eyes suddenly grew sharp, threatening the man in the velvet cape. "No, my lord, I didn't mean to... it just seems to be... never mind, my lord. I won't dare question you!" he said subserviently after attempting to explain to Hades.
"Hmp! Anyway, don't fail at this task. For me, this is even more important than our current goal. Remember, I don't want you to deal with them, just tell me who they are and where they are. You can consider Achilles' soul as a gift!" said Hades before the reflection slowly vanished, leaving only the orb in the man in the velvet cape's hand.
"Now... This is the true reward!" The man in the velvet cape let out a smirk, looking at the orb in his hand. He could do a lot of things with this orb; the possibilities are limitless.
"It's a pity that one of my prized clones, Cyrus, died. Creating such a clone is not child's play, even for me. The surprise is that it was that old coot Golden Scale who dealt a death blow to me, and not Magitek," said the man in the velvet cape.
Then, he looked at the orb in his hand.
"Let's see if the Alchemont Clan will provide a nice Homunculus body for you, eh? Mr. Achilles," said the man in the velvet cape.
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