Death Knocks on Hell’s Door Chapter 29

Chapter 29 Divine Nature

As a new day dawned, Venus found himself with two new friends, Hermes and Dionysus.

In the past, the two had always treated him well, but since the whole Mount Olympus was kind to Venus, there was no distinction between them. Besides Ares and Hephaestus, who often came to play with him, Venus treated all the other gods equally.

But now, things had changed. He, too, would go looking for Hermes and Dionysus.

Last night’s conversation had utterly shattered his worldview. In his mind, Olympus had always been a place of merriment, where everyone lived in harmony. But the revelations from Hermes and Dionysus had upended that belief entirely.

It turned out that beneath the surface, the gods of Olympus were embroiled in hidden rivalries, bitter feuds, and grudges steeped in blood.

Ares and Hephaestus had never spoken of such things to him. Hera doted on her successful son Ares, and of course, Ares wouldn’t speak ill of his mother. Hephaestus, unwilling to taint Venus’ innocence with the filth of godly conflicts, had chosen to keep such matters from him. The other gods, out of fear of Queen Hera, dared not gossip behind her back.

Only Hermes, as Zeus’ messenger, had no fear of Hera’s influence. And Dionysus, who bore a deep-seated hatred for the Queen of the Gods harbored nothing but disdain for Olympus and its gods, whom he saw as hypocrites. He had no reservations about sharing its hidden truths. He and Hermes were close, and that was why they had been drinking together last night, mocking Hera, only for Venus to overhear them.

Venus had a garden of roses, while Dionysus had an entire vineyard. The God of Wine, raised in the wilds of the mountains, carried himself with an air of unrestrained romance. His deep, enigmatic features, paired with his languid, melancholic temperament, made him a singularly captivating figure on Olympus.

Venus loved visiting Dionysus’ vineyard to hear stories he could never hear from anyone else. Although each tale left his worldview in ruins, he soon reached the point where there was nothing left to shatter.

Dionysus told him the tale of Prometheus, the Titan who had stolen fire for humans, bringing them hope in their suffering. But for this act of defiance, he had incurred the wrath of Zeus and was chained to the cliffs of Caucasus, where a vulture pecked at his liver each day. The one tasked with carrying out this punishment had been none other than Hephaestus, who, to this day, remained burdened with guilt over it.

Venus could not comprehend it. Weren’t the gods supposed to protect mankind? Why would the great King of the Gods punish Prometheus for bringing light to those lost in darkness? And in such a cruel manner, no less?

Until now, Venus had thought Zeus was merely reckless in his personal affairs but still a wise and just King of the Gods. This revelation shattered that belief.

Then, Dionysus also told him that after Zeus had assaulted Callisto, a handmaiden of Artemis, the Goddess of Moon had driven the poor girl away in a hail of arrows.

Venus was greatly shocked. What sin had the girl committed for being forced? Why hadn’t Artemis shot Zeus instead?!

The God of Love had already formed a blasphemous thought.

Dionysus went on, telling him that Ares, the God of War, and Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, were bitter enemies. The two had clashed countless times, and Ares had even lost on multiple occasions.

Venus had always thought that the Olympian family was very harmonious and that Ares was invincible.

Okay, he had nothing else to say.

He was done. Let the world burn.

Every time he stepped out of the Temple of Wine, he felt as though his innocence had crumbled a little more. He could no longer look at Olympus through the same untainted eyes.

The only silver lining in all of this was that Dionysus’ grapes were delicious.

Every time Venus visited the wine god’s temple, Dionysus would offer him fresh grapes and sweet grape juice but not a single drop of wine. He insisted that Venus had to wait until he came of age before he could drink.

Frustrated, Venus went to Hermes to complain, grumbling about how overly strict Dionysus was. Hermes chuckled and consoled him, saying, “Perhaps it’s because his own childhood was so tragic that he feels an intense need to protect the young.”

Venus looked at him in surprise.

Hermes met his gaze with a knowing smile. “Venus, not everyone is like you, born on Olympus, cherished and sheltered from the start.”

Hermes himself was one of Zeus’ many illegitimate children, raised in a cave by his mother. He had only made his way to Olympus through his own wit and resourcefulness. But compared to Dionysus, he had been lucky. The God of Wine had spent his entire childhood being hunted by Hera, forced into exile, constantly fleeing for his life. It had been Hermes who finally found him and brought him to Olympus. Even then, with Hera holding all the power, there was nothing Dionysus could do to take revenge. That was why he drowned himself in wine, weighed down by sorrow and resentment.

Although Venus had already learned that the gods of Olympus were far from the paragons of virtue he had once imagined, he still felt a surge of sympathy and outrage. “How could the Queen of the Gods be so cruel to a child?”

Hermes gave him a pointed look. “She wasn’t even merciful to her own children, why would she spare anyone else’s?”

Venus froze. “What?”

Hermes raised an eyebrow. “Do you know how Hephaestus became lame?”

Venus’s eyes widened. “Wasn’t he born that way?”

“You’re close with Hephaestus, and yet he never told you?” Hermes seemed genuinely surprised. “His looks were something he was born with, but his body was perfectly healthy at birth. It was Hera who couldn’t accept having such an ugly son. She threw him from Olympus down to the foot of the mountain. That’s how he became crippled.”

Venus trembled with rage. “Unbelievable! That’s monstrous!”

“Calm down,” Hermes said, pouring him a glass of water. Then, watching him with interest, he asked, “You care a lot about Hephaestus, don’t you?”

“Of course I do! He’s my best friend!” Venus declared, still fuming.

“And what about Ares?” Hermes asked casually, his expression unreadable.

Venus took a sip of water, trying to cool his temper. “I see him as an older brother.”

Hermes felt a quiet relief. This meant he still had a chance.

After all, who on Olympus didn’t covet the God of Love? Hermes was no exception.

Venus, still seething, stormed off toward the forge. But halfway there, his steps slowed, and his mind cleared.

What exactly was he going to say to Hephaestus? Express sympathy for his tragic past? Hey, I just found out your mother crippled you. How awful! You must have had a really miserable life. Let me comfort you.

Even if Venus wasn’t as socially adept as Hermes, he wasn’t foolish enough to blunder into that kind of conversation.

Hephaestus had never told him about this because he didn’t want to dwell on painful memories or play the victim in front of him, so why should he reopen old wounds?

But damn it, he was furious!

If he couldn’t go to Hephaestus, who else could he talk to? Ares? No, that was just as hopeless. Venus had only recently learned that thanks to Hera’s favoritism, Ares and Hephaestus had a strained relationship.

Under Dionysus’ influence, Venus had begun to see all the gods of Olympus as little more than hypocrites wrapped in a veneer of righteousness.

His instincts, now sharper than ever, even warned him that Dionysus himself had ulterior motives. But he was still too young to fully grasp such schemes. He could only tell himself he was overthinking it.

When Venus grew up and looked back, he could see through the God of Wine’s tricks at a glance — Dionysus had fed him these stories deliberately to make Venus wary of the other gods, so that in the end, he would only trust Dionysus.

This mountain was full of packs of wolves, leopards, and tigers.

At present, though, Venus was drowning in frustration, with no one to turn to. But there was still one person left.

He turned and made his way to the riverbank.

He was going to find Adonis.

If there was anyone in his world still pure, untainted, untouched by the corruption of Olympus, it was Adonis.

On the island of Cyprus, Venus blew his conch shell and eagerly waited for Adonis to appear.

It wasn’t long before the golden-haired hunter arrived, dressed in his hunting gear, his smile warm and radiant.

“It’s been a while,” Adonis greeted him gently. “Are we hunting today?”

Venus, weighed down by everything that had been building up inside him, couldn’t even bring himself to smile. “No…… I’m not in the mood.”

Seeing his dejection, Adonis frowned in concern. “What’s wrong? You seem upset. Let’s sit and talk.”

Venus glanced around. Although there was no one else nearby, the bright, open landscape didn’t feel like the kind of place where he could truly bare his heart.

Luckily, Adonis was as perceptive as ever. He quickly suggested, “My home is close by. Why don’t we go there and have something to drink first?”

That finally lifted Venus’ spirits a little. “Alright.”

Come to think of it, they had spent so much time together, walking along beaches, hunting in valleys and forests, but he had never actually seen where Adonis lived.

They soon arrived at his home, which turned out to be a treehouse nestled deep in the woods. The massive tree was so wide that it would take ten people holding hands to encircle its trunk. Vines and flowers climbed over the rooftop, and a small window let in the fresh forest air. A wooden ladder hung down from the branches, leading up to the entrance.

This was where Adonis lived, sustaining himself through hunting.

Venus climbed up the ladder and peeked inside, eyes widening in delight. “Wow! This is so cool. Why didn’t you bring me here sooner?”

The little wooden house was nothing like Venus’ grand palace. It was nowhere near as luxurious or comfortable, but it was clean, cozy, and brimming with a quiet, poetic charm. Here, deep in the forest, there were no prying eyes, only the crisp scent of nature in the air. It felt less like the world of gods and more like something out of a fairytale.

It was also close to the sea. No wonder Adonis always heard the conch and arrived so quickly.

Adonis scratched his head sheepishly. “It’s pretty simple, nothing compared to your divine palace. I was embarrassed to let you see it.”

“This place is amazing! I’ve dreamed of having a house like this!” Venus exclaimed, eyes alight with excitement.

Adonis smiled softly. “Then from now on, it’s yours.”

Venus grinned. “I can’t actually take your house. Just let me visit whenever I want, and I’ll be happy.” He leaned out the window, taking in the lush greenery and the little animals scurrying through the undergrowth. Then, breathing in the fresh air, he sighed in contentment. “This is much better than Mount Olympus, but aren’t you lonely staying here by yourself?”

Adonis’ reply was simple. “I know you’ll come find me, so I never feel alone.”

A perfect line. And judging by the way Venus’ heart leaped, it had definitely worked on him.

He turned back and sank into a chair. “I don’t mind the solitude. The air here is free and light. There are so many gods on Mount Olympus, I feel like I can’t breathe sometimes.”

Adonis’ smile faded slightly, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, “Did someone bully you?”

He noticed that Venus had changed a lot this time. He was no longer as naive and carefree as before.

“No, they all treat me well,” Venus sighed. “It’s just that I’ve learned so much recently, and I’m starting to realize that things might not be as beautiful as I once thought.”

Adonis tilted his head slightly, as if inviting him to continue. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Instead of answering, Venus posed his own question. “Adonis, do humans fight among themselves too?”

Adonis immediately understood. The way Venus had said ‘too’ meant he had finally seen the open and covert struggles among the gods on Mount Olympus.

This was nothing new, of course. The gods had been at odds with one another for ages. It had just never been laid bare in front of Venus. Now that he knew, his young heart was bound to be wounded by the truth.

“Of course humans fight,” Adonis replied. “Wherever there are people, there will be disagreements and conflicts.”

“But why?” Venus’ emerald-green eyes shimmered with confusion. “Can’t everyone just live in peace? Is it the doing of the Goddess of Discord?”

Eris, the Goddess of Discord and Chaos, delighted in stirring trouble wherever she could. Many conflicts traced their roots back to her meddling.

“She may be the cause, but she isn’t the root cause,” Adonis explained. “Even if Eris didn’t exist, the world would still be full of discord.”

Venus was even more puzzled.

Adonis, ever patient, gave him the answer. “Because the true source of conflict isn’t the Goddess of Discord, but human nature.

“In the neighboring Hebrew pantheon, there are seven great demons, each corresponding to one of the seven deadly sins. Lucifer for pride, Leviathan for envy, Beelzebub for gluttony, Mammon for greed, Asmodeus for lust, Samael for wrath, and Belial for sloth. These seven sins are not just part of their beliefs, but they are universal truths about human nature. As long as humanity has evil thoughts, there will always be conflicts in the world, no matter the time or place. If human nature contained only goodness, then even if a hundred Goddesses of Discord were born, they wouldn’t be able to stir up a single dispute. Eris merely exploits the weaknesses already present in people’s hearts.”

Venus looked at him with admiration. “Adonis, how do you know so much? You even know about the Hebrew pantheon!”

Adonis remained composed. “I have to find something to do when I’m alone in the forest, so I’ve read a lot of foreign books.”

The truth was, back when he lived in the depths of the sea, he had plenty of free time. He had picked up several languages and studied mythologies from all over the world. He was much more diligent and studious than Zeus, who was always busy chasing lovers and siring children.

Venus could only be impressed. In his mind, Adonis was no longer just a skilled hunter. Now, he was also a learned scholar.

“But those are humans, and there are also inherently evil demons,” Venus said, still struggling to understand. He didn’t know much about the Hebrew pantheon. “The angels in their world seem to be born to symbolize good qualities. Why do the gods also have human weaknesses?”

Adonis answered simply, “Divine nature is human nature.”

Venus was startled.

Adonis continued, “I’ve read a lot about different pantheons across the world. In the East, their gods are said to be completely detached from worldly desires, free from emotions and attachments. But even in their myths, there are stories like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, or the Seven Fairies descending to earth. It shows that even gods can’t be completely pure. There are many older stories, but their ancient texts are too difficult for me to understand.”

Venus: “……” The scholar label he had just awarded Adonis was starting to wobble.

Adonis looked at him and said, “You mentioned that the angels of the Hebrew pantheon were born to symbolize good qualities. But do you know that Lucifer, the darkest and most arrogant demon in hell, was once the most radiant and holy of angels, Lucifiel the Lightbringer, before he fell?”

Venus had no idea.

“So you see, nothing is purely good. A single thought, a single choice, can turn light into darkness. Even the Goddess of Justice, who always stands for righteousness, will be resented by those on the side that the scales did not favor.” Adonis continued, “The gods created humans. And where do you think human nature comes from? From the very essence of the gods themselves. Their schemes and rivalries are only natural. Every god you meet, can you ever be sure you’ve truly seen all of them?”

Venus felt his head spinning. “I don’t care. No matter what, Adonis will always be the kindest and most wonderful in my heart!”

“No, Venus. even I don’t only have a gentle and beautiful side.” Adonis lowered his gaze slightly, as if to conceal the flicker of blue light in his eyes. His voice grew quieter, almost thoughtful. “If one day, you discover my darkness and cruelty, will you accept me?”

A strange feeling stirred in Venus’ chest. He hesitated, then carefully asked, “Will you hurt me?”

Adonis lifted his gaze. His golden eyes were filled with warmth. “I will never hurt you.”

As long as Venus never angered him. Otherwise, he might have to take away his freedom. This was also one of the complex and multifaceted aspects of the God of Sea’s divine nature.

Venus let out a breath of relief and beamed. “Then you will always be my favorite.”

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