(Greek Mythology) The Abyss of the Underworld
Chapter 88
"Indeed, I was greedy," Gaia listened quietly to Nyx's words, her expression unchanged, utterly calm.
She never considered herself a contented goddess, nor did she deny that even when she already possessed much, she still wanted more.
But…
"Nyx, haven't you understood? We've never been the same."
Even as sisters, fundamentally, they wanted different things. Nyx had no interest in power; compared to that, she valued relationships more, and the result was as she wished—in both mythology and reality, the lineage of the Night Goddess remained stable and smooth.
Gaia, however, was different. It wasn't that she was completely indifferent to these things, but rather that, compared to these, she desired something else entirely.
Gaia was ambitious and pursued power. This wasn't arrogance; she genuinely possessed the ability and confidence. She had the magnanimity to compete fairly and rely on her own methods. She was happy to win and accepted defeat with equanimity. Therefore, she never concealed her desire for power and acted upon it.
Neither was right nor wrong; they simply pursued different things. Pursuing what one wants is not inherently wrong. Gaia's ultimate failure wasn't due to any messy reasons, but simply because, under the rules of this world, her identity destined her pursuit to be unattainable.
"Actually, thinking about it now, Uranus might not have been very good to other gods, but he was genuinely good to me. He just wasn't very attentive; he missed many subtle details and wasn't good at expressing himself." Recalling the past, Gaia momentarily lost in thought, her expression softening for a fleeting instant. Nyx noticed this but remained silent.
In other words, Uranus lacked emotional intelligence; his actions and thoughts didn't align, easily leading to misunderstandings.
"Back then, because of the throne of the gods, I harbored a subtle resentment and jealousy, but I refused to admit it and deliberately ignored it. I viewed him with prejudice, and what started as a small problem eventually escalated into a major conflict. My discontent gradually built up, and the imprisonment of those children became the catalyst, ultimately leading me to support Cronus in overthrowing Uranus." Years later, Gaia finally confessed her hidden motives.
The sounds of war echoed intermittently in the distance, firelight painting half the sky crimson. Gaia sensed the deaths of her children one by one, a flicker of sadness appearing in her eyes, but quickly vanishing without a trace. Without the slightest surprise, clearly having anticipated it, she continued to recount her feelings, which she had never confided to anyone before.
"At the time, I truly didn't know what the outcome would be. I just had a vague feeling that my choice was crucial, and later events proved it. From that moment on, everything was irreversible. I used my children to overthrow my husband, and he used me to gain power. I personally severed pure familial affection, leaving only an exchange of interests…"
"But it wasn't too late then, was it? You only had a falling out with Uranus. In the eyes of the other children, you were still their respected mother goddess. Even if there was manipulation involved, you couldn't deny the sincerity in it. Even now, there's still room for reconciliation." Nyx interrupted Gaia, still believing that family was the most important thing, trying to persuade her sister.
"So what if it's not too late? What are your children like? What are my children like? The difference is obvious, isn't it?" Gaia understood her children's personalities perfectly.
Nyx's children were all gods of the underworld, while Gaia's children were either gods of the sky or sea. The difference was immense; just look at the starkly different styles of the underworld and the divine realm.
Forget about the harmonious relationship like in Nix's family; it would be good enough if they could even maintain a semblance of normalcy. Unity and friendship—the thought alone terrified Gaia.
By analogy, cultivating and repairing the mother-child bond—even if it were a daily routine—Gaia believed her children would never back down should their positions clash or their interests conflict.
"Besides, have you forgotten? I'm different from you. For me, the mother-child bond is something I cherish, but losing it doesn't matter much. So, do you think there's any point in doing this?"
"No." Nix had to admit Gaia was right. Gods are different, and judging Gaia based on her own assumptions was incorrect.
"But you don't have to go this far to become practically enemies," Nix said helplessly. She genuinely wanted Gaia to be better off.
"Gaining something and then losing it is no different from never having had it in the first place. Having tasted power, it's hard to adjust to letting go. I supported them to power, and once they were in control, they began to restrict my power. Why should I let them have it easy?" Gaia said confidently.
She hadn't forgotten how Cronus and Zeus, to weaken her power, had imprisoned her children in Tartarus under various pretexts, and she remembered clearly who had secretly instructed Apollo to break into her oracle at Delphi and kill Python, who was delivering the oracle there.
Therefore, Gaia now possessed the typical self-destructive mentality of "If I can't have it, I won't let anyone else have it either; if someone does, I'll kill them" and "If I'm not doing well, they want to do well too."
That's why you can't offend a goddess, especially a petty one.
"Remember to be careful," Nyx said, seeing he couldn't persuade Gaia, he simply stopped trying and told her to be mindful.
"I understand," Gaia nodded, accepting Nyx's advice. "This is what you wanted. It can resurrect your children, but they will no longer be giants. Also, my elder brother asked me to tell you that this is a one-time exception." Nix handed the box to Gaia.
"There won't be a next time." Gaia took the box, turned, and left. Her voice drifted on the wind, slightly muffled.