Prometheus, the seer born from Hades's tears, witnessed the 'contraction' of the Golden Race into the 'spirits' of the Underworld.
He could not agree with Hades's ruthlessness, his pursuit of absolute efficiency, treating everything as a pawn.
In his 'forethought', humanity should not be merely fuel for the world's cycle; they should have their own brilliance, their own civilization, and... the opportunity to challenge fate.
With his innate wisdom and keen insight, Prometheus easily discerned the turbulent mind atop Olympus.
He found Zeus, who was growing ever stronger, but was also beginning to feel the loneliness and... the fatigue of the God-King's throne.
When Prometheus appeared in the temple with his infectious words and grand vision of creating new life, Zeus's heart, burning with power, was involuntarily moved.
"Great God-King." Prometheus bowed in the glittering temple, his voice clear and persuasive.
"The old era has ended, but the life force of the earth should not be suppressed. The return of the Golden Race to the Underworld is an act of law, but how can the land beneath the sky remain empty for long? All things need new stewards, beings who know how to fear and spread your glory."
"Do you ever long for the time when you were surrounded by the Golden Race, enveloped in pious faith and reverence? In that time, humanity offered you great sacrifices—not because of the coercion of law, but out of gratitude for your grace; in that time, the glory of the gods grew ever brighter through the songs of mortals."
Zeus's golden eyes flickered slightly, and the thunderbolt in his hand emitted an unstable shimmer.
His golden eyes looked down at Prometheus below.
He saw the 'sincerity' in the other's eyes and felt the great temptation behind the proposal.
A new race, born entirely under the influence of his divine lineage!
This would not only fill the void left by the departure of the Golden Race, but also vividly demonstrate his authority and grace as God-King.
Although the banquets on Olympus were still luxurious, they seemed to lack the vibrant echoes from the mortal world.
"An interesting proposal, Prometheus, son of my brother Hades." Zeus's voice echoed like thunder, the corner of his mouth curving with slight satisfaction.
"I grant your request. Go and create, in My name, and let new life spread across the earth. They shall be bathed in the radiance of Olympus, and their fate shall be decided by gods such as us."
With the God-King's permission, Prometheus awakened with a sense of purpose and a barely perceptible excitement against predetermined fate.
He did not immediately use ordinary clay. His 'forethought' led him to something more spiritual, closer to the divine essence.
He turned his gaze to the foothills of Mount Olympus—the ores infused with the power of the gods due to their presence.
He chose a shimmering rare metal called 'silver' as his base material.
This metal was not only durable but also had a strong affinity for divine power, as if born to carry divine grace and wisdom.
By a crystal-clear stream, Prometheus began his creation.
He endowed the silver with a well-proportioned body, comparable in strength to lesser gods, and with the 'wisdom' of the gods.
When the first silver-skinned man opened his eyes, pure spirituality and unreserved dependence on his Creator flashed within them.
"Arise, my children," Prometheus's voice was full of relief.
"You are the Silver Race, and you shall walk this fertile land and bask in the grace of Olympus."
As Prometheus had foreseen, the Silver Race quickly attracted the attention of the Olympian gods upon their birth.
They possessed the beauty of the Golden Race, but added a silvery gleam of elegance and agility. They were naturally powerful, intelligent, and diligent, full of childlike admiration and reverence for the gods.
Zeus initially showed them favor. He often rode his thunder chariot over their settlements, receiving their surprised and adoring gazes.
This faith was more fervent and direct than in the Golden Age, greatly satisfying his vanity and his craving for power as God-King.
Hera admired the families and order they created, often blessing them in the name of the goddess of marriage, watching them form strong covenants and reproduce under her blessings.
Demeter also made their land more productive...
The gods seemed to have found a new toy, or rather, a more perfect worshipper.
They took the Silver Race under their wings and indulged them completely.
When the children of the Silver Race offended nature spirits out of ignorance or damaged the base of a statue out of playfulness, the gods often laughed it off, considering it a sign of innocence.
God's grace was like rain, nourishing the Silver Race and quietly cultivating a sense of... arrogance and entitlement deep within their bones.
In the depths of the Underworld, Hades indifferently observed the events unfolding on earth.
Prometheus's little actions, the excessive grace of the Olympian gods, the arrogance of the Silver Race growing in a hothouse... All of this drifted freely within his vast perception.
He also saw a hidden shadow.
Under the meticulous 'love' of Olympus, the Silver Race never truly experienced wind or rain.
Their reverence for the gods gradually became more and more taken for granted, and even... subtly transactional.
They began to think that the blessings of the gods were their birthright.
Sacrifices became ostentatious and calculating, like a transaction—the most exquisite words and grandiose rituals in exchange for ever more direct divine grace.
They prayed to Zeus for victory and power, to Hera for secure marriages to preserve family power, and to Demeter for endless harvests to accumulate wealth... But they lacked the most basic reverence for nature, fate, and the vastness of the universe.
Their intelligence was used for more refined ways to please the gods and to more effectively outwit other beings.
They began to take the gods' protection for granted. Prayers to the gods gradually shifted from pious requests to entitled demands.
If a wish was not immediately fulfilled after a sacrifice, they would gather before the temple and engage in discontented discussions.
"Why hasn't Zeus sent rain? Weren't our offerings rich enough?"
"Goddess Demeter only increased our harvest by 30% this year, while the neighboring city-state increased by 50%!"
Relying on the power given by the gods, they began to transform the environment arbitrarily.
They ignored the warnings of nature spirits, even mocked those 'lesser beings' who, as the favorites of the gods, deserved to fight them for the land.