DC/Fate: Age of Heroes

After leaving the Ocean behind, Edward walked in silence, his red cloak trailing behind him as the ash of fallen divinity drifted through the wind.

The sun was beginning to rise over the shattered remnants of what had once been sacred ground, but Edward's mind was far from the world of light. There was still one major god who had not made a move during the slaughter.

Hades.

Unlike the rest of the pantheon, Hades had remained absent—silent, neutral, tucked away in the realm of the dead as the heavens above bled. He hadn't sent monsters, armies, or even showed up.

Not a whisper of defiance nor trying to negotiate. Edward didn't know whether to consider that an insult or a sign of wisdom.

"So then," he muttered to himself, rubbing the back of his neck. "Might as well pay the old man a visit."

The underworld wasn't hard to reach for someone like him. With a flick of his hand, Edward summoned a glowing sigil inscribed with ancient symbols, one of the more obscure spells Caster had taught him.

Shadows curled at his feet, swirling into a vortex that sucked the light from the air. And without a sound, Edward vanished into darkness.

When he reappeared, the world had changed entirely.

Gone was the sunlight and wind, replaced by the heat and wails of the Underworld. The realm of Hades stretched around him in grim, endless twilight. Ashen fields sprawled in all directions, dotted with pale spirits drifting like fog, some groaning, others silent, their faces hollow with longing.

The sky was a dark as always, with low clouds that never moved. The River Styx glimmered faintly in the distance, it's power flowing through. "Should I take a dip?" He joked.

Edward took it all in with the calm of someone visiting a graveyard rather than a hellscape. He looked around with idle curiosity, almost like a tourist on holiday. Not that anything here could harm him, even the Titans. " Maybe I could go Kratos and kill those guys for good measure." Edward thought while rubbing his chin.

Every stone whispered of grief, of millennia spent forgotten. A shade of a warrior reached toward him, but the moment it caught a whiff of the divine blood soaked into Edward's being, it screamed and disintegrated into ash.

Other spirits fled without a glance, sensing the monster scarier than them, afraid of what he had become. Edward calmly experienced with his Mask of Fake Smile skill activated. But inside he was questiong reality.

" I have become so terrifying that even ghosts would run away from me! At this point, I might as well accept my current state and maybe troll some people. It should be therapeutic after the experience I have went through in less than 3 months of arriving in this world. "

So he walked towards the ferryman Charon, who visibly shrunk upon seeing him. Edward spoke in a haughty voice, " Who gave you permission to look upon me, mongrel!"

Charon immediately bowed in apology, " I..I'm sorry great god slayer. I shall not do it again."

Edward showed more anger, " What do you mean you won't do it again! You dare say this King's visage is not worth looking twice? I should end you right here, Mongrel! "

Charon fell on the floor of his boat this time, begging, " Please esteemed god slayer , forgive my insolence. Spare my life. I'm just a boatman!" His skeleton face was full of panic. 'Why is this guy picking on me for no reason?' he questioned his bad luck.

Edward scoffed, " you're not even fun to mess with. I can't see proper expression on than boneface. " He walked away with an annoyed expression.

Charon was cursing in his head, " Your amusement almost gave me a heart attack! Wait, I don't even have a heart....Yohohoho."

Edward wandered deeper, boots crunching over dry bones and black gravel. Eventually, the stillness gave way to a presence—massive, watchful, and breathing.

A low growl echoed through the air, and the shadows split to reveal a hulking beast guarding a gate of obsidian iron. Three heads, each the size of a horse, snarled in unison.

Cerberus.

The great hound of Hades loomed before him, eyes glowing red, saliva sizzling like acid as it dripped to the stone floor. It looked intimidating as the legends said. But in Edward's eyes and his mind , it just looked like a dog waiting to be petted.

Edward blinked once, then raised a hand.

"Yo, Beru," he said casually, as if greeting a neighbor's dog. "Mind showing me the way to your master?"

Cerberus gave a questioning bark , as if saying," Are you talking to me?"

Edward shrugged, " Your name is Cerberus right? So I shortened it a bit. It sounds cool right? "

It gave an instinctive nod, then shook his head.

Cerberus growled, but instead of lunging at him, it hesitated. The scent of blood. Divine blood… Zeus, Ares, Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis - there were many . it was all over him.

The beast's hackles slowly lowered, curiosity and fear replacing hostility. Edward stepped forward and, to Cerberus' utter confusion, scratched behind one of its ears.

"There we go. You're just a big sweetheart, aren't you?"

Cerberus protested but , But Edward didn't stop. And soon, Cerberus had come to a conclusion, " He is a good guy!"

The giant dog whimpered, then melted under the attention, collapsing onto its side and presenting its massive belly. Edward knelt and gave it a few affectionate rubs. One head wagged its tongue and licked his hand, another gave a low, happy bark, while the third nuzzled against his shoulder.

"You're too good for this place, but it is your home." Edward murmured with a chuckle. "Now, how about that favor?"

Cerberus let out a happy bark that shook the halls and got to its feet, tail wagging . It turned and trotted off, pausing to glance back. It gestured to Edward to climb on its back.

Edward got on with a jump. He patted its back," Let's go beru." Cerberus jumped over the gate, and walked towards the palace. It took them a minute to get there.

The palace of Hades loomed in the distance, carved from black stone and veined with glowing veins of crimson energy. It wasn't as grand or garish as Olympus, but it exuded weight—an eternal sense of finality. Death didn't need to be loud to be terrifying.

The massive doors opened with a low groan. Edward stepped into the throne hall.

Empty.

That was odd.

He frowned and was about to call out when he heard voices echoing faintly from deeper within—raised voices, sharp and emotional.

"…He killed my mother! You think I can just forgive that? He erased her! And the others! They're gone, Hades! Truly gone!"

"Calm yourself, wife. What's done cannot be undone. He spared Hera and Athena. That says something. He's not a mindless killer. You know what Zeus became. He even tried to force himself on you, do you truly mourn him?"

"That's not the point! He killed almost everyone! Our Pantheon is gone basically."

Another voice, older and gentle, joined in. "Persephone, Hades is right. Our brother crossed a line long ago. I warned them not to repeat Father's mistakes, but no one listened. Zeus became worse than Kronos."

"Oh, Aunt Hestia," Persephone snapped. "You always take the passive path. You never spoke up or intervened. And you, Hades, skulking down here, doing nothing but… trying to... sire a child!" She huffed.

Hades' voice turned indignant. "What would you have me do, Persephone? March to Olympus and die? Do you want me to join my siblings in oblivion?"

"You should have at least tried! Instead of staying here whispering sweet nothings and.....tempting me!"

"I tempted you?!"

"Oh, by the gods… wait ...I am a goddess. Hehe " Hestia gave a silly smile.

Edward leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, grinning.

"Domestic drama in underworld. Classic. But I have to wrap things up here and get back to surface."

He cleared his throat loudly. "Ahem. Hello, You've got a guest."

Silence.

It was as if the Underworld itself stopped breathing.

Then Persephone shrieked from the chamber, "Oh no! He's here! Run, husband! I'll hold him off!"

Hades yelled back, "I would never abandon you, dear wife! If you fall, then I fall with you!"

"Oh, Hades, you fool! I love you!"

"And I, you, my Persephone!"

Sniffling. "Oh, you two…" Hestia's voice cracked with emotion. "You're making me cry."

Edward coughed again awkardly. "Still here, folks. Not a corpse. Waiting. You can do your bit after I leave."

After a few scuffles and movements, Footsteps scrambled within, then the doors flung open. Hades stepped into view, his black robes swirling, eyes filled with tension. Beside him, Persephone looked furious but regal, while Hestia followed with a nervous expression.

Edward smiled faintly and waved.

"Hey there, nice day for a divine genocide , ain't it?"

Hestia and Persephone became alert immediately, but Hades chuckled. " Your humor fits rather well with the morbid atmosphere of Underworld, Edward Elric, the famous Godslayer."

He stared at him. "You… you look nothing like I imagined. Rather skinny for a man who ended the strongest pantheon."

"I get that a lot. And You're not… the strongest pantheon to be exact. Also, you're not covered in skulls or flames, or shouting threats. So that's a plus point already." Edward gave a casual shrug.

Persephone and Hestia stared at him .

Edward met their gaze squarely, feeling the strange weight of this moment, the god of death, arguing over petty human matters; a domestic squabble among immortals. The husband and wife arguing while caring for each other.

And in that strange, fleeting moment, Edward realized something profound.

Even gods, with all their power, were bound by the same emotions that drove mortals—love, anger, regret, and emotions.

He smiled faintly. Maybe he's not wrong to spare some of them. He won't become a bloodthirsty killer despite having the means.

"Kill 1 to save 10, kill 10 to save 100, kill 100 to save a thousand, huh? " He thought to himself.

****

Hades was the first to speak after a while, his voice calm but edged with a hint of wariness. He stood near the edge of his throne now, hands folded before him, crimson eyes fixed steadily on the newcomer before him.

"So," he said, his voice echoing slightly in the stone chamber. "What does the God-Slayer want? Have you come to finish the job?"

Edward waved a hand dismissively, lips curving into a casual grin. "Come on, now. Do I look like some Chinese young master who kills people for looking at him the wrong way?"

Persephone blinked, puzzled. Hestia tilted her head. Hades furrowed his brow.

"I… have no idea what that is," Hades admitted flatly. "But if you're not here to kill us, then why are you here?"

Edward let out a quiet sigh and stepped closer, his gaze sweeping over the black marble columns and the ancient obsidian hall.

"I just wanted to meet you. To see what kind of person you are. And I've got to say, " he gave a small nod of approval, "you're not half bad. Definitely better than your two brothers."

Hades snorted with a cold smile, folding his arms. "That's not exactly a compliment. Those two set the bar somewhere beneath Tartarus."

Edward laughed lightly, "Fair enough."

He glanced around the throne room again, his eyes tracing the torches along the walls, their flames blue instead of gold. The air was heavy with the scent of ash and ancient dust, yet oddly calm, almost peaceful.

It reminded him less of a prison for the dead, and more of a forgotten castle preserved in time.

"I didn't come to fight," Edward said plainly, looking back to Hades. "I just came to tell you this: keep the underworld and the Titans in check, and you can live without worries. I don't plan to interfere with your realm. As long as you don't meddle in mortal affairs, we're good."

Hades raised a single brow, intrigued. "That's… rather generous of you, considering you just slaughtered two-thirds of the Olympian pantheon."

Edward gave a faint shrug, completely unfazed. "Well, I'm in a peaceful mood. And they attacked me first. No gods need to die after today, as long as no one breaks my one rule."

Hades leaned forward slightly, his tone curious. "And that would be?"

Edward's expression sobered. His golden eyes locked onto Hades's with absolute conviction. "Humans are off-limits."

A long silence followed. Hestia exchanged a glance with Persephone. Hades studied Edward, the tension in the air settling like dust on a tomb. At last, Hades gave a slow nod.

"Understood," he said simply. "You have my word."

The tension that had shadowed the throne room gradually lifted. There was no false flattery, no hidden resentment. Just three gods who had chosen to survive by stepping away from Olympus's madness, and a man who had destroyed it.

"By the way, the soul of Polyphemus, it came to the underworld, yes? Is there any way I can take it away ? " Edward looked at Hades hopefully.

Hades shook his head, " it did. However the souls of Cyclops are different from humans. They fall under the category of monsters, despite their intelligence, and they get purified and merged upon going through the River Styx.So they are unsalvagable.

I really wish I could help you Edward. If only he was human..."

Edward's eyes dimmed. " Oh... it's okay. Not your fault. I just wish I could have saved him."

Eventually, Edward turned to leave.

Persephone watched him with a strange look in her eyes, half curious, half conflicted. Hestia, the ever-gentle flame, gave him a polite nod.

Even Hades offered a final word of parting.

"Good luck," he said quietly. "You'll need it."

Edward smiled. "Yeah," he said, "I usually do."

Hades shook his head, " I'm curious Edward, what are you truly?"

Edward walked away with a lazy wave, " I'm just a hopeless fool, with a somewhat impossible dream."

As he walked away, Hades thought on what he just said. A light smile appeared on his face, " A hopeless fool with an impossible dream? Sounds rather like a hero ."

At the entrance of the palace, Cerberus let out a mournful whine, all three heads drooping as Edward approached to leave. The giant beast shuffled forward, nuzzling against him like a puppy left behind.

Edward scratched behind one of the massive ears, then reached into the Gate of Babylon. With a small ripple of golden light, he retrieved a large bone wrapped in divine meat, a rib from Gugalanna, the celestial bull, preserved like divine-grade wagyu. Gilgamesh had apparently seen fit to store it like gourmet treasure.

"There you go, Beru," Edward said fondly, tossing the bone toward the massive hound. "Something special for you."

Cerberus caught it mid-air and yipped with joy, retreating into the dark with his prize as his tails wagged happily.

***

Back on the surface, Edward sat down by the bank of a shallow river, dipping his feet. The sky above was clear, but pale, the kind of sky that comes after a storm that had reshaped the world. The winds were calm. The birds chirped happily as they flew near him.

He picked up a smooth stone and tossed it into the water, watching the ripples spiral outward. Some fishes started gathering near his feet, jumping happily.

He chuckled to himself , " I have become Aquaman." He threw a few pieces of bread to them. The birds complained as some got down and nudged his cheek to seek attention. He laughed and gave them some as well.

"So… where to next?" he muttered, voice low.

His fingers tapped against his thigh. The world felt quieter now. The Greek gods were dead or broken. Olympus was a ruin. Humanity had been handed a blank slate. But where did that leave him?

A voice rang in his head , it was Saber.[ You have taken on a heavy burden Edward. Are you sure you are prepared to follow through ? Can you still stay calm when the very humans you protect commit atrocities with your given freedom? Can you still have hope?]

Edward raised an eyebrow, [" I thought you are supposed be a great hero, but have you also given up humans? ]

Saber chuckled, [ I'm merely asking if you can hold that resolve?]

Edward replied nonchalantly, ["I will. I just don't wish for this world to end as well. I know end will come eventually. But let it not come from humanity's foolishness.]

Saber smiled , [ "That's not a bad answer. Very well then." He opened his hand and a golden light filled Edward's soulscape. His body visibly glowed .

Edward widened his eyes as he felt his regular strength increasing. He asked curiously, ["What was that ?" He then looked at Saber's parameters and got another surprise. " Wait, why did parameters suddenly jump?" ]

Saber just smiled and replied, [Because now I believe you are truly worthy, so you can see my true strength. ]

Lancer joined in ,[So, the big guy has also gotten in the mix. This will be interesting. I would have loved to meet on a battle.]

Savior also chimed in, [ It's getting rather lively now. But I would still say you should go a journey to achieve enlightenment."

Rider remarked dryly, [ That's so boring. Journey should be about conquest.]

They started bickering , and Edward tuned them out. This was not the first time and won't be the last.

He leaned back against a tree trunk, staring up at the canopy above. "Should I go to Themiscyra?"

The thought lingered in the air.

"Hera and Hippolyta are waiting there," he continued to himself.

"But what would I even say? I've never had a relationship in either of my lives… And now one wants me to marry her, and the other already made some magically bound marriage from her side! Like getting drunk and married in Vegas."

He let out a dry chuckle. "What the hell am I supposed to do with that?"

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily. "Do I… marry them both?"

The question hung in the air in silence. A crow flew by above cawing.

"This isn't a damn harem anime world dude, and I'm pretty sure I'm not Japanese," he muttered.

"And Hippolyta… She doesn't seem like the type to share. She'd probably try to punch Hera, or me through a mountain if I suggested something like that. And knowing Hera, she'll not take that lightly." Edward sighed.

"But am I really going to become the step daddy of Wonder woman? Wait...that came out wrong!" He shook his head to clear out the thought.

Another stone skipped across the river's surface. He didn't even look to see how many times it bounced.

"A lifetime of loneliness," he said softly, "and now the universe decides to dump two gorgeous milfs in my lap. Literally."

His head fell back against the tree, and he stared up at the fading light between the branches.

"Is this… good? Or bad?"

He could still remember the way Hippolyta looked at him; fierce, guarded, yet full of longing. A warrior who had seen too much war and now wanted peace. A queen with a heart she barely let herself feel after betrayals.

And Hera… unpredictable, cunning, with an intensity that could crush most men, yet somehow soft around him. She had burned their bond into existence with her divine authority, like a vow that refused to be denied.

"Both of them are stunning," he admitted aloud, eyes closed. "Hippolyta, the proud warrior queen. Hera, the seductress with a hint of crazy. And me? I'm just the poor bastard stuck in the middle."

A bitter laugh escaped him.

"People would kill for a situation like this. And here I am, dreading it."

He took another breath, slower this time. "I guess I just have to decide… or I can just go on a pre-emptive journey to buy milk."

But even as he said it, something in him hesitated. A feeling in his gut. He didn't yet know what the future held. Whether it would be rejection, blood, or love. But the path forward was already written in the stars.

Little did he know what fate had in store for him.

*****

Honestly not sure if the romance stuff should be started right away . Dude needs some rest, like me 💀

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