Even though the corpse had been in the grave for almost two weeks, there was no smell of rotting flesh. No insects or worms had swarmed the dead body. It was preserved fresh as if frozen in time.
However, Victor's corpse looked despicable, with ugly black veins running all over it. Cracks had developed all over the limbs and torso, exposing his flesh and organs.
The two shovelers looked away. "I can't believe Mr. Damone actually died. I thought he was immortal," one of them said, wincing.
"You want us to carry the dead body to the NWO laboratory, sir? To conduct tests?"
"Do you know the mythological story of Thanatos and Alceste?" Atticus asked, ignoring the question.
The two exchanged confused glances, finding the out-of-context question strange. Was the Tribunal delivering a farewell speech to Victor Damone?
"No, sir," they replied in unison, keeping their thoughts to themselves.
Atticus looked up at the stars and began. "Then let me tell you the story. In Greek mythology, Thanatos is the god of death. To be accurate, he is the god of non-violent death."
"Non-violent?"
"Peaceful, natural death. Untouched by war, murder, or any other form of violence."
"I see."
"Thanatos claims the deceased's soul every time, never to fail. It is his sworn duty and divine responsibility. However, once he was denied a soul."
"How?" The shovelers suddenly appeared to have an interest in the story.
"The beautiful maiden Alceste was rescued from the underworld by a son of Zeus, a demi-god."
"Do you mean Hercules, sir?"
Atticus' lips formed a thin smile. "Exactly. Hercules had mercy on Alceste and defied Thanatos' will. The latter was so furious that he cursed the demi-god into a deathless sleep. Hercules, who had Zeus' protection, wasn't affected by the curse. However, there was a loophole."
"What was it, sir?"
"Zeus' blessing was only for the virgin Hercules. Once he spawned a child, the protection would pass on. Thanatos' curse would put him into a deathless sleep."
The two shovelers exchanged glances again, now wondering what they were supposed to do.
"It's an… interesting story, my lord… But what does it have to do with our current task?"
Something occurred to the other attendant. "Wait! Does it have to do anything with the supermetals… Thanatos and Heraclite? Is Mr. Damone-"
"That's enough of mythology for tonight, boys!" Atticus interrupted him. "I'm going to purify his body from Thanatos with an injection of Heraclite. The dark veins you see all over his body are dangerous."
The two attendants kept the coffin open while Atticus stooped and injected Victor's body with a vial of black fluid.
Within a minute, the veins began retreating from his skin's surface. Moments later, his entire body looked pristine, except for the gaping cracks. The shovelers watched the scene in awe.
"Sir, how does this work? Is Thanatos like poison to Mr. Damone's body? And Heraclite is the opposite of that?"
Atticus shook his head. "Not at all. Otherwise, we could have saved him through one injection. Thanatos is a plague to his special abilities and his powerful gifts. On the other hand, Heraclite serves as a sponge to his powers."
"Right now, by giving him a dosage of Heraclite, I cleaned out the remnants of his powerful energies. Now, his body is free from Thanatos's grasp. It will decay like any other corpse. Of course, the NWO shall conduct a few important tests for research before we let that happen."
The attendants nodded and leaned over to grab Victor's corpse.
"I half expect him to jump back to life," Atticus said, making them freeze in their tracks. They laughed nervously at the joke. However, the duo also noticed a knowing smile on Atticus' lips. Why did the Tribunal make such an odd comment?
Caesar, aka Victor Damone, the leader of the NWO, was dead, right?
"It's a shame," Atticus went on. "The world's most powerful weapon decommissioned for the sake of ordinary human beings. His parents are dead, and his grandfather will pass away soon. The man's ex-wife betrayed him. What did he have to live for? However, if Victor were still alive, he'd be happy to know that he is already the father of a child from Dr. Sophia Baker. And then, he got Miss Carol Atelier pregnant."
"We will confiscate both children when they reach five years of age," Atticus declared to no one in particular. "They are the property of the New World Order!"
The ground began to tremble, and the wind picked up. "An earthquake?" one of the attendants asked in panic.
"Umm… sir…" the other whimpered. "Something is wrong with the corpse."
Atticus Mars looked into the coffin with a knowing smile. The cracks in Victor's body were glowing. They converged and sealed themselves, making his constitution intact.
"What the hell is going on, sir?"
"You have broken the rules, Victor Damone!" Atticus shouted at the corpse. "The unthinkable! You sowed your seed in two women. The first offspring, Niklaus, is already born! The second is in Carol's womb! Wake up and take responsibility!"
Boom! A shockwave radiated from Victor's body, knocking the two attendants off their feet. It shattered the coffin and flattened the bushes and grass in a fifty-foot radius. Atticus' hood was blown away, but he remained standing.
Gasp! Victor's eyes opened wide, and his body stirred. He abruptly sat up, springing to life!