The Celestial Court darkened without warning.
Light dimmed. Time slowed. The stars above the throne flickered as if uncertain whether they should remain. When the Bell of Balance rang once, its sound rippled through every realm—Heaven, Earth, and Hell alike.
Hestia felt it in her bones.
She stopped mid-step, her wings stiffening as a sudden heaviness settled in the air. Around her, other Cupids fell silent. No one moved. No one breathed.
The Bell had called her.
"Hestia."
The voice was calm, female, and absolute.
Hestia stepped forward and knelt before the Throne of Balance. Upon it sat the Goddess—ancient beyond memory, neither cruel nor kind, but fair in a way that frightened even immortals. Her eyes held the knowledge of every law ever written between realms.
"My Lady," Hestia said, bowing her head.
"You know why you are here," the Goddess replied.
With a single motion of her hand, the air before the throne tore open like a veil. Visions poured forth—human cities glowing at night, laughter in crowded streets, love blooming quietly in hidden corners.
Then the vision shifted.
Arguments without cause. Trust unraveling. Hearts pulled toward emotions they did not understand.
"This disturbance," the Goddess said, "is not accidental."
Hestia studied the images closely. "This feels deliberate."
"It is."
The vision narrowed, focusing on one figure walking among humans. Tall. Calm. Perfectly composed. He moved through crowds as though he belonged there, yet the shadows around him bent unnaturally toward his presence.
Hestia's breath slowed. "A demon."
"Yes," the Goddess said. "Not just any demon."
The shadows parted, revealing burning sigils beneath the man's human form—ancient symbols of authority.
"He is a Prince of Hell," the Goddess continued. "He travels freely between realms by right of his crown. He is not exiled. He is not breaking any law."
Hestia looked up sharply. "Then why summon me?"
"Because his presence alone alters the human world," the Goddess said. "He does not attack. He does not destroy. He influences. Where he walks, emotions deepen. Desire intensifies. Love becomes dangerous."
Hestia clenched her fists. "Is this his intention?"
The Goddess's gaze sharpened. "That is what you must discover."
Silence stretched between them.
"You will go to the human world," the Goddess said. "Not as punishment. Not in disguise. As yourself."
Hestia's wings stirred in surprise. "I will remember who I am?"
"You must," the Goddess replied. "This task requires judgment, not confusion."
No seals appeared. No bindings formed.
"You will observe the Prince of Hell," the Goddess continued. "You will ensure balance is not broken. You will not interfere unless the laws are threatened."
"And if he challenges the laws?" Hestia asked.
"Then you will act."
The Goddess rose from her throne, her presence pressing against the court like a storm held still.
"But be warned, Hestia," she said softly. "He is not reckless. He is not cruel. And that is what makes him dangerous."
The floor beneath Hestia began to glow—not as a prison, but as a gateway.
As the light wrapped around her, the Goddess spoke one final truth:
> "Do not mistake authority for evil,
nor purity for wisdom.
In the human world, even immortals may be tested.
The light surged.
And Hestia descended—
fully aware, fully herself—
into the human world.