An endless torrent of light arrows submerged Python. The sharp shafts clattered against its iron-hard scales with a rhythmic, metallic din.
"Hiss!"
Attacked from both within and without, Python faltered. An arrow of light from Apollo's golden bow struck its left eye. Divine light detonated within the socket, and purplish-black blood splattered onto the earth, corroding the soil into deep, foul-smelling pits.
"Hiss! Damned Olympian! I shall make you pay ten times over for this today!" The agony in its eye and organs drove Python into a total frenzy. The monster spoke in a human tongue, its voice dripping with primordial malice and bloodlust.
The serpent's massive tail brushed against the earth with a dry, rustling hiss. Abyssal power erupted from its core, causing its body to swell. It crushed the ruins of the temple and leveled the sacred riverbed. A colossal shadow fell over the land as Python looked down at Apollo, who now appeared as insignificant as a fly.
"No, it is using Abyssal magic to devour the Purification and Light within its body. We must end this quickly; do not give it the chance to recover!"
Hebe appeared, clutching her Scepter of Life, her expression grave as she faced the towering serpent.
"Finish it now. Once our divine power is exhausted and it returns to its peak, the two of us will be no match for it!"
Apollo nodded, holding nothing back. Radiant wings of light unfurled from his back as he took to the heavens. He pointed a slender finger toward the sky, summoning the favor of the Laws of Light. In that instant, the sun seemed to blaze with renewed ferocity.
He was borrowing strength from the sun—a birthright of the Son of Light. Apollo's power surged, teetering on the edge of breaking through the peak of the first tier. Yet that final sliver of difference remained an insurmountable chasm.
Apollo drew his golden bow once more. As a deity masterfully skilled in archery, the bow remained his most lethal instrument. Light condensed at his fingertips, forming a shaft of infinite heat and brilliance that shrieked toward Python.
"Hiss!"
Python roared. Abyssal power solidified before it, forming a shield of shimmering dark light that blocked Apollo's divine strike.
"Abyssal Magic: Withering Light!"
A beam of dark energy erupted from Python's remaining right eye. It carried the absolute essence of death and destruction; where it passed, rivers dried, and every blade of grass turned to ash.
The magic of a Major God-level beast was incredibly fast. Apollo beat his wings, twisting his body to evade, but the beam grazed his right shoulder. The wound blackened instantly as the power of the curse spread. Gritting his teeth, Apollo clutched his shoulder, using his Light to suppress the encroaching corruption.
"Benediction of Life! Anthem of Youth!"
Hebe's Scepter of Life erupted with light as she chanted the incantations. A burst of divine life magic washed over Apollo, purging the Abyssal energy and sealing the wound. The Anthem of Youth restored his vitality, ensuring he remained at his absolute peak for the duration of the conflict.
Apollo nodded to Hebe in silent thanks, his sky-blue eyes fixed on the gargantuan serpent with murderous resolve.
"Divine Light: Sight Seizure!"
As the Son of Light, Apollo possessed a command over brilliance nearly equal to that of Helios. While Theia, the goddess of sight, was not his direct kin, Apollo had derived this spell from the Laws of Light. It allowed him to shield all light from a creature's perception, plunging them into absolute blindness—a feat similar to Theia's own power of Sight Deprivation.
The golden-haired god cast the spell, and Python's world instantly went black.
Stripped of its sight, the serpent thrashed its head in agitation, flickering its massive tongue to sense heat and movement to locate its foes. Hebe quickly cast a shroud of Ice power over herself and Apollo, masking their thermal signatures.
Now!
Apollo focused his intent and drew his bow. A rain of golden arrows fell like a localized storm, aimed at the "seven-inch" mark on Python's underbelly—the universal weakness of serpents, where the scales were less resilient than the armor on its back.
"Hiss!"
Unexpectedly, Python seemed to sense the danger. It ducked low, pressing its belly against the earth. The light arrows were caught by its dorsal scales, failing to inflict significant damage.
"Strike its belly! That is the weakness!"
Though Python had blocked the volley, it had confirmed its vulnerability to its enemies.
"Hebe, can you find a way to restrain its movements?" Apollo asked. If he could force Python to expose its underside, he was certain he could deliver a killing blow.
"Understood..."
Hebe yielded no further restraint. The Scepter of Life hovered before her, the gemstone at its apex glowing with a light that rivaled the sun. A torrent of Life power, vast as the ocean, erupted and flooded the surroundings.
An ethereal, holy choir seemed to resonate through the air. The sacred, gentle aura swept across the ruins, purging the lingering scent of death. Verdancy burst from the soil—flowers, jade grasses, vines, and massive trees sprouted and grew at a maddening pace.
"Domain of Life!"
A Domain was the manifestation of a deity's mastery over the rules. The deeper the understanding, the more powerful the Domain. Apollo's eyes flashed with surprise. How long has she held the Life Godhood? To be able to manifest a Domain already...
Countless vines, empowered by the Life current, surged toward the prostrate Python like a tidal wave. They coiled, constricted, and forcibly hoisted the massive serpent into the air in one fluid motion. The absolute purity of Hebe's Domain exerted a temporary suppression over the beast, leaving it momentarily powerless.
The vines formed a living cage, binding the monster so tightly it could not move a single muscle.
"Apollo! Now! While it's pinned!"
Beads of sweat formed on Hebe's brow. Maintaining a Domain of Life was a staggering burden at her current level; she could hold it for only a few minutes. But a few minutes were all that was required.
"Light, Brilliance, Flame, Radiance, Sharpness, Incineration, Purification, Destruction..."
The bow was drawn to a full moon. The stature of the handsome golden god swelled, transforming him into a ten-meter-tall titan. Divine words spilled from his lips, and the Laws of Light coalesced into sacred runes, weaving together into a gargantuan arrow. The terrifying destructive energy within the shaft filled Python with primal fear, causing it to thrash violently in a desperate attempt to flee.
Shhh-boom!
The arrow of light trailed a magnificent tail of fire as it tore through Python's heart. Ichor gushed forth, and the serpent's struggles slowly ceased. The vines dissipated, and the colossal body of the Abyssal Serpent slumped onto the earth. The Major God-level beast was no more.
The impact of its fall shook the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
Hebe retracted her Domain. Her scepter emitted a soft white glow, silently replenishing her spent divine power. With a wave of her hand, she condensed Purification energy into a blade. With a sharp flick, she sliced open Python's belly from the site of the wound.
From the serpent's gut tumbled numerous corpses—the Nymphs and priests it had devoured—and the broken body of a white serpent, Delphyna, the guardian beast. The victims had been corroded by the monster's gastric juices; not a single body was whole. The scene was one of harrowing tragedy.
Hebe's heart softened with pity. She let out a long sigh, and her scepter released a brilliant silver radiance.
"Innocent souls, sacrificed in defense of the Mother of All Gods... you are worthy of divine reward. In the name of the Goddess of Life, I bestow upon you eternal glory."
As she spoke, the silver light washed over the bodies, purging the Abyssal corruption. Their forms dissolved into a shimmering mist of starlight that drifted upward, accompanied by the faint sound of a celestial hymn. Delphyna's form was carried into the heavens, coalescing into a new, radiant constellation: Serpens. Around it, the stars of the priests and Nymphs gathered like a protective ring.
Our thanks for your mercy, Great Goddess...
Countless whispers seemed to brush against Hebe's ears—the gratitude of those she had liberated. High in the sky, the constellation of Serpens pulsed with light. A brilliant meteor with a pale blue tail detached from the stars and fell into Hebe's hand.
When the light faded, a plain stone tablet lay in her palm. Upon it were the familiar runes: "Know Thyself," "Nothing in Excess," and "A Pledge Leads to Pain." It was the Delphic Oracle.
To hold the Oracle was to be the master of the Temple of Delphi. This was the final gift from Delphyna and the others to the goddess who had granted them immortality among the stars.
Apollo's expression soured. His primary motivation for hunting Python had been to seize control of the temple and spread his faith. Now, Hebe held the key. After the battle, the female disguise, and the sacrifice of his dignity, he had ended up as her hired laborer. This was a result he could not accept.
"..."
Apollo took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress his rage. He needed the Delphic Oracle. But a forced seizure was out of the question; the final shot had consumed a massive amount of his energy. Unlike Hebe, he lacked the "regeneration cheat" of the Life Godhood and the Scepter. Victory in a direct confrontation was not guaranteed.
"Lady Hebe, I assume Hermes informed you of my purpose here. The Delphic Oracle is vital to me. Might you be willing to part with it?" Apollo managed a strained smile. Knowing their history, he was prepared for a steep price.
"Oh? And what does my Lord intend to offer in exchange for an artifact as precious as the Delphic Oracle?" Hebe arched an eyebrow, offering no terms of her own. She knew his desperation and waited for him to bid against himself.
"...I am willing to grant you half of all the Faith of Light generated over the next hundred years." Apollo felt a physical pang of loss as he spoke. He was the destined Sun God; through his gift of prophecy, he saw himself ascending the solar throne soon. The sun was inextricably linked to all life, making it the easiest source of faith. Half of that was a staggering sum.
Hebe was surprised by his decisiveness. However, since she did not intend to rely on faith for her primary ascension, the offer held little allure. She was already the creator of the new humanity; her own temples were filled daily with devotees.
"An enticing offer, My Lord," Hebe feigned interest before shaking her head with regret. "But that is not what I seek."
"Then what do you want?" Apollo's eyes flared with annoyance. In his view, half his faith was the highest possible price. He found this goddess, despite her pure appearance, to be insatiably greedy.
"Even the pure Son of Light has his shadows. I have heard you possess a Plague Godhood," Hebe stated. "Furthermore, Light records the passage of all things. I find the Godhood of History derived from it to be quite intriguing."
"If you transfer these two Godhoods to me, the Delphic Oracle is yours. Additionally, I wish to borrow Night's Veil for a time. In return, I shall give you a promise: when the time comes for you to seize the sovereignty of the Sun, I shall lend you my aid."
Hebe's words left Apollo stunned. She knew about his future plans? Who told her? Prometheus? And why borrow Night's Veil? What was she planning?
Suppressing his suspicion, Apollo weighed the offer. The History Godhood was a minor thing to him—nearly useless. The Plague Godhood, however, though only second-tier, was a potent weapon. Letting it go was painful.
"...Fine! It shall be as you say." Apollo gritted his teeth. Relinquishing the two Godhoods saved him a century of faith and secured a powerful ally for his future coup. Despite their past, he had to admit that this rapidly ascending goddess now wielded significant influence on the mountain.
Apollo pressed a hand against his chest, and his heart radiated golden light. When he withdrew his hand, two Godhoods hovered in his palm. One was as black as obsidian, flickering with a sinister, dark light—the Plague Godhood. The other was transparent, filled with what looked like shifting sands of gold, recording the events of the world—the History Godhood.
"I swear by the River Styx: I shall trade the Godhood of Plague and the Godhood of History to Hebe, Goddess of Life, in exchange for the Delphic Oracle."
The golden-haired goddess smiled.
"With the River Styx as witness, I accept the transaction."