The news of Artemis officially securing the Mandate of the Moon reached Hebe in the Underworld. Silimos, the Goddess of Hibernation, had relayed the report through the snowflake necklace left by her mistress.
Hebe nodded upon receiving the message but gave it little further thought. It was only a matter of time before Artemis seized the Moon's Primal Essence. If Zeus wished to solidify his absolute rule over Olympus, such a vital Authority could not remain in the hands of Selene.
Selene's parents—Hyperion, the Father of Light, and Theia, the Goddess of Sight—were among the twelve ancient Titans who had supported Cronus. Following their defeat, they had been cast into Tartarus alongside their fallen King. Zeus, naturally, preferred to entrust such a cornerstone of power to his own blood, Artemis, rather than the daughter of his enemies.
Hebe's relationship with Selene was indifferent at best, and Eos had previously been insolent toward her. She felt no "Saint-like" urge to meddle in their misfortune.
However, Hebe reflected on the legends of her past life. Without her presence as a variable, both Artemis and Hermes would have eventually secured seats on the High Council. Now that she occupied one, the final seat would be a direct contest between the two of them.
Currently, Artemis held the advantage. Her three domains—the Moon, the Forest, and the Hunt—were deeply intertwined with human survival. Whether it was the moon providing light and direction at night, the forest offering fruits, medicine, and timber, or the hunt providing the primary source of meat, each office generated a vast amount of Faith. With such momentum, it would take Artemis barely a decade to break through to the rank of a Primary Deity.
Yet, one could not underestimate Hermes. Though his role as the Guide of Souls seemed like a grueling chore, the benefits were clear: every soul guided was a service to the World, earning him a sliver of the World's favor. Individually, these favors were negligible, but "sand grains build a pagoda"—in time, they would form a mountain of merit.
Furthermore, Hermes held other, more insidious Godheads: Commerce, Travel, Deception, and the protection of those who overstep moral and legal boundaries. Currently, these were stagnant because the souls created by Prometheus were too noble. But the Master of Thunder had already planted the seeds of corruption. The day Pandora opened her box, the dark facets of humanity would be unleashed as a curse upon every generation. As those shadows spread, Hermes's Godheads would swell with unprecedented power.
As humans procreated and moral transgressions increased, they would flock to the God of Deception. It was entirely possible that the Messenger of the Gods would reach the High Council rank to challenge his half-sister for the final seat. Hebe wondered what face Apollo would make when his "dear brother" turned on his own sister for the sake of power.
The spectacle will be delicious, Hebe thought, acknowledging her own touch of wicked humor.
The Grand Ritual of Reincarnation
The time for idle thought ended as the work in the Underworld reached its zenith.
Following the alliance with Nyx, Erebus had returned from Tartarus clutching a massive orb of Space Essence—a significant portion torn from the imprisoned Cronus. The God of Deepest Shadow, with his ink-black hair and eyes, handed the essence to Hebe as if it were a triviality. Hebe weighed the orb, her lip twitching. Lords Erebus and Tartarus certainly didn't hold back; I wonder how much of Cronus's foundation is left...
Regardless of the Titan King's misery, it was a windfall for Hebe. There would be essence left over after carving the runes on the Archway, and she had no intention of returning the surplus.
A month passed in a heartbeat. On the day of the ritual, the Underworld deities ceased all work. Hypnos spread his white wings, casting a veil of divine drowsiness over the realm to ensure the wandering spirits remained in a deep slumber, preventing any interference.
For the first time, all four Primordials gathered in the gloom. Even the mysterious Tartarus—the Personification of the Abyss and the dark side of the Earth—was present to bear witness.
Tartarus was striking: tall and lean, with hair, eyes, and even lips of a singular, haunting violet. Combined with skin as pale as fine porcelain, he exuded an avant-garde, world-weary beauty. His expression was one of bored indifference, possessing the nihilistic elegance of one who found the very act of existence tedious.
"The gods are gathered. Let us begin," Nyx declared from her throne. She turned to Gaia. "Gaia, my prosperous sister—pray, commune with the World's Will and state our intent."
The Mother of All nodded. Her eyes, green as an ancient forest, flared with divine light. A rhythmic vibration radiated from her form. In an instant, a colossal, invisible Will descended upon the Underworld. The assembled deities felt a staggering pressure; it was their first time facing the World Will so directly. In the face of that vast, boundless majesty, they felt like mere specks of dust.
"Kaos, my omnipotent and omnipresent Father—your daughter, Gaia, Mother of All, presents the decision to establish Reincarnation for this world," the goddess spoke in God-Words. "May your Will bear witness and grant your blessing upon this Great Work."
The void hummed. The lesser gods did not understand the response, but the expressions of the Primordials relaxed into satisfied smiles.
"Gods of the Mandate!" Gaia commanded. "In the presence of the World Will, declare your Authority and your Duty!"
High on Mount Olympus, Hermes suddenly bolted upright. Driven by an irresistible impulse, he proclaimed: "In the name of Hermes, Messenger of the Gods! Souls of the earth, under the guidance of the winged helm, proceed to the mysterious Mount Pargos. There, you shall begin the next journey of your existence!"
The Godhead of the Psychopomp crystallized within him, his power surging with the potential of an imminent breakthrough.
At the entrance of the Underworld, Cerberus, the three-headed hound, stood tall. 'I am Cerberus, son of Typhon and Echidna! With every fiber of my being, I guard the entrance! Souls shall enter under my gaze—and any who dare attempt to flee their judgment shall face my fangs and my venom!'
A Godhead of Gates and Eyes merged into the beast, and the Laws acknowledged its status as the Guardian of the Threshold.
Upon the grey Acheron, the Stygian bridge manifested. Charon, arrayed in formal divine robes, stood at the gate. He held his original Ferryman Godhead in his palm.
"In the name of the son of Erebus and Nyx! The indestructible Bridge of the Underworld is raised. The Ferryman is no more; in his place stands Charon, Guardian of the Bridge! All who cross must pay the toll. Mortals, keep a final silver coin for yourselves; it is the price of your passage!"
His Godhead flared, the phantom of the boat transforming into the bridge and a silver coin. Charon absorbed it, visibly trembling with joy. Finally, he was free from the rowing. No longer would he fear the weight of a soul sinking his fragile skiff.
"Souls of the threshold," Phagos and Hecate declared in unison. "In the name of the Sun and Moon of the Dead, our light shall guide your path and lead you through the journey ahead!" Each received a Godhead of the Underworld Guide.
"The Temple of Hades shall be the first station," Hades proclaimed. "All who enter are my subjects. Every deed and name shall be recorded here!" A Godhead of Registry and Census was born within him, and the World Will bestowed upon him two artifacts: a Fountain Pen of Infinite Ink and a Golden Scroll of Endless Names.
"Heirs of the Earth," Themis declared, raising her Golden Scales. "Your kindness shall be remembered, and your atrocities shall not be forgotten. I, Themis, Goddess of Law, shall weigh your lives with absolute justice. Watch your deeds, for all face the final judgment!"
The Godhead of the Judge of the Dead took its place. The Golden Scales detached from her hand and hung suspended in the center of her temple, exuding a power that made corruption impossible.
Then, the children of Nyx—Misery, Pain, Slander, and Discord—stepped forward before the new "Hell." "The guilty, burdened by their sins, are forfeit of rebirth! You shall endure the punishments of the gods in these depths! Only through pain and tears shall your stains be purged!" The Godhead of the Inferno was shared among them.
"Gentle and innocent souls," Mnemosyne spoke within her hall. "The weight of memory is too heavy. Come to the Hall of Oblivion. Drink from the sacred Trele Spring (Lethe); it shall wash away the dust of your past and allow you to embrace your original self once more." A pure white Godhead of the Soul-Washer appeared before her.
The process was nearly complete. The gods held their breath, turning their eyes toward the golden-haired goddess and her dark-haired half-body.
"Souls who have finished the journey of death, hear my whisper," Hebe began. "Death is not the end, but a beginning. Restored to purity, you have earned the right to return. Come to the Temple of the Cycle! Step into the Archway of Radiance! Your Fire of Life shall be reignited as you bid farewell to the past and descend once more to the world you love! In the name of the Goddess of Life, the Cycle is established!"
The massive Archway of Reincarnation erupted from the stone. Crafted from Stygian rock from the deepest pits of Tartarus, it glowed with a haunting violet light, inscribed with silver space-runes. A swirling vortex of light formed within the arch.
'Phagos.'
Hebe gave her half-body a sharp look. The dark-haired deity nodded and produced the Seed of Miracles. He surged his death-energy into it. Under that catalyst, the seed erupted into the Resurrection Grass. Its golden, leafless vines climbed the Archway, blooming with long-petaled blue lotuses that shimmered with divine elegance.
Phagos cast the grass into the stone. It merged with the Archway, turning the vortex into a brilliant gold-and-blue light. The Gate of Transmigration was complete.
The World Will hummed with a resonance of absolute joy. From the void, a singular, black-and-white Godhead manifested. It was a miracle of logic—two conflicting powers of life and death, harmonized into one.
Hebe's Godhead of Resurrection flew out of her chest and merged with the phantom. The Godhead of Reincarnation solidified, glowing with a binary radiance. Hebe seized it and pulled it into her core.
Her divine rank skyrocketed, surging through the levels of Primary power until it reached the absolute peak, held back only by the ultimate barrier to the Primordial rank. The majesty of the Cycle radiated from her, forcing every god present to look up in awe.
"To welcome death and bestow new life," Hebe declared, her voice echoing through the foundations of the world. "In the name of Hebe, Reincarnation shall acknowledge me as its Sovereign!"