Lady Hebe had returned to the divine mountain. The fact that Zeus had dispatched Hermes personally to the Underworld to escort her was the subject of endless whispers among the gods. They debated why the relationship between the King and his rebellious daughter had suddenly thawed, but after hours of speculation, they could reach only one conclusion: the King was as mercurial as ever, and the Goddess's now-transcendent status had finally forced even his noble head to bow.
In an instant, Hebe's standing in the hearts of the gods ascended another level. To make the King of Gods yield—if such a feat happened to any of them, they would boast of it for a hundred years.
The banquet celebrating Artemis's acquisition of the Moon Mandate commenced as scheduled. The halls were crowded with deities. As the new Twin Deities of the Sun and Moon, and the future leaders of the Solar faction, nearly every god—regardless of their own alignment—was prepared to grant them face.
The long-secluded Phoebe, Titan of Light, Prophecy, and the New Moon, along with her husband Coeus, the Titan of Darkness and Intellect, had descended upon Olympus to celebrate their granddaughter's triumph. Their daughters, Leto, Goddess of the Dark Night, and Asteria, Goddess of the Starry Night, stood by their parents, welcoming guests with radiant smiles.
Though the banquet was hosted by Zeus in name, everyone understood that the true protagonists today were the members of this Solar lineage.
Leto, usually delicate and soft-spoken—she who had been hounded across the earth by Hera during her pregnancy—was now glowing with pride. It had been her sister Asteria who had sacrificed a portion of her own essence to transform into the island of Delos, providing a sanctuary for the birth of the twins. For this, the Solar Twins held their aunt in the highest regard.
Looking upon the gathered assembly, Leto felt a long-awaited sense of vindication. For years, the scandal of her persecution by Hera had seen her prestige dragged through the dirt. Many had mocked her frailty in secret. Now, Apollo and Artemis had reclaimed her lost glory.
Because Zeus had remained entangled with Leto even after his marriage to Hera, the two goddesses shared a bitter history. While they maintained a civil veneer, they were perpetually locked in a silent competition, using their children as proxies to prove whose lineage was superior.
Leto's obsidian eyes met Hera's magnificent purple gaze across the hall. The air between them crackled with an invisible tension, and through a shared sense of divine will, they engaged in a silent, telepathic argument.
Your Hephaestus is hideous and a cripple!
Your Apollo is a jinx; any woman he loves meets a tragic end!
Your Ares is all brawn and no brains, obsessed only with slaughter!
Your Artemis is stagnant; it took her centuries and her brother's help just to secure a Mandate!
I have Hebe. Hebe, who ascended from a third-tier deity to the Sovereign of the Cycle!
Hera arched a perfectly groomed eyebrow and was the first to look away, her red lips curving into a victorious smile. She took a slow, elegant sip of her wine. Today, the nectar tasted exceptionally sweet.
Defeated in the exchange, Leto felt a surge of frustration. For eons, Hera had always stayed one step ahead of her. Only Leto knew the depth of her own resentment. She had been Zeus's sixth wife—though never formally recognized like Metis—and their passion had been so intense she truly believed the throne of the Queen would be hers.
Then came the news of Zeus's proposal to Hera. He had promised her the very throne Leto craved and offered half the King's Authority as a wedding gift. She had even heard that Hera was initially unwilling, and that Zeus had resorted to a trick—transforming into a rain-soaked cuckoo to win her pity and steal her virtue—forcing her to accept.
In a heartbeat, Leto's youthful dreams had turned into a cruel joke. She couldn't distinguish if she hated Zeus more for his betrayal, or Hera for seizing the happiness that was "meant" to be hers. And so, when Zeus sought her out again later, she had not refused him...
"Mother! Mother!"
Leto snapped back to the present. Her daughter, Artemis, stood before her. The goddess was dressed in her finest today, having traded her hunting leathers for a gown of lunar blue. She wore the Crescent Crown, her silver-grey hair lending her an air of playful elegance beneath the purity of a chaste goddess.
Artemis was undeniably stunning. As a twin of Apollo—the most handsome god on the mountain whose fame often eclipsed Zeus's own—her beauty was peerless. Many male deities watched her with hungry, longing eyes, only to sigh in disappointment at the memory of her vow of eternal virginity. What a waste of such perfection.
"Artemis, my holy and glorious daughter," Leto said, caressing the girl's cheek with maternal affection.
"What were you thinking about, Mother?" With her new lunar perception, Artemis easily noted her mother's distracted state.
"Oh... nothing. I simply heard Zeus sent for Lady Hebe to return. Why have I not seen her yet?"
Leto had only glimpsed the legendary goddess briefly when Hera was trapped on the Golden Throne. At that time, Hebe had still appeared as a youthful maiden, the Goddess of Youth.
"..."
Artemis's eyes dimmed. Hebe again. Why was even her mother focused on Hebe, when today was her celebration? A shadow of resentment flickered in the heart of the Goddess of the Crescent Moon.
"Lady Hebe has arrived!"
"Look! It is the Mistress of the Cycle!"
A collective gasp went through the hall. Hebe, the Goddess of Life and Sovereign of the Cycle, had entered.
She wore a magnificent golden gown that accentuated her statuesque, perfect form. As she walked, the fabric shimmered with a fluid light like a captured galaxy. A necklace of pearls adorned her neck, highlighting its ivory length, while gems sparkled like stars in her golden hair.
The maiden-like appearance of her youth was gone. Having inherited the best traits of both her parents, her features had fully matured into a breathtaking, regal beauty. She looked like an untouchable, exotic bloom, her sheer presence dazing those who looked upon her.
Though she had not intended it, Hebe's arrival completely stole Artemis's spotlight.
Hebe walked straight toward Artemis. Since Zeus had brought her back under the pretext of celebrating the Moon Mandate, she had to offer her congratulations. With a poised smile, Hebe took a golden cup from a passing nymph.
"Holy and vibrant Lady Artemis," Hebe said warmly. "Congratulations on becoming the Goddess of the Crescent Moon. Your radiance shall bring peace to the creatures of the earth."
"I thank you for your blessing, noble Hebe," Artemis replied, forcing a smile as she returned the toast.
Hebe noted the stiffness. It seemed the goddess was still harboring old grudges. To dwell in the past is to lose the future, Hebe thought. Her vision is still too narrow.
Hebe then turned to Leto. "Lady Leto, it is an honor to meet you."
"And I as well, Lady Hebe. Your grace is even more formidable than when we last met," Leto replied, returning the gesture. Regardless of her personal feelings, she could not afford to be dismissive toward the daughter of the King and a Primary Deity.
"I must pay my respects to my parents. I shall not disturb you further." With a polite nod, Hebe turned and left.
Accompanied by Hermes, Hebe approached the thrones of Zeus and Hera and bowed.
"Great King Zeus, Noble Queen Hera—Hebe offers you her highest respects."
"Hebe, my dear daughter," Hera said, her purple eyes overflowing with pride as she watched her daughter command the attention of the room. "You have finally deigned to return from that gloom. You truly have no regard for your mother's longing."
"Hahahaha! Hebe, my dear child," Zeus boomed. "You have toiled much to establish the Cycle for the world. Pray, enjoy the wine and the feast!"
Zeus was both stunned and pleased by Hebe's appearance. He took her choice of dress as a sign of reconciliation—an acceptance of his peaceful overture.
"I thank you for your generosity, Great Father," Hebe replied.
In truth, Hebe had no interest in peace with Zeus; she had only returned because she heard Eros was due to be born soon and wanted to watch the chaos from the front row.
While father and daughter exchanged pleasantries, the Titan Coeus and his wife Phoebe watched from the side.
"Is that Hebe, the youngest daughter of Zeus and Hera?" Coeus asked, his intellectual eyes narrowing as he scanned her. The sheer, surging power beneath her calm exterior made him recoil inwardly. Even among the Titans, few possessed such majesty. "She is indeed extraordinary. Phoebe, after the banquet, tell Apollo and Artemis to reconcile with her immediately. Apollo will likely need her aid in the future."
Compared to Hebe, Coeus felt his grandchildren were still far too untested. A figure like Hebe was someone to be courted, not alienated over petty youthful squabbles.
"I agree," Phoebe nodded. Their family had survived the Titan War thanks to her prophecies and Coeus's foresight. She saw no reason to maintain a feud that was born of nothing more than adolescent pride.
Coeus scanned the room again. "Asteria, my daughter—is Hecate not here today?"
Asteria looked embarrassed. "My wise father, Hecate is... well, you know the Underworld. She is far too busy as the second-in-command of the Dead. She sent her gifts to Artemis's temple ahead of time."
Coeus nodded, satisfied. He held his granddaughter Hecate, the Mistress of Magic and the Moon of the Dead, in high esteem.
"Phoebe, it is time," Coeus whispered. "Artemis is the protagonist, but she needs more than just the Crescent."
They had planned this before arriving. Controlling only a third of the Moon's Primal Essence was not enough. Artemis needed a catalyst to seize the full Mandate, ensuring her ascension to the High Council and securing the Solar faction's dominance.
Phoebe, the Titan of the New Moon, stood and walked to the center of the hall. Despite her age, she remained youthful and exquisite, her eyes holding the depth of eons.
"I, Phoebe, born of ancient radiance and holder of the New Moon, do this day offer my Mandate as a gift to the Goddess of the Crescent Moon—the chaste Artemis!"
A Godhead shaped like a silver hook flared in her hand, emitting a cool, pure light. This surge of lunar power caused both Artemis and Selene to glow with an uncontrollable resonance.
Selene, sitting with Eos, turned pale. A sense of impending doom washed over her.
"My glorious grandmother, I thank you for this grace!" Artemis cried. She stood, knelt before Phoebe, and absorbed the New Moon Godhead.
Her lunar power surged, propelling her to the very peak of the First-Tier rank. Artemis stood, her grey-blue eyes burning with a sudden, fierce resolve. She walked directly to the Full Moon Goddess, Selene.
"Selene of the Full Moon," Artemis declared, her voice echoing through the silence. "We both know the Moon's Primal Essence must be whole. There can be only one Moon Goddess. Under the witness of the omnipresent Laws, I stake my entire Mandate of the Moon and Forest as a wager: I challenge you to a Primal Origin War!"
The hall erupted in an uproar. Even Coeus and Phoebe were stunned by her sudden aggression.
"..."
Selene's grip on her golden cup was so tight the metal buckled and deformed. After a long moment, a cold, elegant smile touched her lips.
"In the name of the Full Moon, under the witness of the Laws... I accept your wager."