Times

Olympus, Greece.

Zeus, the king of the gods, silently studied the white sun in his sky whilst he stood on the balcony of his castle.

The door was violently swung open, shattering it.

The Queen of the Gods, Hera, entered and hastily approached Zeus, who was still staring at the sun and ignoring her.

She focused her attention on the sun as she stood next to him on the balcony. They looked at it silently for a short while before Hera turned and reflected.

"You should have felt it. He is, after all, your bastard. Each day that goes by, he gets stronger and stronger. He is different. And if we don't nip him in the bud, he will grow to become the bane."

"The bane of Olympus!"

Zeus looked at her calmly as she continued, cocking her head.

"Yet, even after knowing all of this, You still let him live and let him grow stronger right under our nose. Even more generously, you issued the order for his divine weapons!"

"Are you a blind fool, like our father, Zeus?" Hera roared, pointing at him.

Zeus seized her hand and pulled her toward him. His stormy eyes were glistening with lightning as he leaned closer.

He groaned. "Mind who you are speaking to, woman. I am your King."

"King?" Hera smirked and glared. "Yes, you are indeed the king, whose court is filled with traitors, backstabbers, and bastards."

Slap!

Hera was thrown into the air and slammed into a wall. Divine ichor splattered on the ground.

The Queen of Gods fell to the ground, between the rumbles and debris. Nevertheless, she continued to stare ferociously at the King of Gods while covering her lips with her bloody palm.

In front of her, Zeus materialised and grabbed her chin. Then, he sighed, letting his power heal her.

"You are wrong, my wife," he sighed. "He will not be our bane. And it doesn't matter how strong he grows."

"Fate is on our side."

Hera looked at her husband, her eyes widening, while Zeus lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the bedroom, kissing her.

"Like always, my love, we will triumph."

__________________

The land of the rising sun, the edge of the world. The mortals fervently prayed to the brilliant sun before going about their simple, monotonous lives.

It was meant to be a day just like any other. However, a dense darkness cut through half of the brilliant sky and heralded the coming of night as it emerged from the horizon. And through the dark sky, upon this eternal night, came the grace of the silver moon, burning brightly in an argent glow.

The sky was divided into night and day. The sun and moon were shining brightly together upon the mortal world.

At this moment, whether it was the all-powerful gods or the frail mortals of the land of the rising sun, they looked at the sky in astonishment.

The advent of the sun and moon represented something greater. The Goddess Amaterasu and the God Tsukuyomi were finally meeting after the goddess exiled her brother to the other side of the world.

Amaterasu was seated against a wooden pillar in Isa, the Shinto God realm, and was silently gazing down at a scroll. She was dressed in a pure white kimono dress embroidered with an image of the sun.

She said, indifferently, without bothering to look forward. "Tsukuyomi, which part of 'banishment' don't you understand? And you are breaking the balance with your mere presence."

A swirling path formed in front of her from a blend of deep darkness and a silvery light. A man with long, black hair and all-white eyes emerged from it. A symbol of the crescent moon on his glabella, gleaming in an argent glow.

He was Tsukuyomi, the God of the Moon.

Tsukuyomi approached his sister with a swagger. The sun and moon in the Shinto world were ever closer with each of his steps.

Standing in front of her, ignoring her previous words, he whispered.

"We need to talk…" He waved his hands, and the moonlight converged, forming a projection of Apollo and Artemis. "About them."

Amaterasu finally turned and looked at her brother, breathing out. "There is nothing to talk about."

Tsukuyomi didn't seem to mind her tone, looking into her golden eyes.

He pointed to the projection of Apollo, continuing. "He is going to start a war, Amaterasu. I can already hear the drums through the winds of the eternal night. They whisper, you know, the winds, telling untold secrets and forgotten mysterious."

Amaterasu lightly smiled, as though amused by his last words. But, she clasped her hand behind her back, saying nonchalantly. "I will consider your prophecy, Tsukuyomi."

Tsukuyomi narrowed his white eyes. His serene tone finally changed.

"Sister, don't feign ignorance with me! You know it too. His rising power. He had already forged his divine weapon." He lowered his voice, "He will become our scourge if we don't act first. And you need me for this. You cannot completely kill him alone."

"Tsukuyomi." Amaterasu wisphered, her eyes burning brilliantly in golden flames "I am Amaterasu, the first and only Sky Mother of the Cosmos. I am the ruler of an entire pantheon. If I want help, as a queen, I will know it and I will seek it on my accord."

"Now, leave, Tsukuyomi." She ordered.

Immediately, the reality around Tsukuyomi shimmered and rippled, rejecting and hurling him into swirling darkness. The moon and night across the Shinto world were engulfed by the sun and day.

However, the mirthful voice of Tsukuyomi still lingered in the air.

"You will, sister. You will come to me begging for my help. But it will already be too late…"

Amaterasu looked at the fading swirling darkness silently before looking at the projection of Apollo.

She thought. 'It will never be too late.'

Amaterasu raised her hand, piercing the projection of Apollo, breaking it into particles of sunlight.

'He cannot win against us, my dear brother.'

_________________

Himalayas. The highest point of the world.

Shiva, the Destroyer, meditated on a cold and snowy floor in serenity. Silence shrouded the entire peak.

The tranquillity was suddenly broken. A divine woman materialised directly in front of Shiva, daring to disturb him.

"Husband." She called.

Shiva opened his eyes, though the third eye on his forehead remained closed, looking down at his wife, Parvathi, calmly.

Parvathi said, pointing at the white sun. "Surya is insisting on meeting you. He even went around the orders of Indra."

She sighed, "The situation of the sun is becoming complex. And Surya feels troubled."

Shiva looked at the sky, his voice serene. "I sense the coming of calamity, the coming of destruction unlike anything the universe has ever seen."

"The sun…" Parvathi's heart tightened. "How? It shouldn't be…."

"It is not the sun." Shiva shook his head. "It is him."

Parvathi narrowed her eyes. "Phoebus Apollo. What do we do?"

"We will do nothing." Shiva looked at her calmly.

"What?" Parvathi looked at her husband in shock. "Reconsider, husband. If your previous words are true, then the universe…"

"I have decided." Shiva interrupted. "Parvathi, We will wait and see."

Parvathi sighed, calming down. "I will inform Surya of your will."

Shiva said, looking into her eyes. "This is the best path."

Parvathi nodded heavily. Then, she asked. "What are the other paths?"

Shiva looked at the sun. Then, he closed his eyes, entering mediation, ignoring her question.

Parvathi sighed, walking away into the snowy expanse.

___________

Present. Lemnos Island, Greece.

The silvery moon sparkled with millions of stars in the darkest heavens of the cosmos, showering the island in argent light. As icy gales swept past, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, and Hephaestus sat on sandy ground close to the coast, around the hearth.

The hearth cracked with fire, shining on them. Apollo was passing out wooden glasses loaded with divine wine to all. It was Ambrosia Time.

"You always keep them ready, don't you, brother?" Artemis chuckled as she sipped her wine.

"You will never know." Apollo merely raised his eyebrows.

"You know, it was good." Looking into the hearth, Hephaestus said. "This month. Perhaps the best."

"That's sweet." Athena smiled.

"That's sad." Apollo jested.

"Whatever..." Hephaestus wallowed, drinking the wine. "I was literally thrown off Olympus by my mother, just because she found that I was ugly." He laughed. "Just ugly, you know?"

"Hephaestus …" Apollo smiled. "Stop wallowing. You are not ugly at all. Go out and see the world, and I assure you, women will come crashing towards you."

Hephaestus' laughter got louder, "Apollo, you flatter me too much."

"It is not flatter." Apollo said simply.

"Nothing in the world is perfect, Hephaestus." Athena said. "Not even gods are perfect, as they delude themselves to believe. You're fine the way you are. Don't let her influence you."

Hephaestus immediately smiled, a smile that was not filled with sadness.

Artemis spoke up, boldly saying what Athena had purposefully avoided saying. "Hera is not perfect."

Hephaestus went silent at that, looking at the wine.

"Well…" Apollo smiled. "Enough of the dismal themes for the evening. How about I tell you how I slew the python?"

"You only want to brag about yourself." Artemis groaned.

"I'd like to hear it." Athena abruptly said.

"Athena." Artemis protested.

Hephaestus quickly turned to face Apollo. "Do you still have the python's remaining hide?"

"I do." Apollo gave a nod.

"All right, then, let's hear it." Hephaestus agreed, his face content.

Apollo instantly asked, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "What makes you think I'll give it to you?"

"For making me hear your story." Hephaestus chortled.

Apollo merely rolled his eyes at him and returned his attention to Artemis. "We have the majority, sister."

Artemis exhaled heavily, as if bracing herself for what was going to happen.

"Stop being so dramatic." Apollo said, sipping his wine.

Artemis declared loudly, ignoring his last remarks. "I am ready."

Athena and Hephaestus laughed, as Apollo began, ignoring his sister's antics.

"Where should I even begin? Delphi! Delphi was a wonderful edifice, the pinnacle of art. Even still, this didn't make Delphi stand out as much as fate did. Fate was omnipresent in Delphi. The lingering paths, the gleaming ivory, the moving murals, the soothing music, and the heartfelt statuary. It was everywhere. And the mighty python stood vigil over Delphi, guarding it with all its heart and soul, until Hera, Queen of the Gods, conquered it and made it her pet..."

While passing another cup of wine around, Apollo told them a braided story about him slaying the mighty python. Athena paid close attention. Hephaestus acted distracted. Artemis gulped all the wine in one go while listening to his story.

He proceeded into great detail, weaving facts together. As the story progressed, Athena and Hephaestus interjected frequently, questioning and laughing.

The hearth burned brightly as they laughed and quarrelled beneath the midnight and moonlight.

The golden sun rose as the night gave way to day, propelled by a golden chariot drawn by four white horses, but the helm was empty.

It was the start of a new day, of a new chapter.

____________________

The light of dawn illuminated the extinguished hearth, which was surrounded by numerous empty wooden cups, while the morning coolness of the ocean seeped into the coast.

Hephaestus stood at the edge of the coast, holding Apollo's white spear and Artemis' silver bow.

"The metal." Athena inquired, approaching him with her shining eyes riveted on the weapon. "Strongest? What do you think?"

"Strongest?" Hephaestus sighed and shook his head. "I'm not certain. Adamantine was considered the strongest metal until Odin, the Lord of Asgard, tore it with his bare hands. However, this new metal may be impenetrable. I've always wanted to combine Vibranium and Adamantine. However, their disparate qualities rendered all efforts futile. I was almost convinced it was impossible, until Apollo, the man of miracles arrived."

"That title actually fits you perfectly, brother." Artemis jeered, only to get elbowed by her brother.

Hephaestus went on. "Apollo combined it, creating an entirely new metal..."

"Proto-Adamantine." Apollo revealed. "It is Proto-Adamantine."

Hephaestus raised his brows, while Athena turned and gazed at Apollo, surprised. "Proto? You consider this to be the original form."

"Yes." Apollo gave a nod. "It's just a feeling. Vibranium and Adamantine are broken parts. And I just put it back in the right place to return it to its original form."

Athena listened intently, her eyes gleaming with wonder. However, whether she or Hephaestus, they did not inquire as to how Apollo was able to achieve the fusion.

Hephaestus continued where he had left off.

"Proto-Adamantine formed under the power of our man of miracles. It could very well be invulnerable, but in the end, even if it has flaws, no one can deny they are my greatest creations."

With a sigh of reluctance, he carefully caressed the weapons.

Then, he gave it to Apollo and Artemis, addressing them. "Wield it. It is your symbol of power. It will grow with you and follow you for eternity."

Apollo and Artemis received their divine weapons, solemnly wielding them, while Hephaestus gave the weapons one last glance before returning.

"Will you still not change your mind, Hephaestus?" Seeing this, Athena inquired. She stood with Apollo and Artemis as the waves smashed upon them.

"No, Athena." Hephaestus shook his head emphatically. "I will return to Olympus when I see fit."

Athena nodded lightly, not trying to persuade him again.

Apollo approached Hephaestus, patting his shoulders. "If you face any problems, the doors to Delphi are always open for you."

Apollo continued, his voice only heard by Hephaestus, before Hephaestus could swat his hand away. "Keep this in mind, Hephaestus. Olympus is the domain of Zeus. Nothing escapes his notice."

Hephaestus gave Apollo a long glance before continuing to swat his hands away and responding only to his first words, "Promises. I hate those. But let's see about this. Remember, you still owe me the python's hide."

Without answering, Apollo walked to Artemis and Athena, much to the chagrin of Hephaestus.

Finally, Artemis nodded to Hephaestus, as their figures were bathed in the light of the sun, breaking apart into shimmering golden light particles.

"We will see you in Olympus."

Her voice lingered in the air; the golden particles faded away into obscurity, washed away by cold waves.

Hephaestus looked on in silence, before sighing and walking back to his forge, alone..

________________

An hour later, near Olympus. Apollo entered the woodland. Artemis headed off to pick up her remaining hunters after they returned from Lemnos island. They also received a note from their mother, in which she stated that she would meet us in Delphi. And Athena returned to Zeus to report back. Honestly, he wasn't worried about that.

Apollo moved through massive trees in the midst of the forest, pushing his thoughts aside. He was going to confirm something and also accept his new subordinates.

As he approached the centre, the heavenly music gradually filled the air, making everything bright, literally bright. It was as if someone turned up the brightness on reality, making everything glow with luminescence.

Looking ahead, he walked out the shades, pulling aside the branches and plants. Nine divine women were seated on green grasslands, playing their instruments and drawing inspiration from nature. They were the Muses, who were the sources of all of the arts and of music.

The uplighting melody abruptly ceased. The muses turned to him, noticing his presence. Their eyes were filled with surprise. As Apollo approached, they whispered to each other. Finally, they stood up, and Clio, the muse of history, stepped out to meet Apollo on their behalf.

Clio bowed, delicately lifting the end of her garment. Then she spoke, her voice lullaby-like.

"Greetings, your excellency, Apollo. To what do we owe honour?"

Apollo stood before her, his eyes sweeping over all of them. Then, he said, getting straight to the point.

"I want to become your Patron."

The muses were taken aback, and Clio bowed slightly before returning to the group and discussing his offer with them. Their eyes revealed a wide range of emotions, but one thing was shared by all of them. It was hesitation and wariness.

When Apollo noticed this, he took out his golden lyre, which sparkled brightly in the light. Music is sacred and inviolable to the muses. So there is no better way for him to convince them than through his music.