Twenty Millions Years Ago. I

"You look distressed, Apollo. Is there something in your mind?" Eris asked with a peering look.

"Not now, Eris." Apollo replied with an irritated tone while turning himself into a flash of light.

Before he could finish the transformation, Eris advised calmly, "I hope you don't do anything you will come to regret later on."

"..." Apollo merely gave her a hopeless glance before disappearing into nothingness.

'Ah, little paragon, you sure have disturbed a peace that lasted for eons. All of this, and you will still not be able to save her as much as I want you to succeed.' Eris murmured to herself as she watched the black flames getting snuffed out bit by bit.

Meanwhile, at the summit of the palace...

"Your lover doesn't know any better." The first ruler shook his head as he addressed the tensed Asna, "I offered him an olive branch, a promise, and he spat on it."