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Short filmTranscript
00:00In five years of our divine union, every time my husband left Olympus to be with his mortal first love,
00:07he would dedicate a marble temple in my name.
00:10This time, he smiled as he signed the deed for the 100th sanctuary, promising to take me to see a
00:18meteor shower upon his return, but I didn't tell him.
00:22The parchment he just signed wasn't a temple deed. It was the decree of severance woven by the fates, our
00:29divine divorce decree.
00:31In the Grand Hall, my husband Ariston's golden eyes remained fixed on the magical waters.
00:38The scrying pool was broadcasting visions of his mortal first love, Calliope, returning from across the Aegean Sea.
00:46He didn't look away, even as he took the temple deed I handed him and casually signed it with his
00:52divine essence.
00:53The sanctuary by the Aegean Sea was a domain that no amount of mortal gold or divine favors could buy.
01:01Yet, it held no importance in Ariston's heart.
01:05Just like me equally worthless to this high god.
01:08The vision in the pool faded, and Ariston, now in high spirits, twirled the golden quill in his hand.
01:16He handed the parchment back to me and teased.
01:21I've transferred 100 sanctuaries to you by now, haven't I?
01:24You're quite the wealthy little goddess.
01:26I stood before him, offering a simple nod.
01:31The sanctuary by the Aegeanian, has a beautiful sea view.
01:35I like it very much.
01:36In our five years of marriage, he abandoned me countless times to keep his mortal love company.
01:43Eventually, it became a routine.
01:46He would actively hand me a temple rite before leaving to find Calliope.
01:51From the first one, all the way to the 99th.
01:54Back then, Ariston had pursued me across the realms, and I rejected him 99 times.
02:01For the sake of fairness, I made a silent vow.
02:05Since I rejected him 99 times before marriage, I would forgive him exactly 99 times after.
02:13But now, the count is exactly 100.
02:16Ariston, after today, I will never have to forgive you again.
02:23Thinking of this, a peaceful smile touched my lips.
02:27Caught off guard by my reaction, Ariston froze, then guiltily averted his gaze.
02:32He offered,
02:34Wait for my return.
02:37I'll take you to see the meteor shower.
02:39In the past, even a shred of such softness would have fueled my delusional hope of winning him back.
02:46I would have wept, begged at his feet, and ultimately drowned in despair.
02:51Because Ariston would always pry my clinging fingers open one by one, dropping a single, icy word as he walked
02:57away.
02:58Madwoman.
02:59Fortunately, I had already played the Madwoman 99 times.
03:03And my quota of 100 was finally full.
03:06There was no longer any need to sustain this pathetic self-deception.
03:10Because, slipped between the stacks of property scrolls I had just handed him, I had secretly tucked the decree of
03:16severance.
03:17In 30 days, we would become absolute strangers.
03:21For the past five days, the whispering winds of Zephyrus had been carrying endless tailies of my husband's romantic escapades.
03:28By day, he and Calliope fed the sacred doves in the squares of Athens.
03:33By night, they watched the celestial barges from the apex of the Sun Temple.
03:37As for the promise he made to me, it had likely vanished from his mind the moment he stepped out
03:42of my sanctuary.
03:45Suddenly, a stray gust of wind swept into the silent hall, carrying a desperate whisper from Ariston's attendant.
03:52My lady, please don't forget the meteor shower at the promontile of Eros at the eighth hour.
03:58If I fail to ensure your arrival, Lord Ariston will cast me into the abyss of Tartarus.
04:05In the five years I'd been married to Ariston, this attendant was the only soul who ever called me my
04:11lady.
04:12Aside from Queen Hera, he was the soul keeper of our secret union.
04:16Not wanting to condemn the loyal servant, I agreed.
04:20But as I summoned my pegasus-drawn chariot and set off for the promontory, a wave of bitter nostalgia washed
04:26over me.
04:26Five years ago, right after we were first bound, Ariston had prepared a secret meteor shower for me and back
04:33then.
04:33It was this exact attendant who had quietly tipped me off.
04:37Now, five years later, retracing the exact same path to the same sacred cliff.
04:42My heart, however, was a barren wasteland.
04:46By the time I reached the promontory, the cliffs were swarming.
04:49Nymphs, satyrs, and mortals jostled for space.
04:54Even the divine scribes of Mount Helicon hovered in the air, golden scrolls at the ready.
05:01Glancing at the constellations, I saw it was nearly the eighth hour.
05:05A voice cut through the crowd.
05:07The celestial shower is about to begin!
05:11Lord Aras summoned this spectacle for his lady.
05:14We're just lucky enough to witness it.
05:17I froze.
05:18In Olympus, Ariston had always maintained the facade of an unbound god.
05:22The lady they were praising certainly wasn't me.
05:25It could only be her.
05:27I knew the best vantage point for the falling stars was the northernmost peak of the promontory.
05:32Since the fates had brought me this far, I would witness this farce to the end.
05:36But the throng was overwhelmingly dense.
05:39Swept up in a sea of nymphs and mortals, I was shoved relentlessly toward the very front of the sacred
05:45steps.
05:45And there, I finally saw Ariston.
05:48He stood at the altar's edge, holding Calliope tightly against his chest.
05:53Above them, meteors began to ignite one after another, tearing across the night sky in a blinding display of divine
05:59fire.
06:00I listened to the deafening roar of shattering stars ringing in my ears.
06:04Yet, piercing through the clamor of the boiling crowd in the burning heavens,
06:09I heard Ariston's heartfelt confession to Calliope.
06:12A divine scribe thrust a glowing scroll before Calliope, asking,
06:16My lady, what is your answer?
06:19Ariston gently grasped her shoulders, his golden eyes brimming with breathless anticipation.
06:25Calliope shyly rested her fingers on the scroll.
06:28She had just parted her lips to speak.
06:30When Ariston's gaze shifted, and his eyes slammed violently into mine.
06:36Ariston froze.
06:38The name slipped from his lips like a breathless gasp.
06:42Allura.
06:43In that instant, the promontory of Eros fell deathly silent.
06:48Even the deafening roar of the burning stars seemed to muffle into nothingness.
06:52All eyes shifted from the celestial spectacle to meet the solitary goddess he was staring at.
06:58Calliope's smile faltered.
06:59She looked at me, her brow furrowing slightly, and asked him,
07:03Who is this?
07:05Ariston's golden eyes darted in panic, scrambling for a lie that would appease his mortal lover without incurring Hera's wrath.
07:12I offered a flawless, hollow smile, meeting the gaze of the crowd.
07:16My name is Allura.
07:19And I am Lord Ariston's.
07:21Ariston took a panicked step forward to silence me, but the word that dropped from my lips was.
07:27Cousin.
07:27As the lie hung in the air, my nails, which had been digging painfully into my palms, slowly relaxed.
07:34Queen Harry sent me to see if my future sister-in-law is truly as beautiful as they say.
07:41Pardon my intrusion.
07:43A visible wave of relief washed over Ariston's face, and he offered me a deeply satisfied nod.
07:49He had never wanted to acknowledge me publicly.
07:51The crisis averted.
07:53The celestial shower resumed its glory, and the crowd turned their backs on me.
07:59A sudden, torrential deluge crashed down upon the promontory.
08:04Ariston panicked.
08:05He ruthlessly shoved his way through the crowd of immortals.
08:08Make way!
08:10Kaliapa is a fragile mortal!
08:12She cannot endure the celestial storm!
08:15He hastily stripped off his divine cloak, wrapping it tightly around her as he desperately hurried her into his golden
08:21chariot.
08:21He didn't look back once, leaving me entirely abandoned on the sacrificial steps.
08:26The rain of the gods was biting, piercing my skin like icing needles, yet I felt no chill.
08:32Returning to our grand sanctuary, I stepped into the thermal springs of Hephaestus to wash away the lingering dampness.
08:39When I emerged, Ariston was waiting in the main hall.
08:42He hesitated, a flicker of guilt in his eyes, before offering an absurd word of gratitude.
08:48Thank you, for saving me from that scandal tonight.
08:52Our union is bound it, after all.
08:55If you had exposed the truth there, the shock would have completely broken Kaliapa.
09:00He then tossed me another empty vow.
09:04Soon, I will find the right time to announce our marriage to the Pantheon.
09:09I looked at him, feeling absolutely nothing.
09:12I didn't bother reminding him that soon, there would be nothing left to announce.
09:16Our marriage was drawing its final breath.
09:19It was far better to let it rot in the dark, as if it had never existed at all.
09:23That would be the truest mercy for us both.
09:28Almost as an afterthought, he put on a mask of husbandly concern.
09:32By the way, what brought you to the Promeththill tonight?
09:38I let a faint smile touch my lips, staring at him in a prolonged, deafening silence.
09:43Only when his golden eyes began to shift guiltily did I finally answer.
09:47Your attendant, Sprite, delivered your invitation.
09:51The realization struck him like a physical blow.
09:55The meteor shower was the very spectacle he had promised to me.
09:58Yet, utterly blinded by his infatuation with Calliope, he had wiped the vow entirely from his mind.
10:05I'm sorry, Alara.
10:07Next week...
10:08No, next week won't work.
10:09I have divine duties in Therga.
10:11Next moon...
10:13I promise...
10:14I will make it up to you.
10:16I offered a non-committal shake of my head.
10:19We'll see.
10:21Mistaking my apathy for obedience,
10:23Ariston breathed a sigh of relief and drew me into his arms.
10:27Never before had the embrace of a sun god felt so suffocatingly cold.
10:31He departed for Thrace the following dawn, just as he claimed.
10:35Except, he didn't go alone.
10:38Calliope rode beside him in his golden chariot.
10:40Between his so-called divine duties, they wandered through the forgotten vaults of ancient titans.
10:46They even dined in the blimey,
10:48smoke-filled mortal taverns along the fishing port's places he had vehemently refused to step foot in with me.
10:53For a high god to consume the meagle scripts of mortals is an insult to my divinity.
11:00He had once sneered at me, yet, before Calliope, Ariston possessed no divinity, no pride.
11:06He willingly stripped himself of his godhood, reducing himself to a mortal fool desperately in love with his muse.
11:14Three days left on the countdown.
11:17Ariston finally returned to Olympus.
11:19During the two weeks he was away in Thrace, I hadn't summoned him through the ethereal winds even once.
11:25Standing in the center of our spotless marble sanctuary,
11:29he seemed to suddenly realize the silent labor I had poured into our five-year union.
11:33He sighed softly.
11:34My sweet Allara, you've worked so hard.
11:38It had been countless cycles of the moon.
11:40I couldn't even remember the last time he had uttered those affectionate words.
11:44I was planning to conjure the celestial fire for you the day after tomorrow,
11:48but Zeus has commanded silence in the heavens recently.
11:52It was a flimsy lie I could see right through him.
11:55He simply didn't want to grant me the meteor shower anymore.
11:58Calliope must have wept, or demanded that the spectacle remain uniquely hers.
12:03Forget it then, I replied, my voice perfectly flat.
12:07Ariston froze.
12:09He studied my face, searching for a trace of the storm he expected.
12:13You...
12:15You truly don't mind?
12:17Had this been the past, I would have unleashed the wrath of a mad fury.
12:21I would have screamed, cursing him for shattering the sacred vows he swore upon the river Styx.
12:26But now, his empty promises held no weight in my heart.
12:30They are just falling rocks of light.
12:34It matters little if I see them or not.
12:37The silence between us stretched out, heavy and uncomfortable.
12:40Finally, Ariston spoke again, eager to placate me.
12:44Then, the day after tomorrow, I shall accompany you to the Aegean Sanctuary.
12:51I've heard the mortals will set luminous lotus adrift on the waters that night.
12:57The view from your new temple will be breathtaking.
13:03I glanced at the celestial calendar etched in the stars.
13:07It showed that the day after tomorrow was the festival of Hera, the sacred day of eternal
13:12devotion.
13:13On such a sacred night, would he truly come to see me?
13:16He was merely placating me.
13:18Are you certain?
13:20I asked smoothly.
13:22Won't Calliapa need your company on that day?
13:25Ariston's expression stiffened for a second.
13:27Then, he offered.
13:29I've devoted enough time to her lately.
13:31It is only right that I spend the festival with my immortal wife.
13:35He couldn't meet my eyes.
13:37His golden gaze shifted away.
13:39Unable to bear the weight of his own lie, I didn't pierce his fragile illusion.
13:43I simply nodded, playing my part in this final act of our tragedy.
13:47Fitting, really.
13:48The day celebrating eternal love would be the exact day our soul bond shattered into dust.
13:54Quite a memorable anniversary.
13:56The countdown dropped to one single day.
13:58For the past two suns, Ariston hadn't shown his face in my sanctuary at all.
14:03He remained glued to Calliope's side, likely soothing the endless insecurities of her mortal
14:08heart.
14:09Yet, strangely, every night he would send his voice riding on the evening zephyrs, sharing
14:15mundane fragments of his day with me.
14:17Idle gossip from the Olympian courts, a stray pegasus foal he spotted in the clouds, or a
14:22foolish riddle posed by the sphinx.
14:24For a fleeting moment, we sounded like a normal couple living apart, exchanging the boring,
14:30intimate trifles of daily life.
14:32Yet, in five years of our divine marriage, Ariston had never once shared his life with me like
14:37this.
14:38I didn't understand why he was suddenly trying to play the devoted husband now.
14:42And frankly, I no longer cared to find out.
14:47For the past three days, I carefully packed away my few personal relics, sending them secretly
14:53to the eternal winters of Hypergorea.
14:55At the same time, I commanded the high priests to unlock the heavy doors of all 100 temples
15:00bearing my name.
15:02Offering them freely as sanctuaries for mortal wanderers.
15:05Such a massive shift in my divine properties eventually caught his attention.
15:10That evening, his voice resonated through the temple pillars, laced with confusion.
15:15My wind sprites report that you are moving your artifacts?
15:19I answered with effortless nonchalance.
15:22Yes.
15:24Didn't you promise to take me to the Aegean sanctuary?
15:28I planned to stay there.
15:31Ariston hesitated, then offered a conspiratorial whisper.
15:34If we retreat to the Aegean coast to summon the celestial fire, it shouldn't draw the wrath
15:41of Zeus.
15:42I shook my head, a dark, mocking amusement in my voice.
15:46Don't bother.
15:47You wouldn't want to risk a thunderbolt on my account.
15:51Believing my lie, the god visibly relaxed.
15:54Then tomorrow night?
15:57Wait for me at the Aegean sanctuary.
16:00I murmured a soft sound of agreement, just as a glowing rune flared to life upon my wrist.
16:05Passage aboard the north wind secured.
16:08Ariston, as if pricked by a sudden, inexplicable dread, repeated sharply.
16:13You must wait for me, Alara.
16:15I gave him exactly what he wanted to hear.
16:18I will.
16:19But when the next night fell, he did not appear.
16:22His messenger Sprite bowed apologetically, claiming Lord Ariston had been summoned by the
16:27divine council and would be delayed.
16:29Yet, the scrying pool in my hall revealed a far different truth.
16:33Calliope was standing on a sacred ferry, setting glowing lotuses adrift upon the water.
16:38With Ariston's arms wrapped protectively around her, I turned my back on the pool and
16:43checked the stars.
16:45Four hours remained until my skyship set sail.
16:48And the decree of severance would bind the fates in exactly two hours.
16:52It seemed I wouldn't have the chance to deliver the final verdict to him in person.
16:58Three hours remained.
17:00I stood upon the balcony of the grand sanctuary Ariston had given me.
17:04Gazing at the mortal river winding beyond the marble columns.
17:07Luminous lotuses drifted down the current toward the sea.
17:11I wondered idly which one he had set adrift with Calliope.
17:14Thinking of the desperate, heavy promise he had made to me yesterday.
17:18A cynical laugh escaped my lips.
17:20If he knew this was the absolute last time I would ever wait for him, would he shatter
17:24the heavens to reach me in time?
17:26I turned back to the inner chamber, my eyes falling on the solitary enchanted chest resting
17:31on the floor.
17:32I was taking so little with me.
17:34In a sanctuary built entirely out of hollow apologies, nothing truly belonged to me.
17:40This sprawling estate was merely the price he paid for breaking my heart for the hundredth
17:44time.
17:45It felt deeply poetic to begin my exodus from here.
17:48Two hours remained.
17:50The high priestess of Themis transmitted a thought through the divine ether.
17:54Congratulations goddess Ellara.
17:58The severance is absolute.
18:01May you revel in your new found freedom.
18:07A sacred dove is en route with the sealed decree.
18:15One hour remained.
18:16The white dove arrived, dropping the parchment into my hands.
18:20With that, my five-year divine union was irrevocably, entirely dead.
18:25I picked up my solitary chest and walked out of the sanctuary.
18:31The ethereal pathways leading to the skyport were choked with a tangle of divine beasts and
18:36pegasus carriages, slowing our pace to a crawl.
18:41Sitting quietly in my carriage, as if guided by some cruel joke of the fates, I turned my
18:47head just in time to see him.
18:49Ariston, he was steering his golden chariot furiously in the opposite direction, racing
18:55toward the Aegean coast.
18:56I lowered my eyes, letting the cold truth settle in my chest.
19:00This fleeting brush of our paths was our final goodbye.
19:04But then, inexplicably, Ariston violently reigned in his divine steeds.
19:09He brought his chariot to a jarring halt right in the middle of the celestial stream, and his
19:15eyes snapped toward my carriage.
19:17At first, I thought my tired mind was playing tricks on me.
19:21But I steadied my breath, staring back through the magical barrier, and confirmed the impossible.
19:27He had truly stopped his chariot, right in the middle of the crowded ethereal pathway.
19:33Without a moment's hesitation, he abandoned the golden reins, stepped out into the chaotic
19:39divine traffic, and strode directly toward me.
19:45He slammed his palms against the magical barrier of my sky carriage, his mouth moving frantically
19:51as he shouted something.
19:53But the warding spells were absolute.
19:55I couldn't hear a single syllable.
19:57The centaur driver looked bewildered.
20:00My lady, should I lower the wards?
20:03It's exceedingly dangerous for him to stand on the sky paths like this.
20:07I shook my head, my face entirely expressionless.
20:10No need.
20:11Drive on and ignore him.
20:14Ariston pounded relentlessly on the barrier.
20:17Divine sparks flying with every violent strike.
20:20But I never once spared him a glance.
20:22This pathetic farce continued until he was forcibly dragged away by the harpy wardens regulating
20:28the celestial flow.
20:30Only then did the chaos subside.
20:32Only when he was obscured by the tangle of divine beasts and chariots did I finally allow
20:37my gaze to fall upon his retreating figure.
20:40Through the curtain of the divine rain, the sheer panic on his face was unmistakably vivid.
20:46So, he was capable of being that desperate for me after all.
20:50But I already gave you your chances, Ariston.
20:53You were the one who squandered them.
20:57The celestial congestion soon cleared, and we resumed our journey.
21:02I arrived at the skyport of Boreas with time to spare.
21:06But to my surprise, I was intercepted by the Wend sprites at the boarding gates.
21:12I apologize, goddess.
21:14Your skyship has been grounded due to anomalous ethereal storms.
21:19Please select another vessel, or reclaim your tribute.
21:23I glanced up.
21:24The silver moon of Artemis hung pristine in the night sky, without a single cloud to mar its
21:30brilliance.
21:31Must a skyship wait for the literal Radweth of Zeus to set sail now?
21:36I asked.
21:37The sprite offered a stiff, rehearsed bow, replying with practiced attachment.
21:42Forgive me, goddess.
21:44We merely follow the absolute decree handed down to us.
21:48We are powerless to defy it.
21:51I had no desire to punish a lowly sprite for orders beyond its control, so I nodded.
21:56Very well.
21:58Then reschedule my passage.
22:02I checked the celestial manifest.
22:05All passages to Hyperborea had been sealed.
22:07The only remaining vessel was the Chariot of Dawn, departing at the seventh hour of the
22:12morrow.
22:13The night was deep, and retreating to the mortal realm would be tedious.
22:17I requested a quiet alcove within the port to rest until sunrise.
22:21The arrangements were unervingly smooth.
22:23The port spirits escorted me to an opulent lotus pavilion, bowing with a reverence that
22:28bordered on suspicion.
22:29A cold unease crept into my heart.
22:32Yet, when questioned, they merely repeated.
22:35A humble offering, goddess.
22:38To atone for the disruption of your ethereal journey.
22:42I had no choice but to feign acceptance.
22:45But the moment Ariston materialized at the pavilion's archway panting as if he had sprinted,
22:50across the realms on Hermes' winged sandals, everything clicked.
22:54The grounded ships, the sealed passages, the opulent pavilion.
22:59It was all his orchestration.
23:01He stood before me, struggling to force the corners of his mouth upward.
23:06Terrified that a sudden movement might shatter the fragile air between us, he managed only
23:10a cautious, trembling curve.
23:13Allara.
23:15Allara.
23:21Allara.
23:41Allara.
23:48Allara.
23:50Allara.
23:54Allara.
23:57Allara.
24:02Allara.
24:03Allara.
24:16Allara.
24:19Allara.
24:22Allara.
24:37Allara.
24:40Allara.
24:42Allara.
24:56Allara.
24:57Allara.
25:05Allara.
25:06Allara.
25:10Allara.
25:38Allara.
25:40Allara.
25:41Allara.
26:10Allara.
26:10Allara.
26:10Allara.
26:11Allara.
26:18Allara.
26:29Allara.
26:31Allara.
26:37Allara.
26:55Allara.
26:56Allara.
26:58Allara.
27:00Allara.
27:01Allara.
27:03Allara.
27:04Allara.
27:05Allara.
27:06Allara.
27:07Allara.
27:08Allara.
27:08Allara.
27:09Allara.
27:09Allara.
27:09excuse for his endless betrayals. But the words died in his throat. Defeated, he simply lowered
27:15his head in suffocating silence. He knew any excuse would be utterly futile. His neglect,
27:21his chilling apathy, his reckless arrogance they were the poisonous roots of where we stood today.
27:26Forget it Arison. Looking at his broken figure, I realized he seemed utterly exhausted too.
27:33We are on Unbound now.
27:39Let us just release each other.
27:43Isn't that the truest mercy? No divine law states, Ode, a god can only love one person.
27:50I simply refused to endure a tainted union. I looked into Arison's eyes and saw the mist gathering,
27:57a thousand desperate pleas hovering on his lips. Trapped by his own guilt, I had always thought
28:03his golden eyes were beautiful. They were so expressive. A single, soulful look could lay
28:08his heart bare. I was once utterly captivated by those eyes. Yet, it was those exact same eyes
28:15that had calmly watched me break, telling me time and time again that I meant nothing to him.
28:20Let us end it here. May we both find peace.
28:26An hour later. I was back aboard the skyship destined for Hyperborea. Arison didn't obstruct me this time.
28:34Instead, he personally commanded the sky currents to ensure my safe voyage. I knew he was the unseen hand
28:41behind it all. Once he finally gave the command to let me go, the heavens parted for me without
28:47resistance. He walked me to the precipice of the port. Standing before the gateway of the wines,
28:53Arison hesitated, his immortal frame trembling slightly. Finally, the moment I surrendered my
29:00glowing rune to the wind pilot and stepped through the threshold, his voice cracked through the gale.
29:05Ilarra, is there truly no chance left for us? I didn't break my stride. That silence was the
29:16clearest, most merciless answer I could give him. The passage from Olympus to Hyperborea was swift,
29:25carried across the sky by the biting northern gales. I had never set foot in the northern lands before.
29:31The air held a sharper chill than I had imagined. I sought out the humble mortal
29:35in I had arranged. I desired no grand luxury sanctuaries. I yearned only for the messy,
29:41vibrant warmth of mortal life. Hyperborea did not disappoint. The mortal landlady greeted me
29:47with genuine warmth. You arrive long after the sun has set. Did the journey trouble you?
29:54I shook my head, a true smile forming. The storms have passed. It's all sorted out now.
30:02Praise the gods. A young nymph like you out on her own. My hearth is yours if you need anything.
30:10I nodded, deeply moved by this simple mortal kindness. She asked if I had eaten and directed
30:16me to a few nearby taverns that she swore were excellent. I had originally planned to start
30:21mapping out my new life in Hyperborea immediately. But stepping into the cool night, I decided to
30:27simply let myself breathe. For five centuries, I had walked on eggshells for Ariston. Suffocating
30:33my own spirit in terror of bringing him any negative prayers or rumors. Tonight, I was merely
30:39myself. Finally, absolutely free. Following the landlady's path, I found a dimly lit tavern,
30:46quiet and fragrant with wood smoke. It was peaceful here in the evening, offering simple,
30:51hearty mortal fare. I ordered a plate of crisp fried river catch and a cup of heavily watered
30:57mead. Taking a seat at the worn wooden counter, I lost myself in the house bard's melancholic
31:02lament of Ekka's unrequited love. Behind the counter, the bartender was polishing a rustic
31:07wooden goblet. Just as he slid my nearly alcohol-free drink toward me, his hand paused, pulling the
31:14cup back slightly. A lone goddess drinking in the shadows is an invitation for trouble,
31:23he murmured. I smiled, eyeing the pale liquid that looked weaker than morning dew. There isn't
31:29half a drop of true wine in this. Spare me the concern and hand it over. The demigod raised an
31:35eyebrow but eventually surrendered the wooden goblet. I took a sip. It bloomed with a rich, deceptive
31:41sweetness, masking any trace of spirits. But as the sweetness faded, a sharp, biting sourness clawed
31:47up my throat so sour it tasted of regret. I grimaced. By the gods, what on earth did you serve
31:54me? He unrolled a worn parchment menu to its very bottom, tapping a single line. You asked for the
32:00mildest brew. It's called Tears of Letter. I pushed the cup away in disdain. With theatrical
32:07schwos-like like this, no wonder your tavern lacks worshippers. For a demigod descended from Dionysus
32:14and the owner of this very tavern his brewing skills were tragically ironic. He offered a charmingly
32:20crooked smile. A cruel strike to my divine pride goddess. With the tavern nearly empty, I struck up a
32:27conversation with him, asking if there were any sacred groves or frozen falls worth visiting. He noted
32:33that while Hyperborea's sights were breathtaking, traversing them required a private chariot.
32:38The wild pegasus herds here were notoriously hard to catch. A sigh of mild frustration escaped me.
32:45Securing a centaur guide at this hour was nearly impossible. Thus, with the harvest festival drawing
32:50every available beast of burden to the temples, renting a mount would be a Herculean task.
32:56Seeing my dilemma, he leaned against the counter and sighed softly.
32:59Very well. I will guide you tomorrow. I looked up, surprised. What about your tavern?
33:09Didn't you just decree that I have no worshippers? I might as well earn a few golden drabies serving
33:15as your charioton. He shrugged, pulling the cup of Lethe away and replacing it with a glass of iced
33:21berry nectar. The following morning, the demigod arrived precisely at dawn, waiting beneath the balcony
33:29of my inn with his chariot. When asked how he located my humble lodging, he replied mildly.
33:35Beings carrying a divine aroma, who wander this far north only ever choose this heath.
33:41The gleaming chariot clearly hadn't been procured from the local centaur herds.
33:46It was distinctly his own. I tossed him a heavy pouch of golden drachmas as an offering for his
33:52services, commanding him to show me the wonders of the north. He caught the pouch, feigning a wounded
33:58look. Must you keep calling me bartender? My name is Iason. Sounds like a fragile nymph's name. I blurted out,
34:08instantly regretting the slight. Yet, taking a closer look, he did possess the striking,
34:13almost delicate beauty typical of youthful deities. I Asian laughed, entirely unfazed.
34:22You caught me. To hide my existence from Hera's wrath, I was raised among the mountain nymphs.
34:29I wore woven silken chitons until I was a young boy. That piqued my interest. I waved a hand grandly.
34:36If I offer extra dractos, might I view the scooning crystal of such a sight? I Asian raised an eyebrow,
34:44his eyes glinting. Absolutely. You are my wealthy patroness, and I am but your humble chariotler.
34:53I laughed aloud at his teasing, a genuine, ringing sound I hadn't made in years.
35:00The chariot ride across the frost-kissed plains was exhilarating, and I Asian knew Hyperborea like
35:07the back of his hand. He guided me to hidden feasts, sacred frozen groves, and the wild,
35:13boisterous festival of Pan. Whenever we dined, he specifically instructed the servers.
35:19Absolutely no pomegranate seeds. It was an unspoken vow to never let anything trap me in the dark again.
35:25At the festival's games, we won the grand offering a relic that was exactly what I had desired.
35:32Amidst the revelry, I offered a silent prayer to the fates for a life of untroubled winds.
35:38By the time night fell, I realized I had experienced true, unburdened joy for the first time in centuries.
35:45The following day, we journeyed to the grand forge of Hephaestus. My luck faltered slightly. We
35:52couldn't secure the sigils for the inner sanctum. But I Asian led me up to a hidden catwalk on the
35:57second tier to watch the molten gold flow he claimed. It was his favorite secret vantage point.
36:05By the fourth night, we stood by the frozen sea, listening to the haunting melody of the sirens
36:11beneath a breathtaking display of celestial fire. Suddenly, a figure concealed within the clumsy,
36:16oversized guise of a giant hair, the sacred beast of Aphrodite, lumbered toward us and pressed a
36:22luminous lotus into my palm, my absolute favorite flower. I turned to I Asian, genuinely touched.
36:30Did you arrange this too? His smile vanished. He shook his head.
36:40No.
36:41I froze. The pieces violently fell into place. The lingering gaze I had felt from the shadows,
36:47the unseen deity tracking my every step. It was him. I Asian lowered his gaze, his voice thick with
36:54guilt.
36:55In truth, Atalora, none of the miracles on our first day were my doing.
36:59He offered a bitter, self-deprecating smile.
37:02That is why I tried, tried so desperately to intervene afterward. You truly did win those
37:08forged sigils, but I cast them into the flames because they came from his hand. I only knew the
37:14measure of your step because I intercepted his gift, choosing to forge a new pair for you myself.
37:20I didn't even want to bring you here tonight. I knew a high god had orchestrated this celestial
37:27fire for you. He swallowed hard, his voice trembling.
37:35I hated it, but I knew it was something you loved, so I brought you anyway.
37:43The words poured out of him in a desperate, breathless rush. Seeing this proud demigod
37:49trembling, too terrified to even meet my eyes, I couldn't muster a single ounce of anger. He
37:57was simply, profoundly jealous. When I Asian finally dared to look up,
38:01his striking eyes were swimming with tears. True to his divine beauty,
38:06even his weeping was a breathtaking display of raw, unfiltered devotion.
38:13That hair was...ibhim. I Asian choked out.
38:19If you go after him now, it is not too late. I stared at him in silence until his broad
38:24shoulders
38:25began to tremble. He played the martyr, practically pushing me away. Yet his very soul screamed in
38:32terror at the thought of me leaving. He knew my past. He knew I was a goddess who had just
38:37bled herself
38:38dry to cut her ties. And he was terrified that deep down, some pathetic remnant of affection still
38:44chained me to Ariston. I took a slow step backward. I Asian looked like a winged pegasus stripped of the
38:51sky, desperately fighting the urge to fall at my feet and beg. Then, I closed the distance and threw
38:58myself firmly into his arms. I am not going to look for him.
39:05For the first time in his immortal existence, Ariston learned that a god could burn and freeze
39:10in the exact same heartbeat. It was the sweltering end of summer, and the heavy, suffocating hair
39:17disguise had drenched his divine flesh in a sticky sweat. Yet, the second he watched me run into I Asian's
39:24arms, an absolute, paralyzing winter struck his core. He knew our bond was dead. He knew the fates had
39:31sealed the severance. He knew I would eventually forge a new life with someone else. But some foolish,
39:38arrogant part of him had clung to the delusion that he could just rewrite the cosmic scrolls and claim me
39:43back. When I Asian and I departed the frozen coast, we found him lingering at the edge of the frosted
39:50path. In the empty expanse, draped in that absurd, oversized animal suit, the almighty god of wealth
39:57looked impossibly pathetic. Like an abandoned, overgrown stray. But when I remembered how coldly
40:03he had discarded me for five years, the miserable sight before me inspired nothing but bitter amusement.
40:09As I walked past him without breaking stride, those oversized, plush paws reached out in a desperate,
40:17trembling motion, trying to bar my way.
40:21I instructed I Asian to step back. I will handle him. I Asian hesitated, his eyes dark with worry,
40:29but I shook my head to reassure him. Wait for me in the chariot.
40:34If he so much as raises a hand, drive the thieves forward and tramp him beneath the wheels. A dark,
40:42protective smirk touched I Asian's lips. With pleasure, goddess.
40:46Once I Asian was out of earshot, Ariston finally tore off the grotesque, enchanted hair's head. His
40:53divine brow was slick with grime, and his perfect golden hair hung in matted tangles. I had never
40:59seen the almighty god of wealth reduced to such a pathetic state least of all for my sake. A cold
41:04smile graced my lips. You have squandered entirely too many days in the frozen north.
41:12Is your mortal muse not weeping for your return? Calliope was the sort who demanded his absolute
41:18devotion day and night whenever she graced his domain. She would not tolerate a single breath of
41:23neglect. That was how she kept a high god tethered like a common hound for five centuries. And Ariston,
41:29blind in his arrogance, knelt for the leash every single time. Yet now, Ariston stood stunned,
41:36slowly shaking his head. I will not seek her out again.
41:42I severed ties with her.
41:46I only remained by her side because I felt I owed her a debt.
41:51For failing to protect her during her mortal trials.
41:54But in paying that debt, I destroyed the one who actually mattered. I refuse to be the architect of
42:01this endless torment anymore. She fled to the distant shores in a rage.
42:08She swore she would never return to Olympias. He spoke the words lightly,
42:13as though shedding a trivial burden. But I knew Calliope's tempestuous nature.
42:18She must have unleashed a catastrophic fury upon him before abandoning his realm.
42:22And only then did he come crawling through the snow to find me. A sharp laugh escaped my throat.
42:28Oh, at Ariston. You didn't cross the realms for love. You only came looking for me because she
42:35abandoned you, didn't you? Ariston shook his head frantically, his voice breaking.
42:42Of course not! It's because I love you! I severed those ties because of you. I refuse to hurt you
42:52anymore.
42:57Talara, I love you. I truly love you.
43:02Hollow vows always sound so desperately sweet. Had he spoken these words even a moon ago on his
43:0899th betrayal I might have relented. But the scales were tipped. A hundred acts of grace had been spent.
43:16There was nothing left to give. Even if his tears were genuine now, what did it matter?
43:21I no longer have any use for your love at Ariston. I said, my voice eerily calm.
43:28Do you think your sudden realization of love
43:32embliges me to return it? For the first time, golden tears spilled from Ariston's eyes.
43:38I had witnessed so many of the almighty god's firsts today. The first time he begged. The first time he
43:45wept. Yet, watching his spirit shatter left me feeling entirely numb.
43:51Allura!
43:52Allura! He gasped, grasping at straws.
43:55If you truly feel nothing for me, why did you keep the offerings? The temples?
44:03I paused for a moment, letting the sheer audacity of his words sink in. The hundred temples?
44:11You have the audacity to speak of the sanctuaries you used to purchase my forgiveness? A bitter, harsh
44:17laugh escaped my throat. It doesn't matter. Take them back. Every single column and altar.
44:26I don't want them. Did you honestly believe I cherished them? They were nothing but gilded
44:34monuments to your betrayal. I struck him with those final words and turned away in utter disgust.
44:39But Ariston wouldn't let go. He clawed at my arm. His voice contorted with venom and disbelief.
44:45You reject me. And you reject the golden temples. Are you truly going to throw away your eternity
44:52for some pathetic half-breed tavern keeper? What could he possibly offer you?
44:58I violently shook off Ariston's grip and delivered my absolute truth. I don't need him to offer me the
45:04world. I only need him to never betray me. I walked away without looking back. Desperate,
45:12Ariston lunged to chase after me. But the grotesque, oversized paws of the magical hair
45:17disguise tangled wildly around his ankles, sending the almighty god crashing pathetically into the frozen
45:23dirt. He could only scream helplessly at my retreating back. Who can guarantee he won't betray
45:30you? He had completely lost his mind. A deity who had spent five centuries deceiving me now dared to
45:36question the loyalty of a man who hadn't. Returning to the chariot, I found Iasian waiting. He looked
45:44down, his eyes soft yet harboring a fragile anxiety. Do you truly trust me?
45:51I may only govern a humble tavern, he murmured earnestly, but my hands can forge a hearth warm
45:58enough to shelter you. I couldn't help but laugh. I grabbed the fabric of his chitin, pulling him
46:04close and whispered a fierce promise. If you ever dare to betray me, Demidod, I have an eternity to find
46:12someone who won't. In the end, Ariston never reclaimed those hundred golden temples. I commanded the
46:18high priestesses to throw open the heavy doors. Transforming every single one into a free sanctuary
46:24for weary mortal travelers. I never touched a single coin of his tribute again. Iasian's tavern was,
46:31undeniably, a disaster. So we shuttered it and rebuilt it as a sanctuary to Hestia. A welcoming
46:37haven where the hearth fires never died. We offered only hearty mortal sustenance and pure, untainted
46:43nectars. I personally curated every offering we served. After all, the blood of Dionysus gave Iasian
46:50many talents, but brewing was tragically not one of them. Blessed by the fates and the ceaseless,
46:56enthusiastic praise of the local landlady. Our little sanctuary flourished within a few short moons.
47:01One evening, the landlady teased, asking when we would finally bind our souls in eternal union.
47:07Before I could answer, Iasian gently interjected. Not just yet. He looked at me, his eyes burning with
47:15quiet, unshakable resolve. First, I must forge enough golden drattans to raise a grand sanctuary of my own.
47:23My goddess is a realm of our own, where she never has to lower her crown.
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