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