Myth: The Ruler of Spirituality

Hesitation was but a momentary flicker before being dismissed from Helios’s mind.

Although the intuition of the primordial deities was indeed sharp, it was not surprising to the God of Sun that he would have such a feeling.

He was now, after all, somewhat of a member of the Olympian pantheon, and Gaia’s conflict with Zeus was well known.

Strictly speaking, they were still enemies, and perhaps that was the source of the warning... Pushing aside the unease in his heart, Helios stepped into the reddish-brown circle of light.

With a flash, he vanished from the spot.

...

Following a sensation of spatial transition, darkness fell before his eyes, then light returned, and Helios found himself in a massive underground cavern.

The ground was somewhat wet and slippery, uncomfortable to stand upon. Although his exact location remained unknown, the subtle shifts in the environmental laws allowed Helios to ascertain that he was no longer in the Underworld.

He must have returned to the surface—or someplace near it. However, to his surprise, he could not recall Gaia ever wielding divine authority over the realm of space.

Aside from the previous Divine King, Cronus, no known deity had ever wielded such power; therefore, even the divine arts created by the gods lacked similar capabilities.

’Regardless, she is a primordial deity, and even if she has lost face before Zeus, she must still possess some hidden methods.’

As the thought flickered through his mind, Helios’s gaze shifted toward the center of the cavern.

There, Mother Earth stood, with her back to him.

The brown dress was dotted with a few red spots, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were clearly visible. Yet, contrary to the Gaia he had seen outside Mount Olympus, the one before him seemed in a markedly better condition.

At least the skin that was exposed seemed to have more luster, and even her hair was no longer so dry and yellow. If this was not an intentionally feigned appearance by Mother Earth, then her power must have greatly recovered.

"Greetings to you, respected Mother of All Gods."

With a mind slightly abuzz, the unexpected scene before him made Helios somewhat worried.

His previous thoughts were based on Gaia’s deep hatred for Zeus, but his own power was vastly insufficient... However, thoughts aside, the God of Sun did not stop his movements. He took a few steps forward and then gave a bow, hand to chest.

"You seem to be in better health, which is indeed cause for celebration."

"Greetings... This does not seem like something an Olympian deity would do for me."

As she turned slightly, looking at the God of Sun before her, Gaia’s voice was devoid of warmth.

"Yet I have never considered myself an Olympian deity. I long for the era of the Titans more than the present. Everyone knows the new Divine Court is composed of Zeus’s family. And I, am decidedly not one of them."

Without pretense, Helios bluntly expressed his thoughts, believing that Mother Earth could see this for herself.

And indeed, it was so. Gaia had called the God of Sun here not only out of interest in his experience in the Abyss but also because he was seeking her out, and it seemed not at Zeus’s behest.

Coming to her, an enemy of Olympus, on his own, even with Gaia’s wisdom she could guess that he might not be so obedient.

"What did you encounter in the Abyss?"

Without immediately bringing up the Divine King, Gaia instead mentioned the existence of Tartarus. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Even though she no longer needed It, she still harbored resentment over Tartarus’s earlier refusal. Something had undoubtedly occurred within her irrational brother, and the disheveled state of Helios upon his departure was the best evidence of that.

"The story is a long one... As unbelievable as it may sound, I actually encountered native life forms of the Abyss."

With a shimmering gaze, Helios spoke truthfully:

"They were numerous and hostile towards outsiders. I did not wish to conflict with them, so I retreated immediately."

"Life?"

She echoed the word, as if Gaia was beginning to understand Tartarus’s reaction.

If It had acquired life through some unknown means to her, it truly no longer needed her... And the refusal to admit her was not surprising.

Perhaps It saw Gaia as a threat, and that’s why she was barred from entry. However, since there was a person familiar with the details present before her, Mother Earth commanded without courtesy:

"Be more specific; what exactly did you see in there, and did you encounter Crius?"

"As you wish, I will tell the truth."

With a slight nod, Helius immediately began recounting his observations.

The numerous layers, the peculiar life forms existing within those planes, and the various phenomena that differed significantly from the outer world. Everything he described did not seem like the Abyss but rather another material plane; of course, in the end, Helios regretfully stated that he had not encountered the God of Meteorology.

After all, the Abyss was too vast, and it was very difficult to find any particular deity without guidance. Moreover, his visit was not for the purpose of seeking Crius. Gaia did not doubt his word; it was just a casual inquiry.

Now her conflict with Zeus was not so much about Crius nor the Golden Apple Tree, whose mastermind might be someone else. Compared to them, Zeus himself was the existence she could least tolerate.