Aetherion truly meant it.
After all, he had done his part in hunting and gathering information.
He had fought multiple deities and divine beings and had come to understand his limits.
He now believed he could take on members of the Great Twelve—Kronos' elite generals.
Maybe not all of them at once, but one-on-one? He was confident in that.
That confidence came not only from his battles but also from Themis herself, who had told him she barely seen any of them improve themselves while she was on their side, during her training sessions.
It made sense.
Most deities were lazy, untouched by time, unbothered by progress.
They had no reason to push themselves.
But Kronos… Kronos was different.
He had ascended to a level that no other deity had reached—a Greater God.
He was in a realm of his own.
Aetherion didn't know just how powerful Kronos was now, or whether he had stagnated or kept evolving, but one thing was certain: he was not Kronos's current opponent.
Not yet.
That meant his focus had to remain on Kronos' companions—the generals, his inner circle, the twelve titans that kept his rule stable.
Aetherion turned to Themis with a serious look.
"We need to discuss how we're going to act now."
Themis nodded.
"Yes. We should show Kronos that we are not cowards hiding in the dark."
And she was right.
They had been hiding.
Hiding from Kronos' watchful gaze.
Hiding from his wrath.
Afraid he might find them, snuff them out before they had a chance to stand.
And that damn Scythe of death of his… it was terrifying.
A weapon so devastating it felt like something that shouldn't exist.
Aetherion had even given Gaia a look of disbelief once when she told them about it.
She, in return, had looked embarrassed and snapped, "It's not my fault! It's been a while—things got out of hand, OKAY!"
Aetherion had just laughed at that time.
He didn't hold it against her anymore.
He had already promised himself: he would destroy that weapon—or take it for himself one day.
As that thought lingered, he suddenly felt a soft poke on his cheek.
Turning, he saw Themis smiling at him.
"You're thinking too much," she said. "Relax a bit and focus on the three of us."
Aetherion chuckled.
"Yeah, you're right. It would be a shame to let myself get distracted… especially when a woman like you is right next to me."
Themis looked away, but he noticed her ears glowing faintly gold.
"Don't say stuff like that,"
she muttered, her voice a mix of calm and light embarrassment.
"Why?"
he asked in a teasing tone.
Themis composed herself, then gently punched his shoulder.
"You know why."
Aetherion gave her a wide-eyed innocent look.
"No, I don't. It's just… with a woman as beautiful as you beside me, wouldn't it be disrespectful to be distracted by anything else?"
he said, a soft smile on his face.
Themis shook her head.
"Yeah, yeah… you smooth talker."
Up ahead, Hera—who had been walking just in front of them—glanced back with an annoyed expression, clearly fed up with the two of them.
But before she could say anything, they finally arrived at their destination.
And Aetherion… Aetherion looked at it with pride every single time.
He couldn't help it—the thing he had built here was truly and utterly astonishing.
Ahead of him lay the city that had grown on this island, with his own palace at its heart.
It wasn't just any palace—it was a monumental structure, born from an enormous silverwood tree, infused with moonlight and starlight, ensuring it would shine like the moon and stars even during the darkest nights.
The palace itself was massive, vast as a mountain, designed in a blend of Greek classical, artistic, and organic styles.
Flowing vines curled around marble pillars, and the ceilings were made from crystalline branches that glowed faintly with starlight.
The walls shimmered and pulsed softly, as if alive—radiating a quiet, divine energy.
It didn't feel like something built by hands; it felt like something born—grown into the world by life itself.
And it made sense.
Aetherion was the Titan of Life.
The palace reflected that.
It breathed, pulsed, and radiated vitality.
Even its materials were unique.
Aetherion had created them himself through divine infusion:
Living Stone, formed through his Life Domain.
Starforged Wood, made by combining his mastery of nature with starlight.
These materials made the palace not only beautiful, but powerful—imbued with divine durability and resonance.
Surrounding this central palace were numerous smaller ones—belonging to gods, titans, and divine allies who had joined the rebellion.
Even his siblings, who had once lived with him inside the palace, had branched off to build their own sanctuaries nearby.
Yet they still visited often, and their mother, Rhea, moved between their homes like the nurturing force that bound them all.
As the group walked forward, beings of every kind came to greet them—spirits, divine beasts, nymphs, satyrs, even gods and titans.
"Oh, Aetherion! How are you doing?"
"Aetherion, you have finally return again!"
"Here, try these grapes I've grown!"
"Would you like to sample this new drink I've made?"
"Aetherion, you look truly noble today!"
The crowd around him was filled with admiration.
Aetherion smiled softly, replying with quiet grace:
"I've been well. Thank you all for the warm greetings."
They were touched.
Under Kronos' rule, such kindness and acknowledgment were nonexistent.
As they moved through the streets, Demeter waved cheerfully to those calling out.
Hera nodded in regal acknowledgment.
Themis remained silent—steady as an unmoving mountain beside him.
Aetherion smiled.
As the leader, he knew he had to embody both the gentleness of a king and, when necessary, the cruelty of a warrior.
Finally, they reached the gates of his palace.
It was guarded by nymphs, dryads, and other nature spirits—each of them deeply devoted to him.
After all, he was the Titan of Life, Nature, and Earth, and a powerful one at that.
He was beloved.
Inside, the first people he saw were his sister Hestia, and his mother Rhea, speaking together with gentle smiles.
As soon as they noticed his arrival, both turned to him.
"Aetherion,"
Rhea said warmly.
"Oh! You're back," Hestia added with a kind smile. "Did the mission go well?"
Aetherion nodded and returned the smile.
"Of course. Everything went smoothly. Since you're both here… we'll be having a meeting soon."
The two women exchanged glances and nodded in sync.
"All right,"
said Rhea.
"We'll follow," added Hestia. "Let's go to the meeting room then!"
——
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