Step.
Step.
Step.
Aetherion walked quietly through the soft grass beneath the star-filled sky. A look of relief rested upon his slightly flushed cheeks as a cool breeze brushed against his face.
"Finally… some fresh air," he whispered into the night.
Aetherion loved being surrounded by his family and friends.
He truly did.
But once everyone had drunk enough divine nectar…
The celebration had descended into complete chaos.
Styx had arrived with her children, followed by Asteria and many more of their friends and allies. The gathering had only grown larger, louder, and far more lively.
It had been enjoyable—
At first.
But as the nectar flowed and everyone became increasingly intoxicated, laughter turned into shouting, stories became competitions, and every conversation seemed to overlap with another.
It had become complete chaos.
Everything inside the party was an absolute mess.
Everyone was enjoying themselves, and Aetherion certainly had too, especially in the beginning. But eventually, it became too much. He simply couldn't stay there any longer.
And so, he quietly slipped away, needing a moment to breathe and get some fresh air.
He wandered through the garden he had created with his own powers, his thoughts drifting as he reflected on everything that had happened throughout the night.
His dance with Selene…
And the soft kiss she had left on his cheek.
Then there was his dance with Metis…
And his first kiss on the lips.
Afterward came the time spent with his family, where Hera had seemingly been angry about something the entire time.
Aetherion had played dumb, of course.
He had a fairly good idea of why she was acting that way, but he didn't want to acknowledge it just yet, much less confront her about it. He simply wanted to enjoy himself.
Besides…
He wasn't entirely sure Hera herself understood what she was feeling.
Thinking back on everything, Aetherion couldn't stop a quiet smile from appearing on his lips, especially when he remembered the affection the two goddesses had shown him.
It was becoming increasingly obvious that both women desired him.
And if he were being truthful with himself…
He desired them too.
With the divine nectar flowing through his system, Aetherion allowed himself to acknowledge those feelings more openly than he normally would.
Usually, he wouldn't have been so affected. He kept his emotions and desires firmly under control.
Tonight, however…
His guard had fallen.
He allowed himself to appreciate the affection he had received—not only from Selene and Metis, but from everyone around him.
For once, he had simply let himself go and enjoyed the moment.
He remembered drinking with Helios, talking with Thanatos, and laughing alongside his family and friends.
He remembered Metis eventually returning, her cheeks still glowing faintly golden whenever their eyes happened to meet.
And then there was Selene…
Sitting not too far away, a faint golden blush still coloring her cheeks as her gaze occasionally lingered upon him with a seductive smile.
So much had happened tonight.
And Aetherion couldn't help but smile more brightly than usual.
He would allow himself to enjoy it.
Who knew?
Perhaps something more would eventually develop between him and those women.
Perhaps not.
There was no reason to rush.
He didn't want to force anything.
He wanted whatever happened between them to develop naturally, as such things should.
With that peaceful thought lingering in his mind, Aetherion closed his eyes and continued walking quietly through the garden.
Then—
His ears caught the faint sound of movement somewhere nearby.
"Ah~… harder…"
"Hmm… then take it!"
The moment Aetherion heard the woman's moan, followed by the man's low grunt, his eyes widened. A baffled look spread across his face as realization struck him.
Without another thought, he quickly turned away, hurrying past the bushes with slightly hurried steps, more than a little embarrassed by what he had just overheard.
Unfortunately for him…
The further he walked, the more voices reached his ears.
More couples.
More lovers.
Some were men and women.
Others were of the same sex.
The sounds of passion echoed softly throughout the garden.
"Deeper!…"
"…I'm trying."
That last reply made Aetherion pause for the briefest moment.
'…I feel a little sorry for him,' he thought before immediately shaking his head and continuing on.
'…Greeks.'
That single word was all that came to mind.
As he continued walking, the voices gradually faded behind him. He moved farther away from the garden and deeper into the beautiful forest he had created with his own power.
The cool night breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the gentle scent of flowers and fresh grass.
Eventually…
A beautiful lake came into view.
The stars reflected across its calm surface like a sheet of golden.
Aetherion's eyes widened slightly.
However…
It wasn't the lake that captured his attention.
It was the lone figure sitting quietly upon a large stone at the lake's edge.
Themis.
Her blindfold had been removed.
She sat peacefully beneath the night sky, gazing upward at the countless stars scattered across the heavens.
As Aetherion looked at the Titaness, he couldn't help but think that she resembled a painting brought to life.
It was a breathtaking sight.
One almost too beautiful for mortal eyes to witness.
For a moment, Aetherion simply stood there, completely captivated. Then, almost instinctively, he took a small step backward.
The faint rustling of his foot against the grass reached her ears.
Slowly…
Themis turned her head toward him.
Aetherion had only seen her eyes a few times before, yet they were not something easily forgotten.
They possessed an almost mythical beauty.
Her eyes were a brilliant azure blue, with three distinct rings surrounding each pupil. There was something otherworldly about them, something that immediately separated them from the eyes of ordinary beings.
Beautiful…
Yet immensely powerful.
Looking into those eyes almost felt as though judgment itself had turned its gaze upon you—as if nothing could remain hidden beneath them.
They were special.
Much like Aetherion's own eyes, Themis's possessed unique abilities of their own.
But right now…
Aetherion didn't care about any of that.
He didn't want to think about their abilities.
Nor did he care to wonder what secrets those strange rings concealed.
At this moment, his mind was occupied by only one thing.
Her beauty.
He hadn't seen much of Themis during the celebration. He had noticed at some point that she had quietly disappeared, seemingly uninterested in taking part in the increasingly chaotic festivities.
He hadn't understood why.
But now, standing here beneath the stars and seeing her without the blindfold that normally concealed her eyes…
Aetherion could only stare.
For several quiet moments, neither of them spoke.
Two pairs of mythical eyes simply gazed into one another.
One belonging to the Fateless One.
The other belonging to the Titaness of Divine Law and Justice.
Finally, Themis was the one to break the silence.
A small smile slowly appeared upon her lips.
"Why don't you come and sit with me?"
Aetherion blinked.
Still somewhat starstruck by the sight before him, he silently nodded.
Then, with quiet steps, he began walking toward her.