Liberation

Hecate exerted her divinity.

A profound aura erupted from her, sweeping across the western world like a frothing tsunami.

'Rumble!' The very fabric of reality shook slightly, saturated with divine magic.

The chaotic commotion drew the divine gazes of Gods and Goddesses, but none dared to intervene as the auras of "Sun," "Night," and "Stars" shrouded Delphi like the brightest and strongest protective blanket of the cosmos.

The very magic glistened. The wizards and witches felt a call deep within their souls and minds. It was enticing and soothing, like a mother's embrace. And, heeding the call, they closed their eyes and immersed themselves in the said embrace without hesitation.

The magic in their cores boiled, extending like a thread of light from their figures, and it connected with the divine magic shrouded in reality, returning to their origin and genesis.

It all began to return to Hecate. And she clearly felt it. Every shard and piece of magic in every being. They bear her will and divinity. In her mind, they were the brightest stars within the eternal darkness.

Hecate began to weave the magical threads together, meandering them all into the fabric of reality itself and bringing them back to her—their origin and genesis.

It was far more torturous than she had expected. The reality was passively resisting her, attempting to obstruct and interfere with her weaving as if it couldn't accept the change she had brought about. It attempted to disrupt the magic, intending for it to regress into chaos beyond her control.

She was only able to keep her magic under total control by utilising all of her divinity. Reality, on the other hand, used this opportunity to undermine her with her weaving of magic, unravelling her progress.

Noticing this, Hecate had to divert some of her attention away, and she began to battle reality on both sides.

She desperately clutched the magical threads with her hands. And she bled, her hands dripping with golden ichor, into eternal darkness.

Hecate squeezed out all of her will and power, and, gradually but steadily, she was gaining an advantage by attempting to strike a balance with reality. She continued to weave her magical threads into the fabric of reality, fighting it with all her might.

Hecate wove slowly, her bloodied hands trembling in pain and her figure quivering in agony.

But she didn't give up, despite the excruciating pain coursing from her hands through her body, filling every pore. It was like somebody had submerged her within the explosion of a supernova, tearing her body apart slowly.

Hecate sewed and melded the weave, bearing the unbearable pain with fortitude.

This was her path. This was her dream. This was her…

Hope.

With that thought, the figure of Apollo emerged in her darkened world, where she was present, floating in the middle of a massive and colossal web. Her bloodied hands held a plethora of shimmering threads that extended into infinite reality, weaving into it under her control.

Hecate paused at the sight of Apollo; her weaving ceased and her forming web of magic darkened, as if about to collapse.

The figure of Apollo was blurry and brilliant, bathed in soft light. And he embraced her, his hands cupping her cheeks.

"You've got this. Break your limit and ascend."

"Believe in yourself, my love." He kissed her, sealing his warm, scorching lips against her cold, icy lips.

Immediately, his form disintegrated into millions of streams of light, coursing into her.

Hope filled her heart, infusing her with infinite strength and power.

"Apollo..." Hecate murmured, closing her bright eyes and savouring the warm taste on her lips. His gentle words echoed in her mind over and over, instilling strength and power in every fibre of her being. And she continued, opening her eyes, brimming with confidence and faith.

Hecate weaved the threads of magic into reality, her speed increased and increased, crashing through the resistance of reality with her new-found strength.

BOOM!

And it shattered into pieces and shards like it was nothing more than a fragile piece of glass under her power.

Her weaving was unhindered and unimpeded, as she had destroyed reality's resistance. And so her ascension truly began.

Time ticked on. Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned into days. The web of magic that encircled her grew and stretched into the infinity of reality, connecting and joining with the shards of magic, forming a complex weave interlacing with the fabric of reality throughout the western world.

Finally, she wove the last threads, connecting everything back to their beginning, their genesis, to...

Her.

She felt it at once. The control over her magic. It will always be completely under her control, no matter how far it evolves, how many uses it, or how large it expands. Her will, power, and divinity were all absolute. For the rest of eternity, no one can tamper, tinker, or corrupt her control.

CRACK!

The sound of something breaking reverberated in her ears, thundering into her mind. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks, as the feeling of liberation for which she had so long yearned filled her soul, body, and mind.

She did it.

She had broken the limits of her divinity. She can now freely walk on her path of magic.

And her dream doesn't have to end here…..

Hecate brilliantly smiled—a smile that told volumes of her joy and relief. Then, her vision darkened and her eyes dimmed.

"Praise thy…"

A cacophony of noises suddenly broke through the eternal darkness. She heard everyone's prayers for her, and their concern, worry, piety, and reverence reached her heart.

It was disjointed and disoriented, but it all soon fell into place, resounding as one in her mind.

"Lady of Mysteries!"

Hecate had ascended, ascended to become the source.

A pair of warm hands immediately embraced her tightly.

'Apollo…'

She thought with relief, and she collapsed into darkness, drained and weary.

________________

After what seemed like an eternity, Hecate opened her eyes. She looked around right away. She was lying on a bed in a dimly lit room illuminated by starlight. Apollo sat on the chair next to her, holding her hands. He had a hand on his chin, his eyes closed, and his brows furrowed.

"You've finally woken up." Apollo whispered, opening his eyes.

"How long have I been out?" Hecate asked, her hand on her head, still trying to get a grip on reality.

"2 days," Apollo replied as he rose from his seat. "Ten if we include your ascension."

"Two days..." Hecate frowned. "That long..."

"You have nothing to be worried about, my love." Apollo, who was sitting next to her in bed, reassured her. "I had checked. Your body was just adapting to the changes brought by the ascension and breaking your limits…."

"Ascension…" Hecate murmured, and she immediately exerted her divinity, gazing out at the world.

There it was, with her at its centre, a purple web that interacted with the fabric of reality across the entire Western world.

It was her weave of magic.

"I did it..." Hecate stared at her hands in a daze, "I really did it..."

Apollo embraced her. "Yes, you did. You have become the source and have broken the limits on your divinity."

Hecate returned his embrace with quivering hands.

"Thank you, Apollo." Tears trickled down on the shoulders of Apollo. "Thank you for the Hope….."

Apollo stepped out of her embrace and cupped his hands against her cheeks. He then stated it firmly. "Please do not thank me, my love. You were the one who broke through it all. Hope was always present in your heart. I just made it burn brighter…."

"It still doesn't deny what you did, Apollo…" Hecate leaned in, exhaling. "Thank you for everything. I honestly don't know where I'd be without you in my life."

"You are Hecate, the Goddess of Magic, the Creator and Ruler of the Weave, the Source of Magic, and the Lady of Mysteries," Apollo declared, bumping his forehead against hers.

He indicated her heart. "Never ever forget that, my love."

"I won't, Apollo," Hecate said as she kissed him, their warm and icy lips melding heavily under the stars. After what seemed like a lifetime, they parted ways.

"Come, rest your head on my lap," Apollo said with a coy smile.

Hecate obliged, lying on his lap. "How do you feel now?" he asked, gently caressing her hair.

"I feel..." she drawled, as if looking for the right word. Her eyes gradually became emotional, and she sighed.

"Liberated…"

"Isn't it good?" Apollo inquired softly.

"Yeah." Hecate nodded repeatedly. "More than anything."

Apollo kissed her on the cheek. "I know."

"So…" Hecate asked after a moment of comfortable silence. "What happened when I went out in the cold? I didn't cause any big problems, did I?"

"Your ascension caused quite a stir..." Apollo laughed and patted his chest. "But nothing I couldn't bear for my love..."

Hecate smiled at his sincere yet boastful words.

"Then I dragged my mother to meet your mother, and they talked..." Apollo continued.

"How did it go?" Hecate pressed her lips together with concern.

"It went much better than I expected." Apollo smiled "They reconciled after they fully heard each other,"

"It is great…" Hecate muttered, relief washing over her. "Our family can finally be one…"

"I'm sorry, my love," Apollo said abruptly.

"Why?" Hecate inquired, puzzled.

"I should've waited for you to do this." Apollo gazed up at the night sky. "We vowed to mend our family together..."

"Oh…" Hecate burst out laughing, caressing his cheek. "Apollo…"

"How can you be so adorable...?"

Apollo gave her a sour look, but his lips rose to form a betraying smile.

"Apollo…" Hecate finally spoke, her laughter dying away. "It's fine..."

Apollo's smile broadened, then he kissed her cheeks. "Now, my love, go to sleep. I'll go tell Aunt and Mother that you're awake."

Hecate nodded and rose from his lap. And she watched him walk away with teary eyes.

"Don't leave your bed, as your body is still recovering. If you want anything, please just call me; I will immediately come."

Apollo's whisper sounded in her ears.

Hecate smiled.

"I am not hearing a reply."

"I will, Apollo." Hecate sighed, lying on the bed. "Now, go."

Apollo hummed.

_____________

15 minutes later.

Apollo, Leto, and Asteria strode down the long corridor to the final room.

"Is she truly fine, Apollo?" Asteria inquired once more, her voice strained with worry.

"Yes, Aunt." Apollo answered patiently, as they neared the door to the room. "She just needs some rest. Then she will be back on her feet in no time."

Asteria hastily nodded and opened the door, entering the room. Leto followed her, but she came to a halt when she noticed Apollo standing motionless, his eyes fixed on the night sky.

"Are you not coming, son?" Leto inquired.

"You both go first, mother." Apollo said. "I'll join you later; I have something I need to attend to."

Leto nodded and strided into the room, closing the door behind her.

In silence, Apollo turned and walked towards the balcony at the end of the corridor. As he approached the balcony's edge, the night shone with millions of stars.

"Nyx," he called. "You can come out now."

Nyx manifested. "Apollo, you have such sharp eyes."

Apollo said sharply. "Small talk isn't necessary. State your purpose, Nyx."

"I'd like to speak with you about something very important." Nyx revealed, getting straight to the point.

"What a surprise." Apollo said, though his calm expression betrayed his words. "Me too, Nyx."

Nyx chuckled. Darkness hustled in and shaped a dark table with two chairs. And they took their seats in silence, facing each other in a moment of heavy silence.

Apollo spoke, shattering it. "You should know the coming war of the gods?"

"The one you'll most likely begin." Nyx spoke gently. "Yes, Apollo, I do."

Apollo continued. "The gods will not be the only ones fighting in the war. The Primordials will eventually join; it is inevitable..."

Nyx hummed.

Apollo took a deep breath, his calm tone hardening to one of sincerity. "So, Nyx, I invite you to join me, to become my ally."

"That's unexpected." Nyx furrowed her brows. "You didn't trust me at all with little Hecate."

"And I still don't." Apollo said pithily, crossing his fingers. "But there's no need to bring that to the table right now...."

"Go on," Nyx said, intrigued.

"Our alliance will be based on mutual interests and benefits." Apollo then revealed, placing all of his cards on the table. "This is also why you've come to meet with me. You should have noticed at least my differences and decided to bet on me."

"You gave me hope." He pointed at her.

Nyx fell silent for a moment as the darkness ringed her like shimmering, glistening veils.

Then, she acknowledged with a nod. "Yes."

"So, what true benefit can you provide me?" She inquired bluntly, laying all of her cards on the table as well.

Apollo met her eternally dark eyes. "Nyx, your divine path."

"You maybe be a primal being, greater than the gods. However, you are still inextricably linked to this universe."

"You are only the night and the first darkness of this universe."

The night sky became heavier. Darkness blanketed numerous galaxies, dimming billions of stars throughout the expanse of space.

Apollo continued, unabated by surging Nyx. "However, if you decide to join me, you might be able to find a way to break free and achieve liberation."

"Might?" Nyx cocked her head. "You're not certain, are you?"

Apollo stated. "This is something even I am unfamiliar with, Nyx, but I can nearly guarantee you will be able to find it."

"Do you fully understand what you are asking of me?" Nyx said, her voice raising a pitch. The night sky became even darker. The galaxies dimmed even more. "You actually want me to take a leap of faith in you."

"Yes," Apollo said firmly, rising from his seat and reaching out a hand to her. "Just like I am taking it in you."

In a sunken and heavy silence, their bright and dark gazes met. Finally, Nyx rose from her seat, her gaze fixed on the room of Hecate, and then it passed to his hands.

The light and darkness shook hands together.