40 Unconquerable Sun

Illios, Atlantic Ocean.

Within the epochal amphitheatre, in a dim room lit by flickering candles and swaying torches, Apollo stood with his arms spread wide, as Hecate fasted his white chiton with her glowing hands.

"I enchanted it with the concepts of 'invulnerability', 'speed', 'strength,' 'endurance,' and 'life.'" She muttered as she tied the ends of his chiton. "I weaved it into existence with the white threads of 'light'."

Hecate finished it, and she patted the white chiton under Apollo's impressed gaze, admiring her work on him.

"This will destroy the teeny tiny possibilities of your defeat and seal your victory all the more."

Apollo hugged her. "It is all I could ask for before going to battle." He grabbed her hands and kissed them gently with a smirk. "Your hands never disappoint, my love."

Hecate snorted and retracted her hands. "Focus on the coming battle, Apollo. Not on me."

She admonished. "Even with meticulous planning and preparation, the battle between the gods could catch anyone off guard. There are still far too many unknowns."

Apollo nodded solemnly while inspecting his white chiton. Its shimmering fabric glowed with the breath of magic and mystery.

This white chiton is a truly comprehensive creation that incorporates numerous concepts within it. This is no longer something material, but rather something fundamentally conceptual.

It was enchanted with concepts like 'invulnerability, 'speed', 'strength', 'endurance,' and 'life,' all of which combined to exponentially increase his power.

He used the term 'exponential' rather than stating precise and accurate numbers because numbers lose their meaning at the level of 'concepts.' It is nearly impossible to calculate the figures precisely.

But, if he had to guess, his chitons could enhance their feeble strength to the point where they could shatter continents with a single punch if clad by a mortal (which they couldn't be because any material that conceptual in nature will burn and annihilate the mortal flesh into nothingness).

But, when it came to enhancing his power, Apollo wasn't sure whether it could withstand his full force without tearing and collapsing on itself.

Though, one thing is certain: the chiton, while a conceptual garment, is not as powerful as it would seem. The 'invulnerability' enchantment only makes it almost impervious to non-conceptual attacks. The power of the gods, on the other hand, is fundamentally conceptual in nature. So a divine hand could still tear it apart as easily as a thin piece of paper.

Apollo will see to it otherwise. This was a masterpiece by Hecate, who created it especially for him, after all.

"Does it have a name?" He asked, finishing his examination.

"I hadn't considered it..." Hecate drawled, implying. "You give it one."

"Name.." Apollo stroked his chin. "What about 'lumiere?'"

"I love it." Hecate smiled. "Is that another term for light."

"Yeah." Apollo nodded. Then, with a wave of his hand, light erupted, coalescing and morphing.

Hecate knew he was summoning his weapon since battle was nearing.

"Which one are you taking with you?" She inquired. "The bow or the spear."

"Bow." The golden blow, Sun Invictus, was unveiled in Apollo's hand, splattering with light.

He continued, his hands trailing the golden string. "This would more than suffice for this battle."

Hecate chuckled at his arrogance.

Quetzalcoatl is one of the supreme existences of the Aztec Pantheon. She ruled over the Sun, Morning Star, and Wind of her pantheon. And, unlike the rest of her pantheon, she was described as gentle and kind rather than brutal and bloodthirsty. She even denied the human sacrifices, in stark contrast to her breathen, who revelled in them. But she thought it was "unnecessary" and a "waste."

If that wasn't enough to distinguish her from the rest of her pantheon, the story of her transformation would.

Quetzalcoatl was not always a Goddess, but was originally a God. She went through a transformation in her ascension to become the God of Peace and Tranquility, which changed her into the Goddess she is now.

Overall, Quetzalcoatl was terrifying in her own right. Despite the fact that she is the goddess of peace, her power is undeniable. After all, war and battle are unavoidable if true peace is to be achieved.

And, based on her knowledge, information, legends, and tales, Hecate is almost certain that Quetazalcol is stronger than even the main gods of Olympus.

But she still wasn't w...

"What is with that smile?" Apollo cocked his head, interrupting her ramblings. His hand grasped the bow's upper limb. "I was stating facts, you know?"

"And I believe you." Hecate's smile broadened.

Apollo smirked brilliantly and placed his golden bow on his back, dragging her in.

They kissed lightly and exited the dim room into a long, winding corridor with forking pathways on either side leading to the central arena.

A thunderclap suddenly echoed, rumbling their path.

"Is that...?" Hecate drawled

"Yes." Apollo spoke up, his golden eyes stained with darkness and turning dark golden. His demeanour exuded strictness and authority. "My father and Hera. Not only have they arrived, but so have Amaterasu, Hela, Indra, and many others."

He jested. "They are all here to probably size me up in the battle."

However, Hecate was focused on something else. Her pupils were dilated. "The last time so many gathered was to sign a non-interference agreement with Asgard concerning the War of the Nine Realms."

"And before that was for the Titanomachy…"

Apollo cut in abruptly, his eyes still dark golden. "Yes,"

"A war unlike any other is on the horizon. You should have sensed it by now, right?"

He went into a trance before his gaze came back to her. "There are also the Endless."

"The Endless?!" Hecate's eyes widened.

"Yeah." Apollo drew her forward, hastening their steps. "Dream and Death."

"Apollo…" Hecate drawled, her voice thickening in concern. She finally realised the gravity of the impending war. With that, her purple eyes caught a glimpse of a convergence, the convergence of fate itself on this particular event.

"Come on." Apollo soothed. "Let's focus on the event and leave the rest to our future selves. I am pretty sure that we will handle it fine at that point in time."

Hecate nodded, though the heaviness in her heart remained. The images of the convergence kept flashing in her mind.

They walked in silence, arms crossed, until they were interrupted.

Leto, Demeter, and Hestia emerged from the forks in the path, their gazes fixed on them.

"Thank Zeus!" The Goddess of Harvest sighed in relief. "I almost thought we lost him."

She then hugged around Apollo. "After everything that has happened, I really want to say a lot to you, Apollo."

She let go and patted his shoulders. "But now is not the time, is it? So, are you truly prepared for battle?"

"Yes, Aunt." Apollo gave a firm nod. "I am as ready as I will ever be."

Hestia chimed in. "Still be careful. Never ever forget that Quetazalcol is also the Goddess of Peace and Tranquillity."

"I'll keep an eye out." Apollo nodded solemnly, understanding her warning.

Hestia and Demeter nodded before focusing on Hecate, who had been dragged away from them by his mother and was conversing with her.

"Who might this lovely lady be?" The Goddess of Harvest asked.

"Oh…" The Goddess of Family smiled in realisation. "Apollo…"

"She is Hecate, the Goddess of Magic." Apollo said, drawing the attention of Hecate and his mother. "She is my love."

Demeter was over the moon, but she suddenly sighed "You have already grown up, Apollo. Time truly flies..."

"My ladies." Hecate walked up to them and greeted.

"Drop the honorifics." Demeter waved her hand in annoyance. "I always hate those."

"You are now a member of our family, Hecate." Hestia warmly added. "So there's no need for that. You can refer to us as Aunts, just like Apollo."

Hecate nodded, greeting again. "Aunt Hestia. Aunt Demeter."

They nodded contentedly as they dragged her away from Apollo with the words. "Tell us everything..."

Apollo finally focused his attention on his mother, who was staring at his white chiton.

Leto asked. "Did she make it?"

"Yeah." Apollo nodded, continuing. "So, where has my sister gone?"

"Oh…" Leto smiled. "She is with her hunters, preparing to cheer you for the battle. She even booked a specific area just for that."

That made Apollo grin.

"It is time, Our Musagetes."

Apollo turned to see the Nine Muses appear in the path with their tuned instruments.

Leto patted his back and smiled. "Come back victorious, my son."

Apollo said, patting his chest. "I will, as I always do, mother."

Then, he walked towards Muses, also nodding and assuring to warnings and concerns of his Aunt.

Hecate suddenly asked. "Do you want me to enchant your bow?"

"You have done enough." Apollo shook his head. "Leave the rest to me."

Hecate kissed him lightly, sending him off to the battle.

Apollo smiled and nodded to all of them. And he turned around and joined the muses on the path, which was little by little being consumed by blinding light.

_______________

In the arena, Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Reason, cleared her throat and boomed. Her voice was like thunder of Zeus.

"Greetings everyone! I am Athena, the Olympian Goddess of Wisdom and Reason, and I will be your host for tonight."

The Gods and Goddesses all turned their attention to the brown-haired divine woman with a myriad of emotions.

Athena took out a bone-white horn that glistened with cruel light. "Sun, the first star of the cosmos, created by the most beloved of the Almighty, the Lightbringer himself. It is the symbol of light and power. It was kindled to bring warmth and hope to all of creation. It is the giver of life."

"But…" The tension in the air rose to new heights as gods and goddesses sat on the edge of their seats, their undivided attention fixed on her.

"As the old saying goes." Athena walked around the arena, her fingers caressing the horn. "There are two sides to everything. And the sun is no exception. The golden star of the cosmos is cruel and indifferent as it comes to be. Its golden veils and arches would have melted all life on Earth if not for Mother Earth's blessing. And its light is not as gentle and warming as the tale has it, but scorching and blazing, blinding all who dare to witness its true magnificence and splendour."

She came to a halt in the middle of the arena, her stormy grey eyes trailing the gods, and she raised the horn.

"All in all, the Sun is many things in one, but none deny that the Sun is…."

"Unconquerable!"

The Gods and Goddesses roared in perfect harmony, rattling the earth beneath them to its core.

Athena raised her hand. And the crowds fell silent.

"Let us not waste any more time. This is the moment you have all been waiting for." She exclaimed. "The time to open the curtains is drawing near….. Are you ready for this?!"

The audience erupted in applause, and the amphitheatre itself trembled with excitement. The tension that was ever-present in the air waned, giving way to fervour and zeal with the words of the Goddess of Wisdom.

Athena declared. "It is the event of the millennia, one that will become eternal with time. I cannot wait any longer, so here it goes! The Battle for the Sun, the Unconquerable Sun!"

Then, with all her might, she blew the battle horn, and a sound, a sound of war and blood, erupted, reverberating throughout the solar system.

With that, a shimmering circle of light appeared in the night sky, expanding and enlarging to the horizon, almost covering the entire northern hemisphere sky, revealing a portal into the dark ocean of space.

There was a spark, then a fire, and then an inferno of golden flames, morphing into a yellow planet emitting infinite light and igniting space's eternal darkness.

Then it fell to Earth, leaving a trail of yellow light behind it, like a falling star, like a falling....

Morning star.

"She is the Great Firebird of the Sun. Her light is unbounded and unrivalled. The wind and stars are naught but her playground. Aztec's fiercest, the Winged Serpent herself!"

The Morning Star fell towards Earth, and mortals all over the world knelt and cowered in terror as they witnessed the world-ending event. As the night sky melted like a candle in flames, they prayed and cried to their gods.

A loud bird cry resounded in the bright and sorrowful world, as if answering their prayers.

A winged serpent speared through the melting sky, splitting it all. A divine figure ascended from the back of the serpent, emitting a terrifying divine aura towards the falling morning star.

Immediately, the morning star emitted arches of light and contracted with the ascension of the divine figure.

Finally, it morphed into a golden crown headdress flocked with fiery orange and green feathers, which then fell onto the divine figure's head, as if crowning her with the morning star itself.

The figure then dashed towards the amphitheatre, leaving a yellow trail of light in her wake. And the mortals wept in piety and relief to her.

A blinding shooting star descended on the centre of the arena in the Illios, cracking the ground and raising the dust.

A fierce gale swept away the dust, revealing a divine woman dressed in a bright red-blue huipilli and a crown of gold.

"Goddess Quetzalcoatl!"