Tike, familiar with the task, arrived at the temple. Her beautiful sisters swam over to greet her, dancing joyfully in the water and pouring out their longing for their sister. Touched, Tike presented them with brightly colored gemstones and robes made of mist. These gems, discovered while she spread mist across the land, were special gifts prepared for her visit to her mother and sisters. The Oceanids surrounded her and led her to the Sea Goddess. The goddess joyfully caressed Tike's cheek, sensing her daughter's vibrant divinity, and with evident pride, declared, "My beautiful daughter, goddess of prosperity-bringing ocean currents, messenger of the mist-driving waters, you are our pride!"
Tike, a little shy, said, "Greetings, my great mother!" As she spoke, she presented a crown crafted from crystal, inlaid with pure green gems. This exquisite crown enhanced Tethys's majesty, delighting the goddess, who praised her daughter's craftsmanship repeatedly. Tike then opened the connectors between the crown's segments, transforming it into a necklace. This magical transformation astonished the assembled goddesses, and Tethys herself remarked that Tike possessed the potential to attain the divine office of art.
Seeing her mother in good spirits, Tike seized the opportunity to inquire about the preferences of the gods. "My esteemed mother, while fulfilling my divine duties on land, I encountered Prometheus. He has extended an invitation to a banquet on behalf of the King of Gods, Cronus. Will you be attending?"
The delighted goddess, engrossed in examining the necklace, casually replied, "All the gods will be present, and you can also meet your father and sisters."
Tike pressed further, "What gifts does my father, the great Ocean God Oceanus, favor?" The goddess put down the necklace and mused, "Your divine office has brought him glory. Fulfilling your duties diligently is the best gift you can give him."
"However, as this is your first time attending a banquet of the gods, you should present gifts to the Earth Mother and the Queen of Gods, Rhea," the goddess reminded her. Tike nodded, "I understand, Mother. Will the Earth Mother and the Queen of Gods appreciate gemstone ornaments?"
Tethys's expression grew serious. "The Earth Mother is the embodiment of the Earth itself; gold, silver, and gems hold no meaning for her. A robe made of mist would be the most fitting offering. As for Rhea," Tethys sighed, "she will not care for such gifts now." Tike knew this was due to the curse on the first King of Gods, that the second King of Gods would also be overthrown by his own children, which instilled a sense of urgency in her. Soon, another war among the gods would erupt. The gods connected to the primordial sources were all indispensable parts of the world. Should any deity fall, the divine office they governed would be lost, causing irreversible damage to the world. Since the creation of the world from chaotic Khaos, no god governing a primordial source had ever truly perished. Even Uranus, who was deposed from his kingship, remained the Sky God, merely rejected by the Earth and unable to approach it, slumbering in the heavens.
"Does the Earth Mother have any other siblings? I have never encountered any gods outside of the Earth Mother's lineage!" Tike was genuinely curious, vaguely recalling that the Earth Mother had a few siblings.
Tethys smiled and embraced Tike's shoulders. "In the beginning, there was nothing in the chaos. The chaotic Khaos had no form until several energies within the primordial sea fell into Khaos's body, and thus the Primordial Gods were born. The eldest daughter was the Earth Mother Gaia; she was the only one with a physical form among the Primordial Gods, the very foundation of the world. Next was Tartarus, the embodiment of the abyss. His emergence blocked the connection between chaos and the Earth, and the abyss began to erode the land, thus fixing the Earth in place. Following them were Erebus, the god of darkness, and Nyx, the goddess of night. Both were half of the primordial darkness and sought to merge once more. Their entwined existence enveloped the Earth. From the union of these two primordial darkness gods, the primordial god of love, Eros, was born, existing within the hearts of all gods. Eros, in turn, caused the two dark gods to give birth to Aether, the god of space, whose emergence prevented the abyss from further eroding the Earth. After him came Hemera, the goddess of day, whose appearance brought light between darkness and the Earth."
Pausing, the goddess continued, "Under the protection of the gods, Gaia conceived Uranus, the Sky God, and Pontus, the primordial sea god. Their emergence stabilized the world, ultimately forming the three realms of sky, sea, and underworld. Later, the Sky God and the Earth Mother gave birth to the twelve Titans, including myself and your father." Seeing her daughters captivated, Tethys smiled with satisfaction, clapped her hands to rouse them, and said to Tike, "My daughter, go back and prepare your gifts. Your sister, the wise Metis, will guide you to the path to Mount Othrys."
Bidding farewell to her mother and sisters, Tike rode the currents back to the surface. Schools of fish followed her, escorting the goddess to a warm bay. Stepping onto the warm sand, Tike summoned white cloths made of mist and fashioned a crown from flowers and green leaves, adorning it with ripe fruits. Nodding in satisfaction, Tike resumed her work of creating clouds.