After clearing things up with Kanna, the stone in Tike’s heart finally settled. The boy broke free from his mother’s embrace, turning his head away from Tike with a hint of shyness. Tike couldn’t help but chuckle, rising to watch the boy lead his Pegasus away into the distance.
All the gods were on guard against a possible surprise attack from Uranus. The sun and moon gods joined Hyperion in the search for Uranus, and in the cycle of day and night, the sun and moon rarely showed their faces.
Tonight, the stars shone brightly, and Asteria, the goddess of the starry night, revealed her beautiful form in the night sky. Tike smiled and, parting the thick mist, went to her friend’s side.
Asteria’s bright eyes were full of laughter as she asked her friend why she was so happy.
Tike, without answering Asteria’s question, immediately focused on the starry night goddess’s abdomen and, feigning anger, retorted, “My beautiful friend, why didn’t you tell me this good news sooner?”
The starry night goddess gently stroked her abdomen and said softly, full of affection, “The appearance of this child has absorbed almost all my strength, and I have not yet fully recovered. Perseus guards the sky, keeping watch over Uranus, and I can only leave the temple when I perform my divine duties at night.”
Unlike with Kanna, children directly conceived by deities continuously absorb power from their parents. Weak goddesses often remain weakened for a long time because they cannot provide enough power for their children.
“Neither you nor Perseus, with your intermediate divine power, can fully satisfy her needs. This child is indeed exceptionally gifted, just as I foresaw.”
Tike congratulated her friend joyfully, then added with concern, “Be careful, my friend. It would be dangerous if you encountered Uranus.”
Asteria nodded, shaking off the starlight. “After all, I am an intermediate deity; I won’t be defeated so easily. On the contrary, my gentle sister, if she were to appear in the night sky, it would be even more dangerous.”
Asteria was known among the gods for her swiftness due to her divine duty over meteors. While she couldn’t contend with powerful deities in direct combat, few gods could catch her if she focused on escaping, so self-preservation was not an issue.
Tike was slightly relieved and then proposed, “Whenever you appear in the night sky, I will accompany you until your child is safely born.”
A playful smile returned to the starry night goddess’s face, and Asteria teased, “My dear friend, aren’t you afraid of meeting Helios?”
Tike, her expression unchanged, merely glared at her and said indifferently, “If I meet him, I meet him. I can’t possibly avoid him forever.”
Greatly surprised, Asteria immediately leaned closer, curiously pressing, “Tell me quickly, what happened? Did you reconcile with Theia?”
Tike had no choice but to recount Kanna’s problem to her gossipy friend, summarizing, “I cannot accept Helios’s courtship, nor do I wish to force Kanna to leave Helios.”
Asteria waved dismissively, her interest waning. “I thought you had forgiven Theia.”
“Theia is Theia, and Helios is Helios. I still resent Theia’s offense, but I will be grateful for Helios’s help,” Tike said seriously.
Seeing Tike’s earnest expression, Asteria felt bored and asked doubtfully, “Tike, do you want to become a virgin goddess?”
Tike shook her head speechlessly. Asteria became even more confused. “My dear friend, why do you refuse to enjoy pleasure? If it’s because you don’t want to bear children, you can merge with divine essence to give birth to deities, just like Kanna.”
Tike was speechless and could only remain silent. Due to their vastly different values, Tike could not accept the promiscuity of the gods, which made her seem like an anomaly.
“I have my reasons,” Tike could only reply.
Fortunately, Asteria respected her friend’s choice and did not press further.
The night receded from the sky, and with the appearance of the dawn goddess, Hemera of the day unveiled her radiant veil.
After accompanying Asteria back to the temple, Tike returned to the Invisible Island.
Kanna was riding his Pegasus, chasing the sun’s path across the sky, and he crossed paths with Tike.
The energetic youth stirred a gentle breeze that brushed past Tike’s fingertips as he playfully greeted her. The golden-eyed sun god also cast his gaze from the sky, welcoming Kanna.
Tike looked directly at the dazzling sunlight and nodded to the sun god with a relaxed expression. Helios paused for a moment, then, for the first time, he laughed heartily.
Kanna’s divine duties of tracking and direction were indeed helpful for finding people, but due to his recent birth, his divine power was insufficient. If he were to be isolated, he might only meet his demise.
Tike watched the wind god’s joyful back with some concern, seeing them off. Kanna was the only one among all the gods participating in the search for the sky god who possessed weak divine power, yet his importance was undeniable, as Helios’s personal welcome was the best proof.
It was time to resolve the issue of Uranus, Tike mused to herself.
On the reefs at the edge of the mist, the siren sisters cheered to welcome their main god. Tike looked at the sirens’ tattered clothes with helplessness. The clothes woven from seaweed and leaves were no stronger than air under the sirens’ immense strength, and clothes made of fabric would tear when the sirens transformed. Over time, Tike had no choice but to let them be.
Although their intelligence was questionable, under the prolonged guidance of the rainbow goddesses, the sirens had learned etiquette and language, forming their own social hierarchy. The blonde siren leading them had a pair of golden eyes, and the wildness that occasionally flashed in them made Tike consider remaking them. Later, however, when the sirens took on the roles of guards and hunters, Tike felt reluctant to do so.
Tike accepted the beautifully crafted deer horn coral from the blonde siren and praised them with a smile. The sirens retreated joyfully.
The trees on the Invisible Island had grown tall. Under the straight metasequios, various colorful flowers bloomed, and the abundant water nourished lush moss, which felt soft underfoot.
Passing through the mist-shrouded metasequoia forest, an orchard appeared, with trees laden with ripe fruit and flocks of sheep passing beneath them. The shepherdesses tending the sheep were surprised by the main god’s arrival and offered Tike sweet fruits and sheep’s milk.
Ascending the stone steps led to a field of lilies and a shimmering silver lake. Tike walked step by step across the island, passing through the flower field to the base of a flamboyant tree shrouded in the night sky by the lake.
Reaching out, she removed the night veil, and the fiery red flowers emitted brilliant sunlight. Occasionally, fallen petals were carried away by the stream, accumulating in clusters on the pool, shining brilliantly.