As the sole demigod on the Invisible Isle, Kanas, responsible for receiving guests, maintained a dignified demeanor before his visitors. The youth's upright posture and composed speech and bearing drew constant praise from Iapetus.
Tyche smiled as she glanced at her son, who was putting on a show for others, and coughed to silence the giggling nymphs.
Klymene, the goddess of renown, fit Tyche's impression of an Oceanid perfectly. Her hair, like seaweed, and her azure eyes evoked a sense of familiarity in Tyche. She rose and linked arms with Klymene, cordially inviting the guests to be seated.
The dryads quietly withdrew, leaving the temple to the gods for their private discussions.
Beneath Klymene's gentle exterior lay a resilient soul. She was one of the few Oceanids who had attained divinity through her own efforts, successfully ascending to demigod status shortly before Kanas's promotion.
After a few pleasantries, Klymene got straight to the point. "Queen of the Ocean and Sky, Goddess of Fortune who governs chance and choice, I implore you, for the sake of our shared heritage as daughters of Oceanus, grant me guidance."
Tyche's expression turned serious. "My sister, born of the same source, tell me your request!"
Klymene's face was grave as she whispered, "Will my son, Atlas, the mighty god of strength, successfully ascend to godhood?"
Tyche concentrated, closing her eyes. When she opened them again, a mist had veiled her gaze.
"My sister, Atlas of Strength will lose his freedom by becoming a god. This is the end fate has written for him."
The white light in Tyche's eyes intensified. "He will become the pillar that separates earth and sky, enduring torment without respite."
Klymene, her face drained of color, wept in her husband's embrace. Iapetus calmly soothed his wife and decisively produced a divine position.
"Your Highness Tyche, please grant my son revelation, that he may escape this painful fate."
Klymene also ceased her sobs, looking at Tyche with hopeful eyes.
"This is the divine position of Inspiration, split from my own divine position of Invention. Please accept it as compensation."
Tyche weighed the matter in her mind. The divine position of Inspiration held considerable potential! This position could command all artistic divine positions and might even become a divine position of godhood. Only Iapetus, who mastered the divine positions of soul, creation, and invention, had the confidence to part with it without cherishing it.
To endure a backlash from fate in exchange for a divine position with such potential was a profitable transaction!
Tyche quickly reached a conclusion and, under Iapetus's delighted gaze, took the divine position of Inspiration. kuAiδugg
Tracing the river of fate upstream, the continuously depleted divine power urged Tyche to hasten her actions. Countless possibilities flashed before her eyes, and before her divine power was exhausted, Tyche found another outcome for Atlas in the river.
She immediately withdrew from the swirling vortex, and the ensuing backlash caused Tyche to cry out in pain! The goddess's beautiful, deep blue eyes were burned by fate's retaliation, and brilliant golden blood flowed from the corners of her eyes, tracing hot red marks down her face like tears.
The two rainbow goddesses quickly brought clean handkerchiefs to wipe the blood from their chief deity's face. Tyche's once deep eyes were now filled with a terrifying emptiness!
Kanas anxiously stepped forward to help his mother, but Tyche waved him away.
Enduring the pain of fate's backlash, the goddess of destiny admonished Iapetus and his wife, "Seek out the Earth Mother! Only by having Ouranos replace Atlas in bearing the weight of the sky can he have a chance to escape his predetermined fate!"
Klymene, weeping with joy, reached out to embrace her sister, but in the face of Kanas's and the subordinate gods' hostile stares, she awkwardly lowered her arms. Tyche took a white cloth from Iris and covered her eyes. Leaning back on her throne, she weakly told her sister, "Ouranos of the mountains will not perish because of this. As long as you request it from the Earth Mother at an opportune moment, Lady Gaia will agree."
Iapetus, increasingly uneasy under Kanas's dangerous gaze, clasped his wife's hand, who was repeatedly thanking him, and left the temple.
The pain from fate's backlash gradually receded. Stroking her empty eye sockets, Tyche gently patted Kanas's hand and softly said, "Do not worry about me, my child. My eyes will recover soon. For a while, I will fall into a deep slumber, and you will need to take on the responsibility of protecting us."
Gently stroking Kanas's dark brown hair, identical to her own, Tyche kissed the youth's forehead and said tenderly, "Do not be afraid. My avatars will remain on the island to help you."
Dual avatars of temperature appeared beside Tyche. The divine power of the sky heavily sealed the temple after the gods departed, concealing it in an unfathomable origin.
Kanas watched his mother's temple disappear without a trace with reluctance. Taking a deep breath, he said to the worried goddesses, "Majestic Tisiphone, please lead the Furies in patrolling the island. No one must disturb Mother's slumber."
The three Furies, as if finding their backbone, bowed and then, taking torches made of yew branches and whips made of wool, led the Sirens in patrolling the island's perimeter.
The two rainbow goddesses, unable to afford panic, followed Kanas's instructions. Under the guise of delivering gifts, they each went to the temples of Tethys in the sea and Asteria in the sky, requesting their assistance.
An avatar of the Sea Goddess immediately emerged from the parting waters and came to the island to maintain the mist. Iris also brought news from Asteria: the Starry Night Goddess would appear in the sky, vigilant against the movements of the Dawn Goddess and the Sky God.
In the brilliant starry night, a meteor quietly landed on the Invisible Isle, revealing the goddess's radiant form.
Asteria's divine power avatar, led by the Furies, approached Kanas. The goddess looked at the resolute youth with great satisfaction and whispered reassuringly, "Rest assured, Kanas. I have received clear news from my mother that Tyche will awaken in thirty days and nights."
"Thank you for informing me, Your Highness Asteria. It will be arduous for you to appear in the sky at night for these thirty days and nights."
The goddess nodded with a smile, then turned and disappeared into the starlight.
Night gave way to day. Kanas, called by the Dawn Goddess, rode his celestial horse to guide the Sun God. Helios keenly sensed the abnormality in Kanas's behavior. The Wind God, now accustomed to this task, was exceptionally focused today. Previously, Kanas would always circle the sun chariot during his patrols, sometimes even leaping onto the chariot to try driving it. Today, the Wind God was not as lively as before.
The taciturn Sun God did not question the Wind God but thoughtfully steered the chariot higher into the sky.