“Sehun, my dear,” A weary voice called out, strained and tired.

As Thea lay on her bed under less than luxurious sheets, she reached out to palm her son’s cheek. She was simultaneously haunted by worry about her only successor.

 His divine facial structure which he had obtained from his parents had already axed him with endless problems: His skin resembled what she had previously; he had inherited her linen silk skin and her plump apple lips that tangled the minds of those that are able to see and his eyes, his calm stormy grey eyes had been exposed by far too much tragedy that it has moulded him to what he has become now. What more if he discovers the riddling truth about himself- his bloodline and what he possesses?

All the unsaid came streaming down her aged skin from her eyes as tears, loudly seeking out for the non-existent solace she sought and it worried her son to no limits. “Mother, do you need medicine?” Sehun asked with meeting brows that caused a crease to form in between the two. 

Like she, Sehun was wary about his mother’s health. He was aware of her shedding health, that she no longer had the amount of time healing requires but he wasn’t just about to give up. It may be difficult but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible- that was the phrase he lived by; another trait he inherited from his father.

Thea retracted her hand from his cheek, shutting her lids to prevent more of what should remain unseen to be exposed. Faith and strength was what her son needs the most right now in order to proceed with the normality she fought to give him and that was what she would give. Thea did not fight with her siblings for an eternity to surrender when all of the vulnerability she chose to live with piled on. She was once a warrior and she’ll remain as so till all that was created by dust returns to dust itself.

Upon her mortal years as a mother she learnt that: in life, you live as a warrior – and you don’t have to kill a handful of men to prove so – who always dominates all that try to dominate your being in the end as well as a worrier whose guard stutters every now and then when those you love are at risk. Her last battle in life was to fight for what she had always fought for: her son’s present life and her last worry were to worry what she had always been wary of: her son’s safety when all that should be subdued resonates.

A wisp of breath escaped in between her lips in attempt to calm her rushing heart. Tonight was the night she makes the choice for her son. In a few days, when the stars gather and scatters and a messenger comes forth from the brightness, her son will marry to a mortal being to secure his re-written destiny as a human. He will neither be the salvation nor the ender but a breathing nobody to the mortal’s issues.

“I want to send a message to Lilah. Could you do that for me?” Thea exerted as much energy as she could to continue talking- something she wouldn’t have to suffer from if only she had remained stuck in the mists of Oblivion.

Sehun visibly relaxed, softening under the presence of his – as much as he didn’t want her to – fading mother, “Of course.” he responded, feeling the excruciating squeeze he felt from his heart.

“When the time comes and your first born awakens to this world,” Thea opened her eyes to present two orbs painted in the colour of the deep clear seas. For her, it was a blessing to be able to stare at her husband’s settled stormy greys as well as her son’s in one whilst she wished using her last draws of breath. “I wish to meet him-“

“But mother, you’d be… you’d be…” Sehun was shook by his mother’s impossible, as he thought, wish.

“Listen to me, Sehun,” Thea held onto her son’s hand to soothe the pain which the truth had caused in him. “I can and I will be able to meet your offspring using the eyes of Her Grace, Thea.” It pained her how even her own son wasn’t given the chance to know of her real identity as The Goddess from who light emanates and the many advantages he has access to when in need but, she thought, it was better to end life as how it was ended: naturally and without the burden of those who live from the norm.

Sehun sighed exasperatedly. Not only did he accept her last wish but as well as the biting truth. His teacher, his most loyal friend, his source of limitless love and dote is fading into dust and it hurt to know that he could do nothing about it considering she wanted to be as close to nature even in death, rejecting the offers of healers who are guaranteed to cure her as it was unnatural.

Thea smiled softly as she did only under Sehun’s presence as well as her deceased husband. “Bless yourself and those around you, especially the ones you want to keep, with love and care and faith.” Thea sighed just as softly as she smiled; closing her eyes to show that she was prepared to succumb to slumber’s arms.

Tears pooled in Sehun’s eyes, holding onto his mother’s hand tightly. He was unprepared to let her go, clearly. He was unprepared to be free from her guidance and her shielding arms but, he had to. He needed to let go and let her have the rest she missed in order to take care of him. So, he did. With shaking hands, Sehun let go of Thea and kissed her forehead for the last time, hoping she would feel his warmth before she joined the cold.

“Sleep tight, mother.” Sehun whispered as clear as when his mother taught him wise words that conquered fears. “I love you.” He pressed his cheek against hers, remembering the creases it previously had as she smiled to him. And finally, when he rose from his seat beside her bed, Sehun bowed his head as a sign of undying respect to his worthy mother just as she did when the Gods took his father’s life. With that, he left Her Grace, Thea – his mother – to rest for an eternity.

For the rest of that night, Sehun did not return to his chamber which he shared with Lilah – his soon-to-be-wife, instead he let his feet lead him to his father’s balcony and sat down on the rim with his back and head against the ageing walls and both legs resting on the elongated, thick rim. He sought for the comfort from the stars and the moon who did not judge the weakness he presented before them whilst he cried for his deceased mother.

Just like that, he slept under the watchful gaze of the night sky and the tight embrace of the air, also much to his oblivion, alongside his mother’s spirit that was formed as she was originally: a Goddess who illuminated like no other.

Thea, with her unfeeling form, kissed her son goodnight before she disappeared into the bright vignette which led her to where she truly belongs.

 

-

 

Later on that night, as Sehun lay sleeping on the balcony the stars in the sky gathered above him. As the twinkling diamonds imploded it rotated into a circle and the middle of it remained empty. Friction built up in the middle of the implosion which in turn created strong energy.

Sehun awoke to an electrifying pull he felt to particularly nothing, he figured as he opened his eyes and found everything as it was. He did not see the sky, however, and when he did, it was too late. He fell to the Balcony’s platform and shielded his eyes using his arm from the explosion of light.

The temperature rose as high amount of energy was being released in the form of aurora in the sky. Sehun felt as though he was enveloped by a heated blanket of some sort; the lukewarm feeling was inviting rather than intimidating. He was under a God’s presence, Sehun knew somehow even though he never got to experience the welcoming of a Grace, but it was somewhat similar to what he felt whenever his mother was around.

He braved the light and slowly settled his arm down, slowly opening his eyes only to see that it was no longer light yet, it felt as though the light was never absent. Stood before him was a vixen dressed in white and damp blue. Like him, she owned a pair of orbs that were stormy grey but, unlike his’, the lady in blue’s eyes was sharp and veiled. Her hair was long painted in a fine raven black and her skin was golden and smooth.

“Who… Who are you?” Breathless, Sehun barely managed to voice out his curiosity. He felt strangely attracted to the lady: attracted to her dominance like an underling to a royalty, and perhaps that was the case. Sehun didn’t know, at least not yet. Both stormy pair met and the animalistic dominance of the vixen won effortlessly against Sehun’s even though she merely stared back.

“I am Iona, daughter of Metis and Zeus,” Her voice was neither strong nor delicate: it was of a grey tone, one that settles in between black and white. Still, it resonated of strong power and it exerted all intimidation that settled in Sehun. 

 

“I came here to lead you to the right path, Sehun – son of Her Grace, Thea and His Grace, Hyperion.”