The next day, we sat under the quiet glow of her small lamp. I turned to Hestia and asked, "Sister… could you teach me about domains? About the power of gods?"
Her warm smile shifted in an instant. The gentle, comforting presence I had come to rely on transformed before my eyes. Her posture straightened, her voice sharpened, and her eyes took on the firm, piercing gaze of a mentor.
"If you wished to understand, then you had to be ready to learn seriously. No laziness. No shortcuts." Her voice sharpened like a blade and became more formal.
I nodded, slightly startled but eager.
"First, let me explain the term 'godhood.' Godhood was not just power. It was a concept, a law, a force, or a truth that governed part of existence and the universe. My godhood was hearth and sacred fire. Wherever families gathered, wherever warmth and bonds held people together, I was there, even without being seen."
She paced slowly as she spoke, firelight flickering behind her like a mantle.
"Anyone could become a holder of godhood. There was no divine law restricting who might attain which godhood in theory. Any being could pursue water, war, dreams, decay, knowledge—anything. But in practice," she paused, raising a finger, "there were many complications."
Her tone grew even more serious.
"Every godhood carried its essence, a unique spiritual imprint that fused with your soul. If someone tried to absorb too many different essences, their divine energy became unstable, impure, and uncontrollable. The power could conflict within them, causing imbalance and even harm. Worse, it slowed one's ascent through the divine ranks—or sometimes even caused descent."
I listened to every detail, absorbing every word and engraving it into my mind.
"That was why compatibility was everything. Not just between you and the godhood, but also between the godhoods themselves. A god of order would struggle if they tried to take on chaos. A god of war who reached for peace had to reconcile two opposing truths or be torn apart by them."
She looked at me, stern but calm. "You had to choose your path carefully, Hades. Power was tempting, but clarity and harmony within yourself were what truly allowed you to rise."
I nodded slowly, my mind already racing as I thought of the black wings that had shielded me, the mineral affinity I felt, and the chill that never left my body.
I had inherited power… but I needed to shape it into purpose.
And for the first time, I had the wisdom to begin.
She continued, "Every divine being was born with a most compatible godhood, one that resonated with the core of their soul. It was the path of least resistance, the domain that belonged to you even before you knew it."
She stepped closer, kneeling by the fire, her hand hovering above the gentle flame.
"To awaken that godhood, you had to begin from yourself. First, calm your mind and silence the chaos, the fear, and the distractions. When the mind was still, dive into the inner self and focus on your soul. Feel its shape, its weight, its rhythm. Your godhood rested there, like a seed waiting to bloom."
She closed her eyes, and I watched as the fire around her pulsed—not with heat, but with purpose.
"Once you found it," she said, her voice softer now, almost reverent, "you had to nourish it. Feed it with your divine energy, not forcefully, but steadily, like a stream watering a root. Little by little, drop by drop, your energy would merge with the essence of your godhood. When the harmony was complete, when the essence fused fully with your soul, you would awaken your godhood."
She opened her eyes and looked directly into mine.
"And when that happened, Hades… the world around you would know. That was when you would no longer borrow power; you would become a source of power."
I sat there in silence, awestruck.
Hestia continued, her tone softening with understanding while still carrying the weight of truth.
"For many divine beings, their initial godhood awakened instinctively, sometimes within moments of birth. It was as natural as breathing. Their essence aligned easily, and their domain revealed itself like a birthright. That was why newborn gods often displayed miraculous powers immediately."
She paused, then looked at me more gently, her eyes reflecting both wisdom and sympathy.
"But… there were exceptions."
Her gaze met mine, steady and honest.
"There were cases like yours where the godhood did not awaken right away. Sometimes it was because of trauma at birth. Sometimes because of interference… or imprisonment."
"But that did not mean it was lost. It only meant you would have to make extra effort. You would have to work harder than most—train your mind, refine your divine energy, and seek harmony within yourself where others were born with it."
She smiled then, not with pity but with pride.
"Your path would not be easy, Hades. But because of that, when you finally awakened your godhood… it would be stronger, purer, and more earned than most ever achieved. You would understand it not just as power, but as part of who you truly were."
I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of both burden and purpose settle over me.
After Hestia's lesson, her words still echoing in my mind, I sat down cross-legged on the warm stone floor. I closed my eyes and let out a slow, controlled breath, placing my hands on my knees as I slipped into meditation.
I began by calming my thoughts, letting go of the pain, the noise, and the memories. With every breath, my thoughts quieted, like ripples fading into stillness. Then, gently, I turned inward, reaching deeper toward the core of my being.
At first, it was difficult. My soul felt hidden beneath layers of confusion and foreign energy. But I kept pushing, drawing on the patience Hestia had shown me.
And finally, I reached it.
It was not a place, not truly, but it felt like one. A vast void stretched around me, infinite and silent. At its center hovered a massive, glowing purple sphere like a sun, pulsing with immeasurable power. Surrounding it were eleven smaller orbs, each glowing with a distinct color, slowly orbiting like planets around a star.
I opened my eyes in awe, my breath short. Still seated, I turned to my sister and quietly told her what I had seen. Her reaction was instant.
Her face lit up with radiant, almost childlike joy. "Congratulations, brother!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. "You are truly gifted. That giant purple orb is a sign that your soul bears a King-Class Domain. You are destined to become a God King!"
I blinked in surprise. Me? A God King?
"Thank you… sister," I said, humbled yet confused. "But… what did I do now?"
Hestia, still smiling, placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Now your true path began."
She continued in a more composed tone. "Start by focusing on the smaller orbs. Each one represented a potential godhood. These would be easier to awaken and would help stabilize your divine energy. One by one, awaken them and bond with their essence, and they would become your strength."
Her expression grew more serious as she gestured toward the space where my soul resided. "But the large orb of the God King domain was different. Even if you awakened it… it would not obey you immediately."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because King-Class domains came with conditions," she explained. "They were supreme forces ruling over other domains, and such power demanded more than mere awakening. It demanded qualification."
"You would have to prove yourself worthy of its full power. Until you fulfilled its condition, you would not be able to wield it completely. It would stir within you, offer you glimpses, but never bend fully to your will until you became who you were meant to be."
I looked down at my hands, imagining the orbs within me.
One step at a time.
I would begin with the smaller orbs, strengthen my essence, and refine my soul. And when the time came…
I would rise to claim the throne written into my soul.
I would become Hades—not just a god, but a king among gods.