In the dreamlands,
Daphne, Luna, and Aaric were having a feast with the Olympian gods as Hestia and Luna danced, and Daphne was talking to Hera.
Hera was telling Daphne about how she met Aaric. "He just came up to me and peered into the chaos as if it was nothing," Hera commented.
Daphne raised an eyebrow at that. "Can you tell me where that portal is?" she asked, and Hera shrugged and told her.
"Where are Aaric and Hades?" Hera asked suddenly, and they heard Luna behind them. "They said they were going out to explore," Luna said.
Persephone scoffed at that. "They must be bothering some nymphs for a song," she said.
Luna and Daphne looked at each other before smirking. "We can use this to make him dance on our fingers for a week," Daphne said, and Luna nodded.
"I do that as well. Hades will pamper me for years now," Persephone said, matching Luna and Daphne's smiles.
Daphne excused herself after a bit. "Can I explore the area as well?" she asked.
"Yes, you will be safe here. I think Prometheus is building a city, you can explore that," Hera said and patted Daphne's cheek as she waved and left.
Daphne looked at the scenery of Olympia before clenching her fist in determination and moving towards the area Hera had told her about.
Daphne took a breath as she saw the portal Hera had told her about.
She looked around and tilted her head as she saw a giant flower just under the place Hera told her she was chained up.
The flower was as if petals were forged from molten gold, each one shaped like a flame mid-flicker.
She looked around the flower but did not pay it much thought as she was not here for the flower.
She looked at the portal and saw a giant castle on a winged boat floating in space. The boat had some threads extending from it, connected to a sun that was dragged through space.
The sun moved around seven planets, flat and facing the sun.
She saw the boat move in awe before she took a step and entered the portal.
She appeared in the boat, in front of the castle, as she saw a god with a falcon head looking out from the boat, holding an ornate staff topped with a sun disk.
"I didn't mean to intrude," Daphne started with a bow before she was interrupted.
"You did," the god said simply and glanced at her before tilting his head.
"You wish for me to choose you and bless you. And you just entered the portal without a thought… just so you could feel useful to your boyfriend," the god said and scoffed before looking out again.
Daphne looked at the ground, her hands cupped in front of her.
"There were an uncountable number of possibilities that could have happened when you entered the portal. I could have just killed you with a glance," the god said before fully turning to her.
"So, why do you think yourself worthy of my blessing?" he asked, and she clenched her fist before looking up at the god.
"I talked to Hera about you…" Daphne started. The god nodded with a hum, indicating he knew who she was talking about.
"You protect them every night, from the monster. I wish to be able to protect him as well," she said with determination.
The god scoffed. "Why would I care? He is not one of my children," he said before turning away from her, ready to leave.
"Do not be so rude to the child, Ra." A feminine voice interrupted them as a goddess with the face of a hippopotamus, with lion limbs and a crocodile tail, exited from the castle and came up to Daphne.
"Do not mind him, child," she said as she patted Daphne's head.
"Come, you are the first visitor we have had. Let us eat. You can call me Taweret," she said and welcomed the stunned Daphne to the castle.
"Thank you," Daphne said with a bow as she entered the castle and was led to a table where she was given some food and juice.
"Are you two alone here?" she asked Taweret, who nodded with a small sigh.
"Yes, child. We have been here since the... beginning," she said and glanced at Ra, who just sat near them and said nothing.
"We created everything you just saw, together," she said, and Daphne nodded before taking a sip of her drink.
"I see you have been in contact with an infant flame spark. Bring it to me and I will bless you. Let us be done with it," Ra said, waving his hand dismissively.
Daphne frowned in thought, and the little flames she saw in the volcano came to her mind.
"I can only bring one that may choose to be with you. And I need to know you will not harm them," Daphne said as she saw Ra glance at her and noded, almost as if in approval.
"You have my word I will not harm them. On the contrary, I will nurture the spark," Ra said solemnly.
He then raised his finger, and a drop of blood exited his finger before forming a red jar.
"Take this with you. The flames will be able to sense me through it and choose me," Ra said, putting the jar in front of her.
Taweret then raised her hand, and two transparent beads formed in front of her. "Use one to go where you wish to and the other to return," she said gently.
Daphne took the jar and the beads before bowing in thanks and breaking one bead near her feet.
She was then teleported to the volcano with a puff of white smoke.
She then smiled as little wisps of colorful flame came up to her and started dancing around her and climbing on her body.
She then opened the jar and placed it on the ground as some wisps came up to the jar and started dancing around it.
A white wisp stopped in front of the jar and climbed on it. After a moment, it entered the jar and gently settled inside.
Daphne picked up the jar and smiled before breaking the second bead, and a moment later she was in front of Ra and Taweret.
"That was quick," Ra muttered before getting up and extending his hand as Daphne handed him the jar.
Ra gently opened the jar and then extended his hand as the white wisp jumped out of the jar and rested on his palm.
"Greetings, little one. I thank you for choosing me," Ra said as the wisp danced around his palm before climbing on his shoulder.
"I guess I have to bless you now," Ra said with his usual dismissive tone, looking at Daphne. The wisp nudged his face before landing on his beak and dancing in front of his eyes.
"I get it, stop grumbling," Ra said to the wisp before it rested on his shoulder again.
"Come with me," Ra told Daphne and started moving deeper into the castle.
He then led her to an open area with pillars all around it and two thrones on one side.
Ra waved his hand and conjured a white chair in the middle and gestured for Daphne to sit.
He then sat on his throne and extended his palm. "You as well?" he suddenly asked as he saw Taweret sitting on her throne as well and doing the same as Ra.
Taweret nodded her head. "She is a good and loving girl," she said gently.
The Gods then made cuts in their palms and two streams of blood extended towards her chest.
First was the molten gold running through Ra, and the other was the deep blue-green blood of Taweret, flowing like the river Nile.
As Ra's blood was infused with Daphne, "I proclaim you Bearer of the Solar Current," he declared.
"I proclaim you Guardian of the Living Waters," Taweret added.
And they together named her "The Horizon's Vessel."
As a golden crown formed on her head, with a scarab in the middle, and a cloak with the color of starlit water formed around her.
(Pics of crown and cloak)
After the transformation was complete, Taweret gave her a gentle hug. "I will not ask anything of you, as I trust you will be true to yourself and protect and nurture," she said.
Ra nodded at her and patted her head gently. "You are welcome here when you wish. Just be careful when I am sailing through the underworld, as that is when Apophis rears its head," Ra said, not gently but not as gruff as he was previously.
Daphne smiled at them both and bowed. "Thank you, I will carry your names with me," she said softly before she vanished with a soft blue glow.
She undid her transformation and appeared behind Aaric and Hades, who were laughing and chatting as some river nymphs sang and danced in front of them.
Daphne smirked and went behind Aaric and held him by the ear. "I expected this from Lord Hades. But not from you," she said as Aaric looked scared and Hades looked hurt.
The river nymphs giggled and waved as Hades muttered, "It was his idea."
A/n: Please leave your thoughts on the chapter.
Gimme power stones, all of them.