Buzz!
Sensing what his two companions were going through, Samael smiled in quiet relief and lightly stamped his foot.
As the air trembled, the authority of the Serpent of Original Sin spread outward, cleanly severing several purple-black threads that had been latched onto the underground leylines. Suppressed emotions and a powerful sense of self instantly broke free from their restraints and flowed back into their rightful owners.
"Orion? Could it be that you too…?"
The purple-haired, green-eyed handsome man snapped awake as if roused from a dream. When he took in the scene before him and saw that unforgettable, honest baby face, shock spread across his expression.
Before he could finish speaking, however, the vibrations coursing through his bones made the newly awakened Perseus grimace.
"L-let go… let go first."
Only then did Orion realize he had gotten a little too carried away. He hurriedly released his old friend, scratching the back of his head with an awkward grin to cover the embarrassment.
Freed at last, Perseus rubbed his sore, aching joints. After surveying their surroundings, he turned back to Orion and let out a heavy sigh, his expression dark.
"Every time I wake up, there are more new faces in Elysium. It looks like His Majesty the God King has sped things up quite a bit. I thought you would be the first hero to escape the curse… but now even your entire soul has been bound here."
Orion rubbed his head, the corners of his mouth lifting with a hint of pride.
"Perseus, I actually forgot to tell you. I followed a friend across the River Styx and came here on my own."
He then briefly recounted his journey to Perseus, explaining how he had just regained his physical body.
"You idiot! Do you really think that's a good thing?!"
Perseus's face sank as he heard the end of the story. He pressed a hand to his forehead in frustration, then revealed the sinister intent hidden beneath that so-called gift.
"By merging with the part of your soul bound in Elysium and gaining an incarnated body, you've probably already fallen completely under Zeus's divine mark. You've been turned into a tool, a servant meant for endless labor!"
Orion froze. Snapping back to himself, he hurriedly picked up the teddy bear soul vessel from the grass and pressed it to his forehead.
No matter what he tried, though, part of his consciousness refused to transfer as it once had.
The moment he tried to curse the one responsible, an invisible restraint tightened around his flesh. A surge of pain tore through his soul in response to that irreverent thought, forcing him to clutch his head and pound it hard.
At the same time, a lightning-shaped sigil glowing with a faint halo surfaced on Orion's forehead, leaving behind a scorched, blackened brand.
The pain was like a red-hot iron rod being stirred through his skull. Even Orion, thick-skinned and usually all too happy to court danger and suffering, had bloodshot eyes and bulging veins across his forehead.
Fine beads of sweat seeped from the Three-Star Hunter's brow. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to lift a hand and press it against Perseus's shoulder, forcing out a hoarse question.
"So this is… Zeus's… divine mark? Hiding something like this inside our incarnated bodies to control us… that's vicious… Agh!"
The instant another blasphemous thought rose, silver arcs of light crackled wildly across Orion's body once more, drawing out a string of agonized cries.
Perseus turned his head aside, unable to bear watching. Only when Orion's convulsions finally subsided did he pat his old friend's shoulder and speak in a low, grim voice.
"It wasn't planted. It was awakened.
"In truth, every hero who inherited divine blood, every last one of us, had a dormant divine mark engraved into our souls by the threads of the Spinning Wheel of Fate the moment we were born.
"When we 'mature' and step into death as dictated by fate, that mark activates. It drags our souls to Elysium, reshapes our bodies, and turns us into laborers for the gods."
Hearing this hidden truth, Orion's face changed dramatically, and he couldn't help but curse aloud.
"So that means our fates were mostly decided long ago, only to be toyed with and manipulated by the gods in the sky? This isn't a divine mark at all. It's a curse!
They want to keep me like a dog, and they've already slapped the leash on me in advance… Ngh… it hurts, it hurts, it hurts…"
Once again subjected to the twin torment of soul and flesh, Orion was drenched in sweat, his body shaking uncontrollably like a sieve.
"Darling, don't think like that. There has to be a way. I'll find a way to save you, no matter what…"
Hearing this secret for the first time, Artemis couldn't bear to see her lover suffer. She immediately pressed his head into her chest, soothing him as her hand rested against the back of his head, driving her divine authority in an attempt to dispel the so-called divine mark.
However, the lightning-shaped mark that had already been activated was now entwined with Orion's soul on countless levels.
Forcibly removing it was out of the question. Even the slightest tug would tear at the host's consciousness with unbearable pain.
Moreover, the legendary Spindle of Fate wove the future of the world itself. Its patterns encompassed even the destinies of the gods. How could insignificant humans ever hope to resist it?
What he had thought was the end of suffering turned out to be the beginning of despair. After enduring endless hardship to reach this paradise, Orion's shattered soul had been reforged and he had gained a reborn body, only to become a prisoner bound here forever.
If Father Zeus were to discover this, even if they both survived, they would be separated for eternity, never to meet again.
Sorrow filled Artemis's eyes, a mix of unwillingness and resentment churning in her heart.
Suppressing his curses toward the gods for the moment, Orion patted his head to steady his thoughts and asked with difficulty,
"Ngh… Perseus, you said the divine mark activates in the Pure Land after we die. But what if we arrive here while still alive?"
"It will awaken early. You'll be assimilated by this land. Did you bring living people here?!"
Perseus's gaze sharpened, his expression turning grave.
"Damn it! Atalanta, Heracles, they're in trouble!"
Hearing this dangerous answer, Orion cursed under his breath. Without hesitation, he grabbed Artemis and Perseus and charged toward the Wall of Sighs, shouting a warning toward Samael and the others in the distance.
"Leave now! The Pure Land will assimilate you and keep you here! That Hecate woman has no good intentions!"
…
At the same time, hearing the warning, Samael's eyelid twitched. He stepped forward at once, placing himself in front of the slower-reacting Atalanta, little Medea, and Circe, his eyes narrowing as he stared warily at Hecate standing nearby.
Hearing the commotion, Heracles lifted his nameless axe-sword and strode over at full speed. The three handsome youths whose minds had just cleared grabbed their spears and shields and followed close behind.
Nearby, Sisyphus, who had been gorging himself in the riverside nursery to replenish his withered soul, hesitated for a moment when he heard the shout. After casting one last reluctant look at the abundant delicacies around him, he turned and rushed toward the source of the noise.
In the tense, heavy atmosphere, everyone converged one after another, each bringing with them newly uncovered truths, along with fresh reinforcements.
When the team heard Orion's revelation, their expressions changed instantly. Samael spread his palm and pressed it against Atalanta's head, his authority of destiny pulsing outward as he carefully searched her body for abnormalities.
As expected, after repeated and meticulous probing, the Ancient Serpent quickly discovered countless invisible threads within Atalanta's soul flame, fused tightly with her memories and emotions.
Then there were the same signs on little Medea, on Circe, on Heracles. Even Sisyphus had not been spared.
Under the activation of Samael's authority, the divine marks woven by the Spindle of Fate surfaced one after another on the heroes' bodies, appearing behind ears, on foreheads, chests, and lower abdomens.
The Ancient Serpent turned his gaze toward the Moon Goddess before him and asked quietly,
"Lady Hecate, are you aware of the risks of staying in the Pure Land of Bliss for too long?"
"I am…"
"Then why didn't you warn us in advance?"
"How to see through it, how to deal with it, that is your responsibility. I only guide the way…"
The goddess of roads and witchcraft replied calmly, her expression serene. When her gaze paused on the small devotee beside the Ancient Serpent who was struggling to shield her, she hesitated briefly before adding,
"If you need my help for even this level of trouble, then you should never have come seeking the Pure Land of Bliss, nor entertained such dangerous thoughts."
"I understand…"
Catching Hecate's subtle reaction, Samael grew thoughtful. He then raised a hand and gently stroked little Medea's head, his fingers sliding down along her cheek and leaving the purple-haired girl flushed red from ear to ear.
Across from them, Hecate's brow knit tightly together. The knuckles gripping her staff turned white, betraying the turmoil beneath her calm exterior.
Samael pressed further, his fingers lightly teasing behind the girl's ear, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
Circe was about to speak, but Atalanta reached out and stopped her.
The huntress signaled her to stay silent, gently shaking her head as she calmly watched the man's bold, irreverent behavior.
A faint, unnatural blush rose on the Moon Goddess's face, her expression tightening. Just as she was about to speak, a strange tearing sound rang out.
"Shhk!"
As the Ancient Serpent slowly withdrew his hand, the mark that had appeared behind little Medea's ear had already crumbled and faded into nothingness.
Samael stretched lazily, cracking his knuckles, and looked at Hecate with a meaningful smile.
"So, does that mean we've passed this trial?"
...
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