Argo was the name of a renowned craftsman in a Greek city. As an architect, he received an oracle from Athena and, with the aid of heroes, began constructing an immense ship.
The ship was made from special timber that wouldn't rot, was remarkably light, and exceptionally sturdy... a miraculous plant of the Age of Gods.
Most notably, the ship's planks were crafted from a tree that stood before a temple, imbued with the ability to perform divinations, a gift from the goddess Athena.
For those joining this adventure, it was a journey blessed by the gods!
The ship, naturally, was named after its builder, becoming the legendary Argo of future tales.
By the time Morpheus and the others arrived, the ship was nearly complete, so they didn't need to wait for its construction. They could board immediately.
"You guys keep exploring. I'm going to check something out," Artemis said to Morpheus and Medea, glancing toward the Dioscuri twins nearby.
Medea and Morpheus understood her intent. Although Artemis had introduced herself as Diana to signal her hidden identity to the young gods, she needed to ensure they wouldn't slip up by giving them a firm reminder.
Thus, the Dioscuri twins and Artemis met briefly in a secluded area, just the three of them.
"Honored Moon Goddess Artemis… why are you here?" Castor, the brother, asked in a hushed voice, cautious despite the lack of others nearby, wary of being overheard.
Artemis smiled. "We're just here to wander and join the adventure as ordinary humans. Act as you normally would and don't mind us."
Hearing her words, the siblings exchanged glances.
"As ordinary humans?"
Clearly, Artemis was here for fun, simply joining the excitement, but the twins didn't dare question her choice and could only agree.
Then Pollux, the sister, asked, "Moon Goddess, is that man, Morpheus, who came with you, also an ordinary human?"
They could sense that Morpheus was utterly ordinary. While Medea radiated powerful magical energy tied to Hecate, Morpheus seemed completely unremarkable.
In a crowd, he'd blend in effortlessly, yet on this ship, where everyone was extraordinary, his ordinariness made him stand out. To the gods, in a sea of exceptional beings, the most ordinary became the most conspicuous.
Artemis shook her head with a smile. "Ordinary? Why would you think he's an ordinary human?"
"I can't sense anything special about him. Not even a trace of power... an utterly ordinary human," Castor said, then paused as a realization hit. The lack of apparent power was precisely what made him suspicious.
Though young and handsome, beauty was common in this world. Surely, the Moon Goddess Artemis wouldn't be so close to him just for his looks?
After all, Artemis had been the chaste goddess!
But now, she clearly wasn't. She had forsaken that title for this man!
"You're still too young. You weren't called back for that perilous war, but I can tell you now: Morpheus fought in the Gigantomachy and, single-handedly, slew numerous giants!"
"He fought in the Gigantomachy?!"
"And killed multiple giants on his own?!"
The siblings couldn't help but exclaim. Had there been others nearby, their outburst would've been overheard.
Embarrassed, they lowered their voices, but their shock remained. They looked at the frail-looking young man in the distance.
This man had defeated numerous giants single-handedly?! And not just any giants... those born from the body of Sefars, monsters that nearly destroyed the world and slew gods in ancient times!
At that moment, they realized the terrifying power hidden within this seemingly powerless youth. Artemis continued:
"He received blessings from the gods. Every major deity granted him their favor, and for his extraordinary feats, the Father of the Gods offered him divinity, which he refused."
"Divinity?!" The twins exclaimed again, stunned that Zeus would offer a mere mortal godhood. Their minds struggled to process it.
Even if he fought in the Gigantomachy and killed giants, that alone shouldn't qualify him for divinity. If it were that simple, wouldn't Heracles, who also fought in the war and was Zeus's son, be a god by now?
At least Heracles had a stronger claim.
"He slew Typhon, the Father of Monsters, the primordial dragon sealed by the Father of the Gods, resolving a threat even the gods struggled to handle."
When Artemis revealed Morpheus's greatest feat, Castor and Pollux fell silent, their minds numb.
What kind of monstrous achievements were these?!
He killed Typhon?
Was this man truly human? If so, how had he defeated the Father of Monsters, Typhon?!
This wasn't some ordinary beast... it was the primordial dragon that chased the gods, forcing them to flee to Egypt!
Yet they couldn't argue. Not long ago, the volcano imprisoning Typhon had roared louder than usual, but strangely, no lava erupted.
They had thought it was Typhon venting his usual rage, but now it seemed those were the traces of Morpheus's battle with him.
As for why no lava flowed?
With Typhon, the embodiment of magma, dead, wasn't it natural that no eruption occurred?
Even connecting the dots, the twins remained speechless. This human named Morpheus wielded power beyond their comprehension.
Their only thought was, "No wonder the Father of the Gods offered him divinity. With such strength, remaining human is either a waste or simply too overwhelming for other mortals."
Artemis concluded, "Don't worry about us. We won't act lightly. This journey depends on you."
With that, she cheerfully left to rejoin Morpheus.
Castor whispered to his sister, "I think… they're all here to play, aren't they?"
Pollux nodded. "They're here for fun, like tourists. What kind of crisis would it take for those three to step in?"
The thought of a crisis so dire that all three had to act made them shake their heads, dismissing the idea.
It was better not to encounter such a catastrophe... it would be far too terrifying!
…
Seeing Artemis return, Morpheus asked, "How'd it go?"
"Don't worry, they won't reveal our identities. I made it clear we're just here for fun and won't interfere much," Artemis said. Noticing Morpheus deep in thought, she asked curiously, "What's on your mind?"
"I'm wondering why Castor, the brother, lacks divinity. Is it because he's considered the son of the King of Sparta?"
"Exactly, though it's a bit more nuanced," Artemis said with a smug smile, as if sharing a grand secret.
"While there's a tale that he's the King of Sparta's son, that's just a legend. Here, they're gods descended to the mortal world to join the adventure.
"The legend changed. People widely believed one of them was the King of Sparta's child, and that belief was so pervasive it affected the gods, impacting Castor specifically."
Morpheus finally understood.
"Though born of humans, they're both children of Zeus. But human imagination stripped one of their divine blood, turning a god into a mortal. No wonder he's so bitter toward humans."
"Are you thinking of helping him?" Artemis asked.
"How could I?" Morpheus shook his head. "I don't even know how to become a god myself, let alone help someone else."
But then he grinned, as if struck by an amusing idea.
"For his situation, the simplest solution is to write a story and spread it everywhere, claiming he's Zeus's son with divine blood. If it spreads widely enough, he could be restored.
"You could even spread it among sailors, letting them carry the tale to distant lands. Make the story captivating and unique, and it'll spread like wildfire.
"Since his fall was due to human belief, addressing it there is the easiest approach."
"Why not tell him?"
Morpheus smirked. "I'll tell him when I'm in a good mood."
Just then, cheers erupted nearby. Morpheus looked over to see the crowd celebrating Heracles's arrival. The most famous hero, who had completed countless perilous tasks, was known throughout Greece. With him on board, everyone felt the adventure was assured.
***
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