On the day the Argo was set to depart, a crowd gathered at the port, some to spectate and others to see the crew off.
Among them, standing at the dock, speaking with many, eyes full of reluctance, constantly offering reminders, was a being... half-man, half-horse... bidding farewell to the ship's crew.
It was Chiron, the teacher of nearly everyone present, except perhaps Morpheus and his companions.
From the deck, Morpheus watched the youthful-looking centaur tirelessly instruct his students, as if they were his own children. Turning to Medea and Artemis, he said, "You have to admit, Chiron's an oddity among centaurs. He's got the best temperament. The others are either committing assaults or picking fights."
"It's a matter of origin," Artemis explained. "Centaurs were born from Ixion, a deceitful man consumed by desire who broke his promises, mating with a cloud. They inherited his flaws. Chiron, however, is the offspring of Cronus and Philyra. He took the form of a centaur because Cronus transformed into a horse, and thus Philyra bore him as such."
Artemis's explanation was precise, but Morpheus already knew this. His comment was merely to probe whether this world's Chiron matched the myths he knew or if there were differences.
It seemed there were none. Chiron's origin aligned with the myth: Cronus, while cheating with Philyra, was nearly caught by his wife Rhea. He turned into a horse to evade her, and during this act of love, Philyra conceived Chiron, resulting in his centaur form.
Chiron's birth was nothing short of a tragedy!
His centaur appearance led to his mother's rejection, and he was abandoned at birth.
If Morpheus's memory was correct, this mentor of countless heroes would soon meet his end, caused by none other than his student, Heracles.
Morpheus observed like a bystander, with no intention of altering Chiron's fate. It was unnecessary, tied to Heracles's own journey... the Twelve Labors. Chiron's death would earn him corresponding glory, a compensation from Zeus.
Finally, as everyone boarded, they began rowing. These heroes, each immensely strong, powered the Argo's fifty oars, cutting through the waves and swiftly leaving the port of Iolcos behind, vanishing from sight.
Despite their speed, the Age of Gods's world, enhanced by myth or mystery, was vast. The planet's surface seemed multiplied in size, far larger than it should be.
Thus, even after rowing from dawn to dusk, they found no place to dock.
Night was for rest. Though the Argo was massive, it couldn't provide private quarters for everyone. The crew was divided: men in the largest area and women in a smaller one.
In truth, the ship had only four women: Pollux and Atalanta, original crew members, plus Medea and Artemis.
The four shared a cabin, while Morpheus joined the men in another.
The men's cabin was lively, with the crew drinking fine wine and swapping stories.
Morpheus sat quietly to the side, not joining in but listening intently, memorizing their tales... adventures they found thrilling... and considering whether to include them in his book.
At that moment, someone approached him: Castor, the elder of the Dioscuri twins.
Looking uneasy and reluctant, he said, "Um… I'm sorry. My attitude yesterday was poor. Please don't take it to heart."
"It's fine," Morpheus replied with a smile, shaking his head. "I understand. You went from god to human because of humans. It's natural to resent them."
Castor froze, surprised that Morpheus knew this. But then, recalling Morpheus's closeness with Artemis... almost like a married couple... he relaxed. Artemis must have told him, making it natural for him to know.
"So, do you want to reclaim your power?" Morpheus asked suddenly.
Castor's eyes widened, staring at Morpheus. His mouth opened, but it took a moment to stammer, "Y-You're serious?!"
He couldn't believe Morpheus's words. To fall from god to mortal was tragic. He had done nothing wrong, even helped humans, yet was reduced to this.
He knew how difficult it was to regain divinity, so he held no hope of becoming a god again. His only wish was to stay by his sister's side forever.
But having lost his divinity and immortality, that wish was impossible.
His sister was a god, an eternal being!
If he could restore his divinity, couldn't he stay with her forever?
"It's actually quite simple. I'm surprised you didn't think of it," Morpheus said, then shook his head. "Though fully returning to your former divine self might be tough. You'd likely exist in a dual state... not half-human, half-god, but both human and god simultaneously. Keep that in mind."
Morpheus's description confused Castor. He grasped that it was a unique state, but could such a thing truly exist?
"It's possible," Morpheus continued. "Ask your father. He's different from you and knows things the native gods of this world don't, thanks to his unique nature."
Castor began to believe him. Though an outsider god, he was Zeus's offspring in this world, little different from native gods.
But he knew the Greek pantheon were outsiders, once far stronger than Earth's gods. To protect the planet and humanity, they sacrificed much of their power, becoming comparable to Earth's deities.
Their knowledge, however, remained. When Morpheus suggested consulting Zeus, Castor trusted him... this human.
This man fought in the Gigantomachy, slew Typhon, and was offered divinity by Father, and even the Moon Goddess adores him. His words must hold great weight. I should respect him like a mentor!
With this thought, Castor grew more deferential. "Mr. Morpheus, please, teach me how to restore my divinity!
"If I can, and you ever need my help, just say it. I won't refuse!"
"I'll keep that in mind, but I don't know what I'd need yet," Morpheus said with a smile. "As for becoming a god, I'll tell you directly... it's incredibly simple."
Castor was baffled. If it was so simple, why had he been wallowing in despair?
When Morpheus spoke, Castor was stunned, eyes wide, at a loss for words.
"Why not write a chronicle? Or a novel, a tale, even poetry... whatever works. Emphasize that you and your sister are Zeus's divine children, not mortals.
"Better yet, denounce the legend you dislike. Craft a story where you appear before a mortal, guiding their voyage, and solemnly declare you're a god, not a human, urging them to remember correctly.
"Maybe have the mortal forget, so you deliver divine punishment, making them suffer. When they repent, you forgive them."
The solution was so simple that Castor's first thought was, Are you kidding me?
But as Zeus's son, he knew things mortals didn't. In that moment, he realized, This could work. It absolutely could.
He finally understood Morpheus's talk of a dual state... not half-god, half-human, but a unique existence as both human and god.
***
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