Thaimera – Medusa's Palace
The silence inside the palace was profound.
Medusa reclined on her serpent-backed chair—regal, unreadable, hauntingly beautiful. Her fingers traced the spine of an apothecary grimoire, its cover etched in ancient runes.
The room radiated quiet authority: black obsidian walls streaked with emerald veins; towering drakestone shelves lined with forbidden scrolls and tomes; a writing desk of emerald quartz, its legs shaped like coiled serpents—poised, elegant, and deadly.
Knock. Knock.
Medusa gently closed the book and set it aside.
"Come in."
The caretaker entered with careful grace. "My Queen. Lord Prometheus has arrived. He requests an audience."
Medusa stood, her gown whispering like silk and shadows, and descended the grand staircase. She found Prometheus reclining on a velvet sofa in the drawing hall, brooding like a man preparing for a monologue.
She sat across from him, calm and unreadable. "So… what brings you here, Prometheus?"
He offered a dramatic sigh, hand over heart.
"Look at you, Medusa. Two hundred years, and you're still flawless. Elegant. Enchanting—how?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"It's been one hundred sixty-four years, not two hundred. And forgive me if I doubt you crossed from Xendral just to ask about my skincare."
A caretaker entered, offering a drink on a silver tray.
Prometheus took the glass and sipped. "Mmm... Thaimera's honey milk. Divine. Truly. If The Union ever collapses, you and I should go into business."
Medusa raised an eyebrow. "Pitch that idea to Adamas."
Prometheus choked mid-sip.
He cleared his throat. "Where are Nyssa, Krios, and our charming little advocate, Raezel?"
"They're not in Thaimera. They're in Velmor," Medusa replied.
"Velmor?" His eyes narrowed.
"A mortal nation."
At that word, his entire posture changed. Gone was the performance. His expression hardened.
"Medusa… explain. Why are Nyssa, Krios, and Raezel in a mortal nation?"
"Because I granted them The Seal. Velmor is fragile—politically unstable, economically barren. They're working to change that. To give it strength. Sovereignty."
Prometheus leaned forward, voice dropping.
"If they succeed… the Union gains another nation. Another monument. Proof that we—not Olympus—are the true rulers of this era."
He hesitated, then added with tension.
"But the timing couldn't be worse."
"Explain."
"It's that cult. The one that appeared two years ago. We still can't trace their origin, but we know this—they despise monsters. They despise The Union."
His voice darkened.
"They ambush our people. Torture them. Raid villages aligned with us. They've tried to assassinate kings, lords, nobles—anyone who speaks for us."
"We've been doing damage control. But the chaos is eating at our alliances. Some nations are starting to doubt. Others… are preparing to leave."
He looked her directly in the eyes.
"And lately, their activity has exploded. If they learn Velmor is tied to us—they'll strike. Hard."
Medusa's expression cooled, shadowed by fury.
Prometheus stood. His tone turned final.
"Adamas has called a meeting. All Union members will attend."
Medusa nodded once. "I'll send for Nyssa, Krios, and Raezel. The moment their work is done, they return."
***
(Olympus – Zeus's Palace)
The sky above Olympus crackled with divine energy. A new star pulsed faintly in the heavens—another gem in Medusa's constellation.
Ares pointed upward, panic creeping into his voice.
"Did you see that? Another one just appeared! That makes six—six more and then—"
Valeyrie, calm and unreadable, finished the sentence.
"Once her constellation is complete… Medusa will ascend to godhood."
A silence fell over Olympus like a curse.
Zeus stood apart from them, hands folded behind his back. He said nothing.
But thunder began to gather in the clouds above.
***
(Velmor – King Eldor's Palace, Rooftop)
Nyssa, Krios, and Raezel stood atop the palace roof, the cold night air brushing against their cloaks and hair. Below them, the city slumbered. Above them, the stars pulsed.
Krios exhaled. "Only six stars left… huh."
Raezel's gaze never left the sky. "Six. Just six more."
A faint grin tugged at his lips.
Nyssa folded her arms, wind stirring her hair.
"I didn't expect this from Zeloria," she said. "But I'm grateful."
Her eyes sparkled with conviction.
"King Soren is a wise man. He knows who's rising… and who's fading."
***
(Nyx's Night Palace – Rooftop)
Nythren stood beneath the stars, silver constellations dancing in his eyes.
"Theía only needs six more stars, huh!?"
He let out a soft, joyful laugh.
"We should go to Thaimera. Celebrate with everyone."
Beside him, Nyx gazed at the same sky. Her eyes shone with pride. Her smile was calm and quietly unstoppable.
"We'll go soon," she said.
***
(Atlantis – Poseidon's Palace)
High above the ocean depths, Poseidon stood atop his palace. The waves below whispered ancient warnings.
Above, Medusa's constellation gleamed. Another star now joined the sky.
He watched in silence.
His face remained unreadable. Cold. Still. Oceanic.
He turned back toward the palace halls, the sea churning behind him.
"Only six."
The thought moved through him like a distant wave—quiet, relentless, and cold.