Walking through the portal, Metis stepped into a new realm.
As her eyes adjusted, she froze.
Her expression was unreadable—she hadn't expected this.
The place was stunning, almost sacred in a way that defied explanation.
Flowers bloomed in every direction, trees rose high with leaves of silver, green, and hues she'd never even seen before.
It was otherworldly.
A place unlike anything in her world.
It was truly and utterly beautiful.
But despite the awe, tension lingered in her chest.
This was a forbidden realm—a sanctuary belonging to one of the Primordials.
One of the Earth itself.
She needed to tread carefully.
'Metis, behave. Act natural,'
she thought to herself, trying to keep composed.
She didn't want to look nervous, yet she couldn't come off as childish either.
Still, she couldn't help the admiration rising in her heart for this realm.
It was majestic.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching from the left. Turning her head slightly, she saw them.
Two figures.
A mature woman and a young man, likely on the verge of adulthood.
The woman—there was no other word for it—was divine.
Possibly the most beautiful woman Metis had ever laid eyes on.
And that was saying something, given that Metis herself was often considered among the most beautiful of the deities, rivaling even her aunt, Rhea.
But this woman—with her Forrest green hair, gentle eyes that radiated wisdom and depth, and the way she moved with ethereal grace—it didn't feel natural.
It didn't even feel divine.
It was something beyond.
Too perfect to be real.
Then her gaze fell on the young man.
He was equally captivating.
Though his features still held a trace of youthful softness, it was clear he was nearly grown.
His presence was striking, magnetic even.
But it wasn't his body or bearing that held her attention.
It was his eyes.
Those eyes.
Silver irises with a gleam like stars.
Calm.
Mysterious.
Infinite.
They were unlike any she had seen before.
Metis found herself staring, completely taken off guard.
'Get a grip!'
She scolded herself silently.
'Alright, time to be serious. Don't go dazed like some love-struck nymph, Metis!'
She quickly straightened her posture, mentally preparing herself.
Then she offered a small, polite smile—not too surprised, not too cold.
She didn't want to come across as rude, but neither could she act overly familiar.
After all, she was the Titaness of Wisdom.
It wouldn't do to appear unintelligent or undignified.
That was against everything she stood for.
Before she could speak, the young man stepped forward and began.
"Hello. You must be Lady Metis. I've heard much about you from my mother. I am Aetherion, the firstborn of Rhea. It is a pleasure to meet you."
He extended his hand politely, then gestured to the breathtaking woman beside him.
"And this is Gaia—the primordial of the earth."
After the introduction, Gaia gave a gentle nod of acknowledgment.
Metis, not wanting to appear rude, quickly responded,
"It is an honor to meet you both, Lord Aetherion and Lady Gaia."
She offered a respectful bow toward Gaia—after all, this was the first primordial she had ever encountered.
Even with all her wisdom, Metis could not stop her hands from trembling slightly.
Meeting a being of such ancient divinity was an overwhelming experience.
Primordials were not encountered lightly.
Forcing herself to regain composure, Metis raised the vial of potion she had been holding and presented it before them.
"The potion you requested is complete. It is ready to be used."
She spoke with calm, professional ease—like a willow swaying in a soft breeze.
Aetherion beamed, his smile radiant, filled with sincere gratitude and joy.
Metis, despite herself, thought,
'What a cutie…'
and quickly pushed the thought aside.
Still, the tips of her ears shimmered faintly gold.
Before she could reflect further, Aetherion spoke again.
"That's amazing! Truly brilliant! Metis, thank you for creating this. Without your help, the plan would have never come together."
Gaia added with a warm tone,
"Indeed. Thank you, Metis. You've helped us greatly. Your contribution will not be forgotten."
Metis, trying not to let the praise go to her head, straightened slightly.
Internally, she was pumping her fist with excitement, dancing in joy.
Outwardly, she maintained a graceful smile.
"It is an honor to assist you both," she said. "I am simply glad to play a part in ending the tyranny Kronos has wrought upon us all."
Her tone was calm and measured, but the joy in her heart was undeniable.
Praise for her craft was always deeply satisfying.
"Yes, truly, you are remarkable, Metis,"
Aetherion said softly, still smiling.
Before she could reply, he turned and gestured for them to follow.
"Come," he said. "I'll explain the plan in detail."
Rhea and Metis nodded eagerly, walking beside him through the lush garden.
A beautiful table was already set before them, adorned with delicacies unlike anything Metis had seen before.
As if reading her curiosity, Aetherion smiled and said,
"Ah, right. You probably don't recognize any of these. They're my own creations—new delicacies made from fruits I've cultivated here. This one, for example, is a strawberry cake. Please, try it."
He gently offered her a slice.
Metis eyed it with curiosity, unsure how to respond, but accepted it politely.
She took a small bite—and immediately, her senses exploded with flavor.
A soft, involuntary moan escaped her lips.
She gasped and quickly covered her mouth, her cheeks glowing with a golden blush.
"I… I didn't mean to do that," she muttered, flustered. "But—this delicacy is truly divine…"
Still golden with embarrassment, she managed to smile as Aetherion chuckled gently, clearly enjoying her honest reaction.
"No, it's fine," Aphrion said, smiling warmly. "Actually, your reaction makes me happy. It means you liked the food I made."
He sounded cheerful, clearly pleased by her response.
Metis, a bit flustered, quickly turned her head away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
But as she did, she caught sight of Rhea, who was watching them with an amused smile, and Gaia, who looked on with her usual serene expression—though her eyes hinted at mild boredom.
Metis coughed lightly, trying to collect herself.
"Shouldn't you start explaining your plan now?"
she asked, seizing the opportunity to redirect the conversation.
Aetherion gave a small chuckle, amused of the change of subject.
"Ah, yes, of course. Right. Here's the plan."
He began to lay it all out—each step, each detail, each contingency.
How they would trick Kronos into swallowing the fake baby, how the potion would be hidden, how the real child would be smuggled away, and even the escape route and secret sanctuary they'd prepared ahead of time.
As he spoke, Metis listened intently, her expression shifting from curiosity to sheer astonishment.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
This… child—this deity—came up with all of this?
Had she not known better, she would've assumed he was the Titan of Wisdom, or at least one of Planning.
The depth of foresight, the creative execution, the flawless coordination—it was astonishing.
Everything had been accounted for.
Even Rhea's escape, and the exact moment of childbirth, were worked into the design.
It was genius.
When Aetherion finally finished, he leaned back slightly and said with a casual smile,
"So, yeah… that's the plan. Like it or not."
He spoke as though it were nothing special—just another idea he had thought up over drinks.
But both Rhea and Metis were left speechless, their mouths slightly open in awe.
Metis blinked, stunned.
'How in the name of the cosmos did he come up with that?'
Before she could say anything, Rhea beat her to it.
"Aetherion, this… This plan is genius," Rhea said, her voice full of joy and amazement. "My son, you're not only talented with domains, but you have a gift for strategy as well!"
She was beaming with pride.
Metis nodded slowly, still absorbing everything.
"Truly… it's a fantastic plan, Aetherion," she said, reluctantly admitting, "Even I probably wouldn't have come up with something like this."
And she meant it.
She was the Titaness of Wisdom, the embodiment of knowledge and foresight.
But what Aetherion had done wasn't just intelligent—it was creative.
It required a type of imagination and out-of-the-box thinking that went beyond conventional wisdom.
She was impressed.
Aetherion grinned, raising a finger beneath his nose playfully.
"Well, of course—I am quite the genius."
That earned him an eye-roll from Metis.
"Don't let it go to your head, you brat,"
she teased with a smirk.
The words slipped out more naturally than she expected.
Normally, she maintained a formal and composed tone with others, especially those she'd only just met.
But somehow, with Aetherion, things felt… different.
More relaxed.
More familiar.
It was strange.
Comforting, even.
Aetherion turned to her with a playful grin.
"Ah, spoken like a true jealous Titaness of Wisdom—because you didn't come up with it first."
He gave her a mockingly triumphant smile, his silver eyes twinkling with humor.
"You!"
Metis narrowed her eyes at him in mock annoyance—but behind it, something else stirred. Interest? Amusement? Maybe something more.
Whatever it was, she didn't quite understand it yet.
"Anyway, let's not let all these sweets go cold. Come on, girls—let's dig in!"
Aetherion said with a bright smile as he took a bite of his chocolate cake.
Metis noticed that Gaia immediately joined in as well.
No, she didn't just take a slice—she took the whole cake.
Metis blinked, eyes widening slightly at the sight, but quickly chose to ignore it, not wanting to waste time or seem impolite.
Rhea followed suit, picking up a slice of strawberry cake and taking a bite with a pleased hum.
In the midst of the breathtaking garden—where countless flowers bloomed and a crystalline fountain sparkled in the center, the four of them sat together.
They shared food, exchanged lighthearted conversation, and basked in each other's company in a space filled with peace and warmth.
And for now… that was all that mattered.