As the play concluded, the audience erupted into applause. Lucian and Linus joined in, clapping as the actors took their final bows. They rose from their seats and made their way out of the theater, joining the flow of people exiting into the cool night air.

Once they were clear of the crowd, Lucian turned to Linus, a question burning in his mind. "Uncle, I've been meaning to ask you something. It's about... unlocking my power."

"Unlocking your power? What do you mean?"

"In the arena, when I was fighting... Kyra was there. He touched me, and suddenly, I could slow time. It was like a small portion of my power was unlocked. I've been wondering why you haven't done something like that for me."

"Kyra did what? Lucian, that's... that's not something just any god can do. It's not that simple."

"What do you mean?"

Linus sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Unlocking a god's power, especially a young one like yourself, requires an immense amount of magical knowledge. It's not just about being powerful. It's about having a deep understanding of the very fabric of divine essence."

"Then that means Thanatos has some powerful magical abilities, right? If he was able to do that?"

"That's the thing. Thanatos isn't known for his magical prowess. He's powerful, yes, but in different ways. This... this doesn't fit with what I know of him."

"Then who could have that kind of power?"

Linus was quiet for a moment, then spoke up again. "There is only one goddess known for that level of magical mastery. One who understands the deepest mysteries of divine power."

"Who?"

"Hekate," Linus said. "The goddess of magic, crossroads, and the night. If anyone could unlock a god's power like that, it would be her."

"Hekate? But why would she be involved in this?"

"I don't know. But this... this changes things. If Hekate is involved somehow, the situation is even more complex than we thought."

"Complex how?"

"Hekate is an incredibly powerful witch. Her magic is... well, it's beyond what most gods can comprehend, let alone wield."

"Beyond? How? Did you see her use her powers before?"

He paused, looking around before guiding Lucian to a quiet alcove away from the thinning crowd. "I did."

"When?"

"During the war against the Titans," Linus began, "Hekate's magic was crucial to our victory. The Titans were immensely powerful, and at first, we were outmatched. But Hekate... she turned the tide. She cast a spell that shrouded Mount Othrys, the Titans' stronghold, in an impenetrable mist. This mist confused the Titans, made them see things that weren't there, hear voices that didn't exist."

"That sounds... terrifying."

"It was," Linus nodded. "I saw Titans, beings of immense power, reduced to babbling fools, swinging their weapons at shadows. But that wasn't all. Hekate also enchanted our weapons, imbuing them with the power to actually harm the Titans."

"I thought the gods were always able to fight the Titans?"

"We could fight them, yes, but truly hurting them? That was another matter entirely. Hekate's magic changed that. Suddenly, our blows landed with real force. It was... well, it was a turning point. But perhaps her most crucial contribution was the spell she cast on Kronos himself. She bound his prophetic powers, preventing him from seeing the future. Without that foresight, he became vulnerable to Zeus's strategies."

"So without Hekate..."

"Without Hekate. The war might have gone very differently. Her magic didn't just help us win. It quite possibly saved us from complete annihilation."

"And now... now you think she might be involved with unlocking my powers?"

"If she is, the implications are... staggering. Hekate doesn't involve herself in trivial matters, let alone human matters. Whatever game is being played here, it's bigger than we realized."

"Do you think she has something to do with the death of the gods?"

"I don’t know. It could be. Everything is still confusing to me."

"So what do we do now?"

Linus placed a hand on his shoulder. "For now, we stay vigilant. And you, nephew, need to be very careful. If your power is being unlocked, even partially, you're becoming a more significant player in whatever is unfolding. And that makes you more of a target to them for temptation."

"You know, that’s funny because Thanatos did tempt me to join his side."

"You didn’t did you?"

"Of course not. I would never do that. I’m not an idiot."

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"Good. Make sure it stays that way."

Lucian nodded.

"I have to go."

"Where are you going?"

Linus was already starting to fade, his form becoming translucent. "I need to check on something. This new information about Hekate... it's opened up possibilities I hadn't considered before."

"But—" Lucian started, but Linus cut him off.

"Be careful, nephew. And remember what I said about staying vigilant."

With those final words, Linus vanished completely. Lucian stood there for a moment, staring at the spot where his uncle had been. He began walking back towards Thais' house, his mind racing with implications and questions.

What did Hekate and Thanatos want with the human world? Their domains were so far removed from mortal affairs—magic, crossroads, and death. What could they possibly gain by meddling in their politics or the broader conflicts of Greece? Are they planning to enslave humans or do they want to make this the new Olympus?

Could they have had something to do with the death of the Olympian gods? It seemed impossible—how could even Hekate and Thanatos overcome the likes of Zeus or Poseidon? And yet, if Hekate's power was as great as Linus had described...

He shook his head, trying to clear the swirling thoughts. Lucian was getting ahead of himself, speculating without evidence. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was standing on the edge of something monumental, a conspiracy that went far beyond anything he'd imagined.

——

The snow-capped mountain emerged before Linus, its jagged peaks disappearing into a shroud of thick, gray clouds. The air was thin and bitingly cold, each breath forming a small cloud in front of his face. The mountainside was treacherous, a nearly vertical face of ice-slicked rock and loose scree.

Linus climbed, his fingers numb as they searched for handholds in the unforgiving stone. Suddenly, a rock beneath his foot gave way, skittering down the mountainside. For a heart-stopping moment, he dangled by his fingertips, legs swinging in the emptiness below. Gritting his teeth, he regained his footing and pressed on.

He rarely climbs mountains these days. In the past, he and his sister often spent their free time hiking up steep trails together. Though he's out of practice now, Linus still feels a connection to those earlier adventures whenever he sees a distant peak on the horizon.

A piercing cry vibrated through the air, and Linus looked up. There, an eagle, invisible in the cloud cover, called out again. The sound spurred him on. "I have to reach the top," he muttered to himself. "I have to see it."

The afternoon light was fading fast, the already dim day giving way to an early dusk. The temperature dropped further, ice forming on his beard and eyebrows. Still, he climbed.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he hauled himself onto a small ledge near the summit. Panting, he stood and began to run his hands over the rock face before him. "I know it's here," he said.

His probing fingers found a spot that felt different - softer, somehow. Linus jabbed at it with his index finger, and small bits of rock crumbled away. Encouraged, he began to punch at the spot repeatedly, ignoring the pain in his frozen knuckles.

The wall gave way, revealing a dark opening. A cave, hidden for who knows how long, lay before him. Linus's eyes began to glow a yellow hue, illuminating the darkness ahead. Without hesitation, he stepped into the cave, leaving the howling wind and biting cold behind.

As Linus ventured deeper into the cave, his glowing eyes revealed a world untouched by time. Thick cobwebs draped from the ceiling like ghostly curtains, swaying in the draft from the entrance.

"It's been too long," Linus muttered, ducking under a large web. "Time certainly hasn't stood still here."

Lost in thought, he failed to notice the change in terrain beneath his feet when he stepped on a slick patch of stone. His foot shot out from under him, and before he could react, he was sliding down a steep, smooth incline.

The world became a blur of darkness and flashing yellow light as he tumbled head over heels. Rocks and debris clattered around him as he fell, his body bouncing off the unforgiving stone. Then, he finally came to a stop at the bottom of the slope.

Groaning, Linus pushed himself to his feet. His body ached all over, but already he could feel his divine healing kicking in, mending bruises and knitting together small cuts. He brushed off his clothes, sending clouds of dust into the air.

As the dust settled, his glowing eyes fell upon what he had been searching for. Before him stood a massive stone door, easily three times his height. Its surface was covered in complex carvings, ancient letters and symbols running along its edges and across its face.

"I found you," Linus breathed. He approached the door as his hand reached out to trace the carved symbols. "The door to Olympus."

This secret entrance, unknown to the other Olympians, had been his and Artemis' childhood discovery. A hidden path that now served as the last remaining link to the fallen realm of the gods. He didn't come here to enter the realm, but rather to search for answers.

As he examined the area, his fingers brushed against something in the dust beneath the floor. "There," he muttered, clearing away years of accumulated grime.

What emerged sent a chill down his spine. Two distinct footprints lay side by side in the ancient stone - one he recognized as his own and his sister’s from years past, but the other... The other was unmistakably different.

Linus sat back on his heels and thought of only one name; "Thanatos," he whispered.

But even as he said it, doubt crept in. How could that be possible? This place was his secret, known only to him and Artemis. The idea that Thanatos had somehow discovered this hidden entrance was almost inconceivable.

He leaned in closer, studying the footprint that wasn't his own. It was definitely recent, far more so than his old print. The edges were crisp, undulled by time.

"I know Artemis’ footprint and this is definitely not hers," Linus muttered. "But I needed to be sure if its his."

He focused on the floor, eyes glowing further. The footprints left behind emitted a distinct energy, it felt dark and foreboding, one he recognized immediately. It belonged to Thanatos. This discovery removed any lingering doubt from his mind.

"But How did he found this place?"

The implications were staggering. If the god of death knew about this backdoor to Olympus, what else did he know? Could this somehow be connected to the fall of the Olympians? It raised more questions than answers, but it also confirmed his suspicions that there was more to the recent events than meets the eye.

He had come here seeking answers, and while he hadn't found what he expected, this new information was crucial. The arrival of Thanatos suggests a deeper purpose. He has lost something of great importance in the realm of mortals and seeks to reclaim it. The question is; what did he lost here that he would cross into the very edge of Olympus to find it, even to the point of involving the humans? The gods were known for their desires and their treasures, but Thanatos was different—his currency was souls.

Does he seek to rule the world? It doesn’t make sense. Humans are a plaything to him. He finds their world appalling compared to Olympus. But then again, with Olympus gone, perhaps his perspective has shifted. Maybe, in the vacuum left by the fallen gods, Thanatos sees an opportunity to exert his influence in ways he couldn't before. Or perhaps what he seeks isn't power over the living but something else entirely—something lost in the cataclysm that brought Olympus down. But what is it?

Should he confront the god directly or should he continue to gather more information first? Confronting him, especially one as powerful as Thanatos could lead to disastrous consequences such as the death of innocents. He needed more understanding of the stakes involved before he makes his move. He needed to find out what the god of death is searching for.