Myth: The Ruler of Spirituality

Day after day, year after year.

In the blink of an eye, the chronology here seems to have reversed for thousands of years.

Gradually, a small footprint and the mark of someone lying down appeared here. Besides that, there was also the impression of something hard making a dent.

"What is this?"

Selene asked.

"This is the place where I once fell—look, that footprint and the lying mark were left by me."

"I tripped over something hard here, then fell down... In the end, I took that troublesome thing that tripped me back!"

Pointing to the marks on the ground, Hecate said lightly.

She took two steps forward, placed her foot on the old footprint, and pressed her hand on the dented mark.

"This is an exit, an exit that might not have existed originally."

"But when I picked it up here, this exit came into being."

"You have meditated more than once, and behind this entrance is the place you saw during your past meditations."

"There are many roads leading to the Spirit Realm in this world, but most stop at the first layer. Few can reach the second layer and it's impossible to surpass the third layer."

"Only a few special exceptions, born for special reasons, remain and can reach the depths of the Spirit Realm."

"Enter from here, find a Spirit Moon most closely associated with you... Selene, you have only one choice!"

In a low voice, a spark of light appeared in Hecate's palm, eventually illuminating the entire mark.

In the next moment, a silver crack appeared before the two, and the girl in the red dress reached out, pulling the crack to a width sufficient for both to pass.

In an instant, an intense spiritual aura emanated from the other side of the crack, revitalizing the Moon Goddess.

Looking at the fissure in front of her, Selene felt a bit lost.

"I...?" Pointing at herself, the Moon Goddess hesitantly asked, "Go in and choose a moon?"

"Yes, you'll probably have another task afterward— I suggest you find a Nymph Elf who is willing to worship you, elevate her to be your servant, and grant her divinity to work for you."

"After all, you are the true Moon Goddess, not someone who forges a Divine Artifact with a portion of their godhood."

"As long as you are willing, the moon in your hands can be controlled perfectly without deviating from its orbit."

Nodding slightly, Hecate looked at the hesitant Selene. She stepped back and pushed Selene towards the silver-glowing crack.

With a cry of surprise, the Moon Goddess fell into the gap, and Hecate followed suit.

As the two entered, the crack restored, and everything returned to its original state.

Only the shadow on the ground shifted slightly, recording the passage of time in this place.

······

In reality, by the nameless pond.

The past reflections hadn't ended yet. Heracles watched as two halos disappeared into a 'mosaic' area, and then vanished.

Like a real script, time in the reflections quickened at unimportant points and slowed at crucial moments.

In a blink, the two halos emerged from the 'mosaic' and returned to the present.

It was clear that the silver-white halo became much stronger than before, the bright moonlight constantly surrounding her.

Watching this, the great hero had an intuition.

With the Moon Goddess entering, both the Spirit Realm and she herself were somehow enhanced in the domain of the Moon.

No... it wasn't an enhancement, but a completion.

It was like things once separated finally coming together... They performed a function that was more than the sum of their parts.

...

Baseless guesses flashed through his mind as Hecate's actions continued in the image.

Returning to the Mortal Realm from the crack, the Goddess of the Magic Net glanced at the marks on the ground.

After a moment of hesitation, she displayed her magic and moved the pond she had been by earlier.

The marks immersed in the water, as if buried in the sands of the past.

The powerful Mystery Lock shone above the area, but Hecate didn't let the Magic Net's string fully cover it.

She merely took out a book, one that appeared as a 'mosaic' to both Heracles and Prometheus.

Flipping through the pages, a certain projection was summoned.

The dreadful power of Space sealed the mark within her body forever.

After completing everything, the Goddess of the Magic Net stepped back, letting Selene place her own seal here.

The Moon Goddess didn't know what to do. She pondered for a long time, then finally hid the summoned projection within the moon's reflection in the pond, only visible at the right time, place, and angle.

With all preparations done, Hecate seemed ready to leave.

She waved her hand and summoned the chariot meant to pull the moon and left the ancient Mount of the Gods with the Moon Goddess.

By the dry pond, the images ended.

Turning his gaze to the dry pond beside him, Heracles knew this was where everything had happened.

"So that's how it was."