In the depths of the starry sky, with two Ancient Gods departing one after another, this desolate place once again returned to its usual silence.
Just like the world's edge where the Circumterrestrial River flowed, the outer regions of the stars, far from the land, were usually uninhabited. Yet, just as the edge of the sea belonged to the God of the Ocean, so did the edge of the stars.
Therefore, when a part of their domain was violently torn and reformed, it ultimately drew the attention of the lord of this place. After a long while, at a corner of the Sea of Stars, a subtle ripple spread out.
Two figures emerged in succession: one was a tall, muscular middle-aged man who walked in front, surveying the star domain that had returned to its original state. Following him closely was a woman dressed in elaborate clothes, her body adorned with all kinds of rare treasures, yet a hint of melancholy could be seen between her brows.
Under the gaze of the two Titan deities, everything here was very clear. The surface of the starry sky had been repaired, but some deep-seated power was still spreading on another level. The deities who arrived late slowly approached the battlefield, feeling the terrifying remnants of power that lingered.
A certain force seemed to have permanently changed the laws here, and from then on, this would become a 'silent' star domain. Any beings below the level of True Gods could neither make nor listen to any sound here.
At the same time, some form of life seemed to be gestating. In those restored celestial bodies, intermittent thoughts were gradually born. They possessed wisdom due to the power of spirituality, yet were influenced by the power of darkness.
Perhaps this would give birth to a unique kind of star domain Nymph, or to some strange creature wandering the sea of stars. However, it was clear that the two Ancient Gods who created all this did not take them into account. Just like the divine-blooded beasts born after numerous godly wars, they had never been noticed by the source of their own bloodlines.
"Great Divine Power... compared to the Lord of Darkness, my mastery of 'darkness' is but the tip of an iceberg, merely an extension. Lightless celestial bodies are just one form of 'darkness', far from its essence," he murmured.
Sighing in admiration at the might of the Primordial Gods, the Titan deity turned to look at his wife.
Over the years, she never stopped urging him to leave the starry sky, yet his response was always another rejection.
"You see now, Phoebe, this is the true power of the Ancient Gods, and it is why I am reluctant to go out... I know you have always disliked staying in the silent starry sky, but only here can we avoid the disturbances and dangers of the world," he said, his voice deep and sonorous like the heavy rumble of stars in motion.
As the Principal God of the lightless celestial bodies, Coeus, being one of the few deities to reach Divine Power Level 20, had not revealed himself in the world since the middle of the Second Era.
Or it could be said that apart from once briefly taking a stand on the side of the second generation Divine King due to his daughter, the starry goddess Asteria's marriage, and meddling in the starry disputes, this powerful Titan deity had hardly ever been active in the world. Even that brief involvement had come to an abrupt end with the birth of Hecate.
Just like his godhood, Coeus remained silent in the darkness. He watched the various changes in the world without ever taking action.
However, that's what he thought. As the Goddess of Luminous, Phoebe clearly did not agree.
"Coeus, I acknowledge the power of the Great One... but isn't that exactly why I want you to do something?" she said.
"Greatness is not only inherent. The Father God was not born great; he begot us and then ascended to the throne. He gained his power through his actions, not by idly waiting for power to descend from the heavens. And Cronus, Laine... they all unknowingly took that step, even the current King Zeus is the same. If they can do it, why can't you?"
Her tone, which had started out fairly calm, became increasingly insistent as she spoke.
She was the Principal God of the luminous bodies, not some 'Mother of Silence' or 'Cold-Cosmos Goddess'; she did not at all like her current life. In later myths, Phoebe even briefly held the title of 'Ancient Moon Goddess', and compared to her reticent husband, she was obviously not a quiet presence.
Perhaps in her original fate, she had at some point been in deep conflict with the Moon goddess Selene. The Goddess of Light attempted to bring the moon under her jurisdiction, thereby increasing her authority, but in the end, it only resulted in Zeus gaining another lover.
Of course, in this life, the moon lacked that kind of power, so Phoebe no longer directed her sights toward it. By comparison, the true supremacy of the myriad luminous bodies was more enticing to her.
Nevertheless, no matter what, that was something Phoebe couldn't achieve on her own. Compared to Coeus, her power was far less.
"You know what I want. Wouldn't it be nice for us to rule the Sea of Stars together? Hyperion, the true sovereign of the Sun, is no more... I've said before, perhaps you should do something. Take control of the Sea of Stars, or like the Olympian Gods, delve into the mysteries of faith. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" she said.
"Three Divine Kings, one Ancient God born in the same era as the Primordial Gods, doesn't prove anything. That is their unique nature, the favor of destiny."