New Chapter for the Highest Tier (June 2021)

(Sorry for this recap. I want all my readers to be on the same page and that we understand everything that happened so far in this story and why it is happening. There is no room for ambiguity because Ravin will be coming soon!)

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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Apollyon and Luna will return to the Summer Courts this morning to find out the aftermath of the battle of the Goddess Hecate and the God Hephaestus.

Hephaestus successfully took him down when Xerxes made the mistake of biting the god's black armor on his forearm.

The werewolf dropped dead.

She remembered what Hecate's messenger told her at dawn what Hephaestus was doing in the Hedge Maze Garden.

He tried to unseat Princess Sapphire from Xerxes' back, abduct her and swing the child over his bulky and wide shoulders like he was the leader of a progressive cannibal tribe from his luxurious blue robes and the large golden mask of a bull he wore on his face.

Hephaestus found Princess Sapphire, who stood stark despite the darkness and the thickness of the flowering vines clinging unto the arching arbor, and decided that she was a weak target in the face of a snarling huge silver werewolf.

It felt like the God of Fire was just out hunting at the Summer Courts after midnight and search for his prey because he was hungry and in need of fresh meat to appease his growling stomach.

Well, that was what Luna thought at the beginning.

It turned out that the God of Fire was having a tug-of-war with Xerxes over Princess Sapphire because Hephaestus desired to take his child home.

Yes, there was an emphasis on the world 'his child' that got her knitting in eyebrows in confusion.

Luna's brain was slow to process the first time she heard the story from Apollyon's mouth.

Her husband had to repeat the whole story regarding 'Hecate—Princess Sapphire—Hephaestus' because she doubted if he heard him correctly.

Hecate's herald also backed her husband, supplying the necessary information like three court ladies forming a circle to gossip.

It turned out that Luna was in a deep sleep at the observatory to notice what was going on what words have been exchanged between Hecate and Hephaestus during that time.

Everything was interesting to hear that she almost wished that her husband hadn't forced her to nap at that time, even if she was exhausted from all that dancing.

For the first time, Luna saw how animated Apollyon was when he filled her in on the nasty details as the entire drama unfolded in front of her eyes.

Finally, all of it started to make sense!

Princess Sapphire was actually the daughter of the Hephaestus and Princess Ourania.

Apollyon's mother was captured and brought to the Underworld by Hecate.

She gave her a second chance after a life of torment, suffering from the chaos in the Vampire Realm with her son, who was possessed by an Archdemon through Lilith's curse, and the wake of King Gwythyr's death in their son's hands.

Hecate was preparing Princess Ourania to take on an important role to save the Earthly Realm.

The Fates had informed the Goddess of the Underworld about Lilith-- who will soon replace the Archdemon of Envy in the far future.

Lilith will be the one to initiate the end of the world.

The Second Great War of the Angels and Demons on Earth will bring chaos and destruction to the rest of the Realms.

World peace will be stirred by never-ending chaos.

Unless the Goddess of Magic would do something about this.

She had to take responsibility for all this trouble—for Lilith became her first High Priestess who used her ancient grimoire for her evil agendas.

Yes, it was a lapse of judgment on the Goddess' part— both Lilith and Ourania—and she openly admitted that, according to the herald.

The Three Fates also played a part in it.

It wasn't like Hecate could do something about it.

When fate chose to interfere, the situations that will follow.

The free will of everyone involved in this tableau was unstoppable, as if they were lined up dominoes falling over the other.

Destinies of creatures were set into motion.

Gods and goddesses can only do so much meddling before they change the entire course of the future.

They were aware of their limitations.

These divine beings have free will, which made them care for their decisions.

Yet, they also intervene but only to a certain degree.

While Princess Ourania was in the Underworld, training with the Goddess of Magic for her new gifts of prophecy which Apollo had given her through her bargain with Hecate, Hephaestus had an affair with Apollyon's mother while the God of Fire was there to forge special weapons that Hecate's future High Priestesses could draw out on their time of need.

Hecate was already aware of this. But she didn't expect Hephaestus to impregnate the Summer Princess.

Who seduced who first?

The Goddess had no idea.

Hecate was driven to send Princess Ourania back in the Summer Realm in a hurry, waited for things to settle in the future until this very moment and hope for the best.

After all that meticulous planning, what happened after a millennium wasn't the one the goddess expected.

Princess Ourania was useless!

She would not step up to the plate.

Luna will have to choose an Archdemon Familiar instead of relying on someone rebellious and selfish who may or may not tell the exact vision she witnessed on the prophecy.

Apollyon's mother wasn't meant to be their guide to the Garden of Four Seasons.

The herald actually shared the Summer Princess' half-lies might be more dangerous than making the son of a Fallen Angel as a servant.

It might be chaotic in the Summer Courts right now, but they have to pay a visit just if Xerxes needed some help.

Apollyon and Luna might help the poor werewolf shapeshifter heal if the royal witch doctors couldn't heal the poor man from that toxic metal on the armor he took a bite of.