SON OF THE HERO KING

Stress about what happened, sadness about losing people they cared for, and relief about being alive. And myriad more motives and feelings had been cogged inside everyone for way too long; without any outlet for them to be relieved of this tumultuous burden.

All those feelings mixed like a cocktail and brought out one explosive result as they were released altogether on this day.

Dancing, singing, eating, together in each other's company and so so many more things.

People were just having fun. Being in each other's company, sharing everything they wished to share. Just absolutely letting go and not thinking about the future trials that may or may not come.

In fact, they even went as far as having a few contests with simple rewards at the end.

The beauty contest was overwhelmingly won by Nefertiti, of course. Her beauty had really transcended the threshold of common sense. Her beauty had been so intense and awe-inspiring that Sol even had to fight off a few dragons whose minds had been overtaken by lust at a mere glance of her visage.

The end had been a rather annoyance but that little spar had its own sort of merriment as everyone just laughed at his suffering. Well, there won't always be perks of having a beautiful girl, the most beautiful girl in this case, as your lover. The cons would always catch up one day, the trick was to smash them in their roots like he smashed the dragons to who knows where.

The running contest was won by Nent. Like with Nefertiti it wasn’t even a contest in the way that the question was more about determining who was second rather than first.

The funniest one, in Sol’s opinion, had been the art contest in which Anubis and Isis participated.

The two had lost so badly that it left everyone laughing out loud. How they changed the concept of drawing ‘fun on the beach’ to drawing about the ‘futility of life and nihilism’ left him absolutely speechless. The father-daughter duo were really in sync.

The drawing they brought out, in the end, was incredible but oh so dark. The concept creeped people out and made some depressed about life itself. In the end, the one who had won this competition was none other than Nidhogg.

He had been surprised at seeing the cheerful drawing full of colors from someone so depressed with life but when she explained that it was simply because the more beautiful something was in nature, the more poisonous it was, he immediately understood how she won the competition.

There was always the saying that…the world looked the most beautiful from the other end. Same could be said to be the case for her as well. Since she harbored a depressing view on life… she could see and appreciate the world in its most beautiful state.

Sol participated in all the contests, no matter how small they were. He never won but in fact, he did not even try to win, he simply wanted to have fun. To let go of everything and just be at peace. He was perhaps the one who needed that break more than anyone else.

When was the last time he genuinely had fun without having a worry in the world?

Sol could not remember. It seemed that ever since he awakened, problems had been appearing one after another without stopping, piling up to form mountains of pressure that he needed to withstand and overcome.

Even now he wasn’t really without worries. Once he went back to the mortal realm there would be so many things he had to take care of.

The weight of responsibility was truly crushing. But he continued to hold on. He would not…could not…crumble…ever.

Too many people depended on him for him to simply give up.

‘Well, let’s enjoy everything without those depressing thoughts, shall we?’

Sol chuckled and patted Isis on the head. She was still demoralized about her loss in the art contest, pouting in his embrace due to the dejection and indignance she felt.

“I need to go see a few people. This is a party for everyone after all.”

Isis nodded and rose up, still pouting but she didn't wish to keep him to herself, not on this day…

“No problem.”

She waved toward him and went on to share her grievances with her mother.

———

[Tartarus, 4th Hell]

Back in Tartarus, both Nabu and Sekhmet were sleeping peacefully on a bed made out of ice.

The temperature didn't matter to them. This was simply a habit Nabu had developed and since Sekhmet always had a control over the ice elements so she was completely at ease in this sub-zero state.

“What could bring you here again? I believe that I have been clear about our refusal.”

“Do not worry. I did not come here to ask for help again. Far from it.”

Sekhmet gave a suspicious glance at Sol while Nabu opened her eyes lazily, still in her dragon form.

“You should know about the party.”

“We do. Kiyohime invited us.”

“And you refused to come because?”

“We…I…am not… Welcome, I guess…”

Sol nodded, he could understand where Nabu was coming from. Certainly, as a once traitor, she would have a hard time being accepted. But Sol didn’t care.

“This party was made for all those who made achievements and helped during the war. Without your help, I would have most likely died before finishing my awakening. You have to participate.”

“But…”

“There is no but. I know you may leave later. But don’t you want to at least rekindle the relationship with your family?”

Nabu hesitated something Sekhmet caught on. She could easily understand. Despite her strength, Nabu had been imprisoned in this place for thousands of years. Her feeling of loneliness could only be imagined.

“Sigh…What if there are complaints?”

“Hahaha, I mean, even a Titan like Skuld is enjoying herself. Why would a dragon be alienated? Furthermore, should anyone complain, I will just beat them up.”

“How overbearing.”

Sekhmet sighed out loud again before standing and patting Nabu’s head underneath her.

“Should we go?”

Nabu hesitated before nodding. A tempest of ice covered her and once it passed, the gigantic dragon was replaced by a beautiful white-haired woman who had a nearly expressionless expression.

Nodding to himself, Sol turned toward Sekhmet.

“Don’t look at me. Taking human form as I am now is just a waste of energy.”

“I really wonder just who put you in this state and why.”

“Simple. I tried to go too far in history. It seems that I pissed off the wrong crowd. We fought, I killed some, and finally got killed.”

Sekhmet shrugged. The past few wars were true meat grinders. Demigods would die and new ones would come and replace them pretty fast.

Even with her nine lives and her ability to travel and hide in history, Sekhmet had fought too many fights and died too many times to care much about it now.

“Well, since there is a party, why not go? After this, we can go roam the universe. I need to reestablish the link with my territory.”

Sol smiled, “You should go on guys. I will come later.”

“Hum… You aren’t coming.”

He shook his head, “There was someone else that need to be invited.”

Saying so, Sol looked up at the sky before leaving.

Now alone, Sekmet shook her head and jumped once again on Nabu’s head,

“Should we go now?”

“...Master…Do you think I will be welcomed?”

Sekhmet sneered inwardly. She had no care about the thoughts of the rabble. Their desires were as irrelevant as their existence.

But she knew that Nabu wasn’t asking to hear such a response.

Sekhmet chuckled, “My little darling is the cutest in the world. Even those nitwits ignore you, Sol and his close confidants will not. That's all that matters, right?”

“I see. Master is wise.”

“Hehe. Now let’s go. I could smell the scent of some great quality meat on his body. Now I am starving.”

[9th Heaven]

Tiamat was sitting comfortably on her throne as she looked down at what was happening below.

“Isn’t it boring? Looking at everything like this, I mean?”

“I must say, your growing control over your dimension is astonishing. At the same time, you are really shaping to become the nemesis of all dimension mages and demigods.”

Tiamat chuckled. She wasn’t surprised by Sol's presence as she had felt him move through the barrier of her dimension.

Still, the way he did it, even though she didn’t try to stop him, was incredibly startling. Rather than simply trying to overwhelm her dimension, he fused and meddled his power with her. Moving at the same frequency and infiltrating deep.

“I decided to call this move Trojan horse. It’s indeed quite insidious. As insidious as you trying to deflect my question.”

“Pfft. Hahaha. Indeed. I guess I am deflecting, huh.”

Tiamat shook her head. Her beautiful hair scattered behind her. “I have transcended concepts like boredom long ago.”

“I am pretty sure that it isn’t possible.”

“If I say it is possible then it must be so.”

“Haha, and people say I am overbearing.”

Sol chuckled and advanced near Tiamat, “So, why don’t you join us?”

“Don’t try to play this move with me. I am simply not interested.”

“You say you are not interested but you still watch? Even spent so much energy in bringing a true sun and a blue sky.”

“I did this for you.”

“And I am thankful. But this isn’t enough.”

“Why?”

“Because my time here is nearing its end. It’s time for me to go back.”

He had wasted too much time already.

----

(AN: Currently participating in a contest for my new story. Name is Midnight Prince: Sinful Life. Don't forget to vote. Furthermore, the story will have some tie with SHK. Though I won't say which yet. All my stories will be linked one way or another. Really wish to create a huge universe. The Hikaruverse or the Genjiverse lol.)