[Third Person's PoV]
Lucian woke up the next day, groaning loudly as he covered his face with his hands.
"Kill me now! What the hell was that?!"
Still lying in his sleeping quarters, he rolled around, reluctant to get up. He didn't want to face the consequences of his actions.
Repeatedly, he slammed his fist against his chest, right where the tattoo of a black sun was marked.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! By the gods, that was so embarrassing!"
Suddenly, he bolted upright, one hand covering his mouth as his mind raced to formulate a plan.
"I'll have to run away… change my identity… not to mention my appearance. I'll become untraceable, so no one can find me. Start over in the countryside, fall in love, and create a secret family away from everyone. That sounds perfect."
Just as he was about to put his "genius" plan into action, a voice cut through his thoughts.
"Lucian, you do realize my divine senses allow me to hear you, right? I know you're awake, so get up—I fixed you breakfast."
Hecate's voice rang out, and Lucian immediately turned bright red, groaning in pure mortification.
"Kill me. Erase my memory forever if you will," he pleaded dramatically.
After a moment of self-pity, he begrudgingly got up, dragging his feet as he stepped out of his room.
At the end of a long rectangular table, Hecate sat casually, leaning back with her legs crossed. She rested her chin against her knuckles, amusement dancing in her eyes as she took in Lucian's miserable expression. The sudden urge to tease him stirred in her heart.
She gestured toward the opposite end of the table, where a plate of food awaited him.
"Go on, eat before it gets cold."
Lucian kept his gaze lowered, avoiding eye contact as he trudged over. The chair scraped noisily against the floor as he pulled it back and slumped into it.
"Did you… make this?" he muttered, eyeing the variety of food in front of him.
Hecate scoffed.
"Of course not. What do you take me for? Since when do I cook? This is merely food that has been offered to me. Eat as much as you want—I have plenty to spare."
Lucian nodded, still avoiding her gaze.
"Thank you for the food," he said quietly.
Hecate leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. Her fingers intertwined, and she propped her chin atop her hands. A mischievous smirk curled her lips.
"So, tell me, BrightHeart, how are you feeling? Did you get a nice, restful sleep?"
Lucian choked mid-bite, his eyes widening in horror. He coughed violently, pounding on his chest until he finally managed to swallow.
"Please," he wheezed, "don't call me that."
Hecate laughed, utterly unmoved by her disciple's suffering.
"So you remember everything you did and how you acted in that form, huh?" she asked, tilting her head.
Lucian sighed, nodding.
"Unfortunately, yes. It's not like I have a dual personality or anything, but I gain this… overwhelming confidence. It's still me, but my words and actions are dictated by that self-assurance."
Hecate hummed thoughtfully.
"Can I ask you something?" Lucian said.
She gestured for him to continue.
"Was my great-grandfather like that? Like how I was? You were a Titan during his time, so you must have interacted with him at some point."
Hecate chuckled, shaking her head.
"No, Helios was nothing like that. In fact, he was the opposite—humble, kind. He had lived for so many years that he had grown tired of it."
"Seriously? Then why was I…?"
Before he could finish, Hecate answered for him.
"It's because you're still one-third mortal. When you enhance your divine lineage, your mortality—which usually keeps you grounded—gets suppressed. Instead, the hubris of the divine takes over."
Lucian nodded, stuffing his mouth with food.
Hecate then asked, "So, did you manage to grasp the concept of converting your darkness into light?"
Lucian let out an exhausted sigh, shaking his head.
"I didn't. I didn't have enough time—I was put to sleep before I had the chance to," he said, his expression growing deadpan.
"I'm not sorry. You were an annoying brat," Hecate stated unapologetically.
She tapped her fingers against the table before exhaling.
"Alright, finish up and enter your BrightHeart form."
Lucian groaned.
"Ugh, please don't call it that."
"Also," he added, "I thought you hated that form. Didn't you dislike that form, why would you want me to activate it again?"
Hecate smirked.
"Oh, I do hate it. But I can't deny its functionality and power. You really outdid yourself with this, you know. The personality is awful, but the strength? That's all that really matters. Good work."
Lucian scratched his cheek, feeling embarrassed at the rare compliment from his teacher.
"We're going to train it and see if we can rein in that vanity of yours. Be warned—if you annoy me too much, I will go heavy-handed. So, if you suffer, you have only yourself to blame. Now hurry up."
Lucian immediately started wolfing down his food like a starving beast. He stood up with his mouth still full, chewing furiously as he gave a sloppy salute to signal that he was ready.
Hecate sighed, shaking her head. With a snap of her fingers, the space around them shifted.
Everything vanished into a swirl of purple mist. The surroundings dissolved into an endless void, the ground covered in a ceaseless flow of dark, violet energy.
The mist swirled past their ankles, obscuring the ground beneath them. There were no walls, no ceiling—only an impenetrable darkness stretching infinitely in all directions.
"Go on, transform," Hecate ordered.
Lucian swallowed the last bit of food in his mouth and let out a heavy sigh. "I just woke up, and you're already making me work… Man, this is gonna be a long day," he muttered.
Closing his eyes, he sent a pulse of magic toward the tattoo on his chest. Beneath his shirt, the ink-black sun turned a deep, blood-crimson hue, its glow bleeding through the fabric. Markings spread from the tattoo, snaking down his arms and up his neck, pulsing with raw power. His skin darkened, losing its pale tone, while his hair faded to a stark, snowy white.
When he opened his eyes, they gleamed with a brilliant golden light.
Hecate grimaced the moment he blinked. 'Even the way he blinks is arrogant… how annoying.'
Lucian glanced down at himself and frowned, realizing he was still wearing a shirt. His expression soured. 'How are they supposed to admire my figure like this?' With a quick tug, he grabbed the fabric with both hands and tore it away in one swift motion.
He smirked. "Much better."
Hecate sighed, already feeling a headache coming on.
Lucian flashed her a teasing grin. "Look at that, you just couldn't get enough of me, huh? Had to see me again so soon? I'm flattered, really."
Hecate ruffled her hair in exasperation. "Lucian, have you forgotten something? Or has that arrogance of yours made you stupid? Did you already forget how I put you to sleep with a single word? I didn't even have to say it out loud."
Her expression darkened, mystic energy swirling in her gaze. "I am still a goddess. And you're in my domain. If I were you, I'd tread carefully."
Lucian merely smiled, nodding as if in understanding. "You're not wrong. You are a goddess, so for now, you still hold power over me."
Hecate narrowed her eyes. "For now?"
Lucian chuckled behind his fist. "Come on, babe, let's not be slow about this."
Hecate's eye twitched. 'Why, in the name of Zeus, does he keep calling me 'babe'?'
Lucian casually slid his hands into his pockets, leaning forward slightly. "How long do you think that advantage of yours is gonna last? You do have a basic understanding of my growth, don't you? Sooner or later, I'm going to surpass you~"
He bared his sharp canines in a grin. "So enjoy your power over me while you still can, beautiful—"
Before he could finish, Hecate appeared before him in an instant, her fist already cocked back. With a single, brutal punch, she sent him flying.
Lucian ragdolled across the misty ground, kicking up clouds of violet haze as he tumbled.
Hecate flexed her fingers and glanced at her bloodstained knuckles, a grin spreading across her face. "Wow. Now that was satisfying. I should do that more often."
Lucian groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground, his expression eerily blank. Blood trickled from his lips, but he didn't seem fazed. Raising a hand, golden light pulsed at his fingertips. He wiped his palm across his face, and the wound vanished instantly, along with any trace of blood.
Then, with a powerful burst of energy, white wings erupted from his back. He shot into the air, hovering above Hecate with a cold, focused gaze.
"Congratulations," he said, voice smooth but dangerous. "You managed to draw my blood. I'll make sure to return the favor."
With a snap of his fingers, countless golden blades materialized around him, floating in a dazzling, deadly array.
Hecate, however, simply smirked. "I'm afraid I'm not your opponent for this match."
She snapped her fingers, and the mist in front of her began to rise, twisting and coiling into the form of a man. The dense fog wove itself together, solidifying—
Until it exploded outward, revealing a figure identical to Lucian.
Black hair. Crimson eyes. The same smirk, but lacking the arrogance.
"You," Hecate said, her voice carrying a note of amusement, "are going to be battling yourself."
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