Jin stood at the edge of Olympus, the grand marble halls behind him illuminated by the divine glow of the gods who resided within. He had made up his mind. The Temple of Nyx held secrets, and if there was even a sliver of truth to what Athena had said, he had to uncover it. But as he prepared to leave in secrecy, a group of Olympian gods stood in his way.
"Jin, where do you think you're going?" Hermes was the first to step forward, his usual mischievous smirk replaced by a look of concern.
"I have to go," Jin said firmly, his silver eyes unwavering. "There's something I need to find out. About Lia. About the truth."
Apollo crossed his arms. "You're not thinking of going alone, are you? If the Temple of Nyx is your destination, then you're walking into the domain of something far beyond our control."
"Olympus needs you, Jin," Hephaestus added, his deep voice steady. "You finally regained your strength. Why throw yourself into danger again?"
Jin exhaled, his gaze lowering for a brief moment. "This isn't about Olympus. This isn't about power. If Lia's fate was not meant to be what I thought, then I need to know the truth. And I will find it, whether you stand in my way or not."
A tense silence filled the air. Then, Zeus, standing in the high balcony of Olympus' castle, watched from afar. Hera stood by his side, her gaze unreadable. Near the shore, Poseidon observed the scene with an expression Jin couldn't quite decipher, while in the deep shadows of the castle, Hades' crimson eyes flickered, watching as Jin took his steps away from Olympus.
Jin traveled through endless landscapes, from sunlit valleys to treacherous cliffs where winds howled like the voices of forgotten souls. The path to the temple was not simple—darkness grew the closer he came, an unnatural kind that swallowed light whole.
His steps led him into a deep canyon, where the sky above was a canvas of swirling stars. Ahead, an ancient dungeon carved into the black stone stood like the entrance to an abyss. As he stepped forward, the shadows surged and swallowed him whole.
Pain. A sharp, splitting pain in his skull. His vision blurred, and a deep, suffocating drowsiness overtook him. His body collapsed into the darkness.
When Jin opened his eyes, he was not in the canyon anymore.
He lay in a lush garden bathed in golden sunlight. Flowers of unknown origin swayed in the gentle breeze, their fragrance sweet yet hauntingly familiar. The sound of flowing water echoed softly, and above him, the sky was clear and endless.
And then he felt it—soft fingers brushing through his hair.
His head was resting on someone's lap. A warmth he had long since lost enveloped him.
"Jin…" A gentle voice called his name, filled with warmth and sadness.
He slowly looked up. Lia.
She smiled down at him, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders like a radiant waterfall. "You finally found me."
Jin's heart clenched. He reached up, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "Lia… I searched for you everywhere."
She giggled softly. "And now you're here."
For a moment, he allowed himself to sink into the illusion. But then, something felt… wrong. Lia's voice held an unnatural softness, her touch a little too light, as if she wasn't really there. The words she spoke—too perfect, too rehearsed.
Jin's eyes narrowed. "Lia…" he whispered. "Who are you?"
Lia's smile faltered. Her eyes, once filled with love, now held an emotion he couldn't quite place. And then, she spoke words that sent a shiver down his spine. Words that seemed normal to anyone else—but to Jin, they were a puzzle, a carefully crafted deception.
He shot up, stepping back. "You're not Lia."
Silence. The wind stilled. The garden, once vibrant, seemed to flicker—like an illusion breaking apart.
A presence lurked behind him.
Without hesitation, Jin lunged, his hand wrapping around a throat. His grip tightened as the figure struggled against him. Then, the illusion shattered completely.
The environment around him shattered, the illusion crumbling.
Before him, a man with long white hair and black eyes gasped for breath, his body thin yet undeniably divine. Two small white wings sprouted from his head.
Jin's eyes narrowed. "Hypnos."
The God of Sleep struggled in his grip, trying to pry himself free. "W-Wait—!"
Jin tightened his hold, his voice low and furious. "Who gave you permission to use my memories? My emotions?"
Hypnos choked but remained silent.
Jin's grip tightened further. "Answer me."
Jin's eyes burned with rage. He was ready to crush the god's throat when—
A sudden gust of darkness surged.
A figure clad in a flowing black cloak, two great black wings on his back, landed between them. He carried a scythe in one hand, his expression unreadable.
"Release my brother, mortal," the figure commanded.
Jin slowly released his grip, dropping Hypnos to the ground. He already knew who had arrived.
Thanatos, the God of Death.
The two divine twins stood together, one rubbing his throat while the other watched Jin with piercing eyes. "You are as ruthless as they say," Thanatos mused.
Jin's gaze remained unwavering. "Say whatever you want. But Hypnos played with something he shouldn't have."
Hypnos, regaining his composure, scoffed. "You really are intense, aren't you?"
Jin didn't answer. He clenched his fists. He had been fooled. Again. Used as a pawn. Again.
But before he could make his next move, a voice echoed through the darkness.
"Enough my child. Bring him to me."
A chill ran down Jin's spine. It was not an ordinary voice—it was something ancient, something that carried the weight of the void itself.
Hypnos and Thanatos flinched, nodding without hesitation.
"Come," Thanatos said, turning away. "Our mother awaits."
Jin followed in silence. As they walked through the shifting void, he felt it—the overwhelming, boundless presence of a being beyond gods, beyond titans.
They arrived at the grand temple, a structure woven from the very essence of the night. The Temple of Nyx.
And seated upon a throne carved from the abyss, bathed in an ethereal darkness that swallowed even the light of the stars, was her.
Nyx.
The Primordial Goddess of Night.
She opened her eyes, and the universe itself seemed to shudder.
"Welcome, Jin Shang. We have much to discuss."