CHAPTER TEN – ASCENT TO OLYMPUS
"I can't believe I'm saying this," I whispered, my voice trembling, "but I'm going to Mount Olympus—the place of the gods."
Angel's eyes widened with shock. "What? Why?"
"There are so many unanswered questions burning in me," I replied, staring out the window, lost in thought. "I need to know who I truly am. I need the truth."
"But how would you even get there?" she asked, her concern thick in the air.
"I know it's on Mytikas Peak... and though it may be beyond human reach," I paused, turning to face her fully, "I'm not human, Angel."
A heavy silence fell.
Angel's eyes glistened. "So… you've finally accepted it," she said, her voice cracking. "Thank the gods."
She smiled through her tears, and I nodded solemnly.
"When are you going?" she asked softly.
"Today," I said without hesitation.
"Today?" she echoed, clearly stunned.
"The earlier, the better."
I stood up, my decision final. After a quick shower, I dressed in a simple yellow top and blue jeans, black sandals gripping my feet like armor. I grabbed my backpack and packed everything I thought I might need—water, an old photograph of my mother, a notebook, and a tiny dagger Vel had once gifted me.
Just as I slung the bag over my shoulder, a gust of wind blew through the room and Gena appeared, arms crossed.
"Going somewhere?" she asked with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes. "Don't gods knock anymore?"
"We can't help it," she replied with a shrug.
"I'm going to Mount Olympus," I said.
Gena burst into laughter—loud, unapologetic, and borderline mocking. Angel and I exchanged confused glances.
"What's funny?" I snapped.
"You're going to Mount Olympus looking like... that?" she said, gesturing to my human outfit. "You're dressed like someone heading to the mall."
"And how else am I supposed to look?"
"Like a god," she replied coolly.
"And how do I do that?" I asked, frustration building.
Gena stepped closer. "You ask so many questions, Ellie. When you truly believe—not just in the stories or the powers—but in yourself, then your real self will awaken. The daughter of Aphrodite lies hidden inside you, waiting to rise."
"Help me, Gena," I whispered.
"I can't," she said gently. "The magic isn't in me—it's in you."
She reached out and touched my chest, just over my heart. "Believe," she whispered, then vanished like smoke in the wind.
"She's right, Ellie," Angel said, taking my hand. "The magic is within you."
I looked at her, then at myself in the mirror. My human face, tired but determined, stared back.
"I have to do this," I said.
Angel nodded, her lips trembling.
I took a deep breath, clenched my fists, and declared, "My name is Ellie—goddess of the morning dawn and daughter of Aphrodite. I am destined to bring balance to the world. I am half-human, half-divine... and I accept who I am."
Suddenly, light burst around me like a thunderclap—blinding, divine, beautiful. It filled the room, then shot through the roof and into the sky like a bolt of lightning. When the light faded, I opened my eyes and gasped.
I was glowing.
Golden fabric clung to my skin like liquid sunlight. My hair had become longer, more vibrant, flowing with the breeze like silk. My feet were bare, but golden vines curled around my ankles. I looked... eternal.
"I'm ready," I whispered.
Elsewhere...
Justin and Aurora had started living together, far from his family who had cast him out. They believed Aurora had cast a spell on him—and they weren't entirely wrong.
Night after night, Justin struggled to sleep. Thoughts of Ellie plagued his every breath.
"How could I do that to her?" he muttered, running his hands through his hair.
Aurora heard him from the bathroom. She stepped out, completely naked, her body glistening with droplets of water. She walked toward him, a siren in human form.
Justin didn't look up.
"I said—how could I do that to her?" he repeated, guilt thick in his throat.
Aurora didn't speak. Instead, she began to dance seductively, her movements slow, intentional. She sat on his lap and began to twirl her body in hypnotic rhythm, whispering temptations into his ear.
Justin tried to resist, but soon, the moment took him. Their clothes disappeared. Heat filled the room. She kissed him hard, then bit his lip gently, moaning softly as she dragged him to bed.
But when Justin grew tired and tried to stop, Aurora wouldn't let go.
"Please... not tonight," he whispered.
She ignored him.
When he rose to leave, she chased after him and pinned him down—eyes glowing, a twisted smile on her lips.
And history repeated itself...
Back in my room, the light dimmed.
"You're ready," Gena's voice echoed as she appeared beside me.
I turned to Angel. We embraced, tightly. Her warmth steadied my nerves.
"Be careful," she whispered.
"I will."
Then, in a burst of light, Gena and I vanished into the heavens.