Chapter 222: Helios
Meanwhile, Aethera, the acting Moon Goddess, was summoned to a court in the High Hall of Echoes—where grievances amongst deities are laid bare.
She arrived in silence, her light blue robes shimmering like still water under moonlight. Her silver circlet glowed faintly, and her serene and amiable expression was unreadable.
The chamber was filled with Supreme and High gods and goddesses from the three sky palaces and Guardian Tower — the Celestial Palace, Solaris Palace, the Astrum Palace, and God of war from the Guardian Tower.
Unlike the Guardian Tower which didn’t operate like the others and had its own hierarchy system, each of those palaces had Supreme gods and goddesses, High gods and goddesses, and ordinary gods and goddesses.
Moon goddess for example, is the Supreme goddess of the Celestial Palace, Star god is the Supreme lord of the Astrum Palace, and Sun god is the Supreme lord of the Solaris Palace...
As for the God of War, he’s a Supreme god, but his Guardian Tower didn’t have other deities – high and ordinary – just warriors with ranks and assassins – like the shadow guards.
In each Palaces, there were other gods and goddesses below every Supreme deity. Most palaces had at most three high gods and goddesses. For example, Aethera and Mahina are high goddesses, while Arin, goddess of time, was just an ordinary goddess—the higher the responsibility, the higher the rank.
But in councils like this, only the Supreme and High gods and goddesses were allowed. But even so, the seating arrangements and responsibilities in the council told them apart — most times, the high deities were observers and didn’t contribute, but there were few exceptions.
The Supreme and High gods and goddesses all sat on thrones sculpted from the essence of their realms, casting no shadows, but their gazes were weighty, ancient.
At the head of the circular table stood the Seat of Wrath, draped in crimson veils. It was empty. That was the seat for the Heavenly emperor, but it had been vacant for millions of years — after The Great Eclipse Calamity: The Great war that unmade the Emperor.
Of course, the seat was lusted after by every deity —no matter the rank– that had ever appeared; wars were fought, assassination attempts were carried out, but none was able to unveil the seat let alone claim it, thanks to the god of war who restored peace with brute force.
But even so, the deities were still secretly scheming and gawking at the throne of infinite power. It was the reason every palace wanted the god of war on their side. It was also the reason the god of war had to be neutral and couldn’t fall in love or marry anyone from either palaces.