Extra Story 1 - Greece

Looking at the familiar Mount Olympus, Lin Xiang turned to Lin Su, who had a troubled look on his face, and said, "Stop nagging. I'm serious. Greece is my home turf, and I guarantee you'll make a fortune."

Lin Su quickly scrolled through the task panel on his wristwatch, feeling depressed, "Who would have thought that I would become Zeus's uncle? Life is really unpredictable."

"My sons have normal values, not like the womanizers you imagine."

Lin Xiang smiled and flew towards the nearby forest, where there seemed to be a familiar presence in the lush woods.

The Dryad Syrinx was evading the advances of Pan. After becoming the Goddess of the Breeze, Syrinx left the unchanging Isle of the Formless out of curiosity and went to live on the earth.

Although she only had the power of a lesser deity, relying on her experience of serving Tekla and taking care of the Kaine brothers, Syrinx lived a comfortable and leisurely life.

However, one of the children of Echidna and Typhon, the Chimera, a creature with the head of a lion and the body of a goat, would not show respect to the gods. The foolish Goddess of the Breeze almost died under the toxic flames spewed by the Chimera.

Pan, who wandered in nature, sensed Syrinx's danger and played his flute, causing the Chimera to fall into a deep sleep, allowing Syrinx to escape.

Syrinx did not care about Pan's appearance; Pan, with his goat hooves and horns, was different from other gods' majestic and handsome appearances. His goat beard made him despised wherever he went.

Even his mother, the nymph Penelope, abandoned this ugly child and hid in the forest. His father, Hermes, provided him with protection, brought him to Mount Olympus, and granted him the divine duty of shepherding.

The arrogant gods always looked at the Shepherd God with disdain, which Pan could not bear. After leaving Mount Olympus, he wandered around the earth. Wherever Pan went, the animals would multiply, and even the trees would grow lush.

Driven by faith, Pan quickly became a lesser deity. His personality was inherited from his father Hermes, clever and mischievous, and his wonderful flute music won him the friendship and love of the Graces.

However, Syrinx was different; the Goddess of the Breeze truly did not care about Pan's unusual appearance. Seeing the sincere eyes of Syrinx, a subtle love emerged from Pan's heart.

To win Syrinx's love, Pan offered rich livestock to his good friend's chief god, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, hoping for her help.

Aphrodite was aware of Syrinx's background and naturally did not want to offend Zeus and the Kaine brothers for Pan, so she ruthlessly rejected Pan's sacrifice.

The Shepherd God did not give up; his persistence moved Aphrodite, and with the intercession of the Graces, Aphrodite secretly pointed out Syrinx's location to Pan, allowing him to see Syrinx's whereabouts at any time.

Syrinx only felt grateful towards the Shepherd God and did not have the same love as Pan. She quickly grew tired of his endless entanglement.

But no matter what form Syrinx took, whether she turned into a bird or a tree, Pan always found her, whispering endless words of love and affection in her ear.

Seeing his former maid frantically hiding in the reeds by the water, Lin Xiang lifted a thick fog to obscure Pan's eyes.

Aphrodite, who was good at adapting to circumstances, was made uneasy by the faintly appearing power of fate and immediately withdrew the power to guide Syrinx.

After driving away Aphrodite, Lin Xiang watched the wandering Pan in the fog and chuckled. Just as she was calculating how to drive away the Shepherd God, Syrinx, hidden in the reeds, flew into the depths of the forest with a gust of wind.

Pan, confused in the fog, had a sudden inspiration when a wind suddenly blew in the fog and immediately followed it.

The reason Syrinx left her hiding place was that she had found someone who could save her.

The sons of the River God were riding horses and driving prey. The resonance of the wind domain made Syrinx know that their chief god was not far away!

"Prince Kaine, please help me!"

Syrinx's loud cry made the attendants alert. They immediately drew their arrows and aimed at Syrinx, who appeared from the wind.

The wolves wandering around the horses were originally baring their teeth, but the familiar smell brought by the breeze made them suppress their hostility and sniff more eagerly.

The wolves whimpered softly and ran to Syrinx's side, lowering their heads to rub against the goddess's dress.

"Syrinx?"

Kaine's voice made Lin Xiang, who was hiding in the shadows, momentarily dazed and couldn't help but walk out of the fog to say some concerned words to her son.

The God of Disaster frowned, "My mother's loyal maid, why do you appear in the depths of the forest with a worried face? The nymphs told me that monsters often appear nearby; have you encountered them?"

Saying this, he waved his hand to signal the attendants to put away their ready arrows.

"Your Highness, Hermes's son, the God of Shepherding, Pan, is pursuing me. Please stop him and let me no longer suffer his annoying harassment!"

Syrinx's plea made Kaine frown even deeper. He dismounted and helped the fallen Goddess of the Breeze up, then whistled, and the wolves immediately rushed towards the direction Syrinx came from. Soon, the disheveled Pan was driven by the wolves to Kaine's front.

"Shepherd God! The Goddess of the Breeze accuses you of crimes; do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Pan still wanted to continue expressing his love to Syrinx, but Kaine's eyes hardened, and the surging frost divine power cooled Pan's love-stricken mind.

"Your Highness, I did not force Syrinx; I just hope she can become my wife."

Pan's beard was covered with white frost, and he earnestly explained the reason for his infatuation to his beloved.

"I swear by the Fate Goddess in the Underworld that I will never harm Syrinx!"

Syrinx also calmed down from the panic of being forced into marriage, "Pan God, I only have gratitude and respect for you. I am honored by your admiration, but your behavior has caused me great distress. Continuing like this will only make me lose my good impression of you. Please leave."

Pan looked heartbroken and left, looking back every few steps.

After sending attendants to escort Syrinx back to her forest residence, Kaine turned to look at Lin Xiang, who emerged from the fog.

After a brief moment of confusion, Kaine grinned. He walked up to his mother alone, his eyes full of filial piety, and said, "Mother."

Lin Xiang gently hugged her eldest son and kissed his forehead, softly saying, "I'm here."

The warm embrace was interrupted by an untimely cough. Lin Xiang silently rolled her eyes, released the embrace, and introduced the curious son to the unfamiliar uncle, "This is my brother; you should call him uncle."

Blinking his pale eyes, Kaine looked at the formally seated Lin Su in silence. After a while, he smiled and took the initiative to hug this uncle he had never met before; Lin Su's stiffness eased, and he patted the eldest nephew's back.

Sitting by the lake in the forest, Kaine's excitement was evident, "You came back just in time; my wedding will be held soon, and I was worried you wouldn't be able to attend."

Lin Xiang blinked, "Who is your wife? Hecate or Eris?"

The atmosphere became a bit stiff. Lin Su looked at his sister and then at his eldest nephew and decisively stepped back a few steps to watch the drama.

Lin Xiang sighed softly; how could melodramatic plots always happen around her? Before she left the Greek world, the only two goddesses who had rumors about Kaine were these two; and Kaine had a better impression of Astrea's daughter, but the goddess of discord was bolder than the reserved Hecate, and she had expressed her love to Kaine many times, which even the semi-reclusive Lin Xiang on the Isle of the Formless had heard about.

Whether it was Astrea or Nyx, both were happy about this marriage. Although it seemed more appropriate to choose Eris from a broader perspective, Nyx's Night faction was ultimately more powerful. If Kaine and Eris became husband and wife, the peaceful situation would not be shaken. However, Lin Xiang hoped her son would follow his heart; that was more important than anything else.

"I hope it's Hecate." When it came to his wife, the bitterness on Kaine's face was about to drip.

The God of Disaster closed his eyes, enjoying the caress from his mother on his head.

"But Hecate doesn't love me." Kaine showed his most vulnerable side in front of his mother, "Zeus said, it's better to choose someone who loves you than someone you love; at least you will be happy."

"My child, for your brother, your feelings are more important than anything else," Lin Xiang removed a leaf from Kaine's hair and said gently, "Don't blame your brother; he loves you and doesn't want you to suffer from unrequited love."

"I understand."

The God of Disaster closed his eyes, "He married Leto not because he loved her but because it was suitable. Zeus's mind is very firm; even if the love between him and Leto fades, he will still give his wife enough respect and will never betray her."

"You love Hecate, but you don't want her to be distressed by your love, so you always express your feelings very carefully."

The mother's gentle words made Kaine somewhat dazed. In a half-asleep state, he heard his mother's admonition.

"Go, my child. Speak your doubts boldly and don't leave any regrets. Otherwise, you will let down Eris's feelings. If you let go of Hecate, Eris will be a good wife; she shouldn't suffer because of your hesitation."

Drowsiness and sleepiness came over him, and in a daze, Kaine fell asleep deeply.

"The eldest nephew is troubled by love; aren't you afraid he will get heartbroken?"

After finishing his snack, Lin Su couldn't help but come over to show concern for his eldest nephew.

Lin Xiang looked at Kaine's pure sleeping face and said softly, "I protected him too well. After I left, Zeus took over for me, but this time neither of us can decide for him; let him choose for himself."

The hazy dream could not be recalled after waking up. Kaine opened his eyes, and his mother's figure had disappeared, leaving only a pile of glittering gifts.

In the Underworld, the master of the River of Wailing chuckled softly, drawing curious glances from Hecate by the shore.

The white Pegasus flapped its wings and flew down from the crack in the earth; the white-eyed god carrying a bow and arrow had a determined expression, passing through the bright red flowers, heading towards the goddess who was performing her duties.

In the Chaos Sea, Tekla passed through the haze and arrived outside a splendid world.

Sand swirled, and the desolate desert was swept by the trade winds, with the shifting sand grains directly changing the terrain. The dunes were flattened, and the lakes were buried; the camels had to head towards the distant oasis.

"Your Highness Norn, does your world seem to have no problems?"

Closing her eyes to sense for a moment, Tekla turned her head in confusion and asked the Creator God's incarnation with a frog head.

"I am certain that there has been a change that I cannot perceive."

A gender-neutral voice came from Norn's mouth. This prince was androgynous; when male, he was a frog-headed god, and when female, a snake-headed goddess. When combined, they formed a human-like figure with a beard and breasts, possessing both male and female characteristics.

Tekla, who joined the Creator God Alliance, was not as busy as the other Creator Gods. Her entropy divine duty was very suitable for accelerating world evolution, and she was assigned the task of nurturing new worlds.

This job was very easy, and Tekla even had the energy to bring the Norse gods to Faerûn while working.

"Your power is the most suitable among all of us to deal with the Law, so I take the liberty of inviting you to descend into an avatar and reside in my world permanently."

Norn was much busier than Tekla; She was the Primordial Waters, and she had a good relationship with Tekla, who embarked on the path of immortality as a sea nymph.

Taking the authority given by Norn, Tekla smoothly passed through the snake-headed avatar surrounding the world and descended into this world.

Looking down from the sky, the vast river was as straight and powerful as the lotus root, and the greenery around the estuary was like a blooming lotus. Countless brown-skinned, bare-chested humans were drawing water by the river, and the reeds and crops by the river grew lushly with the silt brought by the flooding river. The praises of civilization were sung by the priests, and the familiar yet strange exotic charm was displayed before her eyes.

The solar boat carrying light traveled across the sky; three gods drove the solar boat at different times, Khepri, Amun, and Ra; they were one and yet separate. Even the moon goddess had two forms; Thoth was the new moon, and Khonsu was the full moon, with the moon phases alternating between the two gods.

This was related to their understanding of death; it was different from the Eastern reincarnation and also different from the Western heaven and hell. They believed that death could be resurrected, not reincarnation, not rebirth, nor becoming something else, but dying and directly coming back to life. Therefore, they would make mummies of their bodies after death, waiting to return to the world from Anubis's realm.

Lightly landing on the ground, Tekla's golden shoes on the sand created small damp spots, and a spring emerged from under the goddess's feet. Then came the palm trees and dates; life sprang up from the desert in an instant, attracting camels and jackals to come and drink water.

The groundwater system was integrated under Tekla's influence, and the entropy divine power stimulated life evolution. The scattered springs converged into lakes, guiding the camel caravans to the location of the oasis.

In the palace below the pyramid, the royal nobles dressed in linen clothes and adorned with gold ornaments were feasting.

The lotus-filled pool was connected to the Nile River, and smaller crocodiles crawled through the railings into the pool, competing for the food thrown by the nobles.

Crocodiles were the symbol of Sobek and enjoyed privileges like cats, beetles, falcons, and rams, being regarded as the incarnations of the gods in the human world.

Tekla appeared from the water; the plump high priestess seemed to sense something and looked towards the pool.

At the feast, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl made Tekla suddenly realize something.

"This is the change that Norn said was unpredictable."

Time was disrupted; that blonde girl did not belong to this era. A vortex appeared in the river of time, allowing this girl from 3,500 years later to come to the New Kingdom period of ancient Egypt.

As the source of the entire civilization, the Nile River gathered a vast amount of faith power, which indeed had the ability to bring a girl from a distant time and space to this world.

"How interesting, could it be a coincidence?"

No matter how you looked at it, this girl had no connection to the Pharaoh's bloodline. Why would the Nile River open a time tunnel for her?

The girl named Kairo was out of place in her era, and the people around her had their own thoughts. The snake-crowned Pharaoh smiled gently, his eyes full of indulgence; the queen on the left wore a double-feather crown, with a snake symbol and a sun disc combined together, framing her beautiful black hair.

The queen's gaze was not so kind; looking at the blonde girl Kairo, she seemed to want to devour her.

"Your Majesty," the young Pharaoh said to the queen, "it's time to start the sacrificial ceremony."

The queen stood up and, surrounded by priests and priestesses, stepped barefoot onto the small pyramid; under the bonfire, a group of slaves with their hands tied behind their backs were driven towards the sacrificial altar at the top of the pyramid with whips.

Queen Isis tightly gripped the golden dagger and ordered the guards to hold down the offerings, then suddenly slit open the slaves' chests and placed the still-beating hearts on the sacrificial plates.

The solemn and eerie ceremony was interrupted by Kairo's screams; the girl covered her eyes and cried out, and the young Pharaoh, ignoring the condemning looks from all directions, embraced the girl to comfort her.

As the chief priestess, Isis's anger could no longer be suppressed; she strode down the pyramid and scolded, "Menes, how long are you going to protect this foreign girl?"

The blood on the queen's face and the dagger still dripping with blood made the girl who had just stopped crying cry again; Isis was not moved, "I am the queen of Lower Egypt! The chief priestess of the temple! I cannot tolerate anyone interrupting my sacrificial ceremony! Foreigner, how dare you disturb the gods' enjoyment of the offerings!"

The Pharaoh protected the girl in front of him and argued with his sister.

Tekla watched this drama and muttered, "I think I understand why the Nile River sent her here; this scheming girl is too much of an eyesore, and the Nile River wants to see how she gets beaten up!"