The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

"There is about one month until the retreat of the Winter Monsters, Lord Theon." Hestia casually announced after we finished the lunch we invited her to.

The warm rays of the early afternoon sun shone softly through the layers of glass that separated the tea room from the greenhouse. Hestia was wearing a long but light and elegant dress that matched her perfectly. It was made of very delicate materials and I was sure it was one of Wendy's signature works. The white tulle and colourful lace skillfully wrapped her godly body well, producing a sight that would leave any man speechless. Well... Except me, since my three wives looked equally, no… even better than her. Also, I suspected some kind of conspiracy, since all four of them wore very similar dresses. After lunch, the maids served us fruit wine and mead, along with some desserts.

"It’s inevitable… however, thank you for the early warning, Lady Hestia." I sighed while taking a sip of weak wine.

"Are you ready for the war, King?" She looked at me with a strange facial expression, and I wasn't sure why she was angry.

"My intel is excellent, but it took me far too long to confront my Legions with my residents. Better late than never, I guess." I shrugged. "However, my previous battle plans went straight into the trash."

"You’re taking this offset incredibly well." She bit her lip, but I just shrugged.

"Not really. The damage was already done. The army of Cridia has been crippled and they still have no idea their forces won’t have anything prepared for their arrival." I saw the signs of her anger and anxiety.

"How was your attempt at regaining followers, Hestia?" Luna asked after she took her glass of wine.

"I failed... I'm so sorry..." She lowered her head and clenched her slender fists slowly. "The people rejected me..."

"That's why you stayed in Avalon then, except for that one week?" Irene was not surprised in the slightest, making Hestia look at her, puzzled.

"How did you know?" Hestia almost whispered.

"I figured that out after we met for the first time," Irene admitted with a shrug. "You were nothing like the goddess portrayed by your, supposed, faithful. First of all, you are a more gentle and merciful person than that cold and almost cruel monument worshipped in the capital city of Cridia. You don't have to be sorry, Hestia."

"Thank you, Irene." Hestia relaxed a bit, but she was still anxious. "At least the people of Avalon and Wolf Manor are worshipping the real me."

"How much can you do with that?" Amber asked with curiosity, while I smiled, covering my face with the wineglass.

"Nothing spectacular, I'm afraid. A few mass buffs, maybe some interventions, but compared to the things I used to do with a flick of my fingers, it's... *sigh* pathetic."

"I was not expecting this to end smoothly, Lady Hestia." I tried to cheer her up, but only made her smile bitterly.

"But we... I had to try." She sighed heavily and finally grinned a bit. "You, the Queens of Avalon, do not seem to be nervous about the incoming war. How do you do that?"

"We trust Theon, Hestia," Amber stated simply, accompanied by Luna and Irene's nods of agreement.

"And that's it?" She looked shocked, holding her glass of mead tightly.

"That's it. We must trust him, and his judgment. Theon told us that we are safe in Avalon, and I have never doubted him." Irene smiled.

"I wish I had your confidence..." Hestia sighed again.

"It's not about confidence, Hestia, it's about the simple fact that Avalon is the deadliest trap and mightiest stronghold I am aware of. No other fortress or castle in the entire Kingdom of Cridia can match our fortifications. If Theon decides to close the gates right now, there is nothing Queen Josla could do to open them." Luna smiled with a satisfied grin.

"I told you that our intel is excellent." I smiled, seeing Hestia's surprised face. "Don't look at me like that. Goblins were able to destroy the drawbridge, but despite them being weak and stupid, they had a huge advantage over everyone. They simply threw themselves into the embrace of death without a second thought. The Mortals that are going to attack us will be different, and attacking the walls of Avalon is going to be suicide. In case of any potential monster reinforcements, I'm not going to shy away any longer and I will resort to the full might that is at my disposal."

She blinked a few times, and I smiled at how innocent and adorable she looked. No wonder people thought of goddesses as charming or irresistible. Hestia was looking like a lost girl or a small puppy. Then came the realisation. I was looking at her as a clueless, fragile and defenceless girl, while in fact, she was an ancient being that should be far wiser than her current state. I was sure... Well, almost, you can't be sure of anything, I guess... She was not trying to charm me or seduce me as well, so I found it strange that a person of her status was so timid and worried.

"You are afraid, Lady Hestia." I simply stated, gazing deep into her eyes, which I thought were brown. I was wrong. They were not like the eyes of any Mortal; they were made of gold glitter, however, they were so dimmed they appeared dark.

"Yes. If you fail, I will fade away." Hestia admitted, without even trying to hide it.

"How is that possible?" I asked, seeing the shock on the faces of my wives.

"There will be no one to worship me." She raised her hand slowly. "And without that faith..." She free-fall it heavily on the table, shaking the drinks in our glasses. "...There is only silence waiting for me in the darkness between the stars."

"I thought you were immortal!"

"The term immortal is very misleading. It's a very proud title, I would dare to call it vainglorious..." she sighed. "You are immortal, Lord Theon, even more than I am. Your Queens are immortal... But what does that exactly mean?"

"That's a good question indeed..." I nodded at her, encouraging her to continue.

"If immortality means we can't die of old age and we do not age, then everyone in this room is immortal, including your charming Slime Maids," she smiled flatly. "If immortal means you would return to life after receiving a mortal wound and dying, then only you and your denizens are immortal. But if immortal means that you can't physically die, then no one here is immortal."

"A bit shocking, coming from a person who claims to be a god." I leaned comfortably in my armchair and took a small sip of my wine, but Hestia replied with a bright smile.

"And incredibly alleviating. Yes, we immortals..." She hesitated.

"Eternals maybe?" I helped with a genuine smile.

I liked Hestia. Among all other immortals, she was the most connected with us; my wives considered her as her close friend and regular people of Avalon worshipped her equally to Eriar. But what was more important was that she took the mantle of an almost always present goddess for the people of my Kingdom. She always responded to their prayers. They could even hope she would reply in person to their questions during her daily presence in her wing of the Grand Temple of Avalon. Her presence alone was a strong reminder that all four of them were allies of Avalon and confirmation that the Fifth, much stronger than them, was watching over the people of Avalon as well.

"Yes, Eternals is a much more fitting word to describe us." She took a sip of her mead. "And yes, I am afraid. We all know the meaning of fear."

"You were around the time the Greeks besieged Troy and saw the conquers of the Roman Empire. Is this any different for you?" I looked at her.

"It's different this time,” she sighed.“Wars back then were much simpler. There was no magic, no respawning monsters, just Mortal Humans that tried to kill each other. But no matter who lost or won, the faith remained... Now? It will be much different and I am powerless to fight along your side."

My wives looked at each other uncomfortably, and Amber pierced me with an accusing gaze, but I shook my head and sighed slightly. They had to learn this sooner or later, and Hestia, who befriended them all, was the best choice to teach... But exactly what? Hestia sadly looked at us and smiled flatly, but her eyes were sad and tired.

"I am ancient. More than you can imagine." This simple statement made my Queens look at her. "It flatters me that you three treat me more like a friend than some omnipotent being. I really hope that will never change."

Hestia smiled, and I realised she was talking to my wives. They looked embarrassed at first, but finally Amber took a deep breath and said. "The change in all of us when we became the Queens of Avalon detached us slightly from the normal rhythm of life. Well, maybe even a bit more than slightly. Just look at us now! We are one of the most powerful people in the world, drinking and chatting with a Goddess who is one of our friends. However... We had mixed feelings about you, Hestia. We were afraid that you or Hera would try to take Theon..."

"Hahaha! No!" Hestia laughed genuinely for the first time today, interrupting Amber. "I would never dare to do so! For me, you were my last chance." She took another sip of her mead and folded her legs, holding them tightly. "Allow me to tell you the story. Not so long ago, I was powerless. I begged and yelled during the time Gloria was running for her life, lost in the deep snow of the Lower Castle. She was being chased by the murderers and then by your Jester. I begged them to leave her, but no one could hear me. She was my only faithful worshipper. If she had died back then, I would have perished. Then I was standing behind her during the trial, extorting myself to give her any help or blessing, but only she could feel me. But instead of killing her, you not only allowed her to live, Lord Theon, but you also allowed her to once again spread the word about me. You allowed me to return."

"You said you were asleep all that time." I reminded her.

"I never specified the time..." She smiled. "I knew I couldn't lie to you, and I never intended to lie. You are the sole reason I survived, so even if other Eternals would leave you, I will stay by your side. However, I couldn't tell others how bad it was. Sorry for misleading you."

"Uhum." I acknowledged another hole in my Truth Seeker skill with a neutral smile.

"I know how King Theon is important for you, my friends, and please, believe me, I would never dare to do anything to destroy our friendship." She looked at my wives who started laughing. "It is important for me as well!"

"For someone who in legends always took what she wanted, you are way too defensive, Hestia. However, I like you more as you are now." Irene grinned at her. "It is said that you took mortal Kings as your husbands and toys whenever you liked."

"Excuse me?" Hestia looked at her in shock, but her face quickly turned red and I saw tears forming in her eyes. "Who would tell such lies?! I was never with a man!"

The laughing abruptly stopped, and Irene paled for a moment. She summoned a real scroll, not an Avalon version of it, and opened it swiftly. She then presented it to Hestia, who read the marked thing with trembling hands.

"It's a lie!" she cried. "I would never do such a thing! I... I..."

She angrily tried to wipe her tears but instead she smeared them over her face and her bare forearm. I leaned over the table and gave her a handkerchief, which she accepted. After wiping her face and calming down a bit, I sensed immense hatred emanating from her.

"So that's the reason why I failed when I tried to speak to my supposed followers... Where did you get this?" she asked Irene, who shrugged with a serious face.

"It's called the ‘Tales of the Gods’. Theon would probably call it this world’s version of mythology. It tells stories about gods and their affairs."

"I see... This was the reason the people abandoned me," she said with a focused gaze, reading the whole thing incredibly fast. "I wonder if others knew about it! It's garbage, Irene! This entire thing is a lie!"

"But it's just a tale..." I tilted my head and saw the flat gazes of all four of them. "No?"

"Lord Theon..."

"Just Theon..."

"Then call me Hestia as well." She smiled briefly but momentarily turned serious. "Theon, this thing deforms the entire essence of who and what we are. We Gods have an image to uphold that is much more important than you can imagine. The image of us, the tales about us, and finally our commandments and traditions, are integral parts of who we are. If people of this world read such garbage, it's no wonder we are that weak and we can't regain our authority. It's all because the very core of who we are was corrupted. People no longer see us for who we were and stopped distinguishing between us. This is serious Theon!"

"What do you expect of me, then?" I asked without emotions.

"Right now? Abolishing this text!" She hissed angrily.

"No, Hestia, that won't work." We all looked at Luna surprised, but I then smirked.

"Luna is right. If we abolish it, the people will look for it and read it anyway, because we actively suppress it. That's the nature of people to always try or look for forbidden things." I said with a sigh, but Hestia was heartbroken.

"I have a better idea." Luna smiled, focusing the entirety of Hestia's attention on her person. "We will never again mention this scroll in public, but we will not destroy it either. We will even place it in the Grand Royal Library, but we will ridicule it. If the Fairy librarians tell people that what they seek is a work of comedic fiction, they will believe them. It will be placed near the books for children, and if someone mentions it, you will reply that you are aware of its existence, but the lies contained in it are not worthy of your time. Don’t react like that again. The people will eventually forget about it because new tales about you and your friendship with the people of Avalon will soon be written."

"But..." She pointed, embarrassed by the scroll.

"It's a lie. People will detest it with time. But the moment we try to destroy it, enough people will believe that it contains a truth that we are trying to hide."

"Luna is right, Hestia." Amber nodded, and Irene hugged the shaken goddess.

"I should have looked for what people believed about who I was before I came out into the world. I feel very stupid right now. And angry..." Hestia sighed and bowed to Luna. "Thank you, Luna. You truly deserve to be called a Sage."

"Don't worry. You are our friend as well." Luna smiled.