Titan Goddess of Magic

Athena’s suggestion was absurd, but practical. Still, Salomon rejected the terrible proposal. Only after his repeated persuasion did Athena finally believe in his self-control.

Salomon had yet to visit Hecate, the goddess of magic. The time spent preparing before the trip to Asgard was the perfect opportunity to visit her. As a Titan from the old age, she must have had dealings with the Vanir. Salomon believed he could learn about the Vanir Mystic Arts through her in advance, which would help him understand the challenge ahead.

Hecate’s name appeared in many spells. For example, the spell Hecate’s Dark Veil had an effect similar to a second-circle darkness spell, but with a more flexible range. Under certain circumstances, it could also conceal an object or person, preventing them from being noticed in the night.

Hecate’s name also appeared in the spell Smooth Birth of Newborn. Ancient Greek pregnant women often screamed this incantation until they were hoarse, especially when they cursed the men who had gotten them pregnant and loudly declared that this would be the last time they ever gave birth. The spell often worked quite well—it kept them conscious, widened the birth canal, and left them with enough strength to throw water pitchers at the heads of the culprits waiting outside the delivery room.

Hecate possessed many domains of authority. Whether in the age of the Titans or the age of Olympus, she had been an immortal goddess not to be ignored. She was the guardian of households and the patron of witches. People sacrificed red mullet and puppies to her, while shepherds worshipped her as they worshipped Hermes. She was also forever one of the central figures of the Haloa Festival in Eleusis—during this festival, priestesses held sacred symbols of both sexes and quietly told the women present things that could not be spoken aloud. The women would often make witty remarks that men considered improper.

But now was not the time for a visit. Like Athena, Hecate obeyed the laws of the Sorcerer Supreme and remained peacefully on Earth. Even if Salomon had learned of her from Athena, he could not abruptly pay her a visit without The Venerable One’s permission. That would have been terribly rude. Unless Athena accompanied Salomon in person.

Athena did not mind taking Salomon to meet Hecate. Hecate now lived on Santorini Island in the Aegean Sea, leading a life free of worldly disputes and rarely even using spells. Before the visit, Athena first needed to send Hecate a text message, lest they arrive to find a goddess of magic who had drunk herself into a stupor.

The Goddess of Wisdom hoped Hecate would prepare a roast lamb, Greek caviar, and some chilled Resin Wine. Most people were unaccustomed to this wine, popular for more than two thousand years and carrying the scent of turpentine, but Athena still wanted Salomon to try it—paired with half-dried octopus tentacles, it improved the flavor of the resin wine.

"If you don’t mind, we can leave now." Athena looked at the message on her phone. "If we get there too late, Hecate will have poured the wine into her coffee and finished it all."

"Ha, that’s an old topic." With a white headscarf wrapped around her head, Hecate looked no different from an ordinary middle-aged woman. She did not possess Athena’s striking beauty or sense of power, and her short black hair was messily tucked away. Yet when viewed through special sight, her face constantly shifted. She lifted her coffee cup as the roast lamb in the oven behind her slowly gave off a warm, enticing fragrance. Onions and garlic sizzled in the bubbling hot lamb fat, while olive oil and black pepper seeped into every strand of meat.

This was a traditional dish from Santorini Island. Pita bread was baked alongside the lamb, and eating the flatbread soaked in meat juices together with the lamb was the highest praise for the dish. But the meal was not finished yet, so the diners could only gather around the table covered in a floral tablecloth and fill their stomachs with other things.

Octopus tentacles paired with resin wine were utterly delicious, and Salomon accepted Athena’s recommendation.

"The price… You want to know the price of Vanir magic, am I right?" Hecate set down her cup and looked at Salomon and Athena seated across from her. Compared with the somewhat restrained Arcanist, Athena’s posture was far more uninhibited. She sat sideways in her chair, wearing golden sandals bound with silk cords. Her long, toned legs were crossed, and her long golden hair flowed wildly over her shoulders, reflecting the brilliant sunlight of the Aegean Sea.

"Why are you being so aggressive, Hecate?" said the Goddess of Wisdom. "He merely came here to seek your guidance. The current Sorcerer Supreme is not Agamotto. There are questions even Ancient One finds difficult to answer. I believe you are the one who knows the answer. I brought him here."

"I guessed long ago that he would become involved with you. Like a little girl collecting teddy bears, you never let any interesting toy slip away." Hecate spoke irritably. "I won’t be childish enough to argue with you. I’ll answer his question. Listen carefully, Holy Child. If you wish to study Vanir magic, you must understand the role of faith. It is the foundation of survival for divine races like us, something you cannot learn at Kamar-Taj. It is an incomparably powerful force, and the basis for becoming a god. The price the Vanir pay for magic is faith—the Aesir and the Vanir have built their own realms, and the subjects of the Nine Realms are all believers. Their souls cast enormous projections in the Astral Plane, and countless beliefs gather around their souls. They all possess faith to spend. As long as faith exists, they possess inexhaustible power."

"That is not what I asked you to tell him, Hecate." Athena’s gaze was sharp as a blade as it swept across Hecate’s face. "I want him to understand the form of Vanir magic, not all this other nonsense."

"What difference does it make? He will come into contact with this sooner or later anyway," Hecate said carelessly. "He is the Holy Child. Without realizing it, he has already accepted a great deal of faith. Look at how many Christians there are on this Earth. They are all believers of this Holy Child. I noticed it the first time I saw him. Even if he refuses to acknowledge it, I can see his true nature. The Star of Bethlehem proclaimed it to the world long ago."

"Have you never considered the price you pay every time you use your Holy Marks, Salomon? Everything has a price. What about your Holy Marks?"

Hecate’s reminder caught Salomon’s attention. Ignoring Athena’s increasingly gloomy expression, she continued eloquently, "That price is faith. Once you open all your Holy Marks, you will discover your true nature—a drifting soul in the Astral Plane, radiating blinding light. Every Lower Plane Being wants your soul. That power would be enough to uphold the Seventh Throne. Every Upper Plane Being wants your faith, because it can bring glory to their lord. As long as you exist, Zeus will fear you, Hera will bless you, and Aphrodite will stop at nothing to climb into your bed. It is only that Athena has gotten you first."

"He is my child, Hecate." Athena pulled Salomon’s shoulders close with one arm and openly kissed the Arcanist on the cheek. Salomon became somewhat embarrassed. He squirmed restlessly, but could not escape Athena’s hold.

"Has no one ever told you that you are terribly rude?" Hecate giggled. "You do not have an ounce of womanliness!"

"I am not that idiot Aphrodite, who loses control whenever she sees a man’s crotch. If she comes here, I’ll let Salomon have a proper taste of that foolish woman. I trust that my child will not drown himself in beauty."

"Haha, that may not be so certain."

The oven chimed, and the room filled with the warm fragrance of onions, garlic, and lamb fat.

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