Chapter 18: The Banquet (End)

Chapter 18: The Banquet (End)



Love makes fools of us all, big and little.

- William Makepeace Thackeray

It was the big bang.

As the inconceivable light of the Big Bang swept them away like a cosmic tsunami at a speed zillions of times faster than light, Hypnos drew the dazed Hera into his arms. They were catapulted into a burgeoning universe that was being created by the incessant energies unleashed by the Big Bang.

The ruthless hand of light chased darkness into hiding in the nooks and crannies of the universe. The last unwilling scream of darkness echoed throughout the cosmos before silence consumed it all.

Hera and Hypnos floated above an ocean of infinite energies that were all converging to form the super-force-the pillar of creation.

"Touch it," Hypnos instructed.

Hera awoke from her stunned stupor and did as he instructed, extending her index finger towards the infinite surging ocean beneath her, and the moment she made divine contact with it, the super-force collapsed with a cosmic roar, unleashing the forces of nature-gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force, and strong nuclear force-the building blocks of the

universe.

And thus the conception of the cosmos began. Hera and Hypnos began to fall into the casting universe, embarking on a hauntingly beautiful voyage.

The echoes of forces and energies coalesced together to form a grand symphony of the universe. Hera and Hypnos immersed themselves in the melodies of creation, watching the opulent scene unfold before them.

The universe was no longer empty-masses of swirling gases filled the darkness, and sparks of light began to emerge from within it, replacing the gases with their glorious lights.

'Stars,' Hera realised. 'Those are stars....' she thought as she looked ahead at the countless swirling masses of stars. 'And those are all....'

'Galaxies...'

Hypnos dragged her into one of the growing galaxies, and they were drowning in a river of stars.

Hera always liked stars. It's ironic since her archenemy was the Titan of Stars, but the stars in the night sky were just so beautiful and mesmerising that she managed to see past the foul Titan that controlled it and into its very nature, and so she had foolishly thought she had almost grasped everything there was to stars, but she was wrong, so wrong.

Hera saw the true magnificence of the stars as she floated through the thriving galaxy, which filled every ounce of her divine being with wonder and awe. Words would fail to convey what she witnessed, as would the rest of this haunting journey that Hypnos created just for her. Truly, any number of words could never do justice to describing the true magnificence of the cosmos. To grasp the infinity that was the Cosmos, you had to witness it firsthand to even be able to understand it.

Hera tightened her grip on Hypnos as they shot out of the galaxy, leaving a trail of starlight behind them.

Their soul-stirring journey continued as they swam through a dark ocean of space flecked with swirling stars, vibrant nebula clouds, and radiant magnetic clouds.

A swarm of innumerable galaxies rose above them, stacking on top of one another like a cosmic stairwell. And they began to climb it, passing through celestial bodies-black holes, red giants, white dwarfs, supergiants, pulsars-that were all endless, burning vibrantly in the darkness of space.

Time had lost its meaning. Is it a second or an aeon since this amazing journey began? Hera wasn't sure, but she found herself unable to care in the face of the grandeur of the cosmos alone with the soothing presence of the Primordial.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hera and Hypnos arrived at the top of the cosmic stairway, turned, and looked down-totality was weaving together in a boundless, dark ocean that would contain everything that is, has ever been, or ever will be.

It was the Cosmos.

Hera merely floated there with Hypnos in serene silence. Her chaotic eyes reflected the entire infinite cosmos, absorbing it all and burning it into her memories for the rest of eternity.

Finally, Hypnos teleported them to a familiar place. They landed weightlessly on a grey landscape dotted with craters of a variety of sizes. A blue-sparkling gem arose above them, half-submerged in the darkness of the cosmos, and a brilliant ball of light floated to their side, lighting up the boundless space.

Hera and Hypnos sat in comfortable silence on the dusty surface of the silver moon, gazing up at the blue earth illuminated by the golden sun.

"That was...." Hera attempted to break it, but immediately found herself at a loss for words.

"Don't try," Hypnos said, shaking his head. "Somethings are best left unsaid, for words could never do them justice."

Hera nodded, clearly understanding the truth. She then looked around at the moon, earth, and sun, recalling bits and pieces of their haunting journey. "So all of this is...?" she ventured a

wild guess.

"Yes," Hypnos interrupted, "we are in my dream," he said, watching her reaction intently. Contrary to his expectations, her eyes were filled with wonder rather than disappointment

and dismay.

"Impossible.." Hera shook her head vehemently, waving her hands to emphasise her point. "Everything feels real, too real to be a dream." She pinched the silver sand from the ground and let it fall slowly from her fingers. "This sand and those stars-you can't tell they are all

unreal?!"

Hypnos fixed his gaze solemnly on Hera. "Who told you it was unreal?" His words had left her perplexed, so he continued. "What is ultimately the difference between dream and reality? Look at my creation and then consider our home; how many differences do you notice between the two?" he asked, causing her eyes to widen in utter terror.

Hypnos immediately laughed, "Look at you"-he pointed at her horrified countenance-"I was just joking."

"You-" Hera clenched her teeth as the terror in her heart was swept away by a storm of rage beneath his laughter.

The Goddess of Marriage, on the other hand, did not believe his words. It was not a joke; she could instinctively tell that his words may have fallacies, but there should still be some truth to them. She chose to bury this frightening revelation deep within her mind instead of being worried about it, which would almost certainly result in her suffering a full-fledged existential crisis right then and there.

her hands in his.

Hera looked at the clasped hands with a dazzling smile as bright as the blazing sun. However,

Hypnos cut her off before she could say anything. "Um..." he rubbed his other hand behind his neck. "I don't know how to dance..."

Hera snapped her gaze upward at him as if she couldn't believe his words. "Use your abilities," she said immediately, as if it were the obvious thing to do. "Make it so that you

already know how to-"

"No." Hypnos looked at her with such solemnity that Hera was taken back. "You can't use your power on everything; it'll make your life completely colourless and lustrous," he paused. "Always remember, simple things are what make life more meaningful."

Hera shuddered as she realised the terrifying possibilities of the path she had just suggested to him. "Then," she finally said. "I will teach you. Just follow my instructions, and you'll be

able to learn it in no time, H-" She paused abruptly, words catching in her throat, and she looked at him with an inscrutable expression. "Can I call you by your name?" Hypnos was heavily silent for a moment, and then he spoke firmly. "You can."

"Hypnos....." Hera exhaled, savouring the taste of his name on her tongue. "Will you dance

with me?" she asked again, her bright eyes fixated on him.

"Yes," Hypnos smiled. "I'd love to, Hera."

They entered the main hall hand in hand. The melodious music stopped abruptly, as did the

dancing immortals, who were drawn out of their worlds by the incredible sight unfolding in front of them.

Rhea, the Mother of Gods, had been worrying herself over the mood of Hypnos since the

Primordial ditched the banquet meant for him. Her concerns grew as she reflected on her temperamental daughter, who did not bother to attend the banquet despite her long admonition earlier tonight.

And just when she felt the banquet was a failure, she noticed the same two people who had

been bothering her so much strolling into the banquet hand in hand.

It was an understatement to say that she was astonished, watching her daughter with Hypnos. After all, this was Hera, who was renowned for her temper. She turned down her suitors, arrogantly dismissing their offers. She also looked up to Oceanus and Tethys, wishing to have a perfect marriage like them. This was more than enough to turn off all her suitors.

But now the same Hera was walking contentedly through the dispersing masses with Hypnos,

whom she had just offended.

What had happened?...

In the end, Rhea pushed aside questions and doubts in her heart, focusing on the brilliant

smile of Hera. She had never seen her daughter so happy and so content, and that was all she

needed to know as a mother.

She ordered the nymphs to compose a slow symphony for them. Then she turned to face Hypnos and Hera, her eyes welling up with blissful tears.

Hypnos and Hera reached the centre of the hall under the eyes of all. A divine melody resounded deafeningly, as though it came straight from the bright halls of heaven itself, shattering the silence.

"Follow me," Hera whispered, guiding him furtively with her powers.

Under the heavenly music, Hypnos placed her hand on her hip, and Hera rested her hands on

her shoulders. And their feet finally fell in step with the melodious tune. Immediately, other immortals got out of their stupor and joined them enthusiastically in the

centre in pairs-Zeus and Metis, Poseidon and Selene, Helios and Demeter, and so on-but Hypnos and Hera were solely fixated on each other; everything else seemed to fade and melt away in nothingness for them, leaving them stranded in their own wondrous world.

They danced and cavorted together under the sanctifying music, until Hypnos suddenly seized control of their dancing movements perfectly, catching Hera completely off guard with

his abnormal learning abilities.

Hypnos pulled Hera close to his chest and wrapped his arms around her neck with a gentle

smile. Uncontrollable feelings began racing through her body, and her fingers tingled with joy. Her hand touched his cheek ever so softly.

They continued dancing, too absorbed in the music to stop. Time passed heedlessly as their

feet moved in the ceaseless footsteps of the music.

In the end, they were like the creators at the dawning of the cosmos, and their joy was so

bright that they could see nothing else but the other.

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