It was early afternoon when I went to Crete. My mother wasn't with her anymore.

 

Shall we?

 

--Gladly.--

 

Crete sat across from me in the meadow and looked at me.

 

--Do you have any questions?--

 

I shook my head.

 

--Well. Then I'll just start. The Sanctum belonged to the Goddess Tyche, she was once the goddess of fortune, as well as fate.

 

About 500 years ago, at the time of the twilight of the gods, there was a big war between several parties. Tyche fought with their family of gods, the Olympians, against the Titans who had escaped from Tartarus.

 

They were victorious, but many of their family members hadn't survived the war. After the war, some left their divine powers behind and became mortal others decided to leave this world. A few lost their minds due to an unknown illness.

 

Those who lost their minds were called the Infested, Tyche was one of them.

 

Those infested deities that were weak enough were killed, by the other  gods, but those like Tyche with great powers could only be sealed.--

 

Crete paused and turned her gaze into the distance.

 

--The last two Olympians, who reside after the Twilight of the Gods, are the twins Artemis and Apollon.

 

On Syrras, the central-western continent, predominantly under the reign of the Elves and the Albe, Artemis lives in the temple of their capital Tersima. Apollon lives in Kerge, the central continent and resides in the temple, of their capital Kithara.

 

The continents to the east, west, and north have other families of gods.

 

Only the continent to the south, Leirust, once belonged to the territory of the Olympians, but they have turned away of gods and faith.--

 

Crete sighed loudly and turned back to me.

 

--After Syrras and the eastern continent Paan, there is the third largest forest in Leirust, the region is called Peinns. In Peinns is my home, as well as the home of all the other Hesperides and Dryads.

 

I have now strayed from the topic... Well, some time ago, my foster father received a message from Syrras. It's about something rising beneath the ground and it should be investigated.

 

Of the eight Hesperides, I am the only one who does not live on Leirust. So it became my job to investigate that and I found out that the cause must be in the Sanctum of Tyche and breaking their seal could be a possibility.--

 

Just to make sure you don't know if it's because of her seal?

 

--No, I do not know, but the chance is not very low, because next to Tyche there is only one more deity sealed in Syrras, Ares, the god of war, lies under the temple garden in which Artemis resides sealed and the goddess Athena herself acts as an energy source for the seal.--

 

...Tyche...

 

--What's happening?--

 

If the seal unseals, what do you want to do?

 

--Close it.--

 

And how?

 

--Now... the person who gave me the information about Tyche also gave me sealing stones. She has assured me that she will keep the seal for another 100 years.--

 

And you trust that person?

 

--Yes! After all, this person was the goddess Artemis herself.--

 

Wait a minute! You met a goddess!?

 

--Yes, anyone can meet her in her temple garden with a bit of luck. The gardens are freely accessible during the day. As a Hesperide it was easy for me to find her because the plants in the garden helped me find her.--

 

Ha? I always imagined gods as something a little more distantly.

 

--It was like this in the past, but since Artemis and Apollo only watch over the world and not rule, the distance smaller grew between them and the mortals.--

 

You said "the mortal" and not "us mortals", why?

 

--We Hesperides are the highest-ranked dryads and our lifespan is infinite. The mother goddess Gaia herself created the Hesperides and in her name are we a link between the mortals and the eternals.--

 

Who is Gaia?

 

--Gaia, huh? Gaia is the mother of everything, she is the ground we stand on and her husband, Uranus, is the sky.

 

Are they gods aswell?

 

--In a sense, yes, but both are so much more.--

 

Much more?

 

--What you call system or status is Uranus, Uranus has no fleshly body. He is omnipresent and everyone who lives under his sky receives the status from him. That's why the system is also called "The Uranus System".--

 

Oh, shit... I wasn't always nice to the system... What about Gaia?

 

--Gaia is nature and evolution is something natural. So you can say Gaia is the evolution that let you evolve and become a jackalope.--

 

Then I should thank her ...

 

Now that I'm thinking of it, how did you plan to look for Tyche's Sanctum? Didn't Artemis know where the place is?

 

--Sorry, no... Artemis herself just roughly knew the position. She meant it's in the eastern part of Syrras, but where exactly is unknown for her because she hadn't been there at the sealing.

 

What if I know where it is?

 

--Y-you know where it is!?--

 

Not with certainty.

 

--How!?--

 

Nanana, everyone has one or two secrets.

 

--Ha? -

 

I know a place that would fit the description of something like a sanctum, but I'm not sure if this place is the sanctum of Tyche.

 

--Then let us visit this place.--

 

It's not that easy, I know the direction from here, but not the exact location. I happened to come across this place.

 

--Then let's start our search tomorrow.--

 

Crete and I parted ways and make an appointment to meet at tomorrow's sunrise.

 

I went back into the burrow to meet my parents because I want to ask them for help to recruit some horned rabbits. I want that the horned rabbits help me in searching the place.

 

"Qek quieck?" (Looking for something?)

 

"Eeq, quik qeek qek." (Yes, Crete needs help.)

 

"Qeek quiek qeek qiek eeq?" (How many are supposed to help search?)

 

"Eeque eeq queek." (everyone who wants to.)

 

"Eeq. Eq queek quek." (Okay, I'm asking around.)

 

My father left the burrow to ask relatives and friends for help. I had previously told him about the meeting place and the details so far. I also told him about the cave under the tree and that this cave was our possible destination.

 

My mother and I relaxed and waited for Father's return. While we were waiting, my siblings came home, little by little.

 

Since returning from the Orc city, changed my brother and my sister's behavior toward me. They usually kept their distance, only my eldest brother had not changed.

 

My oldest brother lay down next to me and relaxed aswell. Since our return, he started to train nonstop with others.

 

It was already late in the evening when my father returned. He wrapped himself in silence and only answered with a few words, "You'll see".

 

UNFAIR!