Chapter Twelve: Power and Grace
At this moment, he transformed this understanding into concrete knowledge, condensing it into a stream of light containing information about the laws, and transferred it into Apollo's consciousness.
Apollo's body trembled slightly as a large amount of complex and profound information flowed into his mind.
They automatically combine and arrange themselves, eventually forming a perfectly clear "technique".
He murmured softly.
The true name of this "divine art" was uttered:
"Power and grace!"
This is the divine magic that God himself taught him, and it is the source of all divine magic in the world!
It does not possess any power in itself.
But it is a key that allows him to divide his own authority and bestow it upon others.
...
When we left the altar, the night was still dark.
Apollo then summoned his other five children.
In the flickering torchlight, his five children all wore anxious expressions.
With En having just been executed, his father's call seemed especially poignant at this sensitive moment.
Apollo looked at them, and a deep sadness welled up in his eyes.
He didn't know when it started, but these children who used to run into his arms and act cute had erected an invisible wall between them and him.
They each had their own families and children, and their own lives and plans.
And he, the father whose face never ages.
Yet it seemed to have become an eternal, yet incompatible, presence in their world.
In a sense...
He lost his "family".
"Father!"
The five people bowed in unison, their voices restrained and distant.
Apollo did not speak, but carefully examined them.
After En died, he finally realized that his children were also growing old.
They are also gradually approaching the end of their lives.
Like their mother, they are about to fall into an eternal slumber.
Looking at the children's gray hair and the wrinkles on their faces, Apollo sighed deeply in his heart.
But soon, Apollo's gaze regained its usual majesty.
"Wa, ya…"
Apollo called out the children's names; perhaps this was the last time he would call them by name.
The five people stepped forward one by one and bowed respectfully.
"Father."
Apollo's gaze swept over them.
He wondered if, beneath this facade of respect, something akin to a favor might be hidden...
Resentment towards him and God?
But at that moment, he suddenly felt that none of these things mattered anymore.
Whether it's resentment or understanding.
He only wants to do what he thinks he should do and bear the consequences of his choices.
"En is gone."
"You should leave soon too."
"I know that perhaps one day in the future, you will accept death with equanimity and return to the stars."
"Or perhaps..."
"It will be consumed by resentment, just like grace, and will raise the flag of rebellion against me, attempting to steal this divine grace."
"But I tell you, divine grace cannot be taken away! Because it originates from the will of the gods!"
The children had different expressions; some had their heads down, some had shifty eyes, and some looked terrified.
"But you are lucky!"
Apollo stood up.
His still tall and upright figure, combined with the imposing aura he exuded at that moment.
Everyone instinctively bent over, unable to look directly at him.
He gradually stepped down from his high position, which symbolized power.
At the same time, it also revealed the ultimate purpose of summoning them tonight:
"Just now, I prayed to God to give you the authority that is in me."
He paused for a moment.
Looking at the children's suddenly raised faces, filled with disbelief, he slowly announced:
"God has agreed."
"Starting today,"
"You will, like me, be bathed in the glory of God."
As they spoke, Apollo descended from his high place and came before his child.
They saw that their father began to radiate a dazzling starlight visible to the naked eye!
The light was not dazzling, but it was incredibly pure and sacred.
Starlight flowed, illuminating the surroundings in a dreamlike way, as if this place had been transformed into a divine kingdom!
However, Wa, Ya, and the others had no time to appreciate this sacred spectacle.
At this moment, their minds were completely shaken by Apollo's words!
Father...
He wanted to receive the unique divine grace bestowed upon him by the gods, a grace that symbolized him as "the chosen one"...
Share it with them?!
Shock, elation... a complex mix of emotions surged through them like a tide, causing their faces to shift and change under the starlight.
Apollo took in their reactions and reached out his hand, which was surrounded by starlight.
"Now, accept this gift from the gods!"
...
early morning.
When the sun rises.
A deep, long horn sounded throughout the tribe, summoning all the tribespeople to the altar.
People gathered from all directions, and soon the open space under the altar was filled with a sea of people.
They spoke in hushed tones, speculating about the reason for this emergency summons.
And when their gaze fell upon the altar.
All the discussions abruptly ceased, and everyone's faces showed shock and uproar!
All that could be seen on the altar was...
Apollo stood tall and straight as ever, his golden hair gleaming in the morning light.
But what truly astonished people were the five figures standing behind him.
His second son, Wa, his youngest daughter, Ya, and three other sons!
They...they've changed!
Yesterday they looked old, with graying temples and wrinkles on their faces.
Miraculously, he has regained his youth!
The wrinkles on Wa's face disappeared, restoring her youthful charm. Ya's skin became smooth again, and her eyes brightened once more.
The other three sons were also full of energy, as if time had flowed backward for them by twenty or thirty years!
Dressed in neat leather armor, they stood quietly behind Apollo, like five newborn servants of the gods.
An indescribable aura, a blend of majesty and otherworldly presence, emanated from them.
They stood on the high altar, looking down at their people below.
An unprecedented emotion was growing wildly in their hearts.
That's the sense of superiority that comes from having power and a leap in one's social standing.
It is a kind of illusion that one has transcended the mundane world, is high above, and is almost like a god.
At that moment, they felt like messengers of the gods, completely different from the ordinary people beneath their feet.
"Oh my god! Look! Wow! It's him! He... he's gotten younger!"
"Sprout too! And the chieftain's other children! They've all... they've all turned back to how they were when they were young!"
"This...this is impossible?! Could it be..."
Suddenly, a thought flashed through everyone's minds.
Their eyes widened, their faces filled with disbelief, followed by a volcanic eruption of fervor!
"Divine grace!"
The crowd erupted in cheers!
Cheers, cries, and praises mingled together, creating a tidal wave of faith.
They never imagined that in their lifetime...
To witness the miracle of divine grace firsthand, and it was no longer exclusive to Apollo!
This means that the gods are still watching over the tribe and have bestowed even greater blessings upon them!