The Daughter Of Night (Original Version)

Epilogue

Ri
"What's happening?" I looked from Apollo to Cai, both of whom were beaming widely.

"You're a goddess now," Apollo said simply.

"What-no way! I'm not a goddess, I'm dead!"

"Ri, Cai did it. Nyx is dead," Apollo rushed forwards and took my hands in his.

A feeling of overwhelming pride formed in my chest, I looked at Cai, all thoughts of confusion gone.

"You did it?" I smiled, "you really did it?"

"I did," Cai smiled back at me, "I took away her immortality, and she fell into the void. There's no coming back from that."

I couldn't stop myself, I broke away from Apollo, and tackled my son in a tight hug, "I'm so proud of you!" I mumbled into his chest (even my own son was taller than me, just my luck). Cai laughed and patted my back.

"But I don't understand," I stepped back from Cai, confusion filling my mind once again, "you killing Nyx doesn't make me any less dead. Plus I have no idea how you two are here because I specifically asked Hades to not let you see me."

"We got around that because you're not dead anymore," said Cai.

"You're making no sense!" I looked back at Apollo, "what is he talking about?"

"You're going to be a goddess Ri," Apollo was smiling wider than I had ever seen him smile.

"Me?" I laughed, "who in their right mind would make me a goddess."

"Zeus," said Cai.

"This is a bad joke, you don't actually expect me to believe that Zeus- who hates me- would choose to make me a goddess!"

"He didn't have a choice," Cai said smugly, "it had to be her child, and I lightly suggested that Zeus chose you."

"I'm so confused. Her child?"

"Nyx is dead," Apollo said, "we can't have no goddess of night can we, that would throw the whole balance off. We've never been in the situation where we've had to choose a new god before. Pan chose his own successor, and very few important gods have faded before now. Never has a god ever been completely killed."

"Athena suggested that we should stick with Nyx's bloodline. Then Artemis suggested you," said Cai, "Zeus wasn't so willing, but I persuaded him."

"He's your son through and through," laughed Apollo, "he was scary, you would be proud."

"You're going to be the Goddess of Night mum."

"No!" I shook my head, looking frantically between the two of them, "you can't really think that's something that I want!"

"You want to be dead?" Apollo asked.

"No, of course, I don't. Well, I'd sort of gotten used to it. But I don't want to be the goddess of night! That's everything I hate about myself! The parts that are her! I don't want to become her!"

"You could never be her," Apollo once again took my hands in his, "Ri, you are not one bit like her. All she ever wanted was power. You never wanted anything. Ri I love you, I can't lose you again. Ever."

"You don't understand," I stared into his blue eyes, "I can't."

"Mum please," Cai stared forwards, "I need you, dad needs you."

Both Apollo and Cai had looks of such desperation, such hope in their eyes. I saw that same expression on both of their faces. A look of confusion as to why I was being so resistant to their solution.