Nairmis set down his brush and stared at the three paintings before him for a while. Suddenly, he was no longer certain whether Uranus could see what was in them.
If he could, he could not be allowed to see the first two paintings yet.
He thought for a moment and had a new idea. Picking up his brush again, he dipped it in paint and colored in Uranus's blank eye sockets in the last painting, the one of the Twelve Titans rebelling against the sky. The instant his final stroke fell-
High in the sky, Uranus's eyes flew open. Nourished by the water of life, he had just entered a half-dreaming, half-waking state of recovery when a vivid image flooded his consciousness.
Twelve figures surged out of the cracked earth, raising their fists at him.
He saw their faces. They were the children he had imprisoned in the sky, the useless wretches who always bowed their heads before him. They were actually rebelling against him.
The image vanished in a flash, but he had seen it clearly. Uranus's expression darkened instantly, his face tightening again after the water of life had soothed it.
The anger that had only just subsided surged up like a rekindled fire, and the divine power spilling out of him crackled faintly.
Gaia was kneeling on the ground, her gaze passing over her twelve children with aching tenderness. Their backs were hunched. It had been a long time since she had been this close to them.
She was considering how to plead for mercy in a little while. Ever since she had come up with the Bottle of Life, Uranus's attitude had softened considerably. Perhaps she could win her children a little breathing room.
The Titans were also quietly raising their heads to meet their mother's eyes. Having just seen their father's attitude toward her improve, that faint glimmer of hope was secretly spreading among them.
Then Uranus suddenly opened his eyes. Caught off guard, Gaia jumped in fright and hurriedly withdrew her gaze from her children. Putting on a gentle smile, she asked softly, "Great lord of the sky, my husband, what is wrong?"
Uranus did not answer. His cold gaze slowly swept over the twelve Titans kneeling on the ground, as though reassessing a group of prisoners he had thought thoroughly tamed.
Their figures gradually overlapped with the silhouettes in the image in his mind. These weaklings had actually dared to raise their fists at him in that image. His gaze passed back and forth among the Titans' bowed heads, the suspicion and cold scrutiny in his eyes growing ever stronger.
The faint hope that had just kindled within the Titans shattered to dust the instant his eyes swept toward them. They hastily lowered their heads, their entire bodies trembling.
At the foot of Mount Proeon, the instant Nairmis finished his final stroke, the power of laws within him stirred again. A strand of entirely new divine nature formed inside him, floating quietly and brightly between his record godhead and his wisdom and inspiration divine nature.
It was a prophetic divine nature, bearing language that could be recorded, foretelling the future through writing and depiction. Although it was only a divine nature for now, it was the first step toward a prophecy godhead.
Nairmis nearly laughed aloud. Prophecy-one of the most renowned abilities in ancient Greek mythology. With it, he could avoid many dangers and see the murderous threats and opportunities hidden in the shadows ahead of time.
Before he could absorb this delightful surprise, an explosive roar suddenly came from the sky.
"Uranus, stop!"
The earth shook violently. Loose stones tumbled from the cliffs with heavy echoes. The five Nymphs startled awake and ran straight to Nairmis's side. The sights and sounds of the last divine battle made them look warily toward the sky.
It was not just the Nymphs. Everything in the valley fell silent, and the entire world strained to hear what would follow that voice.
Nairmis also raised his head, watching the heavens nervously. It was Gaia's voice, coming from the Sky Divine Domain, filled with anger, shock, and pain. He did not know why Gaia was in the sky, but he guessed that the prophetic painting had begun to take effect.
In the Sky Divine Domain, Uranus's expression was icy. He was about to turn his gaze away from the Titans, but at that very moment-
Phoebe's face went deathly pale. She was a deity who presided over prophecy, her authority that of bright prophecies, prophecies that could bring about good outcomes.
But now, the godhead belonging to her prophetic authority was churning uncontrollably within her.
A new domain of prophecy had been born. The concept of a future that could be recorded had entered the scope of prophecy, passively expanding her authority. Divine power flowed back into her godhead, and her divine power rose uncontrollably.
She tried to suppress it, but the increase came too swiftly for her to stop it in time.
Rhea gave a muffled groan immediately afterward. She was the goddess of time, governing its passage, and had sensed it when Nairmis first triggered his time divine nature. But she had used her authority over time to slow the flow of the divine power growing within her, making it almost imperceptible.
If Phoebe had not suddenly been affected, she could have handled this increase without a sound.
But Phoebe's fluctuations of divine power were like a stone striking still water. As the ripples spread, they struck the concealment Rhea had barely maintained, exposing her fluctuations of divine power as well.
Divine power swirled in Uranus's eyes. A moment ago, he had still been wondering where the twelve figures in that image had found their courage.
Now he understood. It was not a matter of courage. They really were growing stronger behind his back. His gaze swept over Phoebe's deathly pale face, over Rhea's clenched fists, then over the other ten Titans. Their expressions had already revealed everything.
He slowly swept his gaze over every pale face below, his eyes growing colder and colder, until his expression finally became a smile devoid of mirth.
"Good." His voice echoed through the divine domain. "Very good indeed."
The Titans understood at once. They all knocked their heads against the ground, producing a synchronized, dull thud.
Oceanus was the first to prostrate himself, his voice trembling. "Father, we knew nothing of this."
"Please, have mercy!" Coeus's voice shook.
"We did nothing!" Iapetus shouted hoarsely.
Uranus remained unmoved. He stood, supreme divine power gathering in his palm. His five fingers suddenly clenched, and an invisible force seized all twelve Titans by the neck at once. They gasped in agony, their fingers clawing futilely at their throats, yet finding nothing to grasp.
Shocked and furious, Gaia sprang to her feet and hurried to stop him.
At the foot of the mountain, Nairmis watched the sky. That immense mass of fluctuating divine power was churning violently, its pressure descending from above. The Nymphs huddled together in fright, and even the rocks of Proeon were giving off low vibrations.
He did not know exactly what had happened, but judging by the direction of those fluctuations, their source, and the timing of their eruption, the most likely possibility was that the prophecy had taken effect. History was being pushed forward.
Without the slightest hesitation, Nairmis picked up the first painting, spread it across his knees, and quietly waited.