The hivemind is conquering for me?

”Are you sure I can’t walk you home? It’s no trouble. Honestly.” I asked Hailey as we stood by my front door.

”Apollo, lean down for me for a second.” She said before kissing me. The kiss lingered for a few moments and I felt her tongue brush across my lips but no further before she pulled away. I gave her a moment as she inverted her lips while smiling and closed her eyes.

Before I could feel pride about causing that reaction, Hailey opened her eyes again and replied. ”No, I could do with some time to gather my thoughts. This date has been everything I was dreaming of and more, so thank you. And thank you for being there for me and my secrets.”

I raised my hand and placed it on her shoulder, rubbing affectionately. ”You risked a lot telling me that, I promise I will uphold that trust. Goodnight Hailey.”

”Goodnight Apollo.”

I then watched as my now girlfriend walked away. I stayed in the door and watched as she turned around a couple of times to check I was still watching her, it was cute. Once she was no longer visible, I shut the front door, walked over to the couch and sat down.

I then nodded my head taking everything in before my old lexicon resurfaced again.

”Holy shit!

I couldn’t believe what I was just told. That was some serious gourmet shit as far as secrets go. First of all, another one of these founders was alive, In a manner of speaking. Ares and Athena...

While Sol had told me to stop looking at the similarities and differences of my previous universe and this one. Two war gods being the only ones left, that I know of. That was a very interesting titbit of information.

What was crazier though was Bellona, the body of Hailey’s mother, but Athena’s host... She had the potential to be like me. Another one with Psychokinesis that borderlined on Omnikinesis.

”Crazy. I knew there are others and that some just don’t get the spark or live long enough, but for there to be one in such close proximity to me... That’s wild.”

”Not as wild as you think, my Kindled.” I heard Sol interject, speaking directly into our link, and appear from a nearby candle. ”Sure there are only a dozen with your gift in every quintillion lifeforms in the universe, but fate has a way of working things out.”

I ushered my flaming beauty towards me and she floated over and took root on my lap. ”Explain, if you can, with all your restrictions.”

”Well, My kindled. Fate wanted, for whatever reason, for there to be a being with borderline Omnikinetic potential in this middle of nowhere galaxy in this particular period of... Time. From what we know, I would guess Bellona wasn’t the first attempt, judging by how fate works. But Athena was the first to be recognised by someone you know. However, with Athena being what she was and basically sapping all that potential to just live and grow stronger, Fate would have placed another one of those dozen in quintillion in place. And that body just so happened to be you. Now was that the goal of fate? Or was it truly a lucky draw like the caretakers wanted for you? That I do not know. But it doesn’t change the fact that you are my kindled and I love you dearly.”

”Were you eavesdropping, my flame? That’s cute and wait oh shit! I’m not like Athena am I? I didn’t destroy another soul to be here did I? Is that why my Origin is the way it is?”

Sol must have felt the genuine fear I felt I was feeling at that and reminded me. ”Remember My kindled, I told you that you have always been your own soul, no engram. Not someone with your memories. Your body is the same. It is yours, always was yours, no one else’s. You and your existence’s mysteries are yours and yours alone. No need to panic, my Kindled, my Apollo.”

After seeing me visibly calm down, Sol then added. ”Besides, I already knew about the whole Athena thing, it is not news to me.”

I blinked in surprise hearing this. ”What?”

”Apollo, my attention was on Ecumenopolis 1 when Hailey told her mother in law in private. I wasn’t limited to this form then. When I was observing you, I basically could ’see’ everything that was happening all at once. Or have you forgotten how we first met and me causing a star system heatwave as I was building up energy to flirt with you?”

I proceeded to pinch Sol’s surprisingly supple posterior and brushed my nose across her neck. ”Now how could I ever forget such a beautiful dance? So unique and enchanting. No, my flame, that will never leave me.”

Sol then hastily evacuated my lap and back into the candle in the distance. ”You tease, my kindled! You forget I can feel all your thoughts, so mean with your intentions to leave me wanting when you have no intentions to poke my flames tonight.”

I chuckled at Sol, being caught red handed. I then started to think to myself again about what Hailey told me. The fact she watched her own father order her mothers assassination. That was... Just awful.

’I wonder how he found out about the whole ’curse’ thing? At least he had the smarts not to tell the praetorians, I would wager they would flip out if they knew one of their gods were still somewhat alive... Poor Ness, I would tell her, but it’s not my secret to tell.’

As I contemplated on what to do for the rest of the night, as I wasn’t in the mood for snu snu, a big blue and bloody wall materialised in front of me. I immediately stood up from the couch and took a battle stance.

”Sapphire, who hurt you? Are they coming?”

”Moo.”

”What?”

”Moo.”

”The backyard? Why do I need to go-

”-Moo!”

”You hunted? Hunted what?”

”Moo.”

”Are you doing this on purpose? Why are you being coy? Why do I have to get the... Fine, I will meet you in the garden in a second. That’s a bad kitty not telling me why you are hurt and coming back looking like that. Are you trying to upset me? Bad kitty.”

...

A few minutes later, Orchid, Onyx and I were standing in my back garden that was now demolished by the gigantic rhino that had been dragged here. All of our mouths were agape, though mine was different from Orchid and Onyx.

”Sapphire... How did you even get this here without being seen?”

”Moo.”

”Sneakily? What do you mean sneakily? This is a multi-ton behemoth! You can’t just be sneaky carrying this back its-”

”-Well done Sapphire. I knew you were listening to me all those times you were pretending to be asleep! Oh, look at this thing. This is going to fill me right up. Orchid, do you want to keep the biomass sample in your stomach till we return home or shall I?”

Orchid then turned to Onyx and replied. ”Best you do it. Orchids stomach is not what it once was, the chance of fouling the biomass is greater over longer durations of time.”

Onyx then nodded her head. ”Agreed, we best cut this up and bring it inside and eat there. I can’t take another step without being protected by the pulsar. Apollo, can you get the others out of the house while we see to this feast?”

”I’m on it, do you want to borrow Zircon for the task?” I offered, but Onyx shook her head. ”No, my arms will be sufficient.” She said pointing below her current arms, where her sword arms would be on her stalker form.

”Alright then, enjoy your feast, my darlings. Sapphire, since you brought it back, you help them out with whatever they need, but don’t push yourself. You are clearly hurt and despite calling you a bad kitty, I am only worried for you.”

Sapphire then proceeded to walk up to me and licked my face, her maw reeking of blood as she did so. I then patted her chonky head and said. ”Thanks, I love you too.”

...

*Knock knock*

I knocked on Nerissa’s door and looked around idly while I waited. As I was doing so I noticed a leaf on the floor. I picked it up to look at ’A blue leaf? Neat.’ I couldn’t help thinking before Nerissa opened the door.

”Apollo. What can I do for you?” She said wearing her skin tight attire. She then looked at the leaf in my hand for a moment long enough for me to take notice, but I ignored it. ”I was wondering if you wanted to hit the library for a bit and do our training tonight instead of tomorrow? I was planning on bringing Janine with us as well. What do you think?”

”Sounds wonderful Apollo, I will get in my armour and meet you at the front door shortly. Oh, why don’t I put that in my bin? while you speak to Janine?”

”Oh, sure.” I said passing the leaf over. ”See you in a few minutes.”

Nerissa then shut the door to her room and sighed audibly as she observed the blue leaf. She then walked towards the corner of her room and dropped the leaf into a small pile of identical leaves. She observed the pile for a moment before a smile graced her green lips.

”Most intriguing.”