The Vessel of Life and the New Humanity

The first generation of new humans, blessed by Hebe and Prometheus, emerged as robust adults and possessed a basic understanding of language. However, they still needed to be gradually taught other life skills and crafts; Prometheus did not directly imprint this knowledge into the minds of the new humans. After all, that was a task meant for Athena. Prometheus understood the rules well: humanity could be wise, but they must not be born with all knowledge.

If they possessed all the skills necessary for survival from the beginning, they would lose their reverence for all things, including the gods. A group of humans who held no awe for the gods and could not provide them with faith would only meet a tragic end.

Thus, Athena's role was not only to teach the new humans the basic skills for living but, more importantly, to spread the faith of the gods among humanity.

'Wulthos, you are the first to awaken among this group of humans; you are a born leader. Now, you need to lead your people to find a suitable land for survival. The Oracle of Delphi is not a place for you to dwell for long."

Naturally, humans had no right to reside near the temple dedicated to the Mother of the Gods.

'This…" Wulthos looked somewhat panicked. Although he was a bit smarter than the others, the prospect of finding a suitable land for survival left him feeling completely lost. 'Great God of Wisdom Prometheus, I beseech you to guide us, the weak and helpless."

'…"

However, in response to Wulthos's plea, Prometheus remained silent. This was his first test for the newly born humans. He did not want them to gradually lose their sense of self due to over-reliance on the gods; adversity could grant them a will of iron.

Seeing that Prometheus had nothing to say, Wulthos turned his pleading gaze to his other creator, the Goddess of Life, Hebe.

Faced with the helpless, pleading looks from the newly born humans, Hebe glanced at Prometheus, hesitated for a moment, and sighed.

'Brave warriors of the new humanity, a vine clinging to a great tree will ultimately struggle to stand tall. How can an eagle soar without experiencing storms? This is a test of fate for you; we cannot interfere, but do not worry, the gods will always watch over you."

The golden-haired goddess broke off a branch from the nearby oak tree, infusing it with her golden-green divine power. The leaves glowed with a radiant light, making it appear incredibly sacred.

Hebe handed the oak branch to Wulthos and said, 'Young warrior, take this oak branch; it will guide you in the right direction."

'Thank you, benevolent and noble goddess."

Filled with gratitude after receiving the goddess's help, Wulthos sincerely accepted the oak branch, holding it tightly in his arms, fearing any mistakes. Under his leadership, the newly born humans bid farewell to their two creators and set off on their journey to find a new place to live.

'Thank you for your concern, Lady Hebe," Prometheus said, watching the departing group of new humans with a gentle smile before turning to Hebe.

'As long as Your Highness does not think I am meddling," Hebe replied. She knew that Prometheus intended to test the new humans. The divine power she infused into the oak branch was limited, and her help to the new humans was not substantial, which was why Prometheus allowed her actions.

'You may say you don't care, but I believe you wouldn't feel at ease without seeing them with your own eyes, would you?" Hebe clapped her hands, summoning a divine chariot drawn by winged pegasi, inviting Prometheus to observe the migration of the new humans together.

'It seems that over the past decade, Your Highness has come to understand me quite well," Prometheus laughed heartily as he joined Hebe in the divine chariot. The pegasi flapped their wings, carrying the two deities into the clouds, allowing them to gaze down upon the earth.

At this moment, the new humans had not yet tamed any horses, and their entire migration depended on walking, moving at a pace that could only be described as tortoise-like. Especially given that many areas on the earth were still inhabited by the descendants of Typhon, entering those territories carelessly would not be a laughing matter.

'Chief, there's another fork in the road ahead. Which direction should we take?" the young tribe members asked, looking at Wulthos, who stood at the front of the group.

'…" Wulthos tightly gripped the oak branch in his hands, closing his eyes as he fervently prayed, hoping for a force to descend and guide him toward the correct path.

'Go right!" Wulthos opened his eyes and declared, feeling immense gratitude for the blessings of the Goddess of Life.

As they traveled, the terrain was rugged, hiding countless dangerous beasts. Thanks to the direction indicated by the oak branch, Wulthos was able to lead his people safely thus far.

'Chief, we've found a new type of fruit. Can you see if it's edible?"

Unlike the gods, humans needed to eat. Even though Hebe had blessed the first generation of new humans, granting them eternal youth and protection from disease, hunger and poisoning were not within the scope of that blessing.

'Let me take a look…" Wulthos took the green fruit handed to him by a tribe member and brought the oak branch close to it. Seeing the branch emit a faint golden light, Wulthos breathed a sigh of relief. 'It's non-toxic and safe to eat."

This was another function of the oak branch. With so many plants on the earth and a wide variety of fruits, many of which were poisonous, the new humans initially did not notice this issue, leading to several deaths from consuming toxic fruits.

Eating could lead to poisoning, while not eating would result in starvation.

Just when Wulthos was troubled, he discovered that the oak branch would emit a dark green light when near poisonous food and a faint golden light when close to non-toxic food.

This discovery thrilled Wulthos, and his gratitude and reverence for Hebe grew even deeper.

'Adonis, remember to take note of this fruit's appearance, just like the other edible foods," Wulthos instructed the young man in front of him, handing over the fruit. This group of intelligent humans had begun to learn the importance of storing beneficial memories, and these memories were the precursor to the birth of knowledge.

'Yes." The young man named Adonis took the fruit and firmly imprinted its characteristics in his mind. He had the best memory among the tribe and was entrusted with such tasks.

'Let's go, we must move forward. I have a feeling that our destination is not far away!"

Years later, the human tribe traveled southeast from the Oracle of Delphi and finally found a suitable land for survival in the southwestern part of the Aegean Sea, where they settled down.

'At last, we have settled down. This land is fertile, with abundant water sources, and there are no beasts within a thousand miles. Wulthos has done well," Hebe observed from the divine chariot as she looked at the new humans' chosen dwelling place, praising Wulthos.

Over the years, he had worked tirelessly for his people, and both she and Prometheus had witnessed it all.

'If it weren't for your oak branch helping him cheat, it wouldn't have gone so smoothly," Prometheus chuckled, though he was still quite pleased with the outcome. The new humans had grown resilient through their journey, and they had not lost many lives, thanks in part to Hebe's assistance.

'You may say you're not happy about it, but I haven't seen Your Highness take back the oak branch," Hebe replied, unfazed by Prometheus's teasing. Over the years of cooperation, the two deities had developed a close relationship, akin to that of teacher and friend.

Just as she was about to say more, Hebe noticed a divine chariot approaching in the sky.

Armored and radiant, with bright eyes, it could only be Athena.

'Good day, Lady Hebe, Lord Prometheus," Athena greeted them.

'Good day, Lady Athena," they replied.

'The new humans have found a suitable dwelling. As agreed, I will teach them the skills necessary for living and spread the faith of the gods."

'Of course, I have been looking forward to your arrival," Prometheus said with a smile.

'As a wisdom deity older than I and a creator of humanity, I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting you to descend to the mortal realm with me and offer me some guidance?" Athena extended a courteous invitation to the Titan, who even Zeus regarded with some caution.

'…" Prometheus's gaze flickered, and a gentle smile appeared on his handsome face. 'Of course, it would be my honor to accompany you, Your Highness."

Seeing that Prometheus had agreed, the athletic and spirited goddess turned her attention to the quiet and observant Goddess of Youth, Hebe.