The Invitation I

Year 2020, Helios’s Citadel, Manhattan, New York State, USA.

It has been months since Helios had a mental breakdown because of his certain feelings towards Louise. And because of this event, he was in a bad mental state. Helios even became detached most of the time and barely talks now. The Sun God just stares in the distance, and it makes him unapproachable to everyone. Every member of the Elite notices the changes in his demeanour. No one even knows what happened. But their Lord appears to be depressed about something. They know both Lucius and Motohama are the only ones aware of the reason behind their Lord’s recent mood, since he often talks to them about certain things and they witnessed things. 

Not only that, his temper seemed ten times worse than before. They have lost count on how many times Helios had lost his temper towards little things. So they just avoid him as much as they could, especially with his current state of mind. He also has huge eye bags under his eyes. It was obvious he hadn’t been sleeping at all. His eyes were now dead and dull.

Both Lucius and Motohama are so worried about him. They kept glancing at him while they stood by his side in the throne room. Their Lord was so silent the entire time as he sat on his throne. His chin resting on his left hand, Helios seems unaware of the world around him, lost in his own thoughts. He stared at the glass floor beneath them in silence, eyeing the ongoings in the city. His right arm rested on the armrest of his throne. He absently tapped his fingers on it.

The duo silently sighed, and they know something is bothering their Lord, judging by his expression. Helios is not himself at all. He is just too sad and solemn lately. However, they need to help him take his mind off on things; such as his depression, but how? They wondered. It won’t be easy at all. The duo wasn’t sure if Helios wanted to be disturbed, though, and it made them anxious. Anyway, Lucius turned his head to his left to talk to him.

He notices Helios staring in the distance as he watches the scene beneath them. His eyes seemed swollen and Lucius could see a hint of tears flowing from his eyes, a sign of he was crying the entire time. Then Lucius blinked in surprise when he saw this. Huh, wait…. Did he just see tears on his Lord’s face? And it made him realise Helios was silently crying. Lucius wanted to comfort him so badly, to hug him tightly and tell him everything will be alright, but it will embarrass his Lord, especially if they were in a public place. However, knowing Helios, he doesn’t like it, since he has a reputation to maintain, after all. Helios wanted to be known as a cold-hearted dictator, not by his weak self. A side he hid beneath his cold exterior.

His Lord enjoys people’s fear towards him and it gives him pleasure, power, and control over them, causing him to desire it even more. He became so eager to see their terrified expressions all the time, particularly the ones below him. Lucius even knew his greatest wish, and it is to make the ones who hurt him fear him so much. No, he wanted people to be terrified of his power. 

However, no one even knows how broken Helios is, that his painful life hardened him completely. This caused him to hide his soft side, but it is one thing he will never ever show to anyone outside his family and this is the one Helios guards cautiously to himself. 

Not only that, his Lord also doesn’t like to show any weakness to anyone, knowing they would pity him. It is something he doesn’t desire at all. Helios didn’t want sympathy. His Lord doesn't need it at all. He loathes when people feel sorry for him, since no one even took pity on him when he needed it the most. Lucius doesn’t know what to do, but he should at least try.

“Um, my Lord?”

The sound of Lucius's voice broke Helios’s train of thought. Then he immediately turns his head towards Lucius with a displeased expression. He looked annoyed because someone dared disturbed him from his thoughts. The Sun God doesn’t like when people bother him. Not only that, he is in no mood to talk to anyone at all. Not even his close confidants.

“What is it?” He demanded coldly. Even his voice sounded slightly tired, yet annoyed.

“Are you alright already?”

A look of pain crossed Helios’s face when Lucius asked him this and he glanced away from him. His hands clenched into fists.

“I am not sure, I just wanted to be left alone, please.”

Lucius wanted to say more, but he knows he cannot force his Lord to talk, especially in this current state. His mood is not good either and the last thing Lucius wants is Helios yelling at him for pestering him. He glanced at Motohama, who looked as worried as he was.

Damn, even Moto is worried about our Lord.

Just then, the airlock opened, and a man rushed in. They recognised him. He is the official messenger of Radiant, and he is also in charge of their mail. So there must be a reason the man is here. He panted as he approached the throne. Everyone in the room turned their attention to him, while Helios eyed him coldly. The man gulped in fear at his Lord’s icy gaze.

“Greetings, my Lord. Pardon for the interruption, but you have an invitation.” He greeted Helios with a bow.

“An invitation from who?” Lucius asked from Helios’s right side.

The man turned to him and took out a black elegant envelope from his bag, then he gave it to Lord Helios, who immediately grabbed it from the man’s hand. Then the messenger left at once. They glanced at the invitation. The envelope itself has a silver wax seal on it and if Helios looks at the back of it, they wrote his name in elegant silver ink.

Helios immediately opened it, while both Lucius and Motohama looked over his shoulder.

To Lord Helios of Radiant,

   I would like to invite you and your Elite to my Annual Winter Solstice Ball at my ancestral home in London, United Kingdom on December 21th. And I am looking forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely yours,

Lady Louise Lilith Peverell

The Matriarch of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Peverell 

P.S: Please check the additional attached letter for the address and directions to my home. Also, please don’t forget to bring your invitation. It serves as a ticket to enter. Thanks.

Helios just stared at the invitation in his hands in shock. Even his two confidants looked surprised as he was. The young god didn’t expect the woman he had been thinking about lately would end up sending an invitation to him, of all people. Not only that, Louise herself penned it. She got a nice handwriting too, and it looked so elegant.

Just as elegant as her.

Anyway, the Sun God felt torn, since he wanted to avoid her. But Helios also wanted to attend this exclusive ball where he would meet a lot of prominent people and their families. Helios wanted to have some connections, especially with the power he holds. 

A look of determination crossed Helios’s face as he thought about this. The Sun God wanted to show them who is in the dominant power among them and the person is him. He desired to be part of that circle. And it is the only way for him to be in power and control. However, the only one who stands in his way is Louise because of her status. He knows she has more influence than him and he will find out more about this. Helios needs to know how much power and influence Louise has and how to deal with it.

“So are you going to attend, my lord?” Lucius asked curiously from his right side.

Lucius interrupted Helios’s train of thought. He glanced at him, contemplating on what to do next. 

“Humph. Of course, I am going to attend the ball and the Elite will come with me.” Helios spoke coldly.

Lucius just gaped at him, while Moto blinked from his other side. Did they hear it right? Their Lord wanted to attend a ball hosted by Louise? The same person who has a complicated relationship with him.

“What? I do want to avoid that person, but this ball could benefit me. And why is that? It is because of the connections I could gain from it. We all know this ball is not an ordinary one… it is more than that.. It is where the most powerful people gather.” Helios told him as he raised an eyebrow at both of his confidants when he noticed their expressions. “And as the Ruler of this planet and a God, I wanted to gain their trust, and once I gained it. I would be unstoppable, since these connections could help me with my goals.” 

“Ah. I see.”

“And with this power and connections, Radiant will be grand and I won’t let anyone get in my way… not even her and the Association..” he added with an icy voice as he clenched his hands on the armrests of his throne. And if they look closely, the duo could hear the bitterness in his voice.

“Of course, my lord.” Motohama agreed with his lord. “And we will be by your side, no matter what.”

“Anyway, it seems we should get ready, then.” Lucius said, looking at his Lord. “It is going to be December soon, too. So we need to prepare a lot of things, including travelling.”

“Humph, then I will just leave everything for you to deal with, since you are mostly in charge of such things.” Helios told him as he eyed him.

Lucius nodded.

“Good. Therefore, I could always rely on you and Motohama.”

The duo was happy every time their Lord expressed his gratitude towards them. They loved helping him. Not only that, they are always there when Helios needs someone to talk to about things; such as his feelings and problems. It is also the time when Helios lowers his guard down and acts like himself without being judged by anyone. This was the real him, his real life. However, the duo hated whenever they see him so sad. It worried them greatly, since their Lord hid his pain well.

Anyway, it looks like they will be pretty busy these upcoming days to prepare for the ball. They also need to inform the rest of the elite about it. Luckily, both Hermione and Ginevra are already here, so they are now aware of it. The two women are discussing what to wear during the party, like what type of dress they would wear and whatnot, while Lucius and Motohama let their Lord be. They didn’t want to bother him anymore. The duo planned things together. And Helios just ignored them and sighed as he leaned back on his throne. He is going to see her again. That same woman who kept invading his mind all the time.

She causes his misery! However, he still felt confused with his feelings towards her and it stressed him out too much! Even his chest hurt because of this. Helios’s heart trembled as he thought of her. And this happens almost every time.

Ugh! Stupid feelings making me feel so confused!! What the hell is wrong with me, anyway?

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