In Greece, there was never a shortage of creator gods.
Eros had already met Oceanus, the encircling river of the world. There was also Eurynome, a great primordial goddess and one of Zeus's seven wives, said to control serpents and dragons, who was originally considered Oceanus's daughter.
But the most dominant and widely accepted lineage, who ultimately won the right to write the divine genealogy, was of course the Olympians.
Chaos, as the foundation of all things, gave rise to Gaia, the earth, in the midst of disorder. Gaia then birthed Uranus and Pontus, the sky and the sea, on her own. Meanwhile, Chaos gave birth to Nyx and Erebus. Thus, the world came into being.
This version of the theogony is the most widely known and accepted.
However, Nyx also has another origin story.
She is sometimes considered the daughter of Ananke, the goddess of inevitability and fate, a force that transcends time and the world itself.
From the cosmic egg came the first king of the gods, a creator deity named Phanes.
Phanes, an androgynous being existing beyond the material realm, was known by many names:
Phanes (Light), Protogonos (The Firstborn), Metis (Wisdom), Ericapaeus (Impulse), and Pan (All-Encompassing).
And of course, another name, Eros (Desire and Love).
Nyx, or Ananke, was at once Phanes's mother, wife, and daughter.
In that version, Ananke gave birth to the cosmic egg, from which Phanes emerged as the creator god. Phanes's female aspect was Nyx, and together they gave birth to Uranus and Gaia.
Nyx then succeeded Phanes as the second king of the gods, seizing authority over the world.
After that came the familiar cycle: Uranus, Cronus, and then Zeus, each committing patricide in turn.
But in this version, Zeus was raised by Nyx, and with her help, he devoured Phanes's cosmic egg, becoming the supreme, all-powerful god.
According to the divine genealogy, even if Eros truly were one of the primordial gods, it wouldn't matter much. After all, he wasn't directly related to any of the others.
Chaos, Gaia, Tartarus, and Eros, these four primordial deities weren't linked by familial ties. They were simply born from the void, one after the other. Chaos didn't give birth to the other three.
But according to the Orphic tradition, Eros's identity carries far more weight.
To say the least, Nyx, standing before him now, was not only his mother but also his wife and daughter.
What the hell? That's insane.
Eros suddenly felt that maybe not being human wasn't so bad after all.
This way, he had just acquired a major goddess who could act as his mother, wife, and daughter all at once.
"That's only one of many possibilities."
Nyx seemed to notice his thoughts and gently shook her head.
"Fate holds countless possibilities. But by bearing this name, you've proven that you have the potential to walk that path."
Just like how emperors in later eras would trace their bloodlines to divine or noble origins after rising to power, Eros too could rewrite the divine genealogy if he ascended to the highest throne.
He could retroactively proclaim himself the creator god Phanes, born from the cosmic egg.
"So this is what divinity means?"
As he connected the concept with the nature of gods, Eros seemed to understand Nyx's point.
A god's name itself was the embodiment of their divinity. Just like the name "Eros" literally meant desire and love.
"Zeus," for example, was linked to "Deus," the Latin term for "god," which shares meaning with the English "God."
That divine etymology itself foretold Zeus's destiny as a supreme god.
Looking back now, he could understand why Hera didn't allow him to merge the godly essence he'd acquired from Crius right away.
If he had, he might have become Pallas or Perses, stepping onto a completely different path.
Nyx nodded slightly, affirming his deduction.
"That's right. A name is the embodiment of divine nature. Even though you haven't ascended to godhood, this name alone makes you worthy."
"As for the three divine essences you obtained, I can offer you some guidance."
After a moment's thought, Nyx continued.
"Athena, goddess of wisdom, has realized that wisdom alone is useless before brute strength. You'll know what to do to help her."
"The great goddess from the Near East is troubled because she lacks a divine origin to blend into this world. You'll gain much from her."
"And finally, the stars move according to their own order. That divine essence will be a vital piece of your puzzle."
Though cryptic, Eros mostly understood.
Athena had inherited only the wisdom and guardian roles from her mother, Metis. She was far from the battle-hardened Athena he was familiar with.
Coincidentally, one of the divine essences Eros held, Pallas, was from a deity associated with warfare and tactics.
And as it happened, in some versions of her name, Athena was known as "Pallas Athena."
But remembering who Pallas actually was, Eros realized there was something else he needed to do before offering that essence to Athena.
Since he was already in the Underworld, he might as well visit Styx and mess with her using her late husband Pallas's essence and identity for some chaotic fun.
The second divine essence referred to the threefold goddess Hecate.
Though not native to Greece, her greatness was undisputed.
The goddess of magic and witchcraft had once presided over the heavens, earth, and sea. She was also linked to the Underworld.
Her divine essence and domains were so vast and varied that even Nyx couldn't claim superiority.
But because she wasn't originally Greek, she needed a respectable origin to fully integrate.
In Eros's memory, she had been portrayed as Persephone's servant, Nyx's daughter, or even Zeus's daughter in various accounts.
In the most accepted theogony, however, she was the only daughter of the destroyer god Perses and the star goddess Asteria.
And as luck would have it, Perses was one of Crius's children, and Eros now held that divine essence in his hands.
Damn. Milking that fool Crius turned out to be a jackpot.
Of course, he had Nyx's guidance to thank. Without it, who knew when he would've pieced all this together?
Some truths just never come to mind unless someone points them out.
As for Astraeus, god of the stars?
Well, the twelve zodiac signs would certainly be useful to someone like Eros. You know what that means.
At this point, Eros didn't even feel mad at Typhon anymore.
If it weren't for Typhon, how would he have ended up in Tartarus? How would he have run into Crius? How would he have gotten his hands on such premium loot?
Listen. Thank you, brother.
"Oh right. One last thing, I'll give you a word of warning."
Nyx raised two fingers.
"You have two destinies, and they are in conflict."
"That's why you must be careful of the other me. Ananke is watching you, and targeting you."
OG Author's Note:
This chapter also dives into many mythological discussions, like whether Ananke and Nyx are the same entity.
Some versions equate Phanes with Eros, while others say Eros is Phanes's father.
There are versions in which Eros is Nyx's son, like in The Birds, and others where Eros is actually Nyx's father.
So in the end, I decided to blend it all together.
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