The Azure Veil Isle basked in the early morning sunlight, the sea breeze gently brushing by, carrying with it the salty tang of the ocean. Phaethon stood at the edge of the shore, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, but his heart was filled with confusion and unease.
Lately, the people on the island had begun to question his identity.
"You're not really the son of the Sun God!" someone had mocked behind his back.
"You don't even have the Golden Eyes. How could you be a god's child?"
Those words, like sharp arrows, pierced Phaethon's heart over and over again.
With a heavy heart, he walked into the temple and found his mother, the sea nymph Clymene.
"Mother, why do they all say I'm not Father's son?" he asked anxiously.
Clymene gently stroked his hair, a flicker of worry passing through her eyes.
"My child, you are indeed the son of Helios. There's no doubt about that."
"But I don't have the Golden Eyes, and I don't have any powers. They don't believe me." Phaethon's voice was filled with helplessness.
Clymene was silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Perhaps you need to go see your father yourself and seek the answers you're looking for."
Phaethon nodded, his resolve hardening.
The next morning, he set off on his journey to Rhodes.
He crossed vast deserts and climbed treacherous mountains, enduring countless hardships, until he finally arrived at the magnificent golden palace.
Inside the palace, Helios sat on his high throne, surrounded by a radiant glow.
Phaethon stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Father, I am your son, Phaethon."
Helios smiled gently, his gaze full of warmth. "My child, I know who you are. Why have you come?"
"Father, people don't believe I'm your son because I don't have the Golden Eyes or any divine powers. I beg you, give me a chance to prove myself."
Helios sighed. "My child, this isn't your fault. Your fate has its own path."
"Please, let me drive your Sun Chariot, so the world can see who I really am!" Phaethon said, his voice filled with hope.
Helios's expression grew serious. "This is no simple task. Even I must focus completely to control the four fiery steeds."
"Father, I'm confident! Please, let me do this!"
Helios thought for a long time before finally nodding. "Very well, I will grant your request. But you must be extremely careful. Don't be reckless."
Phaethon was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.
The next day, as the sun began to rise, the world was bathed in golden light.
Phaethon stood before the grand Sun Chariot, his heart racing with excitement.
Helios gave him one last warning. "Remember, you must follow the fixed path. Don't stray too high or too low."
"I understand, Father."
Phaethon gripped the reins tightly, and the chariot slowly lifted into the sky.
At first, everything went smoothly.
He watched the earth unfold beneath him, his heart swelling with pride.
But as the chariot climbed higher, the fiery steeds sensed the inexperience of their driver and began to grow restless.
Suddenly, they surged upward, racing toward the heavens.
"Stop! Get back on track!" Phaethon shouted in panic, trying to regain control.
But his cries were in vain.
The steeds continued to charge forward, breaking past the edge of the sky.
The cold of the upper atmosphere caused the earth below to freeze, and life began to wither.
Then, the chariot plummeted downward, dangerously close to the ground.
The scorching flames burned forests, dried up rivers, and left devastation in their wake.
"What… what's happening?" Phaethon cried out in despair.
On Mount Olympus, Zeus watched the scene unfold, his expression dark.
"This cannot go on. The world will be destroyed."
He raised his lightning bolt, aiming at the chariot in the sky.
"Phaethon, though you are a god's child, I must stop this disaster."
A brilliant bolt of lightning tore through the sky, striking the chariot.
"Ah—!" Phaethon felt a searing pain course through his body, and the reins slipped from his hands.
His body plummeted from the sky like a falling star, crashing into the Eridanus River.
The water erupted in a massive splash, then slowly returned to calm.
Helios felt the fall of his son, and his heart was torn apart.
Clymene and the Heliades, Phaethon's sisters, wept bitterly, their tears turning into amber.
But nothing could undo what had happened.
Phaethon's soul drifted in the darkness, filled with endless regret and sorrow.
"If I had another chance, I wouldn't be so reckless."
Just then, a soft light enveloped him.
A voice, both strange and familiar, whispered in his ear, like an ancient echo reverberating through time and space: "Young soul, are you willing to take on a new mission?"
Phaethon felt a surge of fiery energy rise within him, like a flame reigniting his spirit. His eyes flashed with determination, and without hesitation, he answered, "I am."
In an instant, his soul was reborn, his consciousness transforming like a phoenix rising from the ashes. New memories flooded in, and wisdom dawned like the first light of morning. With newfound strength, he returned to Rhodes.
When he opened his eyes again, the world before him was completely different. The port of Rhodes shimmered in the morning light, the sea breeze carrying the scent of salt as it gently brushed past.
But his gaze was fixed on the three young men standing before him—the ones who had once mocked him.
The sunlight bathed them, but to Phaethon, they seemed so insignificant now.
His silver eyes, deep as an abyss, glowed with an inner power and unshakable resolve.
"This time," he said slowly, his voice filled with unwavering determination, "I will control my own destiny."