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They would meet in dreams. Helios had lost his rightful place in one afternoon, but he did not mind. This fact shocked the gods, who passed judgement upon the Titan, deeming Apollo the new keeper of the sun. Helios had worked his whole life from a young age, protecting the sun and working as a shield for the daughter of the moon. She slept and woke each day due to her curse. After all he had given, he was cast aside. He was left with his powers, however. Why was Helios not shocked about being stripped of a job that he had given his youth to?
Helios was a dreamer; he had not only inherited his father's powers of light but also his mother's powers of prophecy. He did not know this fact, however, and called his visions dreams.
For five years now, he had been dreaming of a beautiful woman his age; the dreams were always unique, and he had grown fond of seeing her. He would wait with anticipation as he waited for his sister to wake up so that he could set and dream of her. When his sister would arrive at dawn to wake him, he would trudge himself to his position. Though Helios' was the energy that kept life on earth growing, he never once sought praise or reward, and even when leaving his dreams was hard, he never complained. He was content with the hours that he could dream of this beautiful woman. As time went on, he began to notice slight changes in his dreams of her. The once vibrant colours started to fade, and her laughter became a faint echo. Despite this, he still cherished every moment he spent with her in the realm of dreams. Helios knew that one day he would have to let goof these dreams and face reality, but for now, the allure of her presence in his subconscious mind was enough to keep him going. He held onto the memories of their dream adventures, knowing that they would always be a part of him, even after he stopped dreaming of her.
These dreams began with a sudden introduction. Helios stood in a misty field of lilies and trees as tall as newborn Titans. It was the same dream that he has had every night since he was two years old. He had had this dream so often that he knew this forest like the back of his hand. Having the power to travel the earth and realms, he had seen every forest that there was to see, so he thought. He had never seen this forest in real life, and so he deemed it a figment of his unstable imagination. Like every night, he would slowly traverse the acres of the forest, using his energy to grow the flowers around him. The trees refused to grow. He would always manage to grow an array of flowers before he was swallowed up by a great darkness. Like that, he would wake up and start his day. But that night—the night when he met her—was different. There were stars in the once bleak sky, and the trees were now the size of a teen Titan. The air was not biting, and the flowers were not wilted. Helios spots a trail of light and begins to run at a tremendous speed. Finally, he reached the end of the mysterious light, and there she stood under the moonlight by a stream that he had never seen before. Her beauty took his breath away as he approached her cautiously, unsure if she was real or just a figment of his imagination. But as he drew closer, he could see the sparkle in her eyes and the warmth of her smile, and he knew she was no mere illusion. She reached out her hand to him, inviting him to join her by the stream, and as they sat together in the moonlight, Helios felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over him like a wave. The darkness in his eyes began to fade away. Her long, black hair danced to the beat of the wind. That was different too; the wind had always been still, but tonight it was not.
Helios could feel dawn quickly approaching, and sadness overtook him too. He had sat by the stream next to her the whole night in silence. She did not speak, and he did not know what to say. Every so often he would feel her gold eyes gazing upon him, be he was not brave enough to look upon her for fear that his illusion would leave as suddenly as it appeared.
"Helios, that's my name," he says as he fades into the darkness, a sign that dawn is finally upon him. She did not say anything. That day, Helios spent the most of his time thinking about the pleasurable nightmare that he had. He was hoping that he could have the same dream again. Sunset quickly approached, and he found himself dreaming yet again. Like the night before, he noticed subtle yet noticeable changes. There were now berries of every kind and a few rabbits. He ran even faster than last night, hoping to see her at the stream, but she was not there. Disappointment engulfed him. He hears a rumble, and suddenly a mountain emerges from the ground next to the cliffs. He looks up to find her perched on the cliff. He jumps with great force and gently lands on the cliff edge, where she had been sitting. Again, they spent the night in silence.
Each night, Helios would find her in different places, his dream growing each night. Like that, a year went by, and now, within a year, where desolate fields once stood, was now replaced with the humming of animals. The growth of every plant he had ever seen, all in one location shocked Helios pleasantly. Even more magical all in one environment. As the days passed, Helios found himself eagerly searching for her in the new surroundings each night, their silent connection growing stronger with each encounter. The once desolate field had transformed into a vibrant oasis, teeming with life and beauty. It was as if their shared presence had brought about a miraculous transformation, making their meetings even more enchanting and mystical. The bond between them deepened, their unspoken connection weaving a tapestry of wonder and magic into the lush landscape they now shared. Yet still, she would not speak a word. Helios did not speak either, but at least she had heard his voice once; he yearned to hear it her. It had quickly become apparent to him, however, that all she knew to do was smile and nurture. He would follow her wherever she would sit and gaze every night. To Helios, she seemed like a god, gazing upon her creations and taking pride in the fact that she had breathed life into them. Life for Helios continued like that for another three years. Three years of silence. He had never felt more comforted; he had often felt alone before meeting midnight, the name that he had given her in his mind. His yearning one day led him to speak to her once more.
"What is your name? Can I know just that, please?" He asks in anticipation.
"Ophelia, Ophelia is my name, Helios." She replies with an even brighter smile.
Helios already knew that he was madly in love with his dream, but hearing her voice made him fall even harder. To him, Ophelia, his midnight sounded sweeter than a hummingbird.
He couldn't believe that he had finally found someone who understood him without uttering a single word. Ophelia's voice was like music to his ears, filling the void in his heart that he never knew existed. With every conversation, Helios felt like he was getting closer to Ophelia, even though she was just a figment of his imagination. But to him, she was as real as the air he breathed, and he knew he would do anything to keep her in his life, even if it was just in his dreams. Helios grew to hate the coming of dawn. The conversations they would have every night were one sentence each, and they ended with her brushing through the fields as though Helios were not in her presence. Helios found out in six months that her name was Ophelia; she was only 20 years old, whereas he was 25. She loves lilies of all colours. She was no titan or God, for that matter. She would often reply to his more intimate questions, such as, "Where do you go when I leave?" with, "This is but a dream, Helios, precious Helios." Being called Precious was enough to silence him forever.
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