The room was pure white. Not the white of snow, or of a cloudy sky, but the sheer pristine white of a sterile hospital. The white of emptiness. The mansion was pure white and it glowed with an almost ethereal power.

Inside one of the many rooms, the sound of water sloshing back and forth could be heard as Aspasia performed a smooth, near-perfect breaststroke. She tended to swim for an hour or so in the mornings, so long as it wasn’t delivery day, and found it incredibly relaxing. She had cast aside her usual clothes for a light blue one-piece swimsuit which suited her lithe form.

As she reached the other end of the pool, located next to the living room, she stopped, knowing that she was due a conversation with Min in a few moments. He came walking in, looking concerned as a distant scream could be heard.

“Oh, Aspasia, there you are.” Min replied. “Do you, um, know where the midnight smack might be?”

“Evidently.” Aspasia replied. “Did you even need to ask?”

“I suppose not,” smiled Min, realising that he had just asked an omniscient girl a very silly question. “Could you tell me where it is?”

“It’s in the upstairs bathroom.”

He nodded. Aspasia smiled, and, locating a towel to wrap around herself, she accompanied Min as they went upstairs. An incredible force caused the house to rock as they reached the top of the stairs, and Min sighed. Xerxes was not happy.

“Xerxes! Xerxes! It’s in the bathroom!”

The young demigod turned furiously to Min and Aspasia.

“Oh, is that so?” he replied, stomping over to the bathroom and kicking the door open. The midnight smack was on the side of the bath. Aspasia smirked.

“That is so.”

“Don’t get cocky with me, Ass!” Xerxes snarled. “You hid it! I know you did!”

“Why would I do such a thing?”

“You get up earlier than me, and you love to make trouble! Do you need any more of a reason?”

Min, distraught, placed his hand on Xerxes’ shoulder. “Please, don’t shout…”

Swinging the midnight smack around, Xerxes yelled “Don’t TOUCH me!” and aimed for Min’s head. In panic, Min brought up his protective light, and a powerful blast exploded from the impact between the weapon and his shield. As the smoke cleared and Min removed his protection, he saw Xerxes looking guilty.

“I’m unhappy.”

“I know.” Min replied. “But don’t take out your anger on people. We have a basement for that.”

“Quite.” Aspasia said. “Perhaps you should go have a session of hitting things without doing any damage to remind yourself of how you’re the least powerful omnipotent deity ever.”

Xerxes gnashed his teeth and glared at Aspasia, and lunged at Aspasia, dropping the midnight smack and bringing up his fist, ready to deliver a mean hook. Aspasia, pre-empting this through omniscience, grabbed his arm and heaved Xerxes behind her; he crashed down the stairs. Min screeched as if he had been physically pained and grabbed the midnight smack, rushing down the stairs as Xerxes curled up at the bottom, nursing his injured head.

Aspasia felt a momentary pang of concern, but forced it to subside. As Min tended to Xerxes, muttering worriedly to himself, she retired to her room, shedding her towel and swimsuit. Before she could walk to her wardrobe and dress, however, she collapsed onto the floor with no warning.

Aspasia felt her mind go strange. It was impossible to describe – like her infinite thoughts and memories suddenly drained away, spilling into a dark sink, leaving her empty inside. She collapsed into her bed, tears forming in her eyes, feeling the horrible empty void where her omniscience used to be. Lying in the bed, shivering, she retreated into her mind, into the void.

There was a figure standing in front of her. Without her knowledge, she had no idea what to do or what she was supposed to say.

“…Who… who are you?”

You will remember.

“That doesn’t answer the question!”

Patience, little one.

“Where am I?”

Your mind. It is… somewhat less full than it has been.

“So what are you-”

Listen to me, little one.

Aspasia remained quiet and stony-faced as she observed the figure.

I approach, with inevitable death

And three demigods will make an attack.

Once I have taken my final breath,

None of the three will ever come back.

Aspasia breathed in and out rapidly, wishing she had any form of knowledge. The figure faded, and like a rushing tap, Aspasia’s omniscience returned and she woke with a start. She looked around, worried. She was worried because she had no memory of the dream she’d just had, and she appeared to be lying on the floor of her room. Resolving not to mention the brief lapse in her consciousness to anyone, she walked to the wardrobe and began to riffle through her outfits.