"Oh Fire-user?! Are you a Mythos too? Which Titan are you?"
"Dunno what the heck a Mythos is but I'm sure not one of you sick bastards!" Rexis threw another attack aimed at the monster, but the waters still put down his fire.
'Damn, it only means that my firepower isn't enough to vaporize his water. I need more power.' Rexis thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Julius vanished from his position, and successfully got behind Carl to hold him hostage as he placed his blade right on his throat. "Now you've got no choice buddy but to come with us and tell us who the heck are you people and why you are trying to mess with our quest here. Or else…."
But Carl doesn't seem to be fazed by the threat coming from Julius. He only maintained his blank expression, and continued to speak in his annoyingly calm tone. "Come with me and we'll answer your questions. Easy."
Julius, who wasn't expecting such straightforward and flat response, was taken aback by Carl's sudden invitation.
"Isaac told me he met you guys in the Underworld. I have to say, it's impressive that you were able to drain him there. Since it appears that you are the one who can somehow manipulate space, I take it that you're the rumored Son of Time, correct?" Carl said, still without a care in the world.
'What do these guys know about me? Do they know about the prophecy? But how?' Julius thought, his mind nor running on some different simulations in case he's gullible enough to be fooled by such antics of these abnormal modern beings. He pressed his blade tighter around Carl's neck, but he was thrown from his position by the tail of the Cetus which hit him from his back. The blade grazed the neck of Carl, but strangely, no blood came out. Instead it was…..
'Water?!'
"Julius!" Sayo and Tobias ran to his aid. They too carefully eyed the Mythos and his ancient beast behind him. All of them were thinking of ways to get out from this situation.
The guy wiped the water coming out from the wound in his neck, which was not beginning to heal itself at an incredible rate. "You're curious? This isn't actually my real body. I'm somewhere else, doing reconnaissance. This water clone just happened to be around here in the Gulf of Corinth. Me and my mates are searching for you idiots to come with us."
"Don't make me laugh, as if we're coming with you." Julius replied.
"Aren't you curious about why you're here?"
"Believe me, I am. But I got a general idea about it and I have other things to do apart from just going along with you guys."
"Shame. Haven't you dreamed of Dodona yet?"
'The hell is this guy talking about?' Julius was getting annoyed now at this guy.
"Oi, you bored-looking fishboy. So you're telling us you're friends with emoboy and sunnyboy? What the hell are you guys? Who are you? Why are you following us?" Rexis asked, still with his guard up.
"Your questions will be answered if you come with me. Okay, I'll give you time to think. I won't attack. Cetus won't attack. Just make up your mind. I'm a patient person, unlike the others from my cohort." He said this as he propped down again to the ground and leveled his back against the scaly body of his Cetus.
Julius, Rexis, Sayo and Tobias wondered if they can trust this guy's words, but they too were extremely tempted to just find out the reasons behind this guy's group's pursuit to them in Ancient Greece. Julius, especially, is very doubtful, because he can't shake away the nagging thought on his mind that these guys are possibly connected to the murder of his father.
He would rather find out the truth by himself, than get along with the people who plotted his father's untimely demise.
The Cetus remained to look imposing with his master comfortably resting on its scales. And as the smirk of the guy got more annoying the longer Julius looks at him, he finally made up his mind.
Julius: "No."
Sayo: "Thought you'd say so."
Rexis: "I'm with you guys."
Tobias: "Whatever it is, I'll still go."
The four of them had a silent agreement – an all-out attack / escape plan against this bored-looking fishboy. They talked in rushed whispers. In Julius' signal, they will begin their execution.
"The plan is for me to attack from behind him. Rexis, vaporize the water surrounding him as much as you can. Sayo, throw your weapons to the portal I'll open up. I will feint an attack but the real damage will be done by your sword. And Tobias, be ready to back me up, just in case anything happens."
They all nodded in agreement.
Carl can smell them planning something immediately after seeing the weird glint in their eyes. Julius disappeared to attack him from one of his blind spots, so he surrounded himself in a sphere of water. Rexis released a massive ball of fire which somewhat made the area covered in mist and vapor. Julius brought out his gladius and swung it towards Carl, but the sword only but through his body like he was made of Jell-O. The image was almost comic – his leg was torn off from his body, yet there was no blood and the guy remained expressionless. From the ground, Sayo's sword came out, but it did the same damage, this time, Carl's two arms were separated from his body.
"What the -?" All of them wondered in astonishment.
"Guys, I told you that I won't attack first so I can listen to you, but with this betrayal, I hope you don't mind if I retaliate. You're only really making this harder for yourselves. Cetus!"
Just then, the dragonfish opened its mouth and swallowed Julius whole, along with Tobias, who was positioned close to him.
"TOBIAS!"
"JULIUS!" The remaining two screamed after seeing their friends get eaten by the Cetus.
"They're fine - but Cetus - will take them - to our - hideout. Bye." Carl's gelatinous body, which was beginning to lose shape, said in broken pitches.
The Cetus dived back to the ocean, and swam away from Rexis and Sayo, not even bothering to pick up with him the silly water clone of Carl that was forming a huge puddle now. Rexis tried to run and jump from the cliff, but after he saw the height of the thing, he wasn't sure if he'll be able to come back alive after diving from that place. Sayo followed him close, and motioned to jump, but Rexis held her back, asking, "So what if you'll go there? What can you do?!"
She was close to tears after hearing such words from her friend. "But….Julius."
"He'll be fine, I'm sure he'll find a way out." Rexis sighed, unsure too of what he just said.
"Rex…what can we do?" His distressed friend asked.
He only looked down, then said. "I wonder…..what's the next best thing to do after this?"
He heard Sayo gasp, and he's pretty sure she got an idea now. "Sayo, what is it?"
"Didn't he say we're near the location of the Oracle?" They met each other's eyes, and figured out what to do next after suffering from this setback.
--
House of Eros
*
Meanwhile, Psyche was sleeping comfortably on her bed, when her husband arrived at their grand home. Throughout the day, except for the strange companionship of voices, she was alone, but in some inexplicable way, she felt sure that the coming of the night will bring her husband to her. And so she rested, and waited for him to arrive.
The flushed God of Love, Eros, entered the place and asked his servants if his wife has finally settled. "Alixa, is Psyche already here?"
"Yes, My Lord. She's now sleeping in your chamber." The invisible servant said.
Eros flew from his place all the way to their bedroom, where the lovely sleeping form of Psyche was facing against him. Even if only her back can be seen, Eros is sure that she's the most beautiful thing that he's seeing in this chamber. He walked close to the bed, and he almost stepped back when Psyche stirred from her sleep.
Now, her angelic sleeping face can be seen, and it took all of Eros' willpower to stop himself from kissing her while she's resting. However, he wasn't able to keep himself from touching her. He gently caressed his hand on Psyche's rosy cheeks, and whispered his words of love to her.
"Oh, my love. I am sorry, dearest princess. For I could not, for the life of me, face you just yet." His fingers traced the outline of her face, her nose, her lips. "Psyche, you have me, the God of Love, caught in the mystery of my own powers. But please be patient, we'll be together someday. I will find us a way."
Once again, Psyche stirred from her sleep. She was about to open her eyes when she felt someone else's soft and gentle touches caress against her face. The moment she did, she found no one there. However, she knew that it's not only her who's inside this darkened room.
From his delicate touches, and faint traces of his voice from his whispers, Psyche knew, even without seeing him, that he was no monster nor anyone who is terror. He was the lover and husband that she had longed and waited for. She took this as an opportunity to ask the burning question of her mind.
"Where are you? Who are you? Can you please let me see even just a glimpse of you, my King?"
The hiding Eros, whose heart was filled with ecstacy upon hearing his beloved call him 'king', couldn't help but reply to her inquiries. "It is I, your husband, who loves you to the moon and back. I am no monster, nor any other frightful being. I am but another man yearning to have you as my wife."
The man's words struck Psyche's heartstrings, and these words alone were enough to make her fall for him too. "But my King, I want to see you, and return my love to you."
"Soon, my Queen. Love is patient, so please wait for me as I settle the issues between us first. Only then, can I show myself to you. Do you trust me?"
Now Psyche was bugged by that ominous statement of her husband. "I do. But why? Is there a problem?"
"It's – it's complicated." Eros responded. When Psyche didn't reply, he bid his farewell and promised to talk to her again. "I shall leave, but I promise to return to you. Sleep well, my Psyche."
The next thing Psyche heard was the sound of wings flapping, and she no longer can feel the warmth of her husband, who just left her to ponder on what he just revealed to her.