Flying into view the stunning night of Athens, dotted with fire torches or lamps signifying the life breathed into its night, the most significant landmark a large Greek temple, beautifully carved pillars and its sleek design seen from afar.
Landing in the lively night city, we dismounted and left Icarus in the stables, filled with Unicorns and Night Mares, Demonic horses in skin wrapped skeletons with batwings and fangs.
"Seems like all sorts of patrons visit this city."
"I didn't for this city to be that massive... its 10 times the size of Andros and Eri only managed to vaguely give us the next location somewhere located in the West of Athens"...
"Better get comfortable Sagi, bad news is we are staying for a week, but the good news is we can get you brand new equipment to replace your old ones."
Delighted, at the prospect of shopping, "Don't worry Yuujiro all part of exploring the world and adventuring."
"I do remember tales from my mother regarding a past party member named Venus the Life-giver, a powerful ancient Sigil Healer in their party, angelic in nature and had since moved to a city of a Goddess in search of knowledge to further her skills."
"Sounds promising, perhaps she's become an acolyte of the Goddess here, it's a good place to start."
Tired from the previous hectic day and feeling the peace of the night we proceeded to secure a comfortable lodging and paid the owner one week advance of 500 gold and slept.
The next afternoon, I awoke to the distant voices of Men rehearsing a play, speaking to the captivated audience regaling tales of glory.
Curious, I asked Sagi to join me, "Sagi wake up! Let's go watch the theatre."
Eyes barely opened and groggy, "Urgh its boring Yuujiro... go without me... I'm too tired from the endless night flying."
Letting her rest, I dressed in fresh new robes spun from white wool fabrics, generously provided by the owner, topping off with laurel wreaths around my head completing an Athenian look and headed down.
Taking a seat in the theatre of Dionysus, the men on stage were acting out a play on the party of Jason and the Argonauts, an in-depth retelling of their grand adventures defeating enemies and their greatest achievement defeating a powerful legendary classed monster.
Ultimately being pulled and entangled with the complicated strings of the Phrygia empire, colluding with the first born of the King in an attempt to secure the relic stolen or in fact eaten by a legendary classed Nemean Lion.
Emphasizing that this act was no mere coincidence, a ploy from a God or mischief by the looms of fate to have a Purity Nemean Lion appear and kill the golden ram before the children of the King of Phrygia had a chance to fairly claim the title without bloodshed.
Suggesting that the King must have somehow angered the Gods to have the fates of his children be tormented to succumb to the old traditions of proving their might, killing a God kin or a God class monster.
Taking an intermission before continuing act 2.
Now reliving Jason's active role in manipulating the God Kin of Poseidon and the Cursed Young Prince of Phrygia to compete in his arranged death match, to kill off competition for the first prince and obtain the relic.
Ultimately with the God's favor on his side both the God Kin and the Cursed Prince had killed each other, even better yet an unexpected participant emerged having slain the Purity Nemean Lion.
However, his impatience, poor judgement and decision against the new hero resulted in his downfall, exposing his heinous crimes to the world, and bested in wits and might, he was punished being devoured completely by monsters. His party members have since vanished as well.
The audience clapped celebrating at the justice delivered unto Jason while some others shook their heads, dismayed how their once Hero had fallen from grace.
Thinking it was over I got up to leave...
"ACT 3!" There's more? As I sat back down to listen.
"Despite the heroic actions of our new hero, there is consequence in entanglement with the Phrygia empire... For the exposure, the first prince has gotten backlash from his people and has since dispatched an elite team of guards 20,000 strong to track the hero Yuujiro and possibly force him to release the golden fleece back to him."
As the actors enact the scene, of the spoiled prince crying and gathering his army and sending them out to sea.
"Such a force is enough to even decimate our city to ruins."
The narrator continues... "These fleets were last seen crossing the Athenian Ocean, last heard they had docked at a nearby fishing village hot on the tail of Yuujiro, citizens advised to exercise caution in the event the fleets are spotted raiding we will evacuate."
A wave of nausea and vertigo overwhelm me... I didn't even know we were being chased ... I let my guard down and all this time I was putting Sagi's life in danger...
... Unforgivable... Feeling of remorse and worries had seeded and grown into strong feelings of anger and resolve.
The sun had set, and astonishingly Sagi was still deep asleep. I crept around the apartment and placed a bag of 10,000 gold with a note..."I'll be back in the morning! Forgot I needed more Loofahs!"
Jumped out of the ledge of the balcony, "Icarus to me!"
Like a flash of lightning, Icarus burst out of the roof of the stable and placed me securely on its strong back.
"Back to the fishing island, we've got some Loofahs to buy."
3 hours later we arrived in the cover of the night, camped on a hill shrouded by trees observing the 10 large vessels docked in the port, swaying in the current.
I could decimate everyone instantly, wipe this pimple of an island off the map and no one would be the wiser... simple and effective, but I should send a message to get him off my back.
"Summon Pandora..." His muscular slender body emerged from my shadow, pouncing onto the ground without a sound.
"Master, I'm ready as you command..."
"Pandora, shadow tag every single person on this island, and report back to me their location."
"It's simple task...it shall be done."
In a span of 5 mins, he covered the entire island, bobbing his head in and out of the shadow of each person like surfacing from a pool of water.
"Master, reporting back... scouting complete a total of 20,396 inhabitants present on this island. 20,000 in golden armor scattered across the island, but most of them 12,000 strong have been deployed and are ransacking and destroying the islander's properties and have also rounded up the remaining 396 villagers in their own encampments all located near the main village itself."
"The remaining 8000 soldiers are equally divided, 2000 each onboard the 4 ships in the middle. Dressed in slightly fancier armor, likely to be the commanders of this raid."
"Excellent reporting Pandora! This makes it so much easier."
"Shadow tag and pull all 396 villagers into the last empty ship on the right. Icarus go and station yourself on the vessel, to act as a way point for Pandora."
They both spring into action, in a blink of an eye Icarus had perched onto the top of ship, while the villagers were confusedly teleported using shadow magic.
My turn... I walked into the village surveying the ensuing destruction like buying groceries in a supermarket. Their houses all blackened and the only few stalls they had already a pile of broken wood.
These people are lucky that I arrived in time before they started slaughtering them, their lives don't matter only the ones I care about do.
I'm not a real hero... I just happen to do heroic things.
Saving them is just a byproduct to improve my renown and impede the actions of the prince to cause an international war with the Athenian Nation.
The soldiers noticed me of course, as intended and blew their horns signaling my presence to their leader safely in the remaining vessels and to provide all the remaining reinforcements.
The 12,000 solders barricaded around me like a small sports stadium, and began tightening their gaps with spears closing in. The Phrygian soldier who blew the horn in the back addressed me.
"Adventurer Yuujiro Haruki, you are being pursued by the prince for the golden fleece relic in your possession, hand it over as it is the right of the Phrygian empire to retrieve its stolen relic."
I laughed... "But I wasn't the one who stole it was I, you announcer since you are the first to address me your voice must be important to be heard back in the empire. Congratulations, you are now my messenger."
"Remember everything... and leave no details behind."