3 hours later, Icarus made it barely made it back to Athens, the morning sun had already melted 70% of his wings, as he flaps with little chicken wings, bopping up and down in the air as we crash into a nearby roof of a house.
Too close... Icarus sprawls his body belly up exhausted as he melts like an ice cream.
"Alright bud, you can sun dry here as much as you want but remember to catch some shade 4 days later, we'll probably be getting ready to leave by then."
Icarus roars and jerks his body, as a lazy yes. While I headed back to our apartment, opening the door, "Sagi you here?"
In full frontal view her curvy voluptuous body, in perfect porcelain skin nude, back facing me, as she ties her silky black hair up.
She turns around, "Ah Yuujiro you're back so soon? I was so tired I slept the entire day and only awoke this morning, what did I miss?"
The view for me even better now, physically gulping, "Erm nothing much really, just some... minor inconvenience... ran into some of the soldiers of Phrygia while I was there, worst thing was that they completely ran out of stock."
Now she walks over to the clothing rack and slips on the fresh new robes spun from white wool fabrics, the same one I had on. "Ah I was hoping you managed to get more Loofahs, can you see how even more radiant my skin has become?"
"Definitely... and turn around I've seen some wealthy Athenian women surrounded by guards wear this atop of their head."
As she turned around and bent down, I took a vine by the window with beautifully patterned leaves and snipped it to size, retrieved the hands of Midas and touched it, turning it into a stunning gold leaf headband ornament, its detail exquisitely striking as compared to the ones outside shaped by craftsmen only being able to achieve a stiff gold leaf shape.
Placed atop her head like a headband, enhancing her beauty even further. "This would definitely give us some attention. "You look beautiful Sagi." She turns around hugging me nearly squeezing her boobs out of her toga, with a shy expression, "thanks for the gift Yuujiro...I'll cherish this."
Hungry we made our way down the road to a small stall by the roadside and bought some delicious sour yogurt topped with a generous drizzle of honey mixed with berries.
As I ate, the explosions of tart and dense sweet syrup relaxed my mind, allowing me to enjoy the moment and recollect my thoughts.
The problem with the prince is solved for now, in a few days word should spread and knowing how his little task force was decimated he'll be too busy preparing defensive measures to bother us, now we can take our time to explore and get back to our own pace of adventuring.
I should also think about what to do with this Golden fleece, a one-way ticket to kingship in Phrygia and also based on the fairly accurate depictions and stories in which some parts I had no idea how they managed to uncover, the King did offend a God.
If so, I need to know what he did as a precautionary measure for the future... for now let's find Venus the Life-giver.
After breakfast we made our way to the temple, once there we were greeted by a magnificently crafted statue of a goddess in marble, placed on a large pillar, head adorned with a golden roman helmet, and in one hand with a short spear and another a large shield.
Entering the temple, its high ceilings and supporting round pillars without walls made it cooling, a good escape from the afternoon sun. Citizens can be seen praying and giving offerings to the various smaller statues of the goddess, in different postures. While the acolytes guide them in a ritual on the prayers conducted in the temple.
A fairly young lady dressed in similar acolyte attire approached us, "welcome new faces you must be adventurers or travelers from another land, this is the Great temple of Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War."
Nodding in understanding, "That's really cool, it's clear Athena is well loved by her people here, can I meet her? I'm looking for someone and she would be the best person to ask since she's the Goddess of this entire land."
Slightly appalled at the daring request, "Rarely anyone has the privilege of meeting the Goddess herself. Perhaps I could aid you in finding your answer, after all attaining wisdom and sharing it is a custom here."
Pleasent at her hospitality we accepted her help, Sagi chiming in "There was an adventurer name Venus the Life-giver, she sought great knowledge in healing and decided to come to Athens in hopes to find an answer, based on our assumption she must have strived to attain answers from the Goddess herself by becoming an acolyte."
Taking in the question the acolyte asked her other members and got back to us. "Sorry mister Yuujiro and Miss Sagi, the person you're looking for has since rescinded her role as a servant of Athena."
"The older acolytes claim that she has been rumored to have settled in the western region of Athens, somewhere near the Necropolis where the sick and wounded are brought for treatment and also their burial should they be unsavable."
"Probably to continue her life's work of achieving greater heights of healing."
Our hunch was right now we just need to get to Necropolis, "Got it we'll begin our search there we're grateful for your help!" as we slowly turned to leave.
"How grateful?"
My face betraying me with worry..."Eh...very?" my guts dropping having a bad feeling, am I going to get scammed again!? Is this some cult!?"
Changing from her serious tone back to a light joyful one, "grateful enough to offer Athena an offering for her wisdom? if she likes it, she may even give you a blessing."
I mean no harm done I guess she just needs to hit her offering KPI, and of course I should offer something for such a good lead... Sagi draws out her shattered weapon, the Greek Sword of Legends Harpe - WAS Capable of cutting Gods.
"Here Miss acolyte please accept this offering from me", handing the pieces of her legendary sword that remained over, upon receiving it in her hands the item instantly teleported.
"The goddess has accepted your gift, thank you Miss Sagi." seconds later... another item materializes in her arms, an intricately carved patterns of warriors clashing on a silver sword handle, basically the hilt of a rapier guard but missing its blade.
The Goddess Athena loves your offering and has decided to give you a blessing, please accept her blessing Miss Sagi.
Curious, she picks it up, while I analyze it... 'Nameless' Hilt of the War Goddess. +magnetize (attracts items to attach as its blade.)
She swings it around, "it's a beautiful sword but seems like it's not an elemental wind blade either."
"That is an amazing gift, from the Goddess Sagi, I'll teach you how to utilize it later, also it's nameless so it requires your soul vow."
Let's hope the Goddess likes my gift... as I retrieved my origami paper and scribbled in it, "True Knowledge is knowing that you know nothing." a famous quote by Socrates on the path to seek the greater truth. Folding it into a paper sword, placing it into her hands.
Instantly teleported away, "The Goddess has accepted your gift..." then silence...
Too bad maybe she didn't like the gift... a heavenly aura emanates from the acolyte a full body possession, eyes glowing blue, her voice filled with gravitas.
"Yuujiro Haruki, Primordial Chimera, you have gifted me a poem of knowledge wrapped in the body of war... a truly wonderful gift. For its knowledge you seek, wisdom you shall have... I will oversee you personally as your absolute Goddess."
"This is your blessing, Overlord of time, as your patron Goddess you may call my name anytime and I shall provide you the answers you seek..."
The celestial energy dissipates, and the acolyte recovers her body sitting down, feeling a wave of fatigue over her.
A surge of celestial energy injected into my soul realm; the powers of the Goddess tethered to my soul through her magic.
As Sagi and I helped the Acolyte back on her feet, "Well Miss Acolyte I really must thank you your wisdom you really are a true representation of Athena, if not for your suggestion, Sagi would not have such a powerful relic and I wouldn't have the Goddess of knowledge on speed dial."
Waving off the compliment, "These blessing are given solely due to your sincerity."
As we left the temple, I stopped by the donation alter, feeling like I received more than I had deserved... Draconic Wallet withdraw 10 million Gold, flooding the floor with a mountain of gold coins, as Sagi drops off some gold of her own as well, brightly smiling to me.
Satisfied we both headed off to the Necropolis...