Rise of the Eromancer-Chapter 349: Hail

"Your army is finished!"

Rhys stood tall amidst the chaos, the Prince of Thebes' head, now dangling firmly in his grasp.

"You thought you could take Calydon…" Rhys said, his voice calm but cutting through the silence of the frozen soldiers like a blade. "...But you were wrong."

"N…No!"

"Yes!" He lifted Ducetios's head higher for all to see.

"Give… give us the head of our prince!" One of the men from the front hesitated, stepping forward, his voice trembling. "You've had your duel, Demi-god!"

"That is right! Please, we must return with our Prince's head!"

"Show honor!"

"Duel…?" Rhys shook his head, before also shaking Prince Ducetios's head, "...Your prince fought the Princess of Calydon instead, he is a coward. And honor…? What…

…what honor?" Rhys's eyes narrowed, his grip on the prince's head tightening as he bared his teeth toward the soldiers. But of course, all of this was an act—he was told by Apollo and Achilles that he should make his known as loud and as domineering as possible… and now, he was doing just that.

"Where was your honor when you decided to ransack a city half the size of yours!?" Rhys had no idea how big Thebes was, but with how Clio mentioned it to him, Calydon was not its match at all, "Where was your honor when you laid siege to Calydon for greed!?"

"Give him back, or we will—"

Before the soldier could finish, Rhys's hand sliced through the air, cleaving the man in two. His blood, just showering for his comrades to see, causing all of the to recoil in horror.

"No," Rhys muttered coldly. "You'll get nothing, because you deserve nothing."

"M…Men, charge and reclaim the Prince's head! We—"

The soldiers from Thebes barely had time to raise their shields before Rhys was upon them. One by one, they fell, his hands just cutting through armor and flesh like paper. Dozens of men crumpled to the ground in mere seconds, their blood staining the earth beneath them.

The soldiers of Thebes, who once stood proudly, now found themselves backing away, trembling in fear. The bravest among them, now lying in pieces at Rhys's feet, served as a warning.

"Leave." Rhys wiped the blood from his hand on Prince Ducetios's head, his eyes cold and emotionless. "Go back to Thebes and tell them this—"

The soldiers stopped, their eyes wide as they stared at him.

"—if they wish to continue this war, I'll destroy your entire city. Your sons, your daughters, your wives. I will kill them all… for peace."

And with those words, the soldiers turned and fled, their fear driving them away from the battlefield as fast as their legs could carry them.

"Rhys…" Clio cautiously approached Rhys, her eyes shifting between him and the carnage he had left behind, "...when you said you'd destroy their city… were you serious? Or… were you just trying to scare them?"

"Does it matter?" Rhys said quietly as he gently brushed his fingers on Clio's cheek.

"That…" Clio felt her heart skip a beat, but before she could say more, the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted them. The King of Calydon, along with his general, stepped forward, their faces grim but filled with relief.

Rhys glanced at the person who seemed to be the general, then without hesitation, saluted to him before giving him the head of Prince Ducetios. The general grabbed it awkwardly as he didn't know what Rhys's gesture meant, but still…

…the head of Prince Ducetios is now a trophy.

"Do what you want with it, Sir."

"Who are you, warrior?" The king's gaze shifted from the prince's head to Rhys. His eyes were filled with curiosity and gratitude.

"I'm… just a traveler, Your Majesty," Rhys bowed his head.

"Wh—"

Before the king could respond, Clio spoke up, her voice clear and strong. "He's more than that, Father. Rhys… is a demigod."

"A… a demigod!?" The king's eyes widened, and for a brief moment, he hesitated. The general stiffened, and both men, both king and the general alike instinctively bowed their heads to Rhys.

Men of their stature did not bow easily, but in the presence of a demigod, they had no choice.

"There's… really no need for that," Rhys could only scratch his chin.

"My daughter…" The king slowly straightened, a wide smile spreading across his face. has "My daughter has caught the eye of a demigod."

"Let's… not talk about that for now, Father," Clio quickly changed the topic, "Why was Thebes so determined to attack us? What are they after? Why… set this entire thing up about marriage just to attack us?"

"That…" The king hesitated, his eyes flickering between Clio and Rhys. After a moment of silence, he nodded to himself, as if coming to a decision.

"Come with me," he said quietly. "Both of you."

***

"This is…"

They reached a large, intricately carved door. Clio paused for a moment, listening to the quiet creak as her father opened it.

"...This is Mother's chambers?"

Clio's eyes widened as she stepped inside. The room had been kept untouched, almost frozen in time. Silken drapes hung from the windows, and the scent of dried flowers lingered faintly in the air.

"Why… bring us here, Father?" Clio walked around, brushing her fingers against the ornate furniture, her heart heavy with memories of her mother.

The king didn't answer right away. Instead, he approached the far wall, running his hand along the smooth surface. After a moment, he pressed on a particular spot, and a hidden panel slid open with a soft click, revealing a small vault embedded into the stone.

Clio's breath caught as she stared at the concealed space. "What… is that?"

"This…" The king reached into the vault and carefully grabbed an ornamental box. He placed it on a nearby table and began to open it, revealing a single arrow with a flame burning brightly at its tip.

"It's… burning?" Clio gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "How… How long has it been like this?"

"I've had this since I was a young man," the King gently lifted the arrow, the flame casting flickering shadows on his face. "I was hunting in the mountains when I encountered a woman. She wasn't like any other woman I had ever seen—she was radiant, almost ethereal."

"Rhys… could it be?" Clio turned to look at Rhys, who had just been quietly standing behind her.

"...Pythia," Rhys nodded.

"The woman told me that when the time came, I would know where to use this arrow." The King then showed the arrow to Clio and Rhys, "I didn't understand her words then, but she told me it would lead to a great treasure—something far beyond what I could imagine."

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"This… is what Thebes is after?"

"Yes… They know its power, and they want to use it for themselves…" The king exhaled slowly before staring at Rhys, "...I believe it was meant for you, Lord Rhys."

"...Me?" Rhys's eyes narrowed, "And what exactly am I supposed to do with it?"

"You must fire it into the sky." The king gently placed the arrow in Rhys's hand, the flame flickering but never fading, "And wherever it leads you, it is yours—consider that my payment for saving my city and its people. I would come with you… but I am too old now."

"I don't really—"

"Rhys…" Rhys was about to refuse, but Clio just grabbed her hand and shook her head, "...You will never convince Father not to give it to you, just accept it."

"Right…" Rhys stared at the arrow before letting out a quiet sigh. "...If you say so."

"Well then, Lord Rhys…" The tone of the King's voice suddenly shifted, almost chuckling, even. "I'm sure you're tired. My wife's room has been unused for years, but it is still kept in perfect condition. You should rest here tonight—and tomorrow, I shall prepare a feast for you."

"There's… really no need for a feast, Your Highness," Rhys just once again sighed while shaking his head, "Your city has just been through a war—offer your gifts to your people, not to me."

"That…" The king hesitated for a moment, "...Then you have my eternal gratitude, Lord Rhys."

The King then turned to Clio, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "And Clio, perhaps it would be best if you stayed with him tonight."

Clio's face turned red, her eyes widening as she looked between her father and Rhys. "Father, I—"

"Nonsense!" the king interrupted with a hearty laugh, clapping Rhys on the shoulder. "You've fought well today, Lord Rhys. The two of you have—and so, the two of you must be tired, and need the comfort of each other."

"F… Father!" Clio looked away, clearly flustered, but she didn't protest further.

"Remember, my daughter…" The King then let out a whisper as he started backing away, "...Just one son, two would make it complicated."

"Father!?"

"Lord Rhys." The king gave a final nod before leaving the room, closing the door softly behind him…

…leaving the two with a large bed just for themselves.