Rise of the Eromancer

"Hm…"

"This… this is terrible."

"Don't go near any of them."

"I know, Rhys. I'm not a child."

After a few minutes of deliberating whether or not they should approach, Rhys and Clio were now circling around the severed hands of King Midas—which now had a completely different display case. From the boring gold pedestal, it was now adorned with several golden status of humans; their hands, all reaching toward the pair of hands as if it was the greatest treasure they have ever seen.

Well, considering it turns anything it touches into gold… then perhaps it is.

"Their greed has become their downfall," Clio's sighs were enough to cause the water beneath them to ripple; her eyes, just reflecting the gold glimmer of the human statues.

"We need to go," Rhys only looked at the statue of death for a few more seconds before shaking his head and turning around, "Even though the guiding light is gone, there would surely still be people rushing to get here—we don't need to be here when it happens."

"But… we need to take Midas' Hands with us, Rhys," Clio whispered, "More people will die if we leave it here."

"Then let them," Rhys breathed out, "There's nothing left for us here, Clio."

"...But the light led us here, Rhys," Clio shook her head, "And Pythia was clearly the one who gave the arrow to Father—that means that you, Rhys, are meant to have the hands of Midas."

"What would I even use that for…?" Rhys looked back at the severed hands, "I don't need money—I'm not planning on staying in this world for long, Clio."

"That…" Clio's breaths stuttered as she heard Rhys's words; her eyes, slightly narrowing as she looked down, "...Is searching for your father the only reason you're still here, Rhys? I… what about me?"

She knew—she knew that Rhys was from a completely different world, the Underworld, and that he would return once he was done with his task—and yet, Clio could not help but feel a little disappointed that all of this would be gone in the future—her moments with Rhys, the love they shared…

…like an illusion that was never meant to be.

But of course, how could it be forever? Rhys was a demi-god, and she was just a mortal that happened to be lucky enough to encounter him.

"What… about you?" Rhys seemed genuinely confused at Clio's question.

"I mean…" Clio took in a small gulp as she looked Rhys in the eyes, "...Can't you stay here, for me…?"

"I… was actually planning on taking you back with me," Rhys placed his hand on his chin; his eyes narrowing as he realized something, "But, you're right… you're an only child. You can't just leave your city."

Rhys truly never thought about that—because he already had princesses back at home. Agatha, the only daughter of the King of Enkland, and Victoria, the daughter of the heir—but they were not directly in the path of the throne, and so were able to leave anytime they wanted.

But Clio's matter was a completely different situation altogether.

"No!" Clio raised her voice and started shaking her head vehemently, "I'll… I'll go with you, Rhys."

"Are… you sure?" Rhys's eyes narrowed.

"Yes," Clio nodded without any hesitation.

"...Then there's something I need to tell you," Rhys closed his eyes and sighed, "I… have other women waiting for me back in the Underworld. Not just… one."

"Okay…?" And contrary to Rhys's expectations, Clio just looked at him with a slight look of confusion in her eyes.

"And… that is alright with you?" Rhys breathed out, "That I have other women?"

"...Why would it be?" Clio blinked a couple of times.

"That… never mind, then." Rhys could really only sigh as he looked at the severed hands.

"Take it, Rhys," Clio urged, "Pythia said that you should make yourself known. Build yourself a kingdom, Rhys—who else deserves the hands of Midas if not someone who has refused it? Use the gold, Rhys of Wilder."

"Hm…" Rhys continued to stare at the pair of hands, "...I suppose it could be useful in some ways, especially as a weapon."

"It will…" Clio sighed and finally nodded as Rhys agreed, "But… how exactly are you going to take it from… them? We can't even touch the statue as it seemed to not only affect those who touch it, but also those who touch the thing… touching it."

"The water," Rhys looked at the bottom of the pedestal that was submerged in water, and then at the people's feet—and their feet were still clearly made of flesh and blood.

"I think this water prevents anything from turning," Rhys then got a handful of water and threw it at one of the people, "...But it doesn't turn them back at all."

"Is… there anything special about this water?" Clio let out a small gasp as she looked around the pool, "Maybe… the water is the real treasure?"

"No, it's just normal water," Rhys had Vicky's ability to summon and control water, he would know if the water had any special properties, "Then… I guess we should get it—step back."

Clio took several steps back without even questioning Rhys. She then watched as threads crawled out of Rhys's fingers—which he used to just completely slice off the golden hands gripping the hands.

The golden hands and Midas' hands bounced from the golden statues of death until finally hitting the water—and true enough, Midas' hands did not turn the bottom of the pool into gold at all.

"R… Rhys…" But still, Clio could not help but worry as she saw Rhys pulling and yanking out Midas' hands from the golden clutches gripping it. Her worries were for nothing, however, as Rhys did not turn into gold at all.

Rhys then lifted Midas' hands from the pool—a sphere of water, wrapping around it as he did so.

"It's… rather convenient that you also have the ability to control water, Rhys," Clio slightly stuttered as she stared at the hands, "But… we should probably have somewhere to store—What are you doing!?"

Clio could not help but scream as Rhys placed his hand on the head of one of the humans-turned-golden statues.

"...Relax," Rhys sighed, "We removed Midas' hand already."

"R… right," Clio let out a sigh of relief, "But what are you—!?"

And before Clio could even finish her words, Rhys just suddenly snapped one of the statues in half.

"What… are you doing?" Clio whispered; her discomfort, seeping out of her breaths. These statues, after all, were human just moments ago—but then again, they were people who betrayed her after she helped save their lives.

"You said we needed something to store it," Rhys shrugged as he casually reshaped the upper half of the golden torso—molding it like clay and turning it into some sort of… vase. And as soon as it was done, Rhys just dumped Midas' hands in it, "...Shall we go back?"

"That…" Clio took in another small gulp as she stared at the golden vase, "...We should. And I don't think people are going to know about Midas' hand—after all…"

Clio then looked at the golden statues again, "They would probably think these are the treasures—fine sculptures of gold."

"Hm…" Rhys nodded as the two of them started leaving the pool—not even once looking back as they ventured back to Calydon.

And true enough, what Clio said came true. The people who discovered the crater next truly thought that the treasure was the golden sculptures and the pedestal, no one truly thought otherwise.

It was a small village that discovered it, and their riches became known throughout the land—but alas, that also became their downfall as the other larger cities ransacked their village and took all of the gold, as well as the rest of their treasures.

This news became known to everyone, and soon everyone wanted a piece of the golden statues—but this did not last long, however. Because soon, the rumors of a small village from the East slowly becoming bigger and bigger resounded through the lands too.

And very much like what happened to the first village, the cities near this small village were also invaded by a bigger city…

…but what happened next is something no one has truly heard before.

The army who attacked the small village by the sea… were completely wiped out.

And in just the span of a few weeks, this small fishing village turned into a city that far surpassed Calydon.

This was the small fishing village of Ethaca—the very first settlement that Rhys discovered upon reaching this new world…

…and the place where he decided to build his kingdom and his name.

"Rhys…"

Rhys was now overlooking the growing city of Ethaca—the large moon just painting the entire horizon of the almost endless sea.

"...Come back to bed."

"...I think it's time, Clio," Rhys looked back; his eyes now reflecting a view even more beautiful than the horizon as he looked at Clio, who was lying on the bed.

"Time…?"

"For me to call my sponsor."

"I've never asked you… but who is it?" Clio slowly got up from the bed.

"...Arachnea."