Fortunately, the voyage passed without any major disasters.
No colossal sea monsters, no devastating storms.
They did encounter a few minor threats, but none that truly challenged them. In fact, Eros didn’t even need to lift a finger, Kekropis handled the pirates and demi-human raiders all on her own.
With a few more demigods like her, it was no wonder the demi-humans were on the brink of extinction.
After sailing northward for more than ten days, they finally arrived at Eros’s destination.
As Lemnos Island erged on the horizon, it just so happened that Mount Vulcan was erupting in full force.
Volcanic ash engulfed half the sky, clouds fused with the peak, and from that darkness burst thunderbolts that lit up the heavens and earth.
Scarlet magma, the blood of the earth, flowed down its slopes, rumbling with a voice like fury itself.
The thunder roared in harmony, as though the Goddess of Fla herself was hamring her forge with divine fury.
"Noble and mighty Hephaestus, tireless fla!"
"Brilliant spirit in the fire, lighting the way for mortals."
"Calm your endless wrath, your flas wild and untad!"
Witnessing this cataclysmic scene, the crew imdiately dropped to their knees, praying toward Mount Vulcan.
To mortals, such aweso power could only belong to a god.
Even Kekropis, a demigod who had braved sea storms, was stunned. She had never stood in direct view of a deity’s domain.
There was no doubt, Hephaestus, the legendary Goddess of Fire, First Forge of the Gods, child of Zeus and Hera, lived atop that furious peak.
She resided within that raging inferno, amidst the crackling bolts and molten rivers.
Her divine presence even stirred the ocean itself. Kekropis gritted her teeth, gripping the rudder tightly as she steered them toward the shore.
Eros, sensing the divine energy pouring from the island, couldn’t help but click his tongue.
Olympus’s Twelve... not a single one of them is normal.
With this kind of forging presence, who’d believe she was just so poor, cuckolded blacksmith?
Most people only rembered Hephaestus as the forge goddess.
But they always forgot, she was also the Goddess of Fire, and the living embodint of volcanoes.
In certain Old Testant fragnts, Azazel, the one who "cleanses the wilderness and seas", was a fire spirit likened to the lake of fire in Revelations.
And judging by this display, Eros figured Hephaestus could beat ten Areses blindfolded.
First, it was "don’t underestimate farrs." Now it’s "don’t underestimate smiths."
"Captain! We’ve made landfall safely!"
Through the efforts of Kekropis and the rest of the crew, they finally docked.
The eruption had subsided. The ground was no longer shaking.
"Excellent. Just like before, handle resupply and reinforce the ship."
Protheus issued her orders casually.
After such a long voyage, replenishing supplies was essential. Fortunately, Lemnos was inhabited, thriving, in fact.
In fact, the locals seed entirely unfazed by the appearance of Protheus’s large ship.
"This is Lemnos? I didn’t expect it to be so populous."
Eros blinked, surprised to see a busier port than Delos.
He had assud that after what he’d seen from afar, the mountain’s fury, the island would be a lifeless wasteland.
Yet the opposite was true.
Thanks to the volcanic ash, the island’s vegetation had flourished. With fertile soil ca prosperity.
The only oddity was that most of the locals had darker, bronzed skin, like people who worked beside the forge their entire lives.
Protheus’s ever-squinted eyes scanned the people quickly. She was already evaluating the state of human life here.
"Are you really going to visit the Fire Goddess?"
Kekropis turned to Eros, still sowhat shaken.
"You saw what she did. That divine fury could level mountains. If you’re not careful... eting a god can get you killed."
Mortals who dared approach gods sotis received blessings... or sotis, they were burned to ash.
Kekropis knew by now that Eros’s true aim was to et Hephaestus.
She trusted Protheus, but still... this felt dangerously reckless.
Especially after witnessing that explosion. She had a strong sense that the goddess’s temper was less than gentle.
What unsettled her even more was that, despite the mask, Eros’s charm was absolutely disarming.
For humans, he carried a legendary aura, making him naturally adored and revered.
For non-humans? It was sheer charisma critical hit.
He was an unstoppable force, captivating all.
Still, there was a difference. Humans viewed him with respect and admiration. Non-humans, on the other hand... with pure, uncontrollable desire.
And Kekropis... wasn’t quite sure why, but she felt deep reverence for this mysterious mage called "Endymion."
"Don’t worry,"
Protheus said, smiling.
"You’ll be fine. He’s not exactly a normal person."
"Relax. This is just the first stop. I’ve got plenty of places left to go."
Eros waved dismissively and turned to walk toward Mount Vulcan, only for Protheus to pull him back.
"You’re not seriously just going to walk straight into the forge, are you?"
"If you’re paying a visit, knock on the damn door first."
She turned to Kekropis.
"Watch the ship. I’ll take him."
She led Eros in a different direction.
On islands with gods present, things worked differently. Kings might not exist yet, but divine authority ran deep.
Hephaestus was no exception.
"Don’t just barge in. Let do the talking."
Protheus warned him, her tone serious.
"When you see her, do not complint her. Do not insult her. Don’t even joke with her."
"And if you notice sothing... off... pretend you didn’t. Got it?"
She didn’t elaborate, not wanting to give Eros anything that might focus his attention and provoke the goddess.
"First, we’ll speak with her oracle. Let her make the introduction."
Hephaestus was notoriously reclusive. Only a few could enter her forge without advance notice, Zeus, Aphrodite, Athena.
Everyone else who tried... ended up on fire.
When they arrived at the Temple of Hephaestus, they were greeted by, chaos.
A man and a woman were furiously arguing before a gemstone-adorned oracle.
It seed like a lovers’ quarrel.
The woman was ranting about how her husband poured all his passion into other won and neglected his marital duties.
The man? He was fighting back, with divine precedent.
"Even the goddess Aphrodite cheated on her spouse! If she can do it, then surely I shouldn’t be crucified for the sa thing!"
The oracle was clearly caught in the crossfire.
As Hephaestus’s priestess, she couldn’t exactly criticize her goddess’s choices.
Eros raised an eyebrow behind his mask.
Seriously? Hephaestus’s drama is contagious now? That’s... ridiculous.
After much effort, the oracle finally persuaded the couple to settle down and leave.
"Ugh..."
She sighed and turned toward Protheus and Eros.
"Let guess. Another couple here to argue in front of the goddess?"
Eros’s expression twitched behind his mask.
What do you an "another"?! Is this a communicable curse or sothing?
Without missing a beat, Protheus stepped forward and offered a formal greeting:
"Priestess of Fla, honored Oracle, we are travelers from afar, and we humbly request an audience with the Lady of Fire."
"Oh? Not a couple? Not here to argue?"
The oracle seed genuinely surprised.
And then, without prompting, she launched into a monologue.
"The couples around here are nonstop. n keep running off to Thrace for won."
"If this continues, what hope is left? Was Aphrodite truly the one who cursed the won of Lemnos?"
Eros’s lip twitched.
...This is really happening? The won of Lemnos caught a divine green-hat virus?
Before Protheus could blurt out a polite response, Eros stepped forward.
"If you’ve got sothing to say, spit it out. No need to circle the point."
The oracle sighed, eyes narrowing.
"There’s been... a problem. We suspect the Lady of Love has cursed us."
"Our n no longer desire the won of Lemnos. It’s beco a crisis."
"If you want an audience with our goddess, then help us. Either confirm whether this is truly a curse, or find a way to lift it."
Oh great. The classic ’fix my plumbing’ sidequest.
Eros was already grimacing.
Before Protheus could agree, he stepped ahead.
"Is that really necessary? I’m a little pressed for ti."
"Of course, I wouldn’t ask without offerin, "
The oracle’s words froze in her throat.
Because in that mont, Eros lifted half his mask, just enough to reveal a single perfect eye and a flawless cheekbone.
"I... I’ll go speak with the Lady of Fire... right now."
OG Author’s Note:
Lemnos was the first island the Argonauts landed on.
Its won were said to be cursed by Aphrodite for not worshipping her, making them sll foul.
All the n fled to Thrace for won.
Eventually, the Lemnian won snapped and killed all the n, forming an Amazon-like society.
When the Argonauts arrived, well... things got very busy, and many children were born.
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