Three days later, in a hidden valley sowhere in the Cretan Mountains.
Orion sat in front of the campfire, tore off a bloodied piece of at from a half-raw wild boar leg, and chewed hard.
The coarse texture and the overwhelming fishy stench from lack of seasoning made him frown deeply as he cursed his tactless grandfather in his heart.
If that old fool had any sense, he would've bowed his head early, admitted his mistakes, and abdicated to hand over the throne.
That way, the beast tide disaster on Crete would've been naturally resolved.
He wouldn't have to hide in this godforsaken mountain wilderness, stuffing himself with such rough food.
He should have been lying in the palace, enjoying fine delicacies from golden and silver cups and the ticulous service of beautiful won.
Looking at the desolate wilderness before him, so completely unlike his grand vision, Orion gulped down a mouthful of water and forced the dry, throat-scraping at down, irritation flashing in his eyes.
Only two days left before the deadline, and that old geezer still refuses to yield, he's so unbelievably stubborn.
'Should I make another trip to Knossos City?'
Orion hesitated, rembering his last experience at the palace.
Although he got tricked by that sudden intruder, that was because he let his guard down and didn't dodge in ti.
If it were a fair fight, or the battlefield was in his more familiar terrain like the woods or the sea, he wouldn't necessarily lose.
Plus, with the divine blessing just granted by his father god, that scheming outsider was nothing to worry about.
What really troubled him was the old man's attitude.
Who knew if, when pushed too hard, that ancient bastard wouldn't just blow everything up and drag his own grandson down with him?
After all, in Greece, family ties were always…delicate.
The closer the blood, the harsher the strike...
So, before the situation was clear, it was better not to show his face in front of that undead fossil, just in case he triggered sothing.
At worst, once the ti's up, let Ceto show them what's what.
When it truly cos to life and death, things like pride, perseverance, right or wrong, how much do they matter?
He didn't believe it, under pressure from all the Minoans, that old man still wouldn't bow?
But by that ti, bowing would co at a price.
Like...
Orion's mind conjured the alluring figure of that aunt of his as he licked his dry lips, and a sinister grin crept across his honest-looking face.
A virgin goddess' priestess of Athena, to be honest, he really hadn't tasted one of those yet.
Just as Orion's thoughts turned impure, a mocking voice sounded in his ear.
"Yo, not a bad al you've got there."
Soone's here!
Orion's expression shifted as he jumped up, eyes scanning toward the voice.
In the distance, the air rippled like water and a tall figure with silver shoulder-length hair quietly erged.
It's him!
Seeing that familiar face, Orion's heart skipped a beat.
His expression darkened as he instinctively raised his hunting bow, nocking an arrow and taking a defensive stance.
"Relax. I'm here to negotiate on behalf of King Minos."
Lorne quickly raised his hands, face full of harmless smiles.
Hearing that, Orion couldn't help but brighten.
"The old man..'cough, my grandfather ca around?"
Lorne nodded slightly, smiling as he spoke.
"That's right.
As long as you're willing to drive the Mother of Monsters, Ceto, back to the Inner Sea, and swear upon the River Styx to sever all ties with the sea god Poseidon who orchestrated this beast tide, for your mother's sake, he's willing to let bygones be bygones and allow you to leave Crete safely."
"…"
Hearing those so-called "terms for peace," Orion's face turned ashen, his rage barely contained.
"Are you ssing with ?"
"Nope, I'm just the ssenger. What you choose is up to you."
Lorne spread his hands, his expression pure innocence.
That dead-serious reply made Orion burst out laughing in fury.
"You're all about to die, and you're still trying to negotiate with ?
Asking to betray my father god? Do you people even have the right?"
"So you admit you're involved in this beast tide? And you still want to be king of Crete? Aren't you afraid the Minoans will spit on you when they learn the truth?"
Lorne fixed his eyes on the son of Poseidon before him, giving a quiet but firm reminder.
"Spit on ?"
Orion looked like he'd just heard the world's biggest joke, glancing at Lorne with a sneer, the naive glint in his eyes now replaced with a sly glimr.
"Heh, the fact that the old man didn't co in person proves he doesn't have long to live.
And once he breathes his last, no one will be able to stop the Mother of Monsters.
If the Minoans want to survive, they'll have to get on their knees and beg .
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Whoever gives them a chance to live—that's who they'll follow.
By then, as long as I repel Ceto and turn the tide, I'll be hailed a hero.
They'll lift to the throne themselves. Who would know, and who would care, what I did before that?"
Lorne stared intently at Orion and shook his head in rebuttal.
"Soone will always know the truth."
"And so what if they do? You think they'd dare resist ?"
Orion's sarcasm grew thicker, pride and arrogance radiating from his eyes with nothing held back.
"Don't forget, by then, everyone will be depending on to stay alive.
If they dare defy , who's going to protect them from the beast tide of Oceanus and the army of Atlantis?
At that point, even my uncles and aunts will be crawling on their knees, licking my toes, begging to stay!"
"Hmm, makes sense!"
Lorne appeared to be completely convinced.
His expression turned serious as he clapped for the flawless plan.
Then, a slight curve tugged at his lips, revealing a pleased grin.
He reached into his collar and drew out a pendant made of bird feathers glowing with rhythmic light, his tone eerie and quiet.
"So… did you all hear that clearly?"
"Heard it loud and clear…"
"Not a word missed!"
"Bah! Poseidon's bastard!"
A chorus of voices, n and won alike, resonated from the pendant, chilling and heavy.
There were priests, priestesses, soldiers, commoners…
Even those princes and princesses who had once still clung to a sliver of hope…
As the curses and scorn poured endlessly from the pendant, the smugness on Orion's face vanished without a trace.
His face flushed a liver-purple with sha and fury, and he glared forward with blazing eyes.
"You tricked ?!"
"Falling for the sa trap twice—
, face it, you're just an idiot."
Lorne shot a cold glance at the enraged son of the sea god, delivering the killing blow with rciless scorn.
"Seeing everyone else as fools, thinking you're the only smart one, that kind of person is the biggest fool of all!"
"YOU BASTARD—"
Unable to refute, Orion watched helplessly as his so-called perfect plan was riddled with holes.
His beautiful dream of rising to power and becoming king of Crete shattered like an illusion.
In a fit of rage, he crushed the sapphire pendant hanging from his chest.
"This is what you brought on yourselves!"
In an instant, a surge of azure waterlight shot into the sky, rging with the aether in the air, emitting a high-pitched resonance.
"BOOOOM!!!"
At once, the heavens darkened, wild gales tore across the sea, and a massive creature, half serpent, half fish, roared as it burst from the water, churning tens of thousands of tons of seawater, venting its fury at having its slumber disturbed.
As the monster opened its bloody maw and surged toward the noise-ridden Crete, thousands of sea beasts trapped in the Inner Sea fled forward in panic.
Among the escaping were the restored six-headed, twelve-footed monster Scylla, and Charybdis, the "Great Whirlpool", now in the form of a water entity.
"Form ranks! Defend the land!"
At the sa ti, with a resounding command, the coastal fortresses, now reinforced and fully repaired, burst into coordinated action.
Princes and princesses, acting as commanders, drew their swords and raised their staves.
Gathered priests and priestesses chanted incantations.
Soldiers, in full readiness, raised shields and spears on the battlents, or boarded warships and set sail.
A war known as the Final Act had begun once again.
At that very mont, deep within the forests of the Cretan Mountains, in a clearing—
Almost in sync with the eruption of the main battlefront, a fury-blinded Orion let out a roar and, eyes bloodshot, charged at the one who had ruined all his carefully laid plans.
This bastard—must die!
(End of Chapter)
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