"I don't know myself.." Zeno confessed. "He just pisses me off for no reason."
"Aha, aha. It hurts. My back hurts. I am not exaggerating you two. I really what someone to get me out of this horrible cave.."
The young god wailed from our behind.
Zeno had already positioned him beside the cave's wall so that he can lean on it after healing the wounds he had got while stopping the Puppetire. But, while wailing in such a manner the hasty god tried approaching us with his already weak body where his spine, legs and arms were numb and useless.
Like expected the god fell frantically on the ground just at the attempt.
"Can't you wait for a while and just leave when you get healed..?"
I asked the dramatic god after helping him up.
"Unfortunately. I cannot, miss. I have been cursed for a while now. I cannot leave the cave until someone aids me out. I was barely able to move my body by crawling earlier. And, after fighting with that little girl. I really cannot move a muscle.." He replied.
"You are cursed? But, why?.." I asked him feeling quite sorry.
"They said I failed my job due to some personal feelings.."
There was a strange sense of seriousness on his energetic voice
"A certain mean oba-san(old lady) actually locked me here on this cave for quite a long time because of that. And, I can never get away from here unless someone helps me out. But, as you know the cave got trapped on this dimension. It has been centu-.. years since someone passed here."
"Oh.. That sounds ..really awful." I commented remorsefully.
Zeno who was observing us along now had a dynamic change in expression just at that. As though he could predict what I was gonna say to him, he raised his hand and waved in dismay.
"No. No. No..! Do Not Do Th-"
"Zeno, we must help him somehow.."
I finished uttering the formidable words Zeno wanted me to stop earlier. He placed his palm on his face in misery and grumbled.
"I knew you'd be like this."
He suck back insulted.
The god brightened at our interaction. To his pleasure, it seemed my comment instantly broke the seriousness in him as he then cried dramatically.
"..Adventurers, Art thou hear me! This is the true tragical story of how this man with great charisma, sovereign and honour was trapped inside this cold, dark, empty and lonely cave to suffer. While you all walk, I stay here immobile, while you see the light I am stuck in this darkness.."
This..
I just said we would help him.
So, why is this idiot acting like this..?
My eyes narrowed.
Zeno totally ignored the god's blabber and asked me.
"And, how are you gonna do that oh-so-stupidly benevolent, milady..? You can no longer create anything like a cradle with threads since your mana's already drained from last battle, remember?"
There was sarcasm on his tone.
"Ah.."
I recalled only then.
I was still thinking what we could do to help this poor god when the certain deity in the question suddenly said.
"Then, you can just carry me on your back like I am one year old kid."
The light purple haired god with exceptionally long blinding bangs that looked like it purposefully hid his pale face said with bright smile, shamelessly.
"....."
"....."
"Huh..???!!"
Both of us looked back at him like he was an lunatic.
"What..??" The god was alarmed. "Didn't you do that for the young miss..?"
He directed his question to Zeno.
"That was Anastasia-chan! And, this is you! Wait, how do you even know what happened on the other side of the cave..!? Just what sort of god are you???"
Zeno cried looking both flustered and angry.
"Let's just say I am an ordinary one. Why are you so embarassed anyway? I am not gonna comment how cringey your flirts really were."
You just did, dear deity.
I blushed clenching my fists. He kinda starting to get on my nerves too..
"Aren't you a spirit? Do you think I can really touch and actually carry you..?"
I then, asked him curiously examining his dimly glowing flickering divine body.
"Of course you can, miss. Here touch me and see."
Was what he said. But, what he showed was his entire body as though he was actually waiting to be hugged. Surprisingly, this minor god was a bit flirty too. I suspected.
Zeno's glare intensified on the side just at that.
Ignoring him, I walked towards the god, approached him and then, abruptly punched his face with a smile.
"Ow!! Why did you do that for??"
The god squealed in pain.
"Woah. You are right. I really can feel you." I said rubbing my palms.
Zeno looked surprised by my gesture.
"I said just touch. Not hit me on the face!" The god scowled.
"I know." I answered immediately. "I just wanted experience how it feels when I hit you. And, it felt good."
I replied with satisfaction.
Zeno chuckled immediately and rubbed my red head.
"And, This is why I like you." He doted me.
I grinned back at him.
"You two.." The strange god actually showed signs of getting angry for the first time in a while. "Do you even know who I am? You are just so perfect for each other..!"
"P-Perfect..?" Zeno looked a bit surprised at this.
"Yes. Perfect! Both have the same qualities of being disrespective and rude to a person you have just met today. I haven't seen any other couple like you." The god complained looking annoyed.
Unexpectedly, Zeno's mood seemed to have lifted up.
"You really think we are perfect for each other..?"
Zeno asked again.
"Wha- why are you ask-"
The god dragged loudly as though he was thinking. But, Zeno abruptly stopped him and gave us a start.
"Then. Okay. I accept. We will help this certain gentle spirit outside, Anastasia."
He changed his previous ideals in seconds.
The god was surprised too. But, he quickly understood and cried.
"A great decision, young man. You have made a great decision! Who said you were a disrespectable couple? Yes, you are perfect. The perfect on this world! You two are awesome. Made for each other. A fated couple!"
The god sang vain praises as Zeno went to the god's front and lifted his arms to carry him.
I doubted first but, it seemed like I was right.
Why is Zeno accepting this..?? Is it because the god said we were perfect for each other..??
Is that it?
Was Zeno-kun always this simple..??!
"Come on, Anastasia. What are you waiting for..?" Zeno called me out to give him a hand excitedly.
"Hurry up young lady. I want to see how more perfect you two can be when you work together."
The god called me smiling.
Ugh..These two..
They are so much in sync that I am starting to suspect they are actually identical twin brothers from past life..
Zeno's arms were now wrapped around his armpits and the god had leaned against him luxuriously in comfort as though Zeno had been transformed into a rich throne seat.
I soon, quickly rushed towards the two and grabbed the god's legs slowly lifting it.
Well, but..
In a world were half of the people don't even treat us as a couple, call our relationship forbidden, say I am too unworthy for him or at least mistaken us as siblings..
The body of the god soon lifted up and we carried him like a cartwheel.
I can understand why both Zeno and I were desparate to hear someone utter that..
We were perfect and fated for each other..
___________
It has been only a while since we have been carrying this naughty minor god. And, the impression I have got from him is ..
He is loud!
Noisy!
Annoying!
And, extremely talkative!
I was able to tolerate someone like him since I was kinda close with a certain person with a similar characteristic like Robinhood. But, Zeno couldn't at all. He was almost always on the edge since we started walking.
"Heavens, It was so much easier to carry Anastasia.. Aren't you a spirit? Why are you so heavy..?" Zeno complained though we had only went halfway through.
"Men always find it fascinating to carry women and act knights in name. Not their responsibilities.." The long banged god replied like it was a matter of fact closing his eyes.
He was totally acting like he was a lofty king who was seated on a Royal carrier litter, carried by us, his poor servants.
"You think carrying you is my responsibility..?" Zeno snapped.
"Well, didn't you just save me. Aren't gonna treat me well until the end? Woah, heavens you are not a cruel person like that right?" The god replied with a pretend gasp.
Zeno abruptly stopped on the path and muttered.
"The shoe.."
"Huh..?"
I thought I didn't hear him right.
"Where is my shoe..!? Where is my shoe..??"
Zeno's hands almost reached his feet take it out and hit the minor god.
"Zeno-kun, hold in yourself..!" I cried immediately.
Our mood was too messy. And, I just had to something to change our atmosphere.
".. Zeno, it's funny though.. We are in the Cave of Amoura that's dedicated to Lord Cupid. But, we have met every other greek deity other than him, right? People say he was one of the very few gods apart from the Fates who hasn't died yet. You know, I really wonder how he actually looks like.."
I told the two trying my best to hold this spineless god.
Like expected, it was the crazy god who replied almost immediately.
"Aha..! I don't mean to brag. BUT, of course, the owner of the cave our great and mighty master is the most handsome, charming, elegant, benavolent and smartest god there ever existed on this planet. He is honoured by all. Envied by all for all his fame and glory. He is the most strongest winged creature even feared by the greek gods. And, It would be a great honor to meet on your lives, you two!"
And, he was exceptionally poetic and dramatic this time too.
"But, isn't he supposed to look like a baby..?" Zeno suddenly commented.
Hearing that, the god's face twisted with horror, as though the world had just wrecked down before him. Zeno might not look like it. But, he was really quite powerful giving such blows to this god about whom he considered as a honorable master.
"You remember, the statue of Cupid in the Cave of Enigma, right? It did depict Lord Cupid as a small chubby baby boy with tiny wings and an arrow."
He said ignorantly.
"Aha, yes, I do." I recalled chuckling. "And, Farala-san seemed very upset that I referred Lord Cupid as a cute baby in diapers."
The god's face turned more twisted at this.
"That's because, the Hellanites misunderstood the real appearance of the Cupid in the third century! The Cupid was supposed to be a handsome hot flexed god with biceps and abs! Not a baby!!"
The god cried in frustration wiggling his entire body like an adamant brat, almost making us to lose our balance while carrying him.
"Woah!! Hold still. Hold still.." I cried struggling to balance him.
The god almost stopped immediately.
Zeno looked upwards with his sweat glistened golden hair fluttering up and gritted his teeth.
"I.. really regret carrying you.." He muttered.
The god blinked at him innocently.
"You. Two. Are... the most perfect coup-" The god wanted to mouth.
"Just shut up already!"
Zeno yelled causing a shriek from him.
"You seem to know quite a lot about your master. What is your name..?"
I asked the god coolly.
"...."
The chatty god paused for a while and then muttered. More softer than before.
"I am Eros."
Something, from somewhere suddenly rung a bell on the head to not just me but also Zeno.
"What..?" Zeno asked him again.
"Haha!! You don't need to fuss about remembering that! Besides, We are almost there at entrance and we won't meet each other again, anyway. The breath of freedom is here, you two..! Can you feel it on the bones, adventurers..!"
He cried in a very annoyingly loud voice that rung on our ears.
Ahh.. It would be best if we throw him out quicker.
I really want to drop him on the ground and close my ears.
Just like the god's words, the cave soon broadened like what looked like an entrance and I could feel strong energy of a spiralling portal close by.
"We are here!" I said gently dropping the god on the ground and rushed to the exit.
I tried tapping the giant rock to find a way out.
"Move away, miss."
The spineless god suddenly said and Zeno pushed me on the ground in panic of what would happen next.
Expectedly, a giant blaze of pink energy blasted on the cave wall and shattered the cave to pieces.
The clear purple of the strange realm beamed through and the pretty sight of shrubs, pebbles and woods greeted the three of us.
I think, I really hated the cave's darkness before because there was nothing more beautiful than this sight to me at that time.
I thought, looking at the spikes of the blast when a strong smell of the certain sparking pink mana entered my nostrils.
The god's magic...
It smells exceptionally very sweet..
Zeno who was over me yelled at him annoyed.
"Are you crazy!? You could have hurt her-"
He wanted to cry. But, the god completely bet his words and cried in a very loud voice.
"Freedomm!!!! Finally after 1000 years!! Yeahhh!!"
He almost leaped from the floor in complete joy but, due to his spineless body he fell right down again.
Zeno and I quickly led the god the way. But, we found it very difficult as the god was very childish and couldn't control his excitement the little. He kept leaping all the way that we could barely hold him.
"Yahooo!! Hurry! Hurry!" He kept crying.
But, the second our legs entered the cave, it seemed like the god's legs naturally strengthened. His complection turned better and even his faint divine glow brightened.
We naturally let go of our arms and made the god support himself on the cave's broken wall.
"Wait one sec."
I told the two and then quickly rushed to the front towards a certain tree.
On the tree, there were two strange raven birds with large black feathers gazing at me.
When, I touched the branch the two birds crowed in a loud voice.
"Ah..! You scared me.." I staggered backwards and shooed them away.
"So annoying.."
Then, Much to the surprise of both the god and Zeno, I broke two heavy branches as the two continued staring at me with bugged eyes.
I soon tidied up the branches by taking off it's leaves, broke the little branches within the two branches and ran towards Zeno and the god again.
I gave the two branches to this god.
"Here."
The god blinked at me. (I think, he did. I couldn't exactly see him with his heavy purple bangs.)
"This will help you to walk upright, sir. Use it well okay..?"
I beamed him a bright smile.
Zeno and the god looked at me for a few seconds frozen. Panicking Zeno then hastily turned my head, looking a bit annoyed.
"How many times should I tell you to not show that face to anyone except me, huh?.."
"What?" I blinked at him in confusion.
"Nothing. Let's just go, alright..? We have already helped him enough. Goodbye god. Let us never meet again."
Zeno yelled back to him pushing me forward.
"Hey.. Chill dude. There is no way I am gonna be interested in a human. Even if she was a bit cute.." The god said twitching his eye.
B-But.. Zeno-" I tried protesting and looked back at the god having not caught his muddled words right. And, He looked pretty insulted.
"I said, goodbye, god! Don't you dare call her that."
Zeno snapped again and pushed me more harder.
"What did he call me?"
"Not needed! Just leave, Anastasia."
With a sigh, I went with his flow and gave in.
"Whatever. Take care, deity."
I waved my arm leaving him behind as the two of us went into the endless woods yawning before us.
__________
After, the couple left a pitch drop silence surrounded the certain minor god with long messy light purple hair and exceptionally long and blinding front bangs.
As the morning sun of the purple sky touched the god he pushed his hair upwards to reveal a breathtakingly handsome yet weak and pale face with gorgeous blue eyes that shone like little sapphires.
The two crows sitting on the tree soon flew downwards and stood beside the god. They then, gradually
transfigurated as two fully grown handsome young men with thick black hoods and striking black feather shoes on their feet.
Looking at the bodies of the fast moving couple, the god smirked at them with his gleaming blue eyes and hunch back body that stood on the floor with the support of the two branches Anastasia had given him.
"Heh... The reborn passionate couple linked by my precious red thread of fate, envied by others for their true love that had crossed several ages or.."
The god placed his finger on his chin and dragged it upwards to his cheek with long pink nail polish coated tender finger nails.
"The silly and pathetic couple of the second generations had actually forged their predestined fates and their own partners to enter a tragedy..?"
The lips of the god trembled vividly much that even the two feathered men looked at him with suspicion, fearing the fatigue from being locked several centuries in the cave was acting up.
But, much to their surprise the god burst to laughter with eyes leaking with tears. His precious spit splattered on the two much to their frustration.
"They are funny. My brother is still possessive as always!"
"Brilliant. What a great way to treat your servants, master."
One of the man with black feathered shoe, namely Dasher said rubbing the deity's spit from his face.
"Especially when they were the ones who delivered them the Cupid Stones on time. What will you do if we had missed the couple?"
"He is right. You might have been successful in sweet talking and luring that 'special' couple to release you from your curse. But, what will you do if they take it as offence? You would get in real trouble, master.."
The other man in black feathered shoes, namely Blitzer replied looking conserned.
At this, the peppy god suddenly surprised the two by patting them on their backs violently one after the other (since he was still balancing on the branches) and laughed merrily.
"It's okay! It's okay! Fear not. My loyal folks. For your god has come back! I will reward you well for the years you have worked by. What do you want from me? I can do anything within my capabilities. Do you two want some beautiful wives..? Cute girls to fall in madly love with you..? Or more better a harem? What do you say..? Huh? Huh..? Eh?"
The black feathered men cringed at their master's words.
"Why do I feel scared when I hear you say this..?"
"I reject your gift, master. With you back I wouldn't have time to take care of a woman."
They said simuntaneosly.
"Oh how considerate of you, Dasher. " The god grinned wide. "But, It's betrayal to reject my gift you know. You are making your beloved master sad.."
"Yeah yeah. Is it the hundredth time I have betrayed you, master..?" Dasher told him indifferently.
"You can wait for more if you keep uttering useless stuff like this."
The other man, Blitzen replied.
The god rolled his eyes.
"You two have quite a big mouth to talk in par with me."
"We cannot survive if we don't, master."
The two replied in a sync with a bow as though it was granted.
"Tsk. How boring. That couple weren't like you two. They were fun enough to play with. But, it's pity they think I look like a baby."
He then, stretched his arm out as though in a yawn. The men in black were on guard to not let their master stumble or stagger considering his weak fatigue due to years of his imprisonment.
But, however they soon discovered their previous worries were all completely vain as the next thing the god did was throw his two walking stick branches on the wall.
With the intense force applied on them the two spattered on tree like broken glass.
"Heh."
He thought of something and chuckled to himself.
"As though, she wants to redeem herself, Atropos sure has chosen a sweet and nice teenager as her successor. But, Silly child! She must have known, I do not need these useless walking sticks now...!"
He then, said standing erect. And, as strong pink sweet smelling scent spread the atmosphere, two heavy large angelic wings opened up from the god's back like a mighty eagle's and weighed down on the ground like a veil.
His fingers soon gathered his silky light hair and tied it to the side. He ruffled his spikey long bangs upwards unveiling his blue bell eyes. And, as the sliver moon lit on the certain god with a skin so tender, jawline so shaped, lips so delicate and rosy and body so well sculptured yet beautiful, it was thankful Anastasia hadn't seen the certain god's face. If she had she would have shocked to see his extremely similar appearance to the gorgeous Prince Zenon Altizer Charming.
(Eros Cupid, God Of Love)
"Do you think anyone could call me as a little baby in diapers and not go insane if they look at a handsome face like this?"
He said dragging his finger from his cheek to his chin with a mischievous smirk and a haughty expression.
"So, what are you gonna do now Lord Cupid?"
His two fellow agents with black feather shoes who were actually made out of the pointy heart darts of the Cupid's arrows came closer to him.
They got to the serious business.
"Mina( everyone) Shall we meet that oba-san (old lady) who cursed me?"
The certain self proclaimed 'ordinary' god, Lord Cupid asked with a smirk.
"Old lady? Do you mean, Queen Clotho, The First Fate? Why is she an old lady. Isn't she the same age as you, master?"
Dasher asked Lord Cupid with little tint of confusion on his face.
It was Blitzer who answered his question.
"Yes she might be. But, Tsk. I would call her like that too if I was master, Dasher. Queen Clotho was the one who cursed Lord Cupid for revealing the Oracle to the couple beforehand and ruined him. I would call her a witch, a demon and the most wretched god in eternity if it was master!"
He cursed.
"But, why an 'old lady'...? Is it because Queen Clotho who like all other greek deities fuss too much about their beautiful appearance would get annoyed by the name?"
Dasher asked looking at Lord Cupid.
Besides, Though Lord Cupid might be very dangerous. It seems he doesn't really hold a deep grudge on her..
He wondered.
At Dasher's question, The great god, Lord Cupid smirked lavishly and pulled up his long silky purple bangs with his palm again.
He looked young. Like a pure youth chap on his prim. With the light dew drops of the early morn, you could even say he was practically dripping with good looks. His beautiful angel wings then opened up as though he was preparing for a flight and he looked at them airly.
"Isn't it obvious..?" Lord Cupid asked the two like it was granted.
"...?"
"..?"
His servants blinked.
Does master really have a grudge of Queen Clotho then?..
"It's because calling her old ..makes me feel younger. That's why she is an old woman and I am not, silly."
Lord Cupid started uttering his lines in a serious charming and sophisticated face that, even his men felt moved by his expression for a moment. But, the second, they heard what he actually said they were immediately rendered speechless.
So, that name was just to feed his vain ego..??
Damn, Their master...!
They were almost fooled think, Lord Cupid was actually serious at least once on his time line.
Lord Cupid chuckled at their reactions, quite enjoying them.
"Come on, you too. Let's say Clotho-chan!"
He said flapping his wings and disappeared into the night sky with his little white feathers fluttering everywhere like pure white cotton fluff.
Rolling their eyes, the two followed him with their pair of giant black raven wings.
As Lord Cupid flew a big wave of pink mana with an extremely sweet scent spread the atmosphere.
At that time, Queen Clotho and the Fox Spirit Yuki who were still quite busy returning the Spinner Tree back to the Underworld, didn't know.
But, with each flip of his wing on the entire forest, the skies of the portal cleared up, the trees grew fruitful, possessed animals were set free and everything else ruined by the Puppetire underwent a great healing on the land.
Like, the words of the Queen Dyrad, a miracle has indeed happened.
Lord Eros Cupid was set free at that night after almost thousand centuries of imprisonment.
_________
Anastasia's POV:
After we departed from the cave, we soon arrived at our camp, with the help of Zeno's crescent symbol flag making on a certain bunch of bushes and found it completely empty.
Like, Queen Dyrad had said there was also a giant portal being opened up in the middle of the camp. All the properties and tents of the people were still on the corner, so we figured that the others have already left the place.
I looked at the portal before me and took in a deep breath. The portal was huge with an appearance of a black hole and suck violent air channels into it.
My short red hair tossed on the wind just like Zeno's blonde locks and I turned to look at him.
Zeno was already looking at me with an expression I knew very well.
Yes.. This was all over.
The intimate conversations, our short occasional hugs and the time we had spent togather are all gonna come to an end.
Zeno then rubbed my hair and muttered softly like a gentle breeze.
"I will miss you so much Anastasia.."
"I do too."
I muttered back with a grave look.
But, this was the life of this weird misfit couple belonging to very different social classes of both, nobility and character roles on the fairytales.
So, I had to accept the reality soon no matter how heart breaking it was.
"It's alright.. We will get through it.. Zeno. There are more problems than this. We still haven't rescued the rest of the people who were already gone lost on the woods."
I said looking away.
Zeno pondered.
"Yes, you are right. Though I swore myself to save everyone of them earlier.."
Zeno openly revealed his grief.
"No. That is not true, Zeno!" I was taken back by his guilt. "You did your best. What happened with the Puppetire wasn't what we expected at all. Handling the Puppetire on our own without the help of any Captians like last time as whole was a great task. And, that is something we must be proud of Zeno."
I told him passionately.
"Exactly." Zeno smiled. "Isn't that what you feel guilty about too?"
"What ..?" I was confused.
"Aren't you grieving for the lose of your classmates and feel like you haven't done justice to why you have come here..?"
He replied.
I was utterly taken back by Zeno's observation.
It was true I had followed the strange voice before getting thrown here. I did want to go home with the others immediately. But, the reason I prefered staying here for a while was because I want to do something to contribute in saving the people.
Like I said to Kelly, watching the innocent Juliet cry for her friends made my heart weep though I didn't react much.
No one else noticed that I would feel such a way. Including myself.
But, seeing that Zeno had noticed this about me..
That's the Zeno-kun I know.
The Zeno-kun, who knows almost everything about me except the fact that his love is requited and that, I actually like him back.
I smiled at this stupid.
"You are right. We have done everything we could."
I said gently holding his hand and placed my feet on the portal.
"Let us all just.. Now leave everything to the Almighty Fate and let her lead the way.."
My words soon swirled into the empty black whirlpool and I felt an gut throwing sensation of the portal for the second time.
______