The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

Aeric lifted a brow, watching the greedy god laugh, fists clenched. "What is funny?" he asked.

Eros ended his laughter with a humored sigh. "My defiant and reckless son. Whatever happened? Were you not going to sleep with all my wives and daughters? How successful have you been so far? Ha! Ha! Ha!"

The clouds parted more, giving his luminous face more exposure, his apparent golden hair framing the look of laughter and arrogance.

'This guy,' Aeric thought. 'He really is petty, isn't he? Is that why he brought me here? Was he even the one who brought me here?'

"It's only been a week," Aeric said with a shrug. "I have the rest of my life before me, father. In fact, you celebrating this meaningless victory shows that you truly are threatened by me."

Eros instantly grimaced and pushed his face closer in anger. "Shut your mouth, boy. The fact that you haven't been able to do it yet shows that my plans to stop you have been successful."

"What?" Aeric scoffed. "I haven't even been trying. If you ever bothered to stop lazing about on your heavenly throne or whatever, you would see that everyone in Erothyria is busy preparing for the incoming Wave War."

"So have I!" Aeric shrugged, outstretching both hands in both directions.

Eros looked at his son with an emotionless expression, then yawned lazily as though the very idea bored him. "Ah, yes. The Wave War. Such a tedious affair, at least that's how I view it. I don't see why I should bother myself with it. It happens every year. Tradition, you might say."

"Tradition?" Aeric snapped, his brows furrowing. "You are fine with this? Have you seen some of the towns and villages in Starlight, speaking more of the entire realm? People are dying, Father. Whole towns are razed to the ground. And you call it tradition?"

Eros waved a dismissive hand. "It is how it is. Aspasia simply won't let go of the past. She insists on punishing me by destroying my little playground. It's… amusing."

Although his anger flared, Aeric was curious. "Who the hell is Aspasia? Is that the Snake Queen? The one coming in the Waves with her legion of drakes?"

Eros chuckled, his voice reverberating like a low thunder. "Indeed. I suppose you've all been preparing valiantly. Well, good luck, my son. May the odds favor you."

Aeric's jaw tightened, his voice rising with fury. "Good luck? That's all you have to say? Your people are dying because of her, and you're sitting here, unbothered!" He stepped closer, water splashing as he moved, his eyes blazing. "Who is she? Why does she want to destroy Erothyria?"

Eros hesitated, his carefree expression faltering for a brief moment. "Why should I tell you? I don't particularly like you, and all you've done since you stepped into my world is spite me."

"Tell me, father!" Aeric shouted, his voice echoing across the endless river. "I need to protect my people. I need to protect Mother."

With a resigned sigh, knowing that Guinevere needed no such protection from him, Eros leaned forward. "Very well. Since you insist." His tone turned almost wistful as he began.

"Aspasia was my second wife, chosen after Selena, my first love. She was beautiful, bountiful — hmm, I suppose her bosoms were rounder and fatter than Selena's at the time. I'm not certain for now."

Aeric frowned.

"She was ambitious… but tiresome. Unlike Selena, she failed to hold my interest. I tried to indulge her, but I could never give to her the way I gave to Selena. I mean at the time, Selena was young... fresh... sweet. And so Aspasia, she grew jealous — desperate to gain my favor."

Aeric listened intently, his anger simmering beneath his curiosity.
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Eros continued, his tone darker now. "Aspasia's envy festered, especially when she saw the world I gave to Selena. She begged for a kingdom of her own, and so I granted her a lesser realm, far removed from Selena's domain. But it wasn't enough. She wanted more; my love, my attention, everything that belonged to Selena."

"You couldn't give it to her. What happened then? Did she do something?" Aeric pressed.

Eros's eyes gleamed with a mix of disdain and grudging respect. "She turned to forbidden arts, seeking necromantic power from the depths of the Abyssal Ends. She bartered with ancient forces, sacrificing her mortality to become the Snake Queen, ruler of a legion of undead drakes. With her newfound strength, she sought to destroy Selena, believing that if she eliminated her rival, she could claim my heart."

Aeric lifted a brow. 'Well that's stupid. I don't know why people always think that works.' "What happened?"

Eros leaned back, his voice getting colder. "She attacked Selena, catching her off guard. Their battle raged for hours, with Selene depending on the moon and Aspasia fighting her till dawn. Selena got weaker and just as Aspasia was about to strike the final blow, I intervened. I stopped her, furious at her betrayal. She begged for mercy, saying she only wanted my love."

Aeric's eyes narrowed. "And I guess you banished her."

Eros nodded. "To Anti-Life, a realm where nothing good flourishes, and where evil broods. She deserved to rot for her treachery. But every year, Anti-Life fractures, and she uses that breach to wage her petty war against me. The Wave War, as you call it."

Aeric's head lowered, spinning with thoughts. He shook it and looked back up at Eros. "I... I don't understand this. What's the point of it? You could end this. You could kill her. Your natural order allows you to kill royalties if they harm others, right?"

Eros laughed, a rich, echoing sound. "Kill her? Why in my green world would I do that?"

"Huh?"

"I still love Aspasia. She was my wife. I banished her because she harmed Selena, and I'm not going to kill her just because she's messing with creations that I can just make more of. She's merely trying to get my attention. It's all a romantic game, Aeric. I forgive her" He smirked.

"Besides, humanity will survive. My Divinity strengthens them. A few casualties mean little in the grand scheme."

Aeric's fists trembled. "A romantic game? You're letting people die for your twisted amusement!"

Eros shrugged, unconcerned. "Amusement is necessary for a god. I get bored quite often."

Gritting his teeth, Aeric made a demand. "Tell me her weakness. How can I defeat her?"

Eros grinned wickedly. "How about you figure that out yourself? If you die in the War, that's all of my problems vanished. So why would I help you?"

"Ngh!" Aeric ran closer to him, splashing through the water. "You're a disgrace to your own creation!" he shouted. "Tell me how to kill her once and for all!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Eros laughed

The clouds began to swirl violently, and the river's glow intensified.

[You are now living the Soul River]

"No! No!" Aeric yelled, head spinning alongside his surroundings. "Tell me how to defeat her! Eros! Tell me!"

The light engulfed him.

Then with a gasp, Aeric bolted upright from bed.