Chapter 388: Eternal Winter (2)

Perseus POV

I saw Isfrid being nervous and vulnerable for a moment, so I took the chance, all I needed was a good 2 or 3 seconds of eye contact. And sure enough, we did make eye contact, and that was my chance.

Isfrid's POV

For some reason, after making eye contact with Perseus, my vision blurred, and it seemed like I'd fallen into a trance...or a dream, something that I hadn't done in quite a long time. And from what was in front of me, I recognized it.

It was a cruel memory that haunted my every waking moment. It was as though time had folded in on itself, plunging me back into that fateful day. I stood at the entrance of our once-tranquil home, the air heavy with the scent of impending doom.

I rushed back home, right before I heard their calls, but...the images from that tragic day just replayed in my mind, tormenting me with their vivid clarity. Even now, I was still too late. Their bodies...I could see the terror in their eyes, the innocence of my children, and the warmth of my lover's smile, all now forever etched in my memory.

My heart pounded as I reached the room where they were trapped. I then ran in the direction where the demon was retreating.

He was there, just as he had been all those years ago. He was a twisted and malevolent creature with eyes that gleamed with malice. They had my family murdered, and my pulse quickened with a mixture of rage.

And I saw another body of mine, my past self repeating the scene raised my weapon, every muscle in my body tense and ready to strike.

With a deafening battle cry, I lunged at the demons, my sword cutting through the air. The clash of steel against scales, the roars of anger, and the agonized cries of the monster filled the atmosphere as I fought with every ounce of my being.

But in the end, it was too late. My family lay on the ground, lifeless, their eyes staring blankly into eternity. And because of that, I healed him over and over, barely almost killing him each and every time.

Tears welled in my eyes as the realization of my failure crushed me, but I couldn't change the past. The haunting memory then played out once more, and it was the start of a relentless cycle of agony that no amount of time or determination could erase.

After a while, I fell to my knees, overwhelmed by grief and despair, haunted by the ghosts of my family and the demons I had slain. At that moment, I knew that my quest for redemption was futile, and the weight of my failure would forever bind me to a past I could never escape.

With a shuddering gasp, I snapped back to the present, leaving the room in stunned silence. Without a word, I turned and left them all behind, haunted by the memories and the demons I had slain, a lone figure engulfed by the shadows of my past.

*****

Perseus POV

He'll come looking for Dawn later, whether he likes it or not, he will at least try once, but after that...well, I got my Jonathan. It's an actual weapon that can hurt a god.

"Perseus."  Mom Rylee called out ominously from behind me.

I turned to see her beckoning me to her bedroom where both my parents and grandparents were waiting for me. I still had to leave and go to greet Grandpa Laker, but is he in trouble or something?

I went and the door shut closed.

"Perseus, your journey of collecting women never fails to amaze me." Mom Nyra commented

"Is this Anna?"

"Who?"

"Oh, never mind then. Just don't believe her lies."

"Well, Perseus." Mom Rylee said in the very same ominous tone, "First Dawn introduced herself to me as my future daughter-in-law, and then as I was mingling in, I realized something. Those men who came were siblings of your girlfriends."

"Yeah, they're seasonal gods, and?"

"And  we then heard something that shocked us to our very core." Mom Nyra responded, "They call called Dawn Mom."

"Oh...ummm...Dawn has a weird fetish."

"The fact that you said that with a straight face makes me want to slap the shit out of you."

"Hey, language. I'm your son here." 

"Yeah, and you're the eldest." Grandma Lynda pointed out, "The eldest is the one who gets beaten for any sort of failure, one of which is the fact that my own grandson is dating the goddess whom I've worshipped all my life."

"Now answer our question." Mom Rylee asked, "Are you the reincarnation of the moon god?"

Huh?

"Because it would explain a lot." she continued, "Your genius, the fact that our village worships the moon god more than the sun goddess...everything points to that conclusion."

"Oh, phew, is that it? Then no, me the moon god? Seriously?"

"So you're saying that you stole the moon god's wife and we should totally be worried that the moon god can come and destroy the village at any moment?"

"Yes, I did steal his ex-wife. No, he will not destroy the village. Yes, he does hate me, but it's for 'ruining his daughter's purity.'"

*****

Phineas POV

For ages, I had served my god with unwavering loyalty. I had been his faithful follower, heeding his divine commands without question. But today was different. Today, my god had called me with an urgency I had never witnessed before.

"Go," he said, his words resolute. "Go and confront the one who threatens us, eliminate the calamity."

I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing with doubt and uncertainty. I had been instructed for so long to remain passive, to observe, to wait. The very idea of taking action now, of facing the powerful force that threatened our world...But I knew better than to question him openly. 

The fate of our world hung in the balance, and it was a duty I could no longer avoid.

"As you command, my lord."