Rhodes stirred under the pale breath of dawn, Helios' chariot began its race across the sky at high speed, following her sister the dawn, letting her guide his way to another beautiful morning.
The storm had passed, leaving behind a silver mist that curled around the ancient stones of the city like smoke from the gods' forgotten incense. Rhodes' streets, worn smooth by time and countless footsteps, now shimmered with puddles reflecting the newborn sun. Vendors stirred in their tents, fishermen mended nets at the harbor, and temple bells rang low and slow, calling the faithful to morning prayer at the temple of the Sun God.
But Kassus walked those streets like a man untouched by the warmth of the world.
To the people of Rhodes, he was known—a solitary hunter with tired eyes and the sort of silence that made even the most curious child hesitate. Yet they greeted him with nods and baskets of bread. A few whispered prayers as he passed, unsure if they were meant to protect him, or to protect themselves from whatever followed him like a shadow. Everything the Rhodians knew was that Kassus was the current champion, and he was there to take care of the island whenever Helios did not dare to help.
He carried no divine aura. No sacred garment. Only a hunter's cloak and a sword too heavy for a simple man. Kassus did not speak of the goddess who slept in his bed just hours before. Nor of her scent still clinging to the room like a dream that refused to leave. He simply moved as he always did—through the city like wind through grass. Quiet. Sharp. Invisible.
But peace had never lingered long in his life. And even in Rhodes, a place that had offered him shelter without question, this sanctuary was something Kassus only borrowed. Never owned. He could not let himself live peacefully after what he had done. He was more than just a mere warrior, a survivor of Troy, a God Hunter... he was a monster.
"Lord Kassus?" The voice of a young boy pulling his cloak slightly interrupted the hunter's words, putting him back in the present and not on his wary past. Kassus looked down at the child, and he immediately knelt down to be at the same height— even if Kassus was still a little taller.
"What is it, small one?" He asked, his voice quite soft despite the natural husk and rasp in his voice. He was not expecting the moment the kid would pull out an apple, and handed it to the warrior.
"My Baba sends you this. He needs your help decorating for the Sun God's festival."
Kassus blinked, as he looked at the apple on his hand. Of course, how could he forget about the annual festival to celebrate and worship a God like Helios. One that pretended to be warm and kind, but was nothing but a blaze with legs. He huffed, his hand instinctively squeezing the apple, imagining it was Helios' head, hoping he could just—
"Lord Kassus? Will you help?"
The kid's voice interrupted Kassus once again, this time it was for a good reason. The child had to know soon so he could join his friends and play sword fight again. Kassus looked at the young boy, imagining himself for a moment. The things he missed, the childhood he could not have. The innocence he never had. With a nod, the hunter got back to his feet and began to follow the boy into the town. He had nothing else to do, anyway.
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Olympus.
A marble vase shattered against the far wall. Zeus' voice followed, louder than thunder, his fury storming through the throne room like a hurricane in flesh.
"A mortal, Aphrodite. A mortal severed Hermes' legs! And you just watched?!"
Aphrodite lay draped across a velvet-lined chaise, one leg elegantly crossed over the other, idly twirling a strand of golden hair around her finger while holding a small ambrosia with the other. Her expression was the very picture of bored royalty.
"Technically, I tried to help him." she replied sweetly. "But that God Hunter scared the living excrement out of me."
Zeus' eye twitched, unable to stand the goddess' antics.
She offered a yawn, perfectly timed to his twitch. "You know how men get when they're trying to be brave in front of me. I didn't tell Hermes to provoke that little killer."
"That 'killer' is a walking declaration of war," Zeus snapped. "He has the Aegis Blade. If you had just distracted him—"
Aphrodite rose to her feet, smoothing her silks with one long sigh. "You know what, Zeus?" she said, voice light as air. "First, I don't even know what the Aegis Blade is. Second, I've got better places to be. A nice place where people don't scream at me before breakfast."
She didn't wait for a dismissal. With a flutter of her lashes and a flounce of her gown, she turned and strutted toward the exit, hips swaying in controlled defiance. Once she crossed the main and tall doors of the throne room, a warm voice called out behind her.
"Leaving already?"
Helios stepped from behind a column, all golden curls and honeyed charm, his sun-kissed tunic aglow even without his chariot. His smile was soft, eyes full of concern. "Would you like some company?"
Aphrodite paused, glancing over her shoulder. Her expression brightened instantly — a sunbeam behind storm clouds.
"Sweet Helios," she purred, "Always so thoughtful."
She walked backwards now, the hem of her dress floating behind her like mist, until she reached the open sky balcony where her chariot of doves awaited. With one delicate hand, she blew him a kiss.
"I'll be back for dinner," she called. "Maybe."
Then she was gone, the sky parting to let her through like it always did. Helios watched her vanish into the clouds, still smiling and even letting out a loving sigh, thinking of how problematic Aphrodite was, and how in love he was with her.
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Rhodes
After a long day of decorating, working and attempting to engage with the citizens, Kassus made his way back to his shack outside of the town, ready for a much deserved rest and even, if he wanted to please himself a little, go to the thermal waters near the forest and take a bath. His mind and soul felt lighter than ever after keeping his memories busy with the idea of helping his race, of helping humanity with something that was not just bloodshed. He was eager, for once in a very long time.
Kassus made his way into his shack, setting his cloak aside once he got inside, and taking off his tunic and all the clothes he had on. Now with his bare body, he walked out of the shack once again, this time through the backdoor he had, one that guided him immediately to his garden and the thermal waters he knew he deserved. He admired the steam coming out, his skin already showing the goosebumps of what was going to be the best moment of his day. He started with one foot, then the other. Then, he practically jumped into the water, letting his body feel at once the high temperature of the natural source next to his temporary home— at least that was how he liked to call it— because he never felt like he truly belonged to a certain place, even if he was born in Rhodes itself.
He closed his eyes once the steam felt a bit too overwhelming, feeling the sweat lubricate his figure, relaxing his always tensed muscles, fading the almost permanent frown on his face. He let out a sigh of pleasure, and could not contain a smile.
"Ah, this is nice." he muttered to himself.
"Indeed it is."
His eyes opened immediately, and he immediately turned to the source of the noise. Aphrodite. She was there, naked too, right in front of him, inside the same thermal waters. For a man that hated the gods deeply, he found himself praying that this was just a hallucination. He blinked a couple times, unopposed, just shocked.
"What?" Aphrodite asked, patting the waters covering her chest. "Can't a goddess enjoy some peace too?"
"What on heavens are you doing here?" Kassus asked back, his shock slowly turning into disgust.
He was starting to get out of the small pool, propulsing himself out of the water, not caring about the fact that the goddess was staring at something more than his muscles. She was not going to let the moment pass.
"So that's the Aegis Blade."
Kassus' disgust grew as he found himself feeling self-consciousness. His hands quickly covered what was usually forbidden to look at.
"I am going to ask once more before I go get my sword and slit your throat here and now. What are you doing here?"
Aphrodite chuckled, before she shook her head, raising both arms to prove innocence to him. She did not have a weapon on her, she was not using any divine magic to make him do anything. She was just enjoying the thermal waters.
"I'm not here to curse you, Kassus. No charms, no tricks, no magic. Just warm water, old stone, and steam." She leaned back against the edge of the spring, her golden hair fanning out behind her like a halo. "Can't a goddess unwind?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Not here. Not near me."
She tilted her head, watching him carefully. For once, there was a flicker of something genuine in her voice. "Would you believe me if I said I was curious?"
"Curiosity gets people killed."
"So does loneliness."
He froze — only for a second — unsure whether she spoke of herself, or if she somehow knew more about him than she should.
But her tone shifted again, light, airy, impossible. "You're so serious, Kassus. I had forgotten how exhausting mortals can be."
"And I had forgotten how deeply irritating gods always are."
She grinned. "You'll get used to me."
"I do not want to."
"That is what makes this fun."
Kassus shook his head once again, before he passed a hand through his hair, while the other was still strategically placed.
"You cannot be here, Aphrodite. People in Rhodes despise you. I despise Gods."
Aphrodite raised an eyebrow, curious about the reason why Kassus mentioned despising Gods, but not her specifically. She chuckled lightly, and got out of the water, her bare body and curves tilting from one side to the other as she approached the mortal warrior.
"Then I'll make sure to blend in. Who knows? Maybe if I make myself look ugly you'll might fall for me."
Kassus flinched and gagged, as if he was seeing the most horrifying thing in the world.
"You are not ugly. Your soul is. Rotten among layers and layers of greed and superiority complex. Show me you are worth existing, show that to yourself. Until then..." he sighed, before continuing. "You can stay in my shack. But you better help my people tomorrow, they will be celebrating the Sun God's festival."
Aphrodite's eyes widened in excitement, though she was a little offended at his comment on how her soul was in his eyes.
"Helios' festival? Huh, that sun boy always gets the big parties." She clapped twice, making a beautiful dress embrace her body automatically. "Very well, Kassus. I'll help and blend in as one of your own as long as you let me sleep in your home. Just— for the love of the Gods, get yourself something soft to sleep on. I can't sleep properly thinking you're the one on the floor. Makes me feel stalked."
Kassus could not believe it. He was letting his biggest enemy sleep under his roof. Again. And this time, indefinitely.
Why was he too kind to her?