"What do you think they''re talking about?"


    "I think it is none of our concern; to pry is to sin."


    "...But you should know, you''re the High Priestess."


    "No."


    "And why are we even outside? We can''t even understand a word they are saying."


    Mique and Malenia were now outside the shrine, standing by therge stone door as they gave Rhys and the nymph a privacy to talk. And perhaps it was a good thing that they did leave the shrine, as they saw the true extent of the nymph''s rampage.


    The damage wasn''t only inside the shrine, no—the city took most of it. While Rhys was fighting with the nymph in the shrine, it would seem that her abilities were also going amok throughout the entire city.


    And what was once a polis of sand and stone, was now covered in green and a violent sleuth of trees; some with roots even thicker and bigger than the houses they destroyed. Fortunately, there did not seem to be a lot of deaths even though the people were evacuated toote since most were outside their homes when it happened.


    "Do… you truly believe that it''s him?" Mique nced at the door and sighed, "The Hero of Prophecy?"


    "You are the one who brought him here, Sister," while Malenia looked at her sister in disbelief.


    "Well, I also wanted an excuse to see how you were doing. And… it''s a shame if he is," Mique smirked while fanning herself.


    "Why would it be a shame? The Hero of Prophecy is here."


    "...Because he is the besty I have ever experienced. And it is not even close," Mique''s smirk turned into a coquettish giggle before licking her lips, "Oh, dear sister. If only you knew just how good it felt with him inside me, it was an… an experience."


    "You are disgusting," Malenia scoffed, "And you put the Hero in chains. Of course, he would follow you when you turned him into a servant — I could have the shivens apprehend you for that."


    "Arrest me for what, indulging myself with things that make me feel good?" Mique raised an eyebrow, "Then you should apprehend every citizen in this city and let those living outside the walls in instead. And the concept of the High Priestess is outdated, and not to mention unfair — you are the High Priestess, you should be able toy whoever you want toy."


    "Sister!"


    "My words are only telling the truth," Mique crossed her arms, causing her gold chains to dangle, "You are the highest authority in this city, even more so than the governess. Let me send you a couple of servants after all of this is done."


    "No."


    "Oh? Quite picky, Sister. Fine then, I will ask the Hero toy you."


    "..."


    "What is this…?" Mique raised an eyebrow, "Why am I not sensing bouts of refusaling from you, Sister? Could it be you have a little crush on our Hero?"


    "I bear no such shameful feelings for the Hero! What I have is only admiration, nothing more."


    "W—"


    "I wish for this matter to be over!" Malenia looked away, "Rhys Wilder is meant for greater things. Things that are bigger than us…


    …we do not belong together."


    And while the two gorgon sisters were talking and bickering with each other, Aeng and Rhys werepletely silent as the two were just facing each other. Aeng had been trying to tell Rhys about the prophecy and his lineage, but Rhys was not giving her the chance to do so.


    "You are refusing your role in all of this — understandable. But what you need to realize is that you do not have that luxury, Hero."


    "I don''t need the luxury because I''m not the guy in the prophecy, I have been telling that since earlier," Rhys shook his head for the hundredth time.


    "You say that, Hero. But look at me, and look at where you are," Aeng stretched her arms to the side, "You are here, and not where you want to be."


    "I''m here because a giant eagle attacked our ship in the orange ocean."


    "And why was there a giant eagle, Hero?" Aeng tilted her head to the side, blinking a couple of times as she looked up at Rhys, "And why would a giant eagle attacking your ship lead you here, and not to the embraces of death? The creatures of the ocean are unkind, without mercy, and without discrimination — strong as you are, they would have torn you into pieces more than you already are."


    "T—"


    "You can not escape your destiny, Hero," Aeng did not let Rhys speak as she raised her palm, "You can change the path you take, but it will always lead you to the same destination. It is an inevitability."


    "...So, am I supposed to just ept it?" The tone of Rhys''s voice changed as he closed his eyes, "This is not what I want."


    "Is it not?" Aeng once again looked Rhys in the eyes, "I sense something in you that my kind has not sensed in the other heroes of old. Like you, they had the will, the ambition, the bravery, and the luck to traverse their path; what they did not have that you have aplenty, however…


    …is greed."


    "Because I''m not a hero," Rhys smiled as he heard the nymph''s words, "There''s your proof, Ma''am."


    "On the contrary, that just makes you different," Aeng shook her head, "But I sense that I can not persuade in this matter — but I do not need to. You can not escape your fate. But for now, my mouth will no longer convince you of this, Hero."


    "Thank you," Rhys sighed, "And please, I''ve listened to what you want to say… please hear out mine."


    "As a matter of course," Aeng nodded, "You and I have a contact, I will oblige."


    "The nymph that you said was being tortured. Do you know where she is being held and who is doing that to her, Ma''am?" Rhys asked, "I need to know so we can save her."


    "And you say that you are not a hero," Aeng smiled.


    "I''m not — it''s just part of my mission."


    "You avoid your fate, but use it to your advantage at the same time." This time, Aeng also smiled, "You are only able to ask that question because fate brought you here, Hero."


    "...You said you won''t mention it anymore."


    "I only said that I will not persuade you. But to answer your question…


    …I do not know where she is, or who is hurting her. I could, however, point you in the right direction."


    "If I take you with me, will you be able to guide me there?" Rhys stood up, "Are… you able to leave this ce?"


    "I may be," Aeng also stood up, but not before raising her finger and causing the roots to once again dance inside the shrine… before crawling toward Rhys.


    "T—"


    "Do not move, Hero," Aeng muttered as the roots started slithering around Rhys''s dismembered leg and arm, "It will not be as strong as your lost limbs, and will shatter if you use them inbat — but at the very least, it will make your life morefortable."


    Rhys then watched as the roots started to take shape, replicating his lost arm and leg, "This is—"


    "I told you not to move, Hero… this will hurt."


    And before Rhys could even say anything else, tiny, thread-like roots started to dig through his flesh.


    "!!!"


    Rhys had experienced the harshest pain even at an early age; this pain, however, was something else entirely. His brain almost instinctively caused him to lose consciousness there and then.


    "Kh…"


    "Endure it, Hero," Aeng walked closer to Rhys as he dropped to the ground, "Because from this moment forward, that will be the least pain you will experience — the path of a Hero is tragic; filled with death and destruction."


    "Heh…" Rhys only smiled and gritted his teeth as he looked at Aeng as she stood beside his head, "This… is nothing, Ma''am."


    "But of course," Aeng smiled and nodded, "The removal is the more painful part, so use it well and do not destroy them so soon, Hero."


    "..."


    Rhys and Aeng spent a few more minutes inside the shrine. Those few minutes, however, felt an eternity for Rhys as the wooden limbs connected through his nerves — how that even worked, well, as most modern scientists would deduce… magic.


    "Hero!"


    And finally, Rhys stepped out of the shrine; finally, he was able to walk with both feet nted on the ground.


    "You look… strong," Malenia took in a small gulp as she quickly lowered her sight.


    "I agree," Mique, on the other hand, feasted with her eyes, "I wonder how even better you are now, Hero. Shall… we coil again in my sheets?"


    "Sis—"


    "There is no time for that."


    And before Mique and Malenia could even start arguing, they both bowed their heads as Aeng flew and sat on Rhys''s shoulder,


    "The Hero and I are to depart."


    "What is she saying, Hero? Are you... leaving? But…


    …you''re the hero?"