3 I Won't Regret

As the wooden door pushed open, the chorus of birds paused from the surrounding. The sun beamed down energetically from a clear blue sky, illuminating perfect spheres of water droplets on the field of greens in the wilderness. Hot rays of sunlight scanned the shadowed areas, bringing one gleam of cheerfulness to the gray-green grass.

From where the Oracle had stood, two figures could be seen approaching from several feet away. Their murderous intent stirred havoc in the peaceful forest, scaring off all mythical creatures to shelter behind trees. Trunks swirled a grim smile on its surface to create an illusion for the uninvited guests as it protected the land in its range.

Branches intertwined like arms of a union, forming a wall of wood. Wind hissed sharp howls in the trees, and ran a large invisible hand through the grass, coming towards the Oracle. He stood steadily with his arms behind his back, waiting for the opponents to arrive.

Alas, they've reached the borderline the Oracle had set for them. Elevating his palm, the elderly man put a stop to Aphrodite and Thanatos' steps. His voice echoed clearly like voices crossing mountains.

"I know what you two came here for but Psyche's soul is no longer here. I cannot interfere with the laws outside of this forest, so I will let the three of you come to a conclusion yourselves. To be fair, Eros will stay within my boundaries until a decision is made."

Eros bowed in respect to the elderly in front of him. He has already done more than enough by delivering Psyche's soul to safety. The Oracle's age was unknown to all deities, but his trustworthiness was above everyone in this dimension. Hence, Eros was not worried about the level of credibility in his words.

Stepping a few steps forward, Eros faced Aphrodite with despising eyes. "Aphrodite. Thanatos. I will not hand Psyche's soul to any of you. Nobody will learn her whereabouts and I am willing to be her replacement in the underworld. I will take in all torture and suffer."

Aphrodite tasted the bitterness on her tongue as she heard his protective words for his wife. 'Nobody had ever treated me this way, despite my beauty and fame! I have all this power, yet my son grew up to become such a disgrace over a human! Unforgivable!' She felt rancor towards her son and released a shrilled laugh. Frost crept in her eyes as it attacked daggers of icicles to Eros' direction.

Thanatos thrusted his arm to the side, summoning his sword to his hand. A snarl of rage escaped his mouth, hinting the endless punishments Eros had to face. Aphrodite declared once again. "Eros, this is your final opportunity to hand Psyche over. If not, I will strip your power as the Greek god of love and throw you to Tartarus, the dungeon."

"Tartarus? Only those who have committed heinous crimes were sent there. Aphrodite, this is not the proper punishment for Eros. At most, he will be Psyche's replacement in the underworld and wander for hundreds of years before getting released. Stripping his power and dropping him into the dungeon are far from what he has to endure." The Oracle's eyes darkened as his pointed ears twitched.

Stretching out her slender fingers, Aphrodite fanned her flawless face with an arrogant smirk. "I respected you as you are the Oracle of deities. Like you've said, we're following the laws outside of this forest. On top of snatching Psyche's soul, Eros attacked his own mother which makes him accountable for being unfilial. Under such circumstances, I am allowed to make suggestions to his punishment."

"Unless Eros is willing to apologize and hand over Psyche's soul, or else he will be sent to Tartarus. His status will also be stripped away. Since he no longer holds the status of a god, he does not have the right to hold power either. This is my decision and the laws support it." Her back straightened as she lifted her face high while stating her claims.

Eros felt a strong aura coming from behind. The Oracle was angered greatly by her provocation. As a deity who had been trained at a young age to memorize the laws of this world, he knew what Aphrodite said were all facts. Even if the Oracle refused to hand him over today, he wouldn't be able to hide in the forest forever.

Though the terms were unfair, Eros was willing to take full responsibility for his actions. Sensing the power behind him had increased, Eros turned around and shook his head with a smile. He raised his hand to signal a halt to the Oracle's move.

"I will not regret my decision. Psyche is my wife. As her husband, I will protect her. There is no need for any type of violence. I will follow you to Tartarus and accept all my punishments." His loyalty towards Psyche shook the entire land to tears.

Deities were allowed to have multiple partners and true love was considered a rare sighting. Only one pair of lovers expressed their love for one another and that was more than millions of years ago.

"Thank you, Oracle. I appreciate your help." Eros said as he removed his cupid's bow and arrows. The charms he wore for summons and fortune were all stripped off his body. By the time he stepped out of the borderline, every item he carried was destroyed.

Facing Thanatos with a smile, Eros clenched his fist against his chest. The sound of shredded skin pierced their ears as Eros ripped a golden orb out of his chest. Extending his arm, he spread his trembling fingers. Closing his hand into a fist, he crushed the glowing sphere and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Eros! That's your soul force!" Aphrodite didn't understand why he would destroy himself. All she wanted to do was force an apology out of his mouth and take Psyche's soul! Yet, he has chosen to remove his power and status for her sake.

Every deity was born with a sphere-shaped orb. Depending on the deity's status, the color of the orb would differ. If this orb gets destroyed, the deity will lose everything they've practiced since young.

The smile on Eros' face hadn't disappeared as he looked Thanatos in the eye with no trace of regret. "Let's go. I'm ready." He wiped the corner of his lips and followed Thanatos without giving Aphrodite a glance.

"Hold on." Thanatos said.

"What is it?" Eros replied.

"Is this really worth it for a human girl? Do you really not think this is a waste to trade for her life?" Thanatos inquired as he recalled Eros' speech from earlier. The orb is equivalent to a deity's soul!

Raising a honeysuckle smile on his lips, Eros looked up to the sky and replied. "She is worth more than what the world could bring to me. If you ever find someone you love, you wouldn't weigh everything on a scale. Instead, you'll worry whether you've given enough to your partner. Like I said, she will be my one and only wife. For her, I am willing to enter the dark abyss."