22 The beast hunting

Eschios pov:

Seeing a human's face on a large lion's body was weird. It having poisonous spikes on its back was weird too. The scorpion tail made it even more weird.

The fact that a human-faced lion freaked me out more than a six-headed monster or a gigantic whirlpool-creating monster was weird.

Even though Buck was fast, the Manticore's sting blasts could reach him. Therefore, I decided to have him sit out for this fight.

Jumping off of Buck, I got out a double sword and fell down, redirecting the stings which were fired at me after it noticed my presence.

{hOw... aRe YoU aBlE tO...! yOu... WhO aRe y-}

*Slash*

"Don't talk. It makes you more disgusting."

Cutting the monster's human-like face, I then grabbed its teeth and pulled all of them out before it could close its mouth.

*Riiiiiip*

Done. Let's see how much it likes its polished teeth.

{aAAAaaAaAAaAaaHhhHhHHHhH!!!!}

Oh, wait. It doesn't have one.

Tanking all the sting blows and attacks it gave me, I grabbed its tail and ripped it apart from the monster's body.

After hitting its stomach and making it fall to the ground, I started to slowly chop its body parts one by one, so that he would feel more pain.

Every time the monster tried to get up, I just beat it to the ground.

After it finally died from overwhelming pain, I carved out its poisonous scorpion-like tail and made adjustments to it so that it could fit as a tip of a spear.

The venom still remained in the tail, so I would be able to use it for poisoning enemies. I should ask Asclepius later on how to produce the same type of poison, though.

Flying back to Tyrins, I chewed on the jerky I made with Buck, who just swallowed it whole.

Buck does not know the proper steps for eating food. He didn't even taste it.

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My fourth quest seemed quite difficult. Not in any fighting way, but in an annoying kind of way.

To capture the Mormo.

Mormo was once a woman, who suddenly started to eat human babies, including her own children. Due to this, she had been cursed to not be able to pass on to the underworld, making her an evil spirit.

She caused children nightmares and could touch human flesh to eat them.

....The thing is, I can only capture it since it cannot pass on to the underworld, which means it cannot be killed.

Hades should have just thrown her into Tartarus.

Getting to it wasn't hard, as it lurks in the shadows, which were my territory.

This time, I didn't need Buck to get around. I could just travel between the shadows really fast until I found it.

There it was. Floating in front of a village. It was probably looking for babies to eat.

As it left the shadows, I immediately punched her face and shoved it to the ground. I was half worried that my attacks could pass through, but I could make physical contact with her.

She was a spirit who ate children anyways, how would she have eaten them if she couldn't touch or be touched by them?

To decrease resistance, I decided to show her enough fear in order for her to grow a trauma-like feeling toward me.

Letting it go, I watched her disappear into the shadows, only for me to appear behind her and drag her away.

The Mormo's only sanctuary, the shadow, wasn't a safe place for her anymore.

Shrieking, it grabbed the dirt, grass, and anything it could find on the ground and resisted my pull or threw them at me in hopes of attacking.

Pathetic.

I felt a tad bit disappointed.

This was what I was worrying about?

Since she couldn't die, I beat her until she wasn't conscious anymore and brought her to Tyrins.

King Eurystheus sh*t his pants again when he saw her beaten-up form.

I decided to rip her head from her body and bury the two in different places so that she won't be able to cause any trouble again.

...Who cares if I'm being violent or not...

I just want to live peacefully with all of my loved ones, who would be saved from their cruel fate.

As a result, the people of Tyrins heard a woman's cry every week at midnight. From what I heard, they had to say "Eschios is coming!" to have her be quiet and let them sleep.

Putting all that aside, I need to catch up to Heracles quickly. I have to get to him before he accidentally shoots Master Chiron...

Master Chiron's like a father to me. He raised and taught me since I was little... I have to stop his death, no matter what.

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Eschios pov:

While looking for Heracles, I suddenly heard the sounds of screaming, yelling, and of horses galloping through the forest. The stinky smell too...

Centaurs' blood.

My mind clicked fast right then. Heracles. Centaur. Blood.

No. Nonononononononono.

Please, no.

Running straight to where the smell lead me, I found... Heracles supporting Master, who was down on the ground with blood mixed with green poison oozing out of his wound.

"Eschios?"

"...You... Heracles... what..."

"Eschios, wai-"

"Shut, up... Give him to me."

Sealing his wound with a large piece of fabric I found, I tried to stop the poison from spreading to the rest of his body, but it was too late.

Using my healing magic, I healed the wound, but the poison was still there.

"No... no...!"

If... if I bathe him in the Styx river, would that...

No, it doesn't work.

Asclepius. I have to find Asclepius...

No... Apollo is better.

"Lord Apollo! Please! Heal master Chiron! I'll do anything you want me to do!"

Appearing with warm and bright sunlight, Apollo checked master Chiron and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Eschios, my dear... but this... It won't heal even if I tried to cure him. Chiron has been inflicted with the poison of the Hydra. I can't heal him."

I need to find someone who can cure the poison...

Think, Eschios. Think.

Ah.

There's someone who can cure it.

Oenone, the nymph who would later become the lover/wife of Paris, but would be abandoned by him. It was recorded in the myth that she had the cure to the Hydra's poison.

*Boom*

Running all the way across the sea to Troy, I quickly searched for Oenone, whom Apollo pointed out to me.

I should just give some hugs to Apollo at this point. I still hate him, though.

My body was wet and tired from all the running and thinking, but it didn't matter to me.

Appearing right in front of her, I calmed her down and asked her for the cure.

"*Huff* I need... *huff* the cure for the poison of *huff* Hydra... Quickly, please."

"The cure for the Hydra's poison? I was planning on making it, but I don't have it right now..."

I felt my heart sink.

"Then... Make it. As fast as you can. DO IT NOW!"

"Hik!"

*Whistle*

Running out, I called for Buck, who came flying to me. Getting on him, I flew to Olympus.

I didn't care if I was struck down by the lightning and died like Bellerophon did. My mind was only focused on the thought of the thought of preventing Master Chiron's pain and death after a few years.

Zeus also respects and is friendly to master, so there was less chance of me and Buck getting struck down.

Ignoring the coldness, I landed at Olympus and went straight for the Throne room, but not before finding a human form of a goddess blocking my way.

"Eschios, son of Selene. What do you think you are doing?"

"Lady Hera, please move... I beg you. Just this once... You know Master Chiron too... Please..."

Sighing, she looked at me with a crooked smile on her beautiful face, and said:

"It's about time you learned the consequences of messing with a goddess' plan. Such level of disrespect must be punished in some way, don't you think?"

"....!"

"Also, Chiron's fate and destiny were already decided by the Fates. You cannot change that, especially a mere demigod like you can't. Now go back and attend to your master."

Gritting my teeth and running back with my eyes full of anger, I hopped on Buck and flew to where Master Chiron and Heracles were.

Taking off my mask and breathing fresh air, I entered the small cave where Master was laying down at.

Master Chiron was getting up, but his expression was all but pain. Tears of pain were flowing from his eyes, and his mouth was shut, preventing the screams that could have escaped at any moment.

"Master, I'll find a way to cure you! Please hold on... A nymph is currently making your cure. It's going to be okay."

Looking at me, Master pat my head and smiled.

"...The poison has spread to every part of my body... A cure won't help completely."

Without knowing, my sight was covered up by tears with my cheeks being wet from the teardrops.

"...Don't... cry... I'm not dying yet. Give me a few days... and I'll be able to adjust to this."

"Master... I... I'm so sorry..."

Heracles said with a sad voice and his head down low.

"It's okay, Heracles... You can just... learn from this mistake... I'm... okay. You're trying to catch the Erymanthian boar, right...? Try to trap it in snowy areas."

Closing his eyes, Master fell to sleep to try to ease the pain.

"MASTER!!! YOU CAN'T DIE!!!"

"He's not dying, you f*cking idiot! He's just asleep!!!"

"...I see. Sorry."

".... Whatever, I don't even want to hear what happened... You. You should just f*cking think before you do something. What are you, a beast? Even Buck knows better than you. How long are you planning to be a person who rages about everything and kills them? Look at what happened because of that."

"...."

Grabbing him by his shoulders and pushing him away from me, I continued.

"What are you, those high and mighty ones up above who have no self-control except for the lady by the fireplace?"

"...I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you better damn well be. Fix that crappy attitude of yours. I'm going to attend to Master for now and take care of him. You go and catch that fat pig or boar or whatever."

*Rustle*

Someone is outside the cave... I feel a curious, childish gaze with some hints of fear along with them.

Wait. A childish gaze? This is where Atalanta and Heracles' children went to... so...

Carefully entering the cave was Hyllas, one of Heracles' children. After seeing Heracles, he froze out of fear.

"Hyllus... I'm here... It's oka-"

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

"Hyllus...?"

"I'm sorry...! Don't kill me... please..."

After hearing that from his own son, Heracles froze out of shock.

"Hyllus, you shouldn't wander off... I'll check what the scream was about."

And following him was Atalanta.

Meeting my gaze, she looked up at me, and I said to her:

"How... have you been...?"

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Narrator pov:

After taking Hyllas out, Eschios left Heracles with Master Chiron and talked with Atalanta for a bit, and explained what happened to Master Chiron.

Heracles seemed shocked. He probably expected the outcome of meeting his children again, but hearing that in person would have added a scar to his mental state.

"So you're doing those quests?

"Yep."

"I see..."

..... (Awkward silence)

"How was it... in this place?"

"It was good. I got to take care of the children. I tried to have them be as happy as possible... The blond one called Jason was annoying. He kept declaring how he'll be the king..."

"...Please understand. Jason may be like that on the outside, but he's the same on the inside, as well."

"Isn't that a bad thing?"

"Yes, but at least I'm being honest."

..... (Another awkward silence)

"..... Your eyes are all puffy."

"It's probably from... uh... the weather."

Then, patting Eschios on the back, Atalanta comforted him.

"It's going to be ok, Eschios."

"...Yeah. I hope so."

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Eschios pov:

After leaving again to complete the quests, I arrived at Tyrins and received the fifth quest.

The fifth quest was to kill Lycaon, the first werewolf. He was turned into a werewolf after trying to trick the gods by attempting to have them eat a soup made out of his son's dead body.

After being turned into a werewolf, he started to roam in the wild, attacking people along his way so that other werewolves could be made as well.

Since it didn't have any divinity, I wasn't damaged by any of its attacks and sliced it to death with my sword.

...After killing it, I tracked down the rest of the werewolves and killed them all. They were normal people before, but they harmed others after turning into a monster.

Getting rid of them was more beneficial for everyone... There could have been more victims if I hadn't killed them.

Even though some were children and elderly... Even though they, who were normal humans some time ago, cried and begged for mercy...

It was necessary as they all inflicted pain on others, and could still do that in the future.

They could have ended up killing my close ones. I have to get rid of all possibilities like that. I can't allow the thing like Master's poisoning to happen again.

Just like Asterios... I can forgive the sinner, but not the sin.

...That's right. I made the right choice. It was the right choice.

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The sixth quest was to end the long chase between Laelaps, the hunting dog who could hunt everything, and the Teumessian fox, the beast who could never be caught.

After killing the fox and finally having the hunting dog rest, I was gifted the dog and the javelin that never missed as a reward and a thank-you from King Cephalus, who was the original owner of Laelaps.

After becoming Laelaps' owner, he developed a rivalry with Buck for my affection. It was cute, except for the part where they would growl and bark and roar at each other.

They helped me forget about all the painful things for a moment.

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After quickly speedrunning through the seven quests, I was able to catch up with Heracles. He had just captured the Cretan Bull and brought it to King Eurystheus, who now hides in a giant bowl of some sort.

...He always calls me and Heracles a monster. If not for Hera, I would have...

Since when did I take a human life so lightly? Was it when I started to kill Centaurs and beasts? When people I treasured were harmed because of me not being careful?

I don't know. But it's not a bad thought... he just mocked me, so it's okay to think this way...

And with that, i began to justify my own actions and thoughts.

I had to then berate Heracles about his dumbness when he tried to set the Bull free in Athens.

If I hadn't stopped Heracles, the Bull would have gone rampage and killed some of King Minos' sons, which would have caused a war between Crete and Athens.

Buck and Laelaps looked at me weirdly when I proudly told them that I'd stopped a war by myself.

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A/N: Alright, I'll now list all of the pain Eschios have received up to now.

Truck-kun hits him

Severe Anxiety

Suffering from fear

Stalking of Apollo

Dehydration

Severe hunger

Not Sleeping for two years

Insomnia (Ptsd from Apollo)

Too much exposure to violence

Guilt from his not-so-good Hero's mind

Chiron being poisoned with Hydra's poison

Growing obsession for knowledge of the future

(A lot more will be added as the story goes on)

____

By the way, Clairvoyance-EX or Alaya can't see Eschios' path to the future beforehand because he is from a world that is way out of the Nasuverse, making him a being from an outer-world place. The result that Eschios causes would be the 'Original timeline' and the 'base' for the other timelines.

Therefore, Eschios can change the future into whatever he likes, but cannot change his past, because it would already be set as the 'correct' history. You can see that in the scene where Eschios first dips into the river Styx.

Here are also the results that Eschios caused as of now:

Selene becomes more famous in the myth due to Eschios being her son

Many beauty brands are named after Eschios (Eschios: Stop....)

Many races and their rewards are named after Eschios

Two constellations disappearing (Laelaps & The Teumessian fox)

Heracles having only killed his wife

Heracles thinks more before rages, resulting in Hippolyta living and having a daughter between the two, and the daughter is named 'Persefoni' meaning to destroy

Griffins becoming known more to the world as a hero's companion

Gets nerfed and is killed by a certain god-slayer in God of War

Monsters/beasts like the Empousa, Clazmonian sow, Crommyonian sow, Amphisbaena, Catoblepas, the Blemmyes, Scylla, Charybdis, Manticore, Mormo, and Lycaon being killed and not surviving