"Eros, Eros... don't die, don't scare your mother!"
Aphrodite cried out, slapping Eros's face, but at this moment, the little God of Love, whose chest had been pierced by Athena's spear, was breathing more out than in.
Faint golden blood continuously flowed from Eros's mouth and nostrils, his face showing seven parts terror and three parts bewilderment. He still didn't understand why Athena, the sister who had always been gentle with him, would suddenly strike, trying to kill him.
Eros felt his strength constantly draining away. As the blood flowed, his body temperature slowly dropped. He felt a coldness, a darkness, as if Hades's whispers were ringing in his ears.
If Aphrodite's hand hadn't been pressed against his chest, continuously supplying him with the boundless Divine Power of a Chief God at all costs, Eros would probably have already gone to take a boat on the River Styx, clutching coins.
"Athena!"
While clinging to her son's life, Aphrodite yelled hysterically at Athena:
"How dare you kill my son in my Temple? Do you still have any regard for the rules set by Zeus?!"
"..."
Athena looked down at the little God of Love slowly dying on the ground, a strange light flickering in her eyes, wondering what she was thinking. Then she raised her head, turned to the side, and softly asked:
"Zeus, have you seen and heard everything?"
"Yes."
Accompanied by a low affirmative sound, the figure of Zeus, King of the Gods, gradually emerged from the side of the Temple of Aphrodite.
His face was grim, lightning flashed in his eyes, and he held a shimmering bolt of lightning in his hand. He came before Aphrodite, lowered his head, and the lightning flashing in his eyes and hand illuminated the Goddess of Beauty's face, making it pale.
Only then did Aphrodite remember that the original Goddess of Wisdom, Metis, was not only the birth mother of Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, but also the first wife of Zeus, the King of Gods.
Some older gods said that the relationship between Zeus and Metis was even deeper than that with Heavenly Queen Hera. It was with Metis's help that Zeus rescued his siblings, defeated his father Cronus, and became the new King of Gods.
If Metis could have lived until now, it would be very difficult to say whether Hera could have firmly held her position as Heavenly Queen.
Later, although Zeus ruthlessly swallowed his wife Metis due to Prometheus's prophecy, Aphrodite had heard Helios and Selene say that there was actually a deeper hidden reason behind it.
Moreover, apart from his casual mistresses, Zeus never allowed others to lay hands on his wives. Aphrodite had witnessed the dire situation Poseidon was in after he had raped Demeter.
Even the Sea King, powerful enough to divide the world with Zeus and Hades, was in such a state, let alone Aphrodite's son, Eros.
After noticing Zeus's indifferent gaze, Aphrodite had already guessed the King of Gods' decision.
"Zeus."
Aphrodite pleaded tearfully:
"Eros... he could also be your own flesh and blood. Please spare him this once. I beg you, I will definitely keep him in line from now on."
"Aphrodite, lift your head. Do not shed such sorrowful tears anymore; it will detract from your beauty."
Zeus gently lifted the Goddess of Beauty's chin, looking at her gently, and said:
"You see, you yourself said that Eros 'might' be my child, but he could also be Poseidon's, or Hermes's, or the child of other gods. But Metis... your child violated the taboo between Athena and me. Even if Apollo and the others stepped into this minefield, I would not forgive them. So, Aphrodite, I can only bestow upon your child my final mercy."
Having said that, he raised the shimmering lightning bolt in his hand and fiercely hurled it at Eros.
"No—"
How could Aphrodite stop Zeus's divine lightning? Thus, she could only watch helplessly as her child was reduced to ashes under Zeus's divine lightning, leaving no trace of his body.
After the lightning, only a Valkyrie's spear remained in its place. After being touched by the lightning, it was wrapped in electric light, appearing sacred and majestic, not at all like a blasphemous weapon that had just killed a god.
With one strike, Zeus retracted his lightning. He turned around, looked at the Goddess of Beauty, who was sitting on the ground, utterly distraught, and said to her:
"At least Eros left without pain. Next time, teach him to be smarter."
With that, the King of Gods coldly left the Temple of Aphrodite, leaving only a helpless Aphrodite sitting by her throne.
Athena stood by, quietly glanced at her, and then prepared to leave with Zeus. But just then, Aphrodite suddenly shrieked hysterically:
"Why?!"
"Why are you so cruel?!"
"Eros... he was clearly doing things for you!"
Athena's steps halted. Without turning her head, she retorted:
"What do you mean... doing things for me? This was just a transaction, Aphrodite. You and your son have already received my benefits. Moreover, I never instigated Eros to act against Medea. I only said that if you could shoot Medea, I could increase the price; if you couldn't, I wouldn't force it."
"You yourselves decided to aim for Medea because you were greedy. You gave up on so many heroes present and specifically targeted the sorceress protected by both Ares and Hecate, resulting in her retaliation. If you want to blame someone, blame your and your son's overestimation of yourselves."
Having said that, Athena, with a cold face, walked to the entrance of the Temple of Aphrodite, then stopped again, and said:
"Next time, stay away from Metis, otherwise... even you, if I wanted to, I could kill!"
The murderous intent and danger contained in the Goddess of Wisdom's words made Aphrodite tremble uncontrollably, but then, an inexplicable anger surged in her heart, canceling out the tremor.
She felt angry, angry at Athena and Zeus for killing her child, and also angry at her own powerlessness.
"This must be... it must be a conspiracy. How could Medea's teleportation magic just happen to send Eros to the abandoned Temple of Metis?"
Aphrodite muttered to herself:
"Ares, Ares... Right, Ares's teacher is the current ruler of the Underworld. Eros, Eros might still be saved!"