Aeric had never seen God Eros before. The paintings, statues and inscriptions had their various descriptions of him, but he had never seen him face to face.
Nevertheless, he somehow knew. This was without a doubt, God Eros, his father in this magical new world.
The face was hovering before Aeric in the shifting, colorful sky. It looked mesmerizing and yet unsettling at the same time, the kind of visage that demanded reverence yet hinted at a deep, untouchable flaw.
One of the things Aeric noticed was the bone structure. The cheekbones were incredibly high, like they were carved with an artisan's precision, tapering into a sharp jawline that seemed almost too perfect to belong to any mortal.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
The skin was flawless, even more flawless than his if that was somehow possible. It was radiant, with a faint golden sheen that spoke of power and godliness, also possessing an immense amount of Divinity, like it was the main source of it.
This Divinity gave this face the true meaning of perfection, yet its perfection felt unnerving, like a mask concealing something darker.
It wasn't a completely handsome face, clearly there was mischief, deceit, and something more malevolent that gave him the cunning look of a selfish god.
Just like his eyes which were perhaps his most arresting feature: molten gold irises flecked with crimson, burning with an intensity that could pierce through the soul. They exuded wisdom and power, yet beneath their brilliance lurked a glint of cunning, an almost predatory gleam that made Aeric instinctively wary.
The rest of his face completed the look that reeked of narcissism and self-satisfaction. He had an expression on it, the kind of expression that made it clear Eros knew his beauty, his power, and his absolute dominion over everything he touched in Erothyria.
Even if Aeric didn't want to, he couldn't help but feel small under Eros's gaze.
"You recognize me," Eros said, his voice was ethereal, booming and tainted with mischief. "And yet you stare as though you don't."
Aeric regained himself and cleared his throat. "Do people not usually stare when you appear before them?" he found himself asking.
The cunning smirk on Eros's face stretched to a full smile. "Very well, they do." He hovered to another part of the sky, and Aeric's eyes followed him. "Perhaps it is my godly aura, the sheer Divinity pulsing from my depths. Perhaps it is my heavenly visage, my gaze of diamonds, my beguiling smile of seduction. What do you think, Aeric?"
The Son of Starlight didn't say anything, rather he continued to gaze at Eros while his mind ran with the possible reasons why the god of Erothyria would be here.
Eros widened his eyes. "Scared? Speak no such nonsense, boy."
"Because I also have the royal seed, you know I can impregnate the Mothers of the Regions. Your wives!"
The god of desire frowned, anger burning in his molten eyes.
"The Daughters too! You sick god, you're grooming them, aren't you? They'll be the ones to take over and ascend to Motherhood after the present Mothers. You are preparing them to give birth to more Daughters for you, and those Daughters as well will be groomed to give birth to more Daughters. Your cycle of rulership and so does your harem."
Eros growled deeply, like he was warning the boy.
"You're worried that I could take them from you and impregnate them myself, make them my wives and my Daughters."
'It seems he's been watching me sleep with other women; Erimyra, Lady Edna, Miss Alzera. He knows my seductive skills are high and he fears that it could work on his wives and Daughters. He probably even already knows that I fully intend on trying! On taking all of it and making them mine!'
"The royal seed," Eros spoke after a short silence. "You are undeserving of it. Not just the seed, but the beauty you have stolen. The Divinity that creates my Daughters in the wombs of my wives, is tasked to create the most beautiful women in the realm, flawless in all measurements. It has never been used to create a Son. Until you."
Aeric almost smirked. "You are saying my handsomeness is on par with the most beautiful people in the entire realm — your Daughters. Except I am even more unique because I'm your son and no other male possesses the same looks as I do."
He stepped forward. "You think it gives me an edge in seducing women, particularly your wives and Daughters."
'That would be true.' he said in his mind. 'I remember listening to Lady Edna's thoughts. She was so mesmerized by my looks and my body. It all makes total sense.'
"You are not trying to challenge me. Are you, Son?!" Eros thundered. "I am your father and you must show me due respect. You dare not steal from me."
Aeric's eyes narrowed. 'But I have to. I have to Claim all their powers. Every single one of them. They're all investigating me, trying to find out where I came from so they can cast me away. If I have all their powers then, if I master it all. Then there's nothing they could do to stop me.'
He looked up at Eros. "I'm sorry father, but it is immensely important that I fuck all of your wives."