Catreus was heartbroken. Despite knowing her reputation, Debara’s rejection had still ended up hurting more than expected.

When he first heard rumours of the stunning beauty of the young florist with a white bull, he had only thought to spare a glance to check if they were true. Yet with one glance, he fell in love at first sight.

Her beauty was not just stunning; it was unmatched!

Bitten by the arrow of Eros, Catreus could not get Debara out of his mind from that moment on. He was so infatuated that he ignored all warning and attempted to propose despite it; this was the result.

Catreus slumped over in despair. How could this be? He, a son of King Minos of Crete, dismissed as easily as any common man.

Perhaps he was missing something.

“Poor guy, another one rejected by Debara.”

“It’s understandable. For most guys, it’s a hard blow to come back from.”

Clenching his fist in frustration, Catreus lifted his head up to see two people whispering. Were they dismissing him too? How rude, beautiful Debara just needed to witness his charming character, that’s all!

That’s right, he cannot give up so easily. Persistence! What girl would not fall for a man who continuously expresses his heartfelt love?

Yet, how should he best approach his next proposal?

Catreus stared wistfully at the discarded red roses on the ground. Perhaps proposing with just flowers was not enough. He should have offered something she wanted and needed too.

Debara travelled around the Cretan island selling her flowers for money… perhaps then he should tempt her with riches? He could provide it. As the king’s son, he could definitely provide her with a comfortable life and more. Yet, Debara had rejected him despite knowing that fact!

It could only mean she was unconvinced his proposal was genuine.

Then he will show her! Catreus decided as he stood up in determination.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

The next day, Catreus found Debara in the city with her usual cart of flowers pulled by her pet white bull. There was a small crowd of people gathered by the cart, but Debara sat at the front where he had a clear view of her.

Catreus gave a light sigh; no matter how many times he laid eyes on her, she continued to dazzle him.

However, today he was on a mission. He was to convince her of his genuine desire to make her his wife, no, his queen.

Once the crowd dispersed, Catreus unhurriedly approached Debara’s cart to examine her assortment of flowers. He saw various beautifully arranged bouquets, each hand-crafted with delicate care.

Amazing! Despite his lack of knowledge in flowers, he realised lovely Debara was a master of her craft. It made sense that she would charge each bouquet in silver for their quality and artistry.

Now for the next part of his plan.

Debara’s shock melted into an excited smile.

“You may! You are most kind. Please take the cart to help you carry everything, at no extra cost!”

Pleased with himself, Catreus easily paid for the bouquets and added extra silver for the cart despite her words. Truthfully, he did not need the flowers; he was merely trying to prove a point by buying out her stocks.

“Do you see?” Catreus gently took her hand. “Dear Debara, if you marry me, I will provide you anything you want, all the riches you want. You would live a comfortable life with me as my queen.”

Debara seemed to pause in consideration, and Catreus thought he saw a
hint of hesitation in her eyes.

Then Debara gently smiled, “Thank you, but I don’t want riches.”

What? Catreus stood frozen-still in shock. He could only watch as his love thanked him for doing business, climbed on her pet bull and rode away.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

The next day, Catreus found Debara on the outskirts of the city with a new cart filled with fresh bouquets and the usual white bull.

He will not give up! Yesterday, he had mistakenly assumed that gentle Debara wanted wealth and made a fool of himself in front of her. Yet she had briefly hesitated. That gave him hope that if he could pinpoint exactly what she wanted, and then she would want to marry him for sure!

This time Catreus observed Debara from afar to find her true desires.

It took some time, but eventually Catreus noticed how lovingly Debara treated her pet white bull, feeding and giving it hugs. He was almost jealous. She evidently adored the bull very much.

That’s it! Catreus grinned as he thought of an idea.

With new confidence, he once again walked up to the love of his life.

“Beautiful Debara, I apologies for my poor previous proposals. Please, if you could hear me out this time,” Catreus began with an apologetic nod.

Catreus held his breath. Her hesitation was more obvious this time!

“Thank you Catreus,” Debara eventually smiled, “But we are happy with the way things are right now.”

Thus, for the third time, Catreus felt his heart break.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Another failed attempt. Catreus could only sulk in his private quarters while nursing a cup of wine. He was at a loss, to the point of desperation. He was sure his offer must have been tempting enough to make Debara hesitate, so what was he still missing?

After three rejections, Catreus finally had to admit to himself what he refused to admit before; Debara does not desire him as he does for her.

However, just because he admits to it, does not mean he will accept it! No, pitiful as he may be, he was unwilling to let his angel go. But since it had come to this, he will have to request for the help of the gods.

Gulping the last of his wine and grabbing the red roses he used in his first proposal, Catreus ran out to a nearby forest area where he lit a small fire. Then he held up the roses above his head and prayed aloud.

“O Divine Goddess of Love, Aphrodite! I, Catreus, son of Minos, humbly ask for your help. Please lend me your power, for I wish my beloved Debara desires me as I do for her. If you accept my request, please take these roses as my offering to you.”

With that, Catreus knelt by his small fire, burnt the rose offerings and patiently waited.

Eventually, the sound of flapping wings came from above. Catreus looked up to see a beautiful white swan descending from the sky and landing before him. In its beak was a gorgeous rose of vibrant orange colour.

Catreus blinked, was this a messenger or the goddess herself?

“I heard your plea and accept your request, Catreus, son of Minos.” the swan spoke, causing him to squeak before lowering his head to grovel.

“O heavenly Aphrodite, you have my utmost thanks and appreciation!”

Aphrodite in her swan form nodded at Catreus and dropped the orange rose into his palm.

“Listen well, this rose, picked from the gardens of Olympus contains a magic spell that will aid you for as long as you meet the required conditions,” the goddess began.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Flower fields were one of Debara’s favourite places to be. Not only did they produce the various flowers needed to run her florist business, but also wild flowers blooming signified the health and abundance of the land.

To Debara, the good-health of nature was her wealth.

On this day, she was out in the fields outside of Knossos city, diligently collecting and gathering the dead flowers and plants, and leaving them in a pile so her bull friend could happily feast upon them.

She worked from sunrise until midday, combing through an entire area for lifeless flora. Once done, Debara moved on to selecting the fresher flowers in the field for her next batch of bouquets to sell.

This was her life, her daily routine, and it brought her great satisfaction.

“Sweet Debara, I have finally found you!”

Blinking, Debara looked up to see Catreus scurrying towards her.

Ah, he came to see her again!

Debara felt sorry for Catreus after every rejection she gave him. She could tell he was well meaning; the proposals he gave her would leave any other woman swooning. If not for her promise, she might have too.

“Hello Catreus, have you come to propose again?” Debara smiled at him.

Catreus blush at the question, before he straightened and presented a vibrant orange rose. “Actually, I’ve come with a gift for you!”

“Oh, it’s beautiful.” Debara marvelled at its striking colour. She moved to take the rose, but Catreus pulled back and stuttered.

“I-I found it and thought it would suit you well! May I have the honour of placing it in your hair, dear Debara?”

Seeing no harm, Debara nodded, and Catreus carefully placed the rose just above her left ear.

Then, like a fire being lit, Debara felt her entire world shift. She suddenly realised how handsome Catreus was, how beautifully perfect. Just being in his presences made her stomach flutter. She could not fathom where this sudden passionate love came from, but found she could not resist it.

“Dearest Debara,” Catreus breathed, almost making her swoon when he gently took her hand in his and stared deeply into her eyes. “Will you accept my hand in marriage?”

Debara sighed in adoration. “Yes, I will, dearest Catreus.”

With that, the two newly engaged lovers left the field hand in hand.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Had Catreus always been this charming and irresistible? Debara wondered as she cuddled up to her sleeping lover. Why had she only recently noticed?

Once they announced their engagement to Catreus’ father, King Minos made preparations for their wedding ceremony almost immediately. Word spread fast, and the news of the wedding became the talk of the city.

In Crete, engaged couples spend their time before the wedding apart. But against tradition, the two lovers remained in each other’s company in Catreus’ private quarters. She could not be separate from him.

Debara could not explain why, but she felt the happiest whenever she was by Catreus’ side, and she could tell that he felt the same way for her.

Though she was curious about Catreus regularly checking the flower he had gifted her in her hair. When she asked about it, he had laughed and told her he was checking to make sure it did not fall out; it looked so beautiful on her it would be a shame if they lost it.

Ah, how endearing! That Catreus was royalty was a bonus.

It was strange. Ever since Debara realised she loved Catreus, he became her entire world. To think she had rejected him so many times before. In fact, she could barely remember anymore the times before her big revelation.

This was what it’s like to be deeply in love.

So infatuated that everything in her life before was a distant memory. So in love she felt fearful at the thought of any kind of separation.

Glancing at her sleeping lover’s face, Debara felt fondness bubble in her chest. Yes, her happiness was with Catreus, she needed nothing else.

She could not think of anything else. Nothing else mattered, as long as she was with Catreus, son of King Minos.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Days passed by and the morning of the wedding eventually arrived. The air filled with joy and celebration. Most preparations for the ceremony were complete; from the wedding decorations and food for the feast, to the couple’s offering to the gods for their union blessing.

Preparing the bride and groom was the last thing on the agenda.

Catreus left Debara to be attended by female slaves with strict orders to leave the orange rose in her hair. They helped her into her wedding outfit, adding a flower crown to go with the rose in her hair. They applied makeup to her face and finished with a light veil draped over her head.

During the entire process, Debara felt a tightness, like suffocation, build up in her chest. She had to get rid of the feeling before the first ritual.

“I wish to go out for a bit of fresh air.” Debara told the slaves.

“Lady Debara, are you feeling unwell? Shall I inform Master Catreus?”

“Only tell him, I will be out in the fields for a short while.” Debara smiled.

There was still some time left. She decided it would not hurt to see the open field where the after-wedding feast will take place later in the day.

Upon arrival, Debara saw that the field was peaceful. She appreciated the serenity that the open field gave her. The walk had definitely helped.

Suddenly, she spotted something moving in the fields. Lifting her veil to get a better look, Debara realised it was in fact a roaming white bull.

It was the most beautiful white bull she had ever seen.

Debara found herself compelled by the majestic beast and went near to pet it once it was within her reach. The bull was gentle enough to let her.

“Hello there, you feel so familiar.” Debara spoke softly to the bull.

When the bull pulled the flower in her hair into it’s mouth, Debara finally remembered.

She remembered that the white bull in front of her was Cerus, her best friend and companion.

She remembered that many years ago they met and bonded over their mutual love for flowers. They had been inseparable ever since.

She remembered that she loved visiting the fields of Crete with her bull friend, where they would both care for the flowers in the area until the sun went down. It was how she became a travelling florist to support the two of them.

She remembered her love and passion for nature, and together with Cerus, promised each other to dedicate their lives to tending to the flora on the island together.

It was the reason she refused all those who came to her with marriage proposals. No matter how tempting the offers became, she stubbornly stood firm to her passion and her promise. At least, that was until…

“Dearest Debara, I have been looking-” Catreus paused when he realised that she was with her pet bull, whom he had completely forgotten about.

Catreus paled. This cannot be… “D-dear sweet Debara, let’s go back, the ceremony is about to begin.” he tried to urge her.

That’s right, the wedding. Debara turned her head to stare at Catreus.

No longer did she feel the bubbles of happiness she felt whenever she looked at him. The charmed spell cast upon her finally lifted. No longer was she forced to love him anymore.

Debara will admit that Catreus had been good to her though. If she went back to the wedding, she could still be happy as his wife. Unfortunately…

“D-Debara?” Catreus whimpered. It was hopeless; that fact had come crashing down on him the moment he saw the look in her eyes. Perhaps it had been hopeless from the very beginning, and he was the fool that believed he could make her love him.

“I apologies, Catreus,” Debara gave him a sad smile, “but I do not want to marry you.”

Catreus sobbed, and before Debara could feel guilty, she turned away and climbed onto Cerus’ back. Together, they raced through the open field without looking back, leaving behind an unwanted wedding and a man to cry in his own despair.

Cerus did not stop running until the two arrived at one of their usual flower fields, only then did Debara finally relax. She was pleased to see that the place was still as beautiful and alive as she had last remembered it.

“I’m sorry Cerus,” Debara hugged and sadly apologised to her friend, “It seems I have caused us trouble, huh? Refusing King Minos’ son at the last moment right before the wedding… I don’t think he would be too pleased. I bet people are searching for me now.”

“You’re right!” Startled, Debara turned to face the new voice and saw a man she had never seen before.

“Just imagine the story they’ll tell through the generations; ‘The Tale of the Runaway Bride’.”

“U-um, you are?” Debara asked the strange man nervously, but became shocked when Cerus walked up and let him pat its head.

The man laughed, “Did you know? This one was so worried when you went missing that I felt sorry and told him where to find you. I even told him about Aphrodite’s rose and the spell. I did not think the rescue would go so successfully though!”

“Oh… Thank you?” Debara was unsure what to make of the mystical man.

“And to answer your question Debara,” he continued, “you would know me as Zeus, King of Gods.”

“Oh!” Debara gasped. She was in the presence of a god!

“I’m here because I’m impressed by your ability to resist temptation and stay firm to your duty.” Zeus complimented zealously, “so because I have developed a liking to you, I have a proposal to help solve your problem!”

“Help a mere mortal like me?” Debara almost could not believe it.

“Of course!” Zeus grinned. “I want to make you immortal and ascend you to the heavens, would you like that?”

“That is-” Debara paused before considering. “I will happily accept if you allow Cerus to join me, O Great Zeus.”

Zeus’ grin grew even wider. “Certainly! That is no problem at all. I will join Cerus with you and allow ascension for both of you.”

With a raise of his hand, Zeus fused both Debara and Cerus together, forming one beautiful woman with bullhorns atop her head. All at once, Debara received all of Cerus’ memories, love and loyalty for her. Their two consciousnesses in one body brought tears of joy to her eyes.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Chapter Extras

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

The Story of the Bull

This story took bits of inspiration from one of the original Greek mythologies for Taurus, ‘The story of Persephone and Cerus’. The tale begins with Cerus as a giant uncontrollable raging bull who destroyed everything based on the whims of his emotions. That was until he met Persephone, the goddess of Spring, in a field of trampled flowers. The two developed an understanding with Cerus, learning patience and then becoming close friends with the goddess. From then on, the two met every spring to bring bloom to all the plants and flowers across the land.

Taurus the Bull

[ 2nd Zodiac Constellation ] As beautiful and good-natured as she appears, she is actually very stubborn and loyal once she sets her mind to something. This can apply to both her desires and her responsibilities, which can cause clashes in priorities. She has since realised that she can harmonise the two when her desires become her responsibility.

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love

[ Guardian of the 2nd Zodiac ] She is an Olympian goddess renowned for her beauty and sexual exploits with other gods and mortals; a goddess who desires as much as others desire her. She is the goddess to go to for love or relationship troubles. Nobody, not even Zeus, really knows where she came from or how old she is, and like a true lady, she keeps her age a secret.

“It doesn’t matter whether she is my aunt or my daughter, I still have to keep her from messing with the mortals.” – Zeus

The word ‘escape’ brought Hamal out of his shock. “Escape? Do you know what happens to slaves who defy the king? They get hunted down, tortured and probably publicly executed!”

The ram huffed. “Sure, you’re probably right, but only if they can catch us. If we go now, nobody will notice until it’s too late. This is our one chance!” it urged.

Hamal paused, conflicted, but also very tempted. He had thought about escaping before, but he never found the right opportunity. Was this his time? If he did not take this one, there may never be another chance again. The risks were high, but the reward if it worked…

Besides, could he ask for a better escape companion? A sacred animal trusted by the gods? He had only ever dreamed of freedom, but perhaps now he could make it into a reality.

Hamal’s face melted into a grin. “All right fine, let’s do it!”

“Excellent choice! You won’t regret this!” The ram cheered.

Cooperation now established, the duo escaped through the forest with the golden ram leading the way.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

The animal had been correct when it said that nobody would notice until it was too late. Even when the city guards knew about Hamal’s orders, they only stood guarding the outside of the forest. No one thought to be mindful of a slave who had been nothing but obedient for the last ten years. The situation was perfect for the duo’s escape.

After a while of waiting, one guard finally realised how long Hamal was taking and went in looking for him, thinking a wolf might have attacked him. It wasn’t until the guard discovered a rope tied to a branch, a clean cut in the noose, and no blood, ram or slave in sight, that there was a call alerting of a runaway slave.

King Athamas was both shocked and outraged that a slave would defy him and betray his trust. He immediately ordered for the pursuit and retrieval of both slave and ram. They released hounds to aid the hunt. Before long, there was a whole search party sent to track down the escapees.

By that time, both Hamal and the golden ram had already left the walls of Orchomenus’ acropolis. Their next obstacle was to trek through the hilly terrain out of Boeotia and cross into Opuntian Locris.

Hamal grew nervous as he tried to remember all the territories under the king’s jurisdiction. “But crossing into Opuntian Locris won’t stop them, we’ll still be within the king’s reach. The guards will definitely continue to chase us down!”

“Trust me, I’m the great Chrysomallus!” the ram exclaimed with its head held high. “I’ll definitely get us out of this.”

Hamal sighed, he had no choice but to trust in Chrysomallus’ words, the sacred animal was pivotal to his escape. Just the thought of freedom alone renewed his determination to continue the long journey.

Yet it seemed determination was not enough. They did not reach the border until sunset. The terrain had been harsher to travel on than expected, hindering them long enough for their horse-riding pursuers to catch up.

Their pursuers even warned the border guards in time to meet them before
they could cross, cutting off their escape.

“Halt, fugitive! We have surrounded you! King Athamas calls for your arrest. Come with us calmly or we will use force.”

“And we were so close too…” Hamal groaned in despair and exhaustion. He had literally bet everything on this escape!

He knew it did not matter whether they cooperated. Their end will be the same. The guards will restrain him and bring him back to the city, lock him away until the king decides his fate. They will slaughter the ram and strip its fleece. The king will probably sentence him with execution for defying him and ‘stealing’ the golden ram. Then it would be all over…

“Are you giving up already?”

Suddenly, Chrysomallus jumped in front of him and told him to “Get on my back, hurry!”

Shocked, Hamal quickly did as told, grabbing onto his companion’s horns to keep himself steady. Then the golden ram charged directly towards the guards—“Wait, what are you doing?!”—before leaping high into the air.

“Whoa! O Great Zeus!”

Chrysomallus sprouted a pair of golden wings and flew them high into the clouds. They left the guards staring up at them in complete shock and awe. Some tried to fire arrows at them, but none could reach them fast enough. Hamal gripped tightly onto his companion’s horns as he watched the people and land steadily shrink from his view.

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Hamal and Chrysomallus flew throughout the night with the moon lighting their way. The flight journey was long and chilly, but as it was Hamal’s first true experience of freedom and adrenaline was running through them both, the duo lasted through the many hours until sunrise.

Hamal had watched as Chrysomallus tirelessly carried them north over the Opuntian Locris region. The ram mentioned the names of several towns and cities as they flew over them, and upon reaching a city called Iolcus, Chrysomallus turned north east to fly towards the Aegean Sea.

Was this what the gods saw when they viewed the land from the heavens? Hamal wondered as he marvelled over the scenery before him.

“So where are we going?” he finally asked.

“As far away from King Athamas as possible,” Chrysomallus replied. “He will probably search for us even beyond the boundaries of his land, so we’re going to a place that’ll be far out of his reach.”

The thought of never seeing the king again made Hamal laugh in relief. He was now a freeman! Words could not describe how liberated he felt.

After watching islands, land and more sea pass under them, the sun finally began rising from the horizon. At that point, Chrysomallus began descending upon a forest some distance away from a coast.

“I won’t be able to fly again for a while, but we should be safe here. There is a sacred grove dedicated to the god Ares nearby that we can take refuge in.” Chrysomallus explained as he chewed on some undergrowth.

Hamal observed the foreign landscape. It surprised him how he felt more excited than scared in unfamiliar territory.

“I want to explore this place!” He declared with bright eyes until a rumble from his stomach forced him to pause. He remembered then that they both had not eaten since the morning of their escape.

“I’ll look for something to eat too,” he added sheepishly.

While Hamal gathered wild berries in the forest, his companion happily munched on shrubs. Once his stomach was full, fatigue from being awake all night finally hit him. If he was still a slave, the king would not have allowed him to rest until after sundown, but now he could do whatever he wanted!

With a yawn, Hamal dropped himself next to a resting Chrysomallus before laying his head on the ram’s fluffy side. “Hope you don’t mind, I’m taking a nap right here,” he informed as he closed his eyes.

Chrysomallus huffed, but kept still. “How carefree. Freedom is good, but it comes with responsibilities you know.”

There was no reply, the other was already sound asleep. Chrysomallus shook his head. Really, did the human truly believe that all his worries were over? Perhaps it was something to address later, but for now rest was the right decision. So the ram relented and also laid his head down to sleep.

All was peaceful in the forest of Colchis.

Unbeknown to the sleeping duo, they were not alone however. A figure quietly creeping through the forest eventually chanced upon them.

A pause, and then the figure smirked.

“Well now, what have we here?”

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Hamal did not know what woke him, but the moment he opened his eyes, he knew that something was wrong.

First, he was lying on the ground, gagged and rope bound both his wrists and ankles. Second, he saw Chrysomallus struggling aggressively against five men whom were attempting to restrain him with rope.

What?! How did this happen?

Unable to move, Hamal could only watch in horror as the combined efforts of the men overpowered his companion, tying him down a short distance in front of him. He was no stranger to these types of barbaric men. They were bandits, and both Hamal and Chrysomallus were their captives.

“We got ourselves a good catch this time!” A bandit grinned wickedly.

“Yeah! Never seen a golden ram before, bet we could sell it for a load of gold to some fancy king.” Another laughed.

Hamal snapped out of his shock. What terrible timing! The bandits found them while Chrysomallus was still recovering from their long flight; it was now up to him to save them. He must do something!

Quietly, while their attention was not on him, Hamal shifted his bounded arms to his waist. Fortunately, the bandits seemed to have failed to notice the small knife attached to his belt, covered by the folds of his chiton. He carefully took the knife out, using his arms to hide the blade, and began discreetly cutting at the rope.

“I reckon better to kill it, this one’s feisty! Just its fleece should do.”

Quickly! Hamal urged himself faster. He refuse to let them kill his friend!

Hamal, rapt with fury, snapped his restrains. He did not go through all the trouble to escape, only to get caught and made into a slave again!

With no hesitation, Hamal charged in fiercely, brandishing his knife.

“Auugh!” He slashed at the back of the closest bandit.

“What?!” The others recoiled in alarm as their comrade collapsed.

Hamal looked murderous standing over the fallen man with his bloody knife in hand. In reality, he had never purposely attacked someone before. But now, with rage coursing through his veins, driven by his abhorrence of becoming a slave again, he will fight to keep his freedom!

“Get away from the ram!” Hamal shouted as he swung his knife wildly, forcing the bandits away from Chrysomallus. Once within reach, Hamal quickly cut the ropes and allowed his friend to flee.

However, the moment he looked down was the moment the wounded bandit stood back up to attack his back.

“Bastard, you’ll pay!” Hearing the voice from behind, Hamal instinctively dropped and rolled away, barely dodging a club to the head.

Coincidentally at that same time, Ares, the Olympian god of war, was watching the kidnapping-turned-brawl. Perched atop his own sacred grove, the god observed while in the form of a bearded vulture.

Ares, having witnessed the bandits’ attempted capture, felt thrilled when the captive young man fought back and rescued the golden ram.

How interesting! A mortal fighting to rescue an animal sired by the god Poseidon, such incidence was unheard of.

Yet the young man’s rage only took him so far, he was full of openings and was eventually tackled to the ground. His arms pinned, and the men threw punches at his face; five against one was much too difficult.

That would not do. Feeling gracious, Ares lent the young man a hand and granted him a divine blessing; revitalise and strengthen his body!

At that same moment, Chrysomallus unexpectedly came ramming into the bandits attacking Hamal, knocking them away. It gave Hamal the chance to get back on his feet, despite the pain and bruising.

Strange, why did he suddenly feel so energised?

“Bastard, you’re gonna seriously get it now.” All five bandits moved to trap Hamal in an encirclement. “Like it or not, we’re taking you and the ram. If you value your life, you’ll submit right now or we’ll kill you!”

So be a slave or die. If those were his only options, then…

The fight quickly turned into a bloodbath. In a corner of Hamal’s mind, it amazed him how well he was brute forcing his way through the barbarians, even with his body covered in bleeding cuts and bruises.

Like a warrior, Hamal fought with his life on the line. To protect what he cared for, to protect his freedom; it was kill or be killed!

Blade slashed and stabbed into flesh. Eventually, the last bandit fell to his knife. Only then did Hamal let himself collapse in exhaustion.

Chrysomallus trotted up and nudged him.

He did it. He defended his freedom and even saved his friend.

“I know I said I liked your guts,” Chrysomallus started, “but you were too reckless this time, and you’re bleeding too much!”

Hamal smiled despite the pain he felt. “I have… no regrets. At least… my
last breath will be as a freeman… and not as a slave.”

“You fool, don’t greet death so soon! I still need to repay you for saving me!” Chrysomallus cried. “The first time you spared me, so I helped you escape. If you die now, how can I pay you back for the second time?”

“I see… That’s how it was…” Hamal whispered as he closed his eyes. He felt lightheaded and weak, so this was what dying felt like.

Chrysomallus panicked. “Hey! Stay awake!”

“Ah, so that’s how this all came about,” said a new voice.

It startled Chrysomallus when he recognised the new person standing before him and Hamal.

What was he doing here?

There stood the king of gods, Zeus, in human form. Chrysomallus bowed his head, immediately acknowledging the Olympian king.

“Ares really found something interesting here,” Zeus smiled. “Who would have thought I would see you, Chrysomallus, and this mortal, who you say had saved your life not once, but twice?”

“It is true, my lord.” The golden ram nodded. “But he has lost too much blood from the fight, I’m afraid he doesn’t have much time left in this world.”

Zeus nodded. “It would be a shame to let go of such a strong-hearted, courageous young man. Chrysomallus, are you willing to help save him?”

“I am!” The ram replied quickly as he stared up expectedly at the god.

Hamal may have been an odd person, but he still showed Chrysomallus a kindness to animals he had never witnessed before. Saving the human’s life was the least he could do to repay him back.

“Excellent!” Zeus clapped before holding a hand out over them. “You two shall now merge into one being, sharing one life.”

The fusion happened swiftly. Both human and ram came together to form a new being that was half-human half-ram. The two consciousnesses combined, and all injuries disappeared. The male human body was reborn, while also inheriting the ram’s horns and gold colouring, changing his hair from dark brown to gold blond.

“Magnificent!” Zeus praised his creation.

Hamal slowly opened his eyes in amazement. How bizarre. He could feel Chrysomallus within him, even recall his memories. Yet everything felt natural, as though they were always one person…

“Yes, beautiful!” Zeus clapped eagerly, “I have decided!”

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Chapter Extras

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Story of the Golden Ram

This story took bits of inspiration from the original Greek mythology for Aries. According to some sources, Zeus sent the original Golden Ram to rescue Phrixus and Helle, children of King Athamas, from being sacrificed by their own father. Chrysomallus flew both siblings to Colchis, but Helle fell into the ocean midway. Only Phrixus made the full journey. Once in Colchis, Phrixus sacrificed Chrysomallus to Zeus and gave its golden fleece to the King of Colchis, who hung the fleece under Ares’ sacred grove where a dragon stood safeguard. In recognition for its efforts, Zeus made the (golden) ram the symbol of Aries.

Aries the Ram

[ 1st Zodiac Constellation ] After his time as a slave, he has become a very self-determined guy. He does what he wants, when and however he wants to. There is dignity in his self-centeredness as he vowed to never become subjected to anyone against his will ever again.

Ares, God of War

[ Guardian of the 1st Zodiac ] He is an Olympian god and the son of Zeus and Hera. He is a warrior who likes violence and all kinds of physical combat. He often gets into fights with other gods and because of that most of them dislike him. He does not care though, so Zeus finds it hard to tame him.

“Even when he is not fighting, there would be a fight going on somewhere near him!”
– Zeus