Devouring World Dragon

Chapter 343 The Era Gradually Fading Away

After Hercules disembarked midway, Jason led his heroes on a long voyage aboard the Argo. They encountered various countries on the sea, fought many sea monsters, and even met several gods along the way.

That was a truly legendary adventure, one that Theseus still remembers vividly even after all these years.

After the heroes crossed the vast ocean, they finally found the mysterious kingdom of Colchis in the far reaches of the world, where the Golden Fleece was guarded by a giant dragon.

In the end, many things happened, and Captain Jason successfully won the heart of the country's princess, took the Golden Fleece, and returned home safely.

"So, this princess is Medea?"

The great hero interjected with a question.

Theseus nodded and continued.

"She was truly a beautiful woman; she fell in love with Jason at first sight, and then..."

Theseus hesitated, seemingly sighing, and finally scratched his head, saying heavily.

"Back then, we all thought the two of them were a perfect match, but we never expected that such a thing would happen."

"What happened next?"

The great hero didn't understand, so he pressed for an answer.

Theseus pursed his lips; he didn't want to speak ill of his former comrade, but in the end, he still spoke to the great hero.

"Later Jason changed his mind."

……

Let's go back a few years.

When Jason returned to Greece with his many heroes, he never expected that his uncle would be so shameless as to deny the Golden Fleece that he had reclaimed.

He had considered asking his companions for help. But after the Argonauts' adventure, the heroes of all Greece gradually dispersed and returned home. The few heroes willing to help Jason were powerless against the walls of Thebes, which could be built simply by playing divine instruments.

With the throne out of reach, Jason had no choice but to accept this reality and, along with Medea, went to exile in Corinth.

But in Corinth, he fell in love with the daughter of the King of Corinth and became infatuated with her. Behind Medea's back, the prince proposed to the young princess and intended to break off his engagement with her.

later……

"The rest is history. Medea used her magic to kill her child with Jason, and also killed the Corinthian princess whom Jason had fallen in love with. She then rode away in a dragon chariot."

"Later, Medea came to Athens and seduced my father to become queen. When I returned home, I banished her."

During the narration, Theseus helplessly spread his palms.

He actually felt some pity for this woman. Back on the ship, Jason and Medea's love had been blessed by all the heroes. However, the final outcome left everyone heartbroken.

In his eyes, Medea when she arrived in Athens was completely unfamiliar, cold and cruel, and completely different from the young, elegant, and pure princess she had been back then.

As the great hero drank his wine, he listened to Theseus's tales, reminiscing about their time together on the ship. Jason, then a spirited and dashing figure, was the center of attention among the heroes; none could have foreseen what would later unfold.

“I have never met Medea, but I feel that Jason was a good person.”

"Who can argue with that? Many people say it's because Jason and Medea killed her brother, and the Furies cursed them."

Theseus shrugged at the assessment of the great hero.

Then, he poured himself a glass of wine, drank it all in one gulp, and began to tell some untold stories.

“Back then, we actually found a witch named Circe, who said that killing one’s own blood relative was a great sin, and the Furies especially abhorred such acts. She asked us to participate in a sacrificial ceremony to pray for the Furies’ forgiveness. But now it seems that the Furies have not forgiven Jason and Medea…”

What happened to Medea afterward?

"I don't know. Some people say she died in a foreign land, while others say she returned to her hometown. Anyway, I haven't heard from her since."

The great hero remained silent, and the atmosphere grew somewhat tense.

Now that he had become king, Theseus noticed the atmosphere was getting a bit cold, so he clapped his hands and summoned his maids to dance.

"Come on, let's drink and dance until we're drunk!"

Fueled by the alcohol, Theseus's face flushed, as if he had returned to his youthful exuberance. He spoke happily to the great hero and even reached out to pull him into a dance.

When the two were in high spirits, they would bang on the table to keep time and stomp their feet, just like when they listened to Orpheus sing on the Argo while dancing and fighting.

This unrestrained behavior left the maids bewildered. The young Athenian king was usually calm and valiant, and they had never seen him so unrestrained.

When they were tired from dancing, the two of them sat on the ground without caring about their image, drinking heartily while talking about the past, their opponents, and their experiences over the years.

As they spoke, Theseus suddenly burst into tears, embracing his idol and speaking in a trembling voice about how much he had missed Ariadne all these years. Then, halfway through his weeping, the Athenian king, who had drunk too much and was full of worries, fell asleep along with the great hero.

The maids dared not move the two demigods until Queen Phaedra spoke, at which point a dozen servants escorted the two noble figures to their respective rooms.

When the hangover finally wore off, the great hero woke up in bed, clutching his head, and realized just how much he had drunk the night before.

"If anyone had wanted to yesterday, I probably would have had my head chopped off," the great hero said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Sometimes, all it takes to defeat an invincible hero is a glass of wine.

He refused the maid's service, pushed open the bedroom door, and saw a beautiful and noble-looking woman waiting outside.

“Great hero of Thebes, my husband is waiting for you.”

Queen Phyldra smiled.

The great hero remembers who this is.

Years ago, the timid little girl who hid behind her sister and Theseus has now replaced her sister and become Theseus's queen.

"Thank you for your hospitality, I will remember the joy of yesterday."

The queen shook her head, indicating that there was no need to worry, and led the way for the great hero.

"Many years ago, I met you briefly, just before boarding the Argo. Do you remember me?"

Phedra's voice was gentle and quiet, and the great hero replied.

"Yes, I remember, you were very young then."

"Yes, who could have predicted what would happen today?"

The queen spoke calmly. After a moment of silence, she continued.

“My husband still loves my sister to this day… Sometimes I wonder, if it had been me who was taken away by Dionysus instead of my sister, would he still remember me?”

Phydra's voice carried a faint sadness.

The great hero knew what the queen was referring to.

After the Argonauts' great adventure, Theseus prepared to marry Ariadne, the woman he loved. However, the consequences of Theseus killing the half-bull, half-man king finally came to light.

Ariadne was the daughter of the Minotaur king, but Theseus killed him and then wanted to marry his daughter. Therefore, such love was not blessed by the gods of fate.

Just before the two lovers were about to get married, Dionysus, the god of wine, suddenly appeared and performed a miracle for Theseus, claiming that the Fates had promised him Ariadne as his fiancée.

Despite his deep reluctance, Ariadne, the beautiful maiden, was still taken by Dionysus, leaving Theseus bewildered for a long time. Only Ariadne's sister, Phaedra, stayed by Theseus's side, comforting her older brother, and eventually became his queen.

Although Theseus rarely spoke of it anymore, Phydra knew that her husband had never forgotten it, and that her abducted sister was the love of his life.

"Perhaps, I just can't beat her."

The young queen gave a slightly bitter smile.

She was still young, confused, and trying to find answers from people she had met before. She didn't know what she could do to make her husband completely forget the past and start looking at her instead.

The great hero's arm could strangle a lion, defeat a wild boar, and kill a hydra, but he simply didn't know how to handle this kind of situation.

He could only offer words of comfort.

"Perhaps time can heal all wounds. I believe in Theseus; he is a man I can entrust with my life."

Phydra shook his head and said calmly.

"maybe."

When the great hero arrived in the hall, the King of Athens had been waiting for him. He greeted his idol warmly and offered to take him on a tour of Athens.

The great hero stayed in Athens for several days before deciding to continue his pursuit of his next prey.

Theseus was quite saddened by the news, but still expressed his understanding.

As the great hero's figure disappeared on the horizon, Theseus gazed at him for a long time, reluctant to leave.

"Aren't you going back yet?"

The Queen inquired.

Theseus shook his head and refused.

"Let me take another look...let me take another look..."

The voice was hoarse, like a dream.

His blank gaze was fixed on the departing hero, as if he were no longer just a great hero, but something more complex and profound.

Phydra knew that he was gazing at his own fading dream.

He was now king, and had to worry about the citizens of the city-state. He was no longer the unruly young prince, the energetic hero.

On this land, the heroes who were active in his time have fallen into obscurity one after another. He unwillingly tries to grasp the most brilliant afterglow, as if to prove that his era has not yet passed.

But why can you only see the past? Why can't you open your eyes and look at the present around you?
Theseus continued to gaze into the distance, while Phaedra beside him looked somewhat somber.