Bellerophon’s Tale - (4)
Bellerophon hurriedly flew on Pegasus, searching for the Chimera.
The traces of the monster were consistently evident.
"Damn it... that monster..."
He was headed towards the city of Lakhia, where he had received the request.
The ground, which seemed to have been passed by the Chimera, was scarred by the creature's sharp claws...
The grass and trees along the road had withered due to the venom falling from the serpent's teeth.
Whoosh!
He urged Pegasus closer to Lakhia.
However, as he neared the city, he could hear the screams of people and the sounds of buildings collapsing.
Had he already arrived too late, despite pushing Pegasus to its limits? Which way should he go?
"Ahhh!"
"A monster! It's a monster! Oh, Goddess Athena!"
"Quickly, take cover this way!"
The temple of Goddess Athena, built on the outskirts of the city, was engulfed in flames.
The beautiful statue, modeled after the goddess of wisdom, lay shattered on the ground, and
panicked people and heavily armed soldiers surrounded the temple, creating chaos.
Flames roared—
"That crazy monster!"
"Oh, Goddess Athena... it is our fault for not protecting the temple..."
"Though we are now filled with complaints inside the temple... surely the arrows did not penetrate!"
"We must find a way inside, but it is not easy!"
"Damn those flames, they keep coming!"
Once again, fierce flames blazed in the center of the temple.
Bellerophon searched outside the burning temple on Pegasus, but the beast was nowhere to be seen.
It was clear that the Chimera was inside.
But to enter the narrow temple, he would have to dismount Pegasus.
Yet without Pegasus, could Bellerophon, an ordinary human, defeat that monster?
Could he truly pierce that steel-like hide with a spear without Pegasus?
In the air, riding the celestial horse, many people soon spotted Bellerophon.
Those exposed to the threat of the monster desperately sought a lifeline.
"Hey, have you received help from the gods? That monster hasn’t come out of the temple for a while!"
"A winged horse...? Have the gods sent a messenger?"
"... Please, you there, help Lakhia!"
The hero clenched his teeth as he looked at the people covered in ash and horrifically burned.
In his ears, he heard the urgent voice of King Iobates.
Amidst the many soldiers surrounding the temple, King Iobates was visible.
"Bellerophon! It is clear that you are favored by the gods!"
"Your Majesty Iobates?! How did you come here..."
"How could a king not intervene when the temple in his kingdom is in danger?"
King Iobates was the one who had pushed Bellerophon into a deadly situation, believing the letter from his son-in-law.
However, upon seeing Bellerophon riding the winged horse, he realized his mistake and called out to him.
"Bellerophon! Come here for a moment!"
"Yes? Understood!"
He abruptly handed over the letter from his bosom to Bellerophon, who had temporarily dismounted Pegasus.
His eyes were filled with regret and remorse.
"No... this is...!"
"Yes, the truth is that the letter from my son-in-law says... that you seduced his wife and he wants you to kill her..."
"Could it be that he asked you to kill the Chimera... This is a misunderstanding! I..."
"... How could a hero who received such a message from the gods covet a married woman? I have only now realized my mistake, I am truly sorry..."
King Iobates approached Bellerophon and placed a hand on his shoulder.
The aged king's eyes met those of the hero.
"I have truly wronged you... but may I ask you to deal with that monster?"
"...!"
"... I beg you. You are the only hero here."
The sight of a king bowing his head and pleading to a commoner left the surrounding soldiers in shock.
Bellerophon, biting his lip until it bled, knelt before the king and shouted.
"Of course! The gods granted me Pegasus to slay that beast... I will fulfill my task!"
Though it was a task given to him out of pride, he was still a hero.
Seeing the temple of the goddess burning and people dying stirred his heart deeply.
What sealed his resolve was the sight of the king, who had lowered his pride and bowed his head for the safety of his people.
Without waiting for the king's response, he raised the spear weighted with lead and entered the burning temple.
Thud, thud.
Facing the monster with only a spear, without the Pegasus,
he would surely die.
He would likely burn and suffer to death.
But a hero...
"Bellerophon!"
"Please... stay safe..."
"May the blessings of Goddess Athena be upon you!"
A hero does not retreat even in the face of certain death.
As Bellerophon entered the temple, pushing through the flames, all he could see was a sea of fire.
The beast with the lion's head seemed to be rampaging, the intense heat pressing down on him from all sides.
"Ugh..."
The black smoke and swirling ash, along with fleeing people and fierce flames, made it hard to see...
Where was that monster... where could it be?
As he ventured deeper into the temple, he spotted the Chimera, glaring at him with bloodshot eyes.
He immediately dove behind a marble pillar.
Whoosh—
Though he had hidden from the flames that shot out as soon as the Chimera spotted him,
the environment was too unfavorable for him.
Even without a direct hit, the heat was overwhelming, and every breath felt like fire in his chest.
The winged horse sent by the gods was outside, and there were no allies within the temple.
It was truly a desperate situation where his life hung by a thread.
Whoosh—
"Ugh!"
Once again, he leaped and swallowed his breath.
He could not keep dodging forever.
This precarious tightrope walk would surely end in a fall.
His breath was already becoming ragged, and his back felt hot.
Had he brushed against the flames? The monster's growl filled him with fear.
Grrr—
The Chimera was slowly approaching Bellerophon, who was hiding behind the pillar.
The monster's reaction speed far surpassed that of Bellerophon.
Even if he threw the spear directly at its mouth, it wouldn’t be from atop Pegasus...
He would melt away in that tremendous blaze.
Then there was only one way, he had to thrust it directly into the monster's mouth.
But if he did that, he would be engulfed in flames by the enraged beast...
Grrr—
Bellerophon, leaning against the hot marble pillar, tightly shut his eyes.
He had always wanted to become a hero, and even beyond that, to become a god.
So he had aimed to go to Thebes as per the divine prophecy...
But due to the sin of accidentally killing his brother, he had to seek refuge in another kingdom.
If he went to Thebes, there were rumors that the gods would train him directly, granting him divine blessings and weapons, and he would undergo a rigorous schedule...
Even if only half of the rumors were true, those who passed the trials there would surely become heroes.
Then did that mean he, who did not head to Thebes, could not become a hero?
Thud.
The sound of the Chimera's footsteps grew closer.
If it found him here and spewed flames, he would be dead.
Bellerophon, gritting his teeth, recalled the people dying in the blazing fire...
And the sight of King Iobates bowing his head to him flashed through his mind.
And deep within, the dream he had harbored for so long, the ambition to achieve a remarkable feat and become a god.
Suddenly.
Grrr!
Without waiting for the approaching monster, Bellerophon sprang to his feet and charged forward.
As the Chimera's mouth opened to unleash flames upon spotting him, he did not stop.
Whoosh—
"I will prove that one can become a hero without going to Thebes! This is Bellerophon’s vow!!!"
His body was engulfed in flames.
It was hot.
So hot.
Too hot!
His skin, hands, arms, and legs, his entire body burned.
His trained muscles melted, and the strength drained from his hand holding the spear.
His eyes felt like they were melting, and he could no longer see ahead, his legs cried out in pain.
But the hero did not let go of the spear until the very end.
Thud.
Grrr—!!!
Until it pierced the mouth of the monster he aimed for.
After a while, the monster's agonizing screams within the temple faded, and the flames were extinguished.
The soldiers surrounding the temple brought water to douse the small embers and entered.
Among them, the soldiers at the front discovered something.
"This is!"
"Your... Your Majesty! You must see that!"
Once safety was secured, King Iobates entered and found two corpses in the center of the temple.
The Chimera lay fallen, a spear lodged in its mouth, emitting black smoke...
And a charred figure, presumed to be Bellerophon, stood dead, the spear still embedded in the Chimera's mouth.
Everyone fell silent at the tragic yet noble sight.
"He held onto the spear until the very end..."
"Your Majesty, it seems the lead attached to the spear melted in the flames and entered the monster's belly."
"With the hot, melted lead in its belly, even a monster cannot survive..."
"He truly is a hero..."
It appeared that the lead from the spear, lodged in the Chimera's mouth, had melted in the flames,
and that melted lead flowed into its belly... leading to its demise.
"Hmm... retrieve Bellerophon’s body."
"Yes!"
Crackle—
Bellerophon’s body, or rather, the charred figure that was barely recognizable as a body...
As soon as the soldiers touched it, it crumbled to ash.
Whoosh...
Even Pegasus, who had entered, let out a short cry as if mourning his death.
King Iobates, who had been staring at the dead Chimera and Bellerophon for a long time, spoke in a heavy voice.
"... Erect a statue for our hero, Bellerophon, who saved Lakhia."
"Yes! Understood!"
"May the blessings of the god Pluto be upon the hero."
"Oh, Athena..."
May he receive his due reward even in the afterlife.