After being sacrificed to Eros [Greek mythology]

Tick.

Crystal drops of water fell from the gaps between the dense layers of leaves, just hitting the tip of Apollo's nose.

Shocked by the sudden coolness, Apollo immediately recovered from his deep sleep.

He was so drunk that he somehow passed out on the cool terrace.

After blowing the cool wind for a long time, I still have a splitting headache at this moment, and my whole body seems to be filled with black vinegar, limp and unable to get up.

He rubbed the tip of his nose in annoyance, he was still sleepy, he didn't want to care about anything, he didn't want to ask anything, he just wanted to fall asleep like this.

However, the high hanging sun of Olympus seems to be against him, scattering thousands of rays of light outward like strings, each of which seems to be made of pure gold, shining with warm light, stinging him persistently eyelids...until all his hazy tiredness was dispelled.

So annoying.

Apo's anxious lips trembled, and then he recovered a little bit of consciousness. He couldn't help but smile wryly: He is the sun god himself, so there is a day when he hates the sun?

He yawned big, raised his arms to cover his forehead, and opened his eyes with difficulty.

The surrounding area is full of mess.

The wine jars surrounded him in an upside-down or crooked manner, and the wine stains were spilled all over the ground, which had already been drained by the scorching sun, leaving only a few winding thin white marks.

He...how much did he drink?

It's ridiculous, he, Apollo, was also addicted to alcohol.

Apollo rubbed his stiff shoulders and sat up straight in a daze.

His head was still a little heavy, with a slight sense of sleepiness remaining, and he couldn't see things clearly.

"Who's there?"

He stroked his messy hair, and asked the figure not far away.

The envoy who was hiding behind the pillar was startled by the shout. In fact, he had been waiting here for a long time, only because the sun god was drunk and fell asleep, so he didn't dare to disturb him, and lingered behind the pillar timidly.

"Tai, the sun god!" The envoy rushed out in three steps and two steps, and said anxiously, "You are awake."

Seeing that he was his divine envoy, Apollo let out a short breath.

"It's you, Arik," paused, "what's the matter?"

The envoy saw that although he was still somewhat ignorant, his mind was mostly awake, and he hurriedly said, "Sun God, you made an appointment with Dionysus and the others for a banquet, and now all the gods are here... Would you like to go out?" welcome?"

Apollo propped his forehead resentfully.

And this thing?

He forgot all about it.

Ever since Apollo turned into a laurel tree and met Daphne, he has been depressed, always in a daze, either drinking or sleeping, like a mortal sloppy man, his usual elegant demeanor is completely ruined.

Just waking up at this moment, his desolate and sleepy appearance, seeing the gods is also ridiculed by others, it is better to hide it altogether, so as not to spread rumors, saying that he is hurt by love and unable to extricate himself, etc. , Lost face in vain.

Thinking of this, just as he was about to blurt out the sentence "No", Apollo seemed to think of something, stopped the conversation abruptly, and asked the sluggish envoy next to him, "Which gods have arrived?"

The envoy counted straightly, "Dionysus, the god of wine, Venus, the god of beauty, Hermes the messenger, Artemis, the moon god, Demeter, the god of agriculture..."

Apollo got impatient and only interrupted, "Has Cupid come?"

The envoy nodded, but shook his head again.

"Lord Venus has come, but he seems to have some important business to do, and he will leave with Miss Psyche soon."

Apollo snorted coldly, there was nothing important to do, but he just took a few arrows to harm people everywhere.

He thought so in his heart, but his actions were very impatient. He dropped his shoes to the ground, hurriedly brushed his blond hair in front of the mirror a few times, and sprayed his body with two oils, "Go, go to Venus."

Apollo has always known that Cupid's whereabouts are unpredictable. If he hadn't met by chance at a banquet, he would be hard to find on weekdays. Even the temple could not find this person... He had to hurry to stop him.

Apollo moved like the wind, and the envoy followed behind, out of breath, "Apollo, what's the matter with you, are you so, so anxious to find Cupid?"

There is still half a sentence left-could it be that they are going to fight?

His master god and the god of love have always been at odds, which is well known in Olympus.

Apollo curled his lips and didn't answer, just caring about flying through the clouds and rushing all the way to the banquet hall in the front hall.

Of course he didn't go to fight, and he is not a reckless and rough man like Ares, the god of war. Isn't the title of a demure and beautiful man a waste of name?

What's more, he is also the respected god of justice in Olympus. He has always only drawn his sword against ferocious monsters, and he doesn't bother to beat young people like Cupid.

The envoy seemed to see what his master was thinking, and said with a foolish smile, "Apollo, you are afraid that Cupid will shoot you another arrow, so you are so polite to him these days, right?"

Apollo spat, and a violent shudder almost hit the envoy's head, "Shut up."

The venue was still full of flowers and fine wine, but today, because of the arrival of the god of beauty, the scene was more elegant - layers of crystal bead curtains made of pansies were interspersed in an orderly manner between the venue, the breeze blowing, the fragrance of flowers It is faint, and the wind chimes are also tinkling, which is very pleasing to the eye.

Seeing Apollo coming in such a hurry, many fairies burst into smiles and hurriedly went up to pour wine and greet each other.

Apollo was not in the mood to drink and feast, and his busy blue eyes kept wandering, looking for the figure of Cupid in the crowded venue.

After wandering around for quite a while, I caught a glimpse of a corner of a white wing faintly protruding from behind the shade of a tree. I followed it and found that it was the God of Love himself.

Cupid is drinking with the god of wine, with a smile on his cheeks, talking about everything, having a great time.

Standing beside him was a curly-haired, blue-eyed young girl who was radiant and had a pair of butterfly wings on her back. She was the girl Psyche who had just been anointed a few days ago.

The three of them were talking and laughing, and Cupid looked at Psyche from time to time. The two became a perfect pair, full of love, and the corners of their eyes were piled up, exchanging each other's peace and joy when looking at each other.

Seeing such a scene, Apollo lowered his eyes and shook his head, feeling quite uncomfortable.

He coughed lightly.

Cupid caught a glimpse of him, the smile on his face froze at the corner of his mouth, and when he was about to speak, Apollo stepped forward and dragged him over, and said to Psyche, "Borrow."

Seeing Apollo's face suddenly, Psyche was subconsciously taken aback, and his cheeks blushed immediately after hearing these two words, but how could he not agree.

Apollo kept pulling Cupid to a secluded place before finally stopping.

The latter's breath was a little uneven, and he was still holding a wine glass in his hand. He was surprised at first, and then calmed down.

Because the two have dealt with each other many times, many things are tacit

After a while, Cupid said lightly, "Why, what do you need from me?"

Before he could speak, Cupid had already smiled, which was soft and watered down.

He seemed to have guessed Apollo's purpose, turned the wine glass, and blocked Apollo's mouth first, "Let's talk about it first, the old accounts between the two of us are settled."

Apollo frowned, "Yes, I know."

He's not here for an old account.

Last time, Cupid helped him turn into a laurel tree, allowing his soul to meet with Daphne's soul, which was considered to have paid off the old debt.

But for Apollo, that experience was like an addictive poisonous wine, and once it was stained, it was out of control.

For so many days, Apollo has been in a daze, wandering in the sky anytime and anywhere.Although he has returned to human form, his heart still remains on the laurel tree by the river.

This feeling of being out of body is so painful that when Apollo wakes up, every nerve is pounding.

That's why he kept drinking to drown his sorrows, hoping that the wine would slightly numb his nerves and ease his pain a little...but it didn't seem to have much effect.

The decadence all day long is like countless blood-sucking worms lying on his skin, eating his flesh and blood, never having enough.

Apollo couldn't take it anymore.

Mingren doesn't say dark words, he wants to see Daphne again to comfort the pain of lovesickness, or ask Daphne to come back and stay by his side forever.

After hearing this, Cupid slowly shook his finger.

His eyes were bright, and his faint smile seemed to be comforting him, and even tactfully rejecting him.

"Sorry, I can't do it for you."

Apollo paused immediately, and sighed in amazement, "Why? Don't tell me you can't do it twice after you've done it once?"

Cupid explained, "Use it again, I'm afraid you will be addicted to it, stuck in it and unable to extricate yourself. Last time I sent you to see Daphne's soul, I took a great risk. Use it again this time. I fear you will be willing to become a laurel tree and never return."

Apollo smiled wryly, thinking sadly in his heart: That's fine too.Anyway, I was the one who forced her into a laurel tree, and I myself became a tree, and I gave her myself, which would save me from feeling guilty day and night in my heart.

In grief, Apollo begged again and again, hoping that Cupid would grant him one more time.

This time the time must be longer, longer... Last time he only saw Daphne's soul, before he had time to ask if she was okay, he was dragged back to reality.

Seeing him like this, Cupid sighed in his heart, and couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

Apollo is usually proud and arrogant, and he is the noble god of Olympus, and he is used to being worshiped by thousands of people.As he lowered his body in a low voice and begged pitifully at this moment, it can be seen that the body and mind are extremely difficult.

But Cupid still couldn't agree, it wasn't a deliberate embarrassment, just because this soul-sending technique was too risky, like sending a sleepwalking person to walk in a thick fog, and if he was not careful, his head would be broken. .

When Cupid was young, he had done a wrong thing to humiliate the Lord God. Now that he is married, he has put away his former profligacy and managed to be more prudent in his behavior, but he can't make the Sun God repeatedly Take a risk.

Cupid said calmly, "I thought that the last time you saw Daphne's soul, you had already done it, and if you didn't want to, it would cause you even more pain and suffering..."

Apollo said wearily, "Boy, don't you know how powerful your own thing is?"

The "that thing" he said naturally refers to the golden arrow. Apollo did not fall in love with Daphne naturally. He was driven by the golden arrow and wanted to restrain himself and end his love for Daphne. unable.

Apollo raised his right palm vowedly, and promised very earnestly, "Just send me to meet Daphne, and I will take responsibility for what happens. Even if I really become a laurel tree because of this, Apollo will never blame you. I swear by the sun."

Cupid gasped.

No way, really no way.

He is not a principled person like Hades. He has a soft heart and always acts a little casually in his dealings.

What's more, because of Daphne, he always felt ashamed of Apollo. At this moment, Apollo's pleading so earnestly made his tongue stiff, and he couldn't open his mouth when he wanted to coldly refuse.

People who are hit by golden arrows always break their heads for love, why not the original self?

Seeing that Apollo's mind is not as if he has left his soul, it is estimated that he will never turn back.

Cupid struggled for a while, and finally agreed to Apollo's request.

"Okay, I can promise you one more time."

He compromised and said, "But please keep in mind that there is a time limit. Even if you love Daphne again, when the time comes, you must withdraw immediately, otherwise, you will become a tree forever, and the consequences will be disastrous. "

He stretched out his hand, piercing the golden sunlight above his head with his fingers, "...you become a tree, and there will be no sun in this world. All trees, plants, and creatures will die. This world will also become Eternal darkness."

So Cupid and Apollo came to the river where the laurel lived.

The last time the two of them came here, Apollo was still dubious, questioning Cupid's intentions, for fear that he would be tricked a second time.

But at this moment when he revisited the old place, Apollo was full of sorrow, and his handsome face was also covered with a layer of dark clouds. He raised his head and gazed affectionately at the leaves of the laurel tree rustling with the wind.

He still remembered the scene when he saw Daphne last time.

He and Daphne turned into laurel trees beside the river, and their souls met in a place of nothingness.

At that time, Apollo only felt that he was deep in a dream, but as the immortal god of Olympus, he had never dreamed at all, and he didn't know what it was like to dream... He subconsciously felt that he was dreaming.

In the mist, there was a blond-haired girl galloping in front of her horse. The girl was smiling and smiling, as if she was alive, her rosy cheeks were full of vitality. Apollo recognized that it was his Daphne.

In another country, Daphne seems to be living happily.

She hunted freely in the woods, just like the happy girl she had been before she met him.

Apollo desperately called her, but the thick fog around him was like an impenetrable curtain wall, blocking all his voices and movements.

He can see Daphne, but Daphne cannot see him, he is air, a transparent person.

Even in a dream, this deep sense of powerlessness also troubled Apollo.

When he wanted to call again, the thick fog around him dissipated, and he was pulled back to reality.

Apollo thought it was extremely regrettable.

Facing the laurel tree at this moment, he sighed a lot, regretting that he failed to catch her in the last dream.

Fortunately, he got another chance.

He must catch it.

Cupid was not as elegant as Apollo. He took a clay pot, scooped up a pot full of clear stream water from the river, then covered the pot, tied a rope to the body of the pot, and put it in a clever way. The angle of the water tank is fixed so that the water in the jug can flow down drop by drop, neither too fast nor too slow.

"Look, this is your time."

A clear drop of water splashed on Cupid's fingertips, he twirled it, and said solemnly, "When all the water in this jar is drained, the gate between reality and dreams will be closed, and then you must come back... "

After a pause, he reminded Apollo again, "No matter how inseparable the souls of you and Daphne are in the dream, when the time comes, you must immediately part with each other and return to reality. Otherwise, reality and dreams will be separated." Once the gate of the laurel is closed, your soul will remain forever in the laurel tree, and you will become a tree, and no powerful force can restore you. At the same time, the world will also lose its light forever."

Apollo listened to every word, and he naturally knew the stakes. Cupid didn't need to say more, but he also knew the burden on himself.

However, if the love is really strong, can he still withdraw?

Apollo shook his head to keep himself from thinking wildly.

Now that he has made such a decision, he should have no hesitation, instead of being so scruples like now, that is a coward.

"Come on. I'm ready."