Victory.

The grotesque figure lurched forward with a jerking, unnatural rhythm, its decayed body twitching under the weight of dark magic. Its glowing green eyes burned with a sinister, malevolent intelligence—a hive mind puppeteering the desecrated corpse of Theocritus, one of Delphi’s fallen heroes. The air around it warped and thickened, heavy with the stench of decay and sorcery, as if the creature’s very presence was an affront to nature itself.
Lowering its bow with a slow, deliberate motion, the undead raised a skeletal hand and pointed directly at me. Its voice, distorted and halting, emerged like a grating echo reverberating through the hollow shell of its body.
“C-C-HO-SEN,” it rasped, each syllable dripping with venomous intent.
“Ikaro, Iris, get her out of here!” I barked. “Now!”
Ikaro hesitated, his eyes darting between me and the grotesque figure. But the urgency in my voice snapped him into action. He grabbed Noor, supporting her slumped weight as Iris hurried to assist. Together, they retreated toward the safety of the inner barricades, their silhouettes disappearing into the chaos behind us.
Turning back to the hive mind, I tightened my grip on Dawn. The blade vibrated faintly in my hand, resonating with the anger surging through me. “So, you finally decided to show your face,” I sneered, letting my voice drip with mockery. “Gotta say, that’s a face only a mother could love.”
The undead’s decayed jaw twitched, a hollow, rasping laugh echoing from within its chest. “Y-Y-OU TALK B-B-BRAVE… B-BUT H-H-HIDE B-BEHIND A S-S-SPELL,” it croaked, its grotesque movements amplifying the wrongness of its existence.
I smirked, though my pulse quickened at the unnatural sound of its voice. “Are all Erebosians this tedious?” I shot back, letting the words drip with scorn. “Always pretending to be gods, yet here you are—cowering behind the flesh of a man who gave his life for the good of this city. You’re nothing but sorcerers hiding behind your failures.”
That struck a nerve. The undead’s posture shifted, its twitching movements becoming more erratic as though barely held together by the dark magic animating it.
“Y-Y-YOU ACT SO H-HEROIC,” it snarled, its voice trembling with fury and disdain. “B-B-BUT YOU D-DON’T EVEN K-KNOW W-W-WHO YOU ARE!” The corpse’s decayed body struggled to hold itself upright as it spat its venomous words. “Y-Y-YOU ARE A W-W-WALKING F-F-FAILURE.”
Its words hit like a dagger, sharp and unrelenting. I knew it was trying to unsettle me, to plant doubt in my mind. But what if it was telling the truth? Could the Erebosians know more about who—about what—I truly am? A shadow of doubt crept into my thoughts, threatening to take hold.
No. Not now. Not when lives depended on me.
I shoved the doubt aside and focused. Saving the city—stopping this abomination—was all that mattered. Channeling the magic in the air around me, I used the spell to retreat, my movements swift and precise as I maneuvered through the chaos to regroup with the others at the temple and inner barricades.
As I reached the inner barricade, the sight before me froze my blood. Chaos reigned. Desperation was etched onto every face. The left barricade had been overrun, with half its forces lying dead or dying, while the right barricade had withdrawn, consolidating what remained of their strength to protect the temple.
“Kayn.”
I turned to see Entinos approaching. His imposing frame was battered and bloodied, his fur matted with grime. Bruises and bite marks marred his skin, but his calm, stoic demeanor remained unbroken. Despite the toll of battle, his satyr physique and warrior’s experience had kept him standing tall.
“Forgive me,” he said, his voice heavy with guilt. “I have failed.” His fists clenched at his sides, the anger in his eyes betraying his frustration. “We had it under control, but the chaos from the other side was too much. We took it as a signal to fall back.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” I said firmly, placing a hand on his arm. “You fought bravely and made sure we didn’t lose more lives. That’s all anyone could ask.”
He gave a slow, **** nod, though the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease.
My gaze shifted to the makeshift beds for the wounded and the dead. Doctors and nurses worked frantically, their hands slick with blood as they fought to save lives. But not all could be saved. My chest tightened as my eyes landed on a familiar face among the fallen—Solon.
His lifeless body lay still, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. From the murmurs around me, I pieced together his final moments. He had given his life to save a young militia soldier—no older than fourteen.
A wave of grief threatened to pull me under, but I swallowed it down. I didn’t have the luxury of mourning. Not yet.
I scanned the chaos around me, searching frantically for Iris and Ikaro. My heart sank when I spotted them crouched near Noor, who was sprawled on a makeshift table, clutching at a wound on her shoulder. Blood seeped through her fingers, and her once radiant complexion had turned ghostly pale.
"Kayn! Get over here now! Something's wrong with her!" Iris yelled, her voice tinged with panic.
I nodded sharply at Entinos, signaling him to continue directing the militia as I rushed toward them.
Noor writhed in pain, her body convulsing as she gripped the area where the arrow had struck. I froze for a moment when I saw the wound—veins spiderwebbed outward from the injury, blackened and corrupted, pulsating with dark energy. Her blood dripped onto the table in thick, tar-like rivulets. She let out a guttural scream, her body trembling as the dark magic crept closer to her heart.
“Damn it!” Iris barked, her hands stained with Noor’s blood as she worked desperately to slow the spread. Despite their rivalry, her determination to save Noor was unwavering. “That arrow was poisoned. There’s dark magic at work here.”
“Can we do anything to help her?” Ikaro asked, his voice cracking as he pressed down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
“IKARO, IF I FUCKING DIE TRING TO SAVE THOSE BASTARDS I’M GOING TO COME BACK AS A GHOST AND HAUNT YOU TILL THE END OF TIME.” Noor said in pain trying her best to survive.
“Hold on, Noor,” I said, kneeling beside her. “I’m not letting you die. I still owe you, remember?”
She managed a weak laugh before wincing, her body convulsing again as another wave of pain hit her. Her lips moved, muttering curses in her native language.
Iris pulled me aside, her hands shaking as she wiped blood off her palms. “Kayn… that wound isn’t something I can heal. It’s not just poison, It's dark magic. There’s nothing we can do.” Her voice trembled, the weight of those words nearly breaking her.
“Are you sure?” I asked, my throat tightening as panic clawed at me.
She hesitated, avoiding my gaze. Then, with a small, **** nod, she whispered, “…Yes.”
I clenched my fists, frustration boiling over. “FUCK!” The shout erupted from me, startling everyone nearby. I ran a hand through my hair, struggling to think as hopelessness began to creep in.
“Kayn…” Iris reached out, gently brushing her fingers against my cheek. Her touch was grounding, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside me. “Take a moment to think. We’ll do what we can in the meantime.” She stepped back toward Noor, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Desperation clouded my mind. I couldn’t lose her—not like this. My breath quickened, and for a moment, it felt like the world was closing in around me.
Then, her voice cut through the chaos. Calm. Commanding. A lifeline.
“Kayn… listen to me closely. You can save her. We can save her.”
“Athena?” I whispered, my voice shaking.
“Yes, it’s me. I’m using all my strength to reach you right now, but we must act quickly. The Erebosian curse is spreading—it will block me soon.”
“What do I need to do?” I asked, clutching at this newfound hope.
“Bring me to Noor,” she said. “I’ll help you unlock your power for a brief moment, but after that, I won’t be able to guide you again until the battle is over.”
I didn’t hesitate. I rushed to Noor’s side, her breathing shallow and her skin cold to the touch. The black veins had spread across her chest, inching closer to her heart.
“Kayn, what are you doing?” Iris asked, alarmed by my sudden urgency.
“Trust me,” I said, kneeling beside Noor. “Just trust me.”
I placed my hands over her wound, the corrupted flesh burning like ice against my palms. “Now what, Athena?” I asked silently.
“Focus, Kayn,” her voice guided me. “Feel the energy within you—the divine essence you’ve always had. Believe in yourself. Believe in your purpose.”
Closing my eyes, I steadied my breath, reaching inward. A warm sensation began to stir in my chest, spreading through my arms and into my hands. Then, a surge of light erupted from me, enveloping Noor and myself. My hair lifted and my hands glowed with a radiant white light.
The group gasped, stepping back in shock as the light intensified. Noor’s body jerked, the black veins retreating as the curse was pulled from her wound. I could feel the dark magic resisting, writhing like a living thing, but the divine energy coursing through me overpowered it.
“Come on,” I muttered through gritted teeth, pouring every ounce of strength into the spell. “Come on!”
The light grew blinding, and then, with a final burst, it vanished. Noor’s wound was gone, her skin whole and unblemished. I swayed, the exertion taking its toll. My vision blurred, and I collapsed, barely catching myself on one knee.
Ikaro caught me before I fell completely, his voice filled with awe. “Kayn… that was incredible.”
“I-I can’t believe it,” Iris stammered, staring at Noor. “She’s completely healed. The wound—it's like it was never there.”
Noor stirred, her eyes fluttering open. “What the—what just happened?” she mumbled, sitting up slowly. Her hand moved to her shoulder, where the cursed arrow had struck. “WHAT THE FUCK?! How am I alive?!”
The group turned to me, their expressions a mix of shock and amazement. Even Entinos seemed taken aback.
“How… how did you do that?” Iris asked, her voice trembling.
I glanced at my hands, still tingling with residual energy. “I… I don’t know,” I admitted. “Athena said she helped me unlock some of my power. I think it was her guidance.”
“Well, can you do it again?” Noor asked, clearly intrigued.
“I don’t think so,” I replied, shaking my head. “That… that took everything I had.”
Noor studied me intently, her eyes narrowing. “Well you stink of mana coursing through you. I can sense it.” She says intrigued by how powerful am I, being a sorceress allowed her to sense other magic users or the ones who can have the chance to learn magic. Her tone was teasing, but her gaze held a flicker of genuine curiosity and awe.
Exhausted, I leaned back against Ikaro, my strength spent. “We’ve got a lot to figure out,” I murmured, closing my eyes briefly.

“I’m happy Noor is back, really,” Ikaro said, breaking the stunned silence, “but maybe you forgot: there’s still a horde of undead heading this way, and we still need to deal with the Hivemind.” He crossed his arms, glancing around for agreement.
Entinos nodded solemnly. “He’s right. We can’t linger on this. There’s a battle to finish.”
I shook off my fatigue and refocused. “What’s the situation?”
Ikaro scratched the back of his head, visibly torn between frustration and worry. “It’s bad. The left barricade was overrun. We managed a retreat, but it cost us—too many lives lost.”
“What about Theocritus?” Iris asked, clinging to the thread of their original plan. “Can we still lure him into the trap?”
Ikaro frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t know. We’ve weakened their forces, but not enough. And I’m not sure he’s as mindless as we thought.”
“He’s not,” I said, drawing everyone’s attention. “When I was under the spell, Theocritus locked eyes on me. The undead ignored everything else. He’s fixated on me.”
Noor straightened, wincing slightly but steadying herself with Iris’s help. “What are you planning?”
“I’ll draw him out,” I said, my voice resolute. “We stick to the original plan—I’ll lead him to the hill. But I need an opening.”
Entinos’s lips curved into a smirk. “You’re taking the fight to them?”
“Yes.”
Ikaro stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “That’s insane. Do you see these people, Kayn? They’re scared. Half of them are ready to give up after what just happened.”
“That’s exactly why we have to do this,” I countered. “They’ve lost hope, but if we strike back—if we show them we can win—it might be enough to turn the tide.”
Noor grinned, despite the obvious strain she was under. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not dying with my arms crossed, waiting for them. I’m in.”
Entinos nodded firmly. “Agreed.”
I turned to Iris and Ikaro. “What about you two?”
“This is suicidal,” Iris said flatly. Then, after a beat, she exhaled sharply and added, “But fuck it. Let’s do it.”
Ikaro hesitated, his doubt clear in his expression. He looked between the rest of us, weighing the risks, then sighed heavily. “I don’t know about this... but I trust you.” He nodded, determination replacing his uncertainty.

I turned to the last militia soldiers, their faces pale with exhaustion and fear, their bodies battered and bruised. These were people who had given everything they had—and now I was asking for more. I stepped forward, planting myself firmly in their view, and bellowed with all the strength I could muster:
“EVERYONE, GATHER UP!”
The soldiers shuffled closer, some limping, others clutching weapons tightly, their knuckles white. Behind us, the sound of the undead grew louder—an ominous rhythm of **** marching ever closer.
“WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?” I shouted, letting my voice cut through their fear. “YOU’VE ALREADY PROVEN YOURSELVES, EVEN WHEN YOU WERE OUTNUMBERED! YOU FOUGHT LIKE LIONS, DEFENDING YOUR HOME AND YOUR PEOPLE!
I paused, scanning their faces. I saw flickers of determination starting to rekindle in their eyes.
“DELPHI STANDS BECAUSE OF YOU! BUT NOW, I ASK FOR ONE FINAL PUSH! ONE LAST FIGHT! WILL YOU LET THEM TAKE YOUR HOME? YOUR FAMILIES? OR WILL YOU STAND TALL, SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND FIGHT TO THE BITTER END?”
A murmur swept through the crowd, then a cheer, growing louder as the fire in their hearts reignited. Even the wounded dragged themselves forward, clutching weapons or simply standing to show they were still in the fight.
“WE WILL TAKE THE FIGHT TO THEM!” I roared, holding Dawn aloft. “WE DIDN’T COME THIS FAR TO DIE LIKE RATS! WE ARE GREEKS, FARMERS, DOCTORS, AND WARRIORS. WE STAND AS ONE!”
“FOR DELPHI!” I screamed, my voice echoing across the battlefield.
“FOR DELPHI!” they roared back, a tidal wave of defiance surging through the ranks.
We charged, our cries merging into a deafening battle cry. The undead reeled, their shambling horde momentarily stunned by the ferocity of our counterattack. Weapons clashed, flesh tore, and the once-chaotic battlefield became a storm of determination and rage.
Amid the chaos I manage to catch the attention of the Erebosian who ignore everyone else and focused on me as it moved forward, I turned to Entinos. “Follow me!”
The satyr nodded, cutting down a swath of undead as we fought our way toward the hill where the trap awaited. Theocritus—twisted, rotting, and driven by dark magic—staggered into view. His bloated form was surrounded by a smaller horde, his gaze locked on me like a predator eyeing prey.
“N-N-NOWHERE TO RUN, C-CHOSEN!” his voice rasped, distorted by decay and malice.
I pointed Dawn at him, its blade gleaming with a faint, otherworldly fire. “You’re right,” I said, my voice calm but resolute. “But it’s your body that will return to the grave tonight.”
“D-D-DIE!” he bellowed, and the horde surged forward with terrifying speed.
Entinos stepped into their path, his massive frame like a wall of steel and fury. “Focus on Theocritus!” he barked. “I’ll handle this filth.”
He charged, his horns gleaming in the dim light as he gored the first wave of undead. His sword followed, cleaving through rotting flesh with brutal efficiency.
Theocritus lunged at me, his movements unpredictable and erratic. His decayed body made him hard to predict, switching between jerky, lightning-fast strikes and sluggish, lurching movements. Each attack came with the weight of supernatural strength.
Blow after blow, I deflected his attacks, narrowly avoiding his gnashing jaws and clawed hands. I saw an opening and struck, severing one of his arms with a clean slash.
He didn’t falter. If anything, his attacks became more frenzied, his remaining arm lashing out with wild abandon. “Y-Y-YOU ARE A MISTAKE! A P-P-PEST ON OUR WORLD!”
“Maybe,” I said through gritted teeth, matching his fury with precision. “But one way or another, you’ve lost tonight.”
Dawn flared with divine fire, the flames dancing along its edge as I poured every ounce of strength into the next strike. With a swift, decisive motion, I severed Theocritus’s head from his shoulders.
The head hit the ground with a sickening thud, its decayed mouth still moving. “Y-you think you’ve won?” it rasped, its voice fading as the dark magic dissipated. “This... is only... the beginning...”
The magic tethering his body unraveled, and Theocritus’s corpse crumbled into ash.
All around us, the undead began to collapse. The dark magic animating them faded, escaping their lifeless bodies in tendrils of shadowy mist. The battlefield grew eerily quiet as the last of the horde fell.

I looked down upon the body of the Hivemind as Entinos approached me “He’s right.” I say to the Satyr. “We only just begun.” I say as I clean the blood from Dawn and make our way back to Delphi with Entinos following suit.