Yes, but is time to unlock a memory.

Chapter 39: A shattered memory

Aerys watched with curiosity as Kayn worked intently on the shield, his brow furrowed in frustration. The object hummed faintly with celestial energy, a subtle yet persistent resistance that seemed to mock his efforts.

“So, how does it work?” she asked, her voice breaking the silence.

“He finds the stuff, he does his thing with it, then boom,” Noor said with a smirk, making a vague gesture with her hands. “He gets knocked out and unlocks a memory.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t explain why I’m having such a bad time with it now,” Kayn muttered, his frustration mounting as he ran his hands over the intricate engravings of the shield. He could feel the dormant memory locked within...an unmistakable presence, like a door behind which something important waited. Yet no matter what he tried, it refused to yield. He sighed and stepped back. “Weird. This never takes this long.”

“Maybe you need a magic word?” Ikaro suggested, sitting on a nearby rock while polishing his spear with exaggerated nonchalance.

“Seriously, how are you the most intelligent person in this group?” Noor asked, rolling her eyes but unable to suppress a grin.

“Oh, come on! It’s not that bad of a suggestion,” Ikaro defended with a chuckle. He looked at Orion, an idea sparking in his mind. “Why don’t you try... ‘Aetos’?”

Orion squawked in agreement, flapping his wings energetically. Iris groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

“Can I punch him? Please let me punch him,” Noor said, shooting a hopeful glance at Kayn.

Kayn only chuckled, shaking his head. “As much as I think Ikaro’s idea isn’t… very clever, I’m open to suggestions. This shield is stubborn, and I’m not sure why.” He knelt down again, examining the object with renewed focus. The engravings shimmered faintly, as if taunting him with their secrets.

“Hmm. Maybe it’s not the right memory?” Iris ventured, her confusion mirroring his.

“No,” Noor interjected with certainty, arms crossed as she stepped closer. “That shouldn’t matter. The items that carry these memories are merely conduits. Think of them as… keys. They don’t dictate the content of the memory, only provide access to it.”

“Right, makes sense,” Aerys said, nodding as if she understood. Noor’s raised eyebrow suggested otherwise.

“You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?” Noor asked, a smirk tugging at her lips.

“Not a clue,” Aerys admitted with a chuckle.

“What do you think, Entinos? Any bright ideas?” Ikaro asked, looking to the stoic satyr.

Entinos frowned, his usual blunt demeanor tempered by contemplation. “I don’t like being pessimistic, but I have no idea how to help you, Kayn. In my culture, shamans and druids handle matters like this. Few among us ever touch the arcane directly.”

Kayn let out a defeated sigh. “Maybe I should contact Athena. She might have more of a clue about this than we do-” He reached for the shield again, intending to give it one last attempt.

Suddenly, a surge of celestial energy erupted from it, sending him flying backward.

“KAYN!” the group screamed in unison. He hit the ground hard, ****, as the shield fell beside him, arcs of electric energy crackling over its surface. The air seemed to vibrate with power, and a faint hum echoed, unnerving them all.

Iris was the first to reach him, her hands hovering over his still form. “What the actual fuck?” she exclaimed, eyes wide with panic as she took in the faint electric currents coursing over his body.

“By the gods,” Noor murmured, kneeling beside him. Her voice trembled, the usual confidence replaced with alarm. “The mana inside him… it’s running rampant. It’s like he’s…” Her voice trailed off as realization dawned. She looked at Iris and Ikaro, their faces mirroring her own growing horror.

“He’s unlocking a memory,” they said in unison, their voices a mix of awe and fear.

My vision blurred, a ripple cascading across my senses like a pebble dropped into a still pond. A heavy pull seized my chest, as if an unseen **** dragged me inward. The world around me melted away into a swirl of light and shadow. My limbs felt weightless, suspended in the void.

Then came the rush, a disorienting plunge, like falling backward through a storm of whispers and fleeting images. My breath hitched as the sensation of solid ground returned beneath my feet, and my surroundings solidified into focus.

“What the—” My words were cut off as a blade whistled through the air toward me.

I twisted instinctively, narrowly dodging the strike. The weapon's edge skimmed past my cheek, leaving a sharp hiss in its wake. My mind raced to process the situation, and then I saw her. Athena.

“Dodging will not win you the battle, Kayn!” she declared, her stance firm and commanding. She leveled her sword and shield, a glint of determination in her storm-gray eyes.

Before I could respond, she charged.

I dodged again, moving on reflex as the memory took hold of me. I was a passenger in my own body, bound to relive the events as they had unfolded.
My past self’s voice echoed from my lips. “I don’t want to fight you.”

Athena didn’t falter. “If you don’t fight, you won’t stand a chance! I don’t care if I have to harm you for you to realize that.”

A flash of light signaled her spell. She vanished from view, reappearing behind me. Her shield slammed into my face with brutal ****, sending me sprawling to the ground. Blood trickled from my nose as she pointed her sword at my chest.

“Dead,” she pronounced, her tone unwavering.

“That’s enough, Athena.” Apollo’s voice broke the tension, calm yet firm. He lounged in his seat at the edge of the arena. “He won’t improve if you just keep beating him down.”

Artemis, sitting beside him, chimed in with a wry smile. “I hate to agree with my brother, but he’s right.”

Athena hesitated, her sword lowering slightly. A flicker of frustration crossed her face as she looked down at me. It wasn’t anger, at least, not entirely. Disappointment loomed larger. She grunted, her lips pressing into a tight line.

“Why? Why won’t you fight? Don’t you understand what’s at stake?” she said her voice filled with a mix of desperation and tenderness towards me.

“I do,” my past self began, but she cut me off with a sharp wave of her hand.

“No. You don’t.” Her voice was clipped, the edge of her words cutting deeper than her blade ever could. She turned abruptly, retreating to the far side of the arena to remove her weapons.

“Athena,” I called after her, rising unsteadily.

“Let her go,” Apollo said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “She needs to cool off. Trust me.”

He studied me for a moment, his golden gaze thoughtful. “But she’s not wrong, you know. Why are you holding back?”

“She’s not my enemy,” I said simply, wiping the blood from my nose. “I have no reason to fight her.”

Artemis scoffed. “You think she cares? Do you think Ares will care?”

“No,” I admitted. “I know he won’t. He’s going to enjoy fighting me. It’s all he’s wanted since I was born. But Athena… I don’t want to harm her. Not for my mistakes.”

Apollo and Artemis exchanged a glance, their expressions mirroring an unspoken understanding. Then, they burst out laughing.

“What? What’s so funny?” I asked, irritation creeping into my voice.

Apollo leaned forward, struggling to compose himself. “Are you serious, brother? You think you could harm Athena? Do you even realize who she is? She’s the best fighter in Olympus!”

“And,” Artemis added, her smirk widening, “if you don’t take this seriously, she’ll be even angrier than when you agreed to fight Ares in a Theomachy.”

She paused, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Oh, I know what’s really going on here.”

Apollo tilted his head, intrigued. “What’s that, sister?”

Artemis’s grin grew. “Kayn doesn’t want to fight Athena because… he likes her.”

“What?! That’s not true!” My protest was instant, but the warmth creeping into my cheeks betrayed me.

Apollo’s jaw dropped in mock astonishment. “By Zeus, he does! Little Kayn’s got a crush on Athena.”

“Playing with fire, aren’t you?” Artemis teased, her laughter ringing in the air.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Am I really that obvious?”

Apollo shrugged. “Honestly, I didn’t notice. Then again, I spend more time with my lyre than paying attention to people’s love lives.”

“That’s because you’re blind,” Artemis retorted, elbowing him. “Trust me, as a woman, I can tell it’s obvious. I’m surprised Aphrodite hasn’t started spreading rumors already.”

“What do I do, then?” I asked hesitantly, my voice muffled by my hands.

Artemis’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Oh, this is going to be fun. I’ll help you.”

Apollo groaned, already foreseeing the chaos. “This is a terrible idea.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, glancing between them. “Maybe I should just keep quiet.”

“If you do that, I’ll **** you myself,” Artemis said with a smirk. “She needs this more than you do. Trust me.”

She leaned in conspiratorially. “Okay, here’s what you need to do—”

Before she could continue, the scene began to blur, the edges of my vision warping like heat waves.

“What the hell? There’s more to this memory, why am I being pulled out?” I struggled against the sensation, pushing forward as if wading through thick water. A crushing pressure enveloped me, my lungs burning as though I were drowning.

And then, with a final jolt, the memory shattered.

“Noor, come quickly!” Iris screamed, her voice cracking with desperation.

Noor rushed into the tent, nearly tripping over herself in her haste. The sight before her froze her in place for a brief moment. Kayn lay on the ground, his body writhing and bleeding from wounds that seemed to open on their own, staining the makeshift bedding crimson. Iris knelt beside him, hands pressing against his torso, her fingers trembling as she tried to staunch the flow of blood.

“What the fuck?!” Noor exclaimed, her usual composure shattered. She dropped to her knees beside Iris. “How did this happen?”

“I don’t know!” Iris cried, her voice trembling. “It just started! One moment he was fine, and then—” She broke off, shouting toward the tent entrance. “IKARO, GET ME SOME RAGS! NOW!”

As Noor reached out to help, her fingers brushed against Kayn’s skin. It was ice-cold, his chest barely rising and falling. Panic flared in her chest, but she shoved it down, forcing herself to focus.

The air in the tent grew heavy, charged with a sudden, overwhelming presence. A golden glow filled the space, and when it subsided, Athena stood there. Her expression was a mix of frustration and urgency, her piercing gray eyes scanning the scene.

“You absolute fool,” Athena muttered, kneeling beside the group. Her voice was low, almost a whisper, but it carried the weight of centuries.

Iris flinched at her sudden appearance but quickly pushed her surprise aside. “Athena! What’s happening to him? Why is this happening?” she asked, her voice breaking.

“It’s the curse,” Athena replied, her tone grim. She glanced at Noor, then Iris, her expression softening just enough to convey sincerity. “There’s not much time. I’ll explain later. For now, you must trust me. Will you help me?”

Noor hesitated, her distrust of the goddess warring with her need to save Kayn. She clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. “Fine. Just tell me what to do.”

“Focus your mana on the wounds,” Athena instructed, already moving her hands over Kayn’s chest. A faint glow began to emanate from her palms as she chanted in an ancient tongue. “We need to push the darkness back. It’s trying to consume him.”

Noor and Iris exchanged a brief glance before nodding. Noor’s hands glowed with a soft, golden hue as she began channeling her energy into Kayn, while Iris applied pressure to slow the bleeding.
Athena grimaced as dark energy lashed out from Kayn’s wounds, burning her hands like searing tendrils. She hissed but didn’t falter.

“Athena, your hands—” Iris started, noticing the blisters and burns forming on the goddess’s skin.

“It’s fine,” Athena said through gritted teeth, sweat beading on her brow. “Keep going. He needs all of us.”

The three women worked tirelessly, their combined efforts creating a shimmering cocoon of light and energy around Kayn’s battered form. Each spell and burst of mana felt like a battle against an unseen foe, the curse fighting back with unrelenting ferocity.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the convulsions ceased. The wounds began to close, and Kayn’s breathing steadied. The blood evaporated as if drawn into the glowing light surrounding him.

Athena exhaled shakily, wiping the sweat from her brow. She swayed on her knees, her strength nearly spent. “There. He should be stable for now,” she said, her voice hoarse.

Iris and Noor caught her as she started to collapse. “Easy,” Iris said softly, guiding Athena to sit on the ground.

“Here.” Iris handed Athena a fresh rag to wrap around her burned hands.

Athena accepted it with a small nod of gratitude.
“Thank you.”

Noor’s gaze flicked from Kayn’s peaceful face to Athena’s weary expression. “What just happened?” she asked, her voice low but tinged with anger and worry.

Athena looked at her, her eyes shadowed with a mix of guilt and resolve. “That… that is why you never underestimate an Erebosian,” she said bitterly.