Temple of Nu Wa

"The lands converge, stars shift in the night sky, the sun refuses to rise, lakes and rivers have moved or dried up altogether and disaster has befallen us all once again. In our great time of need, I ask for your assistance." Zeus bowed his head and prayed to the legendary Goddess who had dealt with Ragnarok once before. In one of her many beautiful temples, he went to one especially sacred to the Goddess. Once an Emperor of China had deigned fit to write a love profession on the walls that did not go over well with her. Nu Wa had smote the Emperor with her otherworldly servants and effectively ended his reign all for one minor transgression. Zeus knew he needed to be careful when it came to her as any wrong move would end in his demise.

Nu Wa appeared beside the proud King of the Olympians and startled him as she asked a single question. "What makes you think I could be of help to you? I am but the Guardian of Heaven."

"You averted Ragnarok once in a great time of need," Zeus did his best to sway Nu Wa and dared to gaze at the Goddess before him. She was every bit as beautiful as the legends had told of her. Shoulder length dark hair, light skin, brown eyes, and traditional garbs of one who was Empress of China.

"The Pillars of Heaven were destroyed at that time. My hand was forced when my children, mankind were devoured by the monsters unleashed by Ragnarok. Restoring the pillars was no easy task and the world was forever changed." Nu Wa caught Zeus staring at her. She knew of his type all too well. He sought her like some sort of prize. "Fu Xi may have departed this world to the next... But our love has not."

"Sorry." Zeus first and foremost apologized to the Goddess. "Your beauty is not done justice in the legends of old. If my gaze does stray it is only because I have beheld such beauty a few times before." He hoped his apology would be taken into account and hadn't managed to offend the Goddess. Moving on to far more pressing matters, Zeus decided to not beat around the bush. "Loki has escaped his imprisonment, Fenrir has shattered the chains that bind him, Hel and Jormungunder have yet to be unleashed and unless we act soon the world may be destroyed this time." Zeus did his best to beseech the Goddess and play on the fact that she not only cared about the pillars of Heaven but her children, mankind.

Nu Wa turned to look at Zeus. "Very well. I will avert this Ragnarok and kill those who bring forth the destruction we aim to halt." She meant every word. These Gods acted like spoiled children not caring of the lives lost due to their own arrogance and ego.

Nu Wa's words sent a shiver down Zeus' spine. He nodded to the Goddess. "Shall we go to Olympus?"

After a moment of thought, the Goddess nodded. "We will need your children for the battle that is to come. And the original Gods who helped you to defeat the Titans." Nu Wa knew she would have to call upon the five elemental stones of power once again that she used to save the world and mend the pillars of Heaven so long ago. It had been thousands of years since the last time she had been on the Earth and she was no longer well versed in the ways of mankind and the Gods. It was safe to say the peace and prosperity they had all carefully negotiated so long ago had gone out the window. As a mother and a guardian, Nu Wa was perhaps more dangerous than many Gods.


Great halls of Olympus

"Valhalla has fallen and the other kingdoms are faced with the same unstoppable foes we encountered in Asgard," Freya spoke to the Gods who were present. Looking first and foremost to the mighty Queen of the Olympians, she hoped that Hera would have a sympathetic ear for what had happened.

Hera nodded, the Queen very interested in what Freya had to say. "I hear you have lost friends and companions in the skirmish between yourselves and Fenrir and his monstrous children. For that I am sorry. I wish we could have done more and offered better assistance. Know that you are all welcomed in Olympus for the time being and for as long as you would like."

Freya nodded to her friend and for the first time since Tyr's sacrifice for her, the Queen smiled. "Thank you."

Hera returned the smile. "Of course." She turned her attention to the other Olympians. "Has Hecate gotten back to us, my son?"

Ares stepped forward and nodded to his mother. "She has agreed to join the fight once more. Hecate offers her necromancy and undying favor to the Olympians."

"Good." Hera praised her son. "Athena. Have you any stratagems for what is to come?"

Athena nodded. "We will raise our army's once more as the Athenian Guard and countless warriors who championed for us rise again and help prepare our defenses. There is another portion to the prophecy we have overlooked. It speaks of the boys and how the amalgamation of light and darkness will be the key to triumph in our darkest hour."

"We're certain the boy is of deific blood?" Hera wanted Athena to clarify a few details. "Fitzgerald is a common enough last name. Not every boy bearing the name is descended from Aine."

"He is of my line," Aine spoke up, the Goddess of Summer and Sovereignty surprising the other Gods. "He is also marked by The Morrigan." On hearing the name of the secretive, deceptive Goddess many Gods within the halls of Olympus grew silent.

"I'm sorry? What do you mean by 'marked'?" Hera asked, her brows raised in curiosity.

"He has a gaes. It's a mark that has to be performed by a woman, a Goddess or one of the Dannan. It's applied in the form of a tattoo and what it says is what the wearer cannot do. Some take it willingly but others... They get it by misfortune. One of my descendants, Roxas' brother Ventus broke his. Roxas still has yet to break his."

"And you're saying The Morrigan has marked him with a rule of her choosing?" Hera asked and Aine nodded. "I assume there is a penalty for one who breaks the rule?"

"Usually it results in death. But The Morrigan can give any penalty she wants." Aine was feeling concerned for the boys but there was nothing she could do for them. The Morrigan would do with them as she pleased just like she did with everyone else.

"Do we know what his gaes is?" Hera asked.

Aine shook her head. "It's only known by the giver and the receiver of such a mark."

Hera tapped her fingers on the side of her throne. "Hermes do you bring word of Nike and her brothers and sisters?"

Hermes nodded to Hera's question. "Nike and Kratos gladly accept the challenge of Ragnarok."

"Good." Hera nodded. "We'll need their help in the battle to come."


Jungle

Sora observed his peculiar surroundings bathed in the moonlight. It was such a strange jungle he had been brought to. Despite all of his efforts to stargaze and find constellations or even the North Star, he had no success in finding anything. The sky was so dark that he could barely make out anything. The moon in all its beauty was still red-hued from whatever unnatural occurrence Ragnarok brought with it and offered very minimal lighting.

Stumbling around in the darkness, Sora trekked through the trees and large plant life in his way and eventually stumbled into a clearing. Squinting his eyes, he saw shapes and outlines of people. "Hello?" Sora called out but no one answered. The people didn't seem to notice nor care as none of them turned to look at him when he spoke. Despite the fact that he had been unnoticed, Sora couldn't get past the feeling that he was being watched. "Hello?" He called out again and still received no answer.

Walking closer to the people, Sora could make them out a little more. If only there were some other sources of light to help him see. "I'm an idiot." Sora scolded himself and uttered the one word that'd help him in this situation. "Fira." Conjuring a ball of fire at his fingertips, Sora kept walking toward the oddly still people. Once he reached the closest individual, Sora reached out and tapped her shoulder. "Excuse me, miss?"

The woman didn't bother to turn around. Did she feel ice cold and oddly... solid? Sora gently tapped her again and this time she fell over. "Ah! I'm so-" When she hit the ground he heard a 'clunk'. It sounded as if a rock had struck rock. Part of her broke off and shattered entirely. It was then that Sora understood what he was in the middle of and where he was. His eyes went wide and he began to stumble back. "Bell-" He began to call for Bellona and Awilix but a hand covered his mouth.

"What is this?" Asked a feminine voice that sounded as if she had gone from crying to anger to rage. She inspected Sora from the shadows. "Did the Gods think they could send such a pitiful creature to assassinate me?" Medusa scoffed then slithered in front of Sora to look at him better. The child looked every bit terrified of her and that was good.

"M-M-M-" Sora could only stammer her name in fear and shock. He never thought he would come face-to-face with a Gorgon and now here he was. "Ah!" Covering his eyes, Sora was confused. Hadn't he already seen her face? It was oddly white.

Medusa couldn't help but laugh at the absurd show before her. "Medusa." She spoke her own name. "You've already taken a peek. You can look at me." Still not decided on whether she was going to petrify him or not Medusa waited for him to lower his arm.

"How?" Sora was so confused. He could see her yellow eyes, the features on her face and the snakes in her hair. Sora knew that he should have been turned to stone but here was- staring right at her.

Her hoarse, luring voice spoke once more. "The Mask." She pointed to her porcelain mask on her face. "You're no assassin." It was painfully obvious to her now.

Sora shook his head. "I'm... I don't know why or how I'm here. Aren't you supposed to be on Seriphos?"

"It would seem the lands have shifted." Medusa could plainly tell. "You being here is no coincidence either." What purpose Sora had bumped into her was yet to be explained but Medusa was no fool. The boy before her was special- very special indeed.

"The Morrigan told me not to... Go through a portal." Sora started to recount his story.

"Which you did anyway." Medusa finished for Sora but waited for him to continue.

Sora smiled sheepishly and nodded. "I was brought to the Egyptian Underworld. Neith and Isis found and healed me. Thanatos and Nemesis brought me here where I met Bellona and Awilix. We encountered Heartless and they told me to go ahead. Then I ended up here."

"Morrigan?" Medusa asked and Sora nodded. "Hah." Medusa scoffed. "It's no surprise that you're of interest to her- I mean look at you. The spitting image of deific blood. The very same blood that betrayed me so long ago and tried to have me killed." Sora was no obvious son of Athena that much she had gathered. But he still had the same lineage as her. His red hair made it very obvious that there were few gods who could have been his parent(s). Perhaps he was yet another child of Zeus?

"Deific... blood...?" Sora asked, confused. "No. You have it wrong. I'm- my parents were human."

"Is that what they told you?" Medusa asked with another laugh. "You don't even know who or what you are and what purpose you were born into the world. Did you honestly think The Morrigan would bother with just a mortal?"

"That's... You're wrong." Sora didn't know what else to do other than argue with her. He was no descendant of a God. Sora's parents had both been mortals who died before their natural time a long time ago. 12 years ago to be precise. Awilix told him that Spring had come early to the world. She also said that Gods had been angered back then when Artio had been the one to save him and Terra led he and his brother to safety. Persephone had walked the Earth before her rightful time and The Morrigan was interested in him- so what? Her interest in mortals hadn't been entirely unaccounted for. Once a long time ago she had a love for the mortal hero Cu Chulainn that wasn't reciprocated. Running out of ways to dispute what she had to say and alarmed at how stacked in favor of him being born of a God, Sora was starting to freak out. Why had Neith of all Gods and Goddesses been the one to save him from the Underworld? Nemesis and Thanatos had personally come to rescue him. All of the 'coincidences' in his life were starting to add up.

"Am I now?" Medusa asked, her head tilting to the side. "If I'm wrong then why are you so worked up over this? Deep down you have to know that this is the truth. You were born of Olympian blood and cast aside by the Gods. I heard a prophecy once... It stated that a boy would change the world for better or for worse. Red hair. Green eyes. War of Light and Dark, Good and Evil, bringer of destruction and Ragnarok. A half-breed with the capability of choosing which side would be the victor. I never thought he would have stumbled across myself or my many statues but it seems the Gods' concern is elsewhere. Perhaps they're trying to save themselves from what is to come." Medusa couldn't help the laugh that escaped. It was of no secret that she hated the Greek Gods for all that they had done to her. Especially Athena and Zeus for trying to send Perseus to kill her. Glancing over at the statue of the Demi-God, Medusa smirked to herself. Sweet, sweet revenge.

"Is... Is the room spinning?" Sora asked, while he stumbled and did his best to grab onto something, anything to balance himself. His knees buckled and he collapsed, falling back onto the tile floors. All at once his senses kicked into overdrive and Sora was unconscious before the Gorgon.

Feeling a set of eyes upon her, Medusa spun around in a circle. "Come out if you dare." She hissed, reaching for her mask. Her eyes were met with that of another Goddess that tended not to be seen. Rather she enjoyed working behind the scenes for her specific calling.

Serqet stood defensively beside Sora, shielding him from Medusa's gaze. The Gorgon laughed at Serqet's foolishness.

"If I wanted to kill him, he'd already be dead," Medusa spoke the truth. She had multiple chances to kill Sora and keep him as another trophy in her defiance of the Greek Gods.

"If you tried to kill him you'd already be dead." Serqet warned her scorpion's tail at the ready. All it would take was one precise sting and Medusa would take her last breath in the waking world. Serqet had been no stranger to killing and taking lives. Being the Goddess of Venom, Magic, Medicine she was always tasked with the choice of letting others live or die. Neith had a very specific task for her child that dwelled among the shadows. Protect the boy at all costs. And thus she had waited until now to reveal herself.


?

Roxas found himself once more in the company of Sora. In all honesty, he'd been anticipating and waiting for it. To his surprise, this dream had come a little earlier than before. Maybe Bellona and Awilix had been taking good care of his friend.

Walking through the dream, Roxas could barely make out shapes. It seemed the only illumination was given off by the moonlight. Unfortunately, the blood moon had offered very little visibility. Puttering around in the dark for what felt like an eternity, Roxas eventually found another person. "Hey." Calling out to them he was met with silence. Moving toward the shapes of people he called out again and still received no answer. Tapping them on the shoulder he felt nothing but stone. A chill ran down his spine and Roxas turned around to find himself face to face with Sora.

"Sora... What is this place?" Roxas asked.

Sora looked up at Roxas from his crumpled position. "She said that I was a God." He spoke the first thing on his mind.

"Who said you were a God?" Roxas was now confused. "Morrigan?"

Sora shook his head. "You're never gonna believe it but I met... Medusa." Sora gave a sad half-smile and tucked his knees into his chest. He was still freaking out about the news.

"She didn't turn you to stone." It wasn't a question but Sora had nodded. "How would she even know if you were a God?"

"She said it was some sort of prophecy. One about Light and Dark Good and Evil... It might be strange, but I think she's right." Sora didn't know why but he felt tears welling up in his eyes. His whole life had been a lie and now every 'coincidence' was now making sense.

Roxas couldn't bear to see Sora cry and hugged him immediately. "Prophecies... They don't tell you everything. Even if she is right there's more than one way to interpret the words." He knew all too well about prophecies. The Morrigan had spoken cryptically about one the very first time he'd met her so long ago.

"I don't know everything," Sora answered honestly. "Medusa only told me the important parts."

Roxas nodded and pulled out of the hug so he could look at Sora again. "She's not a Prophetess or a Seer so it's likely she doesn't know the whole prophecy."

Sora nodded. "I'll try to ask for something more specific. How are you doing?" He wanted to change the subject away from his life that currently was falling apart. Awilix said that the Gods had been watching him for his entire life and thanks to Medusa he finally had an idea of why.

"Still in Hel." Roxas shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"You're really enjoying the fact that you can say you're in Hel aren't you?" Sora couldn't help but laugh at Roxas' enjoyment of both the Goddess and the dimension she resided in.

"Kinda." Roxas nodded. "She keeps me safe and said she's going to let me go at some point. Hel also said she would have liked to keep me as a pet and that's flattering, I guess?"

Sora wore a blank face and shrugged his shoulders. He had absolutely no idea. "That sounds like a twisted compliment."

"Gods of Death tend to be a little more particular."

"I met Thanatos." Sora tried to strike up a conversation and get both their minds off of their current situations.

"Really? What's he like?" Roxas was actually very interested. The fabled 'hand of Death'.

"I think he's actually a mind-reader. He knew what I was thinking and responded to my thoughts before I could say anything."

"No way. Who would've thought." Roxas sat beside Sora and stared at their odd surroundings. "Did you see this place before you fell asleep?"

"I'm not sleeping." Sora shook his head. "I... Fainted."

"Oh." Roxas didn't know what to say to that. With each passing second their meeting grew more and more awkward until he broke the silence again. "What happened?

"Medusa's words got the best of me. I hope I'm okay out there." Sora was actually a tad worried he'd be in trouble. Even if Medusa didn't want to attack him there were still unknown Gods of Death trying to get rid of him with Heartless at their beckoned call.

"I'm sure you are. Good thing there's nothing here that could hurt us... Dream walking can be a little dangerous." Roxas looked over his shoulder in all directions and scanned for anything but thankfully this wasn't like Sora's last dream. He assumed it was an old memory. Those Heartless had bruised and hurt Roxas when they'd restrained him.

"Isn't it also incredibly evil?" Sora asked.

Roxas couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "...yeah. It can be if you use it in the wrong way." Roxas wore a blank expression when talking and looked at the moon as opposed to Sora.

Sora could tell from his aura that Roxas was hiding something. The moment he brought up that dream walking was an evil act Roxas had tensed up. "What's the matter?"

Roxas broke eye contact with the moon and glanced over at Sora. He smiled softly while his face wore a pained look. "When Ventus and I were young he made me so mad. Like really, really mad. It was over something stupid and I don't even remember what it was... That night I dream walked and hurt him. And after that night there was nothing I could say, nothing I could do... The damage was already done."

Roxas' aura changed to blue and was as sad as his expression. "Is that why you told me to be careful around him?" A quick glance said no, that wasn't the answer. "Were you scared of telling me because you thought I'd think less of you?" His aura shifted again and Roxas looked away. Sora didn't know what else to do, so he took Roxas' hand in his own. He gently squeezed Roxas' hand and didn't say anything.

Roxas instantly felt better. For some reason it felt like the two of them were connected. Obviously, they were connected at the hands but it felt much deeper than that. Like something in his soul just felt...whole. "Remember when we first met?"

"And the world was a lot smaller and less scary? Yep." Sora tried to make a joke of their current situation but honestly didn't know how things were going to get better for either one of them.

"You were scared to take my hand back then," Roxas added and Sora flinched. Instantly regretting his words, Roxas gently squeezed Sora's hand like he had done for him before.

"Sorry. I just... didn't know you that well and when we held hands it felt weird. Not like in a bad way but funny. Kinda like when you bump your elbow in just the right way. Maybe I was just afraid of admitting I liked holding your hand." Sora knew it was silly to talk about right now but he wanted Roxas to know that he felt the same. Something just felt right when the two of them were together.

"Yeah. I get it. I like holding your hand too." Roxas smiled. For a brief moment, he thought of their kiss at the Halloween party and how it still hadn't been addressed. Sora had shut his eyes and Roxas leaned in. He knew that while dream walking both of them would experience events as if they had really happened and it would probably be a while until the two of them would be able to see one another again. Dream walking put too much of a strain on him physically, emotionally and magically.


Hel

Roxas found himself once more in the waking world. Unfortunately, he hadn't woken up in his bed safe and sound. He was in the Underworld where there was little illumination and it was actually rather hot. Hel must have enjoyed heat as there was a little circle of fire and a lake that seemed stagnant. Save for his few steps here and there nothing really churned in it. The black waters actually did scare him to an extent. If Roxas had to take a guess at what his personal hell would be it would have been something along the lines of this. Dark water that seemed to have no bottom and him floating aimlessly

"Dream Walker." Hel addressed Roxas not by his name but by the dark power he possessed.

"I have a name." Roxas frowned. He hated the new pet name she'd decided to call him by as opposed to his real name.

"You do." Hel smiled. "You don't even know what your name really means, do you?" She couldn't help but ask as most mortals were ignorant of what their names meant. Fate could be funny in that aspect.

"I'm pretty sure my parents didn't put that much effort into naming me. So no I don't know what my name means." Roxas shrugged his shoulders. Maybe Hel would tell him.

Hel's smile grew bigger. "It's time."

"Time?" Roxas asked.

"Time to go." Hel clarified what she had to say. Offering her hand out for Roxas to take, she felt her bonds that bound her to the dimension of Hel shatter. For the first time in thousands of years, she would be able to see the world above.

Roxas hesitated for a moment but took her hand anyway. She was his only way out of Hel and he was grateful that they were finally going to leave. Something about being in the Underworld for so long was making him stir crazy. He also hoped they'd somehow be close to Sora so they could both figure out the craziness they were in together. One thing he'd definitely miss about being in Hel was saying he had been in the dimension and Sora's worry over him.

Hel laughed at his hesitation and the moment he extended his hand to her she teleported the two of them out of her dimension and back to the Earth. Inspecting their surroundings, Hel couldn't help the chorus of laughter. She was excited. The blood moon was at its peak and many human souls were flooding to the Underworld on this fine day. Fenrir was doing a good job at pressuring the kingdoms and killing plenty of humans. Jormungandr would surely fulfill his part when the time was right.

"You may go now." Hel looked to Roxas.

"That's it? I can just... leave?" Roxas asked.

Hel nodded. "I was told to keep you safe and hidden. Now that we've returned to the land of the living there is no point in me taking care of you. Find Sora if you like. I warn you however there are malicious Gods and immortal creatures in these woods. Go the wrong way and we may end up seeing each other again." Hel wondered if he knew that she meant was he to die then perhaps he'd end up in her Underworld. "And take this." Hel held out her hands and in them formed a most peculiar weapon. A long black blade with seemingly bat wings for a handle, the intricate weapon seemed ancient. Born of the dark and swathed in darkness, the aura it gave off was of power.

Roxas stared at the peculiar weapon. For some reason even though he'd never seen such a thing before he couldn't shake the feeling that it belonged to him. The moment it traded hands from Hel to Roxas he felt it pulsate with power. An older power and an even bigger sense of ownership for the peculiar blade. Roxas nodded to Hel and took off running. He didn't know where he was going or how he'd meet up with Sora again but somehow knew they'd meet again.


Sora

Maybe he was a little bit crazy. Did he actually feel something brush against his lips before he woke up? Opening his eyes Sora was met with the sight of Serqet and Medusa. Serqet seemed to be worried about him but Medusa was keeping a safe distance from the legendary Goddess. Serqet had smiled at him and Sora couldn't help but return the gesture.

"You're okay," Serqet was pleased that he hadn't come to any harm.

Sora nodded. "And you're... Serqet?" Sora took what most would assume was a guess but it didn't feel like that. Somehow he knew exactly who she was. Maybe it was owing to his divine heritage that Medusa had pointed out. Not to mention the fact that her crown adorned with a scorpion gave her away.

Serqet nodded and offered her hand for Sora to take. Helping the boy up, she examined him further. "Dream walking usually takes a toll. You're lucky there were no hidden dangers when you met your friend."

"You know he's a dream walker?" Sora asked, surprised. "Do you also know who he is?"

"We look after our own, Sora. No matter how watered down the deific blood." Serqet knew there'd likely be questions from Sora and would do her best to answer. After all her mother Neith insisted she be the one to take care of him.

"Is it true, Serqet? Do I have deific blood?" Sora wanted to know. Bellona and Awilix hadn't mentioned it though Awilix said she had met him before but he didn't remember. Maybe she met him when he was little? She mentioned 12 years ago so it was possible.

Serqet's face took on a more serious look. She nodded to Sora. "You're half." She glanced at Medusa who shrugged her shoulders. Of course, the Gorgon didn't care much for what she had done.

Sora swallowed and nodded. "What is the prophecy I'm a part of?"

Serqet again looked to Medusa who avoided eye contact. "There was a prophecy before you were ever born, Sora. Well, there were actually many before you were born but one that pertains to you, specifically." Serqet paused and recited it to the best of her abilities. "When disaster befalls the world, only one will stand in the way. Light and Dark, Good and Evil, two become one. He who wields the sacred blade shall decide the ultimate fate."

"Sacred blade?" It was the very first time Sora had heard that terminology. Was it a divine weapon of sorts?

Serqet nodded to Sora's question. "There are a few theory's out there as to what it could mean. Certain deific weapons are capable of killing even Gods." If she had to guess it had to be hidden in a higher plane of existence.

Before anything more could be said, a mighty war cry was heard and the rustling of the bushes. Sora stood closer to Serqet whose tail seemed armed and ready for what was to come. Leaping out of the bushes, Bellona took charge and stood in front of Sora to shield him from Medusa. Awilix also came out of the woods and stood beside her friend to protect Sora.

Medusa took one look at the Gods and laughed at their foolishness. "Didn't we already do this?" Medusa asked, looking past the two Goddesses and making eye contact with Serqet.

Serqet shrugged her shoulders. "Mother said that there'd be others looking after him."

"How is Neith?" Awilix asked. She saw no harm in asking the simple question as Medusa didn't seem to be a threat. Rather the Gorgon was mocking them for being overly protective of the charge. So long as Sora was okay she didn't really care.

"She's doing well. Still upset over Ra being harmed." Serqet was also unnerved at her brother being harmed. Something strong enough to take down even Ra? Naturally, Serqet had been suspicious of Isis because she had done something along the same lines prior to steal the kingdom of Egypt. Ra had insisted otherwise, however. The dagger used to blind him was also sloppy. It seemed left behind on purpose. Anubis had fled and the Egyptians still had yet to catch him.

"Yet another Olympian. Great." Medusa could hardly hold back her sarcasm. She hated the Olympians with a burning passion. At least the boy was ignorant of his deific blood, unlike Bellona.

Bellona scoffed as if being called an Olympian was an insult. And it was to her, Goddess of War. "I haven't identified as an Olympian for a few thousand years."

"Ah yes. The Olympian turned Roman. How could I forget?" Medusa let out a throaty laugh. "Here to challenge me or protect the boy?"

"I have no quarrel with you. Not all of us agreed with how Athena and Poseidon handled things." Bellona spoke honestly about the situation. How could you possibly blame a poor girl for being raped in one of your temples? Not to mention the fact that you cursed your high priestess for 'defiling' your temple. Athena may have been the Goddess of Wisdom but she didn't always act wisely.

Medusa raised a brow. "That's a first."

Awilix couldn't help but also sympathize. "You'll come with us, won't you?"

Medusa was surprised yet again for the evening. Her first instinct had been to say 'no'. But the hopeful look on Sora's face had been what got her. He reminded her of a much younger, naive version of herself. She hoped that for his sake he didn't lose that innocence. "Fine. But I will have my revenge. Athena will get what's coming to her. And Poseidon will get the first of many deaths he deserves."

"I'll hold him down for ya." Bellona grinned and relaxed her arms behind her head. "I'm starving. Anyone else?"

About to say no, Sora's stomach rumbled. Feeling his cheeks get hot, Sora bowed his head and nodded. How embarrassing.

"So it's settled then. We set up camp here and regroup in the morning. Not that we can tell when it's morning because the sun doesn't rise." Bellona couldn't help but mention the fact that the sun was absent. Trying to navigate by stars was also a pain in the ass because they shifted. Thanks to Ragnarok, more precisely, Fenrir, Loki, Hel, Jormungandr.

"Yep." Awilix giggled. "I'll go get us some food."

"I'll get firewood." Bellona followed Awilix into the woods.

"And we'll wait here in comfort. Relatively speaking, of course." Serqet glanced for a place to sit but found nowhere adequate enough for her to be seated. Gods if she'd actually sit on a log or a rock. Propping herself up with her tail, she deigned fit to stand.

"Of course." Medusa chimed in.

"Is it really okay staying back here while they do everything?" Sora asked.

"They're doing what they enjoy, Sora. Looking after you is all a part of the job. We'd also never hear the end of it from your mother if we let anything happen to you." Serqet mentally scolded herself. The cat was almost out of the bag. Which Bastet may have enjoyed but Serqet's big mouth got the best of her.

"Mother? Who is my mom?" Sora was curious. He only knew his mortal mother and now he at the very least knew that an Olympian Goddess was his mom.

Medusa couldn't help but chuckle. Was it not obvious? Shaking her head at the boy she let out a sigh. It was probably one of the reasons why it was so hard to say 'no' to him.