We made it to chapter 10!
"Do you mean to strike down the god of war?" Enyo asked.
"I swore I would kill him, and he would be disappointed if I did not keep my word," Elphaba replied.
"The challenge is only between Cycnus and you. Leave my brother out of this."
"I will fight anyone who stands in my way, and Ares has been no ally to me!" Elphaba shouted. She went to draw her blades, only to find that she didn't have them.
"Choose your enemies wisely, Green One," Enyo said. "I have confidence that you will defeat Cycnus, and when he is dead, I will reward you with the golden fleece of Jason."
"That is the reward for winning anyway," Elphaba said, crossing her arms. What did Enyo mean by this?
"Bring me the golden fleece and I will empower it so that it will not only protect you, but will also allow you launch enemy attacks back at them."
"All right. But I cannot guarantee the life of your brother."
"You will let him live, Elphaba."
Elphaba didn't reply, but turned away. She waited until she knew Enyo was gone. "I have no intention of letting the god of war live."
"But Elphaba, you heard what she said," Galinda said.
"She is blind to the evils of Ares because he is her brother. Once he is gone, she will see that it is for the better."
"Do you really think you can kill him?"
Elphaba looked at the blonde, but could detect no mockery in her tone. "You should go back inside. It is safer for you there."
"I don't particularly like being alone with… her."
"Aphrodite can be… overbearing, but she is one of the few who does not seek to kill us. Go inside."
Galinda stood up and cast one last look at the green warrior before she reentered the temple. Elphaba watched her go before turning her gaze back out to the land. They were still far from Athens, and all these detours were wasting precious time. Elphaba closed her eyes and tried to fight back the haunting memories that were starting to flood into her mind.
"Elphaba, stop! Please, leave him be! Elphaba-"
A scream cut short as the throat was slit.
"Mother!"
Another body joined the other. Elphaba looked at the blood on her hands as the realization hit.
"My… family."
Elphaba forced her eyes to open and found that she was on her knees. She stood up, trying to shake the images from her head.
"Found you!"
"Wha-"
Elphaba was suddenly tackled to the ground. She looked up at her attacker and managed to grab the blade of his sword mere inches before it hit her throat. She struggled with the person before head butting them and kicking them off of her. Her attacker tumbled a few feet away and had just gotten back to their feet when Elphaba grabbed them by their throat and pinned them against the wall. In the torchlight, Elphaba could see that it was a man.
"Why do you attack me? Have you been sent by the gods to kill me?" Elphaba asked angrily.
"I haven't been sent by anyone."
"Then why do you seek to fight me?"
"Because you have wronged me!"
"In what way?"
"You kidnapped my girlfriend!"
"Galinda?"
"So you admit it!"
"I was tasked by the gods to retrieve her."
"Return her!"
Elphaba threw him to the ground, none too gently. "I don't take orders from anyone. Now leave here before I change my mind about letting you live." She turned away to enter the temple, and cried out in pain when she felt a sharp blade enter her shoulder. She turned back around and grabbed the man by his throat again, slamming him into the ground repeatedly. She didn't stop even when the blood started coming.
"Elphaba, leave him alone!"
Elphaba felt Galinda grab her arm in an attempt to stop her. She released the man and stepped back, breathing heavily. Galinda was kneeling beside the man, examining the damage Elphaba had done.
"Why did you attack him?" Galinda asked, after determining that he was still alive.
"He attacked me first."
"Why?"
"Because I took you from Olympia. I gave him a chance to leave, but he refused and attacked again."
"You didn't have to practically bash his skull in! Fiyero is barely a threat to you!"
"He's lucky I don't have my blades, or you'd have two halves of him to deal with."
Galinda stood up angrily and made to slap the green woman, but Elphaba caught her wrist. Galinda struggled to get free.
"Let go of me!" she said.
"You would dare to try and strike me? After what you have seen me do?"
"Oh, and what would you do? Kill me? You can't hurt me, you have to deliver me to my throne by order of the gods!"
Elphaba leaned in close to the blonde. "You act as though I actually listen to the Olympians."
Galinda looked into Elphaba's dark eyes. "You would not kill me," she said, her voice trembling.
Elphaba released her roughly. She picked up Fiyero, throwing him over her shoulder. "I will take him to Aphrodite. She will tend to his injuries."
And the green woman left, leaving Galinda to sit on the temple steps, her mind swimming in confusion.
As Galinda replaced the damp cloth on Fiyero's forehead, his eyes opened.
"Galinda…"
The blonde smiled. "It is I."
"You are unharmed?"
"I'm fine. You need to rest."
Silence.
"Fiyero… why did you attack Elphaba?"
"The Green Warrior? When I heard she had kidnapped you, I left Olympia immediately to find you."
"You are a skilled warrior, Fiyero, but you know that you are no match for her."
"I had to try, and now, here you are."
Galinda smiled again, but with a hint of sadness. "Fiyero, there's something I need to tell you."
Elphaba punched the stone wall in frustration.
"Why so angry, Green One?" Hephaestus asked, not looking up from his work.
"Something… something is not right with me," Elphaba replied.
"We all have problems."
"This is different… different from my nightmares. Normally, I would've have killed someone who attacked me without a second thought, but when she intervened… I stopped."
"Perhaps she has had some sort of effect on you?"
"It is not possible. I gave up all human emotion and feeling… to keep from reliving the pain."
"Elphaba-"
"Mother! Please, mother-"
"Elphaba!"
The green warrior let out a cry and pounded the wall again, her teeth clenched. Hephaestus paused and observed her.
"I must deliver Galinda to Athens. I must end these visions."
End of chapter 10. Thanks to all readers and reviewers so far. Your feedback continues to be appreciated! Also, let me know if there is a specific Olympian or mythology creature you'd like to see.