The back of Eos' head hurt. The last thing she'd remembered was Iris starting to get a little tearful, that small lip of hers starting to quiver. Then, a pain, as if someone had...

Eos took a slow, deep breath, she could feel herself moving, feel her hands bound behind her, her wrists already working their way free, hear the wheels turning against the ground, the sound of horses and... Iris... she could hear her... whining...

There was someone else there too. Someone to the right of her, heavy breathing, another trying and failing to coo her daughter. A driver upfront maybe... How many would be around her...

Eos felt the wheel turn over a stone, the movement giving her the ompft to sit up, opening her eyes and seeing a forest trail following behind them but, the small noise Iris gave distracted her long enough for a foot to push her back down, the heavy breathing coming from a lump who was sat on the edge of the wagon she was lay on.

"Iris-",

"Quiet" the lump snapped. He looked like a mercenary, the mismatch of expensive armor being the give-away.

Iris reached out one of her arms, a sob coming from her deep inside her small throat,

"Make it shut up". The man holding Iris brought her closer, shushing her but, it only made her push away and cry even more.

The lump stood up, putting even more weight on Eos - he was going to kill her if she didn't move, "Give it 'ere", the lump had tried to grab for Iris but, Eos had saw her chance and brought her knees up, the man stumbling before she kicked upwards.

He fell and she kicked again, the man tumbling over the side of the wagon.

The other man stood up as Eos did, grabbing at a crying Iris with her now freed hands before she kicked him over to. The driver had stopped, just about to turn around when Eos pushed him forward, making him fall between the two horses and having them panic. It was just them. No entourage.

Eos went to jump down but, the mercenary was already on his feet and grabbed at her instead.

She held on to Iris tightly as she turned herself, elbowing the mercenary in the face as he tried to get her in a headlock.

She fell on to her back as the mercenary stumbled backwards, holding Iris in the air so she didn't touch the ground. The baby hadn't even opened her eyes yet, having not realised that she'd changed hands.

Eos got to her feet - the driver was dead, he had to be, the horses having dragged his body a few feet away from them, along with the wagon - the mercenary, he'd be tougher, the man was already coming towards her, holding an axe - the dagger though, on his waist, she could use that - and the other one, she didn't know where he'd gone, if he'd run. She held Iris tighter.

"Give me the brat" he said,

"Give me your axe. We can swap" Eos shrugged. Iris quieted at her mother's voice, the babe finally opening her eyes, her little hands grabbing on to her robes, "shh baby" she said quietly.

The mercenary screamed at her then, making Iris give a little shriek as he rushed them, swinging his axe. Eos dodged him just in time, making him attempt to swing at them sideways but, Eos had already grabbed his dagger, stabbing the man in the underside of his arm and making him let go. The mercenary went to grab at Iris in one last attempt but, Eos pulled the dagger out and stabbed him in the throat.

He'd grabbed at Iris' red blanket, pulling it off her as he fell, the blood spewing from his neck, soaking the them both.

Eos took a step backwards, holding Iris close, the babe burying her head in Eos' shoulder, both of their hearts thumping in their chest as Eos tried to soothe her.

She managed it, if only for a moment but, as Iris opened her eyes, she'd gave another cry as someone appeared behind them.

Eos felt something smack her in the back of the head. Something sharp? The axe! Where was the axe?

Eos felt some one tear Iris from her arms, the babes cry being the last thing she heard before she blacked out.


Desperate now, after searching the streets for what felt like hours, Alexios found himself outside Periklese' home. There had been no sign of Eos or Iris anywhere and, no matter who he talked to, no one had seen them.

The Athenians that called themselves city guards were useless, or, it seemed, looking for fight, which only made it all the easier to think they had something to do with it.

And now here, he didn't know what else he could do... who he could turn too. Sokrates had left to go on some sort of personal mission and, he'd heard nothing more off of Kassandra, or Darius, hadn't spotted the stupid bird over-head. The thought of her coming here was ludicrous but, it was the last place he could look.

The guards at the entrance took a step-in front of him,

"Let me through" he told them - the blood on his robes, from other city guards who were now lying in puddles of their own piss, didn't add to his endeavour very much.

"Just turn around. Leave" one of them said. Alexios smirked and then grabbed at the sword he was holding gingerly; he had no qualms in wanting to stab him through the stomach but-

"Stop", he looked up. There was a woman stood in the doorway.

Was that...

Alexios stood straight, pushing the guard away.

Alexios remembered her from the night at the symposium.

Her screams as he'd killed Periklese.

Aspacia.

And, she remembered him. She took a step back.

She turned, gesturing him in with her head.

"Please, I have news from Kassandra".

Alexios walked towards her, "I don't care about Kassandra" he said, his voice low and gruffed, "Eos is all-",

"I think I might know who took her" Aspacia said, she stopped as they both went inside.

"What" he said, he circled around her, watching the hairs on her arms stand on edge, why would Kassandra-

"I was on my way to tell the both of you" she said it quietly, nothing like the almighty, powerful woman that would make men quake in their boots whenever she entered a room. Not anymore.

She was... desperate... scared... he couldn't place it.

Aspacia passed him, her step cowardly as she tried to avoid brushing against him as she went towards one of the back rooms.

Alexios gave the hallway another glance before he followed. There was someone else here. He could feel it.

They ended up in a room with maps sprawled across the table. It was the same room he'd spied Eos and the other Athenians in - where they'd decided on how they would incriminate Kleon. It was how he knew where Eos would be that night, what she'd be doing.

"A woman named the rat" Aspacia grabbed for part of a map, pointing to a small village in Boetia, "has hired mercenaries".

"Is she still there" Alexios asked,

"I don't know" she said,

"What else did Kassandra say" Alexios asked, he took another step forward. Aspacia thought about keeping her stance but backed down, looking at the table instead.

"That's all" Apacia said. Alexios took a step back

"Thank you, I'll-" Alexios stopped, spying a bag of belongings on the table near the door, he looked to it and then back at Aspacia, "are you going somewhere" he asked,

"I was but, Kassandra asked me to pass over the message first" she said,

"A little too late" he said quietly, he snatched the map from underneath her hand, making her squirm a little, before looking again at the village she'd pointed at. If Melaina was there, or had been, he'd find her.

"Do you blame me" she asked then. There was something about her voice now. As if she'd found it again. "I have nothing left here now. I haven't for a long time. Because of you".

It was then he realised something.

A possibility...

Kassandra wouldn't have used her to send them a message. She'd never even mentioned her...

His thoughts were validated when Aspacia realised it to... Alexios grabbed for his sword.

"Guards" she screamed. Alexios swung around but, the woman ducked out of his way as he went to grab her.

Alexios swung his sword, pulling the table with him with the other hand and stopping a couple of masked guards in the process. The sword dug into her shoulder before a masked guard jumped in front of him, the woman crying out before she fled the room.

Alexios pulled back, the more he focussed on the men in front of him, the quicker he could get after her. He knew how they fought, had trained so many of them that it wasn't long before they were lying at his feet, their bodies too bloodied and broken for them to ever get up again.

It had only taken him a few moments but, grabbing the cloth bag on the table, just in case it held something useful, he'd made his way outside, hearing the sound of a horse take-off.

It had to be her.

Except, more men were starting to flood through the gates, blocking his exit. Alexios turned and ran back into the house and up the stairs.

He smiled as he heard them fall over themselves, all trying to follow him up at the same time, the groans and yells as they stood on each other. At the top, he'd pulled a small cabinet over and kicked it down the stairs, hearing the crash as it smacked his followers on its way to the bottom.

Outside on the balcony again, Alexios had raced over to the small statue of Athena before he jumped over the edge and disappeared into the streets.

He had to get to the main street, he had to find Aspacia.

Running up the main street, the city guards had given chase. The blood on his chest plate was enough for people to be scared, the shouts and screams that had come from Periklese' house enough.

Alexios had got to one of the exits, finally catching sight of Aspacia as she raced through on a thoroughbred.

She'd shouted something, the guards already having started to close the doors. There was no way he'd get there in time.

Throwing himself upwards and on to the edge of a roof near the wall, Alexios had heard an arrow crash in to the stone beneath him as he pulled himself up, and then, began scaling the wall as the men on the ground and at the top shouted to one another.

More arrows were fired, only to miss him by a few inches, and, not deterred, he'd reached the edge. A man had stuck his head over, a dagger in his hand ready to stab at his fingers but, Alexios had grabbed him and pulled him over, the athenian flailing as he fell.

Alexios swung himself over quickly, not giving the last two men at the top much time to think before he cut them down and jumped over the side.

Landing perfectly, Alexios had grabbed the reigns of a horse, from a man, frozen in fear and jumped on, the horse having little time to think before Alexios drove it forward.

Aspacia was already out of sight and, the tracks on the ground... there were so many, the path so run...

Boetia... he'd have to go there... he had no other choice...

Riding, it wasn't long before the horse stopped, refusing to go much further... it had only just got back from Mackedonia, far too tired to go back up past the fort Kallinos had been in.

Alexios got off, leaving it. He had to keep going. He had to get her.

Reaching his hand in to the bag he'd grabbed, Alexios had felt pieces of cloth, clothing and then, something at the bottom... scrumpled pieces of paper. He pulled one out, smoothing it open. There was something written on it.

It was Melaina's handwriting. He knew it was.

I have done as you've said. They trust me now. I will see you soon.

He pulled out another, the words even less but, definitely hers.

I understand. I will do what I can.

And a third.

I will always be there for you. Do not mistake my kindness to them as betrayal.

A fourth. There were more. As if the notes had been passed over in some sort of silence between friends.

I have seen so much. I don't even know if it's real anymore.

There was something on the back.

Your gift is.
I doubt that to.

The writing, it was similar to...

Alexios stopped... that's what the feeling had been... Aspacia...

She was the Ghost...

She was Eos' mother...


Eos dragged herself to her feet. She was off balance, as if... she put her hand to her head, she could feel the blood that had matted her hair together, creating a make-shift bandage over whatever was there.

She needed to take a minute. She needed to focus.

But, she couldn't. She had to find Iris.

Rolling the body of the mercenary over desperately, trying to find signs of her daughter, all she found was the babes beloved red blanket, stained redder by the mercenary's blood. Sticking it in her robes, Eos had stumbled over to the cart. One of the horses was gone, the other was lying there, trying desperately to get up but, its leg was broken. There was nothing else she could do.

Eos looked to her hand, at the mercenaries dagger she'd picked up. Eos killed the horse quickly; it was the least she could do.

The horse took its last breath and Eos spotted the axe. She went over to it and pulled it up, only to let it fall again. It was too heavy. The dagger would have to do. She looked at her hands then, at the fingers she forgot weren't there anymore.

Ugh, she needed to go.

Eos had looked at the ground, finding horse tracks, the way it had ran, they had to be ridden, the trail starting to smooth out as the horse had calmed, the indentations telling her it was carrying someone.

She started to follow it, her head quickly starting to ache as the tracks blurred. She was sure she was getting turned around but, she didn't know, she couldn't focus, the feeling in her stomach made her want to be sick.

It was then, she saw the edges of the forest, the light. The trail, it kept going, outwards.

Eos stumbled up the small path and out into the plains, the exalted plains.

Boetia. She was in Boetia.

How long had she been on that wagon... how long had Iris...

The village, she could see it. Maybe someone had seen them...

Grabbing the first person she saw, she'd spouted the truth to a poor, frightened farmer - she'd been attacked, her baby taken and, she had no idea where she was. The farmer had just found the will to answer when Eos pushed passed him, recognising another face.

Standing, waiting for her almost. At the edge of the village.

Melaina.

A load of bull shit was already spouting from her mouth before Eos had even got close, could even be bothered to listen.

"It won't be long until the mother calls all of her children back to her" Melaina said, she sounded so happy, as if Eos wasn't like the walking dead...

"Tell me where my daughter is" Eos went to grab her but, all Melaina had to do was step to the side, letting Eos stumble passed her.

"Oh Eos, she's not like you... she wouldn't harm Iris". Melaina had turned around to her slowly, too slowly, giving Eos chance to catch Melaina by the arm and swing her around, grab her by the hair and push her head in to the ground. Eos let go a little, she didn't have enough energy for it.

"Tell me" Eos spat, there was a lump in her throat, trying to choke her,

"I saw it you know" Melaina said, she sounded insane, as if she was about to laugh, Eos snorted back the tears, "I saw whose dagger pierced my heart. Who took my eyes".

"Melaina, this isn't a game anymore, tell me where she is" she pushed her head into the ground before pulling it up, this crazed look in Melaina's eye that only made Eos angrier.

"It was yours... I saw it long ago... the snakes destroys the rat... I didn't want to believe it then but, it seems my visions really do come to pass" she was shouting. Eos pushed her in to the ground as she stood up,

"Tell me where she is" Eos cried,

"Your pater knows" Melaina said quietly. She pushed herself up, wiping her hands down the ragged orange robes Eos wasn't sure she'd ever changed out of.

"Where is he" Eos demanded.

"At a sanctuary, above a pit of snakes".

"What" Eos said quietly.

"In Phokis" Melaina said. "It all ends at the beginning Eos".

Eos fell on to the ground. Phokis. Okay. She could get there. She would get Iris back. She'd kill Amorges. Once and for all. She'd get her daughter back.

Melaina had closed her eyes as Eos had got to her feet, humming something to herself...

It was that song, that song Alexios would hum at Iris. It made her feel sick. She turned away from her and stumbled off...

Melaina had been awaiting her fate. She opened her eyes and took a step forward,

"Where are you going" Melaina asked - wasn't this it... the vision... the dagger...

"You want your visions to come true" Eos said to her, she turned around, walking backwards, "it's not me who kills you".

Eos felt like she'd let her have that one... all the rest could lie in the ashes of Eos' wake but, if Melaina wanted to die by that snake headed blade of hers, she'd have to wait. Eos didn't have it.

Melaina had watched her walk away...

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. This was her end, this was where her path stopped... Eos was supposed to take her life, she had seen it, seen the blade...

Melaina almost had the want to run after her as she disappeared from view... she didn't even think Eos would make it, if she'd be able to keep going... but, it was then she remembered that her death would have been missing something... a Champion, stood, a look of lunacy in his eye.

And, maybe more words to say...

Perhaps it was time she made her way towards where it had started for her too... at the place she was taken from...

However, it was in that very decision-making moment that she felt that look of lunacy set upon her. Melaina turned around, a Champion stood only metres away.

"Where is she" Alexios said,

"Why would I tell a monster like you" Melaina asked, she put her hands together, "all you bring is death and destruction, all you leave is fire in your wake" she said, "you never did die on that mountain, did you. Deimos".

Perhaps ends did not happen at their beginnings.

"Tell me where she is" Alexios demanded, "where's Eos".

It was just a name to him now. A word...

Or, that's how it should have been.

"She's gone to find her pater" Melaina said, "but, her journey will end at the serpents lair" Melaina told him. Perhaps hers would too...

Perhaps she was meant to travel with him. The Children of the cult making their way back to their leader, to the Ghost. Together.

"If you've hurt that baby Melaina, I'll-",

"What" Melaina asked, "you'll lose yourself in the thrill of the kill again". Melaina smiled. She had always admired his talents in that department. Without thought, without mercy. He really was built to kill.

To even think that Eos thought he had a shred of anything else left in him was insane. She truly had been corrupted by chaos.

And, this day, Melaina knew she had nothing to fear from him - it was Eos that would take her life. And it would be quick. Eos was nothing like him. "You'd walk a path you knew so well, you'd enjoy it... and then, you'll destroy all of that too... you'll never be anything more than the cult created Deimos, Eos was just too stupid to see it".

Deimos grabbed her then, his hand closing around her throat.

"What are you" she took a deep breath in, only for his hand to clamp tighter, "No" she choked, "Stop" Melaina said. Her head felt as if it was starting to bulge, her eyes twitching and turning as they tried to stay inside her sockets, "please" she choked, probably the sincerest he'd ever heard her be.

He was a monster.

She was right.

He had never stopped being Deimos.

For a moment, he faultered and, Melaina felt her head fall forward, her vision going black as she spotted the snake headed dagger in his hand. She screamed. Death wasn't so wanted when it was right in front of you.

The dagger plunged in to her chest, in to her heart. She grabbed at his arm, her world going dark as her legs give way, his hand still clamped around her throat.

Deimos stood, watching tentatively as he dropped her on the floor, Melaina spluttering out words he couldn't understand...

He should have killed her a long time ago.

It was then he heard them, the struggle, the screams, it had raised the people from their homes, guards surrounding him, telling him to put the dagger down, to lay his sword on the floor...

But the want to indulge... it was too great...

If they wanted a monster. They could have one.


Eos could feel her whole body trembling, from the pain, from the sickly feeling in her chest... from the adrenalin... she didn't know which - all she knew, was that she had enough left inside to torture the truth out of her father.

For how long she had been walking, she had no clue, all she knew was that Phokis was this way and, she couldn't stop, not now. People had looked at her, some out of pity, others out of disgust but, none of them approached her and they let her go. Even the soldiers she passed let her be, only stopping to watch as she disappeared from their view, the words shared between them whether or not she had been real or not.

And then, she saw Phokis, she was so close.

As Melaina had said, Amorges was stood inside the sanctuary... waiting... Eos had fell to her knees as she'd got inside. It was so quiet.

Iris wasn't here, she knew that now. Amorges didn't have her. He never did. She put her hand on the floor, readying herself to get back up.

"Does this place not give you a sense of peace Eos" Amorges asked, he turned to face her, "the chaos that followed you around could never follow you here",

"We're not in Zeus' temple old man" Eos told him. That was the only place Laelaps had trouble with and, he'd shown her that he'd even overcome to keep her safe. "That chaos you speak of never abandoned me" she said, Eos pushed herself up, "and, it didn't matter where I was, he was always there, right beside me" - she could feel herself choking on the lump in her throat... how dare he even talk about him...

"And now, you are alone" Amorges said. Eos could feel the eyes on her - what was left of Amorges guard but, then, she felt them drift as he carried on talking... as if the eyes were watching someone else now.

"Where is my daughter Amorges" Eos asked. "Who has her"

"You know them as the Ghost" Amorges told her, his hands together in front of him, so calm...

"My mother" Eos said, she snorted, the eyes around them had all fallen away... whatever had got them, she'd be ready for them too but, she had a want to at least have a hack at Amorges first. That blade on his waist, she was quicker than him, she could grab it. "Where is she" Eos asked, Amorges hadn't moved.

"I am told she is where you left the first" Amorges tilted his head, the scold and judgement in his voice making Eos take a deep breath as she bit the inside of her cheek,

"The tower" she muttered,

"No Eos... underground, in a vault" Amorges said,

"I didn-" - and she hadn't but... Chrysis would have took him there... to scream at the Gods, to hold him over that pyramid, to try and bring him back to life, "the serpents lair" she said it quietly to herself. She was stood right on top of it.

She was here. Beneath her feet.

A sense of relief flooded through her, she was so close, she'd have her in her arms soon, one way or another.

Melaina had said she'd start at the beginning.

"Eos" Amorges had took a step towards her, she looked up and took a step back, "in this moment now, you are able to strip all that is chaotic, all that is tainted, away from you. Join me. Join us. You can live your life the way you've always wanted to",

"I was" Eos told him,

"The fire-",

"The fire that you caused" Eos shouted "he'd stopped, he'd got... better" she didn't know if that was the word but, all that bad, he was trying to get away from it. A warmth, love, thats what they'd had and, Amorges, the Ghost, everyone, was trying to set it alight.

"He's killed her, you know, your dear Deimos" Amorges smiled, "the rat is dead. He choked the life out of her... he let the chaos inside out, the fire burning through a whole village before it was quelled" Eos didn't move. "The infamous rat, killed by a ghost who should have died on a mountain... if only I had the chance to tell them the truth" he said it so quietly, she almost thought she wasn't supposed to hear.

"If you've-",

"You're so quick to defend him Eos... perhaps you were always lost to us...".

"Why are you doing this" Eos asked, her voice broke - had he not done enough to hurt her? If he really was her father, why was he doing this to her. Why wait so long...

"Tainted like him... they are said to have two paths, one of fire, one of warmth... except, the warmth ignites itself one way or another",

"You did that" Eos said,

"And it seems I may be the one who puts it out" Amorges said quietly as he drew his sword. Eos went to throw herself at him but, despite everything, Amorges wasn't hers to fight.

A shadow descended from above. Amorges blocked Darius as he jumped atop of him, sending them both across the floor before they rose, circling one another. Eos landed in an empty space and scrambled over to the wall, watching them.

Darius took the step, bridging the small gap between them, his hidden blade shot from its handle, the blade sticking in to Amorges gut but, Amorges had already stabbed his sword in Darius' side.

"It was always going to come to this, old friend" they pulled away from each other, the both of them falling back.

Eos had glanced the want in Amorges eyes as he'd fell but, if only to make the pain worse, she'd rushed to Darius instead.

"Darius, are-",

"You need answers Eos," Darius told her, he pushed her away from him, "don't let him go without them". She looked over to the other dying man, dragging himself now so he could sit against the wall with his old friend.

"It would always come to this" Amorges said again,

"It didn't have to" Darius breathed, he pushed Eos away.

"It did" Amorges replied, he looked to Eos, "I hope you never have to hold on to such a grudge".

"Who's the Ghost. Who's my mother" she asked,

"She's waiting for you Eos, seems she always has been" Amorges said, he sighed. "Oh, how I wish it had been different, that you'd grew with our... ideals",

"The cult not good enough for you" she had to get up, she had to go.

"The cult of Kosmos was started by people who beleived the same as us but, it got corrupted... by men and women hungry for power. Perhaps it'll be different now. Perhaps they will learn from their mistakes".

"There won't be anything left of them".

Eos'd had enough. She took Amorges blade and stabbed it threw his heart, the metal shattering.

Darius took a deep breath next to them, how had it come to this... Natakas... Amorges...

Eos looked to Darius - he was dying too...

He gestured her to him... his breathing shallow and stuttery.

"Before you go and get her back" Darius said, "I want you to have this" he pulled at the holster on his arm, "it belongs" he took a deep breath, his body shaking, "to someone who knows how to use it", he held it out to her, his hand shaking.

"Darius, you're not dead yet" she told him, she pushed it back to him.

"No but, I won't be here when you get back" he told her. He didn't want to die here... "Now, you go, you find your little girl Eos" he told her, he pushed the hidden blade in to her hands. She looked from it back to him, "Kassandra is here, she's going to the temple" he told her,

"Thank you, Darius, for everything".

"You hold on to her. Never let her go",

"I won't" she said quietly,

"Go" Darius said, he closed his eyes, "go".

Almost falling down the steps, Eos had made her way around to those great snakes doors, someone already stood outside them.

Kassandra.

"Kass". Kassandra spun around, the look of relief she had quickly fading away when she realised Iris wasn't with her.

"Eos" Kassandra said, "they-",

"She's in there" Eos told her. She couldn't stop, not now.

"Eos" Kassandra grabbed her, "whatever's in there. Whoever it is" Kassandra said,

"Remember what they almost cost you" Eos told her, "remember what they turned him in to".

This wasn't her mater at the bottom of these stairs. This was a monster, whether they'd meant it or not, they deserved to pay for what they'd done.

Eos pushed the doors open, Kassandra following behind her as she descended the stairs. It made Kassandra stop. Just the thought of this place brought back memories she'd rather forget but, Eos didn't. There was too much at stake to be afraid of it.

But, there was one thing that made her hesitate.

The artifact was sat in the middle of the room... the pieces lost at the hands of her, Kassandra, their own champion but, still, it had a pull...

"Mater".

Eos stepped away from it. What?

"Mater" she turned to the stairs, to Kassandra. The misthios stopped when she saw the artifact too, a voice calling her from within it. "Mater" Kassandra said quietly again, her heart breaking at the thought of losing her all over again, at the promise she'd made...

"Kassandra" Eos said. Confused. But Kassandra had paid her no mind, stepping towards the pyramid, a want to touch it far too overwhelming.

Eos left her to it, remembering who it was she was there for. She turned to the door on the other side, left slightly ajar.

There...

Inside, the hallway it introduced you to was full of doors but, Eos knew that only a few of them led somewhere.

It was then she heard a cry, then a soft humming coming from down the hall. She followed it, finding another door, opened wide. A woman was stood a few steps in, her back to the door, bouncing a sobbing babe in her arms... Eos hoped Iris hadn't done that the whole time... the last few days had been tough for her, she didn't even want to think about how that had made her feel.

Eos had gone towards them, the only thing she wanted right now was her daughter. She didn't care who the Ghost was anymore, all she wanted was for Iris to stop crying.

Then, she turned around...

Eos stopped, her whole body going cold as she looked at the woman... the same woman she'd seen at Periklese' Symposium, who had cried out for him when Deimos had slit his throat...

This wasn't just any woman with a little bit of power... this was Aspacia... this was Kassandra' friend... this was her mother...

"I always wondered if I would know your face when I saw it" she said softly, still trying to soothe the baby.

"Give her to me" Eos told her. Iris quieted, her voice. Blurry eyed, the babe had turned her head, another little cry coming from her mouth, "Iris, baby", Eos took another step towards her and the babe cried, reaching out desperately.

Aspacia pulled her closer, still trying to coo her in to silence.

"You get to choose" Aspacia told her. "Live in the new world or burn the old one",

"I choose my daughter" Eos said. She took another step towards her. Aspacia hadn't moved. She put Iris on her shoulder, the babe getting even more upset, "please, just",

"I will not let her burn like you let him burn" Aspacia said. Eos stopped.

No, she had no right to even talk about him.

"You did that" Eos cried. "That's your fault".

"I didn't try to kill him" Aspacia told her,

"You would have turned him in to..." she trailed off. "What" she took a step back.

"The boy lived" Aspacia told her. "Small, thin, ruined but, alive. I couldn't let it happen to him", she turned away, Iris appearing over her shoulder as she tried to grab at the air between them.

"No, he died" Eos said, she took a step forward, "I-I...",

"It was easier to let you believe it" Aspacia told her, she turned back "to let them believe it".

He was alive... her baby boy...

"That way we wouldn't make the same mistake".

She meant Deimos.

"You made him a monster" Eos told her, "that was your mistake",

"It was unfortunate" Aspacia said "but it was in his blood. It was too pure, to rich but, his, hers" she looked to Iris who, had exhausted herself into only little sobs now, which only made Eos' heart break more.

"The pyramid will call him back one day Eos" Aspacia said, "you can be there when it happens, all of us. If you join me".

Eos choked on the lump in her throat.

She just wanted her baby. That's all she wanted and, she'd do anything for that.

It was then they heard another voice, calling for them down the hall. Iris stopped crying; she could hear it too. Her pater.

"The chaos calls for you Eos. Will you join us before it's too late" Aspacia said.

"Okay" the word came from her mouth easier than she thought it would - as if a deep part of her had always wanted to... as if she knew she'd be safe... free...

Eos had gone up to her, Iris now pushing away from Aspacia with all the strength she had left.

But... She couldn't do it to that little girl. And, it seemed that even Aspcia knew that because, it was then Eos saw it, the slick of silver in Aspacia' hand. Quickly, Eos had reached out, the blade on her arm flying out and sticking itself in Aspacia' gut. She dropped Iris and Eos managed to grab her and pull her in to her arms as the blade slipped back in to place.

Iris wrapped her little arms around her neck, her little lips quivering as she shut her eyes tight.

"You're safe now baby" Eos told her, she looked down at Aspacia, at the woman trying to reach up at her. Eos stepped away from her, her body shaking as she decided on whether or not she wanted to finish her off. For the lies. For everything - then they heard him call again.

"I choose chaos" Eos told her.

Eos left her, returning to an empty hallway.

Iris had looked with her, snivelling again.

Eos made her way up it, soon finding both Kassandra and Alexios staring at the artifact.

Iris let out a small cry and Alexios snapped out of it. He came towards them, the baby already holding her arms out for him. He put his arms around both of them, spotting a body coming towards them from down the hall. A woman.

"Eos" he said quietly, he knew who it was...

"We have to go" she told him, pulling out from it, she pulled at his arm.

"Destroy it Kassandra" Eos told her. Kassandra had looked to them and then, to the woman stood, holding her gut as blood spilled from it.

Was that?

Alexios had glanced at Aspacia. He knew it had been her... had she had her... all that time? In Athens? No. No. She couldn't have.

Another one of Iris' small cries made him follow, the three of them taking the stairs back up to the fresh air.

"Eos" he said, she turned around and he hugged her again, his heart thudding in his chest just as much as hers. She pulled a little bit away, touching his cheek, her legs felt so heavy...

"I thought you were", she sighed and put her head on his shoulder, looking down at Iris between them. The tears were gone now, the babe now grasping at his armour.

She let out a breath, relaxing.

"Eos" Alexios said quietly, she looked up at him. He looked so sad. Why did he look so sad? "Eos, you have to..." he leaned his head on hers and squeezed his eyes shut. Iris grumbled at him then, at his tears that fell on her face, "you both have to go" he said quietly.

"What" Eos said, she pulled away from him, feeling her legs stumble as she grabbed for the ivy ridden wall. For once, even Iris seemed taken aback by his words, like she knew what he'd said. "No. No. Its. It's over Alexios, we-".

"The order is made up of more than Amorges, its-",

"Don't" she told him, "please". Iris grumbled again and then held her arms out to him. He didn't move to take her and the babe grasped at the air, her little lip starting to quiver again.

"I want you to go Eos" he told her.

"Please", it was then Kassandra emerged. Eos looked at her, "Kassandra, tell him" Kassandra looked away. She already knew his decision. "Please" Eos said again.

"I'm sorry" he said. He turned away from them. Iris cried out and, he only hesitated for a moment before he carried on

"If you walk away now" he didn't stop, "Deimos, please" even the name didn't make him hesitate, "you promised you wouldn't..." but he was... "Alexios, please" Eos said, she took a step in his direction,

"Eos" Kassandra said, she stood in front of them

"Don't make it come true Alexios... don't be what they said you were",

"There's no need for-",

"Don't abandon us like they said",

"Eos",

"What" she pulled away from Kassandra, "he made his choice",

"And you said-",

"And I changed my mind" Eos told her, "just like he did".

"Your scaring her" Kassandra said, gesturing at Iris.

"And he's leaving her" Eos snapped.

She looked down at Iris, so tired, soaked in tears, she let out a small breath and closed her eyes. "It's just you and me now" Eos said quietly, "your pater obviously doesn't think it's worth it" she'd said it louder, knowing he'd stopped, knowing he could hear her.

Alexios couldn't even take a breath, the lump in his throat so large, he felt as if it could choke him to death.

"Well, I'm sure you have a plan Kassandra" Eos looked at her, "care to share it with me or, are you just going to throw us on a random ship and be done with it".

"Eos, calm down. Please" Kassandra said, "you're scaring her".

Always with the excuses.

"And he's breaking her little heart but, he doesn't seem to care",

"This is for your own good. Eos, you have to see that" Kassandra said,

"I can't do it on my own Kassandra" Eos told her, "if I could, I wouldn't have asked you for help in the first place". She turned away from her; Iris stunned in to some sort of quiet as she put her head in the crook of Eos' neck.

Nothing ever went right when she was alone. Hell, Amorges, those guards, they would have killed her if Darius hadn't shown up. All those times she'd escaped death - it wasn't because she'd done it on her own, it was because Laelaps had been there, or Kassandra, or Deimos...

That hadn't changed.


It had only been three days since the ordeal but, neither Eos or Kassandra had seen him.

"She told me that our baby boy lived" Eos came out with that last morning they were together. "Said that the pyramid would draw him back one day... from wherever she left him",

"What? Eos, I-",

"Destroyed it" Eos said, "like I told you to". Eos looked up at her, "Aspacia said she didn't want to make the same mistakes as last time and, if she was telling the truth, all I can hope is that his life was better than mine, than his". Eos sighed. She had to do at least one selfless thing, right?

"There's no way to know now" Kassandra said quietly.

That baby, that lie, if it was a lie, it had been what had started Eos down this path. It had taken her family, her friends away but, it had given her Iris and, she couldn't ask for much more than that. It had even given her Deimos all to herself for a time but, even that was gone now...

Another thing the cult had taken away...

She wasn't as bitter about it anymore though; she'd decided herself that it was best she go. The waiting for him would kill her eventually and, she knew she had to. He'd been right about that at least. It's just she wanted him to be there.

And, he was, at the dock, waiting to watch her leave.

It had dawned on him that he'd never be able to keep her safe. Watching the life drain from Melaina, he knew she was right...

He was a monster... he would always be a monster... she wasn't safe around him... even if they stopped chasing her... they'd chase him... for what he'd done, for what he could do... they'd be safer away from him... far, far away.

It hurt him just as much as it hurt her to not be there to say goodbye, to hold his daughter one last time... but he knew, if he did, he wouldn't be able to let them go.

Eos wanted Iris to be safe, more than anything but, she didn't want to leave him... she loved him... so, so much and, she knew she'd never have that again... she knew that a part of her would be missing... knew she had little left to lose of herself...

Brought together to say goodbye...

Was this what Melaina was on about...

Kassandra put her hand on her shoulder and Eos turned around, giving her a hug.

"You'll be careful" Kassandra asked,

"I'll try my best" was all Eos could give. It didn't make Kassandra smile but, it was the truth. A truth she'd have to live with. Eos was useless on her own. She knew that. Perhaps Iris had to just hurry up growing and learn how to use a sword already.

"Your ship awaits" Barnabas said. Eos turned back around, the one eyed captain bowing to her.

"I cant belive you found him" Eos said, looking to the golden sails of the Argos - the ship was smaller now though, the sails having been tended to fit a smaller mass - they'd obviously had some trouble of their own but, still, Hoyt was stood on its helm, his first mate stood right next to him, as if nothing much had changed since Naxos.

The thought of having been so close to Aspacia, and her possibly knowing her plan from the start making all sorts of prickles go through her body but, Aspacia was gone... there was nothing to fear from her now...

"Glaukos did that" the one-legged man nodded his head. It had taken him a little while and, a little longer to find the ship less crew a ship - seems they'd had a bad run in with some bandits - but, it was the least he could do.

If she was going to go off in to some new place alone then, she deserved to have someone she knew take her there.

Which Eos thought ironic because it was this mans ship that had saved her life in the first place. Seems it really had come full circle.

"And you" Kassandra said to Iris, the babe lying in Eos' arms, somber but, at least not crying, she had her fist around that red blanket so tight, "you have to look after your mater".

Iris grumbled and then grasped at the air with the other hand, towards the edges of the down.

"She still wants him" Eos said, she held her tighter and Iris looked up at her. Eos sighed. "Look after him Kass".

Eos turned away then, the baby now looking over her shoulder, starting to whimper as Eos bounced her,

"Its okay baby",

"Pa-",

"Shhh" Eos took a deep breath, pressing her face in to Iris' shoulder as she felt the tears came... she knew she couldn't talk yet but, if that was going to be her first word, she wouldn't be able to cope.

Iris reached out then, grabbing at the air as Alexios stood next to Kassandra, finally letting the tears spill out...

They both watched as she came to the ship, Iris starting to cry, and Hoyt trying to make her feel better, it didn't work. She only wanted one man right now.

Eos had turned around, to look at him but, she'd have to turn away, the want to go back was too much to bare - why couldn't he just stay away... why did he have to make things difficult...

"Are you ready" Hoyt asked,

"No" Eos told him, she shrugged a shoulder, "but I have to be don't I".

Kassandra, not having looked away yet felt her brother turn around, not able to watch.

The Order would be gone only for a time... she knew that but... right now...

"Alexios" Kassandra said. Her brother held his head up, choking back the lump in his throat. "when I first met her, I was watching mater sail away... back to Sparta and... all she had in the world was Laelaps... but, even though she loved him, he wasn't enough..." Kassandra took a deep breath and then smiled, nodding her head as she tried to pull the tears back...

"If it wasn't for her, I never would have had you..." Kassandra turned to him, "and like Laelaps, I know I won't be enough for you... and if I let you do this... I would have failed you all over again",

"What" he asked, no one had failed but, him.

"You need to go" Kassandra told him, she breathed back the tears and smiled,

"I-I can't" he said.

"Yes you can" there was so much faith in her voice, it almost made him want to beleive it. "You are not the monster they say you are. Don't let some dead womans words keep you from what you love, from a chance... go..." she pushed him backwards, "go...",

"Kassandra",

The misthios smiled and hugged her brother then, it was the first proper hug they'd ever have... Alexios taking a moment before he put his arms around her too.

"You go and you look after that little girl. You run if you have to. You do whatever you have to do to keep her safe", a life running away from bad people wasn't very exciting but, as long as they were together, what did it matter?

"And what if I can't" he said, "I can't protect them",

"And what if you lived never trying" Kassandra asked. She felt like that would be worse. He had nothing here now. It was on that ship...

"Kassandra" he said quietly. He couldn't.

"Promise me brother. You'll do everything you can for them". It took him a moment but then, he nodded.

"I will". Kassandra smiled and pushed away from him, waving her arm in the air.

"Barnabas, stop that ship" Kassandra told him,

"Stop the ship" he said as he put his hands on his hips, the words taking him a moment to register. Then "STOP THE SHIP", he run down the docks.

"And you make sure you love her too" Kassandra told him.

"Thank you" Alexios said, "thank you",

"Go on..." Kassandra couldn't hide the excitement any longer, just the look on his face was worth it. "Get on that ship" Kassandra pushed him away from her again.

Hoyt had gestured for them to stop, the crew all bumbling around.

"I guess you'll have to upgrade to the captains cabin now" Hoyt said. Through a little sob, Eos had pulled something from her pocket,

"This enough to pay you back" she managed to get out. The Captain threw back his head in laughter, the damn keys she'd taken from his pocket now dangling in her hand.

Iris had squinted at him and then, she'd heard his voice. Iris had turned around, Alexios stood a few feet away from them now, she grabbed for him. Alexios didn't waste any time in wrapping his arms around them.

"I don't know if I can..." Eos pulled back a little,

"But we can" she told him, "together".

"I don't think I want to share with you Captain, you smell like-".

"Layla. Layla wake up".

Layla took a deep breath, her whole body shaking as she pushed herself up. She pulled the animus off,

"What was that" Layla asked, she looked to the room she was stood in, Atlantis.

"Layla... are you okay" Vic asked from the other side, "You-",

"That was the truth..." the mysterious voice said,

"But he... he died... Alexios died... Deimos... on that mountain..." Layla pushed herself to her feet, "Vic, I-",

"You need to calm yourself down Layla".

"You've seen enough that an old man can keep secrets... you know that not every tale written down is true". Layla put her hand on her head... She'd only gone in there for the order of those words, to open the doors and... Deimos... Deimos had shown her so much more...

"Kassandra asked Herodotus to write that her brother died on that mountain, that a woman and a lycaon never came to meet her in naxos"

"But the animus...", the distortion, the choices. She'd made them based on Herodotus' words. Some of it had been her but... Layla sat down.

The bloodline... Deimos... Iris... they'd lived on but... where had they gone...

"There is no time for that now" the voice from inside the staff said, "we need to open the gates.

The End


AN: I loved every minute of this story! And, I can't believe its finally over. I know it's not in anyway perfect but, it's been hell of a ride and, I hope you enjoyed it! It helped me realise how much I love writing and, being able to develop my own characters - even if I did consider killing her off. a lot of the times . I did remember that I'm not bound by Ubisoft killing rules and, the whole reason I started this was so that Deimos could have some sort of happy ending. Thank you all so, so much!