Emily and Gemina were actually making good progress towards the throne room. While Gemina shocked them to ashes with the lightning powered gloves, Emily was taking them out with deep purple flames she explained as hell fire, the most powerful flame in the world.
"So what's so important about getting to the throne room?" Gemina asked as she killed another one.
"Basically there will be a door there that will allow us to the other side of this realm. Stryker put up a wall in the middle of the place to keep Apollymi, the Great Destroyer of the Atlantean pantheon and Axel's grandmother, from finding out what he's doing. Which is basically to kill both Acheron and Kamali. They're the two biggest threats to him... At least right now."
"So let's make sure he never gets a hold of Acheron or Kamali," Gemina said, still not sure she followed everything. There was one thing she knew for certain, though: "Stryker's gonna get it."
"Unfortunately, Apollymi's life force is what is keeping Stryker alive. The plan is to break the bond between them to be able to kill him."
"And how do we convince a goddess to break the bond?" Gemina asked.
Emily smirked. "We strike a deal with her of course. A chance to take her revenge on a certain sun god and moon goddess and freedom from this imprisonment, in exchange for breaking the bond. She's been craving revenge on Apollo and Artemis for thousands of years but she's been unable to leave here. I also know she won't be a happy camper when she finds out Stryker's trying to kill not only her only son, but the grandson she's never had a chance to meet yet."
So far, Gemina was liking this idea until a thought struck her. "Wait Apollo and Artemis are the sun and moon gods. Wouldn't the world end if she kills them?"
"Technically yes." The hybrid nodded. "But there's a way to transfer their powers to someone else. So once we strike the bargain, we simply rid them of their powers and let Apollymi tear them apart."
"Great! But who do we give the powers to?"
Emily thought about this. "Well Axel does have an older sister who's also a child of Artemis. So we can give the moon powers to her. Then Apollo's... Well, Acheron's powers center more around the sun and since Axel is his only son, but is a child of Artemis also makes him related to Apollo, so... we give Sunny boy's powers to Ax."
"...Not trying to sound egotistical or anything," Gemina said slowly, "but what about Sinsa and me? We're siblings, and we're... Devas, or whatever; we'll just get stronger as time goes on."
"I thought about that. But we can give them to you two once you get a little more experiance under your belts. I'm just saying Katra and Axel as a 'just for right now' solution."
Gemina thought about and shrugged. "Understandable."
Axel appeared next to them. "How much have I missed?"
"Not much." Emily said over her shoulder. "We're almost there." She said quietly as they came up to a rather large throne room.
"Bring it on," Gemina whispered, practically bouncing with eagerness to attack. "He's got a lot to pay for."
Axel smiled evilly. "It's good to be eager." With that he passed both girls and walked straight in.
Sinsa, dozing on the couch, shifted with a soft groan. The dark-haired man was haunting her dreams again.
"It won't be long now," he laughed cruelly. "When I'm finished with your precious Kamali, I'll come for you. Together we'll start a new race of beings more powerful than the gods, and able to walk in the sun. Bide your time, my dear; it won't be long now."
She came awake with a shuddering gasp, fingers digging into the couch cushions.
"Saint Lucia, please don't let this be a premonition," she whispered, staring at the ceiling. "Saint Barbara, protect him, please..."
Emily nudged Gemina and gestures towards the door just straight across the room. "Ax can handle this lot. We just need to make it over there."
"What are we waiting for?" she asked. "Race ya."
Emily grinned before the both of them booked it across the hall. All the Daimons were circled around Stryker and Axel.
"You don't seriously expect to win this Stryker." Axel said calmly. The Daimon leader had called his minions off, wanting the pleasure of ripping the mixed blood bastard son of his arch enemy apart himself.
Sinsa continued praying, drifting between sleep and consciousness. Tory watched her, but didn't interfere, knowing there was nothing she could do until Axel and the others returned. Or didn't.
"I will," Strykerius said confidently. "I'll finally draw Atlantean blood, and hit Acheron where it hurts most. And then my plans will go on unobstructed."
Gemina and Emily hit the door at the same time and crashed through it, stumbling into a beautiful garden surrounding a beautiful pool by which sat a beautiful woman. Gemina instantly saw the resemblance to Axel, and the other man she'd seen in the apartment, which she was certain was the infamous Acheron. Which meant this woman, who looked up with a frown, had to be...
"Apollymi."
The goddess stood from beside the pool as Emily helped Gemina up. "Why have you ventured into my domain?"
Emily politely bowed at the waist. "We did not mean to come uninvited, my lady, but it was urgent that we met with you."
Apollymi took in the witch's features and her eyes narrowed into a withering glare. "What would the daughter of Savitar want with me?"
Emily bit her tongue to keep back resorts and squeezed Gemina's wrist when she saw her about ready to open her mouth to no doubt get them blasted. As a second generation Chthonian, Emily would survive, Gemina on the other hand wouldn't.
"To strike a deal that I believe with strike your fancy."
Apollymi raised an eyebrow, interest piqued.
"You can convince my son to free me?" she asked. Gemina cast a confused glance at Emily.
"When she goes free, apocalypse," the Chthonian whispered. Gemina's mouth curled in an oh of understanding as Emily shook her head at the goddess. "We have a different offer; you know Acheron would never free you, no matter how much he loves you." Apollymi sighed, no longer interested.
"Away with you," she said, lowering herself gracefully to the edge of the pool. "No other offer hold any appeal."
"But it's about your grandson," Gemina blurted, earning a look from Emily that warned her to shut up or watch her words. Apollymi looked up, surprised.
"Grandson?" she echoed. "Not granddaughter? Apostolos had a son?"
"He did," Emily confirmed. "And Kamali's fighting Stryker right now."
The pleasant air of the the garden immediately fouled and the sky darkened in tandem with Apollymi's expression.
"What has Stykerius done now?" she growled. Gemina felt the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck rise, as though in expectation of a lightning strike; a fitting description, under the circumstances.
"He wants to use my sister to create an invincible race," she answered before Emily could, "but Axel... Kamali stands in his way."
"Basically he kills Kamali, he not only gets rid of one enemy, but hits Acheron where it hurts the most. All we ask is that you break your bond with Stryker that is keeping him alive and not destroy the entire world..." Emily trailed off before taking a breath and continuing. "Then not only has Kamali agreed to free you, but give you your vengeance against a certain set of divine twins. Which I imagine you'll enjoy considering they did the same thing to your grandson that Acheron suffered through."
Now lightning really did flash in the darkening sky, the air feeling heavy and oppressive. Apollymi's figure flickered to a visage of death and destruction before returning, though her eyes still gleamed with rage.
"No power on earth will save them this time," she snarled, voice rumbling through the ground and nearly knocking the girls off their feet. "I accept."
Emily's smirk definitely had Gemina thinking that if she wanted to she really could be as terrifying as Apollymi. The lavender eyed witch looked at the Deva. "Why don't you tell him the good news and I'll make sure the world doesn't come crashing down with Artemis' and Apollo's deaths?"
Gemina nodded and quickly booked for the door again. While she did so, Emily turned to the goddess. "Would you happen to have a crystal ball, or seeing glass that I could barrow?"
"The pool," Apollymi answered, gesturing to it. "You have my permission to use it."
Gemina burst through the door and yelped, shutting it to avoid the Daimon that flew into it. Then she had to struggle to push the door open with the moaning Daimon in the way. She summoned a switchblade and put him out of his misery before turning to see Axel and Stryker tossing god bolts at each other. Both looked ragged, and Gemina worried Axel couldn't win until the bond between Stryker and Apollymi was broken.
"Kamali!" she shouted, using the name she knew he'd respond to. "She agreed!"
"Agreed to what?!" Stryker demanded, pissed.
"For me to finally wipe your filthy existence from this world." Growled the grandson of the great destroyer. Anybody who was close enough to could tell right then that he tapped into his guardian powers, not only because of his power spike, but also his right silver eye gained some swirling streaks of color (blue, green, red, black, grey, golden yellow, purple, orange) but the eye was still predominantly silver. A much more powerful god bolt was summoned into his right hand. "Do give Tarturaus my regards." He bit out before shoving the entire bolt through Stryker's chest.
Strykerius' last howl of enraged agony echoed long after he was gone. Whatever Daimons remained alive now fled in terror at the death of their boss. Gemina quickly hurried to Axel's side, worried.
"Are you alright?" she asked, checking him over. Sinsa would kill her if she brought him back wounded and exhausted.
He gently pulled her hands away from a particular wound. "I'm fine." He looked down to her with a slight worried expression. "Are you and Emily okay?"
"We're fine." Emily grinned as she came into the room with Apollymi. "Little tired, but hey, what else is new?"
Axel chuckled until he looked up to meet his grandmother's eyes. He swallowed nervously.
"Oh, migios," the goddess said, smiling softly as she reached for him. "How I would have treasured your childhood." She pulled him into a warm hug and kissed him lovingly. "I promise you, the sun and moon will suffer for what they've done to you and my Apostolos."
While Apollymi united with her grandson, Gemina quickly flashed to the Parthenopaeus household, startling Sinsa and Tory.
"Sin, you're gonna wanna see this," she said, eyes gleaming.
"Is Axel alright?" Sinsa blurted, standing.
"He's fine," Gemina promised. "And it's about to get better; Apollymi is going to kill Apollo and Artemis!"
"Whoa!" Tory cut in, anxious. "Hold on a minute; as much as I'd love that, she can't! We need the sun and the moon, and however much I'd love to see Artemis strung up by the hair, she's the only one who can control the moon."
"Axel and Katra are going to take over," Gemina said quickly. "I'll explain later; come on!" She grabbed Sinsa's wrist and flashed them back to the others. Tory hesitated only as long as it took to send her thoughts to Acheron, explaining what she knew. Then she followed.
Axel/Kamali's stiffness at the sudden hug quickly melt away as he hugged his grandmother. Dear gods it felt so good to be held by a loved one.
Emily smiled over at the girls when they appeared. She made a heart shape with her hands as she gestured to the cute family moment.
Sinsa smiled at the scene, delighted to see Axel so happy. She knew instinctively the woman was family, though it took her a moment to decide the relation.
"Grandmother?" she whispered to Gemina. Her sister nodded.
"Acheron's mother," she answered just as quietly.
As if on cue, Acheron appeared, almost at the same time as Tory. But Ash's form flickered momentarily, like a holographic projection of some kind.
"Kamali, just what do you think you're doing?" he demanded. Apollymi let go of Axel to smile at her son.
"Is that any way to greet your mother?" she scolded, holding out her arms to him.
"Mother," Acheron sighed, taking her hand. "You know why I can't free you."
Axel couldn't help the grin. "Oh... You'll see soon enough. And probably thank us later."
Emily, who had gone silent and closed her eyes in concentration when everyone had arrived, she opened her eyes again. Only they weren't the usual lavender, they had gone a deep violet as a result from using her powers and magic to work at testing the barrier surrounding the realm keeping the goddess of destruction inside. "I'd say one good flare from the GGA will be enough to overload the wards and runes holding the barrier over this place and shatter them."
Kamali nodded before giving a small smirk to his grandmother. "Then it's hello Olympus."
"Kamali..." Acheron began. Tory took his arm, stopping him. He sighed and waved his hand as though to dismiss whatever he'd been about to say.
Sinsa and Gemina exchanged nervous glances. This was it; in a moment, either the world would end, or everything would be better. Sinsa made an instant decision.
"Axel," she said, stepping forward. He turned and she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely. "In case I don't get a chance to say it later... I love you."
Axel had froze for a moment in surprise but then relaxed and hugged her as he pecked her lips softly. "I love you too."
Then when she stepped away Axel reached into the powers of being a guardian, which he normally never touched. Right then they filled the entire realm and like Emily had said, they overloaded and shattered the wards and runes and the barrier broke. The only ones who felt it shatter were the three Chthonians and Lady Apollymi, who smiled in joy with a few tears in her eyes and hugged her grandson in thanks. Then she used her powers to flash them all to Olympus. Except Acheron of course since he hadn't really been in the room.
Axel had warned Zeus ahead of time that this was happening and advised to stay out of the way if he and the rest of the pantheon wanted to live. Zeus knew better than to challenge Kamali's authority. He was someone know never used his powers authority to give order others unless there is a liable reason. So Zeus had passed on the message to everyone except Apollo and Artemis to stay out of the way.
Emily stepped up to the front of the two temples and closed her eyes and starting a faint chant under her breath that even the Atlanteans didn't recognize. As she did this an odd power or magic filled the air and two colored stones began to solidify in front of her. One golden yellow like the sun and the other silvery blue to represent the moon. Once the two have completely solidify into stones that fit in the palm of her hand she stopped and the feeling of old power vanished. She opened her eyes and held out a hand before the two stones dropped into it. She could literally feel the powers and godhood of both being emit from the stones before she turned around to see shocked faces.
She shrugged. "What? I am a witch."
"Well that explains a few things..." Axel muttered and his friend rolled her eyes and flipped him off.
Just then, two identical screams came from inside the twin temples. Emily smirked and skipped over to the group.
"They're all yours Apollymi."
A look of cruel pleasure descended on the goddess and she vanished. A shout of terror came from Apollo's temple, followed by a cry of dismay, which turned to a scream of pain that cut off abruptly. Almost immediately after, Artemis screeched in anger. Then her shriek died just as quickly as her twin's had. Apollymi appeared in front of them, covered in blood with a delighted look in her eyes.
"My desire for revenge is sated," she said. "Because I know you love humanity so much, I will refrain from bringing the End. For now."
Kamali smiled. "Thanks grandma. Now I'm sure you want to meet dad in person." He turned to Tory. "Mind if she follows you home?"
Tory shook her head. "Who am I to deny the right to see her son?"
He smiled then looked to Apollymi again. "I can introduce you to your great-granddaughter later. I'm sure Katra wants you to meet her daughters as well."
Surprise touched Apollymi's features, incongruous against the gore of the sheen of blood. Then her expression settled to joyful warmth.
"My family," she breathed.
"And we all love you, Matera," Tori said, ignoring the blood and hugging the goddess, kissing her cheek.
"To think I'd finally see the day when I could meet my great-grandchildren," Apollymi said, wiping a tear from her eye.
"Just how long has she been locked up?" Gemina asked, glancing at Axel.
"Since the day my father was born." He answered with a serious face. Her eyes widened in shock. "Yeah. A long time."
Tory looked around at everyone. "Let's go home." She flashed them all to the Parthenopaeus household, where Acheron stood against the wall, waiting.
"Mother," he greeted, having eyes only for the goddess, who was now clean and freshened.
"Migios," she replied, hesitating. Then she stepped toward him. "I... I want to hold you. For real."
Sinsa and Gemina, having the same thought at the same time, quickly started waving everyone out from the room, to give mother and son a moment together.
Emily was the last to walk out of the room, catching the moment Acheron finally hugged his mother for the first time, before quickly leaving. She bit her lip as her eyes started to water a bit.
Tory, ever being the concerned mother, hugged the young woman and gently ran a hand through her hair. "What's wrong Em?"
The witch-Chthonian didn't respond, staying silent as she hugged Tory back, burying her face into the woman's shoulder.
Axel seemed to quickly figure it out and grit his teeth. "She's wondering why she can't do the same with her own father."
"Is there a reason?" Sinsa asked, trying to ignore the pinch in her own chest at the thought of her parents. Both were dead, long dead, and she doubted she'd ever see them again, no matter how much she wanted to.
"Her mother and stepfather died when she was three. Then the man who took her in and became her adopted father was murdered in front of her five years ago." He explained in a low voice. "So she never knew her real father was even alive until meeting Savitar at Sanctuary a few days ago."
Emily bit back a hiccup before she added on. "And... even then it was only for... two minutes." Her voice was quiet and quivered.
Sinsa covered her mouth, hoping to suppress the gasp, but not quite succeeding. Gemina gently rubbed her sister between the shoulder blades.
"We lost our parents young too," she said. "And all four of our siblings; five, if you include our stillborn baby brother. Sin and I know your pain. Especially Sin, because to her, I was dead and she was completely alone for seven years."
Then something seemed to click in her head. "Wait... Savitar's your dad?"
Emily managed a small nod. Gemina face palmed before looking at Axel. "So that's what you meant when you were trying to have us to guess why he scared her so much?"
Axel nodded. "She's afraid of being rejected."
"Geez, I don't know what's worse, not having parents, or knowing your dad might not want you," she grimaced.
"We're all misfits here," Sinsa quoted, giving Emily a small smile.
Emily giggled a little.
Axel jumped in. "I believe you mean 'We're all mad here.'" he gave a Cheshire grin.
The witch laughed. "Ooo.. Better watch out Sin, he can be sly as a fox sometimes."
"Then I'll just have to be a hunting dog then," she said, casting a sidelong glance at Axel.
"Run, sexy, while you still have the chance," Gemina laughed.
"What chance?" Sinsa asked, grabbing his wrist and stepping closer, pulling his arm over her shoulder. "I've already caught him."
He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her lips. "And I have no objections to being caught by you."
Gemina faked a gag, teasing them.
"Get a room."
"Don't like it, go away," Sinsa hummed, kissing him back.
"Daddy!" The Deva nearly jumped out of her skin as a tiny ball of energy collided with her and Axel's legs.
"Oh my...!" She grabbed her chest to slow the sudden increase in heartrate. "Sorcha, don't do that; you scared me to death!"
Axel chuckled before picking up his daughter. He ruffled her black hair. "Hello, fo̱s mou." He looked around for a moment before looking into his daughter's liquid Mercury eyes. "Where's your mother?"
Emily snickered. "Sneaky six?" She asked and Axel's nod caused her to giggle. "I can't wait till you two have kids. That's going to be funny to watch."
"You and Nick are the ones who'll have an interesting time with your kids."
The witch rolled her eyes. "If we ever marry, and even then we agreed that if that did happen, we'd wait until both of us have been out of college for a few years. Nick's graduating this year, but I'm a sophomore, I got another two years."
Gemina grinned, glancing sidelong at Sorcha.
"I'm gonna spoil all your kids so rotten," she said, and then looked at her sister, who was flushing deep red. "Especially yours, Sin."
"Would you stop?" Sinsa protested. "You act like I'm already pregnant!"
Axel smirked and whispered in Sinsa's ear. "Nothing says we can't try now." He enjoyed watching her turn even redder.
"You guys are horrible!" she whined as the other girls laughed.
"And you are never going to live this down," Gemina smirked. "I swear, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you're scared of him!"
"Do you see him?" Sinsa said, pointing at Axel. "He's all muscle; of course I'm scared of him!"
Tory waved it off with a smile. "Nah. He's like his father a gentle giant."
Axel snickered. "Don't let him hear you say that."
"Say what?" Acheron asked. Apollymi, following him, spotted Sorcha and beamed.
"Your little one," she guessed, reaching a hand toward the child.
Sorcha looked confused. Her father chuckled. "That's your great-grandma." The child beamed instantly and leap out of her father's arms and into Apollymi's. She giggled and snuggled into her shoulder.
Apollymi hugged the child to her. "What's her name?"
"Sorcha." Apollymi's head tilted curiously.
"Gaelic?" Axel nodded. Then smirked at his father.
"Tory called you a gentle giant." Tory stuck her tongue out at him.
"And you said not to let him hear it," she scoffed.
"A gentle giant," Acheron repeated thoughtfully. "With a hidden temper." He winked at his wife, who giggled as though sharing a secret.
"Like father, like son," she assured again. Sinsa smiled, slipping her hand into Axel's.
"I don't doubt it," she said.
Emily looked at Gemina and both rolled their eyes at the two couples.
"Get a couple rooms would ya." Gemina said again.
"We really don't need to know the details." Emily added as she rubbed her forehead to try to rid of some of the mental images.
Sinsa huffed at her sister.
"Fine," she said, heading for the stairs and pulling Axel after her.
Axel chuckled and picked her up bridal style before simply flashing into the free bedroom upstairs. He set her down on her feet and kissed her.
"I love you." He whispered huskily, his hot breath caressing her cheek.
Sinsa's breath shuddered in time with the shiver that ran up her spine as she returned the kiss.
"I love you too..." she murmured, completely content. She had her sister Gemina, her best friend Emily, a family of superior beings who'd happily welcomed her, and to top it all off, she had Axel. There was no question now what her feelings were; she loved him absolutely, and nothing would change that. "...Axel Parthenopaeus."
He smiled and kissed her again as he laid her down on the bed, slowly climbing on top of her.