Chapter 47

Hector Fights to the Death in Flip-flops

There's knowing, and then there's knowing. I knew that Pagomenos had probably set us up sending us into Arimaspoi territory. But standing there with him looking down on us, figuratively as much as literally, I knew he wanted us destroyed. It was there in his eyes.

"You bastard," Bianca said.

"Seems you've guessed the situation," Pagomenos said. "I figured as much, as soon as Arim said you'd escaped. For pawns, you never struck me as dumb."

"How can you work with them?" I wanted to keep my temper, but I couldn't help the anger that leaked into my voice. "They hate you. They killed your people. Didn't you want them dead? It doesn't make sense!"

Pagomenos shrugged. "They represent the lesser of two evils. One must look out for himself. If that takes sacrifices, well, some things must be done."

"Even if that sacrifice means an adoptive son?" I challenged. "We know what happened to Hector. After everything, you put his life in danger."

An emotion I'd never seen before washed over Pagomenos: rage. He bared his teeth, grinding them. "You believed that lie? Please! I kept the boy close, but not from love. That family was a thorn in my foot for far too long. And once I finally had them handled, the mother mercifully killed off and the son under control, you just had to come along to spoil things. So much work wasted by three demigods fresh from the womb. Absolutely infuriating."

"But they idolized you!"

"Yes," Pagomenos snarled, "and the rest of my subjects idolized them. As long as they were around I was replaceable. That could not stand."

Suddenly, Pagomenos's head snapped sideways. An arrow whizzed through the space it had been, flying harmlessly into the woods.

Bianca didn't drop her bow. "You gave Hector that sword all because people looked up to him? You aren't a giant, just a giant coward."

"Gave him the sword?" Pagomenos didn't look shaken by the assassination attempt. "You misunderstand. Why, that was the treasure his mother sacrificed herself to take. It's quite ironic, really: one dies stealing the blade from Arimaspoi clutches, only for the other to be slain by it. Even I couldn't foresee such a beautiful picture coming together."

I believed him, that was the worst part. The Arimaspoi that attacked us the first night called Hector a thief. If there was one thing I'd learned Arimaspoi took too seriously to joke about, it was stealing.

"Besides," Pagomenos went on, "you say this as if it's my fault. Had Hector kept his head down, he would have been fine. But he had to try and play leader, try and USURP MY ROLE!" Pagomenos took a breath, swallowing the spit his scream had sprayed. "Excuse me. I do get worked up. What I mean is, Hector has doomed himself. Even the slightest misstep, a single selfish thought, and that sword will strike. It's a death sentence."

The words hung heavy in the air. Bianca and I traded a look. Maybe if we rushed him now, we could take down Pagomenos. He was alone after all. But then what would we do about—

"ATTENTION!" Bellowed a voice, so deep and booming it shook the trees around us. Even Pagomenos covered his ears. Cascades of snow dislodged on Denali, snowballing into minor avalanches. Daphne had started getting the tribes' attention, and I could see exactly what those vocal exercises had been for.

"ARIMASPOI! GRYPHONS! FOUL CURS OF THE FAR NORTH! HEAR ME AND TREMBLE: YOUR STOLEN TREASURES ABIDE CLOSE AT HAND! VENTURE TO THE SPRINGTIME VALE, TO HYPERBOREA, AND RECLAIM THEM… IF YOU DARE!"

Her voice subsided but it barely felt like it— echoes continued making the ground rumble. I imagined Edgar was somewhere, shaking his head at his Mistress's word choice.

"A tree seems to have butted her branches where they don't belong," Pagomenos said, wincing as he peeled his hands from his ears. "I should have sprayed my plans with pesticide."

"It's not too late," I said. "Call out the guard. Send someone to free Hector. We can get rid of the tribes forever."

"Get rid of them? Who said I ever wanted to get rid of them?"

"What? Then what do you—"

Pagomenos waved his staff, and the orb on the end lit up. Not with scenes this time, just red light, casting a menacing glow over his features. "I need those tribes. My brothers changed because they were no longer necessary. I refuse to let that happen to myself. Don't you see? Without the tribes Hyperboreans won't know fear. Without fear, what do they need a Hyperboread to protect them from? Those tribes are the last thing keeping me from following my brothers. Besides, you have one thing wrong. It is too late."

The forest was starting to shake, but this time not from Daphne's voice. Hundreds of Arimaspoi were crunching through the woods in our direction. High above, black dots shot skyward, gryphons painted against the dawn light.

"You're crazy," I decided. "They're going to destroy the city. Everyone who believes in you is going to get killed, and you'll end up fading just like you're afraid of."

"Not quite," Pagomenos said. "They may be monsters, but you'll find them quite rational. In exchange for our wealth a handful will be spared, protected by me. A perfect, obedient population."

From the other side of the hill a voice said, "There they are!"

The guard funneled onto the hill, led by none other than Alex, the beak-faced attendant we'd last seen in the Arimaspoi caves. He was dressed the same as then, without a mark on him. I guess we knew who had ratted out our escape route.

At his waist was the black walkie-talkie he'd been using in the last moments we saw him. Only now did I realize it wasn't the only walkie-talkie I'd seen that day. An identical model had hung from Arim's belt.

Like she was reading my mind Bianca said, "I don't think he was ever calling Pagomenos."

"I want to knock that huge nose in."

"You can't," she said, "if I do it first."

"They're here!" Alex jabbed a finger our way. "The traitors have returned to wipe us out! You heard their message, calling our enemies. It's a betrayal!"

The Hyperboreans shifted uneasily. One or two took steps toward us. Looking at them, they looked armed but not prepared. Most wore armor made from ice, but their helmets were skewed. Leg pieces were missing. Latches weren't done. It was like they'd slept through their alarm, then tried to suit up for war in five minutes yelling, I'm late!

A root grew at my feet.

"Percy," Emmitt said urgently, "the tribes are almost there! You have maybe thirty seconds!"

A blur shot from the sky. On the hill a Hyperborean yelled, his shoulder sliced by a dive-bombing gryphon that swooped around, priming a second pass.

I looked at the root. "Thirty seconds, huh?"

Emmitt sounded embarrassed. "I did say 'maybe'."

Two more gryphons arrived, bulleting in like birds of prey. Pagomenos hefted his staff, swinging it in an arc. A cloud of frigid air rushed out, freezing them into ice blocks.

"Shelter behind me!" he bellowed. "Draw strength and fight! Together we will drive our enemies off, both old and new!"

The Hyperboreans roared, forming rank. I scanned for Hesperos, Irene, Eddie— anyone I actually knew who might vouch for us. All I found were foreign blue faces.

If Bianca hadn't tackled me, it would've been one short fight.

The Arimaspoi had arrived, and bullets ripped through the space I'd been standing just a second ago. More fired up the hill, riddling the Hyperboreans. The lead bullets only irritated them, bouncing off their skin, but we didn't have that kind of luxury. Bianca rolled off my chest.

"Run!"

We sprinted behind trees, putting our backs to them. I wasn't sure how long it would keep us safe. Already it sounded like someone had started up twin wood chippers behind us— bullets chewing through bark.

All of a sudden Daphne's voice said, "How dare you involve bystanders!"

There was this big crash, and the shots stopped for a second. A little root sprouted next to us.

"You should probably move," Daphne said, but she sounded winded. "I bought you a little time but… Whew! I haven't gotten this much exercise since that week of cardio back in the day."

It didn't seem like we had many magic tree get-out-of-jail cards left. Bianca and I raced to a nearby boulder for better cover and extra distance from the hostile Hyperboreans.

"Scurry all you like," Pagomenos called from the hill. "Justice will win in the end."

A bunch of choice words sprang to mind, none of them family-friendly. A lot of those same words came out of Bianca's mouth.

"This is bad," I said.

"Really?" Bianca asked. "Do you want some mortal danger to go with that understatement? Oh, wait, we already have that."

"I don't suppose you have a plan?"

She pulled her bowstring back, leaning out from behind our cover to send an arrow whistling into the woods. "Other than a whole lot of that and hope we get lucky? Nothing. You're the one always pulling out last-minute strategies."

She was right. That was kind of my thing. Trouble was, I was coming up with nothing but blanks. An Arimaspoi leapt around our rock wielding a security baton. Anfisa formed and sent him straight to Tartarus, economy class. From the footsteps around us, that was only the start.

"Hold out for now," I said. "We'll wait for a chance to turn things around."

That was a fancy way of saying we had no plan, and Bianca knew it as well as I did.

"At least you phrased it nicely," she said. "When someone tells me we're doomed, that always makes it all better."

We split— she went to the rock's right, I went left. Both of us submerged into the most chaotic fight I'd ever seen.

This wasn't a training duel like with Daedalus. It was completely different from fighting through the Phonoi's planned ambush. There were no prisoners or flashy lights or commentators like the Competition. This, I realized somewhere between slicing an Arimaspoi in half along his bandolier and spinning away from a machine gunner's sloppy spray, was something new.

It was war.

Bodies pressed in on bodies. Bullets hit Arimaspoi as often as their enemies. Gryphons collided in the air as they tried to dodge and strafe. Even the Hyperboreans, who started in an orderly line, buckled. Maybe if they'd been prepared like they were supposed to be things would've been different. As it was, they split under bullet fire from below and dive-bombs from above.

Only one figure seemed immune to the chaos. Pagomenos stood tall, the space around him conspicuously calm. The Hyperboreans were using it as a rallying point, thinking he was just that strong. I knew the truth. The tribes weren't ignoring him because they were scared— it was all negotiated, terms on a contract.

All of a sudden, one of those crazy ideas Bianca had been talking about finally made an appearance. Just in time. I hoped.

Hacking and slashing, I waded my way through the battle and up the hill.

Pagomenos saw me coming, and a grin split his face.

"You brought yourself to me!" he said. "You shouldn't have. Now I won't even need to sift through the wreckage to find your body."

Up close, I was realizing just how big his staff really was. Like a weaponized telephone pole. But I swallowed and pressed on.

"What's that old saying?" I said. "The bigger and uglier they are, the harder they fall?"

"Hmph. Tell me, demigod. Do you really believe you have a chance? I am immortal. Ancient. A minor god in all but name. I am beyond you."

The Hyperboreans must've thought the same thing— they weren't even moving to help their leader. To be fair, their hands were pretty full, but still.

"Everyone's confident until they get stabbed," I said.

"And talking is easy before you're smashed flat," Pagomenos returned. "We aren't here to chat. Come at me."

And I did.

I remembered a time when Andi seemed big. That felt cute now. Pagomenos kicked out at me, and it was like I'd leapt into oncoming traffic.

Rolling away from the way of the truck-sized foot, I slashed out as it passed. My sword left a mark, but mostly bounced off. It was like cutting ice.

Pagomenos laughed. "Cute. Now watch. This is an attack."

He swung his staff like a sledgehammer. Even though I jumped out of the way it left a crater in the soil, taking the ground out from under me. My back hit dirt.

Luckily, he was slow. I rolled back to my feet before he could make a Percy pancake.

"Do you see the difference between us now?" Pagomenos taunted.

"Yeah," I said. "You talk too much."

I sprinted at him and managed to get between his legs. Before he could stomp me into paste, I slashed his ankle. This wasn't like the first time. It was a real swing, as hard as I could, and it broke the skin. When I darted away there was a vertical line down his Achilles, as thin and deep as a five-foot-tall paper cut.

"So irritating!" Pagomenos snarled.

"I get that a lot," I said, trying to sound confident.

He wasn't invulnerable. But one hit and I was done for. I knew death by a thousand cuts was a figure of speech and all, but I wasn't too confident about taking it literally.

Behind me, the Hyperboreans were going down, buried under the swarm. A few had frozen into blocks of ice and shattered, which I guess was the way giants die. That dozens of gryphons and Arimaspoi were frozen too didn't mean much to me. There still wasn't an end to them.

Somewhere close by Bianca yelped in pain. I hoped it was nothing serious, but I couldn't risk looking. If I took my eyes off Pagomenos now the next thing I'd be seeing was the underworld.

"Worried about your friend?" Pagomenos asked. "Don't be scared. Unlike you, she will not die here. She has a much longer future, negotiated and paid for. Her protection is all but guaranteed."

It was like Arim all over again. Frustration ground up my gut.

"Who's trying to keep her alive?" I demanded.

"Should I answer the doomed child's question?" Pagomenos hummed thoughtfully. "Oh, why not. I'm quite benevolent. Just know that someone out there is very interested in her father, enough to pull strings in her favor."

"Why? What do they want?"

"You don't need to know any more." He raised his staff. Ice crystals glinted in the air, primed to fly out and freeze me. "Goodbye, demigod. If you want something to blame for your death, put it on the bad luck of ending up in my way."

He waved his staff right to left and icy mist rushed out. This time there was nowhere to dodge. I tried to push it back the way I shattered Ruth Glacier, and for a second it stopped. But Pagomenos just swung again and sent twice as much my way. I was sure I was seconds from finding out what it felt like to be a popsicle.

Then something said: HONK!

Wings beat the air. Pagomenos's ice cloud whooshed sideways, freezing four Arimaspoi. The Hyperboread whirled and said, "You!"

He looked confused and so was I. Circling above us, fresh off saving my butt, were his personal swans. The two huge, glowing birds honked a few times, sounding sort of like seagulls.

"Still! How could you do this to me?" Like the Hyperboreans, Pagomenos could clearly understand the birds. And what he was hearing didn't have him happy at all. He didn't just look angry, he seemed genuinely hurt that his pets had saved me.

The swans honked a few times each, taking turns.

"No! It is not my time, I refuse! I am not weak."

More honks.

"Say what you will, it is weakness. And now, I've conquered all threats to me! I cannot be deposed. Not anymore."

For the first time, the swans honked at the same time. Just once, but it was totally in unison, down to the pitch. Pagomenos took a step back. His eyes bulged.

"What do you mean 'he's coming?'"

Both swans turned their necks back toward the city. And a voice bellowed, "Pagomenos!"

It wasn't as loud as Daphne's message, but it was way more than I could've managed. Somehow, the battle ground to a stop. There was just something about the voice that demanded attention.

Striding across the ground, Irene and Eddie at his back, was Hector. The sword of Damocles wasn't at his throat now. Clutched in his hand, the blade glowed softly in a way that screamed, Look at me!

"Impossible!" Pagomenos said.

Hector held his arms out wide. "As you can see, this is very possible, traitor."

His voice was still amplified, and the accusation boomed over the battlefield. I heard Hyperboreans gasp. The T word wasn't something they were used to hearing thrown at their founder.

"Traitor? Me?" Pagomenos swelled. "That's nonsense!"

"Is it?" Hector came to a stop, just to my right. He glared at the Hyperboread. "What else should I call you? You tricked me, trying to kill me off. You kept the guards in the dark so they wouldn't be ready. But worst of all, you cut a deal with the tribes. There's no forgiving that."

"Lies!" Pagomenos cried. "My descendants, you must believe me. Will you take this boy's word over my own?"

"Hector's telling the truth!" Irene shouted. "Eddie and I found him. Pagomenos locked him away to have him killed!"

The Hyperboreans shifted. Their eyes kept pinging between the two sides, not sure who to believe.

Then the swans flapped down. They landed, one on either side of Hector, without making a sound. But the damage was done. One by one, the Hyperboreans glared at their leader. It wasn't just the birds. Since showing up Hector had had this aura that made you want to believe in him, to follow him. Like he was wrapped in a cloak of raw charisma. But the swans were the nail in the coffin. Pagomenos had lost his people's support.

And what did he do? He started laughing.

"I can't believe this." His chuckles couldn't stop, each more manic than the one before it. "I've been turned on. I have. I've known this day was possible ever since you were young, Hector, yet I'd hoped I was being paranoid. But look around me. My subjects point their weapons at me over the words of a welp!"

Hector was stony-faced. "Do you admit what you did?"

"Yes I admit it! What does it matter now?" Pagomenos's eyes gleamed. "Those here will fight me regardless of what I say. So yes, I brought the tribes here. I set you up to be killed. The only thing I don't understand is how you're here. You were facing certain death!"

Hector cocked his head. For the first time, he smiled: an assured smirk. "I guess for you the sword of Damocles would be certain death. But it isn't a weapon. It's a test. When they found me, Irene tried to take my place so I could live. I wouldn't let her. It was my responsibility to face. As soon as I acknowledged that, it acknowledged me."

I realized that was where his weird aura was coming from. The sword itself was acting like a tractor beam, drawing people's support. It was a beacon telling everyone, This guy can be trusted. He's a leader.

"Everyone seems intent to lecture me today," Pagomenos said. His eyes bounced between Hector, the swans, and me, before moving back to where they started. "If it is selfish to run from change, then selfish I am. But I am not stupid. So you've lived, Hector. So," he addressed the rest of the guard, "you all have turned on me." He focused on the swans, and his eyes turned sad. "Even you turn your backs on me. Fine. You all can have your morals. I will be satisfied with winning."

"So is this little soap opera over?" said a familiar voice. Arim stepped from the crowd, an AK-47 under each arm. "There's only so long a guy will wait to get his gold."

A massive gryphon, nearly twice the size of the others with pink scars along its face and legs, flew down to land beside him. I figured this must be the leader. It opened its mouth and screeched a screech that clearly meant, "Let's get on with this." Or it meant, "I want to eat some tasty demigods." Or maybe even, "I have to go to the bathroom." All I really know is that it sounded impatient.

"Good timing," Pagomenos told them. "The deal has changed. Wipe out every last one here. I'll keep townsfolk alive instead, ones who can't fight or talk back. I'm thinking, children too young to realize that their parents have been killed…"

"That'll cost you extra," Arim said.

"I'm already giving you all our riches," Pagomenos grumbled. "But fine, do as I ask and I'll even give you the teeth from my mouth if you'd like."

"Oh, I'm not interested in those," Arim said. "I'm not a monster. I have standards. Though I have heard that Hyperboread blood is a lovely shade of blue that shines like a jewel. A few jugs of that should do."

"Deal," Pagomenos snapped, scowling. "Now rid me of these annoyances."

"As you ask your majesty," Arim said, giving a lazy salute.

The Gryphon flapped into the air with another screech that sounded suspiciously like a cackle.

And just like that, the ceasefire shattered and the area was buried again under roared battle cries and rattling rifles, bodies moving and clashing and banging against each other. Total chaos.

Except, this time, one bit of order managed to survive.

"Fall back!" Hector roared. "Reestablish our lines! Fortify the flank! For the sake of your families, don't let them reach the city!"

And what do you know? It was working. In the middle of the melee the Hyperboreans managed to group up. They retook the hilltop. Riding a second wind from Hector's presence, it looked for the first time as if they really stood a chance.

Which, I guess, just left the question of whether we had a chance.

"How good are you in a fight?" I asked Hector.

"Decent." He eyed Pagomenos from head to toe. "Don't worry though. I've got plenty of motivation to outdo my best."

It wasn't exactly what I'd hoped to hear, but I'd take it. "At least we outnumber him."

Pagomenos laughed. "Whoever said anything about this being a two-on-one?"

A brown shape flashed over his head. I just had time to raise my metal arm before gryphon talons could slice my face to ribbons. Even deflected, the attack left my sleeve shredded and my shoulder feeling dislocated. At the same time, Hector leaped in front of me. A full magazine of bullets thumped into his stomach. They bounced off, but if his grunt was anything to go by they weren't totally ineffective.

"Damn," Arim said, AK barrels smoking. "I thought that'd get him."

High above, the Gryphon leader screeched.

"Oh shut up," Arim said. "You missed too."

"So," Pagomenos said, "who was it that was outnumbering whom?"

The gryphon leader dive-bombed, shooting down at speeds I wasn't sure I would be able to block again. Except, halfway down, it veered off-course. It struck the ground in a heap. Over its eyes was a blindfold made of pure shadow.

"What do you know," Bianca said, limping up behind me. "Everybody's here."

She looked sweaty. Grime was caked in her hair. Her pant leg was torn and stained red where a bullet had grazed her. But she was still in fighting shape, and the look in her eyes said that was exactly what she planned to do.

"I'll take that one," Arim said, nodding to Bianca.

She smiled wickedly. "Try it old man." Then she glanced my way. "Don't worry about me. Just do what you need to."

She sent an arrow whistling at Arim and caught one of his guns on its side. The barrel melted when struck, as if boiling under acid. Arim cursed, threw it away, and aimed his other as Bianca darted away to keep herself hard to hit.

Hector and I traded looks. Together, we rushed Pagomenos.

The Hyperboread swept out horizontally, trying to knock us both away in one move. I slid under. Hector vaulted over it with his long legs. I don't which was more impressive: his jump, or that he landed smoothly on the other side in sandals. Some footwear just wasn't designed for mortal combat.

We struck a leg each, leaving new cuts. A stomp almost squished me, but I got away. Hector used the opening to strike Pagomenos's knee. Roaring, Pagomenos spewed icy mist from his mouth, but one of the swans appeared and buffeted it away. The other swan snapped at his nose, and when Pagomenos shielded his eyes I darted around, stabbing him straight in the calf. My sword sunk in. When I yanked it free, neon-blue blood spewed from the cut.

"Aid me!" Pagomenos bellowed at his allies.

"Hands are a little full!" Arim called back. His second AK was gone now too, leaving him going knife-to-knife against Bianca. His hand kept darting to a Desert Eagle holstered on his chest, but Bianca wasn't giving him space to draw it.

The gryphon leader had lost its blindfold, but before it could take to the skies roots wrapped around its ankles.

"Not so fast, you!" Daphne cried.

Seeing help wasn't coming, Pagomenos changed strategies. Mashing his staff down, frost expanded over the ground, turning the dirt into an ice rink.

"Let's see you dodge now!"

He made the mistake of going for Hector first. If he'd swung for me, I would've been dead meat. But Hector somehow managed to skate away like an Olympian mid-routine, as if moving over ice was just completely natural for him. Which, I guess, it was.

I stomped and the ice around us shattered. The ground was still slippery, coated with shards, but at least I could take a step without sliding. Pagomenos growled seeing another strategy thwarted.

I was starting to feel pretty good about our chances. That was my first mistake. Optimism is a rookie error in a fight. Not because it makes you careless— because The Fates see it like a challenge, a neon advertisement screaming THIS GUY NEEDS SCREWING OVER! in too-flashy-to-miss letters.

I saw it from the corner of my eye. Arim had managed to get his pistol out. Bianca, too close to dodge a shot, was stuck. They'd moved up the hill as they fought. If I jumped now, I could tackle her out of the way.

Problem was, that wasn't the only thing I spotted.

Hector's skating performance might've been snazzy, but it had taken him into the wrong spot. He was just a few steps from the Gryphon leader now. As I watched, the monster wrenched one of its massive eagle talons free of the roots. The rest of its body might still have been trapped, but that didn't mean much. One hit from those sword-like claws and we'd be picking up Hector in pieces.

My heart hammered into a knot as time slowed to a crawl. My brain raced almost as fast as my pumping blood. Daphne was at her limit. The swans were busy keeping Pagomenos distracted. This was all on me. I could save both of them, but I couldn't save both of them. Whoever I picked, I'd be leaving the other to die.

One friend or the other. Walk into Pagomenos's trap or serve ourselves up to the tribes. The titans versus the gods, one side destroying lives for pride while the other did it for revenge, both of them not giving a damn who got caught up and stepped on in all their fighting. Which one was worse? Which would lose me less? Two bad choices. Over and over and over again, two bad choices.

I was sick to death of it. I didn't want to choose.

So I wouldn't. I'd add my own choice.

Who cared if it was impossible? If anyone had a life screwed up enough to throw logic out the window, that guy was me. Something inside me came alive

You may be surprised by how far being a bit selfish can get you, Coeus had told me. Sometimes, Daphne had said, it's important to do what you want. I'd thought I understood them, but I really hadn't. Immortals always did whatever they wanted, acting for themselves. It was a part of them. Why wouldn't it be a part of the powers they passed on to their kids, too?

Heat bulged under my skin, as if my blood had been swapped for raw volts. It felt fantastic. Invigorating. It was the same sensation I felt whenever I used my powers, but stronger even than when I washed Eurybia away. And unlike with the tidal wave, I didn't feel my strength disappearing— I wasn't resisting anymore. This time – for the first time – my powers and I were completely on the same page. I could feel there was still a limit, but it was like the finish line had been moved from a 100-meter dash to a marathon.

I yelled and let loose. There wasn't a plan or one thing I was trying to do. I just knew, in my core, that this time I would succeed. I'd save everyone.

The world shook.

"What the—!" Pagomenos stumbled and fell back. Arim's arm jerked and his shot fired straight up. The Gryphon leader had to plant its foot back on the ground to keep from toppling. All across the battlefield, fighters lost their balance.

I took off at a sprint.

I can hardly explain it. Everything was shaking just as much for me, but I never felt like I'd fall. I knew exactly where to put my foot to run, dodge, and jump perfectly, all as naturally as Hector skating.

I descended on Arim first. He tried to swing his knife, but he never stood a chance. Unlike me, he could hardly keep his feet. I stabbed him and was gone before the dust hit the ground.

In another life this might not have been a power I ever figured out. It couldn't ever defend, only destroy. And I found I was fine with that. If I had to tear a few things down to make a future I wanted, so be it.

Arimaspoi. Arimaspoi. Gryphon. Arimaspoi. Gryphon. Each was only in front of me for a second before exploding into dust. Anthea flew in unending arcs. Ten, fifteen, twenty, I kept going till I lost count. They couldn't get away, dodge, fight back, anything. The ground itself wouldn't let them.

Stumbling, the Arimaspoi tried to run. They didn't make it far. Between them and Denali the earth gave out. Sinkholes tore open. The unlucky ones fell in headfirst. The ones that didn't were left were trapped between me and the drop. I kept going.

By the time the earthquake tailed off, I was alone in a sphere of monster dust fifty feet across. The gryphons had taken to the air, hovering skittishly. With their leader gone and their numbers down to a third, the Arimaspoi looked like wished they could fly away themselves.

Hector was the first to recover. "Press the advantage! Don't let this chance go to waste!"

The Hyperboreans roared, charging down the hill with so many heavy footsteps it felt like an aftershock. They crashed into the Arimaspoi, and it wasn't even a contest.

I watched Eddie snatch two Arimaspoi by the necks and crack their heads together like coconuts. One raised his rifle, only to be pelted with acorns. When he spun he found the Heliades hiding in the forest, chucking the nuts from wicker baskets. Before he could fire Irene appeared behind him, bisecting him neatly with a ludicrously long halberd. Periodically roots would sprout and Emmitt's voice would yell, "I'm behind you!" When the Arimaspoi turned to face him, they'd only get a sword in the back. Swans, the regular variety, had arrived as a flock from the Eridanos, pecking throats and nipping eyes. We were winning. Easily.

"The gryphons!" Bianca suddenly shouted. "They're getting away!"

I looked up and cursed. Apparently the gryphons had decided that shiny things only mattered when you were alive to enjoy them, because they were flapping off toward Denali. We couldn't let that happen. We had to wipe them out now, or they'd just be back later when we weren't prepared. But there was nothing we could do. Even a spear's reach didn't mean much to something a hundred feet off the ground.

Just when I was despairing Emmitt's voice spoke next to me.

"Don't worry," he said.

"We need to stop them!"

"We will," he said. "I thought something like this might happen."

They were only a little more than dots on the horizon now, but I still saw the first gryphons disintegrate. Then the second row, then the third…

"What's happening?"

"It seemed like a waste," Emmitt said, "having a bunch of amazing archers sitting around doing nothing. Edgar agreed with me."

"Then that's–?"

"Yep. Daphne and I set them up beforehand, little tunnels from the Kallikantzaroi to shoot from so the light wouldn't blind them. Trust me. The ones that run won't be making it anywhere."

It dawned on me like a cool breeze: that was basically the battle. The gryphons were getting picked apart. The Arimaspoi were down to just a few stragglers. I turned to the only threat left.

Pagomenos seemed to be coming to the same conclusion I had, except instead of relief, for him it meant despair.

"Unbelievable." He turned in a slow circle, as if he needed to see everything again to convince himself he wasn't dreaming. "Just unbelievable. This is the best help my riches can buy? Hacks unable to handle even one boy?"

"Yeah," I muttered, "because you were doing such a great job of stopping me yourself."

Hector stepped forward, right in front of Pagomenos. "Give up," he said. "It's over."

I took a position at the base of the hill, blocking off that side. Bianca had her bow back and pierced the gryphon leader with an arrow, putting a permanent end to its thrashing against the roots. The swans circled overhead like vultures.

"You think I will roll over just because you have me surrounded?" Pagomenos demanded. "I'm immortal! Even if you strike me down, I'll not disappear. One day, I will be back!"

"No," Hector said, "I really don't think you will."

Pagomenos looked confused for a moment. Then it morphed to fear. He held a hand in front of his face and watched as it changed and morphed– shrinking, coating over with something white, the fingers fusing into a wing tip.

"AHHHH!" he bellowed, jerking the hand back and forth. "Stop it! Cease! This can't be happening, not after I tried so hard!"

It was sweeping over his whole body now. His spine bent, his torso compressing. The toes on his feet conjoined, webbing spreading between them.

"It's your time," Hector said, sounding satisfied. "You can't fight it."

The swans landed right in front of Pagomenos, watching him carefully. Together, they crooned a note.

"I refuse!" Pagomenos insisted. "I am not weak like you!"

But his voice was changing with his body. It was getting more guttural, sounding like a cleared throat. When he said the word "you!" he practically honked it.

The swans sang another soft note.

Pagomenos's expression was one I'll never forget. Terrified, but also defeated. He was shorter than me now, shrunken down with his neck elongating while his body got bulbous. His toga fell to the ground, revealing a chest covered in feathers. He opened his mouth – probably to wail or threaten or beg – but the only noise that came out was a bird call.

He had become a swan, an oversized glowing one absolutely identical to the two I'd thought were his pets. And suddenly it dawned on me.

Why hadn't I seen it earlier? He always said his brothers had changed, but it was me that assumed they faded. He never used that word. That was because they hadn't faded. Like Hyperboreans that grew tired of their role, they'd transitioned into something new. Something big for their kind, which shone from the bright Hyperboread blood Arim had been lusting after that still ran through their veins.

I stared at the three swans in front of me. Hyperboreades. Immortal triplets. And finally, after who knows how many years, they were identical once again.

"All this time you were the other Hyperboreades!" I said out loud.

The two swans that had been helping us looked over their shoulders (or was it wings?) at me. Then they met each other's eyes and honked softly like laughing.

"About a hundred years ago they made the transition," Hector explained. "We all thought Pagomenos stayed to watch out for us. I guess now we know he was just too scared to follow them."

I frowned. "Does that mean Pagomenos will be hanging around in feathery form from now on?"

The idea left a bad taste in my mouth. Sure he might not be as dangerous like this, but it still felt like letting him off easy.

"I wouldn't worry about that," Hector said. "Watch."

In front of our eyes, two of the swans struck up a song. Now, I say this as someone who sees opera as glorified nap time, but these notes had a physical effect on me. I felt like I'd swallowed soap and sugar the way bittersweet waves rolled through my body. I started tearing up a little, but at the same time had to smile.

The swan that had been Pagomenos stared resolutely at the ground, ignoring his brothers. But almost against his will noise was starting to burble out. Once or twice he almost harmonized before catching himself.

The area wasn't a battle anymore, just a battlefield. The only remnants of the tribes were dropped weaponry. As one, the Hyperboreans began to sway to the music.

Pagomenos was starting to have a hard time. He was tensing his gullet, swallowing back the notes rising up his esophagus. His brothers sang harder, hurling their heads skyward.

Distantly, I realized I was swaying now too. So was Bianca. The Heliades had left the tree cover, joining in with tears streaming down their cheeks. Some of the regular swans added their voices to the song, although none sung as beautifully as the two in front of me.

Finally, Pagomenos couldn't hold it in any long. The same song spilled out of him. Maybe it was because it had been held back, but it sounded even better coming from him. Rising in volume, the three voices melded together, nailing notes that regular birds could never have come near. Everyone swayed harder.

It was only for a moment. About the time it took to take a breath and release it. For that brief time, I was absolutely certain there were two arms over my shoulders. One was big, burly. The hand would be wearing a fingerless glove. If I looked to my right I'd find a wide, smiling face, Andi looking the same as the day she died. The other arm was gentler, a caress, and brought more tears out of me than I could remember crying for a long, long time. If I looked to my left, I was sure I'd see a specter of my mom.

I knew they weren't really there. It was all in my head. But Hector, Bianca— they all looked the same as I did. It was the power of the music. Because this song was a goodbye, one so powerful it let you see off those you'd already lost forever, a last glimpse at the parts of your life you wished could always be there but knew in your soul you couldn't hold onto.

The song hit its climax. The birds sung so hard their torsos contracted, squeezing all of themselves out through their vocal cords. When the note was finished so were they. Their last breath had literally infused into their voices, rushing out into the cool air.

And for the moment we, the survivors, kept swaying. We'd stay that way for a few minutes, completely lost in the trolling echoes of the greatest funeral dirge our ears would ever get the chance to hear, just remembering.

(-)

I don't play favorites between chapters. That's like a parent picking favorites out of their kids, a comparison which simultaneously says it's morally reprehensible and that it's very much done all of the time. All that a long way of saying that the first sentence was a lie, and I think I might love this chapter the most of any in this story so far. Chapter 20 was my old favorite, but nobody tell it it's possibly been replaced.

Anyway, if you couldn't tell, this is the climax of this arc. After, there are only two chapters, which will go up at the same time because… well, you'll see. Just trust me that doing it that way is a kindness. There's a good chance they won't be up by next Sunday just because it's double what I usually get done in a week, but as soon as I have them finished they'll be posted, so who knows. Maybe Writer's Block will keep her grubby little fingers off of me and I'll knock both of them out in one grand slam swing. Just know it's not a guarantee. (2 weeks at the absolute longest, though, I can promise that.)

There will also be a short break after they're posted, 3-4 weeks, for a few reasons. First, I need to hammer the storyboard for the next arc into proper shape before I can dive into the actual writing. Second, I want a pause to work on a few other stories and get them closer to posting in a way that I just can't while constantly pushing forward on this one. And third, I just need a break to decompress. When this arc is done that'll be 20 consecutive weeks with a chapter. Roughly 113,000 words or so. I'm very proud of myself, but need to catch my breath.

This author's note has been far too long. Cutting it off before it gets any more unwieldy.