Oh man! I can't believe I've hit 25 chapters! Craziness. Thanks to loyal followers and new followers for sticking with me!

And, as always, big thank you to my betas FlourChildWrites, AOwinterOA, and Wind_and_Sky22!

Chapter 25: We Are (Not) Victors

Curses and the sound of scrapping metal pierced through the dark, as pungent odors of blood and burned wood overlaid the calming scent of Dicaea's seaside breeze. While men continued to clash outside the burning tavern, the wind picked up, spreading the scent of soldering iron mixed with rust throughout the city.

A giant dagger whistled towards Shouto. He ducked, avoiding the enlarged blade. It sliced past him and embedded itself into a slaver's chest behind him.

The slaver cried out in pain, but Shouto didn't pause to check on him. He raised Endeavor and rushed forward.

Trumpet's guard unleashed more daggers. The small blades pulsed and grew five times their normal size as they accelerated towards him.

Shouto skidded to a stop, and swept Endeavor up into a wide arc. The sword blurred as it cut through the air, colliding with the metal blades and tossing them aside. The daggers smashed into the stone street around Shouto's feet, cracking the ground and throwing pebbles into the air like hail.

The attack had thrown Shouto's momentum off. As he readjusted, the guard pulled a long blade from a holster at his waist.

Years of experience took over. Shouto spun, bringing Endeavor up in time to parry the attack. Over the mayhem winding through the street, there was a metallic shriek of swords colliding. The force shoved Shouto and the guard apart.

Shouto swept back. Not hesitating, he jutted out his left hand. A burning sensation spread along Shouto's palm; bright luminescent red and gold flames poured out, engulfing his opponent.

The man screamed, writhing in agony. The guard stumbled backwards. He slammed into the side of the burning barn.

There was a loud roar as if a beast hidden inside the wooden structure had awoken. Red and amber flames turned a livid purple as the beast devoured its sacrifice. The abrasive smell of burning flesh gushed out, stinging Shouto's nose. He stepped forward and slid Endeavor across the man's throat, silencing his piercing screams.

Breathing heavily, Shouto wiped at the sweat dripping down his forehead and looked up.

The fire had spread. Flames licked up into the air from the barn, reaching out with red tendrils to catch onto anything within reach. The fire had climbed over to the main tavern. It had eaten up the sides of the walls and crackled along the roof. Within a few minutes, it would spread to the other houses.

He had to find Yaoyorozu. They needed to leave.

Shouto glanced towards the tavern's front door. The ice used to jam the doorway was broken and melting; shattered pieces of verglas lay in crystalized shards across the ground.

Yaoyorozu must have escaped. Shouto turned to see where the others were. Bigshot was across the street, holding his own as he defended himself against two slavers. His other men were battling back to back. The road was covered in blood.

A cold creeping sensation settled in Shouto's chest as he swept his gaze over the battle. Where was Yaoyorozu?

Shouto's throat tightened. He turned, eyes darting around the periphery of the battlefield, hoping to catch a glimpse of Yaoyorozu standing safely away — keeping her promise not to join the fight. And Shouto's stomach dropped.

It felt like the day Troy had fallen.

The claustrophobic panic was almost tangible. A few men scampered around like ants, holding vases of water, trying to stem the fire's wrath to little success. Others were stripped of all social conditioning; they raced away from the scene, each person for themselves.

The blood drained from his face, and Shouto's stomach lurched with a sudden pang of sickening nausea. Yaoyorozu wasn't there.

His heart pounded faster and faster in his ears as he scanned the crowd again. She couldn't still be in the tavern, could she? But then, who had shattered the ice coating the door?

Shouto felt dizzy with panic. It was like his stomach had turned to acid, dissolving him from the inside as fear clawed up his throat.

Behind him, there was a sudden sickening crunch. The ground trembled, and a few men and women within the crowd lost their balance and fell, screaming.

Shouto turned sharply. His eyes darted towards the body lying indented into the stone road, and he almost collapsed with relief.

It wasn't Yaoyorozu.

The worry twisting in Shouto's stomach uncoiled slightly as his gaze skimmed over the bloody, limp body of a giant. Suddenly, a shadow spread over the man's bleeding, cracked limbs. Shouto raised his head to follow the side of the burning tavern up to the roof, and the world stilled.

Shouto knew it was impossible, but for a moment, it felt as if he forgot how to breathe as his gaze locked on the figure of a woman illuminated by pearlescent moonlight.

Yaoyorozu.

She was beautiful — that was the only thing Shouto could think as he gazed at her standing on the roof of the tavern, spear in hand.

Fire burned around her feet. Yaoyorozu's hair was messy but still held in a high ponytail that curled around her pale face. Blood and ash smeared her cheeks. Against the moonlight, she looked as if she were a vengeful goddess of victory standing over the battlefield in judgement.

Shouto's heart shook. His legs felt weak, and he found it hard to breathe as he continued to stare at her.

He wanted to go to her.

He wanted to kiss her hand in reverence and offer her his devotion. Shouto swallowed and took a step forward.

To the left, there was a violent crack as something landed against the stone street. Shouto jolted out of his trance. He twisted around, brought Endeavor up, and paused.

The street was covered in a gooey white substance. In the middle of the slime, there was a woman with pink skin and curly, short rosy hair — the wood nymph.

Standing up from a crouch, the nymph looked at Shouto. Her black eyes hardened, and she raised her hands up as if to fight.

"Ashido!" Yaoyorozu's voice called from the roof.

The nymph instantly stilled.

"Stay right there! Todoroki is on our side."

The nymph looked back at Shouto. She crinkled her nose before abruptly spinning and kicking a slaver Shouto hadn't noticed in the stomach. The man shot backwards and into the crowd.

The attack wrenched Shouto back into the present. The fight was still going on. Bigshot and Mick were the only ones still standing of the four that had come to save the innkeeper's brother. The other two men were crumpled on the floor along with a number of slavers.

In the distance, the sound of heavy footsteps hurried closer. The city guard, Shouto realized belatedly. His mouth went dry.

Shouto spun back around. He sheathed Endeavor and rushed forward. "Yaoyorozu!"

Her eyes darted down. A flicker of emotion softened her features. "Todoroki!"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She glanced behind her with a worried expression and then back at him. Her face tensed. "But I'll have to find another way down. The fire is spreading too quickly."

"We don't have time." Shouto held out his arms. "Jump!"

Yaoyorozu jerked back. "What?" Her voice caught in alarm.

"I'll catch you," Shouto said with more force. He stepped forward, arms extended. "Hurry!" When she still hesitated, he added, "The city guard is almost here."

Yaoyorozu glanced behind her and then back at him, her expression stiff. She swallowed visibly. "You better catch me." Her voice wavered.

Shouto looked up and met her gaze.

"I will."

Yaoyorozu took a deep breath. Then she threw her spear from the roof. It clattered as it hit the ground. She took a half-step back and, hesitating only for a moment, vaulted off the roof.

It happened quickly; Shouto stepped forward, arms raised. Yaoyorozu's body dropped through the air like a downed bird. Then the world seemed to stop, and Shouto found Yaoyorozu in his grasp. One of his arms wrapped under her legs as the other circled around Yaoyorozu's back.

Shouto let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding as Yaoyorozu's body melted into his arms. She leaned her head against his chest, her arms twining around his neck. A flicker of warmth spread through Shouto's body before being doused by the nymph's cry.

"Get back, or I'll melt you!"

Shouto spun, fingers tightening around Yaoyorozu. Around the perimeter, soldiers pushed through the chaos to encircle the battle.

The fighting abruptly ceased; both slavers, Bigshot, and Mick lowered their weapons and stumbled backwards as the group of soldiers advanced, spears raised.

Shouto's stomach twisted. It was what he'd feared — the city guard had arrived.

A tall man with a droopy dog-like face stepped forward from the soldiers. "Lay down your weapons! You are in violation of city laws and will be held responsible before a jury." His voice snapped with authority.

Yaoyorozu's arms tensed around Shouto's neck. He felt her heartbeat reverberate through his chest, matching his own. Shouto took a step back, his gaze sweeping over the men surrounding them. They needed to find a way out of the situation and fast.

"Todoroki," Yaoyorozu whispered; her voice wavered with uncertainty.

His fingers twitched. It was obvious just from holding her that Yaoyorozu was exhausted. She might even pass out again if Shouto put her down to fight.

Close by, Bigshot and Mick were panting heavily. They wouldn't be able to fight the city guard either. The only one who seemed in relatively decent shape to continue was the nymph, but Shouto didn't know if he could rely on her.

He ground his teeth in frustration. He needed to keep calm. It would be difficult to fight their way out of this. He'd have to find another way to get free.

He had to. He'd never let them take Yaoyorozu from him. Shouto clenched his jaw and tried to think.

If he were alone, Shouto wouldn't have cared about facing punishment. Most crimes ended in monetary payment or, worst case, expulsion. However, it was the former punishment Shouto was most worried about.

If he was heavily fined for the damages and released slaves, Dicaea could take Yaoyorozu as compensation. They would beat her, maybe even call for her death. And Shouto would never allow any of that to happen.

His stomach burned, as if his flames had been lit inside his gut. The only option was to make a run for it.

As Shouto was thinking, the nymph growled and stepped forward. "How dare you! I demand me and my saviors' release!"

The head guard looked down at the nymph, and his expression flickered with hesitance before smoothing out. He lowered his head slightly as if in respect. "Nymph, you may pass. I do not have the power or wish to hold you, but unfortunately, too much destruction has been caused to let the others leave." He looked to his men, and his voice turned hard. "Send them to the desmoterion."

The nymph's pink face darkened, flashing crimson.

"Wait! Ashido!" Yaoyorozu called.

It was too late.

Ashido stepped forward. Her hands coated themselves with the wet, slippery magic she had used earlier. She unleashed the enchantment. It hit the head guard directly in his droopy dog-like face.

He stumbled back with a cry of alarm. "Arrest them!"

The city guard stepped forward as one, their spears pointed out.

Shouto took a careful step back as the soldiers moved closer. He had to think. There must be something he could do to defuse the situation. Over the oppressive silence, the sound of wooden wheels could be heard.

The guards stilled. Men and women, who had calmed down with the guard's arrival and were standing along the periphery of the street, began to shift and grow restless as the sound of a racing cart amplified.

Then there was a scream of terror. People dived out of the way, and in a scene similar to what Shouto had experienced earlier in the night, an oxen-drawn cart smashed through the throngs of onlookers.

Shouto stared wide-eyed at Tetsu-Tetsu and Kendo's wooden wagon appeared. His heart felt as if it had jumped into his mouth.

The cart stopped right at the edge of the soldiers with a heavy pitch. The crowd screamed and pushed to get away from the street as the situation devolved.

"Todoroki! Get on!" Tetsu-Tetsu's brusque voice screamed over the mayhem unfolding.

He stood at the front of the cart, like a beacon among the chaos. The soldiers froze, eyes wide and shocked. The dog-faced captain snapped out of his confusion first.

"Stop!" he roared in outrage.

The captain grabbed a spear from one of his men and launched himself at Tetsu-Tetsu. But before he could take two steps, a small man with gray speckled hair and beard jumped from the cart and slammed his feet into the guard's face, sending him backwards.

The old man turned and began tearing through the soldiers, breaking their formation. Shouto's eyes widened as a flash of hooves appeared, kicking out and pushing the soldiers back. It was Gran Torino and he was —

A satyr?

Shouto didn't have time to process his confusion. Gran Torino slammed a hoofed foot into a guard's stomach, then flipped back, landing in front of Shouto.

"Go! Son of Eres! Get the nymph out of here," Gran Torino shouted over his shoulder.

"We'll cover for you," Bigshot said, before he and Mick lunged forward, swinging their weapons as well.

"Wait!" Yaoyorozu cried after them. She squirmed in Shouto's grip as she tried to get down. He tightened his hold and pulled her into his chest. "Your brother! He- he saved our lives!"

Bigshot's feet faltered. He turned and gave Yaoyorozu a thumb's up. His expression was a mixture of sadness and acceptance. A small forced smile tugged across his lips, and Shouto realized he had already known that his brother wouldn't make it.

Shouto spun around. "Ashido! Grab the spear."

The nymph darted towards Yaoyorozu's weapon and scooped it up. They took off towards the cart, darting through the pathway Gran Torino opened for them.

Hagakure scrambled to the side and pulled the nymph up. Shouto hoisted Momo in before climbing up after her.

"We all good?" Kendo asked, glancing behind her.

"Yes, we're ready," Yaoyorozu said.

Tetsu-Tetsu snapped the reins, and the oxen took off. They hurried back the way they had come.

The sound of screams and weapons sliding against each other rang behind them as the cart lurched forward, and they began moving towards the mountains in the west.

Shouto jerked his gaze back.

The city commander roared in rage as the cart sped away. One of his subordinates rushed forward, spear held up. He threw it at the cart.

Shouto's stomach tightened. His hand dropped to Endeavor as the spear left the man's hand. It whistled through the air at the cart and then missed — by a large margin.

Shouto stared for a moment before his shoulders dropped down in relief. He sank down into the cart next to Yaoyorozu and leaned back against the wooden boards as the cart continued careening forward through Dicaea's streets.

The houses thinned, and the stone street grew uneven as they reached the edge of the city. Then they rattled over a stone bridge, and they were out of Dicaea.

It was over. Shouto drew in a deep breath and then noticed a muffled noise next to him. He looked over. Yaoyorozu held a hand to her mouth as her body trembled.

Shouto blinked before his eyebrows pulled down in confusion. Was she… Was Yaoyorozu laughing?

Yaoyorozu's body continued to shake, and a strange feeling began to bubble in Shouto's stomach, working its way up to his chest. It was warm. Buoyant. Foreign. The feeling filled his heart, and suddenly Shouto was filled with laughter as well.

It wasn't a closed mouthed laugh that Shouto had become accustomed to, but a full laugh — something he hadn't experienced since childhood. Shouto pitched forward as his body trembled, and he laughed without restraint.

They had done it. They escaped.

Yaoyorozu turned to him. She pressed her forehead to his bicep, her hand dropping away from her mouth to grasp his forearm as she continued to tremble with laughter against his side.

"When you two love birds are done with whatever you are doing, why don't you introduce me?" Ashido said grumpily. Her voice held a hint of haughtiness and exasperation as she, along with the other three, watched them.

But even that didn't bother Shouto.

Yaoyorozu pulled back slightly, wiping at her eyes. "Sorry," she said, sitting up with a wide smile.

The warm feeling in Shouto's chest spread when Yaoyorozu didn't correct her.

"The one driving is Tetsu-Tetsu, and that's his wife Kendo; they are weaponsmiths. And this is Hagakure, who I met right before you," Momo said.

"Yaomomo saved me as well!" Hagakure cried.

Ashido's expression morphed, and she smiled, obviously happy to no longer be ignored. "Nice to meet y'all. So, where are we going anyways?"

Tetsu-Tetsu huffed. "As far away from here as possible."

"Kaminari said he'd meet up with us somewhere outside the city," Shouto explained, looking back at the nymph.

"Kaminari said that?" Ashido's eyes lit up. "Oh! I can't wait to get back home! I'm still feeling funny…" she sighed dramatically, slumping over Hagakure, who squeaked out in surprise.

Shouto chuckled and then tuned out the nymph as she continued on. He leaned back against the wooden panels and settled in. Yaoyorzu scooted closer before leaning against his side.

A smile pulled at Shouto's lips, and he wound an arm around her waist, pulling Yaoyorozu closer.

She glanced up at him, eyes wide before her body relaxed, and she smiled in a way that Shouto had never seen before.

His chest tightened. Shouto glanced away as heat spread up his neck. He felt breathless and intense exhilaration at the same time. And a voice in the back of his mind — that Shouto had been absentmindedly ignoring — reasoned that it may be okay if the curse was never lifted.

Drum roll please! The harbor arc is now finished! I got a super cute commission for this chapter but doesn't allow pictures. T_T If you want to see please look up me up on Twitter.

Notes:

Desmoterion - a prison, but it was used more like a holding cell before a trial. The Greeks didn't have laws to hold people for indefinite periods of time, like we do today. Most punishments, at the time, were either monetary based or, in the worst case, exile. Life in prison wasn't a thing, and the death penalty was only rarely given.