Chapter 5: Divine Judgment
Ancient Sparta
Rhamnousia, now having earned the title of Nemesis Campestris for her part in helping the people of Greece, enjoyed her life in Sparta as a guest of King Tyndareus. Word of her appearance spread, and while many still stuck to the story of her being a mere priestess, many came to view her for what she really was: a God.
Of course, during her time as a guest, she and the King grew closer and closer. And as often happens when two young people grow closer and live in such close proximity to one another, things progressed and the two fell into some sort of love. Tyndareus was married, but this did little to get in their way. Their relationship became the worst-kept secret in all of Sparta, with even his wife Queen Leda choosing to ignore it, for fear of upsetting the Gods.
In nine months time, Rhamnousia gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl, whom they agreed to name Helen. Rhamnousia, Tyndareus, and even Queen Leda all became enamored by the baby, promising to give her the world.
All was good, until the day Helen turned nine, and they found her kidnapped from her room, stolen away by a pair of kidnappers. Rhamnousia felt something in her snap, just like that day at the Battle of Marathon when she earned her divine name, and hurried off, moving like a shadow through the night.
The kidnappers sat at a home in Athens, relaxing happily. The kidnapped would-be child bride sat quietly at a table beside an elderly woman, the mother of one of the kidnappers. The two men had been bragging to all who would listen of their plan:
"We're the children of the Gods, so it's only right that another child of the gods is worthy to marry us!" said proud Theseus, a tanned skinned and golden armor-clad 'hero' spoke vainly. "Even the Gods agree! How nice of them to help us with finding this pretty young thing!"
His companion Pirithous, a man of the same age with a mop of curly black hair and a simple white toga, laughed. "A child from the bloodline of Nyx was a great find! Wasn't that one Goddess from the Underworld kind of a hottie, too? Maybe we should pay them a visit next, with how easy this was!"
Both boys laughed, while Theseus' mother simply ignored them. There was little she could do to get in their way or to stop them from their descent into depravity, and so she sat as a silent bystander.
Their mirth was interrupted when the door opened, and there stood Rhamnousia, or rather Nemesis. She was no little girl any longer, resembling more of the young woman she would during the Ragnarok. Her hair was much longer in the past, and her face and body lacked the inky black void that would eventually consume her being. One would be forgiven for thinking she was a simple human.
"Helen, my baby!" she called out, immediately moving to grab her daughter until the two older demigods blocked her path.
"Wow, a groupie that followed us all the way here?" Pirithous mused, smiling to himself.
"No, you dumbass, didn't you hear her? That's my future mother-in-law, apparently. Wow, they really undersold her beauty, instead of going all the way to that Underworld maybe you should just have her as your bride," Theseus suggested.
"Not a bad idea, then we really would be family? What do you say-" Pirithous was cut off before he could finish his sentence, as Rhamnousia reached out with one hand and shoved him aside. As if made of paper mache, the demigod was launched into a nearby wall, cratering it upon impact.
"Stand aside, or perish," she hissed, eyes burning with an amber light. "Oculus Malus."
Both demigod men were bound in place, their shadows reaching up like snakes and coiling around them to bind them in place. Each man felt as if they were being literally weighed down by their sins, flashes of every misdeed done in the name of their heroism flashing before their eyes.
Castor and Pollux, half-brothers to Helen by way of Tyndareus, were the ones to appear on the scene before anyone else. What they found was a horrific sight. Theseus and Pirithous, pale and gaunt from Rhamnousia's torture of them. Theseus would survive, but Pirithous was not so lucky, his soul already sent to the next world. Helen was scared and clinging to her brothers, but unharmed. Theseus' mother was shell-shocked, unable to be left on her own, and forcibly brought back to Sparta by the brothers.
"Goddess, what happened here?" asked Pollux.
"They knew about me…about Helen. They were targeting Gods and demigods. Someone told them…" she mumbled out a response. "Boys, take your sister home. Hand her off to no one but King Tyndareus, and see to it that she is guarded at all times. Do it yourselves if you have to."
"Of course," the boys said in unison, knowing better than to disobey and being unwilling to consider it regardless.
"But you sound like you're not going to come back with us," Castor asked, worry entering his voice.
"There's only one place that could have given that information to these two clowns," said Rhamnousia. "I'm going to return to the Gods, and give them a piece of my mind."
Rhamnousia did not look like the same woman they had come to view as family. The skin around her left eye was now an inky black color, threatening to spread out across her being then and there.
Valhalla, Present
Nemesis was all but gone, replaced by the visage of some kind of shadowy demon. Charles-Henri was covered in several small wounds, with a rather large stab wound in his gut, a reminder of what had happened when he got too comfortable in this fight. Nemesis' wounds were covered in the darkness, but he knew she would not be able to just shake off such a direct hit so quickly.
Even the gods in the audience reacted with fear at the sight of Nemesis' transformation, none thinking her capable of such a display. Only Jupiter and Minerva remained unsurprised, the King of the Gods smiling confidently until he realized that Prometheus had already taken his leave from the stands.
"What is that little fuckwit up to now?" Jupiter growled, beginning to get up until Minerva's hand found his shoulder.
"Don't let the fire thief ruin your moment, Lord Jupiter. Nemesis is about to secure our first victory, we should enjoy the moment while it lasts," the Goddess of Wisdom advised, her face inscrutable. "There'll be time for us to punish him later."
Jupiter relented, sliding back into his chair comfortably. "Yes, yes, you're right, of course."
Elsewhere in the audience, Nemesis' siblings looked on uncomfortably. Hypnos and Moros' reacted with the same horror that much of the audience, but Thanatos could only look on with a frown.
"Brother, what is this?" asked Hypnos, a lump forming in his throat.
"I've only seen her like this once before, during the Trojan War. So consumed by her rage and grief…I think even Jupiter or our parents might struggle to get her reined in when she gets like this," Thanatos explained.
"But what is it? We have the same blood, but I've never seen any of us do anything like this," Hypnos repeated the question. But it was not Thanatos who answered.
"This is Rhamnousia's truest form, that she inherited from your father and I." Nyx and Erebus appeared, joining their children in the stands.
The three boys looked like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. None had told their parents that they were going to come here after word of Nemesis' involvement spread, not wanting to upset them. But clearly word had reached them regardless.
"Mother, Father, we-"
"Save the apologies, Moros, we understand. We do not relish seeing your sister in this condition or these circumstances either, but…what kind of parents would we be if we missed her big moment?" Erebus said sadly.
"What do you mean that this was her inheritance?" Thanatos questioned.
"Each of you have the blood of primordial and chthonic Gods in your veins, but for some reason, Rhamnousia inherited more of it than any of you. It's not too dissimilar from the destructive destrudo that the demons possess, truthfully. This destructive power has been resting in her soul since her birth. It wasn't a problem when she lived in Heaven, and had nothing to disrupt her peace, but-" Nyx started.
"But then she ran away from us, and hid out among the humans. The things she saw and experienced down there truly broke her, especially that Trojan War they claim she started," Erebus finished.
"That war, it was all over that girl Helen, right? But wasn't Helen, her daughter?" Moros questioned.
Nyx frowned. "There was a reason we agreed to never speak of that incident, or why your sister has avoided us for so many years."
"Our granddaughter was killed by the humans, that is the cause of this destructive rage she's feeling, and why she's so devoted to Jupiter's mission," Erebus explained grimly, crossing his arms in disdain.
Rhamnousia appeared before the Gods, forcing her way back into Heaven where she found herself before the Divine Council, the very same gathering of the Gods that would one day vote to doom humanity. A much younger Jupiter commanded the room once again.
"Look who returned to us, the dear little traitor that ran off to cavort with the humans!" teased Jupiter, earning some laughter from the amassed Gods.
"Jupiter! I have some questions for you!" she demanded, righteous fury burning in her voice. The black void that had begun to spread across her face still lingered near her left eye.
"I don't quite like that tone of yours, little girl," Jupiter said seriously, his own killing intent filling the air. "But I don't hate feisty girls like yourself, so ask away."
"You were the ones who told those two fools about my daughter!" she accused.
"Not technically a question," Jupiter mocked. Beside him, Minerva simply shook her head.
"WHY?" Rhamnousia's voice echoed through the halls, earning her their full attention.
"Because you simple little thing, you broke the rules. Creating a demigod without the express approval of the Divine Council? So reckless!" Jupiter rose from his seat, seemingly growing in size and authority as he rose up.
"Isn't that a bit rich coming from you?" Rhamnousia spat back, causing widened eyes from many of the lesser Gods in attendance.
"Okay, I'm finding that insolence less and less cute, child," Jupiter hissed. "You broke the rules without my permission, and so we had to punish you and that brat for it. It's as simple as that."
Rhamnousia seethed, her mind reaching out for any way to try and get back at the King of the Gods.
"But it doesn't have to end that way, you know. I'm a generous God, you know. We can make a deal," Jupiter said, sickeningly sweet.
"I swear to Heaven if this deal involves another pass at me, I-" Jupiter cut her off with a laugh.
"Don't be so crass, girl! Besides, not worth the tongue-lashing I'd get from Nyx and Erebus over it," he mumbled the last part, clearing his throat. "No, all you have to do is revoke your claim to the girl as her mother, and stay away from her for the rest of her natural life! Let her remain a simple little princess, and return to your family. Otherwise, you can go back to her, and watch her die."
Rhamnousia wanted nothing more than to argue, to fight back. But she was outnumbered and overpowered, even with that power she had managed to summon when dealing with Theseus and his friend, she would never be able to overpower Jupiter and his Council on her own. All that mattered was making sure that her daughter would be able to live a happy, healthy life. Even if she wasn't around for it.
Hanging her head, Rhamnousia sighed. "I accept these terms, Lord Jupiter."
And so Rhamnousia returned to her family. Her parents asked so many questions, while Thanatos opted to keep a more respectful distance. Moros and Hypnos were cordial enough, but neither were aware of what she had been through. All they knew was that she still spent her evenings sitting on the hillside of Valhalla, looking down at the human world as she wondered what had become of her daughter.
She saw Helen grow up, a beautiful young teenager that looked like a mirror image of her mother, and earned so much attention from the world around her. Men were tripping over themselves for a chance to court her. But at the same time, Helen grew up strong and independent, just as capable with a sword or her fists as her brothers.
Rhamnousia felt pride like she never had before, seeing Helen grow up the way she did. Eventually, Helen was to be married and given her father's throne. Rhamnousia tried to stay away, but once again found herself sneaking down to the world of humans. She didn't say anything to Helen, only watched from afar, but upon her arrival back in Valhalla, she found herself greeted by Jupiter and his Heavenly Host, a legion of armored angels that followed his word like it was law.
"Oh little Rhammy, what have you done now?" he asked, sickeningly sweet and with a satisfied smile on his face.
"Jupiter, I-"
"Quiet girl, the adults are talking." Jupiter hissed. "You broke the rules of our deal, and so now we have to go back to plan A. You see, we gods have grown rather tired of the humans and their heroics, and so we held a vote: humanity is to be reset, and your baby girl will be front and center for the complete restart of the human race! We might have elevated her like we did my boy Hercules had you just toughed it out a little longer, but now she'll get to carry out the role she was always born to have: to die!"
Jupiter laughed wildly, and Rhamnousia could only grit her teeth in rage. She lashed out with her hand, shadows twisting around to create some kind of shape in her palm. A whip, one that lashed out and split apart into multiple cords that struck at Jupiter and the angels. Rhamnousia turned on her heel and ran back to the divine gate that took her back to the human world.
When Rhamnousia found her way back to the human world, it was as Jupiter had said. The people of Greece had fallen into the midst of the Trojan War, Helen being seduced away by the prince of Troy. She sought out her daughter, but could not find her, ignoring as humanity tore each other apart. Even Helen's husband only cared for bringing her back like some kind of trophy.
For the entirety of the war, Rhamnousia was unable to find her daughter, and her heart sank into despair. Even as the war ended and the human civilizations were surrounded by dead armies, she could do nothing but search desperately. Her only clue was word that Helen was found and to be brought back home, to face her people's justice.
Rhamnousia arrived outside of Sparta, to a horrific sight. Hanging from the tree that sat atop the hills of Sparta's countryside was the body of her daughter. Still beautiful, but cold and unmoving like a porcelain doll. At the foot of the tree, several humans sat, pleased with themselves.
"Serves the whore right. How many of our husbands died trying to get her back?"
"King Menelaus should have just killed her then and there instead of bothering with bringing her back. What a fool!"
"You hear what they said? They said he was about to take her head, but then she just dropped her clothes and seduced him into bringing her back."
"Ugh, and this is the girl that my Tlepolemus died trying to protect? Good fucking riddance!"
It was then that the girls noticed Rhamnousia, tears streaking down her face as she approached the tree.
"Oh, who's this lady? You another widow? Sorry to say, we beat you to it on getting revenge."
Rhamnousia could contain it no longer, the world fading to black. When she rejoined the world, the women who had killed her daughter now hanged from the tree beside her. A storm cloud had formed over Sparta, rain and thunder surrounding her. Footsteps soon joined her, though Rhamnousia refused to look up to greet the source of them.
"What do you want?" she asked, deadpan in tone.
"To pay my condolences, of course," Jupiter sneered. "You have no one to blame but yourself for this, though I must admit I didn't see this ending coming. Humans really are petty little creatures, aren't they? And they called this justice. This is what happens when we get too involved with the mortals, girl. This is what happens when you defy the will of the Heavens."
"This is my fault," her voice wavered, tears returning to her face. "If I hadn't- If I had just-"
"Oh you poor thing, you were just too naive. You trusted the humans to be fair and just, and it got us all hurt. You trusted in them more than you did in me or your parents, and it got your daughter killed. So what will you do now?"
Rhamnousia paused, crying silently for a moment longer. "I want to see Tyndareus, and Menelaus. All the humans who let me and her down must pay. Then, there'll be justice."
Jupiter smiled, his face stretching beyond comfort. "Atta girl."
Menelaus, Tyndareus, Helen's other suitors, anyone who had anything to do with the Trojan War would suffer that day. The events were wiped from human history, chalked up to simple myth and rumor. The only thing that brought Rhamnousia any sense of joy in the days after her daughter's death was when she got her revenge on the humans she blamed for the incident, seeing the light from their eyes die out. But it wasn't enough, she still felt hollow inside. As if a piece of her had been gouged out and left to bleed.
"Now your transgressions can't go unpunished, but I have a special assignment for you. Who knows about the evils of man and hubris better than you?" Jupiter asked.
"No one, my lord." Rhamnousia kneeled before Jupiter's throne, now donning the black militaristic outfit from the present day.
"So from this day onward, you will be our avenging angel. Our God of Justice. Anyone who stands up to the heavens, you will snuff out. But you are banned from having any more contact with your family, demigod or mortal or god for forevermore. We are your family now," Jupiter said, gesturing to himself and his advisors.
"Of course, Lord Jupiter." Rhamnousia could not argue, the energy and fight having long since left her. She had bloodied her hands and her soul in the days after the Trojan War, and she simply no longer cared about filling that void in her heart.
"Now rise, Rhamnousia-"
"No."
"What do you mean, no?" Jupiter raised an eyebrow.
"I reject that name. During my time on Earth, when the humans worshiped me, they gave me another name. One that better suits my new position," she explained, revealing the name she had been gifted by her worshippers.
Jupiter smiled. "Then rise, Nemesis, Goddess of Divine Judgment."
"That was the day our daughter, your sister, died, buried away by Jupiter's demands," Nyx said bitterly. "She cut us off, and exiled herself away from Valhalla, only returning what that old oaf called for her to do his dirty work."
"Worst of all is the fact that even she knows Jupiter and his followers orchestrated that whole war, just to kill the humans. A few sweet words from Venus and her children, and Helen and her prince were all too willing to throw it all away for a chance at love," Erebus expanded, sighing. "But by the time that information came to light, it was too late. That day broke her, and all attempts to fight back died within her. If we had been able to reach out to her, we might've been able to stop all of this, but…"
"We can't blame ourselves. This is Jupiter's fault, right?" Moros said quietly. "Blaming ourselves won't do anything, but aiming that hate and anger at him-"
"And where has hatred and anger gotten your sister? Down there, torturing some poor soul in front of all of creation," Nyx interrupted. "The humans had a saying, I believe: He who seeks revenge should dig two graves. There will be nothing to be gained from trying to avenge your sister's pains, especially when she is not asking us to."
"All we can do is to sit back and be there for her when she comes back," Erebus explained.
Down below, Charles-Henri prepared himself, pushing past the pain as he picked his sword back up. Nemesis launched herself forward, taking an almost animalistic stance as she used her newly sprouted wings to propel herself forward, increasing her speed despite staying close to the ground.
She swung her claws at him, but Charles-Henri turned his sword sideways to block the Goddess' claws, bringing up his booted foot to kick her away from him. Nemesis felt the wind get knocked out of her, launched back by his enhanced strength. In mid-air, Nemesis controlled the knockback by slowly flapping her wings, pausing herself for a moment in the air.
Charles-Henri saw an opening and took it, dashing to Nemesis' left side while maintaining distance between them. Nemesis had lost sight of him, even if only for a moment, and in that moment he had managed to find a blind spot. "Crux Simplex!"
Nemesis felt a searing pain, the sword stabbing into her side. Black blood spattered across the floor of the arena, and she could only grit her teeth. However, in that moment, Nemesis grabbed the blade of the sword with both her clawed hands, holding it in place.
"My theory was right, then. You're a God, but even your body has its limits. That eye I cut out didn't magically grow back, now did it?" Charles-Henri asked smugly.
"Just lay back and die already, you disrespectful-" Nemesis once again felt the wind knocked out of her, a boot colliding with her midsection as she was forcefully knocked off of the sword.
"I get it, you know. Humans are kind of rotten," Charles-Henri interrupted her, charging forward despite the pain in his stomach. "They lie, steal, kill, cheat, take, and more without provocation. They're stupid and sinful, and maybe they do deserve what's coming to them. Maybe they do deserve you."
Charles-Henri swung his sword overhead as he closed the distance, bringing his sword overhead for a repeat of Peine Forte et Dure, but Nemesis flapped her wings in one big burst, launching herself backwards to avoid the crushing blow. The ground crumbled under the weight of the sword.
"But that's not true of them all. They can be heroic, just, kind-hearted, clever…Not all of them are so rotten, and even if they fall short, they can grow and change. We can't take that from them. I'm guilty of it just as you are, taking their lives prematurely and robbing them of that chance to improve. I did it to protect my people, but was there a better way for me?" Charles-Henri said through shaky breath. "I don't want to kill anyone ever again, but I will do it here if I have to."
"Keep your half-hearted justice to yourself. To sin is to earn death," Nemesis said, pained gasping interrupting her speech. "What, was I to forgive and forget with the humans who treated my daughter like some kind of trophy to be won? To ignore the ones who murdered her for being a pawn of the Gods?"
"Yeah, I didn't think that speech would work," Charles-Henri chuckled to himself. The pain coursing through his body only strengthened at the sudden movement. "You're too wrapped up in your own rage to listen to reason. So that'll be what I cut out first, then we'll see how you repent."
"Neither fighter is giving up an inch! Nemesis has performed some kind of transformation, but Charles-Henri Sanson isn't letting that stop him and landed another hit on the Gods' fighter," Selene narrated from above.
Nemesis flapped her wings, hovering in the air shakily. Her stab wound began to ooze out blood, leaving a small black puddle on the floor.
"I'm so tired of your speeches. Bring up your sword and fight," Nemesis said through gritted teeth.
"Alright then. I'll end this. I'll save your soul, and then claim this victory for humanity," Charles-Henri said, steeling himself as he brought himself into an offensive stance with his broadsword.
"And how pray tell do we intend to do that? You can hardly run or dodge anymore, not that speed was exactly our strong suit to begin with," said Pistis, hovering over Charles-Henri's shoulder. Now even he was beginning to look haggard, his clothes damaged and blood leaking from his mouth due to the strain placed upon the Aeon and their fighter.
"It's simple enough. Just trust me, this next attack will land exactly where it needs to," Charles-Henri said confidently. "Be my eyes and ears, tell me just at the moment she's about to strike."
With that, Charles-Henri did something surprising. He began to lean his body back, bent at the knees until his entire body was parallel to the ground in an L-shape. His sword standing straight up in front of his face, the unusual stance stunned nearly everyone.
"What kind of weird pose is that?" Pandora mumbled, now alone with no one to break down the fight for her.
On the Gods' side, the Norse Gods were the most caught off-guard by this. Odin, an elderly one-eyed God in dark robes, and his retinue of Gods had private seating for the event. Beside him, a massive God in golden armor and a thick black cloak frowned. This God had a long mane of jet black hair, as well as a thick beard. The symbol of a wolf was emblazoned on his chest, but the most noteworthy thing about him was the massive golden prosthetic attached to his right arm.
"That stance is the same as Thor's," he grumbled, though a faint smile poked out from under the corners of his bearded face. "How interesting that this boy thought of something like Thor's Hammer entirely on his own."
"..." Odin remained silent, instead glaring down at the fight without comment.
"Just another cheap trick from a human on his last legs," Nemesis sighed. In the air, she repositioned herself, lowering her body and stretching out her limbs. The form almost looked like that of a grappler, though with the fingers of her palms compressed together, shadowy claws blending together like the head of a spear.
"Wait for my signal, Monsieur Sanson." Pistis agreed to the plan.
Suddenly, Nemesis shot forward, hands aimed forward. With each beat of her wings, she shot a few feet further through the air. Anyone else might have taken a moment to focus on the feeling of the wind on their skin, but Nemesis felt nothing but the pain and anger she was trying to push through. As she closed the gap, she prepared for what she hoped to be the finishing blow. "Adraestia: Spearhead!"
"And now!"
Charles-Henri brought the full force of his body forward, launching himself up and bringing his sword down in one fluid motion. Tyr and Odin alike were reminded once again of how their kinsman Thor once fought off the Jotun with this very same technique. No, not the same. Charles-Henri's form was more hastily put together, less refined. He was relying on sheer strength to push through the lack of technique. With a yell unlike any other noise the refined Frenchman had ever let out in his life, he launched his strongest attack. "Guillotine!"
Blood, a mixture of black and red, shot through the air and splattered across the ground. Enough of it came out that for a moment, the world began to question whose finishing blow had landed properly. When the shock wore off it, it was clear what had happened.
In the moment before striking, Charles-Henri brought his sword down upon Nemesis. But due to her unusual stance, the sword had failed to claim her head as he had wanted. Instead, the sword had landed and torn through one of her wings completely, leaving the left wing a bloodied and torn apart mess. Nemesis' hands, each sharpened like a spear, had impaled themselves into Charles-Henri's chest
"Both attacks landed, both fighters are looking like they might drop dead at any second!" Helios called out.
Her wings mangled and uneven, Nemesis fell forward, landing on her knees. Charles-Henri, likewise, fell to his knees and spat out a mouthful of blood. Both were left gasping in pain and fatigue, bodies wracked with immense pain.
"You went for my wings. Why?" Nemesis asked, out of breath.
"It's plain as day, you hate those things. Not sure why, but as soon as they popped out you left them open every part of the fight. You did nothing to protect them, and you started relying on them to move," Charles-Henri groaned. "I don't know what those wings have to do with your pain, but I promised to help save you from yourself. If that means removing those things, then so be it."
Nemesis paused, struggling to find the words. "I didn't always have them. When I awakened to this power, when I became Jupiter's weapon, they manifested. I tried to keep them at bay, only using them when I was working…when I let myself get consumed by my rage."
"Explains why you didn't start the fight off like that, I guess," Charles-Henri sighed, struggling to his feet. His legs shook underneath the weight of his body.
"I hate them, I hate this power. I hate what Jupiter makes me do," Nemesis said through a shaky voice. "But I could never stand against Jupiter or the other Gods, you know. It would just cause more pain. And I was so angry at the humans…I still am."
"I understand. I'm not saying your anger is entirely misplaced, just that this isn't the way." Charles-Henri reached his hand out, offering Nemesis a way back up.
"What is the meaning of this?" she asked.
"Show Jupiter the right way to carry this out. Get back up, and use your power the way you want to," Charles-Henri offered, helping the Goddess back up to her feet.
"What kind of weird display of solidarity is this?" Selene questioned from above, echoing the sentiments of many of the spectators, regardless of species.
"Don't take that fucker's hand! Just kill him!"
"Quit talking so much and just fight already!"
Jupiter seethed once again, his throne suffering from the many times he had damaged it throughout this fight. "These two are mocking me. I swear to fucking me, I'll-"
He flew into another rant of curses and threats that his advisors chose to tune out. However, not all were disappointed in this turn of events. The spectators who truly knew the combatants, the people of the French Revolution and Nemesis' own family, looked on with smiles on their faces.
"Truly, a distasteful young man," said Robespierre.
"Still trying to play the hero, I suppose." Danton agreed.
"Well, my friend, time to see this through to the end," said King Louis XVI.
As she rose to her feet, the shadows subsided, retracting across her body. They were almost gone in their entirety, her clawed hands the only trace of it remaining as her face returned to that of an injured, if still attractive, humanoid woman. Her eye, still scarred from the previous slash, and other injuries were more apparent. But the black void had dissipated. The wings remained, though one was cut almost entirely into pieces.
"Welcome back, Rhamnousia!" Thanatos shouted from his spot in the stands, earning her attention. For the first time in centuries, Nemesis could see the family she had abandoned.
"Charles-Henri, I-" her voice wavered.
"Don't. You aren't allowed to surrender here," he said rather coldly, walking away from her slowly. With every limping step, more blood dripped from his wounds. "Whether your master is righteous or evil, you are an executioner. A weapon of your people. You have a duty to see through, same as me. To forfeit would be to admit our justice was wrong."
"Very well, then," Nemesis said, returning to a stance similar to the one she had used upon calling for her Adraestia Spearhead. "Then in the name of the Heavens and their judgment, you have been sentenced to death."
"For crimes against the people of France, and of mankind as a whole, the King has sentenced you to die by beheading," Charles-Henri took his sword up in both hands, holding it in front of him.
"With that last exchange of words, both fighters are prepared to bring this home for their side. Who will win, the Hero of France who holds humanity's hopes and dreams? Or Heaven's Executioner, here to punish mankind's pride?"
A/N: So the full story of Nemesis has been revealed. Nemesis was one of the first characters I put in my roster, and also the first to have her backstory written, based on multiple myths getting kind of forced together for the sake of a good story.
Anyway, next time, the end of Round 1.