The journey for Throk had been long and treacherous, but he finally reached the island of Sarpedon. It was easy to know that he had arrived. The area was silent. It was different from the silence of a hunt or the night. This was horribly unnatural. Throk cautiously disembarked, going further in-land. As he did, he saw statues. They were everywhere, but they sent a chill down his spine. They had not been crafted by skilled sculptors despite how realistic they looked. The hero knew what the real cause was. His heart ached when he finally heard another sound. It was of a baby crying. One statue was holding the child. Throk did not know how long the baby had been there, but he did not want any more time to pass. He carefully plucked the baby from the stone arms and looked around. There had to be someplace safe. Throk just was not sure where. The warrior's eyes lit up when he spotted another face that was not made of stone. Someone was peeking from behind a tree. Her eyes widened when she saw him. In relief, she was about to run to the hero, but she stopped when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. Fearfully, she covered her eyes. She tensed upon feeling a hand on her shoulder, but it was Throk.

"Come this way," he advised quietly.

Speedily, she followed the request. Throk led her to his boat. Listening for any sounds, he knew that they were alone for the time being.

"You can use this to get to safety," he stated. The young man looked at the baby. "Can you take the child?"

The woman nodded, reaching out. "What about you? We can't leave you here."

"I have to stay to protect the others."

"There are no others to protect. Everyone's been killed."

Discouraged momentarily, Throk did not let that stop him. "I have to protect Greece. If I do nothing, the gorgon could travel there and kill more people. This is my duty."

The other mortal did not know what she could say to get him to change his mind. Realizing this, she looked back at the island, shuddering.

"May the gods be with you," she said, setting the baby down and starting to row.

Throk watched long enough to be sure that nothing attacked her, then he went deeper into the island. He listened for noises. If he heard anything, he knew what it would be. Then there were those footsteps again. Throk closed his eyes and started to go towards them. He had trained all of his senses. He could fight without his eyes just as he could fight without his ears if necessary. This was not an issue. Nothing should have been. Throk's hands knew his weapon well enough to be able to use it without any guidance. As the footsteps got closer, he was ready to go directly for the kill. He tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword and prepared to swing.

"Achilles," the gorgon greeted, "I've been waiting for you."

Throk found that peculiar, but he still was not going to stop. The monster's next sentences caught his attention even more. He turned ashen and his hold on the weapon loosened. In dismay, he lowered his head, still keeping his eyes shut. Words that he had never uttered before left his mouth.

"I surrender."

During the time of this confrontation, the cousins had begun their journey. Dagur was still thinking of what Atalanta had helped them discover. He wanted to know if anybody else had any information, but he knew that they would not just tell him. So, he did what he did best on Mount Olympus—he snooped. Dagur began getting bored as he spied on the other immortals. They were not acting strangely or anything. Hephaestus was making more weapons, Hera and Zeus were talking, and Apollo was reading. Nothing interesting happened until Dagur found Dionysus and Atê. They had been fighting until the goddess suddenly stopped. She shook her head, tightly closing her eyes.

"Ugh, he really won't take a hint."

"Who?" Tuffnut asked.

"Achilles. He keeps beseeching me. He does that so much."

"What does he want?"

Ruffnut shrugged. "Why should I know?"

Tuffnut was about to answer, then shrugged as well. "I guess you shouldn't."

Dagur appeared, startling them both.

"How long have you been there?" Tuffnut asked. "Or are you even here right now?"

He tried to poke the other immortal and got his hand whacked. Tuffnut looked back at the goddess.

"I think he's really here."

"Yeah, but why?" she questioned.

"I felt like it," Dagur said. "What's Achilles been saying? Is he in danger?"

"I doubt it. He's a hero."

"That's why he'd be in danger! Don't you ever talk to Artemis?"

The blonds turned to each other.

"Well, yeah, but I wasn't really listening. She was happy that the one mortal showed up again. That's all I know."

Dagur frowned. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Achilles!"

"Oh, I don't know. Probably on some mission or something."

Dagur could feel himself losing his patience. "I know that, but that could be anywhere."

Tuffnut tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Oh, I know!" he exclaimed happily.

"Finally. Where is he?"

"Greece."

Dagur got quiet, seething. Fishlegs appeared, then stopped when he saw the war god. He tried to slip away, but he made a noise. Dagur turned to him quickly, making the other god jump.

"H-hey, Ares," Fishlegs greeted nervously. "Don't mind me. I'm just trying to share a prophecy with Atê."

Ruffnut's ears perked up curiously. "Good news?"

Fishlegs let out a small whimper of doubt. "Not really. Um, how close are you to Achilles?"

"We're not close at all."

"In that case, well you might not mind."

There was a pause as Dagur got even more impatient. "What's going on?"

Fishlegs wrung his hands. "I saw him getting turned to stone."

"Where?"

"In Sarpedon."

"I knew he was in Greece," Tuffnut declared happily.

"That's actually not in Greece," Fishlegs informed him.

The blonds shrugged.

"Then I guess it's not our territory," Ruffnut commented.

The two gods resumed their fighting. As they did, the group was joined by Astrid. Her gaze landed on Fishlegs before she noticed the others.

"Why are you all here? He was going to tell me about some of my champions."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut were too busy squabbling. Fishlegs turned to answer the goddess's question.

"I told them about Achilles being in danger."

Astrid's brows furrowed in concern. "I was going to bring him into another battle. He never said anything was wrong."

"That's because he's been praying to Ruffnut," Dagur revealed.

Astrid turned to the other goddess. "Ruff," she chided, temporarily forgetting her formality, "why didn't you do anything?"

The other immortal was still wrestling Tuffnut. "I'm the goddess of mischief. I don't even know why he asks for help in battles unless he just wants to mess with his enemies."

It was clear to Astrid that she was not going to get anywhere with that line of questioning.

"Did you hear about the other heroes being in danger?" Dagur asked her.

"Artemis told me. I've been keeping a closer eye on some of the mortals." She turned her head to Ruffnut. "It's even harder to do when other immortals aren't sharing news like this."

Astrid did not know if she was being ignored or if she had even been heard.

"Do you have a lot to watch?"

The question took her off guard and she regarded Dagur suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because if you do, I can go after Achilles."

"Since when do you do that?"

Dagur crossed his arms. "Want the help or not?"

Astrid was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

The war god turned to start leaving, but he stopped when he heard her speaking again.

"Are you still with those mortals? Artemis said that her follower was pretty impressed with them."

A proud smile crossed Dagur's face. "Yeah, I am. They might impress you too."

With that, the immortal started returning to the mortal realm. While he had been away, he left the cousins in Corinth since it was not too far from Arcadia and lacked monsters. Snotlout was eagerly making the most of being able to hunt again. While he searched for their dinner, Hiccup was crafting a new invention. He heard his cousin coming back as he peeked over his shoulder. Snotlout looked at the tools curiously.

"What are you making this time?"

"I want something that can let us turn the meat more so that it'll cook evenly. While we're here, it'll have to be made of sturdy sticks, but I'll try to make it from metal when I get a chance. I hope this works for now."

"Only one way to find out," Snotlout commented, pushing the deer near Hiccup.

The boy prepared the meat, then handed them and the rod to Snotlout. With his strength, it was easy to impale the wildlife. He put them on the stands set up near the fire. The contraption Hiccup had made let him turn them. Already, the cousins' mouths were beginning to water at the smell.

"Dagur ripped off a centaur's leg because of what happened to you," Hiccup divulged.

Snotlout's eyes widened, then he smiled. "I guess that means he cares."

"I really think he does."

"This must be how other heroes feel."

"Probably," Hiccup mentioned.

The bigger boy nudged him, grinning. "Admit it, you're loving this too."

Hiccup could not help but smile as well. "Yeah, I am." Slowly, his smile faded. "I just hope we're not holding him back. You should've seen him when he was attacking those monsters before we got to you. It was like he was unstoppable."

"Well, he is a god."

"I know, but he's still bringing us along on these missions. Imagine how much he'd get done if we weren't around."

Snotlout frowned slightly. "I don't want to. Why imagine that? He probably won't ditch us."

"But if he does, it would make sense."

The warrior got quiet, thinking over this. It was true. He had noticed how many monsters were already dead by the time he joined the fight. There had been more gathered than he had ever seen at one time, but Dagur was fighting them like it was nothing. He almost was disappointed, then he thought of what he and Minden had discussed.

"Teams can do more than heroes or even immortals on their own," he said confidently. "If he didn't think we needed to be around, why take us to different places?"

"Because he was bored," Hiccup thought.

He frowned at himself. No, it was more than that. Boredom led to Dagur watching the mortal, interest led to him getting involved when he was about to die, and care led to staying when he and Snotlout could have been left in Berk to deal with whatever threat was thrown at them. Hiccup needed to start thinking like a hero. He was not just some mistake that was ruining the reputation of Athens. Ares had chosen them both for a reason. Hiccup would do well to keep that in mind.

"Maybe you're right," he said, smiling softly.

Snotlout puffed up happily. "I definitely am." His eyes lit up. "Just like I'm right that this is about to taste delicious!"

He took the deer off the fire and Hiccup took a carving knife to cut pieces for them. Snotlout had been correct. Whether it was the meat, cooking method, or their hunger, dinner tasted amazing. They finished the first deer when Dagur reappeared. He sniffed the air.

"Ooh, that smells good."

"Want some?" Hiccup offered, lifting up a leg.

Dagur shook his head. "The smell's enough for me. When you two are done, I'm going to take you back to Athens."

The cousins blinked in surprise. They must have misheard him.

"Huh?" Snotlout asked, feeling ill.

"Or Berk. Whatever one you want to say."

The warrior stood up, worried. "Why are you taking us back?! Is it because I got caught? It won't happen again!"

Dagur's eyebrow raised in confusion. They seemed so upset all of a sudden. Snotlout's face conveyed his horror and Hiccup just looked depressed.

"You don't even want to go back for a day? I guess it's worse there than I thought."

Immediately, the pain in the mortals' chests lessened. They breathed heavy sighs of relief.

"Why didn't you lead with that?" Snotlout asked, hand to his heart.

"We thought you were getting rid of us," Hiccup admitted, quietly in case the immortal changed his mind.

"No, I'm not getting rid of either of you."

The certainty in the immortal's voice filled them both with confidence. They had to smile at that. As soon as they did, they looked unsure.

"Then why are you taking us back?" Hiccup asked. "Where are you going?"

"I need to go to the island of Sarpedon. They're having gorgon trouble. Achilles is there and if nothing changes, he'll die."

The cousins turned to each other.

"That's why he wasn't fighting the birds," Hiccup realized.

"I knew something had to be off," Snotlout commented, scratching his chin. He looked back up at the war god. "We can still go with you."

"No, you can't."

"Why not?" they asked together.

"Do you even know what a gorgon is?"

Snotlout nodded. "Yeah, it's one of those things with the…fangs?"

"Nice try. They're monsters with snakes for hair."

"I like snakes."

"And eyes that turn you to stone when you look at them."

"I like that less."

Hiccup shuddered at the thought of being turned to stone. "Well, if that happens, we'll be with you. So, it wouldn't be the worst thing ever."

The Berkians saw the worried expression on Dagur's face.

"I won't be able to help with that. After someone's turned to stone, that's it. You can't reverse it."

The boys' faces paled.

"But…what about Apollo?" Snotlout asked. "Can he use his healing?"

"There's nothing to heal. You aren't wounded, you're just stone. It's the same as dying. That's why I want to get to Achilles sooner than later. If he's about to have that fate, then Greece loses a hero and we need everybody at their strongest for Eurymedon and whoever he's working with."

Briefly, an amused thought entered Snotlout's mind. The great Achilles would need to be rescued. He wondered what his father would say about that. What better way to prove he was the superior hero than by saving his competition's life?

"Do their eyes only turn you to stone if you look at them?" he asked.

"Yeah, but unless you plan on fighting with a blindfold, I don't know what you'll be doing."

In surprise, Dagur watched as Hiccup reached into his bag and pulled out some cloths. He handed one to Snotlout, both of them smiling.

"Okay, so you have blindfolds, but I think you're underestimating how difficult this is going to be."

"We'll be careful," Hiccup assured him. "It'll give us a chance to get our other senses to improve."

"Yeah! Dad's always wanted me to be able to fight better with just hearing anyway. This'll help me get even stronger for night battles."

Dagur made a face at them. "You're going to show up there no matter what, aren't you?"

They nodded.

"We already know where you're headed now," Snotlout said. "We'll either arrive on your back or by boat."

"And don't forget what the monsters are planning," Hiccup added. "Gods like you are in danger too. This could be a set up. At least if we all go, we can watch each other's backs."

The thought was not unpleasant. Dagur knew that he was still unsure what the plans were for immortals. He was not keen on the idea of walking right into a trap. He would have gone invisibly, but maybe that was also being anticipated. Annoyed, the immortal wished that he had been able to learn more information about the scheme while he was on Mount Olympus, but he could not return yet. Achilles's life was at stake.

"Fine," he conceded. "We'll all go."

Happily, the cousins packed up their belongings and the meat. Dagur turned into a vulture again, letting them climb up onto his back. A smile was in the immortal's eyes as they did. As much as he was ready to have them return to Berk, he was glad they stayed. They were fun to be around and it was not often that he shared time with anyone in particular. The group took to the sky. Due to the raptor's large wings, the flight did not take long. When they got closer, Dagur's eyes narrowed at the island.

"Put your blindfolds on now," he instructed. "I don't know where the gorgon is going to be, so we're not waiting to land."

Obliging, the cousins tightly tied on the fabrics. They did not want anything or anyone to be able to easily tear these off. It was strange to fly without being able to see anything. It felt like they were off balance. Instinctively, they held onto the feathers more firmly to keep themselves from falling off. The landing seemed bumpy, but they wondered if it was only because it was more sudden without seeing the land getting nearer.

"The coast is clear so far," Dagur said.

The boys would have to adjust to this. They had not noticed how light the immortal walked. It made Hiccup wonder if he was even really walking or just floating in a way that their minds could better comprehend. Snotlout paid greater attention to the ground. It felt lumpy and he dragged his feet, making sure that there was nothing nearby to cause him to stumble.

"Keep going about twenty steps forward," came Dagur's voice.

Slowly, the cousins did as he said. They noticed the same silence on the island that Throk had.

"Now go right for thirteen—no, fifteen steps."

They did and stopped when they felt a tree. There was a drawn out silence, causing them both to become worried.

"What's wrong?" Hiccup asked.

As they remained sightless, Dagur was looking around. He could not see signs of life anywhere. He just saw the statues. It was like someone had formed a temple out of the island constructed entirely of stone.

"I'm trying to spot Achilles." Suddenly, Dagur's face brightened. "There's a cave up ahead. Let's go that way."

He started going, then remembered that he had to be a guide.

"Go left for a couple steps, then keep walking straight until I stop you."

The Berkians did this, gradually getting closer to the cave. When they reached it, Dagur quietly laughed in triumph.

"We found him," he stated.

Dagur looked at Achilles who was in a cell made of odd-looking stone bars. His back was facing the heroes. He turned his head, but his eyes remained closed.

"Who are you?"

"It's us, Throk," Snotlout said.

"Heracles?" the older boy asked, shocked. "I did not expect you to look for me. Is Daedalus also there?"

"Yeah, I am too. So is Ares."

Throk's eyes would have widened greatly if they had been open.

"I'm honored," he said, bowing his head.

Dagur looked at the cousins. "He's really formal, huh?"

"You have no idea," Snotlout told him.

"You all have to leave," Throk whispered. "You cannot be here when she gets back."

"That's kind of the point, Throky," Dagur said. "We're going to defeat her, then you'll be free to go on and live however long you would've if you didn't get caught."

"No, you don't understand."

"What don't we understand?" Hiccup asked.

Throk's mouth curved down. "She threatened Atê."

Immediately, the cousins tensed up.

"How?"

"She was expecting me. The gorgon had already gone to different places in Greece. She lied to the people, convincing them that her soul could return and hunt them after her death. To keep her from doing that, they had to make a promise. If word ever reached them that she'd been killed by me or my involvement, they would destroy Atê's temples."

There was a pause as the cousins remained in a state of confusion.

"Look, I know you like her for some reason, but a broken temple?" Snotlout inquired. "Really? I mean, the gorgon didn't say that she'd find a way to turn her to stone or anything?"

"It just doesn't seem like that big of an issue," Hiccup admitted.

"No, Achilles is right," Dagur revealed. "We need to make sure that doesn't happen."

The boys noticed the grim tone to his voice. He sounded like he had just been given grave news.

"What are you talking about?" Hiccup asked.

"Remember when I said that there's a way for mortals to hurt gods?" Dagur glared at the ground, hands clenched into fists. "Well, there it is."

Achilles was a hero in the Trojan War. He was known as the greatest of the heroes in Greece. There's a myth that says his mother, Thetis, dipped him in the river Styx as a child. This made his body strong, but she held him by one heel. So, this part of his body did not have the same strength. Like classic Murphy's Law, this was where he was shot with an arrow and killed by Paris (AKA the same person who basically started the Trojan War after Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite asked him to choose who was the most beautiful. Nice going again, Paris. Boo.).