Themyscira - Plains Outside The Main Gate
"I have to say, I expected much more of a challenge from you." Ares spoke with a smirk, as he turned to Athena next to him.
The goddess ignored her brother. Rather, she was more invested in watching the Spartan collect himself below her. Policing the minotaurs' axes and depositing them next to where he was standing. He then unsheathed his knife once more and quickly scanned it. Obviously looking for any sort of cracking or chipping. Something she had instilled in her own warriors long ago. He must have not found anything, as with a quick spin he re-sheathed the knife and turned towards her. Awaiting her next champion.
It struck her then that the Spartan hadn't said a single word aloud since he had arrived that morning. Not so much as a cry of pain or puff of breath. It was as if he was a metal statue. Only coming alive to neutralize the opponents placed before him. It was a far cry from the behavior of most men she had had dealt with. Usually, they were boisterous and crude. Always flaunting their achievements and ambitions. Yet, this one was as silent as the grave.
"Is that so? Tell me….if you were me, what would you set before this man?" She asked. Keeping her tone disinterested, but the reality was she wanted to know. She wasn't as privy to the multiverse outside their own. Often just content to let her world spin ever onwards.
But Ares…..he revelled in it. Often seeking the deadliest of battles and conflicts. Both for enjoyment and continued sustenance for his being. She did not know how he and his duplicates interacted, nor how much power each of these battles afforded him. But her guess was it was far from being equal to a conflict within their own universe.
Ares sighed dramatically, "There are so many I wish I could test him against. The one-eyed assassin, his pinpoint rival, and the man crocodile. But, knowing you, you're looking for my suggestion of monster…... I'll admit, I'm biased towards a chimera or perhaps maybe a group of echidna. It has been awhile since your little group of Amazons has faced a true threat." He ended with a taunt.
Athena didn't respond as she continued to stare back at the Spartan. She had already decided her next champion, but wanted to see where Ares thought the man before them stood. So as to properly challenge, and maybe even kill, him.
With a wave of her hand, her golden magic began to glow on the far side of the field once more. This time, far larger than before.
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"Fascinating. In myth, the minotaur was said to be able to tear a man apart with only their hands. They were also supposed to be inhumanly fast and durable. Yet, I'd place them below Sangheili and even an unarmored Spartan in combat strength." Phoebe thought aloud.
Grim grunted in acknowledgement.
"I wonder…." Phoebe trailed off as a golden glow appeared on the field once more.
Grim crouched and pulled two of his collected axes into his hands. Giving them both an experimental spin to get a feel for their weight. Before he resumed his watch on the portal.
Below him, the ground began to slightly shake. As whatever it was, approached. The first thing to fade into being was a large, gray skinned hand. Followed by a forearm, wrapped in a crude leather wrap. With white fur exposed at the wrist and towards the elbow. Next to appear was a similarly wrapped foot. With its fur appearing at approximately mid calf. This leg carried the rest of the figure into being.
It stood twenty-five feet tall and was clad in only the leather wraps and a large, brown loincloth. With another leather strap stretching across its chest, adorned with a multitude of animal skulls. In its left hand, it clutched a large, wooden club. Which it rested on its shoulder. Two large braids of black hair hung loosely near its collarbone. Before stretching up into the large beard and mustache covering its face. Its head was covered in a similarly shaggy mop of hair that seemed to flow downwards behind its back. Within the center of its head rested a singular, large eyeball. Which was firmly set on Grim.
"A cyclops?" Phoebe breathed. Only to be drowned out by the loud roar which the creature unleashed. As it began to stride forward.
Not one to let the size of the enemy stop him, Grim took off. Rushing towards the beast with his hands firmly placed just underneath the heads of his axes. He watched as the cyclops reared its club back. Before swinging towards him.
He leapt and twisted his body. Throwing himself over the strike as the club sailed by harmlessly underneath him. He then continued his twist and landed back on his feet. Resuming his charge once more.
As he got closer, the cyclops raised one of its legs. Preparing to crush him underfoot. Grim diverted his path. Rushing towards the outside of its right leg. While keeping his gaze on the raised limb. The cyclops tried to track him. Pivoting his stomp and crashing downwards a few yards behind Grim.
This, unfortunately, left it off balance. As the cyclops had shifted its weight forward with its back hunched. Grim charged towards its back leg and used it as a leaping point. Flying upwards onto the cyclops' back and securing his position with one of his axes. As he drove its head into the beast's back, much like how a mountain climber would with their pickaxes.
The Cyclops bellowed in pain and rage as Grim clung to its back, his ax buried deep into the leathery skin. Grim hung on tightly, using his other ax to stabilize himself as the beast thrashed around, trying to dislodge him.
He waited as it slowly began to tire. Its movements became more sluggish, as it tried to reach for him. He then jumped again. This time, powering on his thrusters to provide him more height. He landed near where the neck met the rest of the body, between the shoulder blades of the beast.
He sunk his left axe back into the creature and used it to heave himself upwards. Where he grabbed a gauntlet full of matted hair with his left hand, as his right reared back with his axe. Readying a swing at the cyclop's neck.
But he was halted as the beast's right hand swept up and captured him in a vice-like hold. Causing him to drop his axe, as he was dragged forward. Struggling within its grip. He was brought before its eye and face. Which seemed to be filled with overconfidence and smugness.
"Ha ha ha! You move fast for all that armor. But Brontes still catch you." Brontes taunted. An evil grin spreading across its face. "Now, I squish you like bug!"
Grim felt Brontes begin to close his grip. Causing his shields to flare slightly as they fought against the pressure. He, himself, also pushed against the giant's strength. Causing Brontes' hand to shake in exertion and seemingly confusing the cyclops as he put down his club and brought his other hand over. Now doubling the pressure on Grim.
"Phoebe, thrusters." Grim ordered easily. Despite his obvious struggle against Brontes.
Instantly, small, blue fountains of flames erupted from his back, legs, elbows, and chest. Surprising Brontes, who flinched in response to the sudden burning of his hands. This gave the Spartan a moment of freedom. Grim reached across his chest and unsheathed his knife once more. Before his arm snapped out. Sending the blade forward in a flash of silver.
The Amazons watched as the blade pierced the cyclops' eye. Before, Brontes rocked back with an inhuman cry of pain. As his hands tore at his face and eye. Trying to remove the blade so that he might be able to see once more. Failing that, so that the pain wouldn't be so unimaginable.
In his thrashing, the cyclops had thrown Grim away. The Spartan flew through the air as a streak of black in contrast to the blue of the sky behind him. He landed and rolled backwards over his shoulders a few times. Before his body became weightless, as the ground disappeared under him.
Thinking fast, he pulled his kukri free and used his thrusters once more. Slamming himself into the cliff face as his knife dug into the stone. He slid downwards, his knife carving a clean path through the stone. Before he eventually came to an abrupt stop.
He settled against the cliff face for a second. Allowing a quick diagnostic of his systems and shields. Which all came back as green. He then began to scale the cliff. Using what hand holds he could find and supplementing those he couldn't with his knife.
On the upper left of his HUD, Phoebe's avatar sprung to life.
"So, what's the plan? Charge him again and hope he's in too much pain to properly respond?" She asked.
"No." Grim answered coldly.
"Great!" She said with a mischievous smile. "I was hoping we were smarter than that."
Grim grunted.
"So, what do you need from me, Smiles?"
"Divert power from the shields to my thrusters." Grim ordered.
"You realize that if he hits you with his club, it'll probably shatter your shields." Phoebe pointed.
"Then I won't let his club hit me." Grim responded as he closed in on the edge of the cliff above.
He slowly pressed himself over the edge and watched. In front of him, Brontes was a flailing mess. Screaming in pain as he worked to remove Grim's knife from his eye. Off to his left, the wall was still filled with Amazons. Although now, they all seemed to be turned towards Athena. Who was stood and spouting out some sort of speech. Beside her, Ares was still sat. With his fingers laced together and staring off at Grim. Like he already knew that Grim was fine.
Grim waited for the cyclops to turn his back to him once more, before he clambered up. In one move, he sheathed his blade and charged. His thrusters provided him with additional speed as he approached the cyclops. He then jumped. Allowing both his momentum and thrusters to carry him upwards. He landed in the center of Brontes' back. Before gripping onto his flesh and levering himself up again.
By this point, the cyclops had noticed his passenger. So he began to shake and flail even harder. Trying to rid himself of Grim. Who had reached the handle of the axe still stuck in the cyclops' back. Grim pulled and wretched the ax free, as he continued his climb.
He eventually returned to his original position on the cyclops' shoulders. Only this time, he didn't pause to level strike against the beast's neck. Instead, he jumped forward. Dragging the cyclops down by his hair as the half ton weight dropped.
Grim released his hold on Brontes' hair about five feet from the ground and dropped. He then turned with a two handed grip on his ax and swung. His strike caught the inside of the cyclops' right knee. Causing a torrent of blood to burst forth.
The giant screamed in pain and tried to crush the Spartan with an open handed smash. Only to find he was met with the feeling of dirt and grass instead of metal and blood. Before another flash of agony raced up his leg. This time from behind his knee.
Grim dodged the cyclops' hand once more. This time trying to crush him between the knee and his hand. He used his thrusters to pull him away, before dashing forward again with two more thrusts. He dug his ax into the back of the cyclops' knee once more and dragged the blade along its outside knee. Only to pause and turn once more. This time, Grim drove the ax into the space below the kneecap and tibia. His strike resembling a batter's hit in baseball.
Brontes screamed once more as he fell to one knee. His hands clutching desperately at his torn up knee in the hopes of stemming the flood of blood. His left hand struck out and back handed the Spartan away. Sending him flying once more.
Grim landed on his back and used his momentum to roll himself over his shoulders again. Before he slammed the ax head into the earth. Carving another trench as he slid across the ground. He eventually came to a stop once more. With his shields drained to half.
Without another thought, he took off again. Building up as much momentum as he could.
The Amazons watched as Grim became little more than a black and blue blur. Streaking towards the injured cyclops' leg. Grim impacted with the sound of a large crack. Which quickly gave way to the sound of tearing muscle and tissue. As Grim's momentum carried him into and through the leg. Essentially cleaving it from the cyclops' body.
Brontes flopped onto the ground. Rolling back and forth as his mind struggled to comprehend what had been done to him. Only to have a new pain emerge from his elbow. As something cold pierced the joint and made his right arm fall flat against the ground. All feeling below the joint severed.
He turned his head towards the limb. As if that would allow him to see the damage. Instead of darkness. He felt his breath press against something. Being reflected back onto his face hotly, as he continued to pant heavily. Trying to compose himself.
"Mercy." He begged.
The only response was the sound waves crashing on the cliffs below and the whistle of the wind. The world seemed to pause once more. As Brontes awaited the stranger's answer. His anxiety growing with each passing second.
There was then a low whistle of steel cutting through the air, before a familiar cold sensation appeared on his neck. Only to be followed by the warm trickle of blood. Brontes felt the head of the ax be pulled free. Only to have another whistle ring out and something crack loudly. He felt the ax disappear once more, but this time the world seemed to quiet. As his limbs and body became heavy and the world disappeared from his senses. He never felt the third strike.
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Grim swung one more time. Cleaving cleanly through the cyclops' neck and separating the head from the body with a wet splurt. He then released his axe and made his way to the large, unseeing eye. He gripped the handle of his knife, and with his leg braced against Brontes' forehead, pulled the blade free. Only to have the cyclops' head begin to roll away, driven by the unevenness of the ground below it. It rolled twice, before coming to a stop near its outstretched left arm. Its eye staring at the wall filled with Amazons.
Grim turned and started making his way back to his starting position next to all the remaining axes. Only pausing to clean the blade of his knife on the leather wraps of the cyclops. Before it was returned to its sheath.
"Just so you know, I'm resetting your shields to their normal levels." Phoebe informed him dryly.
Grim didn't acknowledge her. Instead, he continued his march forward. His gaze never wavering from his destination. Despite the veritable field of eyes on him from the wall.
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"I must say, sister. That was a very entertaining choice. Although next time, make sure he's dead before you start your little speech." Ares pointed out. Sounding very amused. Even if he was resting his head on his left fist. While it was braced against the chair's arm.
"Entertaining?" Hippolyta asked. Trying to keep her voice steady. She knows what a cyclops can do. As one had been used to try and cow them back into submission when they rebelled against the old gods. Many of her sisters had fallen to its club.
Ares chuckled, a sound both deep and mocking. "Yes, entertaining. Theatrics have their place, after all." His eyes glinted with a sinister delight as he spoke, his posture relaxed despite the gravity of the situation.
"You're enjoying this too much." Athena cut in dryly. Her face stoic.
"But of course I am! For thousands of years, this little project, of yours and dad's, has been heralded as the gods' answer to if the old gods return! Now, in the span of less than a day, this Spartan comes down here and makes every single one of your warriors question their resolve.
The best part? You took away his actual weapons of war! He's doing all of this with two knives and his bare hands!" Ares continued, his laughter echoing all around him.
If Athena could smite her brother with a look, the glare she was giving him would have turned him to cinders long ago.
"You are questioning our resolve as warriors?!" Hippolyta growled as she shot up from her chair. Her daughters copying her actions behind her and taking position along her flanks.
Ares just gave the queen a quick glance. "I am questioning a great many things. Be honored you're even included." He answered dismissively.
Hippolyta felt her face turn crimson as she glared at the god. Her fingers itching to pull her sword free and cleave the annoyance in two.
"Enough!" Athena's voice rang out sternly. Before she turned towards her brother. "It is your nature to sow conflict. I understand this. But you will cease attempts against my warriors."
"Aw…. someone's pride has been wounded." Ares mocked before he continued. "Face it sister, your warriors' time has passed. Left forgotten on some misbegotten island in the middle of the sea. It must chafe you to know that the goddess of wisdom, war, and strategy has forgotten the most basic tenet of warfare. Adapt or die."
"Enough!" Athena roared as she stood. Her face now colored slightly red as well.
"You claim this Spartan to be the greatest weapon you've seen. That he is beyond worthy to be on this island. Yet, I still have one final champion and I promise you, it will kill this lowly beast….. As a matter of fact, I will give your little mongrel his black and silver toy back. So that all of Themyscira knows that he died fairly." Athena seethed as she grit her teeth.
Ares just smirked up at her. "Promises, promises sister. Better choose wisely then. I fear how wounded your pride will be when he bests your best."