"I have a question," said Hunter. "If we were going to go into New Hel, why did we break away from the Gaeans?"
"That was the first battle in the War of Heaven and Hell," Aja replied.
"I--"
[They all died. Every single person on the battlefield outside of Apollo, Poseidon, and Ares died in that battle.]
'What happened?'
[Sephratis happened. The battle started with first the death of the Gaeans by the attacking Olympians. They then proceeded to bombard the gates of New Hel. Before the demons could respond, Sephratis appeared and destroyed almost all of them. Apollo, Poseidon, and Ares only survived because the demons came out to fight on their side by order of the Dark Majesty.]
'Did you also fight in the battle?'
[Yes. As I told you before, the Dark Majesty fought and defeated Sephratis on several occasions, this was one of those occasions.]
"Think you can climb this wall?" Hunter looked from the girl to the wall and then back to the girl. "Yup. I can use electricity to fly over the 50-meter wall to the other side because my code name is Storm 01."
"Why is it not?"
"You know storm 01?"
"Who doesn't know Storm -- I mean who is Storm 01? Is that another name for the Greek god of storms?"
"Who is the Greek god of storms?"
"Er ... Hephaestus?"
"That's the god of smithwork."
"What did I say about questioning how I know stuff? I'm a precog for heaven's sake."
"A precog that doesn't know about the gods of her time and place."
"I can't be expected to know ALL the gods, they are A LOT. Bedsides, I'm a precog, not a postcog."
"That last part didn't make sense."
"Cognition?"
"Wow."
"I think we've gone off the rails. Can you get us across the wall or not?"
"I think I can."
"So you're Storm 01 after all."
"I wish." Hunter's eyes turn iridescent and a pastel purple creature with wings appears behind him, one of the plenty souls from Merlin.
The creature grabbed Hunter and his new friend, Aja, holding them gently, and flying up over the wall and to the other side. It disappears immediately after dropping them safely.
"Do you know where this Aia is?" The sprite asked.
Aja shrugs. "How about we asked people if they've seen her."
"You want us to go around asking demons what they know about the one person that every Olympian, a race that looks so much like us, are currently looking for?"
"I didn't say that. I don't know why I keep assuming you know this stuff," Aja sighs. "New Hel isn't filled with only demons, there are also humans here, the original inhabitants of this land," she explained.
"Right."
"Let's split up, we'll be faster that way. We'll meet back here by sunset."
They go separate ways and soon the sprite finds himself in the marketplace asking about the demigoddess, Aia, but to no luck.
Sunset came so the dark-haired boy started for the spot he and Aja were supposed to meet. Before he got there, however, he picked up the sound of footsteps creeping up behind him and mentally prepared himself for an attack by the stalker.
As the teal-green-eyed boy expected, the person behind tried to grab him but the sprite easily turned it around, throwing them over his shoulder and onto the ground, he also managed to snatch a dagger they were wielding.
"You have until the count of five," said Hunter. "One."
"It's not what you think," said the person, a female with brown hair and gold eyes. "I'm Aia, you've been asking for me all day."
Hunter's eyes wide with surprise but the dark mystic quickly regain his composure. He helped the demigoddess to her feet. "Sorry about that, I thought you were someone else." The sprite handed the dagger back to the demigoddess.
"Who are you and why are you looking for me?" She asked.
"My name doesn't matter," said the sprite. "And to answer your other question: I have no idea, I was kinda tasked with finding you."
"Tasked?" Aia clutched at her dagger. "Tasked by who?" She asks.
"Tasked by her," Hunter pointed at Aja, the dark-skinned girl who was with the Gaeans who had just arrived at the scene.
"Did you get lost?" Aja asked. "We were supposed to meet closer to the wall, not here!" She said.
"I just found her myself," said the sprite.
"What the hell do you two want from me?" Aia asked pointing her dagger at the duo.
"Aia, meet Aja. She believes you can help us," Hunter said.
"Help with what?"
"Taking us to Olympus."
"What?"
"Seconded. What?"
"Are you two crazy? I'm never going back there! I barely made it out alive the first time!"
"Hey, don't group me with her! I'm as shocked as you are to learn that that is her plan."
"You're not helping, Hunter."
"I know."
Aja rolls her eyes and turns to the demigoddess. "Listen, you don't have to take us there yourself, I just need you to show us how you traveled there in the first place. It is to my understanding that only full-blooded Olympians and a few who Zeus grants access to have the ability to go there on their own."
"That is correct," said Aia.
"And yet, you, a demigoddess, were able to travel there all by yourself."
"I had some help."
"From whom?"
"Luella."
"Where can we find this Luella?"
"No!" Hunter interjected. "We're not contacting Luella."
"Hunter, I need this," Aja pleaded.
"I hear you but I cannot meet with Luella."
[Smart. We look alike even in my demon incarnation, Luella would be able to tell exactly who you are.]
"There has to be a spell," Hunter said.
"There was one," Aia concurred. "But she also made it so my blood would become like that of an Olympian before I attempted the spell. I have no idea what spell she used so you'll need an actual Olympian for it to work."
Hunter turns to Aja. "Why exactly do you want to go back to Olympus?"
"There's a rock there that keeps the whole place afloat. I need the rock ... a chunk of it. If I get my hands on it, I'll be able to send you back home." She paused. "I know what you're thinking Hunter, I don't think it'll work."
"It's worth a try." Hunter turned to Aia. "What's the spell?"
...
The demigoddess told the duo the spell and Aja was able to use it to get them both back into Olympus.
Hunter turned to the dark-skinned girl with a smug grin but the latter made sure to keep her gaze away from his face. "Come on!"
She started through the hall, expertly maneuvering through the room like she'd done it a million times before. Eventually, Aja stopped in a dark room that had a glowing light in the middle.
"Is this the rock?" Hunter asked causing Aja to raise an eyebrow at the sprite. "Does this look like a rock to you?" She asks.
"I don't know," the dark-haired boy shrugged. "I thought it was a metaphor or something."
"It's not a metaphor, I'm looking for an actual rock."
"And you know where to find it?'
"Yes ... I think."
"You think? Are y--"
Aja suddenly placed her finger over Hunter's lips, moving both herself and the teal-green-eyed boy to the darkest part of the room.
[Hunter ...]
'I know.'
The sprite swiftly grabbed the brown-haired girl and pulled her just as a figure appeared adjacent to where they were standing earlier with a spear in hand.
"You good?"
"Yes, you?"
The person, most likely an Olympian charged at the duo once more. "How good are you in hand-to-hand combat?"
"Not very good," she replied.
"What about with a spear?"
Aja's eyebrow crooked. "How would you get a spear?"
The sprite bolted towards the Olympian who thrust his weapon forward, Hunter easily avoided the strike before grabbing a hold of the spear and kicking the Olympian in the chest but the Olympian didn't let go of his weapon.
He answers the sprite with a punch of his own that knocks the dark-haired boy off his foot and onto his back. Hunter shakes the pain off before jumping up to his feet and charging once again.
The Olympian twisted swiftly, catching Hunter off guard before thrusting his spear forward and catching the teal-green-eyed boy on the side of the arm.
Ichor bleeds out from the fresh wound and now it was the Olympian's turn to be surprised. Taking advantage of the distraction, Hunter closes the distance between them, hitting the Olympian with swift successive strikes in the arm, forearm, and chest and capping it off with an uppercut.
The sprite now held the spear in his hand. He turned to Aja with raised eyebrows. "Spear?" He said.
"Is this the right time to tell you I'm not very good with a spear either?"
Hunter frowns. "Just ... Just try to find the rock." Hunter turns to the Olympians who get up from the ground. "I'll keep this guy here in the meantime."
As Hunter continued to battle with the Olympian, Aja began searching for the rock that inspired her to return to Olympus. She stamped her foot on the ground, feeling vibrations from all but one side that felt hollow.
Aja moved there carefully as the room was still dark and it was difficult to see. When she got there, she only stood for a second then she fell downwards.
The dark-haired girl landed on her feet in a room brightened by shining gold and centered by a huge rock - the very rock she sought. Aja walked towards it and placed her hand on the rock causing the entire place to begin to shake.
Meanwhile, Hunter was thrown back by the Olympian who moved quickly with a clenched fist to decapitate the dark mystic.
The dark-haired boy manages to get out of harm's way when the ground suddenly starts to quake and before long, it begins falling apart.
'What the f--'
[The demons have made it into Olympus.]
'is this ...?"
[Indeed; this is the fall of Olympus.]
Hunter felt a hand grab him, stopping him from a potentially disastrous fall. He looked up to see who the unexpected saviour was only to find a recognisable face.
Aja.
The dark-skinned girl's hair was now white and she held a small smile on her lips. "Found your rock?" The dark-haired boy asks.
"Let's send you back home."
The sprite saw a bright light and then he found himself standing with Diana right in front of him.
"Are you okay?" The snow-white-haired woman asks.
"Huh? Yes ..."
"Come on, I just got a message from Skylar, everything's gone to flame."
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