In Argos.
In the dim glow of the palace corridors, King Cepheus approached his daughter's chambers, his steps heavy with the weight of the kingdom's turmoil. He pushed open the door to Andromeda's room, expecting to find her there. Instead, he saw her maid, Demetria, pacing nervously near the window.
"Demetria," the king said, his voice sharp with urgency, "where is Andromeda?"
Demetria froze, her face pale as she turned to face him. She stammered, "M-my king… the princess… she—"
"Speak!" Cepheus demanded, his voice rising, the strain of the past days evident in his tone.
"She… she left, my king," Demetria confessed, her voice trembling. "She overheard the whispers about sacrificing her to save Argos. She went to the people—she offered herself!"
Cepheus's face drained of color as the weight of her words struck him. "What have you done?" he whispered, more to himself than to the maid. His hands tightened into fists, his composure slipping into raw panic. "She sacrificed herself? To the mob? Where?"
Demetria fell to her knees, trembling. "She walked into the city. The citizens… they took her to be bound and prepared for sacrifice by the sea."
Cepheus turned away abruptly, his breathing ragged. "Guards!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the palace.
Moments later, a group of armored soldiers stormed into the room, weapons at their sides. The king's expression was grim, his tone unyielding as he addressed them. "Assemble every man you can find. Search the streets, the temples, and the shoreline. Find Andromeda—alive. Do not fail me!"
The guards saluted and rushed out of the room. Cepheus lingered for a moment, his mind racing. He turned back to Demetria, his face a mix of anger and sorrow. "You should have stopped her."
"I tried, my king," Demetria said, tears streaming down her face. "She… she believed it was the only way to save Argos."
Cepheus left without another word, his steps urgent as he made his way to the palace gates.
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The unforgiving sun hung high over the desert as Diomedes and the group pressed onward, slowed by the burden of Draco's injuries. They paused by a cluster of jagged rocks, the only shelter in the vast expanse of sand. The soldiers formed a loose circle, their weapons ready, but the weariness in their faces betrayed their doubts.
Diomedes scanned the horizon, his senses sharp. "This place feels wrong. Stay alert," he warned, gripping his spear.
A low rumble grew in the distance, the sound of shifting sand. Suddenly, dark shapes emerged from the dunes—Hades' minions. Twisted, grotesque creatures with jagged limbs and soulless eyes charged toward them, led by a monstrous figure. Calibos, his body warped and grotesque, strode forward with menace, his blade gleaming under the harsh sun.
"Kill them all!" Calibos bellowed, his voice echoing across the desert.
The soldiers scrambled to form a defensive line, their shields raised, but the creatures were relentless. Diomedes moved with inhuman speed, his spear a blur as he struck down the attackers with precision. Each thrust and sweep revealed his hidden strength, leaving the soldiers stunned as they fought beside him.
Io, graceful and deadly, fought alongside Diomedes. Her blade flashed in the sunlight, cutting down her foes with an elegance that seemed otherworldly.
Meanwhile, Perseus faced Calibos alone. The monstrous figure towered over him, his twisted form a grotesque reminder of Hades' wrath. Calibos swung his blade with deadly force, forcing Perseus to duck and roll, narrowly avoiding each strike.
"You're a disgrace to the gods!" Calibos sneered, his attacks unrelenting.
"And you're a servant of their hate," Perseus retorted, blocking a heavy blow with his shield. He was quick, but Calibos' strength was overwhelming, driving him back with every strike.
Perseus stumbled, his body bruised and his breaths ragged. Diomedes, dispatching another minion, glanced toward him. "Perseus!" he shouted. "Tap into what you are! You're stronger than this!"
Perseus closed his eyes briefly, searching for the spark of divine power within him. It was there, pulsing like a hidden flame. He opened his eyes, his resolve hardening.
With newfound strength and speed, Perseus launched himself at Calibos. He caught the creature's next swing, twisting the blade from its grasp. With a burst of superhuman strength, he drove his sword through Calibos' chest. The monstrous leader staggered, blood spilling from the wound.
Falling to his knees, Calibos laughed bitterly, blood staining his teeth. "Foolish demigod… Hades doesn't wait. The Kraken is already unleashed. Argos will fall."
With that, his body crumbled to ash, carried away by the desert wind.
The group gathered around Io, who had sustained a wound during the skirmish. Diomedes carefully examined her injury, his expression softening. "It missed anything vital. She'll recover."
Draco leaned against a rock, his face pale but determined. "If Calibos spoke the truth, Argos is already in chaos. We have no time to lose."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how they could possibly return in time. Then, a sound broke the silence—the rhythmic beat of wings. From the horizon, Pegasus soared into view, descending gracefully to land before Perseus.
The winged steed bowed its head, as if acknowledging its rider. Perseus approached, placing a steady hand on its mane. Diomedes stepped forward. "It seems the gods haven't entirely abandoned us."
Perseus nodded, his determination clear. "I'll fly to Argos and do what I can. Follow as fast as you're able."
Diomedes placed a hand on his shoulder. "Stay alive, Perseus. Argos will need you."
With a final glance, Perseus mounted Pegasus. The magnificent creature spread its wings and launched into the sky.
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As the dust settled from Perseus's dramatic departure on the back of the Pegasus, Diomedes and the others sat by the rocky terrain, catching their breath. The desert's oppressive heat bore down on them, and the silence was broken only by the occasional groan from Draco, who was still nursing his injuries.
The tension in the air lingered. Everyone remained on edge, their exhaustion palpable. Diomedes leaned against a boulder, scanning the endless sands for any sign of danger.
Then, without warning, the ground beneath them began to rumble. Small pebbles danced on the surface, and the sound of shifting earth filled their ears.
"Brace yourselves!" Diomedes shouted, jumping to his feet, his hand immediately on the hilt of his sword. Io and the others followed suit, their weapons drawn, as the ground split apart in front of them.
Two enormous scorpions clawed their way out of the earth, their towering forms casting long shadows over the group. Their segmented tails arched high, venom dripping ominously from the stingers, and their massive pincers clicked menacingly.
"Not again," Draco muttered, his grip on his sword tightening despite his weakened state.
"Hold!" Diomedes ordered, his sharp eyes fixed on the creatures.
The scorpions didn't attack. Instead, they stood still, their black eyes glinting in the sunlight as if assessing the group.
The tension in the air was palpable as Diomedes and the others braced for what they believed would be a fierce battle. The two giant scorpions, their exoskeletons glinting ominously in the sunlight, emerged from the cracked earth, their massive pincers clicking and tails poised to strike.
Diomedes tightened his grip on his sword, his muscles tensed. But to his surprise, the scorpions didn't attack. Instead, they stood still, their enormous forms motionless yet intimidating.
"What's happening?" Io whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she clutched her weapon.
Diomedes cautiously approached one of the creatures, his every step measured and careful, ready to retreat if necessary. Yet the scorpions remained passive, their gazes locked on him. "I don't think they mean us harm," he said, studying their behavior.
The scorpions lowered themselves to the ground, their legs bending in a motion that seemed almost inviting. "It's as if they want us to ride them," Diomedes observed, his tone a mixture of curiosity and disbelief.
"Ride them?" Draco barked, still clutching his injured arm, his expression skeptical. "Are you mad?"
"I'm serious. Look at them," Diomedes insisted. "They're waiting."
After a moment of hesitation, Diomedes climbed onto one of the scorpions, helping Io up behind him. The massive creature shifted slightly under their weight but remained steady. Draco and his remaining three soldiers reluctantly followed suit, mounting the other scorpion.
With an eerie, synchronized movement, the scorpions took off, their powerful legs propelling them forward at incredible speed. Diomedes held tight, the rush of air stinging his face as the terrain blurred beneath them. The speed reminded him of the sports cars from his previous life—swift, thrilling, and slightly terrifying.
"They're fast," he shouted over the wind to Io. "At this pace, we'll reach Argos in a couple of hours!"
Io nodded, clutching onto him as the scorpions carried them through the desert with ease, their claws crushing rocks and obstacles in their path.
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Meanwhile, in Argos, chaos reigned. At an abandoned temple by the sea, Andromeda was bound with thick ropes, her face pale but resolute as she awaited her fate. The angry mob and members of the cult that worshipped the Kraken surrounded her, chanting prayers to appease the beast. Their voices echoed ominously against the crashing waves.
The king's soldiers, dispatched to rescue the princess, had tracked her to the temple. However, as they moved to cut her free, the mob turned violent, wielding makeshift weapons and shouting curses. A fierce skirmish broke out, the soldiers struggling to hold their ground against the overwhelming numbers.
As the battle raged, a deafening roar erupted from the sea. It was a sound like no other—a cacophony of rage and power, like the cries of a thousand monstrous beasts. Everyone froze, their eyes turning toward the horizon.
The Kraken had surfaced.
The colossal creature rose from the ocean, its tentacles thrashing wildly, sending massive waves crashing into the city's coastal areas. Entire sections of Argos near the sea crumbled under the force of its emergence, buildings reduced to rubble as terrified citizens fled in every direction.
The mob fell silent, their earlier fervor replaced by pure terror as the Kraken loomed over them, its massive form blocking out the sun. The soldiers stood stunned, their weapons shaking in their hands.
Andromeda, bound and helpless, stared at the monstrous beast, her heart pounding.