“The scent of decay is overwhelming my senses.” Kira shakes her head. “I can’t sense anything but death.”
“Keep your eyes on the cave pulsing with fiery Hephaestus magic. We’ll cover you so you can retrieve the hammer.” I pullmy sword from the ether and my whip materializes in my other hand.
“Just do me a favor and reserve your magic. You’re going to need it at the academy.” Raven crouches in a fighting stance in front of Kira who is already moving toward the cave.
“I’ll do my best but in case I do use too much, we always have the snack moms,” I snicker as Greyson shoots me a mock glare.
“Those snacks have saved all our asses,” he grumbles.
“You’re right. Sorry, you know I get sarcastic when worried.” I keep pace with Raven as we shadow Kira to the base of the mountain.
“I can feel my dad. Is he here?” Kira scans the mountainside.
“No, that’s the cave.” I point fifty feet up the side of the mountain. “The hammer is hidden by his power just like every other item of power we’ve retrieved. That’s why you have to get it and no one else.”
“Right but I feel my dad, not just his magic,” she says. “Maybe he’s in his workshop.”
“The queen has complete control of this place and apparently has for a long time. I doubt your dad has been here recently, but I guess it’s possible.”
“He has fortresses no one can penetrate all over the place. I bet he’s in his fortress here,” Kira mumbles.
A shriek pierces the quiet of the mountainside as the fog inches closer. “Fuck, that was a signal to attack. We’ve got to go.”
I shove Kira up the side of the mountain, and she stumbles as she scrambles to get her feet back under her. I turn my back on her, keeping an eye on the enemy who is advancing on us with fog inching ever closer and enveloping my feet.
“What’s the plan, B?” Raven asks.
“Send as many of them as possible back to Hades.” I slash my sword at the fog.
A gnarled hand reaches for me through the mist, and I slice it off with a swipe of my sword. The hag screams and the fog billows toward them at an unnatural pace.
“Hades is going to enjoy punishing you psycho bitches.” Raven cackles.
“Draven, go as far as you can get up the hill with Kira. You too, Greyson. The side of the mountain will be our stand against them.” I wave at them to move.
“Got it,” Greyson shouts as he rolls away from a hag’s hand attempting to pull him into the fog. “These bitches won’t quit.”
He swipes his sword, and it cuts the fog like butter, but the mist solidifies and moves faster toward him. “Watch out, Greyson.”
I flick my whip, and a hiss explodes from the fog as the tail end wraps around a skeletal arm. I yank on the wraith, and she stumbles from the fog, shrieking. Smoke rises from her body as even in the dark of night, she can’t handle the light from the moon. That’s why they have the fog while in our realm.
“If you can manage it, get them out of the fog. They will burn up faster,” I yell.
Raven swaps her twin blades for her battle ax and swings it, cutting through the fog and several grating screams are cut off, replaced by gurgles. Black blood sprays out of the mist. I jump back just in time not to be sprayed but Raven isn’t so lucky, and it splatters her face and clothes.
“Oh gods, that’s vile. What in Hades is that?” Raven gags.
“It’s not ichor, that’s for sure.” I flick my whip and the fog retreats only a little before surging forward again.
“You’re kidding,” Raven gasps dramatically.
“Shut up, Raven.” I glance over my shoulder. “How’s it going, Kira?”
“Almost there,” she calls back. “Just a little farther… ahhh.”
I spin on my heel only to find a demon materialized behind our line and is attacking Kira. “Someone help her.”
“Kira,” Draven shouts and races to her side, slinging into the demon with little effort.
