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The swirling wind whips around me, carrying my body to the meeting point. My boots press into the soft grass as I take form, the emerging stars in the distance twinkling over the hilltop as shouts ring out through the clearing, echoing off the nearby trees.
“We need a medic over here,” someone shouts, snapping me into action. Searching the distance, I try to spot Olivia amongst the throng of gods, demigods, and guardians rushing about. Many race about with supplies, bandages, and water to help clean wounds, while others run with food over to the large, makeshift kitchen already set up by a roaring fire to provide sustenance for the team.
There. Olivia’s long, dark brown hair fans out around her as she drops by a demigod’s side, his prone body laid on a stretcher, eyes closed, hand drooping from clutching the gaping wound on his side. Her hands immediately hover over it, a golden light beaming from them as she pours her magic into him. The wound knits together slowly, skin reforming and vessels reconnecting. There are countless others in the same state, making me wish I could help her, but Kyros and Osias are by her side, healing demigods and guardians, while Adrian helps where he can with bandaging the wounded.
I might not be able to do any healing, but I do know how to strategize. Cool calm washes over me as my powers take control, and I launch into action.
“Mateo,” one of my generals, Irene, the god of archery, shouts to me. Linus, the god of stealth, stands beside her along with Lysander, the god of strategy, each of them hunched over a table with a map lying open atop it.
“Give me a breakdown,” I command, joining them. I give them a nod of greeting and shift back into my role.
“We still have troops guarding Ethereal, but there’s been no sign of a secondary attack so far,” Irene explains, her long blonde braid shifting as she waves a hand over the map to activate the enchantment. A portal flashes before us, giving us a direct view of the gates of Ethereal.
My eyes narrow as shock straightens my spine at the sight of my home. I knew Romulus and the dark gods attacked there while Liv and I found the dagger, but seeing the damage strikes a chord within me. A contingent waits just beyond the gates, the crumbling and gouged marble behind them making the home of the gods look like a war zone.
“Keep them there.” I wave over the map to dispel the image. “I want a rotation on guard twenty-four-seven in case Romulus attacks again.”
“Of course,” Lysander agrees. He pulls a paper from a stack beside him and scrawls instructions to the commanding officers before passing it off to be sent to Ethereal.
“How much damage did we take?” I ask, unable to chase away the visions of destruction.
“It looks worse than it is,” Irene says, frowning. “We’ve already cleaned up most of the wreckage but held off on some of the damage—”
“Because it will just happen again,” I sigh, finishing her sentence. She’s right. This fight is far from over. A few crumbling buildings are the least of our worries right now.
I sweep my gaze over the clearing, searching for Olivia again, needing to make sure she’s safe. I spot her a few beds over from where I first saw her, and I’m able to relax slightly, but the blood drains as I notice what’s beside her. Blankets are draped over some of the stretchers, some of the fighters unable to be saved, waiting to be brought home to Ethereal. To their families. Maximus helps a few of the demigods as they move the covered bodies to a quieter area for their friends and family in attendance to mourn.
Olivia watches, her hand poised over a female guardian’s shoulder, healing the wound there. She’s seen death, but not on this scale. Her face pales, and I clench my fists at my side, my heart and my mind warring with one another. I want to take her away from this. More than anything, I want to keep her safe, but I know she’s meant for so much more.
That doesn’t mean I can’t help her along the way though.
“Mateo,” Irene says hesitantly, bringing my attention back to the table.
“Right.” I clear my throat. “Linus, have your sentries found anything?”
“Not yet, but they’re combing the infernal realm as we speak, looking for any sign of where Romulus is hiding out.”
“Good, just keep an eye on them. The terrain is unforgiving out there,” I say, my thoughts drifting to the barren wasteland, magma waiting just below the surface, ready to burn its victims alive.
“I’ll be joining them as soon as we’re done here.” Linus nods, shuffling some of the papers in front of him.
“Good. I want Lysander to stay in Ethereal, and Irene can run things from here,” I instruct, but my focus is already drifting back to Olivia. She moves to the next stretcher, her powers seeping into the demigod there and knitting up the wound on his arm.
“We have things here,” Irene offers hesitantly, “if there’s anything else you need to do.”
I clear my throat and nod, scanning the distance for Osias. “Thank you.”
I take a deep breath and stride towards Osias. His guardian commanders surround him as he gives out instructions.
I can’t believe I’m about to do this.
“Osias, a word.” My tone is clipped.
“Can it wait?” Osias signs a paper and passes it to the guardian on his right, not bothering to drag his attention away from what he’s doing.
“No,” I say simply, delighting in the exasperated sigh he gives before he turns to face me.
“We’ll continue this,” he says to his guardians, and they scatter, leaving the two of us alone. “What is it?”
