Facing Antares

"Firebolt!"

-Snap!

-Woosh! Boom!

Enki's flame and Bell's firebolt combined blasting through the army of scorpions in front of them, they burned and shrieked in pain. Asfi threw her exploding oils on top of it, creating a further explosion.

The flames died out as they walked further, however they stopped.

"How is this possible!?" Asfi said, stepping back.

The scorpions that remained rose and their wounds healed, recovering they were adapting to the situation.

"This is much worse than I imagined hyper adaptation and recovery," Hermes said behind them.

"Fine, then I'll just make them freeze," Enki said, stabbing his glaive into the ground. He unleashed his Aura once more the red wave shot forward.

The scorpions froze, unable to fight back. Ryuu took the chance and leapt in the air chanting.

"Come, wandering wind, the wandering traveller. Cross the sky and run through the wilderness, run faster than anything else. Imbue the light of stardust and destroy the enemy!"

The wind picked up her body and shone in the green light.

"Luminous wind!" Ryuu shouted, launching orbs of green light. They smashed into the scorpion monsters, killing them all, and went further to smash the eggs they came out of.

But it was only temporary as more monsters sprouted from the eggs.

"We have to push through," Artemis said.

"We will!" Bell shouted and kicked off.

Enki picked up his glaive and charged, 'torrent!' He said, calling forth his water aura. He jumped and swung down.

-Boom! -Crack!

The water exploded and with his alchemy; he turned it to ice, spearing the scorpions. He got up as one dashed towards him and swung its tail. Enki did not react as he unleashed his aura, halting it. He got up and walked past the monster, exploding into dust.

Bell swerved past their pincers, blocking and parrying their tails and slashing them in the eye. "Firebolt!" He shouted, shooting the flame killing a small group in one go.

Ryuu, with her wind magic, could outpace and kill them with ease.

-Swish -Swish -Swish -Shunk

Arrows flew past Enki's head stabbing into their eyes and killing them. He looked back seeing Lilly doing her thing. She was advancing with the bow at a rapid pace.

Slowly they pushed themselves through the tunnels effectively, Lilly providing support, Enki and Ryuu clearing them out in mass.

And Bell took on any stray that tried to attack the gods.

-Shunk! -Poof!

He slashed another scorpion in half, two more appeared behind him and tried to stab him but his water aura shielded him. Enki turned and swung into an arc, killing them.

Another one jumped behind him, smashing him with its pincer.

-Bam!

Enki slid back a few meters as he grunted at the bastard scorpion.

-Clap!

"Everyone behind me!" He shouted and quickly Ryuu and Bell moved back. He slammed his palms to the ground, and the room heated. Electricity surged crawling ahead of them.

The floor erupted into a massive explosion. The screeching of scorpion monsters echoed as the floor burned and melted into lava, all but a single path in the centre for them to walk through.

"try to adapt to that," He said as the scorpions hatched from their eggs and fell straight into lava and died.

"Wow," Hestia commented awed.

"Your alchemy is impressive to do that without a circle. I can only imagine what you've been through," Hermes commented, with a small glint in his eyes.

"Thank you," Artemis said behind him.

"Yeah, now come on let's go," Enki walked ahead. The others nodded and followed behind.

...

They kept at it, soon entering an open space with many other paths all around them. They took a moment to breathe when.

"ROOAAR!" the monster's shout reached them.

"Is that," Hestia said, unable to finish.

"Antares, yes." Artemis confirmed, "uh," she grunted, clenching her chest.

"Lady Artemis," Bell went down to check on her.

'Please, there has to be another way,' Hestia said, looking around. She was desperate for, something, anything that could help.

"Hah, I'm alright let's go," Artemis walked forward with pained breaths.

"She's not well," Ryuu said to Enki. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You and me both," Enki said, glancing at Hestia, who tried hard not to cry.

"But I'm here, so it'll be fine." Enki smiled at Ryuu.

"Your positivity is charming," the elf chuckled as they walked ahead.

"Thank you," He smiled. Soon though, he focused on Artemis, who went further ahead.

Artemis went ahead going up the enormous staircase as they arrived at she opened the door with a grunt. The doors opened with a loud creak.

"Oh my gods," Asfi said as they all walked in witnessing the interior, a giant one-eyed, six-armed, and multi-legged scorpion-like monster with glowing red marks across its body.

It stood at the centre of the large dome-like space with red fleshy vines connected to it, drawing power from the outside.

"Uh! Do it now! The spear!" Artemis fell, clenching her chest.

"!" He for the first time in a while felt fear when he glanced at the monster and worse, a feeling he didn't know.

"ROAR!" It howled again, opening its giant mouth. A giant crystal revealed itself for them to see.

"No! It can't be!" Ryuu gasped.

Hestia looked away now, crying. Hermes tipped his hat down.

"Is that another Artemis!?" Bell bewildered looked down at the Artemis that was clenching her chest.

Antares "ROAR!" yelled, sensing them. Soon after the sky shone.

"Ah!" Artemis screamed at the same moment as spears of light descended from the city.

"Enki!" Ryuu snapped him out of his daze.

Enki quickly recovered and shouted, "Torrent! Rotation!" He roared and spun water exploding from beneath him. It spread and covered everyone in a dome of water.

-Clap!

He clapped his hand's ice spread across his fingers it hurt, but he bore it and thrust his palms forward quickly the exterior of the water turned to ice as the spears of light descended.

-BOOM! BOOM! -CRACK!

The Ice infused water bubble cracked, smashing against his shield, but Enki exerted himself, freezing the cracking with more water and reinforcing them at the same time.

The barrier cracked again. He could see Antares staring at them through it as the barrage continued.

He felt lightheaded in just a few seconds, 'Ah, fu-' he felt a vial being pushed into his mouth. Lilly acted quickly and shoved an elixir in his face down, he gulped it down no longer feeling the backlash he kept going.

Everyone closed their eyes and waited until the shaking was over.

Enki released his hold. The barrier burst like a bubble and everyone was free, "all good," Enki turned back with a shaky thumbs up.

"My head feels light, Lilly," he asked.

"Here," Lilly was quick, handing Enki another elixir for him to drink.

As Enki gulped it down, Asfi turned to Hermes, "I can understand it's a chimera, but how is possible that it has the powers of Artemis!?"

"Because Antares adapted and grew in its fight with Artemis and ended up capturing her body," Hermes said, looking ahead.

"So our Artemis?" Bell asked, looking at the one beside him.

"In my last moment, I summoned the spear down and bound a piece of myself to it. It is the only thing that can stop this," Artemis said.

"How?" Lilly asked.

"By killing her," Hestia said in a raspy voice.

"What, no! I-I can't!" Bell stepped back, shaking his head.

Enki huffed and looked down at Antares and closer at Artemis's actual body as it merged with the monster. He took a deep breath, and Ryuu noticed him walking up.

"Bell, this isn't a story about killing a goddess, it's a story about you rescuing a girl in pain," Hermes said, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"This, this *hick* isn't fair," Hestia sniffed.

"Hestia, my best friend," Artemis gave a sad smile and bent down hugging the goddess, "I'm so sorry I had to keep this from you, but these days have been one of the most memorable of my life, so please don't cry for my."

"This is the only way?" Asfi looked down.

"Yes, it is," Hermes said with a solemn look.

"I-I..."

Enki nodded to himself and stood up patting himself. "Who decided that?" he said, turning back to them with a grin.

"W-what?" Hestia looked up.

"There's no way to save Artemis. Who decided that?" Enki said, walking forward.

"There is no other way. It can't be undone it merged my body with itself! There's no other way." Her voice was angry at first but turned sad.

"Enki?" Ryuu placed a hand on his shoulder, and a small glint of hope lit in her eyes. And it grew when he chuckled she saw the certainty in his eyes.

Lilly was quick to tell from his tone, "Enki, do you have a plan to save her?" She asked.

Everyone's eyes widened and turned to him with hope and worry how can you change what was set in stone?

"Enki?" Bell asked with hope in his eyes.

"Haha, guess you were partly right Lilly. If it's alchemy then I know a thing or two, and Antares is all alchemy," He grinned at the group and turned to Artemis.

"Artemis, you have two choices: either we follow your first choice and kill you or instead you fight and struggle for the chance of your freedom." He asked the goddess.

"I told you if there was any other way then, but there isn't!" She said every moment of this became harder for her. She had no hope and made peace with being killed so Antares couldn't use her power to hurt anyone.

This was not how things went. Why was he giving her a choice? What could be done?

"There is, so will you take it or not? Your fate is yours to choose nothing is set in stone. I can save you."

She paused, biting her lip. 'Why? That look in his eyes? Why is he so sure of himself,' her mind was a cluttered mess right now.

"Artemis, please," Hestia said with a tearful pleading look, "don't leave, not like this."

Hestia was desperate. It filled her voice and made everyone look at Artemis pleading as well.

"I... Enki Flamel, I-I want to live," Artemis smiled, threatening to cry.

Enki smiled and breathed out.

-Clap!

"Alright then let's do this!" He said walking to the edge of the path and looking down at Antares the monster looked up at him.

"So what's your plan?" Asfi asked.

Everyone held the same thoughts in their eyes.

"Until I shout for you, no matter how bad it looks, do not come down." Enki wielded his glaive, twirling it.

Antares, sensing an incoming fight, looked up, locking eyes with him. The monster inhaled and roared.

"ROAAAAR!" A pressure shot forward before anyone could protest his plan they were hit with this pressure and forced down on their knees, All but Enki he grinned at the monster and unleashed his king's aura.

"Until I say otherwise." Enki stood at the very edge of the platform.

The pressure on everyone disappeared his red aura shot forward, clashing with Antares's pressure.

"Let me solo him." He jumped down, his glaive in hand.

Antares, seeing Enki coming to him, roared once more, unleashing its pressure. As It hit Enki grinned unleashing his king's aura once more.

"Torrent!" He roared the water extending to his blade. It grew larger and larger and froze with his alchemy he swung down as Antares swung one of its arms!