Issue #46: X, Brand.

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(General P.O.V)

Deimos only had a few seconds to shout,

"Impossible!"

Before literal fire rained down on his head.

The God clicked his teeth, grabbing a large warrior at his side and using him to block the flame barrage.

The arrows completely decimated him as the warrior screamed in terror, turning him into ash that Deimos cast aside with a wave of his hand.

His use of divine energy, managed to capture Kane's attention and the assassin wound up in the air on his first fly by, having reduced the number of enemies by half.

His new target was their leader.

A few of Deimos' lackeys managed to survive the first wave, letting out war cries as they beset upon the Amazons near the beach.

Kane ignored them, trusting in the Amazon's compentence.

He coaxed his Pegasus back around, his eyes not on the battle happening on the beach, but an eye catching godly figure, surrounded by the escaped Underworld warriors.

"I'll take a lucky guess and say that's Deimos."

The assassin said to himself, orienting his Pegasus to dive down towards the group.

Deimos frowned at the oncoming enemy.

"Archers!"

He called and a few warriors among the battle hogs, drew upon their bows, releasing a volley of arrows to the sky.

Kane watched the attacks with a glint in his eyes.

"Spyra, let's show them true skill."

His Spider Totem flared up at his head, eager to follow his commands and wreak havoc.

Keeping his balance steady, Kane stood on the back of the Pegasus, crescent moon in his hands, drawn with his full enhanced strength.

The flame arrow swirling in motion between the bow and his hand made no sound as it left Crescent Moon, cutting through the air to his attackers.

The sight of so many arrows flying to the sky as one single flaming one descended cast a strange image.

It was almost comical.

But right before the barrage could pass each other, Kane's arrow expanded into a net made of molten web!

This was one of Spyra's skills.

She could change the property of her fire now. Not just shape or size anymore.

After the fight with Cerberus, the Spider Totem had understood the importance of power.

And this was one of the fruits of her labor.

Any arrows that touched the net were instantly devoured by the flames.

The net was also big enough to encompass a large area around Deimos and his forces.

With it forming a dome like structure made of flames and melted webbing that instantly begun to shrink in on them.

Any warrior, wolf or boar that was touched by the net was immediately covered by blue fire and turned into ash, leaving the God of Terror shocked at how easy there were being dispatched.

He didn't have a choice anymore. His men were getting burnt and the dome was closing around him like a cage.

Just as he was about to release his divinity, there was a click sound from his neck and following it, his energies went out of sync.

"Huh?"

Looking down, the God was surprised at the obsidian collar below his chin.

In addition, something sharp was pressed to the middle of his back.

"A single move and I'll sever the neural pathway on your spine that sends signals to the brain. You might be a God but by the time you heal from that...it will all be over."

Kane, who had used Flame Displacement to get behind Deimos, said in cold voice.

"So, wanna try me?"

The God of Terror was left fucking terrified.

-0-

Steve's life had taken a dramatic twist of events.

From being a simple spy for her majesty's Royal army, to getting stranded on a mythical island full of women that turned out to be no myth, to dying then getting recruited to assassinate a God...

Nothing had worked out as it should.

And now he was fighting both Spartans and Mongols.

But Steve was nothing if not adaptable.

With the crossbow in his hands, the closest thing to a rifle he'd come across lately, he was able to pull his own weight.

"Keep it steady Monty."

He whispered to his Pegasus, his focus on a target creeping up on an Amazon's back.

He pulled the trigger amd the arrow jumped forward, cutting through the air before digging itself through the warrior's chest.

One of the women looked up and saw Steve, who flashed a thumbs up before continuing to assail the enemy's rank and file with keen and quick shots.

With Rhadamanthus and him working together, they were able to cut down all the dregs while the Amazons and Kane dealt with the rest.

In only a few minutes, the battle was over and won.

-0-

Steve and Rhadamanthus landed on the shore in front of the sea cove before numerous Amazonian gazes.

"My lord, thank you for coming to our rescue."

Pillyphus bowed down as they met in the middle.

Rhadamanthus nodded amiably.

"Don't mention it. Seriously, I was never here."

Pillyphus' eyes shook before ultimately nodding in understanding. It seemed that Hades had decided to only help from the shadows.

Not...entirely convenient but she would take what help she could get.

Pillyphus also sent a nod of gratitude at Steve, before she turned her attention elsewhere.

The direction that Hermes and Herakles had sailed to.

The two Gods had already begun to fight- the effects of their battle audible from afar.

The pebbles on the ground would occasionally jump into the air as the entire range shook with the strength of their blows.

The flap of wings from the group's back heralded the arrival of Kane as his Pegasus landed between the two.

"Hey, I brought you guys a gift."

The assassin quiped, revealing Deimos lying on the back of the Pegasus with his hands tied behind his back by a yarn of Spyra's webbing.

Her's was a few degrees more durable than what Kane could create.

"I see the collar was useful."

Rhadamanthus commented, throwing a look at the direction the enemies had come from, only to balk at the burning cliffside.

Even the rocks and boulders were on fire.

'what a terrifying ability.'

The Judge thought to himself.

'Ooof'

Deimos found himself on the ground after Kane's Pegasus buckled him off.

Steve snickered at the side.

"You...will rue the day you decided to lay hands on me, mortal."

The God of Terror hissed at Kane.

"My father will strip the flesh from your bones and turn you all into slaves!!"

He raved, the dignified look on his face falling away.

"This the guy you were making a big deal out of?"

Steve asked.

"He doesn't look all that threatening."

"If I didn't have this collar on me, mortal."

Deimos said in a low threatening tone,

"I would..."

"So your weakness is getting collared? Sheesh you're less impressive than I thought."

The Spy snorted.

"Steve, stop antagonizing our prisoner."

Kane cut in, before the God of Terror could blow a casket.

"Besides, worse still awaits him. General...he's all yours."

Pillyphus stepped forward with an expressionless face. Something that made Deimos gulp despite the defiant look on his face.

"Where is Diana?"

She softly growled.

Deimos chuckled derisively.

"I'm not telling you shit, you fucking bitch."

An evil smile that sent shivers across everyone's back spread across Pillyphus' face.

"Good. I was hoping you would say that."

She started stalking forward while twirling a silver dagger in her hands.

"I've always wondered what a God's biology looks like. I mean we know a Demigod like Herakles as a d*ck and balls but what about a full God...like you..."

With a fearful stutter,

"No...no...stay back! I'm warning you!!"

Deimos started to scramble backwards.

Only for his back to hit something solid. Looking behind him, a stern faced Rhadamanthus met his gaze.

Booooommmm!!!!

(Kane's P.O.V)

Booooommmm!!!!

Before Pillyphus could turn the God into a eunuch, a loud explosion rippled out from the ranges to left, startling everyone.

The explosion was followed by a tall golden pillar of energy that cut straight into the sky, spearing through the cloud cover.

Knowing what was on its way, I called out Spyra and created a large dome of fire around everyone. Then I instructed her to change its property into a thick dome made of webbing.

The ground shook as the shockwave finally reached us.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!!!"

Manic laughter escaped Deimos, the pressure wave the dome was guarding us against, buffeting its structure to the point cracks appeared on the walls.

"What's so funny?"

One of the Amazon's growled, pressing her sword to his neck.

The God's laughter died down, a serious expression taking over his face. The earlier fear was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh please, just because you captured me, you think you've won?"

He said condescendingly, all the while staring at me.

"Did you even stop to think that maybe...this was all a part of my plan?"

A bad feeling gripped me.

Rhadamanthus and I shared a look, the grim expression on his face mirrored by my own.

""Hermes.""

The two of us said at the same time.

"Bingo."

Deimos spoke up, pushing himself to his knees.

"Don't move."

Pillyphus warned, forgoing the dagger and unsheathing her sword before pointing it at his face.

"It's already too late."

The God muttered, but I had already ignored him by then.

My thoughts were occupied with something else.

'Spyra undo the dome, now!'

I urgently ordered my Spider Totem.

If this had all been a ploy to get to Hermes then we had to help him. We couldn't lose the Messenger God.

Some of my plans revolved around him.

Spyra was always connected to any flames she created. That extended to the web dome around us.

I felt her influence cover the dome before reverting its property and unraveling it into flames that she absorbed.

"Wait!"

I grabbed Rhadamanthus before he could jump on his Pegasus.

Everyone froze in unison. They could all feel it...

Up to now, Spider Sense had only really gone haywire in situations where my life was in mortal danger.

Most of the time when it blared within my mind, I could usually tell which direction the danger was coming from, its intensity and almost automatically dodge or avoid it.

This time, the danger came from everywhere.

This time Spider Sense went off so loudly it felt like my head would split in the middle.

And all of it could be blamed on the two figures waiting for us beyond the dome.

One of them was built like a body builder, easily over 7 feet with gray muscles and golden chains wrapped around his body.

Red eyes full of malice stared at us through loose strands of ashy blonde hair.

The Presence he was giving off was only a bit lower than Hades.

Herakles no doubt. I heard the a few Amazons confirm that nervously.

The other one was...familiar.

"Lord Hermes?"

An Amazon called out to the God of Messengers whose head was turned towards the sky.

With a sickening crunch, he tilted his head down, his golden locks underneath his helm, falling away from his face to reveal an expressionless Hermes staring at nothing.

Then his eyes snapped to focus and Spider Sense went eerily quiet.

My instincts though, honed over long years of evading death started screaming at me.

A blood red symbol flashed on Hermes forehead and then without warning...he moved.

-0-

I blinked and found myself standing alone on the shore.

Blood covered the Rocky beach and my body.

I didn't need to look down to understand what had just happened.

In an instant, faster than my reaction speeds, faster than Spider Sense could even warn me, Hermes had killed everyone.

Steve, Pillyphus, the Amazons...even Rhadamanthus. They were all on the ground. Dead.

And looking down at my chest, Hermes' hand was speared into my ribs, his fingers gripping my still beating heart.

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We are coming up on the end of the Arc. Finally.