Chapter 10 - The Last Stand

The Amazons kneeled after seeing the Goddess of Hunting that they worship, this also made Matthaios get into his knees to honor Artemis. He still pays respect to the Goddess of Hunting, and now they have someone to lead them for upcoming warfare against the Persians. Artemis has her bow in her arms, staring at the Champion of Sparta who is still kneeling in front of her.

"In negotiation with the Amazons, Champion of Sparta?" Artemis held her bow, asking what is his intentions with the Amazons.

"I understand that I am forbidden to set in the Amazonian's grounds, Artemis. But I believe that we need to stay united from the peril brought by the Persians." Matthaios insisted to team up with the Amazons.

"The Spartans and the Amazons have something in common and that is looking up to me and my brother, but both parties won't just end up into an agreement." Artemis spits the fact that the Amazons and Spartans do have similarities.

"I don't mean any forms of disrespect, Artemis. And on behalf of my Spartan brothers, I apologize for their remarks toward the Amazons." Matthaios was sorry about what the Spartans think of the Amazons.

"That doesn't matter in this kind of situation, Matthaios. Now get up and build a formation. We are going to fight to the death!" The Goddess of Hunting tells them to prepare themselves for a battle. And so, the Amazons agreed to include the Champion of Sparta in their group.

"To the death, Artemis..." Matthaios pulls the Blades of Athena from the back portion of his armor, anticipating the attack from the Persians.

Meanwhile, from a view that is way too far, King Muzguth recognized the figure blending into the Amazonian warriors. He laughed obnoxiously upon seeing Matthaios allying with the Amazons with the guide of Artemis leading them. He leads the army of Persians into the island of Themiscyra, and the defenses of the island weren't enough to slow the trespassers down.

"Is he desperate enough to join forces with the Amazons?" Muzguth was still on his horse, marching forward into the island.

The castle has archers in each sides following the command of Queen Hippolyta while the infantry of Amazons alongside with the Champion of Sparta was led by the Goddess of Hunting, Artemis. Whilst leading the army, Artemis asked Matthaios about his aunt Athena and how are they going. "How is Athena? Enjoying her reign as the new Queen of Olympus?"

"Let us not talk about that." Matthaios doesn't want to talk about it.

"Fine, I'll discover it myself after this... Amazons, attack!" Artemis sets her bow, about to fire arrows on the Persians who are now running to the island after notifying them to attack now.

Artemis' bow hits the Persian's first line of offense, and Queen Hippolyta orders her archers to prepare their bow and arrows. The Amazons that were led by Artemis met the Persians in the middle of the island's entry point, and of course, Matthaios assists them.

"The Immortals are vulnerable to attacks down below!" Matthaios uses the Blades of Athena instead of his favorite Arms of Sparta on the battle.

The Amazonian warriors listened to his hint on how to defeat the Persians, and there were more arriving when Muzguth blew the horns. The Immortal Persians have their weaknesses, and Matthaios prefers to mix up his brains and brawn rather than relying on his brute strength. The Amazonian archers aimed their bow at the Persians, hitting them with the arrows.

Due to its accuracy, the Persians were impaled with the arrows perfectly but they aren't slowing down just yet. Matthaios charges and creates a momentum to jump, using the Blades of Athena on a circular motion to wipe them out of the battlefield so that the Amazons would have the chance to push through.

"Use your shields! Strengthen your defenses!" Artemis tells her army to engage their defensive tactics, she has a strong feeling that the Persian army will force it out.

The shields of the Persians and Amazons were clashing together, trying to push each other using it. Matthaios was the only one who is not using a shield, and he is bold enough to not use his Arms against Sparta until Artemis noticed it. She might be impressed by how the Champion of Sparta goes on an all-out war without any defenses on, but for her, it is too risky and dangerous.

"Where are your defenses, Matthaios?!" Artemis shouts at him.

"I do not need any of it at this point, Artemis." He answered while dealing with the Immortals.

Muzguth's horse ran into the Amazon warriors' defense, penetrating it as he whacks his sword to cut through them. Matthaios saw his adversary with his horse, running to hijack his horse and have a fistfight with him. Muzguth tries to knock the Champion of Sparta using the handle of his sword, but Matthaios is also on a horse that made him control the horse with ease as he made it steer.

"How could you-" Muzguth was shocked about the Spartan Demi-god taming his horse.

"Get lost, Persian." He pushes the Persian King from his horse, landing on the ground severely.

Muzguth had a hard time getting up after a nasty fall, after all, he is just a mortal with human functions. Matthaios took a turn with the horse, bringing the Blades of Athena out to choke the King of Persia with its chains. He dragged Muzguth around while riding the horse, making sure that he will sustain enough damage until he is finally disabled to move around.

"You'll pay!" Muzguth was choking because of the chains.

Matthaios stopped, slamming Muzguth into a large chunk of rock. A loud crack could be heard around the back portion of his body, and he cried in pain after his spine was broken. The Champion of Sparta unmounts on the horse, lifting the King of Persia to jump on him and land vicious punches in his head. Loud thudding could be heard in each punch, and the disfigurement of Muzguth has just begun.

"You left my brothers in pain... This is going to hurt and I'll make sure you'll savor each one of it!" Matthaios screamed while landing heavy punches on Muzguth's already busted head, but he isn't stopping until blood bursts out from it.

Muzguth's head is already deformed from the strikes courtesy of Matthaios, and his skull was indeed broken. Artemis stopped fighting the Persians just to witness how vicious the Champion of Sparta is when it comes to battle, but she steps in and pulled Matthaios before he could even bust his brains out. "That's enough, Matthaios."

"Unhand me, Artemis!" Matthaios was still feeling vengeful, he wanted to avenge the Spartans by beating Muzguth down.

He kept on beating the hell out of Muzguth, stomping on his head before he finally kills him as his brains come out after a massive stomp in his skull. Artemis left the Amazons clashing with the Persians, and he is concerned that Matthaios would fall under the rage that might control him if not regulated responsibly.

"I said that's enough!" The Goddess of Hunting grabs his arms, dragging him away from Muzguth who is now dead.

Matthaios breaks free from her grip, performing his battle cry as he uses the Spartan Rage then again. The crimson aura surrounding him thickens, and his eyes glowed redder than the last time. It fueled the Blades of Athena, making it red instead of its normal color scheme. It also has flames in it as usual, and he began his barrage by washing the Persians out from the battlegrounds.

The warriors of Amazon just watched the Champion of Sparta being covered in rage to destroy the Persians and commit genocide by killing all of them with the Blades of Athena, the same goes for Artemis and Queen Hippolyta. They might not be scared of him being enraged, but they were worried that he might also harm them. Matthaios bathed in their dark-colored blood with how he tore them apart using the flaming blades, and he isn't stopping until they fall into the ground.

"By the gods... What turmoil has bestowed upon us?" Queen Hippolyta was left asking the unanswered question while watching the Champion of Sparta execute their enemies.

After eliminating all of the Immortals in the field, Matthaios finally stopped from using his Spartan Rage, kneeling in front of the deceased Persians. "It's done... I killed them."

Artemis wasn't still considering going near to him, he might still be filled with rage so she is still standing right there. After a gruesome blitz of killing the Persians, he kneeled in exhaustion, collapsing into the pool of dark blood to the ground. And finally, Artemis thought of helping him out. "He'll live... But still, let us help him."

Artemis and the Amazons carried Matthaios out from the island's entryway, asking Queen Hippolyta's permission to bring a man inside Themiscyra. "Bring him in, he is weakened and drained."

Once they entered the kingdom while carrying the Champion of Sparta's unconscious body, they brought him into a room meant for guests or strangers that are fallen ill. They wiped the blood that covered his armor and head, removing the torso portion of his armor so he would gather enough supply of air to recover. They also removed the chains of the Blades of Athena wrapped around his forearms, and they also found where he placed the Arms of Sparta.

He was confined in the Island of Themiscyra for days, recuperating from the damage he took from being into countless wars that he fought and won. Artemis is checking him if there are improvements occasionally, until one day, he shot awoke and screaming out loud. "You Persians will pay!"

"Matthaios... The war is over." Artemis tells him that he has killed the Persians.

"Where am I?!" Matthaios doesn't know where he is.

"Inside Themiscyra, Matthaios. Perhaps you should rest for more." The Goddess of Hunting tells him to get some more rest.

"No... I need to go back to Sparta." He thought of Sparta and his brethren.

"There is nothing to worry about now, Matthaios." Athena in her new life form appears in front of Artemis.

"Athena..." He recognizes the voice.

"Your mother is worried to death... When will you learn?" Athena isn't impressed with how he ended up fighting the Persians.

"I know!" Matthaios breathed heavily before sighing. "I know..."

"Where is my brother, by the way?" Artemis asks where Apollo is.

"In Sparta, waiting for you to return," Athena tells the Goddess of Hunting that her brother Apollo is in the city of Sparta.

"Pardon me, but I need to return to Sparta immediately." Matthaios gets up, but Athena forbids him so.

"They are rebuilding Sparta, Matthaios. I won't advise you about going back to your city after you get Calliope." She hasn't forgotten his mission to retrieve Calliope.

"What?!" Matthaios sat down, staring at Athena.

"You are not able to return until you finish your tasks, Matthaios. I truly need your obedience and undying loyalty to the Gods." Athena still needs the Demi-god to serve her.

"Hey, are you serious? Give Matthaios a break, Athena. He wants to see if the Spartans are in a safe state." Artemis doesn't agree with what Athena wants.

"Apollo is already helping the remaining Spartans to rebuild the city, Artemis. Matthaios' help won't be necessary." The Goddess of Wisdom doesn't want Matthaios to come back to Sparta until his work is done.

"What do you want, Athena?" Matthaios was pissed to learn that he couldn't come home.

"I wish for a speedy recovery. If so, go to Mount Olympus and find out."

-END OF STORY-