Chapter Text
- What?! Kassandra and Persephone exclaimed in unison.
The Goddess vanished and reappeared in the grand entrance doorway her servant had just burst through.
- Get to Phaeira’s Retreat, quickly! Gather all the palace servants and humans you see and stay in Stroma's Village until this is over! The Eagle Bearer yelled over her shoulder as she sprinted through the doors herself.
Persephone stood at the balcony, clutching the marble railing, mouth agape, eyes furtively darting through the front yard at the fighting. Like embers spreading from a fire, clusters of fights were arising and spreading, all from a swirling dark portal at the base of Persephone's palace, where silver armoured Isu controlled humans emerged. These warriors were slaughtering Adonis' rebel troops, faster than most could even raise their weapons, and more crawled out by the second.
'This will be a massacre' Kassandra thought. Taking down one of these warriors was difficult enough, but with the steadily increasing rate, each rebel would have to kill at least five Isu controlled beings to win, let alone the God controlling them, Hermes.
Persephone seemed to understand this, and she raised her palm. The air around them began the prickle with the energy the Goddess was amassing. She punched the air, sending a torrential currant through the breeze, strong enough to break every fighter's footing. During this moment of confusion, she turned her gaze the portal, a spiraling abyss of dark Isu magic. She pulled the fabric of Elysium around it, slowly engulfing the gateway, like gathering cloth around a hole to patch it closed. Kassandra blinked in stupor, amazed at the power to distort reality to this extent. Persephone's nose twitched in concentration and her jaw tightened.
- I'm being resisted, Persephone said. - This will not be easy.
- Like someone is forcing their way through from the other side? Is it Hades? Kassandra asked.
- Most likely. My husband hasn't seen me in eons. He'll take advantage of any opportunity presented to him to capture me again, Persephone said still entranced in her struggle.
- I thought only Gods who control their domain could summon a portal, other than the perception of Hermes devices I've been working with, Kassandra muttered in thought. - How could he...?
- It doesn't matter, Persephone said with authority. - My complacency ends here. I will not allow others to interfere with my realm any further.
Words spoken with such resolve and determination; this Queen was definitely different from the one who had set her guards on her when she first arrived. Kassandra felt her strength swell. Moreso, a cacophony of wills resonated within her. She felt Artemis' abilities strengthening her back and bow arm, sharpening her sight, she felt Athena's mind analyzing the battle, she felt Kronos' prowess around her distorting time, quickening her senses, finally even Ares' bloodlust made her mouth water and her broken spear pulse, beckoning to be unsheathed. However, more than ever, Kassandra recognized her own will and power, capable of drawing on the Gods without being consumed by them.
Kassandra raised her hand, drew her own Isu magic, and erected a barrier around Phaeira’s Retreat, blocking all Isu beings’ entry. Ikaros cawed overhead. "Guide all humans and noncombatants to Stroma's village with Phobos. Join me on the battlefield later." she instructed him. Her eagle whistled, made a sharp turn, and jetted off, faster than her eyes could keep up. Kassandra cracked her neck muscles, placed a relaxed hand on the pommel of her sword and steeled her nerves for battle. She couldn't help the anticipating grin on her lips, born from the satisfaction of having all pieces revealed, and playing in the open.
- It's over. After this Elysium will finally be free, Kassandra promised.
As the Goddess continued her work patching the portal, a brief expression of sorrow washed over her face before she steeled herself back into neutral composure. Her loving violet gaze glanced met her own then returned to the horizon.
- Elysium has been my prison since my abduction. I have created a land polar opposite of Hades' realm but no matter how many flowers I plant, how well I embellish it, the truth remains; this is the Underworld, land of the dead. My eyes can see clearly through these plains of flowers, the mounds of ashes, bones, and rot beneath. I am not particularly keen on saving my realm from destruction. Or rather I was not... but then, Kassandra you've woven something into my world that my powers could not.
Persephone smiled as she continued.
- Humans have always been a mystery to me. They live for a fraction of time and yet, they are able to create bonds so strong they transcend their reality and follow them into the next. Their knowledge is a drop of water in the ocean, and yet they love me, they worship me, beg me to fertilize their crops, and beseech me on their deathbeds for entry into Elysium. Kassandra, for the precious memories you've given me, for the care and empathy you've shown me and my humans, I thank you. I will not martyr myself and my realm any longer. I am Persephone, daughter of Zeus, Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Dead. Elysium is their Paradise of Eternal Heroes, and I will not forgive anyone who tramples it, the Goddess declared with conviction. - Kassandra, the deeper you delve into our worlds the more you will have to endure. But I have seen your unmarred and faithful heart, I trust you completely. I will leave Hermes to you. He is the fastest and strongest Olympian of us all. Please careful.
- This look suits you well, Your Majesty, the Misthios grinned. - Rest assured and leave it to me.
Kassandra bowed, dematerialized, and reappeared near the fractured dark portal, now the shape a gashed wound being sewn closed. As her feet touched the ground, she surveyed the field, mapping out friend from foe. Though no more Isu enhanced humans were crawling through, they still outnumbered the rebels five to one. Odds that Kassandra felt confident with. She unsheathed her golden sword, broken spear and got right to work.
To her right, she saw three rebels being overpowered by an Isu captain, while to her left a large rebel fighter armed with a heavy mace swung wildly at his opponent armed with a glowing sword. The Eagle Bearer bolted right, narrowly leaping over the low arc the rebel swept his heavy weapon. She landed directly behind the rebel facing the enemy captain and pulled him back by the fabric of his green chiton, just as his blade swung down. The dual sword wielding captain’s silver skin pulsed red, revealing the power of his next attack, a full-bodied thrust, aimed in her direction. As with flames burning hot, the air distorted around his frame of attack, and the risk Kassandra stood parrying it outweighed the window for a counter. Pushing the rebel she'd saved behind her, she read his movement, sidestepping him at the last possible second. Time slowed for an instant, enough for her to counterattack.
Kassandra jumped into the air and swung both blades down in a crossing arc, she lowered her stance, swiped his left achilles heel, flipped her sword into a reverse grip, slashed across his abdomen, stabbed shoulder with her spear, flipped her sword back to a hammer grip, swept his leg to get behind him and pierced him with her broken spear. The barrage may have lasted only an instant; however, she perfected each slash through years of arduous bitter training.
The captain writhed on the ground, and Kassandra hopped to the next. Two foot soldiers, armed with swords and large reflective round shields. She spun her spear in her hand to a reverse grip, parried the high arcing slash aimed at her head with her own sword, dropped her stance, darted under the shield of the second one and lacerated his femoral artery. She kicked him out of field and focused on her next opponent. He rushed at her, angling his shield low, protecting his legs. She scoffed, almost insulted to be thought of as so predictable to use the same manoeuvre twice. Instead, she hooked her left spear wielding arm behind his shield, gave him a second of purchase, then tore the shield from him and slammed him backwards with it.
The soldier went flying, 10, 15 feet from her, right into the side of a large Isu Captain. Expertly dancing around his adversary's large mace, a spear wielding soldier in golden armor, and a red feathered Spartan helm looked taken aback by this sudden aid.
-You're late, Leonidas exclaimed without breaking eye contact with the enemy.
-You seem to manage, Kassandra replied.
As the large Captain rose and swung his mace more frantically, Leonidas simply side-stepped and danced around him impassively. Kassandra sprinted in, slashed the nerves in his knees, jolting him a few feet into the air, where Leonidas's spear met him, stabbed him through the shoulder and slammed him down again. Barely on his feet, the captain made a move to swing again but Kassandra was already behind him, stabbing him through his armpit. The large captain landed on his stomach without moving.
- Have I been sending these poor souls to Tartarus? Leonidas asked as he blocked the blow from another foe with his shield.
Kassandra regrouped with the Spartan King after disarming and defeating two other soldiers. Back-to-back, the veteran warriors scanned what lay ahead.
- They're still alive, so to speak, the Eagle Bearer explained. - Their bodies are being enhanced with this armor and the Torches of Hypnos. Mortal wounds make them lose consciousness. We can free them all after.
Kassandra felt her grandfather's back relax beneath his armor; a literal weight lifted from him.
- No need to hold back, eh? he said with a smile in his voice.
- Just try to keep up old man, Kassandra chuckled.
The Spartan warriors bumped their backs together and sprinted in opposite directions. Having the two best fighters clumped together was a strategically unsound choice in battle, they both knew. Kassandra ran forward, towards the vanguard, where the fighting seemed at its' thickest, while Leonidas secured the rear, cleaning up the captains and soldiers she left behind.
When Kassandra found herself surrounded by a dozen enemies, she decided this would be the perfect time to try it. Drawing on the wrath of Ares, she threw her spear in air, caught it midshaft and extended it to full length. She let out a commanding battle cry that shook the marbled pavement. The Isu magic released in her and her entire body, spear included turned bright gold until she looked like a silhouette of a warrior. She swung her weapon overhead, slashed around her in wide arcs and her feet shifted effortlessly from stance to stance, like a choreographed dance. Enemies simply grazed by her in this form fell immediately. To her surprise, she caught a glimpse of herself in the silver chest plate of a falling foe. Her eyes were glowing red orbs and her face was so contorted in rage she could hardly recognize herself.
She swung her spear further increasing its range with every stance change, defeating more and more foes. Her body began to feel heavy, every inhale sent burning stabs through her chest. She couldn't maintain Ares' wrath for more than 90 seconds. When she released it, her knees buckled, and she swayed on her feet.
Her moment of respite was short lived, two Kolossi statues stationed on guard near the marbled staircase rose from slumber and jumped down to face her. The Eagle Bearer grabbed her bow, nocked an arrow, and held it at her right cheek bone. Still out of breath from her last attack, she amassed the air in her lungs conservatively, and allocated the oxygen to her exhausted arm. On the exhale, she released. Her arrow had just landed in the forehead of her first foe when she released another which hit the second Kolossi in the chest. Aside from a momentary buckle in their stride, she didn't inflict any lasting damage.
- Tssk, she sucked her teeth.
While recovering her Isu stamina, she didn't want to risk fighting in close quarters with these guys. Their strength, blow-for-blow surpassed her own. One misstep, one parry out of place, and she could lose a limb. Although she knew with her abilities she could regrow it, Kassandra couldn’t take that risk. She also did not want gamble everything on her speed and risk exhausting her ability to control time at this crucial juncture.
The long axe wielding Kolossi lowered his stance for his attack, while the other circled around to her left. The Kolossi launched itself forward, ripping through sound with its speed. Kassandra dove to her right, rolled into a cartwheel followed by a few flips, gaining distance for her counter. She drew her bow, inhaled deeply despite the pain radiating in her chest, and nocked an arrow which she amplified with her Isu magic.
'Artemis, guide my bow' Kassandra prayed. She could almost hear Kyra's voice echoing her prayer. She nocked and held her arrow at her cheek bone, this time imbuing Isu energy into its shaft until it glowed in a bright white light. When she loosed it, she fragmented her arrow into a dozen projectiles. Each carried a piece of its original feathered fletching, Isis' white, gold, and red plumes. The needle-sized missiles of light, hit her opponents in a barrage, penetrating and burrowing deep into their stone bodies. The long sword wielding Kolossi struggled, trying to free itself to attack. Kassandra sheathed her bow and raised her palm at them. The hieroglyphic designs and geometric patterns of her Isu tattoos pulsed under her skin as she shut her fist; both Kolossi exploded, fragments of light ejecting from their crumbling stone bodies.
Scanning the area, the battle was reaching its final stages she noticed in relief. All the Isu control captains had been defeated, and the remaining Kolossi was just being met by Leonidas. Satisfied with her contribution, she sprinted forward looking for Hermes.
Kassandra didn't need to look far, the Olympian stood at the lower marble staircase leading to Persephone's palace. His back erect, the God of Speed towered over someone, looking down the bridge of his nose at them.
- Move aside, Hermes, it's over! We've already won! Adonis yelled.
- I will not, the God replied articulately.
- Elysium has turned to rubble all because of Persephone's stubbornness. I won’t be her prisoner anymore!
Kassandra ran up, interrupting them. Adonis was smartly dressed in a cream chiton that hung loosely over his left shoulder, tied with a braided rope around his waist. As though emerging from bath springs, he was perfectly coiffed, not a hair fell out of place under his gold diadem, and various jewellery adorned his oiled arms. Hermes, on the other hand, looked hard and battle ready. Armed with a long sword in front of him, his large hand resting on its pommel, his wore his Elysian armor. A white breastplate with glowing with his yellow Isu energy, gold arm and leg braces accented with silver metal that fanned out like wings, and an armored belt which protected his skirt. Adonis looked determined and sure minded as ever despite the sword in front of him which surpassed his height.
- Ah, Keeper, Hermes said emotionless.
Kassandra's entire body went cold from danger. Adonis darted a glance at her and smiled.
- Misthios! Good work down there, he exclaimed. - Freedom is just ahead, but Hermes is proving to be as stubborn as his maste...
- ADONIS, MOVE! she yelled.
But she was too late, an invisible force lifted Adonis off the ground by his neck. He kicked and flailed his arms wildly, his wheezes echoed off the bridge, mingling to the cacophony of battle below them.
- Hermes, enough! You know Adonis has nothing to do with this! You used him from the start! This was yours and Hekate's plan to incite a rebellion for you to slaughter every human under Persephone's protection.
Adonis thrashed and kicked more aggressively, his blows only hitting an invisible force field around the God controlling him.
- I may have taken advantage of the fruit, but the seeds were planted and sown long ago by Aphrodite, Hera, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Regardless, Persephone has long lost interest in him, so there really is no reason to allow it to live.
Without moving, Hermes loosened his hold, allowing Adonis a gasp of air before applying pressure again, and pushing his suspended body to the side. The God faced her and jabbed a finger in her direction.
- Besides, you're one to talk. Wasn't it you who placated him? Wrecking my Torches, killing my overseers, ruining all my toys, for what? Hermes asked. - You were just using him too, all so you could improve your abilities with the Staff.
Kassandra glanced at Adonis, whom Hermes and permitted to breathe, albeit strainfully, so he could hear this exchange.
- You're right, I was using him, she said looking Adonis in the eye. - My task is to master this Staff, and I knew this rebellion was based on a lie from the beginning. I also know why Adonis has no memories before Elysium and why he cannot leave this realm. Even still, I am a Misthios, he hired me for a job, to protect his rebels, and that's what I have done.
- I hired your services too, Hermes pointed out. - You could have easily chosen to side with us, the Gods, the ones who offered you power and knowledge. Yet you wield the tool I invented against me.
- Make no mistake Hermes, I may tread the line between human and Isu, but I am not so simple as to be manipulated one way or the other. I mean to rid Elysium of its' traitors and restore it to the Queen before continuing on my journey.
Hermes' grip tightened around Adonis' throat. His lips turned greyish blue, his face turned bright red, the blood vessels in his head burst, dyeing the whites of his eyes red, while blood dripped from his nose, ears, and mouth. With the strength he had left, Adonis only managed to dig his nails into his throat, raking them down his neck, clawing helplessly for air.
- Hermes, stop! Kassandra yelled unsheathing her weapons. - Let Adonis go!
- I was wrong about you, Keeper. You are nothing like us Isu, Hermes said gravely. - You dare call me traitor? All I have done; I have done at my divine will. If what I am doing is right, then it is right, because I have declared it to be so! A God stands before you, and you would presume to tell him what to do? You even dare use my name in the same breath as this vermin? You arrogant quarter-bred mongrel! For that affront alone, he deserves to die.
In a fraction of a second, Kassandra launched her broken spear the God, who vanished and reappeared a step to the side. Adonis head exploded like a grape under pressure, and his life fluids dripped down from his suspended body. Kassandra's temper rose and she summoned her spear back into her hand. The weapon, this time aimed at the back of Hermes head flew back to her, again, the God side stepped its trajectory impassively.
- Do you know why he was born? Hermes asked as he casually flicked a finger, launching Adonis' body to the battlefield below.
Kassandra inhaled through puckered lips, regaining her composure. She suspected Adonis' death since she first arrived, and she already decided to kill Hermes. On her exhale, she let go of all her feelings and steeled herself into a calm neutrality.
- He was born for you to complete your task and kill the Cyclops, and for me to exterminate it here, Hermes explained. - That is what human life is.
The Misthios adopted her combat stance and circled him slowly.
- I disagree, she said.
Hermes effortlessly raised his long sword and rested it over his shoulder. The width of the blade was larger than one of her thighs, with a slit down the middle. The gap was large enough to trap an enemy blade, and judging by its size, snap it in half. The metal itself was a deep silver that looked navy blue, like a sword in its final stages of forging. He paced around her as well, though less meticulously as she. Hermes matched her movements, always positioning himself in front of her.
- Kassandra, it doesn't have to be this way. I never wanted to kill you. It isn't too late for you, prostrate yourself before me and ask for my forgiveness. After all, Persephone seems quite fond of you, for some reason. You could talk to her for me. I would even be willing to compromise. It's killing all the humans that bothers you, right? We can banish them to Tartarus instead, Hermes proposed. - Better yet, I can build her own Tartarus in the Minoan Ruins, she'd never even have to see it. I could protect her right here, from her home.
- You aren't protecting her, Hermes. You're trying to control her. How are you any different than Hades?
Hermes’ shoulders tensed and he pressed his lips into a straight line.
- I cannot attest to, nor atone for threats of the past, but it's our actions now that determine the course of the future, Kassandra continued.
Hermes blonde eyebrows knitted together, then his lips curled into a smile.
- Ah, I see now. You are only human after all, of course you could not understand what I am telling you. It is your love, your hope, your ideas of forgiveness that have infected her. You have no answers. You cannot guarantee her safety, so you speak of second chances and hope. Your kind harbour these feelings, let them fester into hatred, become enslaved by it, and run wild, nearly to your extinction.
Kassandra stopped pacing and deepened her stance. Hermes faced her and raised a finger.
- It only takes one. One downtrodden, deluded soul, seeking vengeance or hate or power, and it spreads. Like rats and a plague, even those like you. When you inevitably die here, the souls you have saved will spread their hate again and we Isu will be left to clean it all up! Hermes voice grew louder in frustration, then he chuckled and composed himself again. - Control is all there is. Comparing me to Hades is a compliment. If Persephone does not see the danger in harboring your kind, then I will take her elsewhere, where she'll never be in danger again.
- Your contempt and disregard for humanity will be your undoing, Kassandra said as she pointed at him with her broken spear. - God of Olympus, today is the day you fall by my hand.
- Very well. I shall teach you what it means to defy a God! Hermes roared, his voice echoing across Elysium.
He separated his longsword into twin blades and entered an attack stance, his left hand held his weapon in a hammer grip in front of him and his right hand held it above his head. Yellow bubbles of Isu energy began coating the surface of his swords.
Kassandra didn't have time to contemplate this, she would make the first move. She needed to ascertain his speed, his strength, his range of attack in order to orchestrate this fight to her victory.
She threw her broken spear at him again, aiming at the only opening his stance gave her, his right armpit. Hermes could only dodge, sidestepping the blade again. This time, Kassandra had her unblinking amber eyes fixated on him. Though not able to keep up with him, she did see the after image of his movement.
Hermes angled his left sword down and lowered his stance, as though rushing her. 'A feint’ Kassandra vanished, and reappeared behind him, holding her broken spear. Expecting her, Hermes swiftly lowered his right weapon behind him.
His blade was a hair from slicing her from collarbone to navel. The Misthios dropped her spear and materialized under him. She swiftly stabbed through his thigh, recovered her weapon, and tried to stab him again.
Hermes balanced on his foot and kicked her square in the jaw with his injured leg. The impact sent Kassandra pummeling backward, but she recovered midair and used her momentum to land into a backflip.
Hermes was on her in a flash, his body and weapons turning red, the air around him distorting from heat. Each of his blows were something out of a scroll, perfection, without a single wasted movement. When his right blade swung, his left stabbed. His stance was airtight, leaving her no openings. The Eagle Bearer could only dodge and evade as best she could, using her time warping ability to study his moves.
When his combination slowed down, Kassandra leapt into the air and swung both her blades down, from his shoulders to his abdomen. She pushed her sword through his torso, effectively impaling him immobile while she went to work with her broken spear. She punched her spear through his shoulder downwards, pulled it out of his chest, punched it through his lung, pulled it out of his back, punched it through the back of his neck, then spartan kicked him in the stomach, throwing him backwards and freeing her weapons.
Hermes staggered and growled. His body began to glow in bright gold and yellow light, and he levitated, punching the air around him before crash landing down. When the God's feet touched the marble again, the blood dripping from his wounds disappeared and the gashes left behind in his armor started to weave shut.
- Pathetic! Hermes laughed. - Just like your miserable, failure of a father!
He lowered his stance into a deep lunge. Kassandra recognized this bullrush stance, it was one of the abilities Ares awoken in her. However, this was on a completely different scale. The marble stones at his feet shattered with his kick off weight and evaporated into powder in proximity to his body heat. The God ripped through the air, both weapons pointed forward, leaving the sound of his attack lagging behind. With no opening, she had no choice but to enter her own bullrush stance and meet him with it.
She could not match his speed, but she could read the after image of the God's attack, enough to evade one of his blade. The movement however, impaled her on his second weapon, as she managed to nick his wielding arm with her sword. Their momentum pushed them past each other.
Hermes looked down at deep 7cm gash on his shoulder which caused him to let go of the weapon now stabbing through the Misthios behind him. The God shook his head and turned around slowly.
- What a shameful waste of life, Hermes said. - I was looking forward to seeing your slope into madness.
Kassandra panted and coughed out a clump blood caught in her throat. With a trembling hand, she pulled out Hermes' sword and covered the gaping wound with her hand. Typical of such a powerful ability, it was not intent to aim precisely at a foe's vitals, but to stagger their stance and obliterate them with the Isu enhanced after shock. Kassandra had already activated her regeneration and healing abilities when she saw Hermes in his stance. She coughed again, hoping Hermes would feel confident in his win and let his guard down. The God casually walked towards her, resting his sword on his shoulder.
- I don't know why my Staff was wasted on your family. But a contract is a contract after all, Hermes shrugged. - I could never refuse them. To us, only power and strength rule. That is why your father died by your hand, a disgusting, miserable failure. That is why you will lose to me.
Kassandra raised her head.
- I respect Pythagoras and I am grateful for his mistakes. It is because my father failed that I will succeed, the Eagle Bearer told him with confidence.
Hermes' nostrils flared. He took a step forward and buckled. Perplexed, he tried for another step, but his shaky legs refused him and crashed into the ground. His sword fell out of his grip and dropped to the ground, echoing off the stone bridge. Kassandra rose to her feet, while Hermes raised a shaky hand in her direction. She turned around to face him. His blue eyes searched every inch of her face desperately, then widened in horror.
- A..Aconite..? Hermes wheezed - Impossible... I'm... I'm the only one... who has those vials...
- It seems your ally had a contingency for you. Hekate took advantage of the chaos when I first arrived to steal your poison, then fed it to a wolf so you would never catch her with it. She asked me to poison the people at the symposium, which I'm sure you would have loved. But she never intended to kill them, only to harm them and control them with the Torches of Hypnos. After all, you can't rule and be worshipped if no one is around to worship you, Kassandra explained. - Had I done it, you would have been suspicious of me, and trusted Hekate even more. Then, when the time was right, she would have killed you and Persephone. Aconite is venomous in small amounts to humans, but lethally poisonous to Isu, even transdermally.
- She c...couldn't have made.. it so strong… she… would’ve… been killed, Hermes strained.
Kassandra raised her golden sword and surfaced the aconite infused in the metal. Green vapors emerged from its surface, visible to the naked eye.
- No, that was me. I extracted it from the wolf's liver and imbued it to all my weapons, she told him. - Then just exponentially multiplied the poison's cellular growth inside the metal. I only had to coax it to the surface of my blade when you let your guard down.
Hermes fell face forward and pounded the ground feebly.
- You! *cough* You! Malaka bastard! *cough* You shouldn't... be able.. to.. to..., Hermes wheezed.
Kassandra sheathed her weapons and approached him.
- You know, it disgusts me, but we are actually very alike, Kassandra said. - When I fought in Greece, I was only concerned with my own strength and abilities. I was taking contracts left and right, delivering death and chaos as it suited me, just because I could. I considered those I helped or hurt inconsequential, since I was always looking at the bigger picture. There are millions of humans who think exactly as you do, Hermes, who value strength and power above everything else, Kassandra looked up to the railing of the palace and smiled. - Persephone reminded me how beautiful it is to be human. She is as Isu as you, so I know you could see it if you tried.
Hermes hacked and spit blood on her sandal. Kassandra squatted and tucked his messy blonde hair behind his ear.
- You know there is one difference between us though, she leaned down and whispered in his ear. - Only one of us will die knowing what the Queen tastes like. Chaire, Hermes.
She felt him writhe and shake, then he gasped and lay motionless. Soon his body began to disappear, just like Hekate's. Kassandra was keen on making sure he fully vanished but was interrupted by Persephone's scream coming from the palace.
- ROS? NO! The Queen yelled.
Kassandra whipped around and sprinted to the palace, not even glancing behind her.