animal quickly fell into step with her.
Saoirse was still shaken by the experience with the Kraken. She was no fool; she knew the Kraken would have gladly torn her in two if given the chance. But still, she’d never felt an emotion that deep before; it was the fear of a child, magnified a hundredfold.
Saoirse also wondered what her power was. Occasionally Elysia would host monotheists, so she had studied the scriptures that contained the Horsemen. But if she was the White Knight, what was her gift? To speak with animals? And was she to harbinger the Apocalypse? She looked up at Gunnar and felt that he fit the mold quite well. He’d shown her compassion, but he was a boy who would clearly do what needed to be done when necessary.
The group followed Bes back to their quarters. On the way, they saw the other teams’ doors. The team with the Amazon was celebrating in the halls after their victory. Her teammate Pan joined with a Yōkai and tried to put her on their shoulders. But the Amazon and her armor were too heavy and they collapsed with a thud. The girl got up, laughed, then hugged the faun to her breastplate; clearly she had adjusted to life here.
Gunnar still eyed the Amazon warily, and then walked on. Spartans and Amazons have done horrible things to each other, thought Saoirse. Their history is too deep for reconciliation, even for a young Amazon and an ex-Spartan.
The team with the ghoul was still struggling in their labyrinth. Saoirse listened closely and heard some whinnies and thuds from inside the room, but Bes informed them that the team inside was going to be fine.
“They’re fighting a Minotaur calf,” said Bes, “and they’re winning.”
But Bes became concerned when he walked by the final labyrinth. He told the team to be quiet and listened intently. Saoirse heard some clashing of armor, some yelling, and an ungodly shrieking.
“Go back to your quarters and wait for me there,” he told the Horsemen. “Now!”
Bes disappeared into the last labyrinth, and Gunnar nodded at them to leave. As soon as the door shut, Gunnar winked at Tommy, and Tommy hid beyond a corner. Tommy stuck out his hand and pulled a recording device from his suit’s forearm. He discreetly planted it on the wall and then gave another wink. Gunnar looked at it out of the corner of his eye; no one would notice it, not even a god.
“Let’s leave,” said Gunnar.
Kayana had already disappeared, so Gunnar, Tommy, Saoirse and her hyaena went back to their dormitory.
/***/
Later in the common room of their quarters, Tommy projected the scene onto the wall. The picture and audio were quite clear.
Bes burst out of the labyrinth door dragging Rowan, who looked like he’d been hit by a boulder. Soon after that, Heracles came bursting out in a rage. Bes dodged him easily, so Heracles charged again. Heracles moved fast, but Bes moved faster. It was like the bigger man was chasing air.
“Calm yourself, brute,” said Bes.
Heracles took a moment to compose himself. After a few seconds, Heracles put up his hands to say that he no longer wanted a fight. Bes’s brown skin, pug nose and hairy shoulders made him look like a squirrel in the shadow of Heracles’s enormous girth, but the big god kept his distance.
“This boy needs medical attention,” said Bes.
“This isn’t your worry, Bes,” interrupted Heracles, still angry. “Rowan’s team is under my purview.”
“You had him fight a Banshee ,” said Bes. “This boy is no match for a young warlock, let alone a Banshee .”
“And your team is a match for a Kraken?”
“My Horsemen escaped unscathed ,” said Bes. “And your Berserker has his femur broken in three places.”
Heracles frowned.
“Rowan’s a fool, but fights with honor,” said Heracles. “When he recovers from these injuries, we’ll teach him how to fight smarter, with his team. We will teach him his limits . But his honor will help clean this city. He won’t be bought by Dagon or sold a
Saoirse was still shaken by the experience with the Kraken. She was no fool; she knew the Kraken would have gladly torn her in two if given the chance. But still, she’d never felt an emotion that deep before; it was the fear of a child, magnified a hundredfold.
Saoirse also wondered what her power was. Occasionally Elysia would host monotheists, so she had studied the scriptures that contained the Horsemen. But if she was the White Knight, what was her gift? To speak with animals? And was she to harbinger the Apocalypse? She looked up at Gunnar and felt that he fit the mold quite well. He’d shown her compassion, but he was a boy who would clearly do what needed to be done when necessary.
The group followed Bes back to their quarters. On the way, they saw the other teams’ doors. The team with the Amazon was celebrating in the halls after their victory. Her teammate Pan joined with a Yōkai and tried to put her on their shoulders. But the Amazon and her armor were too heavy and they collapsed with a thud. The girl got up, laughed, then hugged the faun to her breastplate; clearly she had adjusted to life here.
Gunnar still eyed the Amazon warily, and then walked on. Spartans and Amazons have done horrible things to each other, thought Saoirse. Their history is too deep for reconciliation, even for a young Amazon and an ex-Spartan.
The team with the ghoul was still struggling in their labyrinth. Saoirse listened closely and heard some whinnies and thuds from inside the room, but Bes informed them that the team inside was going to be fine.
“They’re fighting a Minotaur calf,” said Bes, “and they’re winning.”
But Bes became concerned when he walked by the final labyrinth. He told the team to be quiet and listened intently. Saoirse heard some clashing of armor, some yelling, and an ungodly shrieking.
“Go back to your quarters and wait for me there,” he told the Horsemen. “Now!”
Bes disappeared into the last labyrinth, and Gunnar nodded at them to leave. As soon as the door shut, Gunnar winked at Tommy, and Tommy hid beyond a corner. Tommy stuck out his hand and pulled a recording device from his suit’s forearm. He discreetly planted it on the wall and then gave another wink. Gunnar looked at it out of the corner of his eye; no one would notice it, not even a god.
“Let’s leave,” said Gunnar.
Kayana had already disappeared, so Gunnar, Tommy, Saoirse and her hyaena went back to their dormitory.
/***/
Later in the common room of their quarters, Tommy projected the scene onto the wall. The picture and audio were quite clear.
Bes burst out of the labyrinth door dragging Rowan, who looked like he’d been hit by a boulder. Soon after that, Heracles came bursting out in a rage. Bes dodged him easily, so Heracles charged again. Heracles moved fast, but Bes moved faster. It was like the bigger man was chasing air.
“Calm yourself, brute,” said Bes.
Heracles took a moment to compose himself. After a few seconds, Heracles put up his hands to say that he no longer wanted a fight. Bes’s brown skin, pug nose and hairy shoulders made him look like a squirrel in the shadow of Heracles’s enormous girth, but the big god kept his distance.
“This boy needs medical attention,” said Bes.
“This isn’t your worry, Bes,” interrupted Heracles, still angry. “Rowan’s team is under my purview.”
“You had him fight a Banshee ,” said Bes. “This boy is no match for a young warlock, let alone a Banshee .”
“And your team is a match for a Kraken?”
“My Horsemen escaped unscathed ,” said Bes. “And your Berserker has his femur broken in three places.”
Heracles frowned.
“Rowan’s a fool, but fights with honor,” said Heracles. “When he recovers from these injuries, we’ll teach him how to fight smarter, with his team. We will teach him his limits . But his honor will help clean this city. He won’t be bought by Dagon or sold a
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