Athena x Nike

72 * Brighter Than Gold

Nike's pov:

I saw her shake. I could feel my hands tremble too.

The blood had splashed across me before I could register where it had came from.

"No..." I somehow uttered.

The guns were still rattling. He'd just stood in between us a second ago. Now all I saw to my right was my horrified wife with blood splatters across her own face as well.

"You know, ma'am, the best thing about fighting by your side is that feeling of invincibility." Rexhenor said.

He had an 8 year old Alexia in his lap as he braided her hair the way she had asked.

"Really?" I asked, watching the two of them and engraving the new memory in my mind.

"You tend to have that effect love." Athena joined in, kissing my cheek.

Just like me she leaned against the counter.

"There you go kid." The captain smirked, finishing up the boxer braids he had created.

"Mommy, can you summon a mirror?" Alexia asked me, wrapping her arms around my legs.

I nodded with a smile playing on my lips. She looked simply adorable. A second later I held up the mirror in front of my daughter as she admired Rexhenor's work.

When she was satisfied with how she was looking she ran back to the captain to give him a big hug.

"Thank you!" Alexia said.

"You're welcome kiddo." The man smiled, hugging her back.

Next to me Athena cleared her throat.

"Alexia? Didn't you have something for captain Rexhenor?" She asked our daughter.

"Yes! I'll go get it!" She said.

She ran out of the kitchen. I could even hear her run up the stairs.

"You have no idea how important you are to her." I said, sending a smile Rexhenor's way.

"You're her best friend Rexhenor. At least I know with you she chose wisely." My wife added with a small smirk.

The captain grinned. I think he was well aware of the special bond the two of them had and the depts of it.

Soon enough I heard tiny footsteps running back into the kitchen.

"I asked Hephaestus to make you a present." Alexia said, handing him a little army green box with a yellow ribbon around it.

For a second Rexhenor stared at it. I think he was too baffled to dare open it. Then he slowly undid the ribbon and took of the top of the box.

He gasped, seeing what was inside. He fished inside and pulled out a chain with two tags on it. One tag held all information about the captain. His regiment, his number, his name. The other had Alexia's name on it.

"You said you lost your old one. So I asked Hephaestus to make you a new one. And I also asked him to make one with my name on it too so I can always be with you, even when you have to leave." Alexia grinned.

"I-... I don't know what to say." Rexhenor said after a bit of silence, staring at the tags in his hand.

"Put it on! Put it on!" My daughter said, jumping up and down.

The captain chuckled, placing the chain around his neck.

"Thank you so much Alexia." He smiled, wrapping her in his arms again.

"I'm going to miss you." My daughter said, burying her face in his chest.

"I'm going to miss you too."

We let her hug him for a little while.

"Do you promise you'll get back?" I heard Alexia ask.

A sting went through my heart. A promise like this could be made, but it might end up as a lie.

"I promise. Your moms will see to that." Rexhenor grinned, looking up at us.

I wished he hadn't said it like that. It was a dangerous promise after all.

Athena's POV:

I stared at Rexhenor as he fell to the ground. He was bleeding from his chest and stomach.

Blood started dripping from his mouth and nose.

"No..." I heard Nike mutter.

The captain's blood had splashed on her too. She sunk down next to him, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

The sight of it made my own blood boil.

In a matter of minutes I raged across the battlefield, letting my anger fuel my motions. My spear cut open abdomens and throats. It cut weapons in half and pierced through chests.

They would pay for what they had done! I would kill them all!

In the distance I heard Nemesis cackle, but I payed it no mind. Right now, I welcomed the feeling of revenge.

Rexhenor's POV:

I got hit.

I've been hit before of course, but it's been millenia since I felt I might die.

I've gotten so used to the goddesses at my side and them jumping in all the time that I didn't even think that sometimes even immortals aren't fast enough.

As I fell backwards I could see the blood splatter onto the two of them. My gut was on fire and so were my shoulders.

I could see they were both shocked and horrified. The guns still rattled, but they became an annoying thudding sound in the distance as my vision slowly turned into a blurry mess.

I saw Nike drop to her knees next to me as Athena became a dangerous flash that raged across the battlefield.

I heard screams for mercy and curses in multiple languages. I heard painful and dying screams.

'She's avenging you.' My brain stated the obvious.

"Captain... With me..."

I saw Nike's mouth move, but I only heard parts of what she was saying. All the sounds were becoming one big mush in my head.

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I know, I know, this is a horrible way to end a story. But also, it kinda like, felt right? You know what I'm saying? But I kinda left an open ending on purpose. You guys can fill it in yourselves today. What do you think? Feel free to let me know, since I couldn't decide XD

Happy readings!

- Athena