Saint Vanity (mxm)

Chapter Thirty-Two

An overwhelming scent of smoke burns our nostrils as we enter what is left of my father's forest. The trees stand as bare, twisted silhouettes, their bodies singed to the point I'm sure they would disintegrate at any moment.

The grass is scorched and drowning in the rain pelting the earth. There is no sign of animals and the air is charged with electricity. Above the peak of trees, we see a massive whirlwind of smoke and mist, cracking with sparks of white-red electricity up ahead in the direction of my father's lake.

"That is... bigger than anything I've ever seen," Romani admits with a pale face. I'm not sure why the newbie even volunteered to come.

Helgi touches my arm to check if I'm OK. I nod, walking toward my father's lake.

A figure stands inside the base of the whirlwind, hands reaching skyward as though twisting their air to his whim. Within we see a pair of eyes and a smiling mouth that appears to be glowing hollows of red electricity, and his eyes land on Zagreus.

He stares back with a blank expression.

"What happened to his thousand heads and arms?" Invidian questions me.

"Poetic licensing?"

"I'm glad, I'd kill myself if he had to listen to a thousand heads."

The Hekatonkheire's jaw ticks at the insult and he turns to Invidian with the intention of killing him first. From him comes copies of himself made up of red electricity. They charge towards us with the intention of defending him while the Hekatonkheire charges up lightning strikes to send our way.

Helgi, Calder, Ascanius, Invidian and Davian instantly jump to action. Davian blasts those he fights into smithereens with bursts of white light. Ascanius shoots the head off opponents with similar lights, summoning similar guns for Calder and Invidian to use, considering this isn't an opponent they want to touch.

Calder shoots at them with precision and seriousness while Invidian shoots, cussing and mocking the opponents like he is playing some online game. They respond to the taunts with animalistic growls.

Romani backs away with nervous twitches in his face, realising he might not be competent enough to fight these creatures like everyone else is. Then he freezes up completely when one of the mini Hekatonkheire runs towards him.

Helgi pushes in front of him and draws his flute from the inside of his jacket. As he plays it, his chakra points glow up his body and in response to a sharp melody, electric blue energy manifests in the air in the shape of himself, slashing through the enemy with a slash of his sword.

I only marvel at his power for a few seconds before pulling Zagreus back away from danger.

"You can see the future. Can you see how we can win this yet?"

"I think something is coming to me."

I allow him to, defending him while observing the enemy for weaknesses. The mini versions fight like competent, bloodthirsty warriors. And no matter how many they destroy, more keep growing.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," Davian curses when Invidian's hairs stand up and run to him, grabbing Invidian and teleporting them both out of the way before lightning strikes the ground.

Invidian steadies his stance then shouts at the Hekatonkheire, "Is that all you can do, you fucking coward?!"

Ascanius wipes a hand down his face then blasts the heads off a couple of mini Hekatonkheires. The Hekatonkheire' irritated growl sounds like thunder. At this rate, he is going to come forward and beat the shit out of Invidian, which in a way is perfect for us.