Never Knew I Needed: An Assassins Creed Odyssey Story

Chapter Eleven: Reunited

Dawn rose above the horizon, basking the earth in a warm yellow glow. It came faster than Nysa ever would have thought. Perhaps that was how it always was when one was not falling asleep on watch. She stretched out in an attempt to wake herself up. And then she was off to begin packing up their campsite.

She made sure to wake up the other two, ushering them to get moving as quickly as she could. It was a long day of walking and her home waited for her at the end of the road. She was bouncing with excitement. The others, by no means, seemed to share her excitement at this atrociously early hour in the morning. Any job that was being done too slowly for her tastes was quickly finished by herself.

Nevertheless, she managed to get them moving before the sun had left the touch of the horizon. Nysa took the lead of the group, remembering exactly the little mountain path Echemus had shown them. The trek over took most of the day and by the time they had reached the bottom of the mountain it was nearly evening. She walked so quickly, she was practically running and she walked quicker still as she started to come to familiar territory. The others followed behind her at a steady pace and Nysa would stop periodically with great annoyance to allow them to catch up to her.

In the hazy glow of the sun, she saw her little house silhouetted. A thrill of excitement shot through her body. A lone figure worked diligently on the porch. Though she did not need to see her face to know that it was her mother. Even though she had only been gone two days, her heart ached to see her mother again.

"Mater!" Nysa exclaimed, running forward with her arms open. As she ran closer, she saw her mother's face light up at the return of her daughter.

"Nysa!" Her mother laughed, enveloping her daughter in her arms, "You're safe. You've returned." She held her daughter tightly, whispering these words as though she didn't believe them. Warm tears threatened to fall from both of their eyes.

"Did you find it? Did you find the artifact?"

Nysa chuckled awkwardly, stepping back from the hug, "In a way."

"Sister!" Elissa gasped from the doorway of the home. Nysa didn't have time to react before she was scooped into another hug. She let out a little breath of relief, having temporarily avoided the subject of the artifact.

"It's good to see you too," she chuckled, as Elissa stepped away.

"And the handsome misthios returns," she grinned as Alexios joined them.

"Where's Lamia and Clio?" Nysa frowned, looking around.

"They're still in town buying some things we needed," Elissa answered, "All this work is a lot harder than you make it look."

Nysa beamed proudly.

"Nysa," her mother frowned, "Did you find the artifact or not?"

"That's a funny story actually," she chuckled, lightheartedly. Her mother, however, did not find the situation as amusing. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her daughter expectantly.

"Well, did you?"

"I did," Nysa nodded, "but a masked man took it."

"So, this was all for nothing?" her mother sighed.

"Not for nothing. We're going to track it down, Alexios thinks he may know where the masked man is going."

"And where would that be?"

"Attika."

"Attika!" her mother exclaimed incredulously.

"Yes, but I'm sure it will only be a short while. We'll be back before you know it."