In the salt-water pond near the cabin, Xanthus swam, taking position above Sara, who waited below. She was surrounded by sharks—courtesy of Triton. Xanthus could smell Sara’s fear leaking from her pores, tainting the water—a telltale sign that nothing was certain in the outcome of the situation. The other Dagonians, reeking of garlic and armed to the teeth, took positions along the shore of the pond, watching for the vrykolakas approach. Thane and his hellhounds took to the woods, laying in ambush.
Xanthus surfaced. All seemed calm. The stars twinkled above, and the crescent moon reflected off the surface of the water. Xanthus noticed something odd, a patch of sky where the stars did not shine. Darkness snuffed out the sparkling stars one by one, filling the sky with blackness. The vrykolakas approached from the east.
“They’re coming,” Straton said, pointing toward the starless sky.
“Let’s give them a welcome they won’t forget,” Pallas said with a sword and shield in his hands. Garlic oil not only shined over his skin, but he had dozens of cloves hanging off his weapon straps, which crossed his chest and hugged his waist.
Xanthus smiled. “Do you have enough garlic?”
Pallas grinned back. “I’m only thinking of the many females who would die if this splendid body were devoured. I have a responsibility to them.”
Xanthus laughed and shook his head. “Always thinking of others.”
“I’m glad you all can laugh at a time like this,” Drakōn said. “I, for one, don’t see anything remotely funny in this situation.”
“That’s where your problem is,” Pallas said. “If you can’t enjoy your work, you need to find a new profession.”
“I’m sorry to say,” Straton said, “but I agree with Drakōn. This situation is far from funny.”
“You don’t even need to be here, Doc,” Pallas said. “You’d do better to stay in the cabin and treat the wounded after the battle is over.”
Straton shook his head. “I may be a doctor, but I’m also a soldier, and I’m just as dangerous as you. Even more so, I’d wager.”
“Ooh,” Pallas said. “That sounds like a challenge. I’ll bet I can kill more vrykolakas than you.”
Straton shook his head. “I can’t believe you want to make a bet at a time like this.”
“Now’s the best time. So are we on?”
“Well, technically, the vrykolakas are already dead,” Straton said.
“Alright, I bet I can destroy more than you.”
Straton gave a hint of a smile. “Fine.”
“You guys better do less talking and more preparation,” Kyros said, “because they’re almost here.”
“We haven’t decided on the prize,” Pallas said.
The wind whipped around them and spread ripples across the water, carrying with it a musty and faintly putrid smell. Xanthus sank below the surface but kept watch on the scene unfolding above. The trees towering above the pond shook as vrykolakas landed on the branches. A single creature landed in front of Kyros. The beast threw his head back and drew in a deep breath through his nose. He lowered his head and narrowed his eyes. Kyros held his ground and raised his sword.
“Mmm, I can smell your blood… and your fear,” the vrykolakas growled through his sharp teeth. His smile widening as he looked around the pond, his eyes landing on the Dagonians one by one. “Garlic will not save you.” The vrykolakas hissed and laughed. “We will simply have to wash your dead bodies before eating you.”
“You’re not going to barter with us?” Kyros asked. “Perhaps offer to leave us alive in exchange for the daughter of Nikoleta?”
Xanthus had to hold himself back from shooting to the surface and roaring out a protest. He knew Kyros did not intend to deliver Sara into their hands, but the mere suggestion had him on the brink of madness. Instead, he forced himself to listen to the creature’s answer.
The vrykolakas’ wet laughter bellowed as drool dripped over his chin. “By all means, deliver the daughter of Nikoleta to us. But we will drain you of your blood and devour your flesh regardless.”
Kyros raised his sword, sunk into a crouch, and smiled darkly. “You’re welcome to try.”
The creature stepped back, smirking as he raised his hand and looked to the trees. “Troops, bring the daughter of Nikoleta to me. She is mine to feast on. You can share the rest. Leave no survivors and leave no evidence. I don’t want to see a single bone littered on the ground.”
A growl rumbled through the air. Xanthus felt the sound deep in his bones, terror washing over him. The vrykolakas’ head whipped around, his eyes widening in fear.
From the shadows of the trees, a monster leapt out and slammed the vrykolakas on the ground. It looked like a giant wolf, with prominent jaws and fangs longer than Xanthus’ forearm. The vrykolakas wailed and fought, but the creature made no move to bite his prey. This had to be a hellhound. Xanthus wondered what the creature was waiting for.
Dark mist poured into the clearing. Moments later, Thane followed. He looked different, transformed into a monster himself. At about nine feet tall, with a long, black cape and wild, glowing eyes—this demigod with power born of the Underworld was unfathomably more frightening than the vrykolakas.
“Please. Son of Thanatos, have mercy.”
His laughter rumbled low. “This is how I show mercy.” The demigod of death reached out his long fingers and touched the forehead of the creature. His flesh disintegrated like dry sand, leaving white bone in a pile of black dust.
The trees erupted as the vrykolakas took flight. They screeched as they flew toward the Dagonians.
Xanthus wanted to leap from the water and join the fight, but Sara’s safety was too important. Instead, he waited, ready to strike any undead creature that tried to take her.
The Dagonians fought, slicing their blades, cutting down creature after creature. The trees rumbled with the hellhounds as they, too, attacked the undead beasts. Kyros looked at Xanthus and nodded. Kyros then leapt and grabbed the ankle of a creature, pulling him from the sky. He swung him around as Xanthus swam down and turned to race up. Kyros let go, releasing the vrykolakas as Xanthus shot from the water. He slammed into the creature, catching him midflight and pulled him under. Wrapping his tail around the body, he wrenched on the head. It didn’t take much effort to pull it off the shoulders, decapitating the creature. These undead monsters might appear frightening, but they were more fragile than they looked. Still, their numbers made them formidable.
A large shark chomped the floating head and swallowed. He swam on unfazed for a moment, then he stopped and shuddered. Thrashing around, he coughed up the head and swam on, blood trailing from his gills. The shark was injured.
As the vrykolakas head spun around, floating through the water, Xanthus was shocked to see the fury on the face of the creature. The head was still alive. The body sank, thrashing at the bottom of the pond, and the jaws continued to chomp.
Xanthus grabbed the head by the hair. He surfaced, and then hurled it out of the pond. It slammed into a tree and tumbled to the ground. The skull crushed from the impact, but the jaws continued to snap. He retrieved the flailing body and tossed it from the pond as well.
On all sides of the water, Dagonians swung their blades, slicing at the creatures, severing limbs and dealing powerful blows. It was difficult to make out Thane in the darkness. But occasionally, Xanthus caught a shadow gliding through the trees. Like a ghost, the demigod materialized near a creature. The thing turned to leap away. Thane reached out his hand and the beast collapsed midflight, falling to the ground. His wings beat the air as he scrambled to get away, but he couldn’t seem to move from the spot. Thane rushed forward, brushing his fingertips across the beast’s wing. The creature disintegrated in a heap of dusty bones. Thane had only just destroyed one vrykolakas when he honed in on another and repeated his death touch. And then he all but disappeared, a shadow. Destruction accompanying everything the shadow touched. The air was filled with billowing dust.
A cry rent the air as Xanthus turned. It was Straton. A creature had come at him from behind just as he’d sliced another in half. The monster had him by the neck, his claws squeezing and blood pouring between his talons. Straton’s sword dropped from his limp fingers as the creature’s wings flapped, carrying him forward with his blood trailing behind. Xanthus had to force himself not to leap from the water and intervene. That was just the opportunity the creatures would be waiting for. Their prize floated below him. Watching his friend die while he did nothing went against his whole being. But Sara must be protected at all costs, including the cost of his friends’ lives.
Pallas roared, his sword rising as he raced to help Straton. As fast as Straton’s blood was flowing, he was too far away to get there in time. Xanthus was stunned when Sara flashed by him, streaking toward the surface. He roared, diving down to get the momentum he needed to follow her. If he were too late, she’d be in the vrykolakas’ hands.
As he broke through the water’s surface, he could see the vrykolakas had abandoned Straton and was flying toward Sara. Kyros ran at the creature from behind him, but he would not get there in time. Sara, with scarcely a hint of fear, reached out her hand. The vrykolakas’ momentum slowed and then he was flying back—onto Kyros’ blade. The skewered creature thrashed and fought, trying to turn toward Kyros, who swung another blade and sliced off the monster’s head.
Xanthus landed near Sara, who had dropped to her knees beside Straton. “Straton!” she cried as she pressed against the open wounds. “Oh please, don’t die. You can’t die! You saved me once. Now I have to save you.”
Xanthus’ heart clenched when he realized Straton had mere seconds to live. With the gaping slashes across his neck flowing like rivers of blood, there was no hope in saving him. The others must have also realized they were about to lose their friend, because each of them fought with a vengeance, cutting down beast after beast as the creatures attempted to descend on Sara.
Sara looked up at Xanthus—her hands red with blood. “Please Xanthus, I need to help him. Tell me what to do.”
He shook his head. “There’s nothing we can do.” A short glance at Straton, and he knew… His blood flow had slowed to a trickle. His heart had stopped.
“He’s gone, moro mou.”
She shook her head in denial.
“Come on. We need to get you back to the—”
“Xanthus!” Kyros’ voice roared in fear as Xanthus felt red-hot pain slice through his chest. Sara screamed as he looked down to see the point of a sword poking out of his body.
Xanthus had killed hundreds in his lifetime. He was an expert when it came to delivering death. And he knew beyond any doubt… he was a dead man.
He looked up to see the horror on Sara’s face as he stumbled to the ground beside her. “Xanthus! Oh, no, no, no. This can’t be happening!” she said as she wrapped her arms around him and attempted to help him lie down. Sara sobbed. “You’re going to be alright. You can’t die. I won’t let you die.” She looked frantically around. “I need something…” Her eyes landed on the growing puddle of his blood. “Oh, gods. Xanthus, I don’t… I don’t know what to do.”
“I’m sorry, moro mou—” He gasped.
“No! Don’t say it.”
Shudders shook his body. His chest tightened like it was being squeezed by a giant squid.
“Xanthus.” She pressed her bloodied hands against his face and made him look at her. Her eyes were pleading, desperate. “You can’t leave me. Do you understand? You can’t—” Her voice cracked as tears streamed down her face.
“Oh gods, not Xanthus!” Pallas shouted in the background.
“There’s too many of them,” Kyros shouted.
“Thane, we need you here!” Drakōn shouted.
Voices swirled around him, anger, desperation, despair… and all the while, Sara pleaded with him not to leave her. Never in his life had he been more desperate to live. But the choice to survive was not in his control. The frantic voices faded, as did Xanthus’ pain. He didn’t have much longer. “I love you, Sara.” He coughed.
“You can’t leave me,” she wailed. Numbness suffocated his pain, and everything went dark. Sara tucked her head into his shoulder—her favorite place to be when she slept at night.
His shredded heart broke when he realized this was the last time he would ever embrace his wife. His grip tightened, desperate to hold on to her. “I don’t want to leave you, moro mou.”
“Then don’t. Please, Xanthus,” Sara said; the words came out as a cry. “You can’t leave me.”
His grip on his beloved disappeared as darkness enveloped him. He wanted to cry out, to curse the name of death for taking him from his wife. But he could no longer speak; he couldn’t feel… Was this what it felt like to die?
A light appeared in the dark abyss, along with warmth. Pain shot through his body and agony like a searing iron scalded his heart. “Augh!” he wailed as sensation returned and his body seized. His eyes flew open. Everything around him came into view, clearer, more focused than he’d ever seen. He examined the scene as if it were in slow motion. Sara’s eyes flew open wide. Three tear droplets shook off her lashes. Each of the surviving Dagonians fought like wild animals in fear for their lives, yet also driven by rage—he could actually feel their rage.
Was he dead? He’d never experienced the world like this. He could see and interpret everything, even read the intentions of each individual engaged in battle. His mind worked a thousand tactics that would bring victory. He’d been a mighty warrior in life, but it seemed in death, he could be unstoppable. But then, if he were dead, why did his chest hurt so much?
“Xanthus?” Sara’s voice shook, her eyes wide, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. He looked down on her and realized he was standing on his feet. “How?” she whispered.
The bloody sword lodged in his chest made it difficult for him to breathe. He pushed it from the front, groaning at the pain. But he couldn’t reach it as it protruded from his back.
Kyros stumbled into view. “Hades, Xanthus. You should be dead.”
“I thought I was.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Can you get this bloody sword out of my back?”
Kyros jerked it out as Xanthus shouted.
“You ought to get yourself and Sara back into the water. You’ve…” Kyros’ words dropped away. “Your wound. Hades, Xanthus, your wound is gone!”
Xanthus could feel power building inside him. He might have nearly died, but right then, he felt as if he could take on the entire swarm of vrykolakas single-handedly.
“I don’t need to hide.” He looked around at the scene of chaos and said, “I’ve got this covered.” At those words, he ran to engage the enemy. His body moved with perfect precision. Slicing his blade through bone felt more like slicing through jellyfish. And his speed… he’d never moved so fast. He blocked and struck, interpreting beforehand each of his opponent’s actions. He instinctively knew how to fight each creature. But not only that, he could see the entire scene around him, and he planned how to take them down, cut them off, and drive them to Thane to finish them off. Yet, as focused as he was on the battle, Sara was anchored in his mind. Her safety was never again in jeopardy.
Minutes later, Xanthus found himself standing amidst a pile of bones, his body covered in ash. Every vrykolakas was cut down. It had only taken minutes to destroy a thousand undead creatures.
Now would be the usual time for the Dagonians to celebrate. Instead, they stood a ways off, fearful to approach him. Kyros finally did step forward. “What in Hades happened to you, Xanthus?”
“I happened to him.” Triton’s voice came from behind the Dagonians. They turned to see the sea-god approach.
“What did you do to me?” Xanthus asked, baffled.
“I did what I needed to do to protect my child,” he said. “Ares has been killed and sent to the Underworld. You now have his power. You are the new god of war.”
Xanthus felt like he’d been punched—his shock was so great. “But how?”
“I drained Ares of his powers and gave them to you. Permanently. I’ve a feeling you’ll do a much better job as the god of war than Ares ever did, and I’ll never have to see my daughter suffer by losing her husband. You are immortal. You are a god.”
Xanthus looked around at the carnage. He couldn’t deny that he was powerful. His eyes fell on Sara. Tears were falling down her face, but these were not tears of despair, but rather, tears of joy.
She rushed forward, and Xanthus took her in into his strong arms. “I thought I’d lost you,” she sobbed.
“I thought you did too, moro mou.”
He kept her tight in his arms as she squeezed her arms around his chest. And then his eyes landed on his fallen friend. He turned to Triton.
“Is there no hope for Straton?” Xanthus asked.
Triton’s face fell. “I wish there were.”
Xanthus searched the crowd and found Thane. “Son of Death, could you bring him back?”
Thane shook his head. “Once dead, it’s difficult to get released. Now, if you are willing to trade your life for his, then there is a possibility.”
Sara squeezed him tighter. “Don’t you dare.”
Pallas stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”
Thane narrowed his eyes. “You’d be willing to die for a friend?”
“For Straton, yes. Who am I? I’m a warrior, trained to take lives. Straton is a healer, trained to save lives. I’d say the world would be better off with fewer killers and more healers.”
Sara shook her head. “Pallas, you don’t realize the good you do. You’re not a killer—you’re a protector.”
“Sara’s right,” Drakōn said. “You save lives just as much as Straton. You just do it in a different way.”
“What is going on here?” a voice shouted from the trees. Nicole stumbled into the clearing, careful to avoid the dusty skulls and bones lying around. She searched the crowd and found Triton. “You think you can dump me in the sea while you and Sara fight for your lives?”
Triton was by her side in that moment, taking her into his arms and kissing her. When he pulled away, he asked, “How did you get here?”
“You owe Iris a wish.”
“I can’t grant wishes.”
“Well, you’d better find a way.”
Xanthus noticed Pallas kneeling down and brushing Straton’s eyes closed. He was clearly not distracted from his intent to care for his friend.
“So,” Nicole said, breathless. “I’m too late? The fighting’s over? Is our baby okay?”
“I’m fine, Mom,” Sara said.
Nicole turned to Sara. Her relief turned to shock. “Sara? What happened to your hair?”
“Um, I’ll tell you later. Right now, we need to save a friend.”
Nicole followed Sara’s eyes to see Straton lying dead in a pool of blood. “Oh,” she said, and then her face grew somber as she looked around at everyone. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Mom.” Sara’s eyes lit with hope. “You can save him.”
Triton stepped forward and put his hand on Sara’s shoulder. “Are you sure that’s wise? You know how fate works. Pull out one thread in the fabric, and the whole thing might unravel.”
“Yes.” She frowned. “I know. But, I’ve got an idea. I’ll need a volunteer.”
“Will it save Straton?” Pallas asked.
“I hope so,” she said as she let go of Xanthus and stepped forward. Xanthus followed, keeping her close.
“I’ll do it,” Pallas answered.
“Okay, I’m going to make a wish, Mom,” she said, stepping in front of Nicole.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Nicole looked at her apprehensively.
Sara’s brows pinched together. “Yes.”
Nicole took her hand. “Okay, baby.”
“I wish that only wishes that benefit the world will be granted by you.”
Nicole smiled, pride in her face. “That’s brilliant.”
“I hope so.”
“How do we know it worked?” Drakōn asked.
“Oh, it worked,” Sara said. “Okay Pallas, it’s your turn. But I have to warn you. If saving his life in any way harms others, your wish won’t work. He may be beyond saving.”
“He’s the most loyal, compassionate man I know,” Pallas said vehemently.
Xanthus put his arm on his friend’s shoulder and interrupted. “We know. But, if he were to go on to save another, and that person turned out to be a cold-blooded killer…”
Pallas nodded. “Yeah, I understand. But I know this is going to work. The world can only be better off with him alive.”
Nicole lifted her hand. “It’s worth a try.”
Pallas grasped her hand. “I wish Straton were alive and well.”
Xanthus looked at Straton. At first, he appeared unchanged, but after minute, the wounds on Straton’s neck began to close and color flooded his face. Seconds later, he was taking a whooping breath. His eyes blinked and widened. “Whoa. That was the most vivid dream I’ve ever had.”
Everyone took a collective sigh of relief.
Straton looked around, baffled. “Um, is there a reason you are all gawking at me?”
“You were dead,” Drakōn said.
Sara looked up to Xanthus. “I need to talk to Gretchen.”
“But she’s not—”
Gretchen’s appearance at the edge of the pond interrupted his words. She spotted Kyros and sprinted to him. He caught her in an embrace and swung her around before kissing her.
Xanthus was relieved that as close as they came to disaster, they all seemed to come out unharmed.
“Why did you need to talk to Gretchen?” Xanthus said—his curiosity piqued.
“You’ll see,” she said just before she ran to Gretchen and pulled her away from her baffled husband. She whispered in her ear, and Gretchen’s eyes widened in surprise. What was Sara saying to her?
Gretchen stepped carefully through the clutter on the ground with Sara on her arm. They stopped in front of Nicole. Pallas and Straton stepped in front of Xanthus, chatting loudly. They were soon joined by Drakōn and Amar. Xanthus lost view of his wife.
Kyros came up next to Xanthus and asked, “What’s up with Sara and Gretchen?”
“I was just going to ask you that same question,” Xanthus answered.
A high, wailing scream shot adrenaline through Xanthus’ veins.
“It can’t be,” Kyros breathed as he shoved his way past the Dagonians. Xanthus followed, concerned over the fear in that female’s cry. There, on the dusty ground, lay a young Dagonian woman, shrieking and crying in terror. She dragged her body across the ground, her fin leaving muddy streaks as she tried to escape them.
Kyros raced over to her. “Kassi! Oh gods, Kassi, it’s me. Your brother.”
That voice cut through her fear as she turned a desperate look toward him. “Kyros?” Xanthus’ heart swelled. Kyros’ sister had been murdered by humans over a hundred years ago. He’d been mourning her since that day. And here she was, alive.
“Kyros?” She looked him up and down, her entire body trembling. “I… you…”
“It’s me, baby sister,” he said as he lifted her off the ground. Kassi threw her arms around her brother’s neck, and they both clung to each other as they cried.
Xanthus turned to Sara and gave her an inquisitive look. She shrugged. “I saw a vision of the future, and she was in it.”
Xanthus couldn’t help the smile that lit his face.
Of all the outcomes for this day that he could have dreamed, Xanthus never would have dreamed up this one. “You, my love…” He shook his head. “…are a miracle.” Then he kissed his wife.