The nightless beauty - chapter 34
The small smoothie shop off the coast of Athens buzzed with mortal chatter - blenders whirring, waves humming beyond the glass.
Clarita twirled her straw, the sunlight catching her silver hair as she leaned closer to Ethan. "You know, if you keep staring at the menu like it's a prophecy tablet, I might get jealous."
Ethan laughed nervously, cheeks pink. "I'm just... trying to decide between strawberry and blueberry. They both feel like good moral choices."
Across the table, Abyss and Elysium sat with matching smoothies - his untouched, hers halfway gone. Abyss's gaze was fixed out the window, expression unreadable. The light bent strangely around him; even the reflections seemed to avoid his shadow.
"Ugh," he muttered, setting down the cup. "Why am I even here? I should be planning how to stop Kronos before he makes another move."
Clarita sighed, rolling her eyes. "You said you wanted to join our date, Abyss. Don't act like we dragged you here. Besides..." she tilted her head slyly toward Elysium, "looks like you brought yours too."
Abyss blinked, clearly confused. "Brought mine-? What are you talking about?"
Elysium leaned in, wrapping her arms around him from behind with a teasing smile. "She means a double date, you idiot."
He frowned. "A double what? You mortals keep inventing things just to annoy me."
Clarita giggled. "Welcome to civilization."
Before Elysium could tease him again, Abyss's demeanor changed. His faint smile vanished, his tone dropping to something heavier - divine, almost metallic.
He looked across the table, directly at Ethan. "You seem... different."
Ethan stopped mid-sip. Even Clarita felt the weight shift - the air thinned, pressure tightening like before a storm.
"I was... chosen," Ethan said quietly. "To be the Hero of Olympus."
The smoothie in Abyss's hand cracked - the cup shattered from the sudden surge of wind around his palm.
"Chosen by who?" His voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the mortal noise like a blade through silk. "Which god decided you were ready to sink into their pit of lies?"
Ethan hesitated, then spoke with a mix of pride and discomfort. "Not a god. A previous hero. Perseus."
That name lingered. Even Elysium's wings trembled slightly.
Abyss exhaled sharply, tension still crackling in the air. "Now the old ghosts are meddling too. Shameless."
Elysium nudged him, breaking the silence. "At least he has a quest, Abyss. You're just sitting around waiting for the next Titan to throw a tantrum."
Abyss glanced at her - no anger, just quiet, hollow reflection. "If I don't wait, the world ends sooner. You'd be surprised how much patience keeps mortals alive."
Elysium smiled faintly. "And yet, you still came for smoothies."
That earned the smallest smirk from him. "Even gods need sugar." dam he would love to visit mortal world more at that point though he's busy as he took a sip from Elysium cup his was destroyed
Though somewhere way too seriouse
In the high spire of the Loom, threads of existence wove endlessly, glowing faintly under the eternal light. The Fate Sisters hovered, faces pinched with frustration, each hand hovering above shimmering threads that refused to obey.
"Why can't we?" one sister snapped, blue eyes narrowing. "We could just connect his thread to someone else's thread- reroute him!"
The middle sister exhaled, hair like liquid silver falling around her shoulders. "It doesn't work. Threads around him just... vanish. Anyone near him loses their line. It disappears completely. I-he's getting on my nerves."
The last sister, whose crimson-streaked hair swirled like molten fire, muttered with a sharp edge, "What about Zeus? Surely he'd love to... fix this problem."
They debated, their voices overlapping, as the loom hummed with untold power. But every possible solution twisted into impossibility.
Finally, they stormed to the back of the Loom, hoping to find guidance from Anake, their long-time overseer. But instead, a new presence stopped them in their tracks: Mira, the Harbinger of Inevitability.
The sisters froze. None had ever encountered her here - not personally.
"Ugh, so dramatic," Mira said, golden hair glinting like liquid sunlight as she leaned casually against the loom. Her voice was calm, almost indulgent, but carried the weight of eternity.
"Where is Anake?!" the middle sister demanded, fury flaring in her eyes.
Mira's lips curved into a slight smile. "Anake? My dear little weavers... my mommy isn't here anymore. She passed her primordiality to me. I rule here now. And from this moment, you obey me."
A chill ran through the room as Mirage, the Harbinger of Shade, emerged from the corner. Shadows flowed around her like liquid night, gradually forming a humanoid figure. Pale, flawless skin, dark eyes that seemed to swallow light, and a beauty so precise it was unsettling - Nyx herself might have envied her form. A faint, unnerving smile played on her lips.
She glanced at the Loom logs the sisters had passed. "Oh my... Abyss~," she purred.
Mira rolled her eyes, amused. "The guy you've been whining about for the last... what, five years?"
Mirage tilted her head, eyes glinting. "Five years, seven months, fifteen days." Her tone was soft, yet the shadows around her pulse hinted at the quiet, dangerous awareness that she would be the one to deal with him.
"But don't get your hopes up," she added, voice silk laced with ice. "I'm not promising an end to him. I'm not even sure I can."
The Fate Sisters exchanged anxious glances, realizing that Abyss had drawn the attention of forces far beyond their control. Even the Loom, the very structure of destiny, bowed only partially to the harbingers now.
And above them, the threads of fate fluttered as if whispering: some beings simply cannot be controlled.
Though the labor of Leo would be worse
The air shimmered with heat and tension, the streets of the human realm fading as Leo felt reality bend around him. Across a small clearing, the faint silhouette of Hercules, massive and imposing, waited, his arms crossed with an amused grin. Beside him, Jay adjusted his straps nervously, already anticipating a long day.
Leo's hands balled into fists, flame coiling faintly around them. "So... this is it?" he asked, half-excited, half-irritated. "We're really doing some mini-Hercules thing?"
"Mini?" Hercules barked with a booming laugh. "I didn't do anything mini when I went through the Twelve Labors, boy. But yes, I promised a dimension of memories. Hermes!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," came a flash of light, a figure zipping so fast it looked like a streak of gold across the sky. Hermes stopped in a glittering sparkle, small but brimming with confidence.
Leo's jaw dropped. "Wait... he just-he-he's here?"
Hermes held a tiny dome in his hands. "Pocket dimension. Memory-stuffed. Magical hazard and danger included. Mailing business keeps me busy, but sometimes I like to make something useful." He tapped the dome, and in a blink, it expanded into a vast golden dome that stretched for miles. A horizon of swirling clouds of fire and mist surrounded the arena-like landscape.
Jay gawked. "Wait... Hermes runs a mailing business? And somehow also makes dimension-sized trials?!"
Hermes grinned. "Professional. That's what pays the bills. Just kidding-I like putting speed and energy to good use."
Hercules clapped his hands. "Enough chatter. Leo, first labor. Remember what I said. Don't try to rush everything-strategy counts. Go!"
First labor started against daskin a memory of daskin
The memory-dome stretched endlessly, clouds curling in crimson and gold, the air thick with heat and tension. Leo's boots sank slightly into the glowing sand as he approached the massive form before him. Daskin, the lion that had terrorized his last encounter, now loomed larger-muscles coiled, eyes molten gold and dripping menace, mane flickering like wildfire.
Leo's fists were wrapped in faint flame, aura simmering, but he could feel it: his battle spirit was not enough yet. He charged instinctively.
"RAAAH!" Leo roared, claws of flame lashing forward, striking Daskin's massive shoulder. The beast barely flinched. With a swipe of a paw, Leo was sent skidding across the sand, gouges burning across his arms.
Jay shouted from a distance, "Uh... Leo! You might want to not run straight at it!"
Leo shook his head, ignoring the advice. "I can handle it!"
The lion lunged again. Leo blocked with a sweeping flame arm, sparks raining like molten rain. But the force threw him off balance. His side scraped along the ground, cutting into him, warm blood mixing with heat. A hiss of pain escaped him, and instinctively he spat fire, the flames licking at his own cuts.
A sudden surge of battle spirit-the instinctive Ares-born response to danger and bloodshed-coiled within him. Pain became fuel. He rose again, eyes burning brighter, his aura flaring into the shape of a roaring lion. Each heartbeat echoed like war drums, and for a moment, Daskin hesitated, sensing something different.
Leo struck again, fists ablaze, but Daskin caught his wrist in a clawed paw, throwing him several meters back. Leo slammed against a glowing rock, wind knocked out of him. He tasted blood, and his blood itself seemed to ignite, feeding the flames wrapping around him.
"COME ON!" he screamed, fury sharpening his senses. His aura stretched, larger now, flames coiling like living serpents around his arms, legs, and chest. Each movement he made, even the shuffle of his feet, sent waves of heat outward, scorching the sand.
Daskin charged again, faster, claws tearing the air. But Leo no longer flinched. He waited. The beast's momentum carried it past him, and in a surge of raw strength, Leo pivoted, sending a crushing flame-laden elbow into its side. Sparks erupted, smoke curling around the impact. The lion roared, twisting, but Leo was already rising, building more battle spirit with each strike, each heartbeat, each drop of blood.
Jay's voice carried faintly through the mist: "Dude... your blood... is that normal?!"
Leo gritted his teeth. "This isn't about normal! It's about power!"
The aura now fully shaped itself: a massive, spectral lion roaring above Leo, mirroring every movement he made. Every step was synchronized with the ghostly lion's growl, and the flames bit into Daskin's mane as Leo struck. His blows, once weak, now landed with bone-shaking force.
The final charge came. Daskin leapt, jaws wide, claws extended. Leo's battle spirit reached its peak-his blood now a blazing conduit for his flames. With a roar, he slammed both fists together, sending a titanic explosion of fire through the air. The flames struck the lion, searing its mane, twisting around it like chains.
The lion roared in defiance, but finally, exhaustion hit. Muscles tensed once more, and Daskin collapsed, the fire slowly fading from Leo's aura. Leo dropped to one knee, gasping, blood dripping from cuts but flames still faintly licking around him as if marking his victory.
Jay ran over, wide-eyed. "You... you did it?"
Leo wiped sweat and blood from his brow. "Yeah... I did it... barely." He flexed his fists, flames dissipating but leaving the faint glow of battle spirit. "That's what it takes. Battle spirit... grows with pain, with fire... with blood."
Hercules, standing several feet away with crossed arms, finally smirked. "That's the Ares way, boy. Strength isn't just muscle-it's the fire in your soul. Never forget it."
Leo rose fully, shoulders heavy but aura humming with energy. The first labor was complete, and though he was battered and bloody, he felt stronger than ever, ready for the trials yet to come.
To the second one the hydra
The memory-dome shifted. Sand and stone morphed into a dense, misty marsh. Steam rose from the stagnant pools, the air thick and choking. Leo's boots sank into the muck, heat radiating faintly from his flame aura. Across the mire, a massive figure emerged: the Hydra. Its scales glistened black and crimson, each of its nine heads snapping and hissing, eyes burning with an unnatural intelligence.
Leo's fists flared with small flames. "Alright... this one's tougher than Daskin, but I got this."
He charged. A head lunged forward, jaws snapping shut inches from his face. Leo swung, his fists ablaze. The flames struck the first head, but it hissed and regenerated almost instantly, scales knitting back together as if mocking him. Another head struck him, claws raking across his arm, deep scratches burning with mingled pain and fury.
Jay, standing several meters away, shouted, "Leo, maybe-"
"Quiet!" Hercules barked, cutting him off with a glare. "Figure it out yourself. That's how battle spirit grows!"
Leo gritted his teeth, blocking a strike that sent him tumbling into the murky water. He pushed himself up, mud and blood mixing, flames weakly flickering around his fists. "Come on... come on..." he muttered, trying to brute-force the attacks, swinging wildly at the Hydra.
Every hit barely staggered a head before it healed. Every strike left Leo more frustrated. Sweat and blood dripped down his face, mixing with the steam. The Hydra snapped, and Leo's body slammed against a tree-like structure, wind knocked out of him. Rage flared.
His chest heaved as he rose, fists glowing brighter. "I... am... Leo!" he screamed. His aura began to flare uncontrollably, flames licking across his skin, igniting the surrounding mist. Each movement sent sparks into the air. His blood felt like fire, burning from within, feeding his battle spirit.
The Hydra lunged, nine jaws snapping. Leo dodged, weaving, feeling the surge of anger push his flames higher. On instinct, he swung at a head with all his might. Flames wrapped around the neck, and for the first time, the head sizzled and shriveled instead of regenerating.
A spark of realization hit him. "Wait... the flames... they hurt it!"
The Hydra hissed, its heads thrashing more violently, realizing it was vulnerable. Leo roared, charging again, each fist coated in fire. He pivoted, striking multiple heads at once. Flames seared the necks, smoke curling as regeneration slowed and then stopped entirely.
Jay shouted, "That's it! That's it-use your flames!"
Hercules rolled his eyes, muttering, "Finally figured it out. Took long enough."
Leo ignored the commentary. His aura grew even larger, shaping into a roaring lion around him, mirroring the fiery strikes he sent at the Hydra. Each head fell under the scorching flames until only one remained, thrashing violently. Leo, panting, bloodied, sweat pouring, gathered every ounce of battle spirit left. With a final, earth-shaking punch, engulfed in blazing lion-shaped fire, he smashed the last head.
The Hydra let out one final, echoing roar as it collapsed, smoke rising from the charred remains. Leo dropped to one knee, flames subsiding slowly, aura fading to a faint glow. His chest heaved. Blood and fire marked his skin, but his eyes shone with victorious resolve.
Jay rushed forward, wide-eyed. "Leo... you... you actually did it. All nine heads!"
Leo smirked faintly, exhaustion dragging at him. "Yeah... but it wasn't about brute force. It was about control and battle spirit. I finally learned how to turn the fire into a weapon, not just a punch."
Hercules clapped him on the shoulder. "That's the Ares way. Strength alone won't win battles-you've got to ignite your spirit and let it guide the power. Remember this lesson for the next labor, boy."
Leo rose fully, flames flickering weakly along his arms. "Lesson learned. Next one's mine too."
And the third one and last for today the stage
The memory-dome shimmered and shifted again. Mist parted, revealing a vast forest, silver light spilling through the trees. The air felt sacred, vibrating with quiet power. Somewhere deep in the grove, a faint, glowing shape darted between the trunks. Leo squinted.
"There it is..." he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. His fists glowed faintly, small flickers of flame tracing his knuckles. "The Stag of Ceryneia... glowing, fast... yeah, got it."
Jay followed, holding his backpack tight, scanning the forest nervously. "Uh... Leo... it's moving way too fast. How are you gonna-"
"Shut up," Leo snapped, flames flickering. "I've got this."
Hercules leaned against a tree, arms crossed, observing silently. "Patience, boy. Don't charge blindly. This isn't about hitting-it's about tracking and strategy. Let the battle spirit guide you."
Leo's battle spirit started faint, barely enough to sense the aura of the stag. He crouched low, stepping lightly over roots and rocks. The glowing deer shimmered in the undergrowth, radiant and ethereal. Every step it took left a faint trail of light, and Leo realized the forest seemed to respond to its presence, trees bending slightly away.
He lunged, trying to grab it-but his speed was too slow. The stag bounded, leaving a streak of silver behind. Leo skidded to a halt, flames sputtering weakly.
"This... this isn't working," he muttered, rubbing his head. His battle spirit flickered in frustration, feeding his flames. His aura intensified slightly, flames licking higher, as if his irritation fueled his reflexes. He tried again, this time predicting its path, moving faster, jumping over a fallen log... but the stag darted sideways, disappearing behind a grove.
And then it happened. A figure appeared-tall, regal, with silvery bow and ethereal grace. A mimic of Artemis, formed from the memories of Hercules. Her eyes glimmered with the same divine aura, yet there was something off about her movements, like a shadow of a goddess rather than the goddess herself.
"Artemis?" Leo whispered, stunned. His flames flared slightly in awe. "You... you're... real?"
The memory-Artemis shook her head slightly, motioning toward the stag. She didn't speak, but her presence radiated a command: protect the stag. Leo's instincts screamed. Capture it, and the trial is over-but how?
He edged closer, cautiously. "Okay... just stay calm. Don't... don't freak out."
The stag moved, but his aura flared with the lingering frustration and blood-heated battle spirit. Flames traced along his arms, forming faint, roaring shapes of lions in the misty forest. The deer's glow pulsed as if sensing the power, stepping back cautiously.
Leo realized something. The memory-Artemis would react if he attacked the stag directly. He needed a trick. A plan formed. "Alright, let's... let's make her do the work."
He moved slowly, positioning himself so the deer would naturally run toward the mimic-Artemis. "Go... go, little guy... toward the... lady?" Leo muttered, sweat mixing with the glow of his flames. The stag froze, sniffing, sensing danger-but the lure of the mimic goddess's aura drew it forward.
A flash of motion-the stag leapt, and the Artemis memory reacted instinctively, stepping to block its path. Leo's eyes widened. "Wait... wait, don't... oh, it's gonna-"
The deer bounded straight into the gently glowing bowstring of the mimic-Artemis, who moved just enough to trap it between her presence and the forest path. Leo blinked in disbelief. "I... I... did it?"
Hercules clapped slowly. "Aha... clever, boy. You used battle spirit and cunning instead of brute force. That's the trick of this labor. The goddess protects what is sacred-let her do the heavy lifting."
Jay shook his head, slack-jawed. "You... tricked a goddess to do your work?"
Leo shrugged, flames dimming as his battle spirit cooled. "It's... a strategy. I didn't actually hurt her."
The mimic-Artemis stepped aside, letting the stag step into Leo's waiting hands. It glimmered in his grasp, warm and almost quivering. Leo's chest heaved, flames licking gently along his arms as his aura settled into a calm, satisfied glow.
"Captured," Leo muttered, holding the deer carefully. "Third labor... done."
Hercules chuckled. "Patience, strategy, battle spirit... and a little cleverness. Remember this, boy. The next labor will test all three even more."
For leo the Artemis part was stressing against a goddess he can only hope to survive but the way Artemis in Hercules memory(weird)helped him win it if Hercules actually recall how actual Artemis is she would smoke Leo before he can breathe
Also for those who wondering the gimmick
Battle spirit = is a power children of ares has they start the fight weak because their always in their weakest outside battle but slowly battle spirit built up till strength become stronger he ever been it's stackable basically