Nýchta took an extended breath before deeply sighing.

She then turned around and saw that the tunnel from which she emerged was once sealed by a large slab of marble but the seal had been broken.

She slithered toward one of the broken chunks of marble and, after coiling her tail, she sat down and placed her daggers by her side.

She removed her helmet and gently placed it down before raising her left arm.

A strand of ethereal white light then appeared above her wrist.

It was no larger than a twig and it followed her arm as it tiredly swayed.

Nýchta took a single deep breath before uttering a series of words.

[Gaia, heal my wounds.]

The strand of light then shattered and from it sprang forth countless strands of green light.

These strands seeped into Nýchta’s skin and she lightly gasped as her wounds slowly closed.

Starting from her fingers, their flesh swelled and convulsed rapidly before healing.

Her arms, chest and face were next with her tail being last.

Some of the serpents on her head checked to see if the one that had died had been revived but it still limply hung from her head.

Nýchta wanted to mourn its death with nothing but a stiff expression all while the dark sky churned above.

The sounds of movement then came from behind her and so, after wearing her helmet, she rushed into the thick grass behind her and crawled to a tree which stood in the temple’s leftmost corner.

She then watched as a small man entered the temple. However, not only was he small, he stood hunched over and had to use what appeared to be an iron spear to keep himself upright.

Draped over his back and dripping with water was an old red cape which brandished the crest of a golden eagle which held an olive branch in its left and a bolt of lightning in its right. Sitting proudly atop the eagle’s head was a crown of ten vertical streaks of light.

The hunched man scanned the temple but, even though Nýchta was several times bigger than him, she remained unseen. Her golden armour hidden behind the tall grass and tree.

The hunchback noticed the two daggers on the crumbled marble seal and cautiously inched towards them with his spear raised.

Nýchta concluded that it would be better to scare the hunchback away and so she slithered towards him rapidly before wrapping her tail around his small self.

She then, along with her many head bound serpents, hissed at the small man, making him wince fearfully.

“Return from whence ye came or suffer a death most agonizing!”

The hunchback let out a small cry as Nýchta tossed him back to the temple’s entrance.

He tumbled a few times before finally coming to a stop.

However, what happened next surprised Nýchta a little.

The hunchback stood up and, with a twisted scowl, he tapped a marble tile with his spear and beat his chest with his free hand.

“M-my name is Ephialtes of Mizéria, son of Eurydemus a-and I will be your doom, monster!”

Nýchta didn’t know how to respond.

Ephialtes, as he called himself, was struggling to even lift his spear. His eyes also quaked violently in their sockets and it looked as though he was on the verge of crying.

He charged towards Nýchta who simply used her tail to smack his ankle, making him fall onto his side.

She then slithered towards him and rested most of her tail on him.

“Why do you fight me so… valiantly?” She asked with a raised brow but Ephialtes continued to struggle.

She lowered her head to closely look into his big brown eyes but he looked away all while frantically breathing.

“Did you come here to kill me specifically?”

Ephialtes didn’t respond.

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“I assume there are other monsters around? If so, then I find it odd that you, of all beings, would be out hunting them.” Nýchta muttered.

Ephialtes let out several whimpers and it looked as though he was about to start begging for his life but, even as the seconds passed, he did not beg.

Nýchta scoffed before sliding her tail off of him.

She then took his spear and inspected its simple design and rust covered surface all while Ephialtes struggled onto his feet.

“Well?” She asked before facing Ephialtes but, again, he did not respond-

“M-monsters prowl these lands. Twisted creatures made even more so by dark magics. I… I set out to hunt them all but… you are different.” Ephialtes said so softly his voice was almost lost in the whistling winds.

Nýchta noticed that his eyes were focused on his spear and his hands extended towards it.

She placed it behind her tail before looking up in thought.

“Different? How so? Is it perhaps because I have not killed you yet?” Nýchta asked with narrowed eyes.

“W-well, that and your flesh is not teeming with darkness.” Ephialtes said while slowly pacing around Nýchta but just as he got closer to his spear, she turned around.

“I see. Well, now that you know that I am not of the sort that you so bravely hunt, what will you do?”

“I will kindly ask for my spear.” Ephialtes said with a slightly lowered head.

Nýchta nodded before tossing the iron rod to him.

He tried catching it but he dropped it just as it landed in his small hands.

He then picked it up properly while Nýchta made her way back to where she sat before.

She noticed that, although his legs were still shaking, he followed her while keeping a fair bit of distance away.

If you are so afraid, why aren’t you running away? She wondered. The eyes of her serpents allowed her to see that he was looking her over.

His eyes lingered on her serpents particularly.

Nýchta ignored him and placed her daggers into their sheaths.

She then temporarily raised her hands and eyed both of her middle fingers before scoffing.

“Err… w-who are you exactly?” Ephialtes asked as a single bolt of lightning shot across the dark sky. What followed was a deep thunder which shook the temple's walls.

“I have a few names but I would prefer if you called me Nýchta.” Nýchta turning to face the hunchback who stood at a safe distance away from her.

“I-I’ve heard stories of beings that lure men with sweet songs only to rip them asunder. Are you by chance-“

“No, I believe you referring to sirens, although I have never met one.” Nýchta said while tapping the hilt of one of her daggers with the sharp nail of her index finger.

She was desperately trying to keep herself calm and level headed.

So, in an attempt to stay as composed as possible, she focused all of her attention on the little man before her.

“Oh. What are you then?” Ephialtes asked.

“Mmm… I am a woman. One who was cursed by the gods in one of their many acts of cruelty but… I am more interested in your story. Why are you hunting monsters?”

Ephialtes’ eyes fell as Nýchta’s words left her mouth.

“It is the duty of all warriors to protect and I want to protect the people of my village.” Ephialtes said while resting his weight on his spear.

“Does your village not have more able bodied fighters?”

Ephialtes shook his head.

“After countless attacks most of the men are cripples and those are counted among the fortunate for they weren’t dragged away by the monsters. The few that are unscarred are far too afraid to pick up arms or are too young or too weak.”

“And then there’s you.” Nýchta said.

“Y-yes.” Ephialtes said, his head even lower than before.

“Mmm…” Nýchta droned.

She looked up at the distant shadow that was Olympus before returning her gaze to Ephialtes.

Her eyes widened a little as an idea surfaced in her mind.

“It would seem as though you are in quite the predicament.”

Ephialtes didn’t respond.

“And I too am troubled by misfortune.”

Ephialtes raised his head along with a single brow.

“I have to return to the underworld as quickly as possible but via an entrance at the base of Mount Olympus. However I am completely unfamiliar with this area.”

Ephialtes raised his brow a little higher.

“How about I safely accompany you back home all while you detail the geographical intricacies of this place?”

A faint frown formed on Ephialtes’ forehead.

“But I managed to get here just fine. Why would I need you help?”

“Did you encounter any monsters along the way?” Nýchta asked with crossed arms.

“N-no.”

“Then I would say that you were extremely fortunate. So, what say you?” Nýchta asked with a gentle smile.

“A-alright.” Ephialtes said.

“Wonderful!” Nýchta clapped before quickly slithering towards the temple’s entrance with Ephialtes in tow.

She slid down the handful of marble stairs that weren’t submerged in water and briefly scanned the treeline.

She assumed that she wasn’t in a swamp because it looked as though the water was a new addition to the surrounding landscape.

It sat in the middle of the trunks of trees and if it were a little higher, it would surely have flooded the temple.

It looked as though the water had recently washed over the land and she knew exactly where it came from.

Nýchta glanced at Ephialtes who stood a few meters away from her.

He looked out into the forest deep and sighed.

“I suppose I’ll just return home and forever cast aside this old spear.” He said while tightly gripping the iron weapon.

“And where is your home exactly?” Nýchta asked.

“Mmm… it’s a small hilltop village a few hours north of here.”

“And you swam all the way here?”

“Well… yes. Although I admittedly got lost a few times.”

“And how in the world did you plan on returning home after your search for monsters concluded?”

“I… don’t know.”

“Mmm…” Nýchta thoughtfully droned.

“Oh well, now we can both get lost together. Lead the way, if you please.” Nýchta said while slithering to Ephialtes’ side.

He nodded before walking into the water and she joined him.

Using her tail to propel herself forward she found herself swimming far faster than Ephialtes who used his spear to keep himself afloat while using his small legs to kick himself forward.

“Perhaps you would be able to swim faster without the spear. Allow me to hold it, at least while we are in the water.”

“No! I’m fine.” Ephialtes said.

Nýchta winced as she realized that their pace would be slower than she’d hoped and so she turned to the north and muttered seven words.

“I am on my way, my dears..”

“Mmm?” Ephialtes asked.

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering where we were.” Nýchta asked as she swam.

“Well, firstly, the temple I found you in once belonged to the Pillar Sentinels who were said to guard the gates to the underworld for the surrounding land we find ourselves in is called Thessaly.”

“And your village is called?” Nýchta asked.

“Mizéria.”

“Fitting.”

“Perhaps.”