They had their sights set on the up-and-coming Chalandri neighborhood in Athens, which was 13 kilometers from the Acropolis. The up-and-coming Chalandri neighborhood in Athens, which was 13 kilometers from the Acropolis, has seen the replacement of old buildings that used to house souvenir shops and restaurants with modern constructions, including nightclubs, gyms, and upscale cafes.

Upon leaving the underground parking garage and reaching street level, Leta was impressed at the abundance of green trees that filled the urban neighborhood. The green trees filled the roofs, sidewalks, and building entrances, creating smell oranges and dust.

Leta commented on the difference between the den site and the previous one, saying, “We were in a cave.” How did this den end up in such a lavish area? Where are we even going?”

Allister explained that “HiTec Innovations LLC.” has moved on, but the Blessed now use their abandoned computers and other seized technology to establish connections with other dens outside the city. By removing this den, they would cripple the ability for the Blessed to communicate between themselves.

With a sigh, Hayato’s lips tightened into brackets when he heard the word “Gremlins.”

Leta gave him a concerned frown. “What’s the problem with gremlins?”

“They’re annoying little beasts.” Atreus threw over his shoulder, “About the size of those goblins you fought at the hospital and are just as nasty, except these guys have wings.”

The thought made Leta’s nose wrinkle as her mind imagined emaciated bodies with lipless mouths and needle-sharp teeth attacking her on bat wings.

“Furthermore,” Atreus added, “Not only are they smarter than goblins, but their natural curiosity makes them dangerous in this age of surveillance cameras and technology.”

Atreus shifted roles from teacher to seasoned General, as they advanced, “However, we’ll also face a drow and an ogre. Because of the earlier car accident, the ogre will awaken, but the plan will stay straightforward.

He looked over his shoulder at Leta and Hayato, who were picking up the rear. “You two will target the transformer powering the building. Cutting the power will destroy the alarms and surveillance cameras monitoring the den. When the power goes out, the little beasts will investigate the transformer right away.

With a firm nod, Hayato asked, “What is the total count?”

Atreus answered, “Seven,” without turning around to see the young man’s disappointed face.

Leta leaned over to whisper, “Are you upset that there are too many or not enough?”

Hayato gave her a sidelong glance, as if to say, ‘What do you think?’

His response made her chuckle with exasperation. She was growing accustomed to the delight these Arisen displayed when faced with life-or-death scenarios.

After three days and being paralyzed from the waist down, having her esophagus ripped out, breaking multiple ribs and many other bones, and having an eye regrown, Leta was also finding that she wasn’t as nervous about pain and death as she was before.

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At a crosswalk, they allowed a speeding car to pass before Atreus resumed, “Once the gremlins are preoccupied, Bonnie, Allister, and I will confront the ogre.”

“This is the tricky part,” he confessed, as they made a right turn at the corner and proceeded down another row of stores and apartments lined with trees. “Once we confront the ogre, the drow will notice the commotion and investigate. We can hold our own for a while, but it’s only a matter of time before the drow gets the better of us. Leta and Hayato need to exterminate the gremlins before accessing the office through the roof entrance. Our best chance is for Hayato to sneak up on the drow while its focus is on us. Remember, the drow can see through your shadows. To succeed, we must enter aggressively, allowing us to concentrate on defeating the ogre.”

Leta glanced back and forth at the two men in front of her as Atreus recited the battle rhythm. “Can you please explain the drow and the ogre to me? I don’t want to be going into this thing unprepared.”

Allister turned his head to give her one raised copper eyebrow. “Aye, that we can. Ogres are, well, as you might imagine. Tall, with some over three meters in height, and muscular, but lacking in intelligence for tasks such as decision-making. Daft as a doorknob, they are. However, they possess two elements that render them hazardous. They’re strong, and they can regenerate. Stab them in the heart or cut an arm off? They’ll crush you like you were a grape, regrow their arm, pull your sword out, and use it as a toothpick.”

Leta swallowed at the visual, but nodded. “And the drow?”

“Honestly, they’re as dangerous as they get.” Allister answered, “Have you ever watched movies with dark elves? These are the ones I’m referring to. With skin that is almost purple and hair as white as moonlight, a drow is comely as the day is long but more wicked than a debt collector on a deadline.”

“And they are fast.” Atreus turned to her and explained, “The drow poses innate talents with weapons and mastery over shadows, as Hayato does. While Hayato can use his abilities to hide among shadows and go unseen, they have excellent night vision that can pierce through any illusions an Assassin can conjure.”

Leta nodded in understanding while he explained. “What about travelling from one area to another through shadows?”

Hayato replied curtly, “No, but they are resistant to certain types of magic that I am not.”

“Odds are the drow is the one in charge,” Allister added. “In all fairness, the drow are in a league of their own in smarts, but they’re an arrogant bunch, the lot of them. Never met a drow that wasn’t haughty as the day is long. You can sometimes use that to your advantage.”

Atreus emphasized that Hayato’s actions would determine whether the fight would be swift or prolonged. “We will depend on your ability to succeed. Understood?”

Hayato nodded. Although appearing unaffected, Hayato projected an air of self-assurance and confidence that he had recently suppressed.

One could tell from how his shoulders squared and his pace quickened that he thrived on the challenge.

Atreus signaled them to halt outside a boba cafe after walking for several blocks and then used his phone’s map app to outline their attack plan.

By overpowering the transformer that powers the den, Leta and Hayato would be the first to engage. The challenge was that the den had set up five cameras outside covering the corner where HiTec was located and the roof.

The den’s transformer was located on a corner near an Orthodox Church, about halfway down the block in the southeast direction. One camera was aimed at it. Their task was to disable the transformer without raising any suspicion.

The rest of the team would hide behind a Lorie truck, waiting for the power outage to occur as a signal for their attack.

While Bonnie, Allister, and Atreus handle the front entrance, Hayato and Leta need to find a way to the roof where the Gremlins would go to investigate what happened to the transformer.

The attack demanded swift action, and Leta was thankful that her intuition was spot-on and her upgrade choice would be impactful on this mission.

After laying out everything, Atreus asked her, “Are you prepared for this?”

Was she?

Was she prepared to launch an attack on the Athens power grid and eliminate many mythical creatures?

Leta nodded her head with a mix of nervous excitement and anticipation, a complete contrast to her initial fear in the first den. “Let’s do it.”