Kyronai hesitates for a long moment, staring silently at the Sun God. He feels responsible for Daphne and Bástya, so his desire to not lead them to their demise is even stronger than his own sense of self-preservation. Could Apollo be in league with Poseidon?
On the other hand, this may be his only opportunity to leave this island before Nemesis comes back looking for them.
But something about Apollo's smile...
"I'm sorry Lord Apollo. I spoke too soon. I cannot return to Athens with you. Athena has given me a different command."
He crosses his arms over his bow in front of him, not in an act of defiance, but so that his hand is that much closer to the sleeve where he has stored Orpheus' dagger.
Bástya who has been waiting silently taking her cues from the others cocks her head to the side unsure. She looks questioningly at Kyronai but holds her tongue and keeps to herself for the moment.
"Well that's too bad. I was trying to take you in alive. Plan beta it is." Apollo then turns to Alexander with a slight look of remorse. "Sorry for the mess I'm about to make, but a job is a job. Love your work though."
"Apollo, you may be the god of the sun, but you sure aren't too bright."
Daphne throws a cutting remark towards Apollo before drawing her sling and firing!
The bullet seems to have no effect even though the beekeeper was able to catch Apollo by surprise. The grin fades from the god's face as his body is suddenly surrounded by flame.
He then steps closer to Kyronai and attempts to grab the mage.
However he fails to do so.
Kyronai screams as Apollo's flames start to burn him.
He takes a step back, reaches into his robe's magic sleeve to retrieve the jar containing Orpheus' dagger, and passes the jar to Bástya, with a murmur about what's inside of it.
Bástya takes the dagger out of the jar and after a quick murmur to the void in Dwarvish "Tilgi meg min brutte ed Olaf" she tries to stab the dagger into Apollo
She then swings again
She then raises her shield.
Currently not in stance
Leaving damage to GM due to its unknown properties
Kyronai passes the mundane dagger to Bástya who is able score with her second swing with it, piercing the Sun God's flesh, causing it to sizzle. Apollo's smile fades turning into a grimace of pain. Alexander, clearly not liking this situation, draws his sword and moves in to aid the heroes. "I really didn't think this was how my day was going to go."
The mortal king is able to score a blow causing Apollo to wince in pain again.
Daphne tries to recall what she knows about the god's weaknesses, but the beating of her own heart almost drowns out her own thoughts. She fumbles for the balm for Kyronai's burns, but wastes precious seconds before retrieving her honeycomb. She hurriedly dabs it across the worst-burned areas, and it glows with celestial light as the burns fade into faint scars.
In her panic, Daphne stumbles and fails to not only suture Kyronai's wounds but to also determine the Sun God's weaknesses if any. Whatever poison was left on the blade seems to affect Apollo further as his flames dim a little bit. You can see him struggling to keep focus despite his pain. He closes his eyes for a moment before reopening them. His irises glow brightly like the sun before emitting a pair of beams towards Kyronai.
He then steps forward attempting to grab Kyronai.
However he is not able to grab ahold of the slippery witch.
Kyronai takes a step back from Apollo. He considers trying to use his magic to cause Apollo to flee like he did Nemesis, but the fact that King Alexander has joined the battle makes him a target if Apollo comes back.
"You are no longer mortal, Lord Apollo. I do not want any Olympian harmed, but you are leaving us no choice."
He pulls back on his bowstring while murmuring an incantation, causing a dispel magic spell to appear in arrow form. He fires the spell, hoping to dampen Apollo's fiery nimbus.
"Are we sure the gods don't all hate us?" Bástya questions as she drops the jar to adjust her grip holding her shield with both hands. She raises her shield and slams it into the God of the sun
Bástya interposes herself between Apollo and her friends and ripostes her shield into Apollos shoulder with a cry
+2 Persistent good damage
She also will shield block if/when able
Kyronai not only lands his arrow but the arrow is able exstinguish the sun god's flames. Bástya lands her strike with her shield causing a small welt to form on Apollo's chest.
Apollo turns to the dwarven woman in response. "Well maybe you should take that a sign and just die. Try your luck with Hades."
Alexander moves to give Bástya a flank and swings. "Can we stop antagonizing a literal god here."
However he misses fairly badly with his first swing, but is able to recover and scores another blow on the sun god.
Daphne whirls on Alexander, exasperation briefly appearing to win out over her fear. "What in the world have we done to antagonize him?"
Apollo decides to switch targets given the Kyronai's slipperiness. He tries to grab ahold of Daphne!
Apollo's mighty wings wrap around Daphne and he starts flying up into the air and towards the door.
"Have you ever wanted to meet the sun? You're about to!"
Daphne thrashes in the flames, but she's no athlete, and she isn't going anywhere. "F-Funny," she manages, "I always figured the god Apollo would shine bright enough on his own. But your glow's a little sickly today, isn't it?" She manages to twist her head to face Bastya. "Bast, Alex, strike for his wings!"
Kyronai deliberates his options for a brief moment before he finally decides for lethal action. His face grim, he nocks an arrow, imbues it with an acid arrow spell, and lets it fly at Apollo.
Bástya rushes around Apollo to his far side and swings her shield at him with a shout before bringing it around for a second swipe
Kyronai misses with his magically empowered arrow though Bástya is able to land her first blow with her shield. Alexander rushes up and tries to score a blow on the distracted sun god.
Daphne then points out Apollo's flaws verbally which cause the sun god to wince in pain. He responds by flying towards the door and tries to bash it down!
However he makes no progress and the door stands still.
At the urging of Daphne Bástya surges forward swinging her shield wildly calling out "I'm not losing someone else" as she tries to slam the edge of the shield into the side of Apollos head
She then continues her onslaught relentlessly sweeping back and forth overwhelmed by a sudden steadfast determination to keep her new friend safe.
If the third attack hits she will step forward, if not she will raise her shield hoping that she may have drawn the god's attention away from her friends.
"Drop your prisoner. You can escape and defend yourself better if you aren't holding on to anyone."
Without yelling, Kyronai's voice echoes in the air around Apollo as he casts suggestion.
To drive the point home, Kyronai fires off an arrow that widely misses the mark.
Bástya is able to land a pair of strikes but misses the third.
s words
Kyronai casts a spell on Apollo and the witch's spell seems to be effective as Apollo's wings seem to be relax a bit.
Alexander moves up and swipes at Apollo twice.
He is able to land a solid blow.
Daphne takes a sip from her honeycomb to bolster herself against the searing heat.
Daphne is able to bolster her defenses and slips away the second Apollo let's go. "Maybe you're right. Let's test that theory!" The Sun God then flies straight towards Kyronai and throws a pair of punches at the witch.
Kyronai hisses in pain as Apollo's fire burns him yet again.
The witch may now be a servant of Athena, but some of his old shadow magic remains. He takes a step back and throws out his hand, a swell of shadow making its way towards Apollo's eyes.
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Apollo reflexively puts his hands to his eyes as his vision is taken from him.
Bástya runs past the angered god and interposes herself between him and her friends. She then swings her shield into him and raises it again.
Cold
Alexander attempts to take advantage of the situation caused by Kyronai's spell. He steps forward, slasing twice at the Sun God.
Apollo, literally blind with rage moves in Kyronai's direction and tries to pummel the witch.
Daphne's heart races as she realizes her reflexive retreat left Kyronai exposed, and she cringes as Apollo's brutal strikes narrowly miss their target. It's been a while since she's fought with allies like this.
Very conscious that either of Apollo's strikes could have caved in his skull, Kyronai takes advantage of the deity's blindness and darts away to a spot behind Daphne, who seems to do better up close in melee than he can. Plus, this better surrounds the enraged god, with Bástya and Alexander on his other side.
Once in place, he turns and draws his bow, a bolt of murky saltwater appearing where an arrow would be, and he lets it fly.
◆ Stride
◆◆ Briny bolt
"Lord Apollo, please leave! You don't have to die because of Poseidon's machinations!"
Bástya Swings her shield into the blinded god at the urging of Daphne
AS the god swings towards Kyronai Bástya will shift her shield to block some of the attack
After the onslaught of the god Bástya moves around him and readies herself once more before trying to give some extra weight to Kyronai's words.
Kyronai continues to assault Apollo's vision. As the sun god staggers, Bástya's shield knocks him off his feet and he lands on the ground with a thud. He stops moving and his body turns into an orb of light that flows from its place and into Kyronai! The witch's body glows for a moment in a by now familiar way before slowing going away.
King Alexander blinks. "I can't say that I've ever seen that before. Did you just kill a god?"
Your body feels warm in the most relaxing way. You feel physically stronger and a bit more confident as well.
Kyronai continues to assault Apollo's vision. As the sun god staggers, Bástya's shield knocks him off his feet and he lands on the ground with a thud. He stops moving
"This is becoming preposterous."
and his body turns into an orb of light that flows from its place and into Kyronai!
"Oh, shi--"
The witch's body glows for a moment in a by now familiar way before slowing going away.
The sun god's fire burns away any trace of the shadow that still lingered from before his time as Athena's agent. His hair turns from black to nearly white, his skin gains some of the sun-touched color of the now deceased sun god, and even indoors, sunlight seems to be reflected off part of his face.
He takes a deep breath as this new Olympian power pours through him, and when he exhales, his resting posture seems different, somehow more self-assured.
King Alexander blinks. "I can't say that I've ever seen that before. Did you just kill a god?"
"We did, yes. It was not just any one of us."
Daphne stumbles away reflexively from Kyronai as his transformation begins, then, eyes widening with concern, rushes over. "Kyro, are you okay? Oh my gosh, what--was that what I, um--what I think it was?"
Kyronai regards the Beekeeper, sunlight washing over his face as he turns toward her.
"Yes, Daphne, it was. It's the same thing that happened to Aikaterine and before that to my brother. I am now the Greek deity of the sun. Unfortunately, Poseidon and his faction are not taking the threat of the Prometheans as seriously as they should."
He indicates the deceased Apollo on the floor of the throne room.
"With tragic results."
Daphne regards Kyronai for a moment. "Yeah. I mean, I think you're right about that." She crouches over where Apollo's body dissolved into light, touching the cold stone. "The threat of the Prometheans is that nothing they say is wrong. They just... they don't have any better ideas. They don't realize that some of the gods would rather bring the sun crashing down to Earth than let the Earth spin free without them." She rises, wiping an eye. "And the gods who wouldn't never do anything to stop the ones that would. That's the problem. So what do we do now?"
"I still think that returning to Athens is a good idea. Zeus was regretful that Ares and Eris were slain, but he still regarded my brother and Aikaterine as Olympians and supported their... agency, I guess. I can only hope that that will also extend to me.
"Further, another Olympian death can be used to persuade the Olympians to change tactics. Both Poseidon and Zeus. It must. They can't keep executing any mortals they deem convenient. It's just weakening them to the true threat."
Kyronai sighs mornfully.
"Plus, Artemis is the patron of the mercenary band I used to be a part of. I left that life behind, but I still hold her in regard. I should offer her condolences on the death of her twin. For obvious reasons, her attitude toward me is likely to be... complex."
Kyronai returns his gaze to King Alexander.
"But before we leave, Alexander, you had said that you knew Orpheus and Theseus. If they are not of this island, do you know where they lived?"
Daphne's antennae prick up. "Wait, that's a good point. How did they get off this island? Maybe we can take the same way off."
Bástya recoils as the sun god melts away and kneels by the body.
in thought for a long while
They can't keep executing any mortals they deem convenient. It's just weakening them to the true threat."
"Aye" she finally offers "If these Gods have any sense of self preservation they'll have to accept that. I suppose having one of their own insisting on it again will help."
"Yes, it was a long time ago. Orpheus chose to be a nomad rather than settle anywhere. He was never the same after he lost Eurydice. Theseus, stayed in Crete as far as I knew. He and the new king became close friends. As far as how they got here, I can have some men look around for whatever ship they sailed on. It will take some time so you're welcome to stay. We don't have much but I think deicide would one hungry."