Chapter 10: Get Off My Brother!

Aaron howled loudly, imagining himself as a Celestial Guardian like Malum, an Astartes of the heavenly realm. He even bent down to pick up a scattered bronze sword from the ground, as if the blade itself began to hum with a low vibration.

The dark cultists turned around, and the leader revealed a wicked grin, chanting in a familiar Athenian tongue:

“λύκοςθάλασσα! Lexmae! My children, devour this arrogant human!”

From the pack of wolves, a colossal beast stepped forward, its entire body engulfed in ghostly flames that radiated no heat but flickered as if burning beneath the ocean’s depths. With each step, its pawprints left traces of coral growth upon the stone tiles, faint purple spiritual light lurking within.

Lexmae twisted its neck, the fiery mane on either side swaying. From its rancid maw, a tongue extended and split into a dozen tendrils, each tipped with sharp, irregular protrusions designed to pierce deep into flesh.

Curious—dogs offer emotional comfort by licking their owners. But who would want such grotesque, horrifying tongues? Their very form suggested they were meant to burrow into bodily tissues.

A hiss escaped Aaron’s lips.

That must hurt terribly.

He instinctively tightened his hips and quickened his charge.

The monster had reached right before him, the nauseating stench from its gaping maw unbearable. He preferred to believe an octopus was lodged deep within the wolf’s throat rather than accept this abomination as its true form.

Hades, Poseidon—have your pets been drinking too much at the Celestial Banquet?

He recalled his mother’s stories, told to lull him to sleep, where Cerberus was said to be gentle. He had even tugged on the little dog's tail.

So Aaron felt no fear confronting this mythic horror for the first time. Instead, he imagined Cerberus entwined with the Kraken amidst the molten ocean depths.

He twisted his wrist, mimicking the sword-wielding actors from the annual Theban Heracles play.

He slashed at Lexmae’s head, cutting a shallow wound before the beast reared back, forcing him to leap away several steps.

Unfortunately, he had no shield to bang against his sword and mimic the battle cries and taunts of the stage.

Usually, the maidens in the audience would gasp then.

Striking the shield emphasized the character’s muscular strength. They would even rub olive oil on their bodies beforehand to make their muscles gleam in the firelight during the performance.

Aaron could only mime the move, imagining a shield in his hand, bending low with a threatening posture, shouting:

“Ha! Get your filthy paws off my brother, you beasts!”

Damn it, what were these dogs doing?

Several Lexmae were already pressing against Logar, their strange tongues lashing the poor man like cruel instruments of penance.

The wolf pack howled in dissatisfaction, many wanting to leave Logar to attack this new foe who had drawn their ire.

But the moment they saw Aaron, their tails stiffened.

The dark cultist leader sensed the thoughts of these demonic servants and motioned to halt their torment of Logar. He stepped forward:

“Your mind and soul are so exquisite—I can feel it! Even our lord trembles at your imagination.”

“O Great Lord of Ecstasy, grant your servant, Andrius, the power to conquer all—”

Andrius was cut off abruptly as axes were suddenly hooked onto the city walls. Several other dark cultists, more robust and clad in iron armor adorned with skull motifs beneath their robes, climbed up the battlements!

Their leader, the “Hound” Kuraka, bellowed:

“Damn you, Andrius! This is the enemy we chose. You should have died alongside us in the arena, offering the perfect battle to the Lord of Skulls!”

“You effeminate wretches, the hermaphrodites! You let these dogs lick your behinds, but now you insult our chosen opponent with such filth!”

“You deserve death!”

The burly man didn’t even pull up his hood, revealing a face marked with blood-painted skull patterns. He hurled his axe directly at Andrius.

Thud!

The dark cultist who raised the giant wolf fell instantly, the axe smashing his skull.

No—not even mythic villains die so quickly! He should have lasted several rounds.

Seizing the moment with the dogs leaderless, Logar finally broke free from the fray.

Once freed, his immense and flawless body unleashed uncontrollable rage and strength.

With each hand, he gripped a Lexmae, crushing them alive.

He then retrieved his spiked mace from the ground. Thankfully, the enemies hadn’t tried to shove his weapon where it didn’t belong, or Logar’s fury would have been even greater!

He swung the mace, pulverizing several foes around him.

Taking advantage of the distraction between the followers of the Lord of Skulls and the Lord of Ecstasy, Logar charged forward, grabbed Aaron’s torso with one hand, and leapt beyond the city walls.

During the descent, Aaron glimpsed dark cultists in shades of green and blue climbing the walls.

They seemed eager to join the fray.

He couldn’t help but laugh:

“My dear brother, Logar, are these the dark cultists you spoke of? They don’t seem united.”

The jolts of the fall made Logar roll once upon landing, the curve of his waist just enough to prevent Aaron’s head from smashing the ground.

Then Logar rose and ran swiftly.

“Shut up. Everything you’ve seen today is part of my plan. I intend to lure all the dark cultists to one place and wipe them out in one sweep!”

Aaron looked at the marks left by the Lexmae’s tongues on Logar’s skin and nodded in agreement. He sighed:

“Everyone has some skeletons in their closet. That’s normal. By the way, why didn’t you attack me outright this time? You could have crushed my waist or shattered my head—I don’t doubt your bite could do it.”

Logar’s tone was growing calm, as if tireless. He ran faster than the finest steeds of Macedonia and said:

“I still have doubts, but you are not one of the dark cultists. They lack the aura you possess.”

Curious, Aaron perked up excitedly:

“What aura? The heroic spirit you saw when I recklessly saved you?”

Logar snorted coldly:

“Kuraka’s impact was far greater than your rescue. It’s hard to explain this aura—I can only say it is the guidance of the one true God. Whoever you are, my mission remains to exterminate all the dark cultists in this world. Only then will my sun rise. This is my fate, written in the unseen.”

Aaron tried to shift into a more comfortable position in Logar’s embrace and sighed:

“Just like those heroes of Heracles, who achieved glory after completing their tasks but eventually died, often tragically. By the way, my dear brother, why do these dark cultists fight amongst themselves? If they have factions, shouldn’t they unite to fight against you?”

For the first time, Aaron saw a smile on Logar’s face. His brother’s smile was genuinely endearing:

“Unite? Dark cultists cooperate? Ha! Now I’m sure—you’re not one of them. You’re just a heretic.”