“Damn it!” he yells, slamming a fist into the ground. “What do I need to do to get stronger?” he asks while shifting back. Seeing his frustration, I decide to take pity on him.
“I have an idea, Achilles,” I say. “This is either going to work or it’s going to kill you. Do you want to try?” I ask, warning him.
Looking up at me he sees the seriousness on my face. “Do it,” he says, standing to his feet.
“I’m going to ask you one last time, are you sure? This will more than likely kill you,” I double check.
“If I can’t even protect myself how can I protect my comrades or call myself a leader?” he replies.
We nod at each other and I lunge at him, driving my claws into his chest and forcing a small amount of my divinity into his heart. I quickly withdraw my claws and a look of dread crosses his face as his chest begins to glow and he screams out, crumbling to the ground. Everyone rushes over to us.
“What did you do,” Azrael shouts, seeing Achilles writhing around on the ground, screaming in agony.
“I gave him some of my divinity,” I reply, stepping back, waiting to see what happens.
“Are you fucking crazy, you just killed him,” Perseus snaps.
“NO… AUGH… No he didn’t,” Achilles says through deep breaths as the light in his chest begins to fade. Standing to his feet we all look at him in amazement as all of his wounds heal immediately upon the light disappearing. “Well that sucked,” he says with a smirk.
“Well you’re not dead so that’s a good sign, let’s call it a day, give everyone time to rest up and we will reconvene back here first thing tomorrow morning,” I command as I walk up to Achilles. “Are you really okay?” I ask, worried since everything else has died with this same power.
“I wouldn’t say I’m okay, it feels like there is fire in my veins, but it doesn’t hurt,” he says. I get him to his room and we part ways until the following day.
Walkingto the training area I feel something different and it makes Fenrir and me hyper alert. As we round the corner I see Achilles standing there, in his wolf form and his brindle fur seems more vibrant than normal.
He quickly makes eye contact and lunges at me. He reaches me in a fraction of a second, and slashes at me. Already being alert I dodge his attack and strike back. He blocks my hit and I’m surprised by how much faster and stronger he is.
We continue for a while then stop when he jumps back a bit and we both begin to laugh.
At the same time we both shout, “It worked.”
He shifts back, grinning. “I can’t believe how quickly I’ve improved in just a few hours.”
Michael shows up and walks over. “That was an impressive display, Achilles,” he says. “Evander what you did was reckless, dangerous and…” he continues, but Achilles cuts him off.
“No, Michael, what he did was give us a chance to avenge our friend’s death and I asked for this. He told me about the risks and I made the choice!” He growls and takes everyone by surprise. Taken back a bit by this he smirks.
“Calm down now, Achilles,” Azrael commands, then looks back my way. “What you did has never been done before, since there was only one other to ever have your power. There was no way to tell what would have happened, you could have erased him from existence,” he continues.
“After you stepped in and saved me with those flames it crossed my mind. If your flames healed us and killed all those demons then maybe my power was kinda the same,” I replied, looking at Michael.
“Well since it’s already done we need to see what you’re now capable of, Achilles,” he replies, turning his attention to the crowd. “All of you wait here. Achilles, follow me,” he commands. Then they walk over to the spot at the wall that leads to the pit, and the portal opens before they disappear.
After about ten minutes they reappear.
“Well, not only is he stronger, but the power that you gave him strengthened his bond with his wolf. And after talking to him the only way that it will work is if the person that receives the divinity is willing to accept it. I fear that if he or his wolf would have rejected it then they would have died,” he continues, looking at Perseus and Lucius. “It is up to you if you wantthis power and Evander’s choice if he is willing to give it to you.”
“With what I’ve seen, I’m in,” Lucius says without hesitation, and they turn to Perseus.
“I don’t know why you’re all looking at me, you already know I’m in if it’s going to make me stronger,” he says.
With that Micheal nods to me and I shift, walking over to them.
“Are you sure about this? You need to be one-hundred-percent positive and fully accepting of it?” I ask again.
They both nod and I nod back, then I drive my claws into both of their chests and dig them into their hearts, letting the same amount of divinity flow into them. Quickly pulling my bloody claws free, I step back as the same glow begins in their chest and they both fall to the ground, writhing about and screaming.
We watch until I see the light begin to fade just like it did with Achilles.
