The Glory of Gore

SEVEN

Rowan found that she was beaming, her blue eyes widening in admiration for Hemera. This woman understood her on a level that Rowan thought no one ever would. It was as if she could see inside Rowan's soul, knowing that Rowan would pour her heart into this competition. Not just for the glory or the immortality, but to prove who she was. That for Rowan, this competition wasn't a means of gold and rewards, it was a means of defining herself. That's all Rowan has ever wanted to do - to prove who she was deep inside. To show everyone that she was not defined by her pretty face. 

"I promise you that by the end of this, you will come out victorious," Hemera continued, leading the two of them to a door. Hemera tugged out an iron key,  leading Rowan inside. The room had a bit more of a modern feel to it, but still was lit up by torches hooked to the stone walls. Except, it had mats coating the floor, targets all about, weights, and a punching bag. There was a variety of weapons on a rack in the back of the room, and Rowan found her gaze lingering on them.

Finally, she tore her gaze away from the blades, eyes locking on Hemera. "I'll do whatever it takes to win."

Hemera's lips curled into a sly smirk, taking a step closer to Rowan. The goddess reached out to Rowan, her fingers lacing along with Rowan's. "I know you'll win; not just because I will train you to be a champion worthy of that title, but because your heart will be one hundred percent in this. It's your force of will that drives you, I can't say the same about many others."

Rowan's eyes remained on Hemera, watching the way that Hemera's sparkled. She was a goddess in every sense of the word, that much Rowan knew. It wasn't just the fact that Hemera was a strong woman - someone who deserved to be admired - that made Rowan feel so attached to her, but the fact that Hemera did someone no one else ever had before.

Hemera understood Rowan.

☐☐☐☐☐

Archer had a gut feeling that death would be upon him within the upcoming days. Not because he knew what the upcoming trials entailed, or that they were dangerous in anyway, but for the fact that Chaos was as stable as a radioisotope. Then again, Archer knew he shouldn't be shocked, seeing that when her first met Chaos, Chaos broke his hand by stepping on it. Archer found himself subconsciously reaching for said hand, a sigh of relief escaping his lips to see that its still all in one piece. 

It made this entire situation more overwhelming than it already was. After being face to face with Zeus, it was obvious that Archer's head was running in circles. Not just running: sprinting, swimming, racing, whatever you wanted. At first, he thought he was going out of his damn mind because really? There was no possible he was in front of the Zeus. Yet, much to Archer's shock, it was all real. He was really on Mount Olympus, and it appeared he was the apprentice of the god of void. The god that thrived off of chaos and disorder - and not the messy room kind. The kind that could burns cities to nothing but ash; the kind that didn't take prisoners, but rather lives. 

Archer knew that if he said one wrong thing, that was the end for him. He was nothing but another life that Chaos had probably claimed. He couldn't help but wonder how many people Chaos had killed just for a good time, but he knew that it must have been an alarming one. 

In fact, Archer was more on edge right now than he ever had been before. He was able to spend the entire night in solitude - that being when he felt safest during this entire ordeal - but now he had to "train" with Chaos. Whatever the hell that meant. 

Archer lingered behind Chaos as he followed him through a stone corridor, unsure of where he was being brought. Archer found that he couldn't ask, too scared for his own safety in this moment. Quite frankly, he enjoyed having a hand that wasn't smashed to the bone, and the ability to flex his fingers. His hands were all he really had, knowing that he was best with a bow and arrow in his grasp. The things he would do to have one right now.