Author’s Note:

Hi babies! Double updates for you today. I’ve been admitted to the hospital for almost a week now, so sorry for not updating frequently (I’d asked my sister to bring my laptop when I got a little better). I’m okay now. The remaining chapters have been written, so worry not! :)

So, the good news is (is it? Hahah), I’ve decided to add one extra chapter to fit the whole 41 chapters. I have a thing for numbers… :P Oh, and one more thing; should I post chapter 40 and 41 immediately the day after? Are you guys ready for the final? :D

Speaking of it, any ideas for the next fic? Let me know your thoughts on the comment below. Or maybe some of you want to work with me as the co-author? :) Anyways, I’ll see you very soon! Enjoy. <3

***

After another grueling training session on Friday, Seolhyun found herself limping into the Dean’s office. The AOA was leaving in the late morning on the following day. There was a lot to be discussed, and she had scored a meeting. So did Jimin. The only other times they’d been called to the Dean’s office in the past was because she’d done something she was about to get in trouble for, and those meetings usually ended in insults being slung back and forth.

Like when she’d threatened to cut Jimin with one of Heechul’s daggers.

Seolhyun had to smile at that memory.

Easing down into an empty chair, she glanced around the room. Heechul was behind the desk, because where else would he be, with Head Minister Seohyun alongside him. Hyejeong, Dawon, and Jennie hovered by the desk like three hawks, both wearing intense expressions that told Seolhyun this was going to be a serious conversation. Even Apollo was there. He’d been hanging around a lot, watching over the training.

Right now, he was holding a Newton’s Cradle like he’d never seen one before, his hand hovering over one of the small, silver balls.

Seolhyun looked around again, frowning.

“Looking for Perses?” Jimin glanced at her from where she was leaning against the wall.

“What?” Seolhyun screeched out loud before she could stop herself.

Several sets of eyes landed on her, and Jimin smirked. Hyejeong’s gaze narrowed between the two. Apollo let go of the silver ball and it swung sideways, knocking into the next ball and creating a chain reaction.

“Did no one ever tell you two that it is not nice to communicate telepathically with one another while others are present?” Heechul said, folding his hands on the desk.

Seolhyun pursed her lips. “No, actually, no one has said that.”

He smiled tightly. “Well, I am.”

“Busted,” Jimin said.

“I hate you.” Gripping the edges of the chair, Seolhyun stared straight ahead. “So, what’s up?”

Apollo picked up a silver ball from the other side and let that one go.

Oh my Gods…

Heechul’s look turned suspicious as his gaze bounced between Jimin and Seolhyun. “Jennie and Dawon were talking battle strategy with Perses. We figured, since you two play an intricate role in this, it would be smart to bring you in on these meetings.”

Jimin strolled forward and dropped down in the seat beside Seolhyun. “What’s to discuss? From what I understand, it’s fairly simple. The AOA will attack the front gate while Seolhyun and I sneak in with Perses.”

Perses had discussed his plan with them the previous day between rounds of kicking their butts. Hyejeong was still taking part in the additional trainings even though she’d agreed to remain with the larger group once they launched their attack against Ares.

Propping her hip against the desk, Jennie pointed down at a map of the Seoul Ephensy, a much better map than the one Athena had created. “It’s really not that simple. We have to find a way to sneak you in. I’m sure you remember how well-guarded the Ephensy is. Getting past the fences will be no problem. The wall is another story.”

A cheeky smile twisted Jimin’s lips. “There was a breach in the east wall. I’ve already told Perses. It’s not a huge hole, but it is large enough for a person to slip through. Unless Ares is interested in sandstone work, I doubt it has been repaired.”

“It’s unlikely that Ares would leave the breach unguarded,” Hyejeong said. “You won’t just walk in there.”

That smirk on Jimin’s face grew. “I wasn’t planning to just walk in there.”

“Okay,” Seolhyun sighed, interrupting before a battle of wills erupted. “So we will have to scout the wall first. We can– Apollo!”

The God looked up. In his hands, the Newton balls knocked off of each other once more. “What?” he asked.

“What?” Seolhyun shot him annoyed look. “Seriously. Have you’ve never seen a Newton’s Cradle before? Every time you move the first ball, it’s going to move the rest of the balls.”

“No.” His gaze dipped to the cradle. “Gravity is cool.”

“Oh my Gods,” Seolhyun moaned, slumping in her seat. “My brain hurts.”

Apollo let go of the silver ball once more and then placed the cradle on the edge of Heechul’s desk. “I imagine you’re leaving with the AOA on Saturday?” He said to Jennie. When the girl nodded, he glanced at Hyejeong. “And you will travel with Seolhyun?”

“Do you need to even ask that question?” Hyejeong replied, placing her hands on the desk and leaning in.

Apollo shrugged.

“I will leave with the army, as well,” Heechul announced, sitting back in the chair.

The Head Minister cleared delicately. “If I may make a suggestion?” When Heechul nodded, she smiled. “I think you are needed here more.”

His eyes immediately sharpened into green crystals. “I’m needed in the army.”

“I know you feel that way,” Seohyun started again, patiently and understandingly. “You are a Linus at heart, Heechul, but there is so much we have to do. More than just fighting.”

“She’s correct,” Apollo said, apparently ready to contribute to the conversation. “Rebuilding is just as important as war, and that process starts long before the war is over.”

Heechul’s jaw tightened. “You are here, plus other surviving members of the Council.”

“The Council is in ruins. We need you here, and we need you alive to help rebuild after all this is said and done,” she argued, and Seolhyun couldn’t but wonder if something deeper drove her conviction. If so, she didn’t blame her. “We need you here.”

Several agreed, and Heechul stiffened in his chair. “I’m a trained Linus. I have assets that will be of–”

“We know that.” It was Hyejeong who spoke. “But I have to agree with Head Minister. We have this covered.”

“We do,” Dawon confirmed. “Defeating Ares means nothing if we can’t deal with the chaos afterward. And there will be chaos. We have Ephensys that are destroyed or heavily damaged, and entire Councils have been wiped out. And we will have Myxs coming off the concoction and out of servitude. We will need leadership; strong leadership.”

A proud grin crossed Seolhyun’s lips. Heechul would make a great leader. He already was. And she could easily see him taking Hongki’s role of the Head Minister. Heechul might act like he had a stick shoved in a very unmentionable place half the time, but he’d be righteous and fair. Strict, but he would always do the right thing by Genuines and Myxs.

Their eyes met, and Seolhyun didn’t know what he saw in her expression, or if her smile had anything to do with what he did next, but she liked to think it did.

Heechul rubbed a hand across his brow, sighing heavily. “I want to be there, but… you’re right. I need to stay here.”

“Well, now that’s settled, I think I’m going to find something soft to lie on.” Jimin popped up from her chair, her movements not nearly as fluid as normal. She glanced at Seolhyun, and a mischievous glint filled her amber eyes. “Want to join me?”

Seolhyun rolled her eyes.

Annoyance flashed into Hyejeong’s eyes, turning the hue into a stormy gray as she pushed off the desk and straightened. “Very amusing.”

Jimin laughed as she backed away. “Very scary.”

“Go somewhere else,” Hyejeong replied.

Chuckling, she dipped out the door as Seolhyun shook her head. Once Jimin exited, the conversation moved back to the Council, and Seolhyun’s interest also exited. Pushing up for the chair, she limped out of the office after telling them she was heading back to her room. She had two more training sessions with Perses, and while each of them was getting better, none of them had taken him down.

Yet.

One of them had to take him down before they left for Seoul.

Seolhyun had made it halfway down the stairs before Apollo poofed in front of her, startling her. She jerked to the side and lost her balance. Staggering on the edge of the step, visions of bones crunching rang in her head. He caught her arm, stopping her fall.

“Gods,” Seolhyun gasped, grasping the handrail with her free hand. “Is it necessary to do that?”

Apollo dropped her arm. “We need to talk.”

Seolhyun leaned against the railing, eyeing him wryly. “What? You got bored with the Newton’s Cradle?”

His lips tipped up at the corners. “Why haven’t you transferred the power from Jimin yet?”

“She wants to wait until we get to there.” Seolhyun paused as his eyes narrowed. “Look, I’m going to try to get her to do it before we leave, but–”

“Jimin doesn’t want to do it, and I bet it’s because she’s not sure she can let you do it.” Apollo cursed, and unease blossomed deep in Seolhyun’s belly. “This could be a potential problem.”

The unease gave way to irritation. It pricked at Seolhyun’s skin and poked holes in her insides. “You know, I love how you just pop in and out whenever you want to and offer little to no answers. Nothing really helpful either, but boy oh boy, there may be a problem!”

Apollo’s expression slipped into a scowl, but Seolhyun was on a roll. No stopping her now.

“You know, all of this is bull. I said it before, and I’ll say it again, Ares is your problem. He’s the Gods’ problem.” His mouth opened, but she kept on going. “And don’t you dare say it’s Jimin’s problem! Ares created this mess ages ago when he started this crap with Solaris and the First. But you guys didn’t really do anything then, did you? You sent the Order in to kill them instead of getting to the bottom of what was happening.”

“Seolhyun–”

“And now it’s happening again. We are going to war for you, for the Gods. People will die. My friends and the people I love could die! I could die!” Her voice cracked, and she took a step down. felt like it was on fire. “I haven’t forgotten that, Apollo. I know I could die in the end.”

He clapped a heavy hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “I promise you, Seolhyun, that no matter what happens, I’ll take care of you. I told you that, and I always keep my promises.”

A knot in made it difficult to speak. The probability of her inevitable death at the hands of those who needed her help wasn’t something she’d forgotten about. In reality, it was just something she couldn’t fixate on. Since the hell boy twins had been exorcised from her, she had refused to dwell on it, and the reason why descended in startling clarity in that moment.

In the end, no matter what Apollo wanted, he would not disobey the other Olympians. Doing so would further split them, and it could become disastrous.

Blinking back tears, Seolhyun looked away, working until she was sure that, when she opened , it wasn’t a sob. “I don’t want to die.”

“I know,” Apollo said, and his voice was surprisingly gentle. “I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen. I haven’t let you down yet, have I?”

Her gaze crawled over the gray cement walls, finally settling on his. Had he? He’d skirted the truth and divulged information only when he felt like it, but had he let her down?

“The Gods should be fighting. You know that, Apollo. They should be a part of this.”

Seconds passed. “You’re right.”

Seolhyun was stunned into silence.

Next thing she’d knew, Hyejeong and Jimin would start to make out and profess their undying love for one another. “Wait. I’m right?”

“You are. They do need to be involved. They need to fight.”

It took her a couple of moments to remember how to use her tongue. Hope kindled in her chest like a delicate fire. If the Gods would fight, then the losses on their side would be less. “And you can make this happen?”

Apollo lowered his chin. “I will do everything I can to get them involved.”

“You should. This is their fight.”

“This is everyone’s fight,” he corrected. “Because it’s everyone’s future.”

***

Saturday had been a day full of pain.

While they were getting better at fighting Perses, they still were getting their butts handed to them. Jimin had come close to taking Perses down with a kick. The Titan had stumbled, but he hadn’t fallen. He’d come back at Jimin, and within seconds the First was on her back.

But Sunday got worse.

“Mats are for the weak,” Perses announced as Seolhyun bounced across the blue -saver, and that comment took the happy right out of her step. He raised a hand, and the mats flipped up on their own, starting to fold like accordions. “Warriors do not need mats.”

Jumping back, Seolhyun missed being smashed and folded by less than a second. Under the mats was nothing but cold, hard floor. She sighed, knowing this was going to sting, and as usual, they had a crowd watching. Three Genuines had mixed among her friends. Lisa was already cringing.

Perses motioned her forward. “Come on, girl.”

Seolhyun took a deep, calming breath before she stalked toward him. Attacking in anger seemed like a good idea. The Gods knew she was known to do so from time to time, but she made mistakes in the heat of it, and making mistakes with Perses or Ares wouldn’t end well for her.

He immediately launched at her, swinging a meaty hand at her head. Easy. Seolhyun dipped down, avoiding the attack. Springing up, she twisted to the left as he kicked out with a booted foot. She blocked him at the knee, and then struck out for his throat.

Perses countered, sneaking a punch that caug