“I am the Western Lord, the Red Titan of Mortality.”

Amalthea's sore eyes fluttered open. Her lungs protested at the sharp, acetic smell invading her sinuses. A grievous prick of dozens of spikes pierced her nerves and intensified on her arms and hands. Bile rose to her plum lips, threatening to regurgitate the remnants of her stomach. 

Then, a virile red light enveloped her, flooding her with strength. 

A broad figure with gunmetal and flowy hair appeared before her. His presence brought an unexpected sense of comfort, like the feeling of a secure home. The air around him carried a warm scent of vanilla as he carried a wide smile on his lips like a father figure would. A figure she never had in life but was sure it would have been exactly like that. 

Bob’s receding, gunmetal hair floated as red energy enveloped him entirely.

“Iapetus the Piercer, Transform.” 

The Titan of Mortality debuted again on the far-away planet. His rust-red, baggy suit enwrapped him, which was almost too big for his diminutive stature. Yet, the marbled black lines shimmered like the night sky, shrouding him with a sense of cosmic darkness. 

The helmet crowned him like the headpiece of an old, forgotten warrior. Ridged lines swept back from his brow, giving him an almost regal, otherworldly presence. A faint, blood-red line ran down the centre of his black visor, splitting his gaze into mirrored halves.

Iapetus struck the ground with the butt of his spear, gripping the black handle tightly with his scarlet gauntlets. 

“Retreat, Seed of the Asurjinari,” ordered Iapetus, aiming the blood-red tip of his spear at Molly while pushing at the lower lumbar area of his back so he wouldn’t hunch that much. “Or I will grant you a gentle death.” 

“Grandpa,” Molly growled, pouncing at Iapetus. “Why don’t you go back to your retirement home and DIE—!?” 

Near death. 

Molly’s third eye sensed it, warning her just in time of her blunder. Instinctively, she turned to smoke, narrowly avoiding Iapetus’ thrust. She could feel the blood sticking on its tip when the spear graced her smoky form, lacerating the right part of her forehead. 

Pressing against the wound, she realised she couldn’t heal it, reminding her of Helios’ intense sun flames of Helios when they battled on a scorching star. 

Before her stood an ancient Titan, one who had long retired and lost much of his strength. Yet, in that moment, she felt the overwhelming fear, like she stood before a butcher and not a hero. 

The same kind of fear she gazed at Helios’ eyes when the Titan held two of Molly’s torn arms in her hands. 

Iapetus brandished his spear and with a single wide arc, he swept aside her smoke and cleared the field. 

“Atlas, take the boy and head west,” Iapetus commanded through his helmet, his voice rough with age. He turned to Amalthea, his chosen successor. 

“Iapetus,” Amalthea rasped, barely able to keep her eyes open. “You shouldn’t—”

“YOU THINK I’LL LET MY PREY ESCAPE!?” Molly screeched. Smoke billowed from the ground’s fissures, and the massive bonfire behind her turned into a sickly and corrupted black flame, which devoured the surrounding light. “Grantors of the Imaginable Haze, rise and serve me. My Musti-Yuddhas, bring death to the Titans!” 

Soot-coloured smoke shot from the ground like geysers, covering the sky in darkness. From it emerged void-black, muscular creatures with their skin marked with red lines. Each had four arms, two smoking eyes, and fists that shattered stone. 

Amalthea knew what they were. “She summoned her Mollys. Watch out, each of them is as strong as her.”

Molly laughed, revelling in the sheer number of her army that outnumbered the Titans dozens to one. 

Iapetus raised his spear to strike the first couple, managing to impale only one of the Mollys. The second used her buddy as a shield and leapt at Iapetus. 

“Watch out, old man!” shouted Captain Schnauzer, bashing the Molly with his shield and taking it out with a crunch of his boot. Clad in heavy armour, his helmet resembled a grotesque monster from legends. “We are the Guards of Salamira, and you’ve ravaged our city enough! Everyone, engage the enemy, and protect the Guardians at all cost!” 

The orc’s ear-shattering roar stunned the Mollys just as the adventurers and city guards descended on them in a surprise attack. A ring of guards formed around Amalthea and Ajax, while shield guards protected Iapetus. 

“Amalthea,” Iapetus turned to her one last time, his hunched form and rust colour revealing more frailty than he intended. “May the Western Lord serve you well. Bring back the Titans’ glory.” 

‧. .ᯓ★. .‧

Amalthea was carried by two guards as they made their escape. She had lost consciousness and needed immediate attention, but even the healer was at a loss. 

“Her wounds aren’t closing. I don’t know what to do!” the elf shrieked as they ran. 

A dwarven woman slapped the man’s back. “Pull yourself together! She’s not from this earth—that’s likely why she’s not healing. Just keep her wounds clean and make sure she regains consciousness.” 

“Sorry, ma’am—” 

Another slap. “Do it, don’t apologise.” 

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry, ma’am!” 

They stopped when more Mollys dropped from the roof. Pulling her pink hair back, the dwarven woman stomped the ground, conjuring spikes that shot half of the Mollys down by punching holes into their bodies. At the same time, the other half were cut down by a halfling in regal armour, wielding a jewel-encrusted sword. 

Landing beside them, the halfling drove his sword to the ground, his dark eyes glimmered behind his plumed helmet as the Mollys disintegrated. 

“We’ll get you out of here,” said the halfling, with a rough and commanding voice. “Don’t let our children’s death be in vain, Star-boy.” 

Ajax froze. In the chaos, he hadn’t realised he was running with Lydia’s and Marius’ parents. He had wanted to apologise to them at the procession, but not like this. Not now. “I’m so sorry,” he stammered out. “I should have… I…” 

“We’re not angry,” said Marius’ mother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “We’re proud they fought with purpose. Their memories will live on through you, child.” 

“Their deaths are unforgivable,” said Lydia’s father, levelling his sword at Ajax’s throat. “Know their deaths are on your shoulders, Star-boy. Remember them every time you pick up a weapon, or pray our paths never cross again.” 

Ajax gulped. “Yes, sir… I’ll never forget them.” 

“Good,” replied Lydia’s father, turning his head to the sound of noisy footsteps coming from the roofs. “Do you have a plan to escape? We’ll protect you as long as we can.” 

“We have a glider, but I don’t know where to go. The old man said something about going west?” 

“Not very helpful,” grumbled the halfling and approached Amalthea. He proceeded to lightly slap her face to wake her. “Hey, hey, hey—” 

“Stop it!” Marius’ mother scolded, pushing the paladin back. “There are better ways.” She rummaged through her robe, and the sorceress pulled out a potion, holding the concoction under Amalthea’s nose. 

She immediately woke with a disgusted gag. “Gods of Hellas, what in Hades was that!?” 

“Smelling salts,” the sorceress replied, clasping her hands before her. “We are here to help. Do you know where you need to go? Ajax says west.” 

“West,” Amalthea mumbled, rubbing her head. “Find his Titan… the Western Lord.” 

“Titan?” Ajax’s eyes lit up. “Like… The Endurance?” 

Amalthea shot him a sharp look but didn’t argue. She couldn’t hold up her gaze for long. She retrieved the black box and switched it on. The guards stared in awed as blue lights illuminated their faces. 

“Hyperion…” she whispered. 

Valerian’s image holographic image appeared. “You called?” 

“Find… the Western Lord. Titan Generation, Second. Direction… Western Magnetic… field.” 

“...” Hyperion’s image flickered and froze for a moment. “Range of localisation is limited, but I’ve calculated a path. I recommend swift action. Strange energies are converging. Press forward with caution, Atlas.” 

The image faded, and Amalthea slumped. Ajax rushed to her side, but she was still conscious, and clinging on. “I’m fine,” she whispered, handing the box into his hands. “I trust you, Ajax. Get us to the Titan, and I’ll handle of the rest.” 

I trust you. 

Those words hit harder than he expected.

“Leave it to me,” he replied with a blaze behind his eyes.

They pressed on. Ajax imagined the Mollys to be more terrifying when they were summoned. It was all thanks to Lydia’s and Marius’ parents, who did most of the work by keeping minions at bay until they had reached the speeder. 

Thankfully, Ajax hadn’t stashed the speeder where they stayed—otherwise, it would have turned into ash. Instead, he kept it near Schnauzer’s house by the gates. It was a lucky coincidence, given that the Mollys now surrounded them.

“One last word, kid,” Lydia’s father pulled Ajax aside before they parted. “When you reach the stars, offer a bouquet for our children.” 

“They would’ve liked that,” added Marius’ mother, and drew a circle on Ajax’s hand—a blessing. 

He gave them a firm nod as he revved the engine, bringing the speeder up with a clunky roar. Amalthea leaned on his back, trying to stay awake as best as she could in her vulnerable state. “I will. Thank you.” 

The Mollys lunged for them, but they were pebbled to pieces by Marius’ mother with a wave of magic. She whipped away her tears as she continued to defend them, shredding their enemies. Lydia’s father raised his sword, ready to kill the enemies that had taken their children. 

“Lady Luck is on our side.” 

“May the earth be merciful.” Marius’ mother growled and punched her fists together, summoning her mana. “Because I won’t.”