The basilisks erupted from the water like geysers as they threw themselves at us. The mirrored shield Volkan prepared for us stood in good stead and was being used to strong effect by Helikaon. There’s fire there, in his slight frame.
Sydon’s hand in the rising waters left it difficult to stand, and trying to keep from catching their deadly petrifying gaze was difficult whilst landing blows. I dropped some illusory flames over them, so at least we could see from their flickering edges where to strike, but the wind and rain still made it next to impossible.
Harpies circled us overhead and I have no doubts they would have struck at an opportune time if Theo and Braz had not kept them occupied with blasts of magic.
I managed to trap one in webs from my spider form for a handful of seconds, buying Alke and Helikaon time to drop one of the beasts.
Calliope and I were still fighting the other when they joined the fray, and we were about to finish the beast, when Sydons voice rang from the skies and the clouds began to rumble.
Hells Bells. Were we about to learn a harsh lesson on defying him?
A huge form stepped up to the edge of the cliff and as a bolt of lightning dropped, it struck a outstruck hammer in its meaty hands. Pythor, this time nothing like the wine-addled buffoon he had seemed a few days ago, but a true divine power, born of battle and conflict. As he bellowed his defiance and defended us from certain death, I’m certain I’ve never seen anyone more alive.
What must it be, to be a god of battle that for 500 years has not been able to fight something worthy of his mettle?
As we cut down the last creature, I turned back to my own form and pointed towards Gaius. AS I shouted, I felt Braz murmur a spell and my voice amplify to echo up to him.
“The deaths of these creatures I dedicate as sacrifice to Sydon, Lord of Storms. The terms of the sacrifice have been met. On your word, leave and do not return.”
It was almost worth risking death for the look on his purple face.
As we returned to the city we were heralded as heroes. Anora herself presented us with some items imbued with minor magics, including for myself an intricately carved staff imbued with living ivy, whose leaves glowed like gentle moonlight.
Pythor, having come to some of his senses to the fight decided it was time to step down as king and let his daughter rule in his stead. I think Estoria will do well from this, she is a capable decision-maker and Estoria will benefit more from Pythor training it’s armies than administering its peoples. His hammer, he bequeathed to Helikaon, who had stood toe to toe with the basilisks with the mirrored shield at the fore. Given his capability with huge armaments, I think it will serve him well, though Pythor tells us it might equally be of good use in the hands of a smith to forge weapons of mighty power.
The festival begins tomorrow, for the next three days. We have been made guests of honour for the first day, which will be pleasant after the horrors of today, though I may wish peace before overlong.