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Leda nodded, hoping that whatever the giant was crafting for them, it amounted to something along the lines of armor. Mads didn't need it as much when she shifted, but while in human form, it would be helpful. And if Leda wasn't going fast enough to outrun her enemies, she'd benefit from some as well. She couldn't help but feel nervous - they were close now, closer than they'd ever been before. If they could pull this off...

"I don't think we have another option," Leda replied softly to Mads, although she suspected the giant would still be able to hear them. He likely had better hearing than a demigod or a mortal. "This is our best chance at getting to the Doors of Death."

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Shadows ensnared her from every side, binding her limbs, her arms, her legs - and as much as she struggled, she couldn't fight them off. Instead, she was repeatedly slammed from side to side, her body hitting the ground over and over again, until she was finally lifted up and suspended. Demi was yelling something about her hurting Zeke - why would she ever hurt Zeke??? In her rage, she hadn't been aware of her actions, aware of who else got hurt. Nancy was about to retaliate in turn, to enact the same pain vibrating throughout her body, the same bruises and humiliations, upon Demi, when suddenly...

Suddenly the anger vanished, deflating away, as a wave of artificial calm swept over her. Niah. Had it not been for Niah's powers, Nancy's anger would have only continued to multiply, having her emotions messed with - and then, it would have increased even more, as one of the Greeks came over to admonish them. Instead, her thoughts were clear and focused, even as Demi held her suspended in the air by shadowy tentacles.

Clear enough to see that she had hurt Zeke.

Had it not been for the artificial calm, that would have torn her to pieces.

And with this calm, it was easier for her to see where she had done wrong - the people that she had wronged here. She shouldn't have used that word. It had been thrown around carelessly in her childhood, and Nancy hadn't realized that it had lurked within her, coming out in a moment of rage. She shouldn't have hurt Zeke. She didn't regret, however, hurting Demi (physically).

"Demetri - I am sorry I used that word. I shouldn't have. I will do better," Nancy promised. "Zeke - I am sorry that I hurt you. I did not mean to. I only meant to attack Demi. I do not regret that. I do not think Demi regrets attacking me, either. We are not compatible people." Her words were strange, almost toneless - the calm removing her characteristic emotional bites, for better or for worse. "If you would put me down, I have a duty to fulfill."

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As Zeke laid on the ground, his cheek pressed into the dirt, listening to his half-sister and boyfriend fight, he wondered how everything got so seriously fucked up. He had tried to diffuse the situation, to calm everyone down, but that wasn't a subset of power Ezekiel had. His father was the sun god after all, and his mother just ignored everyone's opinions—even though he knew it killed her inside. So really, Zeke was the last person who should have been trying. But he had to fix it. Right?

A wave of calm enveloped Ezekiel a moment later. He felt Nancy's power dissipate and sat up. Then the emotional exhaustion hit. Nancy had beat on Demi, and Demi had beat on Nancy. This day was chalking up to be the worst. Zeke wasn't mad at either of them, if anything, he was mad at himself, even when Demetri jumped to Ezekiel's defense. His entire body still felt flush from Demi's words and actions.

And then Zeke did something he never thought he would.

”Alexios is right. So is Kiera. We still have to work together to break down the doors of death and get Mads and Leda back… We can't be beating on each other. Let's just…walk away for a few hours.”

Ezekiel looked at Nancy and smiled. He appreciated her apology and understood very well that her and Demetri were not compatible people. Still, it was good for Nancy to say out loud. Perhaps now Demi would stop trying so hard to befriend her and they could just be civil instead. Zeke rather hated the two of them fighting in any capacity.

”I'll be in medical if you need my assistance later,” he told her and took a few steps in that direction before looking at Demetri. ”Or you.” He then nodded to Kiera and Sera, grateful for their interference, before walking away from the entire group.

---

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Andy smiled, pleased by the praise. Her embarrassment was still simmering but it reduced with the success. She waited for Kristin to return the blow, but Kristin missed. It had been easy to dodge. Kristin had clearly shown her move, it hadn't even been a feint. Andy wondered if that was a flaw of the spear over the sword.

She adjusted her stance, testing a simple feint, and landed a grazing blow on Kristin. It would have done little damage in a real fight with real weapons, but even a graze would be enough to start wearing down someone. She let Kristin find her footing again, going on the defensive. In a real fight Andy would have pressed her advantage, she wouldn't have let Kristin stand in the first place. But in a real fight she wouldn't always have the advantage.



Niah fought herself to release a pent-up sigh. The whole situation had gotten so out of hand so quickly that Niah had worried she wouldn't be able to diffuse the situation. It was likely that when her power wore off the others would be angry again, possibly focusing some of that back at her. But if they did all walk away it would give everyone some time to think and cool off.

She walked over to Nancy waiting for Demitri to let her down so she could support and be near her friend. The other two Greeks, Niah wasn't sure of one of their names she hadn't met her, who came over after the fact and hadn't been caught up in the blast of calmness at least seemed to want to diffuse the situation as well.

Niah didn't say anything else as at this point words were unimportant. She glanced toward Leandra. Where had it all gone wrong? Sure there had always been tension. But what had happened? What small thing had led to this moment? Niah couldn't pinpoint it. She felt that if she could maybe she could fix it all.