Declan closed his eyes, she was right, they could do with a better appearance he flipped through his head what would be the best look for them, security was out, that would scare off the centaur, priests would set off security, their normal look wasn't going to do it either. Ah-ha! An elderly person, that would do it, the seniors always gambled and it wasn't awkward to be seen here...especially in this garden.

Declan mumbled the incantation that created the illusion grabbing Oriana's hand, he and Oriana took on the appearance of Carl and Ellie Fredricksen, they were known for having that lovely Victorian house with the balloons that hovered around Blackhaven, he'd seen them hours ago in the spa area they had an early dinner and gambled for a couple of hours before turning in.

They still to each other looked normal, but to everyone else, they looked as the Fredricksen's, now it was a matter of keeping the illusion going long enough for them to get their information.

"Ori, let's get a little closer, and pretend like we've nodded off like the elderly do, maybe we can overhear something of value."

He led her to one of the benches that was close enough to hear Agriu go on about the locations of the items, they were looking for. Now trying to keep up with his illusion, he told Oriana to follow his head in acting elderly.

"In my day...those slot machines put out more cash, I am glad I won you that four thousand, but needed some air, that place was getting stuffy, good lord it was nice to let Russel run around without us for a change."

Typical old person grumbling, however Declan sincerely wanted Oriana to keep the four thousand he'd won at the blackjack tournament, she insisted on her own money, that didn't mean he couldn't give her a gift, four thousand was not something he'd miss. The illusion was completed with the metal walking cane with the tennis ball bottoms, the thick glasses were also not real to her at least, to the outside world they were. They walked slowly to the bench within ear shot of Agriu.

The centaur paid them no notice, brushing them off as two old codgers that had just won big and needed air, he was sure they'd nod off. Oriana's ring Draconus would let them know when the illusion would dissipate, Declan may have had a great mastery with it, but changing one's form like his uncle had done with Uther all those years ago, would only last so long. Even that sorcerer that stole the famed Alistair Moody's known as Mad Eye , form could only keep it up for so long. Pity about Moody's death, he was mourned among the few remaining sorcerers.

Oriana was close, she needed to reach the 500th circle to lose apprentice hood, being in the 300th was an accomplishment, however by the 350th circle it was as Phil said, Declan would have to teach her another language or two...or as they were unique, there was another way.

Agriu continued to ramble, Declan could hear about sandals, something about a bag...and finally something had been damaged...a mirror?! When Perseus battled the gorgons he had a mirror shield, what could that mirror mean?
 
“Will you help him?” Oriana had her head bowed, as if she’d fallen asleep under the ray of the sun and clasped her hands in front of her. Her lips barely moved as she spoke. “We have the locations…we could collect them ourselves…”

It always amazed her how easily his powers came to him whereas she struggled to do anything beyond her first affinity with fire.

It was funnily enough, rather amusing to be an older lady. She left the grumbling to Declan and outwardly behaved like a tired woman used to hearing her husband complain about this and that.

It didn’t mean she hadn’t noticed his sly attempt to pass her the four thousand. “You need to stop treating me like a charity case too by the way.” Eventually she’d earn enough to handle her personal expenses but did he have to make it harder to return the sum?

“Maybe if you put him to sleep straight after too…he drank enough, they’d just assume he’s inebriated…” Her head lolled against his shoulder, her mind falling back to the conversation with Hades.

It was so difficult understanding what he wanted from her. Wasn’t it obvious? Would she have to spell it out? Then again, was she reading it completely wrong and was Hades barking up the wrong tree?

She was so utterly confused as to what to say and do.

Robeen meant that her Mother would soon be making her way to Blackhaven – did she want Gothel knowing that she was interested in Fergus’s son? That would cause mayhem and it would only hurt Declan in the process. Gothel would attempt to push her way into that family and twist things to her advantage for sure.

Her and Rapunzel’s relationship could have been repaired had it not been for Gothel spreading the rumor that Oriana was interested in Flynn. As if she would hold any thoughts for that thief. Considering Zel had been trapped in that tower for so many years it wasn’t surprising her standards were low.

What was a Woman of the Sun? Excalibur had mentioned it and so had the mischievous nymph army from earlier today. Again, was it mistaken identity or did she have something in her that could help her make sense of what she was doing with her life?

The only way she was going to have answers to all these persistent questions was to have a very frank conversation with Declan.

…and that was rather daunting.
 
Putting Agriu to sleep would require a hand gesture, one that Declan would have to wait for the ample opportunity to use, the biggest thing was no one could be looking, it was a good suggestion by Oriana. After some more rambling by Agriu, Declan waited for him to turn away before quickly making the incantation and hand gesture required for sleep.

"That will only put him out for an hour, so we need to move quickly."

He took a moment to dispel the illusion afterwards, but that comment by Oriana didn't escape his notice.

"It's a gift, not charity. Can't a I give a pretty lady a gift?"

His tone wasn't annoyance or heartbreak, more of that teasing tone. Sure he didn't want Oriana to worry about anything or even move out, but he knew she wanted to earn her own way which was fine, but that didn't mean he couldn't give her gifts. His own tension had eased and he nearly forgot they were acting when she put his head on his shoulder, content to be lost in the moment. Still there was the annoying task at hand.

Once again something ruined the moment, this time it was a text from Merida, informing him that Hamish, Hubert, and Harris had arrived in town and that Eleanore wanted to arrange dinner with everyone to include Oriana, god only know what Merida had been saying or could not have been just Merida, the fates could have been playing here too...but that was a concern for another time.

Declan grabbed Oriana's hand and they raced to the famed executive room, this was also where the private poker games that the house always won were held. Oriana and Declan hadn't heard anything about private poker games...which was good even with all the illusions and other tricks they could pull off, it wouldn't end pretty.

There were the sisters, sitting around their crystal ball, which they called their "eye"; Hades had told Declan about this years ago, more so when it had to do with imprisoning the titans, Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon had needed their help in doing so.

It was true, the mirror was cracked, but everything else was in tact, though to Declan the bag looked less than he would have imagined...the sandals, well they looked as if they were made for a female. Their hour was running out, and not interested in using his golden ticket to meet them Declan was going to bend the rules.

"Ori, grab the sandals and the bag, I'll grab a piece of that mirror. Wait till I stop the eye."

This was going to require some finesse, but it was doable, mixing several elements, Declan caused the Graeae sisters' eye to go dark, disabling their vision for about 10 minutes time, it was all he could muster.

He moved quickly to grab the mirror piece and it seemed like Oriana was following him in unison as he had with his uncle years before. By the time they returned to their room, he'd studied the piece of the mirror, there was an incantation on it...one he could actually read without needing a book to translate. While he new the mirror image spell, this particular spell could reverse magic cast on a spell caster and produce a circle from the caster's hand that acted as a mirror shield. He'd work on mastering this later, before teaching it to Oriana.

"Ori, listen, when we leave here in the morning, there's some place I want to show you, you've probably passed it half a dozen times. But you'll understand when I take you there, at least I hope you will."

He couldn't say it outright, still rattled about what Achilles had said, but Oriana could give him the answers...so could Saint Paul's.
 
She had waited until he’d finished inspecting the items they had stolen under the noses of the rather hideous women before saying a word, content to follow and do as he instructed for now.

His flirtatious remark hadn’t escaped her, and she had been very surprised, Declan seemed to be coming out of his shell but that meant she was losing her footing every time he did. Usually he'd say something to the effect of 'you look nice' and that too was with eyes averted. This had been more direct.

Oriana gazed over the mirror and nodded at him distractedly, he’d already mentioned they needed to be somewhere in the morning. She was wondering if the bag they’d acquired would be hers one day. In a daring manner she raised an eyebrow at him, “By the way, thanks for the compliment earlier. Shouldn’t a pretty lady get to choose her own gift though?”

Oriana almost cringed at the words – gosh she could have come up with something better, but it was out there now, and she was looking at him with something akin to ‘well, what now?’

Oriana had seen Merida’s message and as they’d run through back to their room had contemplated various excuse, she could give to Eleanor to avoid the family dinner.

That woman was very stubborn though and considering their last conversation at the Halloween Ball the redhead had a feeling that she would be like a dog with a bone on the matter of her attendance.

That dinner would not end well.
 
No thoughts had been given to his commentary before, until Oriana had come back with a statement about being able to choose her own gift. Internally and mentally he kicked himself, among other things, before returning back to his guarded way.

"Yes, of course you should be able to choose your own gift..."

He didn't say much else on the subject, instead he pulled out the laptop and began scrolling through some of the various Arcana Cabana files, specifically odd purchases over the last three years...it took him about 45 minutes to find it but it was there, the boys they'd bought gorgon tears, he didn't know for what purpose but this again proved that those three were meddling with powers they couldn't possibly comprehend. To the untrained person gorgons tears had minimal effects other than removing a curse of stone, but to someone who knew the arts it was also a deadly concoction, if consumed it could change a less powerful spell caster into a monstrous creature.

Not sure what the boys bought it for, this brought a new concern in having dinner together, certain they didn't know it's full powers, Declan was gambling that they had used this item already...but the only question that remained for him, was how the Arcana Cabana got them in the first place, more so if the gorgons were locked away.

This was a matter for another time, he had a more pressing thing he wanted to show Oriana and that was at Saint Paul's, which could wait till the morning. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Merida is arranging a dinner with mom, dad, and the boys...she wants to formally introduce us to the boyfriend and they're expecting both of us to be there too."

Declan had to wonder how his father would behave at this thing, but Oriana did a good job in handling him at the Halloween Ball.

He now had to internally question what would happen at Saint Paul's...he was going out on a massive limb taking her there. He was hoping she'd understand and accept the gift that was there for her.
 
There was no other word for it, Oriana visibly deflated at his seemingly colder response and anyone would be able to see her frown as she had turned away from Declan with a shake of her head. Don’t make an idiot of yourself again Ori.

Of course, that would fall flat. Why did she even try?

The rest of the evening was spent in silence and her pretending to have her nose in a tome. Mostly to cover her own embarrassment. A dusty book cover was the ideal shield never mind the slightly damaged shield.

Dinner came and went – still the conversation was stilted to ‘pass the sauce’ and ‘pass the salt.’

His warning about the dinner was met with silent thoughts of faking a cold or flu.

Heck, she’d raise her own body temperature and maybe he could get out of that social agreement to. After all someone had to look after her right?
She had a feeling that he would be keen to avoid it if he could as well. Then there was that sinking thought that Eleanor would turn up to Mother them both to death.

That night when she went to bed, Oriana stubbornly put a large pillow between them and hugged it tight instead of doing her usual thing of invading his space.

Two could play that game she thought before falling asleep.

Tomorrow she’d checkout this mysterious place he kept mentioning as something to visit as a matter of urgency. It wasn’t that she wasn’t curious but more trusting, whatever he had to show her was surely important or vital to their work.
 
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church…an unassuming place in Blackhaven. Not unlike the famed churches from the middle ages, still the unique portion of this place wasn’t on the outside but the inside.

Oriana was correct in the people that lived in Blackhaven didn’t give the sorcerer proper credit for his being an obstacle in the asinine things and even the horrors that came on in the city.

Declan never said anything, as Oriana by now knew, he was willing to face the harms of the world. Perhaps it was part of that six-year-old boy yearning to find his place in the world but it was very much visible in his eyes if she looked close enough. And Oriana did.

“Why we here then Wonder boy? Shorty wouldn’t say a thing even under threat of a firestorm.” Apart from telling her that she needed to see something she had been following him blind, no answer to what he wanted to show and really, she didn’t want to break his focus. There was something in his face today as if he was hopeful of something and daunted by it at the same time. Still, she kept her voice cheery to break the tension that was unfolding before her.

Declan was clearly struggling with something internally, still having the issues with Tinkerbell and what Achilles had said at the casino. He could not find the words…but for the first time ever since he’d been at Blackhaven, he entered the main area with the pews and altar, the grip on Oriana’s hand was similar to what she’d seen in her visions. Clearly, Declan didn’t want her to let go.

Friar Tuck was in shock but quickly raised the lights. By the expression on Declan’s face and the familiar redhead by his side he’s started to understand what exactly the sorcerer was up to. Oriana was a bit confused as she walked alongside Declan to why the Friar was looking at her as if he’d seen a ghost.

She’d never met the guy before.

Suddenly, Declan staggered a bit as if he’d been stabbed again, the wound Tinkerbell had caused began to bleed. His free hand went to it and he released Oriana’s hand to sit in the pew. There was a gasp as Oriana tried to steady him and bent down to stop the flow of blood with a handkerchief from her pocket.

“What-you were fine…what’s the matter?” Yes, he’d been quiet and reserved but why did his mark suddenly start bleeding again? They weren’t in a dangerous place as far as she was concerned.

Declan simply shook his head indicating he was okay and not to worry about him. Oriana followed his finger as he pointed it at the direction of the altar. Despite his insistence that she not worry it was difficult not to when he had turned a whiter shade of pale and it reminded her of his after effect of using blood magic.

Friar Tuck rushed forward and gently led Oriana away, who was an unwilling to leave his side and he placed a hand on her back to lead her to what Declan had been trying to show her all along. A wide array of stone carvings, the stained glass, and the most important thing…Oriana was now being shown some of the works.

“Child, you can only help him by seeing the truth. Yes…this is what he wanted to show you.” Friar Tuck was speaking low, but his voice still echoed around the otherwise silent walls.

“Oriana dear, he cannot say it, but I will, there was time when temples were built to honor gods and heroes alike. I don’t know what grief Declan carries, but this is our own temple to show our gratitude for all he’s done. Merlin gave approval for this as well…Winston and I have been painstakingly working on this. Come let’s take a closer look.”

Declan winced and laid back in the pew. This time there was no song from Bragi or Taelsin. Just simple writings in the pieces of what Declan wanted her to see…for the labors he’d endured. Everything was depicted with fragments or souvenirs from the labors, the art was different, varying from statues, Greek urns, stained glass, paintings, tapestries.

Oriana turned her head this way and that, her hands ghosting over the items but not touching them as she tried to take everything in. In the back of her mind the soft melody of Go The Distance was echoing around and she wondered if the muses were watching her right now in this moment.
Honestly, could she and Declan not have one private moment?

As Friar Tuck rushed her forward, she missed the one stained glass labelled Go The Distance and concentrated on the array of twelve spotlights before her.

Had she not known Declan so well she wouldn’t have recognized the enraged personality within the first stained glass, he was battling a werewolf which stood in front of a destroyed house of straw, sticks and seemed to be moving towards a house of bricks. She blinked, surprised and thought that her eyes were playing tricks. Of course, the glass had an element of visual magic.

Again, her hands traced the fragments of house in front of her, but she didn’t dare touch the wolf’s claw.
It still looked rather sharp.

Oriana followed Friar Tuck to a tapestry which showed Declan standing over the worm. It was cut clean in half. Gruesome. His back to the appreciative people. In front on a silk cloth, was a large Key. A tag identified it was the Key to Blackhaven owned by Declan himself. She felt…proud.

Of course, he should own this. It was his right…his two labors so far had meant that he’d earned it.

Yet, her tour was not complete. There was more. And it seemed never ending…

This time it was a carving in a slab of gold and the story unfolded like she was reading hieroglyphs, but she understood…a depiction of Declan with his face blocked by the skull portrayed on the Aztec gold coins. Even within the gold his eyes were glowing. Oriana remembers Phil’s words…this must have been when he had lifted the curse on Jack Sparrow and his crew. There was another item in front of her that she didn’t want to touch.

A sacrificial dagger. Had his eyes been glowing due to the use of blood magic? Oriana sighed and glanced back at Declan who seemed to still be struggling to sit. She wanted to ask him why.

Why did he spill his blood for the unworthy? It wasn’t anger…but frustration on her part.

These people did not deserve him.


Still, Oriana stepped forward to a large four-piece painting. The first showed a giant boar with burning red eyes, gold tusks, and fire in its hooved feet. The second was Blackhaven’s high town in flaming ruins, a hooded figure was seen observing. Her green eyes recognized the figure as Declan, who removed his hood within the third frame and was summoning a rainstorm. By the fourth painting Declan had turned the boar to stone. Oriana raised her eyebrows since she recognized that statue from where it currently resided in the city. She was relieved to see Declan walking off head bowed…thankfully, no injuries had been suffered by him.

This time she touched the medal in front of her in the shadow box with a smile. This fight she agreed with. No injuries and no pain. The recognition was well deserved.

Another painting, she wondered who had taken the time to depict them in such detail…she wanted to thank them personally. They’d truly taken the time to put in such color and vibrancy that Oriana felt she was right there.
Atlantis being hit by disaster.

Blackhaven was spared the same fate. In midst of a tsunami a large god like figure stood with a trident looking expertly furious.

Poseidon?

A large tidal wave caused by a river rising was being diverted and it created a natural spring by Declan. Oriana’s eyes stung, she didn’t like what she was seeing. He was taking the worst Poseidon had to offer and once again, just enduring. Within the painting it was as if Poseidon expression went from fury to…respect.

Oriana wanted to pick up the conch horn in front of her and blow it…but she resisted the childish urge and smiled once again. Declan wasn’t hurt in this. Just wet.

Oriana definitely recognized the next work. It was a wooden piece carved by Merida’s hand. She knew that style without doubt from the items back at Arcana Cabana.

Merida had perfectly portrayed Declan killing Acamas, the son of Theseus and saving the minotaur’s calf from Acamas. She almost nodded in approval at the statue of a Cretan bull studded with jewels and Declan’s name carved in it.

A silver urn, nearly the size of her took her breath away. She traced the engravings where Declan was engaged in single combat in a circle that looked familiar…

“The Tea Party?” Oriana asked out loud to no one in particular. It was a rose garden with red and white roses…she always hated the sickly-sweet smell. Declan was chosen to champion…Alice against the Queen of Hearts’ champion…the Jabberwocky. Standing next to him where Merlin and Phil. She flinched at the sight of the Jabberwocky’s clawed hand in the box at her feet. By its side was a ruby heart…literally in the shape of a human heart except it had the word hero threaded into it.

Anything to do with Alice had to be odd. Of course.

Oriana rubbed her face, moving away from the gold urn to look up at another stained glass hanging off the wall. He was fighting…and winning against the Blair Witch. She’d heard of her of course. Her Mother was…a fan. Yet, Declan with his cunning managed to imprison her within a dark looking crystal. Oriana didn’t dare lift the ever-lit lantern hanging next to the glass…for all she knew it might set the witch free. Plus, it was clearly old…heck, from the colonial era from what was written on its tag.

She almost jumped at the oil painting next, large and framed in chestnut oak. It was her standing next to Declan. In his hands was the Book of Shadows. Something she had dismissed and ignored at the time. She nearly laughed at the item lodged within the frame of the painting.
It was the business card he’d given to her…how had the Friar and Winston got it? She’d thought it was lost in the fire with the Ripper?!
Oriana could hear Declan moving about behind in the pew. Had he seen these more recent additions? She wasn’t sure how to feel being in them…and her stomach twisted at the next statue and painting combination. It was so lifelike, and she had to rub her own arms to give some comfort from the sight before her.

A grey stoned Oriana was throwing her hands out to the painting in which the Ripper was portrayed in that foul black shadowed cloud, trying to walk through her firestorm. She flinched at the flames within the painting – she could almost feel the heat radiating from it. This time when her eyes stung, she wasn’t able to stop the silent tear. At the statue’s feet…at her feet was a charred and burnt brick…presumably from her old home.
She quickly moved on. It did no good to dwell on such things. Oriana had a new home…right? The world was better off without the Ripper…even at the cost of her belongings, they were just material objects.

The last step took her to a mixture of objects. Combined the piece was still incomplete despite there being an urn showing Zeus’s irritated face and a statue of Achilles with his fist raised. She assumed that this was after Achilles had demanded for justice that Declan had help from Oriana with the Ripper, and that Poseidon was a god and biased in that labor…idiotic brute.

If Declan had never trained her, she would never been able to fight off the Ripper. The fire would still have come through her, but she had fought off her attacker for a good few minutes before loosing control. She had always felt grateful to Declan for that. His training had helped so he had indirectly completed a labor? Why was that so hard to understand? As for Poseidon, just because he was a God that didn’t mean he had a right to wage water-war on to innocents – even if few of them existed in Blackhaven. Declan had been right in standing in the way of that.

Sighing she started to walk back to Declan shaking her head at the situation he was in but from the look on Declan’s face it was as if he had already acknowledged this reality. She’d noticed a blank spot on the floor to what she presumed was his final labor…Oriana didn’t even want to imagine what that would be and what the cost would be from Declan on that.

As she headed back to the pew Oriana noticed the sorcerer wasn’t even looking at her but at the mural depicting her journey of “Go the Distance”. How had she missed it?

Declan was in shock, he had finally realized what Oriana had said about the dream.

Declan stood up from the pew and went up to look at the mural work titled Go the Distance. He’s almost to the last one he can’t quite see---until he focused--- it’s the girl…the one that he saw in Oriana’s memories.

Tigerlily.

“Declan?” Oriana asked softly, following his line of vision and stepping in front of him to the fresco which had his attention. Her eyes widened – seriously, how had she missed it? The little girl from her vision was almost dancing in front of her eyes. She lifted a hand to trace the little image.

Declan hadn’t replied but she could feel him standing behind her though.

“I’m sorry, this was the only way I could…show you.”

Declan scanned, the reflecting pool, to see if it was still in the garden area. It was.

“There’s something else, come on.”

He kissed her cheek genuinely before taking her out to the garden where a stone chest lay covered in a complicated array of runes.
Sensory overload was a real thing and Oriana was experiencing it. The sight of a miniature Tigerlily validating all that she had seen had her swallowing and following Declan out in shock.

Her silence didn’t last long when once again Declan fell over on the ground as the pain and blood overcame him once more. It was highly annoying.
Oriana sighed in exasperation, yes, fine, she wouldn’t worry about the fact he was falling apart and concentrate on the damn chest. How was this more important than his health right now?

Declan was trying not to show it, but he was dying to know if what Persephone had told him was accurate, his mind was on that last image with Oriana and Tigerlily.

Oriana held his hand in hers and opened the chest with her other free hand. Inside…was a heavy hammer and as she touched it with one finger a bolt of electricity went up her spine and she visibly shuddered.

A slip of parchment told her what it truly was. This was no ordinary hammer.

Mjolnir
.

Oriana calmly lifted it, raising it high in the air and flame bells rode up from her elbows and up the weapon to fire off in the air like fireworks on a new year night.

“…Now this is what you call a gift.”

Really, who needed flowers and chocolates?

Declan couldn't pull himself in anything more than a sitting position, the pain was too much and the scar was bleeding more now, to the point it was going down his leg. But that didn't matter to him, whatever game the fates and muses were playing, they'd won now, she was it, sure the pain of Excalibur's death was there, but it was as if she was telling him it was okay, and as best he could he smiled not hiding his joy, he just couldn't get up and embrace Oriana...he didn't want to let go at all now.
 
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The weight of the hammer felt almost nothing to her, and it was fun to twirl it this way and that, grinning as it greeted her with light and shy electric pulses.

Yet, she was pulled out of her musings rather fast when she noticed how quiet Declan was. “Oh shit.” She dropped Mjolnir back in its box and turned to the pained man next to her. “Alright, home time.” Her eyes flickered over the leg where blood was clearly coursing down and she grabbed his hand, placing it around her waist. Oriana’s one arm went around his middle as she pulled him up with a huff of breath and the other grabbed the wooden box to carry back with them. “You sure like to make things difficult for yourself huh…” It wasn’t as if she expected a response, but one thing was for sure.

There was nothing that would stop her from finding the reason or source for the bleeding Declan was undergoing daily….and ending said reason.
“Once we’ve cleaned you up….and you’ve had some rest, we are going to have a long chat.” There was a no-nonsense tone to her voice, a warning that she might ask thing of him that he may not feel ready to completely tell her but after showing her St Pauls today was he expecting her to wait and bide her time?

Oriana was leading him back inside but out again through the main entry way with a quick thankful nod to the Friar, who had settled for a self-satisfied smile and busied himself with tidying up all the statues and items Oriana had pushed aside in her curiosity.

“And I don’t want no cryptic answers.” Oriana added, awkwardly shoving the heavy box under her armpit and opening the door to their rental car.
“Crystal?”
 
There wasn't an answer Declan could provide that would be satisfactory at this moment, the only thing he could do without giving away the fact that Tinkerbell was watching or was close was, draw the letters TB in blood on his jeans, he had faith that Oriana would catch on by now, they'd been training long enough and Oriana had been making great progress, her being able to take on Mjolnir proved several things. She was going to have to see what happened that caused this, the betrayal, the incident with Mordred...among other things.

"Cryptic? Me? Never."

He was trying to play it off as he usually did, masking the immense pain with humor, it was all he could do at the moment, he was trying to sense Tinkerbell, but the injury she inflicted made that difficult without using blood magic, and he wasn't going to do that while bleeding this profusely.

Tinkerbell's stab had placed a geas on him, a curse that would make a weaker person bound to perform the duties of another person or face death. Tinkerbell whether realizing it or not, wasn't able to place that kind of a geas on Declan, her's was more of a keep tabs on him and the cut would bleed whenever she was near or watching, depending on the severity of the bleed.

There was no contesting what Oriana had said, she'd get her answers, but the only lingering question was, how? He didn't tune Oriana out, his eyes narrowing and scanning the area, Tinkerbell nor Achilles would step foot in Saint Paul's, Achilles being to arrogant and proud to bother himself with such a thing, and Tinkerbell, well certain items were of interest to her in the church, but the wards Winston had placed, kept her at bay, there was no going in for her.

Declan tore a portion of the undershirt he was wearing, given the cooler nights...he'd been wearing them frequently, with December coming, that also marked winter coming...and from he could tell this was going to be a cold one, the vision of the red snow meant something. It was another make shift bandage to staunch the blood, he'd let Oriana drive this time, traffic wasn't due to be horrible till much later on, so getting home wouldn't be an issue, unless of course they ran into something.
 
Once they were in the car and driving off, Oriana dropped the first aid box into Declan’s lap with a deep sigh. It wasn’t of irritation aimed at him but of the complex situations she always found herself in.

Her eyes tracked the winding roads for any sight of that worthless blonde-haired junkie as she drove, perhaps ignoring the speed limits in lieu of getting Declan back to the safety of Capricorn. They needed to pick up the remainder of their belongings and zoom back to Arcana Cabana.
She tightened her grip on the steering wheel and wondered whether she should tell Declan she didn’t have a license to drive…. but then again, doubted he would care and should someone stop them he’d only wing out some illusion or another.

Why worry?

From the corner of her eye she could see a gold vehicle trying to overtake her and Oriana almost rolled her eyes at the sticker she could see on the bumper.

Pixie on board.

Gosh she thought she was adorable right?

The sleek Mercedes SLR was getting too close for comfort, so Oriana raised a single eyebrow and instead of speeding up decided to hang back, putting more distance between her and the other vehicle.

“Your pixie-wife is here. I’m afraid I won’t be so accommodating to her today.” She commented dryly, but in a manner that told Declan that this was her attempt to lighten up the situation.

Unluckily for Tinkerbell, she had been taught how to drive by a man called Max, or how she’d referred to him as Mr. Mercury. He’d been a strange client that only frequented the Tea Party to see her solely, one that had insisted on slow walks through the town and said she’d reminded him of his sister.

Not the usual sleazebag thing to say.

He earned his money by owning a race track called Quicksilver's Raceway and betting pools, had no qualms to throwing the cash around.
There had been no sexual intent on his part, so Oriana hadn’t minded being paid for casual walks and being solid company for a man who just wanted someone to sit and eat with.

The plus side was when he found out she couldn’t drive he’d taught her his own style, which was all about high speed and getting oneself out of pickled situations.

Then he’d one day left with a cocky smile and a brief, “You didn’t see this coming?”

To which she had, a personality like that didn’t stay long in the fungus infested town such as Blackhaven.

But enough flashbacks.

In that moment, Oriana waited until she could see Tinkerbell getting confused by her actions and slow down herself to reverse. Gotcha.
Oriana then suddenly revved the engine of their Chevrolet Impala and grinned when she accelerated past Tinkerbell and watched the woman hit the steering wheel in anger. “You didn’t see that coming?!” She yelled out of the open window not caring if the blonde managed to hear her or not, outstretching one hand to throw a lick of flame at the wheels and engine as they zoomed past.

Oriana kept the speed heavy until she’d put enough distance between them and her, not even jumping when there was a sound of an explosion behind them.

Pixie dust and fire didn’t mix well. Who knew?

“Why have I got a feeling….” Oriana changed gear and glanced at Declan, “That we are about to have even more company?”
 
The first aid kit wasn't going to do too much, but Declan humored Oriana by placing some of the medical wrap and gauze around the cut inflicted by Tinkerbell. Changing shirt would be pointless as they still needed to get their luggage and check out of the Capricorn...also needing to return the rental car. Usually Declan had relied on cabs or Winston driving him around, while he could drive himself, his own car had been lost during the mess with Poseidon, save a city from flooding and lose your car.

He didn't interfere with Oriana's driving tricks nor did he question where she'd learned them, she did have somewhat of a life before him and if she had wanted to tell him she would have done so. Still he had no idea what Tinkerbell was up to at this juncture, she never followed to Saint Paul's, and had always preferred to keep a distance. Still the explosion with her car, that was good message Oriana had sent, but doubted she was dead, injured for certain, she deserved more, but the geas she had on him prevented Declan from harming her and allowed Tinkerbell to track him, as for what task she had placed the geas on him for was still a mystery.

Declan closed his eyes, trying to see if he could sense anything in regards to what Oriana had said about company, surprisingly there was no crowing sound to indicate Peter and his Lost Boys were in the area, but there was something else, as Oriana had pulled them up to the Capricorn there was a commotion a big one, it was big enough that even Pain and Panic's bumbling was ignored, mostly with a laugh from Achilles. Declan was guess that the arrogant Trojan War hero with the bad ankles, had no idea what he and Oriana had been up to, a guess that proved right when a serpent like head grabbed one of the scattering people in it's jaws and devoured them.

The hydra...it was now loose in this portion of town, often referred to neon district due to all the casinos and shows that went on here, to make matters worse, Declan could hear helicopters for the local news, sure his antics had been on the news before, but they'd never seen him in action just the aftermaths, and of course his picture in the papers.

Achilles stood there laughing and enjoying himself as if this were the Roman coliseum, Hades and Persephone merely shook their heads on this, there wasn't much they could do, other than witness for Zeus and the others on the counsel that Declan would complete one of his two labors that Achilles had demanded be tacked on due to Oriana's help with the Ripper and that Poseidon was a god and the labor of saving Blackhaven from him was biased because Poseidon was a god.

"Ori, look at Achilles, that's odd that he's dressed for a fight, but just sitting there watching..."

The hydra made a snap for another person when Declan jumped out of the car and threw a blast of energy at it, in order to draw it's attention to him. Phil had appeared by this time to talk to Oriana, opening the driver's side to help her out.

"Oriana, come on, I don't think he wants to endanger you, the hydra is two words: AM SCRAY!!!"

Achilles noted the blood that had run down Declan's right side, almost as if he was probing for a weakness. But settled back and had Pain light him a cigar, while Panic poured him some more wine.

"See how he bleeds? That faerie was of use after all, maybe she can still help with my favorite part of this game, sudden death."

Declan's blast had gotten the hydra's attention off the fleeing people and on him, it could smell his blood from the geas wound, which he looked at briefly...it'd not faded...but it was no longer bleeding. He had to ignore that now as he rolled out of the way of a nasty snap, he'd left his coat in the car, but the one thing he did need he could summon: Excalibur. The sword was in his hands in moments as he threw a small bout of electrical energy at the hydra, before cleaving the single head clean off. The people that had scattered cheered, which he was still surprised they were even there...but it was short lived as now the head grew back as he knew, but this time there were three heads.

"KID WOULD YOU FORGET ABOUT THE HEAD SLICING THING?!!"

Declan fanned Excalibur before driving the sword into the ground, causing a barrier between himself and the crowd, now the hydra couldn't attack the crowds. Achilles passed it without comment, content to watch the sorcerer with a mix of concern that the hydra might lose and waiting to use his two wild cards, pending one pulled herself out of the flaming car wreck that Oriana had pulled off.

More illusion followed from Declan, a spray of colors went in the hydra's faces each causing a various ailment from temporary blindness to sleep, it wouldn't last very long but enough for him to scan for a weak spot as to avoid cutting off the heads and having more sprout. The new copters were a nuisance as was the arrival of Nottingham, however his interest was quickly dissipated at the sight of what the sorcerer was tangling with. Even the arrival of mayor Snow White and her opponent Aurora, Declan still had to ignore as he tried to battle with the hydra.

"Lead with your left kid!"

Combat training wasn't going to help here and Declan knew it, but he tried to roll, but right and was nearly stomped on,

"Your other left!"

Phil wasn't helping much, but still, it was the thought that counted.
 
Oriana allowed herself to be helped out by Phil, motioning to the civilians to step back behind the magical barrier Declan had constructed to keep them safe. At the shouts of Phil asking Declan to concentrate on his left she sent an indecorous look to Hades with a nod towards Phil. “I’m surrounded by idiots.” She said dryly, gaining a small laugh from him and Persephone much to Phil’s irritation.

“Alright pinhead leave this to people who won’t accidentally get Declan to maim himself. Yeah?” She added, striding forward and kicking Pain and Panic out the way as they guffawed at her.

Drawing in a deep breath she stepped in through the barrier, anyone could get in but no one could get out. For a brief moment she watched as Declan swung his sword this way and that but to no avail - the heads simply wouldn’t stop growing back. When one of it’s tails swung her way she jumped over it and rubbed her hands together.

It wasn’t as if she wasn’t afraid, if anyone looked at her closer then they’d see the drops of sweat make her way down the side of her forehead. “Get your shit together.” She murmured to herself.

She had to help Declan since he was already injured.

Finally, after a minute, and not to late either she started darting this way and that throwing small flame bells towards the hydra’s feet, enough heat that she had the serpentine monster dancing and distracted from Declan enough to perhaps give him time to think.

“You think If I lit this thing on fire then we can bring it down?” She asked, trying not to let on to Declan that Tinkerbell had pulled up in a burned wreck. When she said pulled up, the now piece of junk that had once been a car was being pulled with rope by a group of the Lost Boys. Tinkerbell's face was set to ‘Fury Mode’ but that just made Oriana feel more validated.

“Or you can blow Capricorn up and bring it down on this – “ She paused, turning to the right to avoid one of the feet from slamming down on to her. “Bitch and just crush her.” Heck, one building didn’t mean more than the lives of the townspeople. Surely the owner – she was forgetting his name – but surely, they had insurance.

Following Tinkerbell, a red Vauxhall sped through the road with the ten of spades spray-painted out on it. Classy.

Looked like Alice had arrived too.

Oriana wasn’t intimidated by these personalities, she had Mjölnir whilst all they had was their ego and arrogance.

She would aim to make Declan proud with her new-found weapon. Speaking of which…

“Phil, grab me the hammer!”

“The what?!”

“IN THE CAR YOU STUPID PINHEAD, MOVE YOUR HOOVES AND GET – never mind…he can’t pick it up.”

She rolled her eyes and threw her hands up at the Hydra, sending a heat flash towards it so it wouldn't get that near Declan. “Let me go get the Mojo.” The Hydra reeled back in fear.

Mjölnir was simply a mouthful.
 
Declan noticed Oriana had come to help, while rolling to dodge the claws and a vicious snap, he'd even sliced another head off to prevent it from taking a bite out of Oriana before throwing some balls of light, another of his illusions that was used to distract and disorient, he pushed her out of the way as well, this time to avoid the severed head falling on her, instead it hit their rental car.

He suddenly stopped and jerked in pain, the wound Tinkerbell inflicted had opened again and had resumed bleeding profusely, a roll again while Oriana was trying to summon Mjölnir to her, though he did notice the hydra reel back in fear due to her fire, while he was able to apply a tourniquet of sorts to his wound, he was on his knees when he saw Tinkerbell...but there was another vehicle that pulled up, a police vehicle...that had the commissioner Gawain and now Lancelot. Declan slid back in a bit, when Phil and Hades checked on him, Declan was breathing hard.

"Kid...how many horns do you see? C'mon you can take this bum."

"Six?"

"Eh close enough, come on let me tighten that, you gotta get back in there."

Phil got the injury as stable as he could, with Tinkerbell there now, the bleeding wouldn't stop, she knew it as did Achilles. Declan's one way out was to use blood magic, but that could be devastating, but Oriana was right they would have to bring the Capricorn down. He pressed his blood covered and on the side of the building causing one of the Greek statues to fall off of it and land on four of the now hundred headed hydra, it was going to take more than that. He could hear some cheering from the crowds at there only being 96 heads left...as the crushed ones didn't regenerate. Even Achilles was starting to get worried and ordered Pain and Panic to get up after Oriana had booted them out of the way, he was going to be ready should this fail, even asking for his crossbow.

Declan using his arms made an 'X' motion in front of his face before making hand gestures to cause some more of the statues and pieces of the Capricorn to rain down on the hydra, before the monster's tail caught him smack in the stomach sending him tumbling back to Oriana. He struggled to get to his feet, but it was some hesitation, he didn't want Oriana to get hurt, but nor did he dare use the mark, but he did rip off the sleeve to expose it.

"Ori, you know I love you and I am playing for keeps..."

There it was out there, he didn't dwell on it further, he said it and now he limped forward, using a lightning ball spell to stagger the hydra further, while blocking out Achilles taunts and insults. The news kept on about Declan and now Oriana's battle with the hydra. Another hand gesture brought up earth spikes from the asphalt to keep the hydra back further so they could drop more of the Capricorn on top of it. Declan slammed Excalibur into the ground again to protect the crowd, this time putting up a stronger barrier between Declan, Oriana, and the hydra. He struggled again, Tinkerbell stepping out of her car to get a good view and causing him pain.

Summoning a sheer magical whip, Declan was able to drag down yet another group of statues and pull them down on the hydra, leaving only 88 more heads to go...the winter snow started falling...several buildings in the neon district had been damaged if not leveled by the hydra, and this was all being caught on the news...even more people were gathering to view this...

Hades and Persephone had heard what Declan said to Oriana, and all he could say was "You are correct sir!"

Now Declan was leaning on the Capricorn casino and spa building trying to catch his breath while looking around for more to pull down on the hydra...Excalibur was left where he had planted it, to keep the barrier strong. Lancelot and Gawain quickly retreated to the safety of their car, fearing the sorcerer would pull down more than just the statues, as Declan's hands began to glow red, the blood covering them causing such a hew, he was going to have to use at least blood magic...if not the mark.
 
His words had caused Oriana to stand there with a dumbstruck expression, to say such a thing and that too with an audience and then to just limp off?

They would be having some strict words later.

Phil interrupted her inner musings, wiping the half smile off her face with a loud shout telling her to snap out of it. Apparently, there was a large serpentine head looming behind her with nefarious intentions, gawping jaw and shiny sharp teeth.
Oriana brought both hands up and pushed another heatwave up to towards the Hydra making it rear back once more but enough time to take a deep breath. She was concentrating harder than ever before but couldn’t afford to close her eyes longer than a blink, yet it seemed to be enough as there was a tug in her lower stomach and suddenly good ol’ Mojo was whirring towards her with incredible speed.

Behind her both Hades and Persephone gave an excited whoop, the tables had turned now that the famed hammer was clasped tightly in her hand. Her green eyes tracked back and forth, locating Declan to be in a relatively safe space near the Capricorn even if she did hurl towards the walls, he would still have enough time to get away if he noticed her panicked face at all.

Removing Excalibur wouldn’t be a good idea since it was keeping the public safe so the only thing she could do was twirl her hammer, each time she did there was flickers of flames running up the handle and striking off with bolts of lightning.

Interesting.

“Declan! Watch yourself!” She took a running leap, adding speed and force behind her throw and then the hammer was zipping out of her hand past the roaring heads of the Hydra and slamming into the lower part of the building. There was an ear shattering screech from the Hydra as the building started to collapse upon it and then she was running, ducking and driving between the large bricks and rubble hurtling down towards Declan.

Mjölnir was careering back towards her as she ran, and she grabbed it in mid jump and panted with exertion. She needed more practice with this thing.

Capricorn had no lower foundation to it now so it was toppling rapidly which in turn led to the civilians behind Excalibur’s barrier to take a few steps back, but Oriana doubted they would be harmed anyway. “We need to get out of here!”

There was dust in her eyes, and she rubbed at them furiously so she could keep Declan in sight. As long as Tinkerbell was near then she would cause him harm and pain, with that thought in mind Oriana this time threw Mjölnir at the pixie dust loving junkie and relished the look of shock on the blue-eyed woman. The aim hadn’t been with an intent to harm but to simply scare, and her tactic worked despite the shocked gasps of those around them as the force of Mjölnir hitting the ground near Tinkerbell had her and the accompanying Lost Boys being thrown backwards further away from Declan.

The mayor looked completely affronted at the strategy Oriana had used but she didn’t care. She had some harsh words for that one too – all in good time.

Now that Tinkerbell was many feet away from Declan, sore and bruised there would be less chance of her causing more bleeding.

Achilles though was a different matter and Phil couldn’t have been more obvious had he tried with his wild gesturing of his own ankle and then pointing at the now slightly angry looking man holding that crossbow of his. She wished Merida was here to teach him a thing or two.

Oriana gave Phil a droll look. “We know!” She wished he’d put those hooves away. She caught Mjölnir back in her hand again and glanced at Declan. “Lean on me but we need to go.” Talking only led to dirt being caught up in her mouth. She hadn’t missed his bloody hands, no doubt in the midst of using blood magic but she’d prefer him to deal the final blow on the Hydra from a safer distance away.

She wasn’t in the mood to be digging him out from under broken bricks.
 
Declan leaned on Oriana, but also was going to support her final blow to the hydra. This was rarely done with both hands, but using blood magic he brought forth the famed blood red bands to hold the hydra in place while she brought the remainder of the Capricorn down. He was standing firm holding the monster in place.

This was one of his most famous spells and had been depicted in some of the works Oriana had seen at Saint Paul's. These bands didn't harm anything but certainly prevented movement of the target, however when Oriana toppled the building on top of the hydra, Declan noticed that one of the front claws was coming down on them fast, he stopped the bands from his left hand and gently moved her out of the way allowing the claw to come crashing down on him.

"Game, set and match!"

Achilles was the only one left in amusement as the crowd went silent, mayor White and her opponent Aurora turned to make comments to the news media that had now begun swarming them, Gawain who had been cowering with Lancelot in a police car attempted to take charge with Nottingham, Lancelot merely looked Oriana over, noticing something was different about her, Declan's ring on her finger hadn't escaped his notice...his eyes grew wide. Hades turned Persephone away, she tended to get emotional at times, and she probably was feeling what Oriana must have been at the moment.

Phil couldn't see anything but shot a nasty look in Achilles direction. Aside from the arrogant comment thrown by Achilles, he now poured himself some more wine almost gloating that he had been the cause of this by getting Declan two more labors and finally stopping the sorcerer's rise to power. Sure Oriana had caught on to one of his wild cards, but the other wouldn't be needed now...or so he thought.

After about 10 minutes, there was some movement in the claw, the crowd gasping in hopes that the hydra somehow had survived Oriana toppling the Capricorn on top of it. Dionysus was distraught, his casino was in ruins! He wasn't paying a bit of attention to the hydra's clawed hand instead calling all the insurance companies and making demands on coverage and rebuild, opting of the Three Little Pigs construction company.

The clawed hand moved some more, it was almost vibrating before it exploded into a bloody mess and there stood Declan, clearly sore, bloodied, but otherwise very much alive. The crowd went nuts and Achilles went bright red with rage. Throwing off his coat and stepping off his perch he'd been watching from, he loaded the crossbow, leveled it at Declan, and aimed.

Declan didn't notice, he was still kind of in a daze when the Achilles fired and sent a bolt through Declan's right ankle/heel area, pinning him to what was left of the hydra's clawed hand.

The sorcerer tried to pull on it, but was stuck fast, he'd noted that Achilles was wearing a sleeveless shirt, a vain attempt to show of his muscular form, what could best be described as muscle pants, and the special shoes that protected his heels and ankles. What he was armed with he couldn't tell aside from that cross bow.

"You think you've won sorcerer, bu you have no idea how very wrong you are!"

Declan could now hear a stomping sound somewhere behind him, but could not move enough due to the predicament of the crossbow bolt.

"I think you know my one eyed friend...who needs no introduction."

The flames from the Capricorn and the devastation around Declan and Oriana, contrasted the snow that was now falling heavily, it wasn't the bloody snow, but close, it was then Polyphemus peered down at the sorcerer and apprentice. Declan struggled again to move but threw Achilles back from him to avoid a blow from the Trojan War hero.
 
Oriana had never truly understood how one could silently scream, she’d read about it in books and saw people on tv shows and had always scoffed.

It seemed such an unnatural thing to do.

Yet, it was exactly what she had done in the moment the claw came down upon Declan and he disappeared beneath it. Oriana had thought she was saying his name but instead her mouth fell open in shock and not a sound passed her lips as the fear was too great. Was he dead?

They had only just opened up to each other and now this?

There had been a crowd wide gasp that had her taking her hands out of her hair, where she had clenched at the red mane in frustration whilst having an internal freak out of how she could help get him out there.

Declan was made of sturdier stuff since he survived…thankfully, and she nearly sank to the ground in relief, but that blooming happiness was cut short when an arrow went right through him, and she blinked through snow covered lashes and whipped her head to the rambunctiously laughing Achilles.

Forget Tinkerbell… him. I’ve had enough. This is all his fault.

Her hand tightened on the handle of Mjölnir and she tried to ignore Declan struggle in lieu of keeping an eye on the two new threats. Achilles and the one-eyed beast behind them. Her head titled up at the monstrously tall man and grimaced…really? Honestly, curses truly did came in threes and that was an actual proven fact today.

The helicopters and media were going mad around them. Pinocchio was already at the scene interviewing Dionysus apparently spinning a conspiracy that this was a publicity stunt and the poor innocent casino owner was taking the brunt of the damage.

Oriana was simply trying to get over the roller coaster that was The Hydra, Achilles and now this…foul breathed…one eyed freak.
Honestly, just because you’re insanely tall doesn’t mean you forget to reach for a toothbrush.

Tinkerbell couldn’t be classed as a curse…. more of a burden, that Oriana was determined to rid the world of.

In some ways she should have been more frightened right now than when she had been with the Ripper but despite Declan being stupidly injured (honestly, he needed to stop moving her out the way since it was making her feel like a chess piece) but the fact he was still there.

It was a sense of stability and trust she had never experienced before…and these assholes threatening that wonderful feeling were going to feel her wrath.

As Prometheus’s large hand came down to pick her up, she pushed her tired body into action and hopped away, rolling over to where Declan was pinned to the clawed hand of the Hydra thanks to Achilles.

As much as the main threat seemed to be the larger than life grunt slowly pacing towards them, unable to carry his own body weight, the actual risk was constantly taking arrows from Achilles should he keep getting up.

Oriana in an act of desperation broke off the arrow holding Declan in place and with a sincere look of apology, wrenched out the arrow from him without much warning and doing her best not to worry over the spurting of blood.

As soon as they got out of here, she was taking him for a blood transfusion.

Oriana instantly placed both hands over his skin. The dragon ring on her finger felt like it was ice cold, but it was glowing bright enough to get the screaming crowd not far from them to cover their eyes.

Even Polyphemus had to stop and stare at the redhead bent down on the ground, pushing energy and healing into the injury enough so that it was mildly and superficially healed. At least Declan would be able to hobble away.

The claw hand was immolated away in a wisp of ash and smoke. Oriana staggered up and held Declan by the wrist dragged him away to put some distance between them and Prometheus. The ring had stopped glowing and had receded to a dim blinkering light as an indication of Oriana’s receding energy. “Think this guy could do with some Colgate toothpaste…why don’t you introduce some to him and I’ll deal with Phil’s Failure.” She nodded over to Achilles who was now back on his feet again. Humor was her way of hopefully calming Declan into believing she could handle this.

Lancelot, Gawain, Mayor White and her nemesis Aurora were all staring agape at the apprentice. Perhaps not expecting the changes within the woman that not long ago was just a mere waitress and a nobody among the rest of the townsfolk.
Lancelot in particular was surprised by her resilience and control, he had expected her to turn into a massive ball of flame…hurting herself and others in the process.

Now they watched her angrily stalk over to Achilles, mouth set into a scowl and green eyes flashing with clear disgust. “Oi! Osteoporosis Prat-face.” Her voice had Panic and Pain disappearing within the crowd, much to the amusement of Hades and Persephone who had now regained some hope that the sorcerer and apprentice wouldn’t fail. “Did you forget to put the rest of your clothes on this morning?”

Achilles opened his mouth to retort in anger and probably to form some kind of derisive remark about Declan allowing her to fight his battles for him.

“Don’t even go there. I can hear the sexist dialogue going through the clouds you call cogs without you needing to open your vulgar mouth.” Oriana let loose a burst of flame as arrows started raining down towards her, not one managing to pass her towards Declan and she started spinning on her heels gain momentum on the hammer. Truly the technique and direction were coming from Mjolnir itself. The weapon was sentient and so in tune with her body already, it felt like a third arm.

As she got closer, her free hand met the hilt of Excalibur and she lifted it with surprising ease and as she threw another heated cloud to her opponent, the sword went flying through to pierce the muscled left arm of Achilles. His crossbow dropped to the floor and his angry wounded howl had her smiling.

“Dumb bitch! How dare you use that sword. By the time I’m done with you…that precious Sorcerer of yours will find you without eyes, ears or a tongue. Hades! She’ll wonder your underworld blind, deaf, and dumb, and all the dead will know that this is Oriana, the fool who thought she could take on Achilles!”

“…” Oriana had to pause in her movements as she gave Hades a bemused look that was a clear question of whether Achilles was insane. At the man’s shrug Oriana turned back to Achilles and brought her weapon up into the air. “Please don’t tell me Pain and Panic write your lines for you…. I mean, just….do yourself and everyone a favor and fire them. If you’re uncomfortable doing that…bleeding heart and all, I can always do it for you.”
 
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Blood, so much blood, Declan had been bloodied before, but this was rivaling the Mordred incident. Blackhaven hadn't seen this much bloodied snow and the snow that had covered the ground was indeed running red. However Oriana's touch and the healing she'd done on his wounded foot was simply amazing to him, it was on his auntie Nimue's level of healing. All he could do was grit his teeth and give a pained grunt when she pulled the crossbow bolt/arrow that had him pinned.

He could see her relief in his survival from the hydra's claw, but with Polyphemus the famed cyclops now in play. There was no rest for Declan at this point, he could hear Achilles make the commentary about Oriana which Declan was hoping she'd make him eat those words in the most painful way possible. She'd taken control of the situation now, clearly not happy he was continuing to put himself in harm's way for her, he was still going to do it despite her objections, but he'd at least think about it going forward.

"Yeah...he needs his teeth cleaned...I'll see what I can do to remedy that Ori."

The sorcerer was limping, the bleeding had stopped, but the foot was still tender, ignoring Achilles' insults that were being hurled at him and even more so blocking out the news media, Pinocchio, Lancelot and Gawain. Declan's hands were bloodied, as Oriana had seen and correctly guess that he was using some blood magic, though he was holding back on something.

Now he didn't bother with his magical shields, sure Oriana was going to be angry with him for taking what was coming, but there was a reason he was willing to take the hit. He wasn't sure if she'd seen his left hand, but there was a trick (or so he hoped) up his sleeve. Polyphemus grabbed the sorcerer and Declan could feel the air being squeezed out of him and the blood from his tourniquet wound bleeding again...Tinkerbell must have still been somewhere close. Still as he was being lifted up, he could see Oriana had Achilles well in hand, a wincing smile escaped him as he saw Oriana throw Excalibur and bury it in Achilles' arm.

"So the mighty sorcerer, me bite off head."

"Oriana was right, you're breath really stinks!"

No one had ever accused Polyphemus of being intelligent, but that one eye of his was an interesting target...one that Declan would expose by using blood magic, he created a red blast of energy that blinded Polyphemus and Declan failed to take into account he was going to be dropped on the unforgiving ground.

He landed with a thud on the roof of Lancelot and Gawain's squad car, shattering the police lights. He had to take a moment to catch his breath, and hope Oriana wasn't going to be mad at the new bruises that would be on his back and shoulders. It took him moments to get up but he could see the cyclops staggering about now blinded by the sorcerer.

Declan now needed to use another trick, focusing hard he summoned up the vines with poisoned thorns, specifically around Polyphemus' feet and legs, before again summoning his blood red bands and an exploding orb using blood magic. The orb exploded sending Polyphemus staggering away from Oriana and Achilles and where the fall could do much less damage to property. Declan could feel his strength fading from exhaustion, but was willing to power through for Oriana's sake.

A pull on the blood red bands got Polyphemus to fall over and impale himself on one of the statues. As the sorcerer turned back to assist Oriana he realized that the cyclops had only impaled his shoulder and was now pissed at Declan but still couldn't see him well, Declan was close to Oriana now...quickly Declan threw another blast of magical energy to push the cyclops back, lightning was the key blast, it crumbled a statue close to mayor White and Aurora.

Declan leaned on what was left of the Capricorn and Oriana could see him clearly if she looked, with blood covered right hand, he began tracing the mark on his left arm...
 
It had been difficult to concentrate solely on Achilles since she was distracted by what was going on behind her. The heavy snow was worrying now as a cold body wasn’t a good thing for her talents. Oriana was starting to feel lethargic and numbed out.

Still, she had to somewhat continue fighting off Achilles’s arrows as he’d still powered through sending them her way with his good arm. His aim was somewhat affected though.

The sickening thud of Declan falling to the ground had her cringing, the sounds of statues tumbling, and Polyphemus’s roars of pain didn’t help her stress levels either. But she didn’t dare look.

When she turned to throw a shower of fiery bullets with a wave of her hands, she noticed Declan leaning against the remains of Capricorn looking absolutely beaten up….and as if he was about to do something incredibly dangerous and stupid.

Fearing the worst, she grunted in pain and started running up towards Achilles, difficult as it was now within the thick layer of snow and he equally sped up towards her.

The intent in his eyes was clear as was the small dagger in his hand. He had raised his crossbow too in the air, perhaps to use the wooden arc to smack down on to her head but didn’t expect Oriana to suddenly kneel mid-way, skidding through the snow and slamming her hammer down. The effect was an earsplitting sound of the earth splitting beneath them and causing the ground beneath them to crumble away.

Above them in the clouds lightning struck and met Mjolnir.

This caused not only Achilles to fall over and barely miss the now huge crack in the ground but the crowd around them started to finally panic and run here and there.

The shield Declan had created was weakening and if it broke, they couldn’t simply stand there like gawping simpletons, but they’d have to either run for cover or hide from the one eyed giant. Gawain and the rest of the police force were simply useless.
The desire to help Declan and Oriana would never cross their minds.

Taking advantage of Achilles fallen state was now easy. He was still hurling insults at her as he tried to get away from her approaching body but ironically his previously weak ankle was now stuck in the split within the ground.

“Heard you two were at the Addams mansion…bet all that time at the Tea Party really paid off… Look I don't care about your erotic liaisons, to each their own...but you two are certainly out there.” It was his last attempt at distracting her but try as Achilles might, there was no way Panic and Pain were going to look at him when they were distracted by what was occurring with Declan behind them.

“Enough. We don’t speak of that day.” Oriana hissed, hoping no one else heard. Couldn’t everyone forget what Gomez had made them do?

“You’re just another whore. Nothing special.” Achilles was struggling into the now slushed up snow, slipping back in further and to his horror it was as if the ground was healing itself every time Oriana took a step closer. His ankle would be crushed if this continued.

“That Sorcerer of yours is going to die…painfully…you can’t protect him forever. He’s a wretched thing.” If Achilles thought that he could upset her enough to distract her from moving closer to him then he was severely mistaken. His vindictive words only made her angrier and more determined to end this.

It was one insult too many towards Declan that caused Oriana to finally raise Mjolnir and leap towards Achilles.

His last horrified howl was music to her ears as she brought the hammer down onto his head in a fatal blow. Achilles's dagger and crossbow fell with his defeat.

The shrill crowd fell into sudden shocked silence as they heard the sickening crunch as Achilles's voice stopped with a splatter of brain and blood onto the snow.

Oriana panted and tried not to look at the damage she had caused…or the fact she had just taken a life but…self-defense…right?

What was more important than her sense of ethics was the fact Declan needed her help right now. Trying not to listen to what the crowd had started screaming out at the moment – well, yes she was a murderer…that was a fact and screaming it out wasn’t going to change that now was it?

Oriana started running back towards Declan. The cameras were going wild and of course the media was going insane...the only thing that hurt was the accusation that Oriana was dangerous and a monster for killing Achilles in such a brutal manner.
Had Oriana looked back to properly survey the damage she would have noticed Achilles's body had been driven into the ground by the sheer force of the hammer.

Would he think she was a monster for doing what she had done to Achilles too?
 
Declan had finished tracing his mark, invoking what Merlin had called their unique bloodline, one that had made people fear them: the dragon was unleashed. Blood magic was feared by those who had no idea how to use it and even those that did, most who did know and use it, didn't have unique bloodlines and it often was costly, to the level lives were lost. However the shock that Oriana was able to touch him had since worn off, Merlin had hinted there was something about her that allowed it, something in her bloodline.

Declan would show Oriana blood magic when the time came, but for now he was trying to save them both. He'd seen Oriana crush Achilles skull in, the reaction of the crowd he could care less about, she was unharmed and he was going to keep it that way. It was Hades who offered Oriana some support.

"Boom bada boom boom boom, that's what I call a skull splitter, you people can't deny that!"

Hades again turned to the crowd, this time he had some help.

"She uses that hammer better than that fat bolt boy ever did, you people should know by now that Achilles was nothing more than an arrogant ass. What is this an audience or a mosaic?!"

Persephone chimed in.

"They are saving your city people, the least you can do is show them some gratitude."

There was a smattering of applause, but there was another fiery red head who showed up to help, with her own fiance Ichabod Crane, it was Merida.

"Ichabod! My brother's in trouble get in there and---"

"No Merida, he's gone to the last resort."

"Oriana! Please bring him back!"

Merida's meaning Oriana would understand, the ring would tell her what she needed to know, Declan's use of this draconian-blood magic was big, but she'd be the only person who could bring back the non-divine side. Calm the rage of the dragon...it was the same thing Nimue did for Merlin, when he used his own draconian-blood magic.

Now Declan stood up right, no longer staggered or needing the wall for support, his eyes now were a red haze, glowing with steam coming off the sides, his aura taking a green coloration as he stepped past Oriana, batting aside an attack from Polyphemus, what would have crushed them normally, instead it was swatted away harmlessly.

The sorcerer as he'd told Oriana, loved her but he was now playing for keeps, and he meant to keep her safe or die trying. Another crushing blow from Polyphemus was batted away harmlessly.

A booming chant and hand gesture summoned forth two red spectral draconian hands, holding Polyphemus by each of his arms. Declan then used one of the basic spells he'd taught Oriana called 'levitate' to which he got up close and personal to the single eye of the cyclops .

"Na dèan lios leis an fhear as toigh leam!"

Declan then made a hand gesture with his palm facing forward, this was another basic spell he'd taught Oriana called 'fetch' though this time it was amplified to do more than just merely retrieve an object.

Polyphemus began to scream in pain as the sorcerer ripped out the single eye from his head, showering Declan with his blood, that quickly evaporated, before descending from the the levitation, he walked back a few paces, look on his face that was out to end this once and for all. He summoned two more spectral dragon hands these now grasped the now eyeless cyclops' legs.

Again the sorcerer made a gesture, he'd seen Oriana's healing the asphalt, now something Declan called the 'Wrath of Hades' appeared, these were unbreakable earth spikes that had a crimson hue to them, these merely hit Polyphemus in the stomach area.

Playtime was now over, Declan looked to Merida, then Ichabod, Hades, Persephone, Phil, and finally the person that mattered the most: Oriana.

All had given him a slight nod, except Oriana, who probably was taking all this in. Raising his hands openly then closing them into fists the spectral dragon hands closed, Declan then made a motion that was similar pulling something apart. That's what happened to Polyphemus, he was ripped apart in a massive splash of blood guts and other fleshy material, there were merely chunks of the cyclops left. It stained the snow bright red.

The eye had fallen near Oriana, not by design as Declan merely just ripped it out. Now he turned to Oriana the divine/dragon blood calming at the sight of her, his eyes flickering from the divine glow to his normal blue eyes, what Merida had said to Oriana was happening he was coming back.

"Declan Emrys and Oriana Mikhailova, you are both under arrest."

It was Gawain trying to act big and restore order. The flash of Declan's eyes and the arrival of a pair of someones of importance helped defuse this.

"I don't think you'll be arresting our nephew and his apprentice today Gawain, now scuttle off."

It was Merlin and Nimue, they'd seen the coverage of what was transpiring and had arrived to help do damage control and allow Declan and Oriana to leave without the police or media interfering.
 
Oriana had gotten to Declan too late, he’d already chosen to use the last resort as a method to bring down the giant and in that sense was levitating before she could stop him.

Merida’s cry to bring him back was met with a roll of her eyes. What was she supposed to do when he was intent on acting like a hero?
How was she supposed to get him from up there, he’d taught her all his tricks, but levitating was a fickle art and – oh, it took her a few frustrated moments to realize what Merida actually meant.

Declans eyes had changed and of course that meant he’d need help normalizing himself later on – that’s what Merida had meant!

She wasn’t the only one to flinch at the sight of that eye being wrenched out and there was nowhere for anyone to hide to cover from the large splatters of blood.

At least Declan had come back to the ground where she could keep somewhat an eye on his back.

Excalibur and Mjolnir were carefully placed side by side in the side and Oriana bent tiredly to pick up the gross eye from the crimson snow with a clear look of disgust before she threw it at Phil who surprisingly caught it with an aghast expression.

“Souvenir! For keeping your mouth shut with this one!” Honestly, the kindest thing Phil could have done was not shout ‘go with your left’ in that moment and she was thankful for that.

Declan looked crazed and unhinged as he cast his gaze at the crowd and searched out his close friends and family. When he finally looked at her she gave him a tentative smile hoping it would reassure him.

She was alive, albeit covered top to bottom in the blood guts and fleshy parts of Polyphemus. It wasn’t just the snow that was red but everyone around them hadn’t been spared either. Many disgusted groans were heard as people tried to wipe off the gunk from their face.

Oriana instantly held Declan tight when he stepped up to her and wrapped both arms around his torso. The desperate hug was for two reasons. One was to make sure he wasn’t going to faint on her and the other was for her to be reassured that he’d made it.

“You’re an idiot.” Oriana supposed that wasn’t the first words one should say to someone who had valiantly fought off two beasts in one go but it had been a stressful day. “Seriously, just because I call you Superman every so often doesn’t mean you get a big head from it.” Her voice was sarcastic but light, an attempt to make him smile. The flashbacks of her dream weren’t lost on her either and if the muses ever needed to be tortured then she’d sign up for the task.

'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms...

They were singing in her head again.

Now now! Piss off Taliesin! Her sharp mental tone had them scurrying out of her mind, a harp strung out badly and a string off a guitar broke with a twang.

Thankfully her mind was silent again and the only thing she could hear was the labored breathing of two exhausted fighters. Really there was no need for any third person or muse getting in between them at the moment.

Over his shoulder she was looking at the lecture Gawain was receiving from onlookers who had quickly changed their tune after Hades, Persphone, Merlin and Nimue had offered their support. One minute they were calling her murderer and the next they were fighting Gawain at a mention of an arrest. It didn’t fill her with much faith at all.

“Fickle folk…they’ll turn on us the second Hades and Merlin leave.” She grumbled, glaring at Mayor White and her entourage who were stalking over towards them.

“Declan…you really need a wash.” As much as this hug was all emotional and needed that didn’t mean her nose had lost the ability to scent.
Eau de géant Cologne wasn’t something they’d be advertising in any perfume shop that was for sure.
Merida and Ichabod were walking faster than Mayor White to get to their side but with hesitance as not to disturb the sorcerer and his apprentice.
 
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