Son of Perseus ✓

Thirty-Two

Something about Lukyan wanting Athanasia to return quickly felt good to the Swedish demon.

       Lukyan finally seemed to trust her—-it wasn't much, but it was still a start nonetheless.

      Athanasia continued on through the night, passing by stone huts. Her head still ached a little due to her time traveling.

        Though there was no time to relax with Lucifer and Perseus launching their plans, Athanasia did like heading down the nighttime gravel roadway.

         It made her feel nostalgic.

         It reminded Athanasia of her own time prior to this–-the first century all the way to the eighth.

         Athanasia remembered when she was a cocky, arrogant heir to the Cyeollarian throne.

       She treated her knights like shit back then–she had thought the knights to be expendable, which she later found out wasn't true. Without the knights, Cyeollaria wouldn't have stood a second against Ilrok Drokonik's demonic forces.

        The only people Athanasia didn't treat poorly during her time as a royal in the Cyeollarian palace were her brother, Hrafnúlfr, Agnar, and her servant, Cadwal Acfrid—-as well as her ex, Manga Adilsdottir.

         The siege of Cyeollaria definitely put young Athanasia in her place; that's when she started to realize the world wasn't all crowns and banquets.  

   The world was a terrible, dark place—-hell, Athanasia argued that it was still the case now.

        Athanasia grew from her past mistakes as heir to the throne with the help of Noaah and Altaïr—-Aculia, Derbáil, Cedozar, Eonjeok, Adaageio, Wanda, Arii, Druid, and Jayaatu too; they all believed in her. They believed she would continue to grow and better herself as a person—and she did.

       Later on Athanasia had met plenty of others that changed her for the better-—Azeline de Chalons, Raziya Satara, and Chiaki Akamatsu.

        Athanasia had met Raziya when she was on the precipice of destroying herself.

          Raziya offered her solace after Druid's death.

          The two had talked for a little and Athanasia found out what had happened to Raziya's own family.

         The two offered support to each other, wanting to help the other as much as they could.

        Then there was Azeline-—or, as she was more commonly known, the Seductress.

         Raziya needed to obtain something.

         The only way to get this 'something' was to enter the lair of the Seductress, who had been very much feared.

           After stumbling across Azeline in her lair, Athanasia came to realize that Azeline was a very kind hearted girl.

          Though Azeline wasn't the brightest person Athanasia had met, Azeline had a very big heart, which is what the Swedish demon thought mattered.

          Then came Chiaki-—a rogue samurai who hailed from Yokokita. At first, Athanasia wasn't sure what to think of Chiaki.

        Chiaki helped Athanasia fend off a horde of Ilrok's men. She insisted she'd stay with Athanasia in case she needed any further help.

          Athanasia and Chiaki grew closer.

          Chiaki got enchanted.

          Chiaki betrayed Athanasia.

          Athanasia inhaled deeply. Though everything seemed almost too much back then, Athanasia would kill to be back there.

         "Good evening, Miss Nyqvist," a voice called from behind Athanasia.

         Athanasia stopped dead in her tracks and hesitated before turning around. "Olwyn?" She began.

        Right in front of Athanasia stood Olwyn Vilkas herself.

        Athanasia swallowed. "Did Decimus send you?"

         "I came on my own accord," Olwyn began, starting toward Athanasia.

         "Olwyn, why are you even siding with Lucifer?" Athanasia questioned. "Aren't you half siren? Lucifer hates sirens. He's promoted genocide against sirens. It's sickening."

       Olwyn huffed. "I have my reasons."

      Athanasia furthered her inquiries. "What reasons? What reasons could you possibly have?"

         Olwyn clenched her jaw for a moment. "You've heard of Iris Haynes, right?"

         Athanasia nodded. "Yeah. She's one of Lucifer's closest confidants. I've had to work with her many times."

        "Well," Olwyn started to say, her voice softening. "I knew her as Castella Solavita." She swallowed. "I-I. …This is the only way I can get her back. I have to do this."

          Silence fell upon the two.

         "You don't have to, Olwyn," Athanasia began to tell Decimus's general. "If Castella still loves you, she'll come back. You don't have to turn on your own people just to cater to the hierarchy of Hell."

        Olwyn sighed. "What do you need me to do?"

        "Swap sides," Athanasia said. "Make Lucifer's forces suffer."

          Olwyn took a deep breath. "Decimus is on the edge of swapping sides. He's been expressing that fact a lot lately…" She paused before continuing. "I'll see what I can do." She turned around, as if she was about to leave and go back to the present.

        "Olwyn?" Athanasia called after the other woman.

         "Yeah?" Olwyn asked, over her shoulder.

          "Thank you," Athanasia said.

           Olwyn smiled a little at that. "You're right. Lucifer does need to pay."