A Sister Fighting In A War In Her Brother's Armor

XXXIV Charybdis

Go check out @_michel_ange_ on TikTok whose Charybdis was used as inspiration for this.

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The kids gasped and cried out in shock as the giant eye appeared out of the water, followed by the colossal creature looming over them. Ctimene felt her heart skip a beat as she realized the danger they were in. Kassandra held her twin siblings close to her only for their mother to do the same. Astyanax grabbed hold of his baby sister, Phoibe before grabbing hold of Odessa and Eudor used his bigger body to shield them as he grabbed hold of some spare rope to tie them to the mast.

Ctimene immediately put the helmet back on her head, securing it tightly once again. Her mind was racing, already strategizing how to handle the situation.

Eurylochus gripped his spear tightly, ready to fight alongside her, putting his hand in front of her stomach.

"You must be who Hermes mentioned
A monster here to block our way"

Ctimene stared at where the monster was moving, her brows furrowed as she put her arm around her stomach.

"I'd like to hurry up and end this
So if you don't have much to say"

The giant eye of the sea monster, Charybdis moved closer to the raft, fixing its gaze on Ctimene. It made a guttural noise that sounded like a cross between a growl and a gurgle. In response, the water below the raft started to churn, swirling and rising. The sea level began to rise rapidly, threatening to engulf the entire raft.

The children became more terrified, holding onto their mother tighter. Even Astyanax, who was holding both Phoibe and Eudor, looked pale with fear. The adults stood ready for combat.

"Then, oh, bring it on
We're not dying here, I'm still fighting here
We're holding on
'Til I see it through, 'til I've beaten you"

When Charybdis lunged at them Ctimene quickly pulled on the tiller to avoid her but it couldn't stop the monsters mouth as it started pulling the raft towards her. Ctimene saw the kids falling from the raft's movements. She pulled through grabbing hold of the rope and sail as she started sailing through the whirlpool.

As the raft spun around in the violent vortex created by Charybdis' attack, Ctimene held on tightly to the rope and sail. She saw the children falling towards the water and acted quickly.

"Grab hold!" She shouted to them, her voice nearly lost in the roaring of the water. Astyanax quickly reached for Kassandra, while Ophelia and Colin clung onto their older sister tightly.

The raft lurched and rocked as it continued to spin, but Ctimene held her ground, determined to get them through the dangerous whirlpool.

Once she saw that Thais reached the kids she focused back on dodging the things being pulled into the mouth while also avoiding Charybdis mouth.

"I already know your tactics
When you swallow you attack with whirlpools that attract prey
But I see a disadvantage, 'cause I don't even have to kill you
I just have to avoid you
See, if you don't spit it out soon, all that water will destroy you"

Ctimene could see the worry in the creature's eyes as she went faster before it had no choice but to spit the water out causing them to ride the burst of water.

"Oh, bring it on
'Til you're out of breath, 'til there's nothing left
I'm holding on
'Til I'm in the clear, 'til I'm out of here, oh"

Charybdis was struggling to withstand the pressure of the water inside her colossal body. The water was causing her great discomfort, and she was becoming desperate to release it.