An excitable archaeologist meets a reclusive immortal Titan. The two have to work together to save the world from certain doom. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it would be if the most primordial evils weren't standing in their way...
Join Kass...
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Kass was dying.
Each breath she took rattled through her dry throat. Sweat poured down her flushed skin, and every part of her shook. She tried to move, but her feet felt heavier than lead. The sun seared down on her head. Even with her hat on, her hair was so hot it felt like it was burning her scalp. She just wanted to collapse.
"Er, Kassandra?"
Kass sucked in a shuddering breath and looked at Theo.
He stared at her warily. "Are you all right? Do we need to stop for a break?"
Looking at the titan, framed by the stunning backdrop of the sea behind him and the mountain below, she couldn't believe they were on the same trip together. There she was, almost dead from the exertion of having to hike the caldera in the sweltering heat, and he hadn't even raised a sweat. The sea-breeze that stubbornly avoided Kass darted playfully around his muscular form.
"Such. Long. Legs," she panted.
Theo raised an eyebrow at her. "Pardon?"
"You"—she pointed to his legs— "legs too long. Climb too fast."
Theo furrowed his brows, but after a moment understanding dawned in his eyes. He gently took her elbow and led her to a nearby rock, urging her to sit down. He shrugged the backpack off his shoulders and reached in, pulling out a canteen full of water and offering it to her.
"Oh my gods, thank you!" Kass reached out, accepting the water and gulping it down as Theo laughed.
Well, she thought bitterly, I'm glad you think this is funny.
Their hike started out well. After docking the yacht in the harbour of the Nea Kameni Volcanic Park, they started their trek beyond a bunch of Italian tourists wearing chino shorts and straw hats. They didn't follow them for long, though, as the group stopped at the Mikri Kameni Crater. It was the lowest crater on the island, and a wonderful place to stop for a break. Theo didn't agree, though. They needed to make haste, and Kass didn't argue. The quicker they sorted things out with Hephaestus, the sooner she could get back to Sikonia.
Not taking a break was their biggest mistake.
At least, it was for Kass.
The hike past the Dafni craters, towards the Nea Kameni summit, was no more than a three kilometre walk. On any other day, Kass could have done a walk that distance with ease. But this hike? Well, it was all up. The path was as rocky, and the higher they got, the less shade there was. Without a tree in sight, there was no competition for the sun that now hung low and directly overhead. The dusty, dry ground soaked it up and heated the souls of their shoes to an unbearable temperature.
When Kass had enough to drink she put the lid back on the canteen as her shoulders slumped with relief. Theo put a hand on her shoulder. She wanted to pull away, embarrassed by just how much she was sweating, but she didn't have the energy.
"It isn't much further now," Prometheus promised her. Then, he stepped back and let her catch her breath.
Kass looked up at the summit, unable to see over the final ridge. "So... what, we get up there and Hephaestus will magically appear?"
