Virgo looked away, but heard the arrow land in Nyx’s body for a second time. What she didn’t hear, however, was anything more from the Goddess of the Night.

No one ever would.

Elliot walked over to the body of Nyx. He kicked it. Hard.

‘That’s for my mum,’ he whispered, before closing his eyes and expelling a deep breath of Virgo knew not what. But he certainly looked better for getting it out of his system.

‘Oh, bum . . .’ Hermes groaned, crumpling to the ground.

‘Hermes?’ Virgo panted, dropping down beside the Messenger God. ‘Are you—’

‘I’m fine – but you kids need to get outta here,’ he gasped. ‘I’ll be along in a minute – I don’t want to slow you down.’

‘We can’t leave you here,’ Elliot said.

‘Mate. You totally can,’ Hermes grinned. ‘I’ll be fine. Hercules!’

The Hero paused, poised to punch a particularly large Daemon.

‘What can I do for you?’ he said amiably.

‘Bruv – clear the path. These kids have got a job to do.’

‘No problem,’ boomed Hercules, looking over the considerably depleted Daemon guard. ‘Stand back!’

With his mighty hands, Hercules rolled the Daemon in his arms into a ball of gooey body parts and drew back his arm.

‘I’ve been banned from bowling alleys more times than you’ve had fashion faux pas,’ he roared happily. ‘People get a bit funny when I smash their skittles. And their lanes. And their walls. High time I took it up again.’

And poking his tongue out in concentration, Hercules hurled the Daemon along the ground. The wailing Daemon rolled end over end, scattering Daemons left and right as he bowled through them, before landing with an explosive splat on the wall next to the entrance to the tunnel.

‘Strike!’ yelled Hercules, punching two approaching Daemons up into the ceiling in celebration.

Virgo looked at the goo-spattered alleyway cleared by Hercules and illuminated by Ariadne’s twine.

‘Elliot, come on!’ she urged, pulling her friend behind her.

‘I’ll be right behind you, mate,’ said Hermes. ‘Just give us a sec.’

Reluctantly, Elliot pulled away from him and followed Virgo down the tunnel.

‘And kids?’ Hermes called after them. ‘Kick some Daemon butt for me.’

21. The End of the World

21. The End of the World

Hypnos rarely surprised himself. One of his great comforts in life was knowing with absolute certainty what he would do in any given moment. Because at every given moment until recently, he had always done whatever was best for him.

Now, fleeing from his brother along the winding tunnels below Tartarus, clutching the Chaos Stone in his hand, he found he had no idea what he was doing.