The dawn after Perseus' fall was gray and quiet. The ruined town lay behind them, silent as the companions pressed westward toward the sea. Waves crashed in the distance, the sound swelling louder with every mile.
It was Luna who broke the silence, her pale lips trembling as she looked at Seraphina.
"You said your mother is still alive. Did you… see her?"
Seraphina's emerald eyes softened. For a long while, she did not speak, but then she touched the glowing necklace around her throat.
"Yes," she said at last. "Dorian and I found her two days before we ever crossed paths with Kratos."
The group slowed, listening intently. Even Kratos turned his head, his crimson gaze shadowed by the past.
"She was hidden far away, in a place the gods could not reach. For the first time in centuries, she could show her face without fear, because I gave her one of these necklaces—an extra one I carried. With it, she could look at her children without turning us to stone." Seraphina's voice trembled. "That was the day I learned everything. About Poseidon forcing himself upon her in Athena's temple. About Athena's jealousy… about how she punished my mother instead of the god who wronged her. And about Callista, my sister… slaughtered by Perseus."
Dorian stepped in, his voice steady, though his eyes glistened with old sorrow. "Medusa wept as she spoke. She begged us not to let Olympus' cruelty go unanswered. That was the day Seraphina chose her path. Her rebellion began not in hatred—but in grief and love for her mother."
Seraphina nodded, tightening her grip on her bow. "After leaving her, Dorian and I wandered for days, unsure how to fight the gods themselves. That's when we found Kratos, broken and bleeding, left for dead after his own battles. We saved him. And together, the three of us declared war against Olympus."
Luna's eyes widened. "So your rebellion began before you met Kratos."
"Yes," Seraphina whispered. "He became our ally, but the fire to fight… that started with my mother's tears."
The group fell silent, each lost in thought. Then, at last, the roar of the ocean grew deafening. The cliffs opened to reveal a hidden ruin—massive pillars etched with forgotten runes, half-swallowed by coral and seaweed. Waves pounded at its base, yet the structure stood strong against time itself.
Kratos stepped forward, his voice low, steady, and grim. "This is the path. A hidden way, long abandoned even by the gods. Through here lies the Atlantic… and Poseidon's throne."
The storm winds howled. The scent of salt and storm filled the air. The companions stood together, weapons gleaming in the dim light—six souls bound by grief, vengeance, and hope.
Luna clenched her gauntleted fists. "Then let's go. No more running."
Together, they crossed into the unknown, the sea itself awaiting their defiance.