After hitting two sharp barriers, Artemis felt her blade snap, and she tumbled downwards, rolling off the Hydras backside. Having slid down the monster's back, she landed on the mole with enough force to drive the air from her lungs.
She landed on her back, gasping, clawing feebly at her leather chest plate as her lungs were devoid of air. After several moments of seeing flailing tails and the shadow of the Hydra overhead, she sucked in a massive breath that sent the darkened corners of her vision away, only to see a massive foot loom above her. She cursed, and desperately rolled sideways, her breath running dangerously short still. The titanic foot slammed down into the mole just inches away from her head, sending bits of stone, water, and dirt pelting at her face and body. She was blinded, and felt dozens of small gashes from the pelting. Instinctively, she dragged herself away from a second stomping, when she heard footsteps, and the sound of a blade striking deep into flesh.
'Perseus, of course, who else would come to her aid?'
Her vision cleared, and she saw Perseus standing in between her, and the back foot of the Hydra. He had discarded her shield, bearing only his blade, which he had hilted into the Hydra's thigh. The Hydra's thigh looked mangled and useless, as the blade has cut through most of the muscle there. Perseus pulled the blade out with a flourish, which sent a spurt of blood that washed over him; He slashed again, striking the beast's knee, which bit deep into bone, despite the armored scales. Other spearmen from the first and second lines renewed their assault, and half a dozen spear thrusts found their way into the monster's torso. Blood poured from a dozen wounds from the Hydra, with much of it spilling down from the five-meter-long gash that was carved into its back.
Artemis shook her head, and stumbled to her feet. In the struggle to avoid the Hydra's clawed foot, she had found herself near the edge of the mole. Another roll, and she would have been subjected to an unforgiving drop into saltwater.
But it still wasn't over. The Hydra shook itself angrily, and tried to break free, using its sightless heads as impromptu battering rams against hoplites, and its tail sliced two more Macedonians who tried to slash its other back foot. It was a bloodbath, even when they had subdued the Hydra. Artemis was about to join Perseus, who looked as if he was going to climb on to the Hydra's back, when there was a deep horn blast, that echoed over the water.
Artemis froze, and looked toward the Macedonian camp.
There was a catapult stationed at the beginning of the ramp, with a burning projectile sitting on the rail. Alexander himself stood on one of the catapults beams, with a torch raised, waving it towards the struggling fighters at the end of the mole.
Others around them understood the message, and Artemis made to run towards the end of the mole where the hydra had come from, to get away from the beast, she saw that Perseus hadn't stopped.
"PERSEUS!" Artemis screamed, throwing her useless dagger hilt down, as she watched him scramble up the back leg of the Hydra. A dim image of a flying burning missile entered the fringes of her vision, as she rushed forwards.
He was already halfway up the leg, but Artemis took a running leap, flying high enough to snap her fingers around his breastplate.
Perseus let out a muffled curse, as Artemis slammed him into the scaled hide of the Hydra, and he rocked to steady them, on the upper thigh of the monster. Artemis ignored him, and pulled trying to get him off the Hydra while she clung to him.
"YOU IDIOT! GET OFF" He was going to kill them both! Of all the stupid ways to get killed, she would die because of a mortal who was too dog-headed to let go of a Hydra!
"YOU GET OFF—" Perseus screamed back, before he was cut off by a flash of light. The Hydra's numerous heads that coiled above them burst into flames as a canister of oil and stone exploded overhead. Searing heat washed over Artemis, and Perseus's hair and tunic caught fire, as shards of stone and splotches of oil went everywhere. The Hydra in turn, screamed a horrible sound, and lurched backwards, towards the edge of the mole in a desperate attempt to flee.
Perseus yelled in shock, and he lost his handhold on the Hydra in the same moment as Artemis kicked off the scales with her feet, dragging Perseus with her as they both crashed into the waters of the strait.
Artemis grabbed hold of Perseus in the air as they tumbled, before they plunged into the water together.
Perseus hit the water first, and Artemis shut her eyes as they impacted against the surface. They were immediately swallowed up by the churning wake, and to Artemis's surprise, there was another jolt as Perseus hit the sandy bottom of the strait.
Artemis recovered, and tugged on Perseus, who was still unmoving at the bottom of the strait, sword still in hand. Artemis swore to herself. 'He was unconscious!'
She made a quick stroke to the surface, and gulped in a fresh breath of air before diving back down to the bottom. Sand was churned up from the debris and their own impacts into the water, making it murky. Her eyes stung as well, as the saltwater got into her eyes, yet she slipped her arms under Perseus's own, and planted her feet on either side of him, pulling him off the bottom with all her strength.
Fortunately, he weighed less in water, and he came easily. Even better, she found that she could stand at this depth, and she resurfaced, with the lapping waves coming up to her neck. Artemis coughed, blinking quickly as she gripped Perseus, steadying him so that his shoulders and head were out of the water. Still though, head eyes were closed, and his head lolled forward.
"Come on you idiot!" Artemis snarled, and with one hand she repeatedly slapped his breaded cheek. "I didn't save you, just so you could go and die!"
Perseus suddenly retched, his eyes shooting open as a mouthful of saltwater came out of his throat. Artemis gripped him as his legs stiffened and his body shook, as it tried to orient itself. He kept coughing, a hand coming to his throat. His other hand dropped his sword, and she felt him grip her own hand, that held him around the chest.
Artemis blinked once, before pushing him away, sending a small wave of water at Perseus, which slashed his head. She let out an inner sigh of relief, as when he hadn't immediately responded, she had feared the worst.
Perseus let out a final cough, easily keeping his footing in the should high water. He turned toward her in amazement.
"You saved me…" Perseus murmured, softly, as he wiped him mouth with his hand.
"Yes, I did!" Artemis shot back, her anger fresh. She glanced up to the mole, looking for the Hydra. There was only a mangled carcass, that burned bright, belching black smoke into the sky. "You should have let go! Why didn't you let go!?" Artemis angrily slashed him. Her newfound friend had a suicidal death wish!
Perseus paused, looking puzzled, wiping his face again from water, "I…"
"Nevermind that!" Artemis seethed, turning in the water, "Just follow me."
She waded forward to the edge of the mole, making sure to find good foot holds. Two submerged wooden beams served as a good stairway, and she hauled herself out of the water, coughing as a cloud of smoke billowed her way.
The Hydra was very much so dead. The carcass was massive, taking up three quarters of the width of the mole, stretching almost twice that distance length-wise. Other survivors ambled over. Many had the same idea as Artemis originally did, by running in the direction of Tyre along the mole. Others too had found their way into the water. But Artemis could only count a dozen, from the original forty or so who had met the Hydra head on.
"Perseus! Perseus!" A familiar voice called out from beyond the smoke, and to Artemis's surprise, she saw Alexander striding through the smoke, walking on top of the dead Hydra's back. His eyes met with hers, and in that moment, Artemis felt a little sympathy for him. Hatred pooled in her gut for his actions at Old Tyre, but he also seemed to care for his old friend.
...
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