Lykos awoke in darkness again, alone this time. The silence pressed in around him, thick and suffocating. He called out, hoping for any familiar voice—but the one that answered made his stomach twist.
Lykos: You...
A figure emerged from the shadows. It was him—almost. The same features, but with stark black hair and no glasses. A smirk played on the doppelgänger's lips, his golden eyes gleaming.
Argos: Do you finally need me?
Lykos: I'd rather die than ask for your help. Especially after what you did.
Argos: Shut up, man. I don't plan to die along with you.
A sudden burst of light filled the room, revealing the weapon in Argos' hand—an axe, heavy and menacing.
Lykos: Where did you—
A brilliant green glow engulfed Lykos' right hand. An axe materialized, identical to Argos'. The moment he grasped it, a memory surged through his mind—a nightmare, a battle, his own voice screaming, "I won't let you lay a finger on my friends!"
He gasped, shaken back to the present.
Argos: Did you forget you had this?
Lykos: Huh?
Argos tapped the scar under his eye.
Argos: Don't you remember? All those years ago? Lorides really messed with your head back then...
Lykos: What—
His vision blurred. A voice echoed, pulling him away. "Wake up, we have got to get out of here."
Lykos: Ale...?
His eyes shot open to see Alepou shaking him.
Alepou: Get up, we need to move!
Still groggy, Lykos grabbed his bag, hurrying outside. The sky above was thick with harpies, wings blotting out the moonlight.
Alepou: What's the plan?
Volk: You six get out of here. Inu and I will handle this.
Okami: I'll stay. Inu, hand me a gauntlet.
Inu slipped off one of his gauntlets, tossing it to Okami, who flexed his fingers inside it.
Volk: Alright, then. The rest of you—leave. Now.
The group hesitated but ultimately turned back.
Lykos: I'm staying.
Alepou: WHAT?! WHY?!
Lykos: Trust me.
Alepou: But you don't have a—
Inu: Let him stay.
A green light flared in Lykos' hand, his axe appearing once more. Alepou hesitated, her worried eyes meeting his. He forced a smile.
Lykos: Go.
She clenched her fists, then turned and ran after the others.
"There you go," Argos murmured in the back of Lykos' mind.
Lykos: What's the plan?
Inu: Okami has the longest range. He'll take the higher ones. Volk—cover him. Lykos, you and I will handle the ones closest to us.
The four of them nodded. The harpies shrieked, diving toward them. Lykos gripped his axe tighter, another memory flashing through his head. "Alright, let's pin it down!" His own voice rang out from the past as he hurled an axe, knocking down a monstrous figure.
Back in the moment, an idea struck him.
Okami lashed out, his stretched fists knocking harpies from the sky. Lykos sprinted to finish off those that hit the ground, while Inu remained near Volk and Okami, striking down any harpies that got too close.
Volk's shield flew through the air, ricocheting off five harpies before returning to his hand. Lykos studied the move, then mirrored it, his axe rebounding off three harpies before returning to him.
Okami: Y'know... I could knock them down faster with two gauntlets.
Inu: I need to defend myself, you know.
Inu leaped over Volk, landing a punch on a harpy diving toward him.
Volk: Thanks.
They continued their attacks—Volk's shield and Lykos' axe colliding mid-air, unleashing a shockwave that sent harpies crashing to the ground.
Volk & Lykos: Whoa.
With their weapons back in hand, they turned to finish off the fallen ones. Okami stretched his arms again, but a harpy slashed at him, cutting deep into his arm.
Okami: FUCK, that hurts! I can't keep knocking them down like this!
Lykos and Volk glanced back, seeing Okami clutching his arm.
Volk: I have an idea... Lykos, can you handle that axe well?
Lykos: Not really...
Volk: Good enough. Listen, I'm gonna throw you up there, and you take them out.
Lykos: I SAID NOT REALLY!
Volk: Trust me.
Before Lykos could argue further, Volk grabbed him by the arm, hoisting him up.
Volk: Ready?
Lykos: NO!
Volk: Yeah, you are.
With a grunt, Volk launched Lykos into the air. Lykos barely had time to process before he was soaring nearly 45 meters up. Heart pounding, he threw his axe mid-air, watching it ricochet off several harpies.
Volk: CATCH!
Volk flung his shield toward Lykos. With quick thinking, Lykos stepped onto it, using it to propel himself even higher. He hurled his axe at the shield, recreating the earlier shockwave. The explosion of force sent the remaining harpies tumbling from the sky.
As he fell, Lykos grabbed his axe, using a plummeting harpy to break his fall. Volk and Inu rushed to take down the remaining creatures on the ground. Moments later, all was still. The three of them collapsed near the house, exhausted.
Volk: So... we gotta find the others now.
Inu: They're not far.
Lykos: Let's just... rest a second...
Okami: Or find something for my arm.
Another memory surfaced in Lykos' mind. "This light... it's like last time..." A soothing warmth spread over his hands. He reached out, pressing a palm over Okami's wound. A soft glow enveloped it, the injury sealing completely.
Okami: Whoa. That's a handy ability.
Lykos: Haha, thanks.
"At least the dream is useful for something... But... was this always in me? Or did that weird orb do something to me?" Lykos stared at his hands, thoughts racing.
Lykos: Let's go find the others.
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