CHAPTER FORTY

They all stood in a circle, hands clasped with the people next to them, making as big of a circle as they could in Elwin's cramped office. Demigods, goblins, elves, and a titan, united for a single cause. In the center of the circle stood Blur, holding a leaping crystal leading to a small valley close enough to humans that Vespera couldn't possibly have anything set up there for fear of discovery, but far enough away to hopefully not be noticed by the humans if the Mist didn't cover them.

Each of them had their pockets loaded with gadgets that Dex and Nyssa had made together. They had apparently spent half the night talking to each other in technobabble and building wacky things. Nyssa had loved the idea of the Sucker Punch, so they made one for everyone, and even made a few to be fitted to the blades of the demigods' weapons that somehow shrunk with them into their magically hidden state. The result of mixing tech and enchantment were some pretty darn powerful weapons. Nyssa even made one that spewed freshly cooked popcorn, muttering that "the readers are going to love this."

Blur started to count down from three.

"3."

Sophie rallied her thoughts and started paying attention to what was happening.

"2."

She pulled her concentration over the entire group like a blanket, protecting everyone from being pulled away with the light.

"1."

They entered the beam of light cast by the crystal, and stepped out into a picturesque valley straight out of a storybook, complete with blue sky and fluffy clouds. Sophie knew that it would probably be destroyed by the end of the day, and she felt bad for all the human hikers who probably enjoyed the view. She hoped the "Closed Due to Landslide" sign they had placed at the trailhead would keep humans out of harm's way while the battle took place.

Fitz walked up to Sophie and admired the view with her, then turned to look at her. Without saying anything, he sprayed some of her special limbium-free Fade Fuel under her nose. Sophie sneezed at the sudden vapor, and turned to look at him reproachfully.

"What?" He held his hands up in mock surrender. "You were looking a little pale!" Sophie ignored him and his beautiful teal eyes, and turned back to looking at the sky. A rainbow decorated it, which was strange given that it was a completely clear afternoon, with no rain. What was even weirder was that Sophie could have sworn she saw a woman with black hair somehow made of rainbow wink at her. When she blinked, the woman was gone. (Don't blink).

Menoetius stepped forward from the disorganized group. "I will go down into the valley. Fighters, hide yourselves along the edges of the cliffs, and the rest of you, get to your places, wherever they are." Each goblin, along with Nyssa, held up their Obscurers and began the descent, Tam and Linh levitating them down one by one, before lowering themselves down. Dex and Keefe began their trek to a small ledge providing a vantage point from which to throw gadgets, and Will and Lou Ellen stepped over to a similar point from which to hopefully retrieve the trapped god.

Fitz looked at Sophie. You ready? he transmitted.

Steeling herself, Sophie nodded, not trusting her transmitting to not communicate the sheer panic she felt. Fitz grabbed her hand, and their cognate rings snapped together Sophie stopped herself from reaching up to pluck an eyelash. They could do this. There was no reason to be nervous. She looked at Fitz, who gave her an encouraging nod, and she transmitted to Menoetius.

We're ready. Do your thing.

AN: Next chapter is the climax! Hopefully it'll be up sometime later this week! Enjoy!

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Have a lovely May the Fourth!