Ares gave a soft laugh. "You aren't in any position to walk through first. You're lacking the armor. I and that beast behind you should probably go first, then you burst through us while we take the brunt of the action. The rest of the crew should spread out on the wall and fire into the crowd. There's not a whole lot we can do anyway."
A voice shouted from the yard. "COME, ALISTAIR KANE!"
He didn't take his eyes away from Ares as he spoke. "Caesar, you got all that? If he looks like he's going to betray us, kill him."
"Yes, master," the giant agreed.
Ares raised an eyebrow. "That's true? He switched sides after seeing you fight?" He pointed to his right. "All those in there, if they see what you're capable of, they're going to turn as well?"
"That was the original plan," Alistair responded. "It hasn't gone as we'd hoped, as you can see."
Ares nodded, then let his helmet cover his head. He was a Titan in full MechGear, his crimson Whip at his side. "Let's show them what you're capable of, then." His metal head turned slightly to look at Caesar. "You ready, big man? I'm going to go high while you go low, and in the confusion, Alistair is going to rip into them. Sound good?"
Caesar looked at Alistair, who was considering this. They needed Ares, but if he turned on them? They would most likely die without him. Caesar couldn't heal them as he had before, and they were facing multiple enemies. Ares could give them a needed distraction since his gear could take a lot more damage than anyone else’s in the crew.
"Servia," Alistair asked, "what do you think?"
She laughed. "Pro, I've been wrong about almost everything, or at least at odds with you. I'll follow you with whatever you decide. Ave, Prometheus."
"Come on," Ares said through the suit's speaker. "Let's fight one last time together." He flashed on his HUD.
Alistair looked at the floor, then closed his eyes and saw Luna's face. All of this was for her, or at least it had been. Now, his friend floated above a crowd of warriors, disfigured and probably dying. It wasn't just for Luna anymore because part of it was helping Thoreaux. Getting him off that godsdamn chair and into a medbay.
He looked up. "Ave, Ares."
Hail, Ares.
"Ave, Odin."
"Caesar," Alistair instructed, "you and Ares go bring them death. I'll be right behind you."
The AllMother sat kilometers away with her eyes closed. Obs was at her feet, his heavy body against her leg for comfort and support. She was draining herself quickly, but she couldn't look away. She knew if something happened, she wouldn't be able to help, but she had to watch.
She'd seen the insane flight into the tower. She'd watch the massacre of those in the tunnel, the floor still lined with the dead. She'd watched the shootout that should have killed those she loved, and now she saw this reunion in her mind's eye.
She tried to see inside the Titan's mind, to see if he would betray Alistair. It was too much, though. She was too old and weak to see from so far away.
She would have to trust Prometheus’ instincts.
Fate had brought them here, and her child Thoreaux was suffering. The team she'd assembled, the family, only had each other. She couldn't help them.
Fate would have to carry them to victory or doom.
Ares had fought beside Alistair his entire adult life. He'd known the man's habits, his style, his dislikes, yet the man he was fighting next to now wasn't the same. The man now known as Prometheus was a terror on the battlefield such as humanity had never seen.
Ares knew Alistair didn't trust him. Maybe Ares shouldn't trust his former friend either, but he was beyond that. He had no doubts about what they were walking into—most likely a brutal death. If it was at Alistair's hands or the underworld killer’s, what did it matter? All he truly cared about was restoring his honor, even if only a tiny bit.
He'd turned on his friend because he'd been commanded to.
He'd helped burn a planet to ash because he'd been commanded to.
He'd traveled the universe chasing the man without asking why because he'd been commanded to.
He'd witnessed the torture of an individual and done nothing.
Ares had forgotten the last lesson until now, and as he walked forward to step onto this new battlefield, he wondered what his father would think of him. Would he believe him evil for the things he'd done, or would he be proud that Ares had found a different path? Would he think him foolish for throwing his life away in this battle?
Maybe one day he'd get the chance to ask him. Probably not, but possibly.
Right now, he wanted a chance to right his wrongs as best he could.
He stopped next to the giant, and they looked out on the killing field. More giants as far as Ares could see, all of them huge the way planets were. "Let's do this, big man."
He started the jets on his boots and flew into the air as the giant rushed across the yard, screaming with rage.
Alistair watched Ares take off. The Titan had attached his Whip to his belt and pulled out two StarBeams. He fired with the easy skill of someone who had practiced such moves for countless hours. Heads exploded as Ares floated above them, using the jets on his boots to position himself.
The enemy fired at him, but he zigged and zagged, eluding them while countering their fire.
Caesar had nearly reached the group of giants, and the rest of Alistair's crew had spread out on the walls. They maintained a good distance between each of them as their pulses and beams hit the crowd.
Prometheus stepped onto the field, his face and body covered in blood. Some was
