Demi-God Twin Chapter 14: Icarus Falling.

Chapter 14: Icarus Falling.

(Iphicles P.O.V)

Heracles’ blood-soaked grin emerges from the smoke, and every instinct in my body screams to flee.

Without a word, I flare my damaged wings, grabbing Atalanta under the arms, and launch us into the air.

“Coward!” Heracles barks, his voice ascends, dripping with mockery. “Running away already, Little Birdie?”

He leaps after us, his sheer strength propelling him higher than any mortal could hope to jump.

I strafe to the side just in time. His outstretched hand claws at the empty air inches from my foot before he crashes back to the ground, shaking the earth.

My back protests as pain shoots up the point my wings meet my shoulder blades. Even simple evasions feel like I'm pushing against a tornado.

I grit my teeth and do best to defy gravity by flying higher. Distance is the only thing that will save us.

“Let me go!” Atalanta yells, thrashing in my grip. “We can fight him!”

“We’ll die!” I snap, flapping harder to gain altitude despite the agony burning in my left wing.

"Iphicles!!"

Heracles roars in frustration, his voice booming across the lake.

I look back and he's standing on the shores of the lake. Good. There's no way he's reaching us from all the way-

He stoops, grabbing the massive, headless corpse of the Hydra, and hurls it into the air with impossible strength.

Poseidon's beard!

“Atalanta!” I shout, seeing the oncoming massive flesh projectile, knowing I can't jerk away fast enough.

Atalanta twists, her sharp eyes spotting the Hydra’s corpse hurtling toward us. She tears off one of my metal feathers, packs hasty magic into it and throws it.

The golden feather strikes the Hydra's tail and severs it with a small explosion.

The Hydra’s corpse splits apart around us before we're crushed, but Heracles plan has worked.

Using the Hydra's mass as cover for a leap, he's in the air again, a triumphant grin on his face.

“Got you, little birdie,” he sneers, and his iron grip latches onto my shin.

"Aaahhhhhh!!"

Pain explodes through my leg, bones shattering under his crushing strength. I scream as he laughs, and the next thing I know, we are falling.

The world flips around as Heracles flings Atalanta and me toward the lake like discarded toys.

We cut through the fog, skid across the surface, water blinding and choking me, until we slam into the jagged rocks of a small island.

The impact drives the breath from my lungs, and pain tears through my body. My left wing hangs limp, useless, and my shattered shin throbs with unbearable agony.

My right wing unfolds and Atalanta scrambles to her feet, her hands pulling me upright despite my weight. “Iphicles, are you—”

“I’m fine,” I lie, forcing the words through clenched teeth.

I try to stand, but my leg buckles beneath me. A cry of pain escapes my lips as I collapse. Pain is not a new experience, but this time it's followed by nausea and disorientation. I can feel bits of bone stabbing into the flesh of my shin.

Booom!

As if the worst is yet to come, Heracles lands in front of us.

Atalanta tenses, her trembling hands reaching for her destroyed bow as she steps instinctively between me and Heracles, who now looms on the shoreline, his bloody club resting on his shoulder.

“Heracles,” I manage to stand, leaning on Atalanta. My voice strained. “What are you doing here?”

My twin's grin widens, cruel and mocking. “Did you really think you’d get away with stealing my glory? No, little brother. I came to see the show—and what a show it was!"

He's talking about the Hydra. I see. This isn't just about chasing me down, he has another purpose. A reason he came to Argos.

“This isn’t about glory,” I say firmly, though I can barely hold myself upright.

“Oh, but it 'is!” Heracles snarls, slamming his club into the ground. The force sends tremors through the island. “It’s always about glory! And you’ve stolen it from me! I was the Hero fated to slay the Laerdinean Hydra, not a weakling like you, Iphi.”

My mouth goes dry. I bristle at the insulting truth, body trembling with a complex mix of anger, hatred and fear. I want to kill him and he knows it. His eyes dare me to try.

Atalanta's hand blocks me just before I can. I frown at her in question, only to stop short at the icy chill in her eyes.

“What a load of Empousa crap. I didn’t see you fighting the Hydra, Herakles. You didn’t earn anything.” She said, voice sharp and unyielding.

"Earn?"

Heracles’ gaze snaps to her, his grin turning cold. “And who are you to decide what I deserve Atalanta? Just another of my brother’s toys? I always have fun breaking them.”

Before she can respond, I raise a hand to stop her. “Leave her out of this, Heracles. This is between us.”

He laughs, a sound devoid of humor. “Oh, Brother, always the noble fool. Don’t worry—I’ll deal with her soon enough. But first, I’ll remind you of your place.”

Heracles surges forward, his club swinging out in a deadly arc. It's naught but a simple move. And yet, the spiked club seems to block out the sun and rip a path through reality with the screams of abused air currents.

My eyes widen in terror.

Atalanta and I stand still, frozen by the sheer force coming our way.

A spark of defiance ignites from the embers of my hate- my vengeance. I unfurl my wings despite the pain. If this is my end, I will face it without fear.

Before I can release all my feathers for one desperate counter, a golden lance of lightning streaks from the heavens, striking Heracles square in the chest and hurling him back.

His body gets lost under the roiling lake surface.

"That arrow...It can't be..."

Atalanta mutters in shock, gazing around us.

The sound of hooves against water draws our attention to the back.

"I can't believe it...It's Master."

Chiron gallops across the lake, black Pegasus wings carrying him forward with impossible speed.

StarEnder, his massive Ebony Bow which I've only seen just once, undulates in the light, the ethereal string crackling like it's made from lightning.

I had no idea StarEnder is a magical artefact. Just like Atalanta's damaged bow. And from StarEnder's aura, it's on par or even higher ranked than hers.

“Teacher!” Atalanta calls in relief as Chiron arrives to our side, Pegasus wings arresting his momentum for a smooth landing,“What took you so long?”

Unexpectedly, Chiron ignores her, his stern gaze locking onto mine. “Can you fly Boy?”

The Centaur before me is not my beloved, easy-going Master. He's not the Hero Instructor. His eyes are steely, his voice commanding and authoritative.

He's a different Beast, the dark wings on his back not-withstanding. I'm staring at a fearsome Warrior. And that fact alone, reignites my hope for survival.

I hesitate to test my mangled wing. Teacher's unyielding gaze fills me with resolve. I don't want to disappoint him.

My left shoulder angrily protests when I try to flex. A curse escapes my lips and I shake my head. “Sorry Master, I don’t think I'll be flying anytime soon.”

"That...arsehole." Atalanta growls. "It's all his fault."

"What do you mean?" Chiron asks.

"A boulder's what smashed my left wing while we were fighting the Hydra. Only Herakles could have thrown it. He was watching us. Which means..."

Atalanta catches on and unbridled fury takes her over,

"He led It to Camp. He's the reason my men are Dead. Iphicles, I am going to Kill your brother and you're not stopping me."

"I'll help you."

I respond, choking on the bitter taste of my Twin's betrayal.

"But not now. We're in no state to fight. And we are weak."

"Screw that-"

Atalanta is interrupted by Herakles exploding from the water, roaring like a beast.

"Excuse me children."

Chiron states, drawing StarEnder's crackling string. Winds gather around him, forming a golden lightning arrow sheathed in a coat of violent winds.