Percy stared at the strange man, feeling a small knot of dread. These were the top players in the Whitemoon organisation. Thalos dropped him, and he walked back, surveying the room.

It was a simple square space at the top of the temple, red walls and floors decorated with purple carpets and paintings of priests long past.

This was the profane center of a religious power so great yet strangely forgotten. A single window in the room hung over the altar; the rest of the place was illuminated by candles hung on the walls. The dark, hot atmosphere felt too confined for the fight that was about to unfold.

He was still moving his feet, which made the green eyed man laugh.

"Rest well, Perseus, Diane's curse doesn't reach up here. This is the sacred place of a god; none dare bring their malice up here."

He stared at the strange man for a long time. He wore brown robes with a shoulder clip that resembled a golden head of wheat.

"And who the hell are you?" Percy asked.

"Sebas Basker."

He nearly coughed hearing the name. The man looked a bit too normal to be a Basker.

"Oh, you look a bit too good to be one of them."

Sebas seemed to relish this backhanded compliment.

"Thank you! Years of study and communion with the disgruntled servants of Gaia have brought us many secrets of life and fertility!"

"Where is Ramona?" he asked simply; no point in engaging this guy's madness. "Have you killed her already, psycho?"

Sebas's smile widened.

"Oh, never. She is our vessel. She will bring our great guardian, Python, into this world and guide us towards reviving the mother."

Percy swallowed; that didn't sound good. Python was the mythological serpent that guarded the cave of Delphi. It was a seer of sorts that was slain by Apollo, who took over its job as god of oracles.

At the very least it would be a Rank 4 spirit, and if they were really fucked, a Rank 5 spirit. And he had no doubt Ramona's spirit would die from the possession.

"I'm Griffon, by the way, if you're done ignoring the rest of us," another man said, smiling. He was just as eerie as Sebas. His hair was blonde, and his face was round and jovial, almost kind-looking.

Percy was about to ask him where Diane's children were but held himself back just in case. His eyes flitted to the golden box on the center table that dominated the majority of the room.

"Don't look at that, Amphene, you won't lay even a finger on it," the third man said suddenly. This one was thin and tired-looking, with a messy brown beard and hair that covered his face.

Percy waited for a moment, then shook his head.

"And who are you?"

"I'm not like these two idiots," the man said. "You can learn my name in the underworld."

"That's Lethel, if I'm not mistaken," Thalos said, eyes locked tightly on the man. "He's one of Sion's favourite dogs."

Lethel's eyes began glowing red; the heat in the room surged, and Percy realised that this man was the source of the uncomfortable heat, not the candles.

"You ought to show respect to your superior, Thalos. Make sure to greet the death god for me."

"Leave the boy to me," Sebas said. "I have some questions."

"Don't kill him; we want to use him," Griffon said, smiling.

Thalos' crimson aura surged over Marrowbiter, his grey eyes cutting through the heat.

"Stay away from my son."

Lethel didn't bother arguing; fire exploded from his body without a chant, blossoming towards them in a rumbling wave.

"I can't block that," George said, seeing the terrible force of the flames. "I can't control the earth up here."

Thalos stepped forward and sawed through the air with his katana. His crimson spirit and the devouring flames clashed in a blast and sent Percy rolling.

He looked up just in time to see Griffon land between Hugo and George. The Whitemoon leader looked serene and kind with a pair of glowing white wings on his back and heavy-looking morning stars in his hands.

Those white wings twitched, and the man's body blurred. The morning stars crashed into George and sent him flying while Hugo dodged.

Percy raised his Spellbolt to fire, but a hand appeared and dragged him away; Sebas had just appeared in front of him, green eyes studying the weapon with faint interest.

"Do you get these ideas on your own?" Sebas asked softly, studying the weapon.

He shrugged, stepping away from the man and closer to the stairs.

"Yep, shocking, isn't it? That someone out there isn't as dumb as the rest of you."

Sebas looked at him strangely; that smile was just too creepy. Why was this freak trying to look warm after promising to kill them?

"I don't think you are stupid, Perseus, but we both know someone told you to make those things. Which god was it? Depending on your answer, Lord Python may forgive you."

"Lord Python can suck my—"

Sebas stretched out his hand, and it turned sandy, stretching forward before clamping over Percy's mouth, drowning out his voice.

"You are a very wild child. I find that very admirable; it is a good trait for a growing boy to have. But some things are not to be played with. Now tell me, do you hear her voice? Who taught you to build these things?"

Sandman? What are you doing here?

Percy's mind ran through a couple of scenarios on how to fight. The sand hand was leaving his mouth, its coarse brown particles leaving their mark on his face. He quickly brushed them off, thoroughly disgusted.

He looked up just in time to see Thalos attack to help his son. A slash of crimson light flashed from Thalos' katana and cleaved Sebas in half.

He watched Sebas's top half fall to the ground, smiling, and a dreadful pit formed in his belly; this fight wasn't going to be very easy.

Instead of blood, Sebas's body leaked sand. The entire body fell apart and recombined right in front of Percy's eyes—legs forming first, then clothes, then half of a face. One green eye and a pair of lips curled into a smile.

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