“Hold your ground, warriors of Athens!” shouted Aaron as the hydra broke off their attack and crawled back into the sea.

The soldiers of the battalion raised their spears and cheered in triumph. Their cheers died away as they looked up and saw a massive wave rise above them. It curled over them, blocking out the sky. Aaron gasped out the beginning of an order as the wave came down on the battalion. It hit them with the force of an avalanche, sweeping them up in its current and dragging them back towards the sea. Ava was knocked from her feet and carried along by the wave. She screamed and lashed out with her arms. Her hand slammed against rock and Ava desperately grabbed hold of it. The water continued rushing past her and she struggled against its strength, feeling as if her arms were being torn from her body. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Aaron flung into the sea, disappearing beneath the waves.

“Aaron!” she screamed, still struggling to hold on and avoid the same fate. A few moments later, the last of the water flowed back into the roiling sea. Ava gasped for breath and saw that what she’d been hanging onto was the remains of the city’s wall. Both her helmet and her sword had been lost into the sea. She looked around, seeing that only a small portion of the battalion had survived; those few who, like her, had been just lucky enough to escape a watery death. Ava quickly clambered back over the broken wall, then spotted Aaron’s sword lodged in a crevice in the stones. She pulled it free and ran back to where the other survivors of the battalion were regrouping. Turning back towards the sea, Ava saw the heads of the hydra rise over the wall and approach the small group of survivors, closing in for the kill. Her fellow soldiers glanced around uncertainly, terror showing plainly on their faces. “Aaron, we need you!” thought Ava in panic. She paused, realizing what she had to do. Everyone thought she was a hero, right? Well, right now her battalion needed a hero, real or not.

“Warriors of Athens!” Ava shouted over the crashing of the waves, “form up! Spears at the ready! Lock shields! We fight to the last!”

The soldiers around her obeyed with renewed hope and vigor, the dozen survivors forming into a small, compact unit. Ava, standing at the front of the formation, took up the shield of a fallen comrade. As the hydra launched another attack, the warriors of Athens fought back with all they had. When the soldier beside her was ripped in half by a hydra, Ava severed its head with one strike, then took up the fallen soldier’s spear. Using it like a javelin, Ava hurled the spear at one of the hydra. The weapon speared the monster’s heart and it toppled backwards into the sea. A shout of triumph went up among her soldiers. As the hydra drew back, Ava heard running feet and glanced over her shoulder to see two full battalions rushing to aid her. They formed up alongside the survivors of Ava's battalion, facing off against the hydra with shields locked and spears ready.

“Well done, soldiers!” called a strong voice that Ava guessed belonged to one of the battalion commanders.

She had no time to shout a reply as the hydra struck again. In the ensuing fight the warriors of Athens turned the tide against their monstrous foe, piercing each of the hydras’ heads with a dozen spears. As the hydra drew back and hesitated, the voice that had spoken before now shouted, “Onwards! Attack!”

The warriors of Athens swept forwards and surrounded the hydras, who had climbed from the sea onto the land. The monsters fell as the Athenians mercilessly stabbed them again and again with their spears. As one of the beasts desperately tried to creep back into the sea, one of the battalion commanders rushed at it, dropping his shield and gripping his sword with both hands. The beast spotted its attacker and sent one of its many heads to devour him. The man dived and rolled under its jaw, standing back up in a moment. With a swift double-handed strike he hacked the head off, then turned to another of the beast’s necks and severed its head as well. The man dived to avoid another head’s attack, then sprinted right up to the hydra’s body and slashed its chest open. He turned his sword around and stabbed deep into its flesh, ripping the blade out in a fountain of spurting blood. With a loud groan, the hydra collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from the mouths of its remaining heads. Ava stood watching, awed by the man’s skill. The lone hero turned and hurried back towards Ava and her battalion. He stopped in front of Ava and removed his plumed helmet. Even in the moon’s pale light, Ava recognized the man instantly, falling to one knee and bowing her head in respect.

“Valeseus,” she greeted him with deference.

“Stand up,” said Valeseus with equal respect, “if anything, it is I who should kneel to you, soldiers. Your single battalion held off the hydra, refusing to fall back despite incredibly heavy casualties. I commend you all for your inspirational courage.”

He paused and asked tentatively, “Where is Aaron?”

“He was swept into the sea, along with many of our other comrades,” Ava explained sadly.

“I am sorry to hear that,” Valeseus said sorrowfully, “he was among my closest friends and one of our best commanders.”

He put his hand firmly on Ava's shoulder. “Do him proud, captain.”

“Listen,” Ava said quickly, “I'm not the captain of this battalion. I took command when we lost Aaron because no-one else did, but I’ll get back in line just as soon as our new commander is officially appointed.”

“No need,” replied Valeseus, “I have chosen you.”

He turned and walked away before Ava could say another word. She turned to see Narsus walk up beside her. “Captain,” he said with a brusque salute.

Ava wanted to elbow him in the ribs, but instead simply nodded. She looked over to where Valeseus stood talking with the captain of the other battalion.

“We have battalions posted at the city gates and all along the sea wall,” Valeseus was saying, “so no matter where our foes choose to strike next, we will be ready. Have your soldiers set up braziers, get us some light and warmth. We’ll be out here all night.”

Ava shivered and murmured a quiet prayer to Apollo that the dawn might come swiftly.