“Run away! RUN AWAAAAAY!” 

“BAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

The chaos they’ve stumbled upon was far worse than last time. Black and white sheep stampeded through the streets like a wild herd of bulls.

Ajax spotted Lydia and Marius helping others climb onto balconies to escape the horde. “Guys! Get out of there!” he yelled, sprinting toward them. 

“Hey! Stay here, boy!” Amalthea shouted, hobbling after him, but the throng of escaping people pushed her back.

“Baaaaaah!” The Monster Muttons bleated loudly.

Ajax propelled himself into the air with the help of the wind and swung his club at a Mutton, sending it flying with a gust of wind magic. The mutton crashed into the herd, knocking them over like dominos.

“You alright?” Ajax helped a concussed man to his feet.

"My son," the man croaked, pointing to where a child got trapped between some scattered boards near the stampeding herd.

“We'll handle it,” Ajax reassured him, and hesitantly looked at his friends. “Can you help me?”

Lydia and Marius exchanged wordless glances with Ajax and sprinted together towards the child.

“Those idiots.” Amalthea collapsed against the people behind her.

The horde was slowly regaining their footing and bleating more frantically to break free. 

One mutton wiggled itself free and charged at them, horns aimed low. Lydia swiftly leapt over it, running along the side of the wall to pick up speed. Ajax somersaulted forward, slamming it with his club while Marius summoned his massive gloves and delivered a powerful punch, sending the sheep crashing into a wall. Lydia jumped overhead and cut the ropes of some barrels to collapse them on the mutton. 

The child cried when the sheep bleated louder and louder. Ajax removed the boards over the child and dropped to his knees, reassuring them. “Hey, hey, I'm here. Everything will be alright.” 

“Those children.” Amalthea was astonished at how the kids coordinated themselves. “They’re more capable than I thought.”

But Amalthea’s intrigue was short-lived when the mutton they took out was back on its feet and shaking the debris off its wool.

“How's it still conscious?” Lydia exclaimed, complaining at Marius. “You punched it too lightly!”

“I didn't,” said Marius, wiping the cold sweat from his worried, chubby face. “Hitting it was unusually hard. Its wool was like steel.”

“Baaaaaaahhhh!” 

The bleating from the herd intensified as more sheep collided, tripping over each other and forming a tangled pile. One after another, the sheep tumbled forward, slowly piling up into a looming mountain of sheep until it collapsed.

“RUN!” Lydia shouted, and they bolted.

Ajax held the child tightly against his chest as he ran, but his heart nearly stopped when the sheep he had just fought exhaled a stream of fire overhead.

“What in Pluto’s name is happening?!” Amalthea shouted, pulling herself free from the bystanders trying to protect her. “Run!” She wobbled at them as fast as she could manage. “I'll deal with the herd. Get out of there—”

“Lydia, take care of the child!” Ajax yelled, throwing the child up to Lydia.

“Wha- What!?” Lydia caught the child by their hands.

Marius stomped the ground, sending waves of dirt and rubble into the air to block another fiery blast. Like, moving like an acrobat, grabbed onto the rainwater pipes with her feet and hoisted herself with the child up a nearby balcony. 

“Now, Ajax, get yourself out too—”

“Baaaaaaahhhh!” The aggressive bleating grew louder and louder. The herd surrounded Ajax and Marius from all sides.

They pawed the ground furiously, aiming at the duo with their cranial appendages. “Nice work, you two,” complimented Amalthea, materialising behind them and scooping the boys up. “Now, let's get out of here.”

In an instant, they vanished in a blinding flash of amethyst light right as the sheep bashed against one another. Ajax felt like the stars and sunlight swirled around him, flickering like a movie projection. A red nebula enveloped them, and before they knew it, they reappeared on the rooftop, retching their souls out. 

Amalthea collapsed to the side, groaning in exhaustion.

Lydia scrambled onto the rooftop, her eyes wide. “How did you do that? Alien magic or…” She stopped short, her gaze falling over the city. “Oh gods…”

The team looked out at the chaos far and wide. Flames and chaos engulfed the city; with its gates shattered. A deafening explosion erupted nearby as the belfry toppled, sending a massive dust cloud swirling through the streets. 

The air was thick with the sound of bleating and stomping, mixed with the desperate cries for help.

“What do we do now?” the kids wondered, looking at the only adult in sight.

Amalthea straightened her back, throwing back her cloak. Her muscles tensed, and her shoulders broadened as she forced herself to stand. “It's time you prove your mantle,” announced Amalthea, emanating the force and strength of a leader as she looked back at them. “We’ve got a city to save.”

‧. .ᯓ★. .‧

“Hold the line!” bellowed Captain Schnauzer of the city guard, a broad orc with an imposing moustache and commanding presence. “Don't let the muttons rampage any further!”

Today, Captain Schnauzer’s leadership skills would be tested like never before. Equipped with a heavy claymore, he planned to take down each monstrous sheep with a single, mighty swing, and earn enough money with the cotton to buy drinks for the entire guard.

“Fireball!” shouted the wizards from the adventurer groups, unleashing a torrent of flames upon the herds.

But today, victory was not in sight. Unscathed by the inferno, the Monster Muttons burst from the blaze and gored the tanks of the adventurer parties like they were poking paper and not forged steel. 

“They're unstoppable!” The adventurers panicked, overwhelmed by the invincible sheep. 

“Hold the line!” Captain Schnauzer roared, taking a tower shield from a fallen adventurer. Standing alone against the sheep, he planted his feet. “No one shall pass!”

The captain braced for the impact that never came. Suddenly, a dwarf in a pink suit and helmet crashed into the herd, sending the sheep flying with a shockwave. Then, a yellow-clad halfling zipped by, flashing her kukri blades as she sheared the sheep bare.

“Attack now,” Amalthea commanded with a firm, authoritative tone. “Fireball!”

*BOOOOM* *WHOOSH*

The mages unleashed their spells, and this time, reduced the sheep to charred remains and piles of singed cotton.

Amalthea leaned over to Ajax and whispered, “Was that command alright?”.

“Perfect,” he replied, kissing his fingers.

“Good,” she nodded, pleased. “I've only ever played DnD, and didn’t realise how much fun yelling ‘fireball’ would be.”

“What?”

“Never mind.” Her expression grew serious again and turned to the captain. Walking with a hidden limp, her leg still in a brace, she approached him with half-confidence. “What's the state of the city?”

“You're that woman from the breach a few days back…” he muttered, eyeing her warily and taking in her brace and bandaged arm. “No offence, but you better get to somewhere safe. Let someone escort you to safety—”

“No offence, Captain, but,” Amalthea removed her earrings, revealing her true form beneath her guise. The atmosphere shifted, charged with an unmistakable aura of authority and power radiating from her. “My team and I are here to help.”

“I—” the captain hesitated before bowing from the pressure.

Amalthea, though injured, radiated immeasurable strength. Her tall, muscular frame was that of a seasoned fighter, with every white scar on her body radiating confidence and a testament to her battles. Her dark, star-speckled skin shimmered with an otherworldly glow, and her gunmetal hair sparkled with mystery. 

Even the pain hinted at a long experience of facing countless dangers of numerous lives.

“My name's Captain Schnauzer…” he said, bowing deeper like he met someone far superior to him. “We will fall under your command.”

Amalthea placed a hand on her hip, trying to hide the slight tremor in her hand. “What's the status?”

“Bad. Obviously.” Schnauzer replied, gesturing at the corpses. “They suddenly came in large numbers from the forest. Overwhelmed us before we knew it. The city guards and adventure guild fight a losing battle. These sheep are nearly impossible to slay—their wool is impenetrable to both weapons and magic. We can’t fight them under those conditions.”

“But we can!” Lydia declared, stepping forward with her hands on her hips. “We'll get their attention and minimise the damages!”

“Must we?” moaned Marius, slumping his shoulders in dismay. 

“For what’s it worth, you two are the best shot,” Amalthea said, rubbing her braced leg. “Captain, take the soldiers and focus on crowd control and civilian rescue.” 

“Aye to that,” agreed the captain, “but how do we deal with the sheep?” 

Amalthea squared her shoulders, wincing slightly as the pain grew worse, but she kept her focus on Schnauzer. “I call this Operation Shepherd. We round them up, strip them of their wool, and finish them off with an AOE Spell—” 

Amalthea glanced for confirmation; he nodded. “That way,” Amalthea continued, “we get them all in one fell swoop. Everyone got it?” 

“Yes, ma’am!” 

“Good, move out!” 

“Amalthea.” Ajax hesitated to call out. His face was half-hidden by his ebony hair, but the uncertainty in his eyes was clear. “How can I help?” 

“You know the layout, right?” Amalthea asked, her gaze sweeping over the chaos in the city with Ajax following her line of sight. “You’ll be my Jack. My eyes. My hands. I’m vulnerable in this state, but won’t shy away from fighting when necessary. I’ll need you to help me navigate the city effectively and resolve this situation. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” Ajax replied without hesitation. “I will!” 

Ajax's entire view of Amalthea had shifted. Her leadership inspired him. Despite her being an outsider, callous and rough around the edges, she assessed the situation with calm precision and utilised each person’s strength to their fullest.

She was a true leader. 

No one questioned her authority—not the battle-hardened veteran adventurers nor the stubborn, quarrelsome old soldier. Behind her back, they fell in line.

They corralled the Monster Muttons into tight alleys, trapping them behind magical barriers. Marius struck the sheep with his massive gloves, forcing them together, while Lydia darted across their backs, sheering them with lightning speed.

Everything was coordinated; everything worked. 

Even Ajax felt his purpose opening before him. He evacuated people, rescued stragglers‌, and relayed Amalthea’s orders whenever she saw his or anyone’s skills best utilised. 

“Hold the barrier!” Ajax shouted, helping the wizards conjure a barrier of wind, steering the muttons towards the market square whenever they bumped against it. 

Everything went according to plan. 

“What now?” asked Ajax, catching his breath. 

Amalthea stood on the roof of a building, arms crossed. Her thumb absentmindedly brushed against her plum-coloured lips as she evaluated the situation. Seeing her like this, Ajax saw his future right by her side. 

Her right hand. The Blue Titan. A Star Guardian. 

“Someone’s leading them,” Amalthea muttered. “The Cyclops couldn’t be behind this. He's not smart enough.”

“Who then?” Ajax asked.

“I don’t know,” Amalthea bit her nail. “But it’s someone with an agenda—a plan.”

“Does it matter? We’ve got them cornered. We should strike now!” Ajax urged, enthused. “This is our chance! Let me signal the wizards to begin.”

“No… Something’s not right,” murmured Amalthea. “Ajax, tell the wizards to stand—” 

But before Amalthea could say it, Ajax already lit the flare. Sparks crackled in the sky, and the wizards began the operation. Barrels of oil and gunpowder had been tossed into the square with magic, soaking the sheep. 

Amalthea’s eyes widened. Amid the flock, she spotted something different—an anomaly. One sheep stood out, its fleece a swirling black void, four curved horns on its head, and blue eyes crackling with thunder.

“Stop, it’s a trap!” But Amalthea’s warning came too late.

The fireballs exploded, transforming the square into a sea of flames. Burned muttons bleated and shrieked, but none of them fell. Their cries turned into a sinister cackle before their leader manifested with a deafening boom.

“BAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” 

Thick black smoke coiled in the square as Mega Ewe materialised, towering over the buildings like a monstrous shadow. Her enormous horns crackled with energy, and she unleashed a beam that obliterated the nearby church in a flash of blue lightning, reducing it to rubble. 

In the centre of the square, a blue portal opened, and from it stepped a burly figure, nearly three meters (10 inches) tall, followed by a squadron of sheep-horned minions. 

The monster was almost humanoid. His body was built like a tank with powerful, rippling muscles and clad in a black alien suit lined with glowing electronic veins. Thin, curved horns jutted from his face and around his single, menacing blue eye that gleamed with power. 

“My name is Polyphem, Devour of Heroes.” The Cyclops declared, spreading his massive arms. A smooth, black club appeared in his grasp, and Polyphem elegantly twirled it around his hulking frame with the grace of an acrobat before pointing it directly at Amalthea. “I challenge you, Red Titan Atlas. Fight me to the Death.” 

Amalthea’s grip tightened around a nearby chimney, her fingers cracking the stone. The burning sheep scattered back into the city through the newly formed hole, but Amalthea's attention was locked on Polyphemus. 

Fury blazed in her eyes as she turned to Ajax. “Take care of the beasts,” she hissed. “I’ll handle the Cyclops.” 

Summoning the Chrono Device to her hand, Amalthea leapt from the roof to meet her challenger head-on.

“TRANSFORM!” she bellowed. 

A blinding red light flooded the square. The discs around the polyhedron spun with a high-pitched tone like a chainsaw blade slicing through the air. The ground trembled when she landed. And as the light faded, the Red Titan of Strength and Endurance stood tall. 

“Atlas, reporting to duty.”