A New War, A New Guardian

"So you're the one intended to take my place, boy. You do not look like a Spartan, yet the Blades react to your presence. That means you are of my blood," he rumbled, his eyes narrowing. His hand flicked to a set of jagged short swords a little longer than large machetes that had long chains that glowed dully orange that burned with a smokeless flame.

His head turned slightly where a far larger blade, a claymore style double edged blade, rested within an ornate rack and case. Bright blue flames burned along its ornate Orichalcum and steel blade.

He saw the young man's head turn before he twisted as a pair of knives sped at him as electrical energy arced and surged over the youth's body as the youth caught both blades by the hilts before his foot lashed out, a pair of sharp cracks sounding as the arrows shattered from the arcing kick the youth threw before he twisted into a aerial spinning hook kick, his eyes narrowed warily. He noticed that he also had his own eyes, though a deep ruby-garnet blended into the primordial golden bronze. He noticed the slightest hints of bright crimson flames flickering from the youth's skin.

An echoing grinding crack terminating in a boom sounded in the tunnels outside the chamber before inhuman howls and screeches sounded. He saw the youth spin and immediately, almost instinctively, go for the Blades of Chaos. "Choosing those will hurt unlike anything you've ever felt, boy," he warned.

"Can't hurt more than whatever is making that racket might have in mind. So… fuck it," the youth deadpanned dryly before he grabbed the Blades, the chains fading from his own forearm bracers in tendrils of golden flame before they coiled around the youth's forearms, glowing an ominous red hot with hints of gold within it before the glow slowly faded, though he noted that though the tendons of his throat and shoulders tensed visibly and he bared his teeth against the scent of burning meat, he did not cry out and beyond a bit of sweat on his brow, he showed no sign of the agonizing pain.

—♣—

"Damn… that fucking hurt like hell… the games showed you getting them… but seeing it and feeling it… ugh… big fucking difference. Noticed a faint stench of brimstone right after that boom… so… looks like we're going to be putting some bad dogs down," Joseph said with a strained chuckle before his eyes narrowed, hardening. He could hear slithering and suspected Gorgons were also incoming.

His eyes widened fractionally upon seeing the Ancient Greek monsters. "Ah, fuck me sideways with a chainsaw," he groaned softly.