There was a spark of temptation to grab Ares' spear. She wanted to hold the very weapon that had taken her life so many times before. Maybe she could even use it against the war god himself. Vatra cast a look over her shoulder and shook her head, removing the thought from her mind.

It would be impractical to take the spear. The weapon was bulky and almost as long as the halls were wide. Vatra would hit the walls or ceiling if she tried to swing the spear. She looked at the katana in her hand and remembered her own godkillers at her back. Those were more than enough weapons for her.

Walking to the door with a confident step, Vatra noticed she didn't need to use a guard's hand to exit the room. Instead, she only needed to be near the door. As some kind of unseen detector signaled her presence, the door slid open.

Vatra inhaled sharply. Peering around the corner, she glanced in both directions for any approaching guards. There was no one around, as far as she could tell.

She tightened her grip on the katana's tsuka and slipped into the hall. The door closed behind her and left her completely exposed. There was no way back into the weapon's room unless she happened across another guard to knock out.

Every step Vatra took was slow and as quiet as possible. She kept her left side to the wall and looked back over her shoulder every few seconds.

"Okay, if I was a war god, where would I be kept under watch?" Vatra whispered to herself.

I think the others can handle themselves a little longer. I need to at least confirm Ares is on this ship for myself, Vatra thought.

There was a pang of guilt for letting her own personal feelings get in the way. Was she wrong for pursuing her goal in seeking out revenge on Ares instead of finding her friends? No, she had technically been hired to get him back, after all. And Vatra always finished the job she was hired for.

"I've been looking for you."

The soft whisper made Vatra freeze in her steps. She'd been keeping her head on a swivel and hadn't seen anyone around her. However, the voice sounded as if it was speaking directly into her ear. Vatra turned her head sharply, but no one was behind her.

"Vatra."

Jumping back a step, Vatra realized Revna was standing right in front of her.

Impossible.

Revna caught the blade of the katana right before it cut down on her left shoulder. The tempered steel glistened between her forefinger and thumb, a drop of blood pooling to the surface of her skin.

"That was a close one," Revna mused. She looked over the katana with a grin. "I see you found the weapons' room, too." Withdrawing her hand, Revna held up an axe she'd been holding at her side with her other hand.

"Where did you come from?" Vatra seethed. The katana dropped lazily to her side.

"Huh?" Revna pulled her gaze from the intricate runes donning the axe's hilt. As if processing Vatra's question after a moment, Revna tapped the wall beside them. "I was in the hall next to you."

Vatra's brow shot up. There was no other turn into the next hall, not for a while, at least. "You're kidding me."

"No," Revna said, a defensive tone in her reply. She held her hand up again and raised it toward the wall. Where her fingers once pressed to solid metal, Revna's flesh and bone phased through the material.

Disbelief turned to shock, and Vatra leaned in to watch Revna's hand. "What the hell is this?"

"I'm a fylgja, remember? A spirit, not a god or creature. I'm not bound to the same physical planes as you or Enyalius. Or mortals, for that matter," Revna explained.

Vatra glanced around them for any approaching guards before pressing her curiosity further. Her original plan could wait. "Wait, you didn't name Spyro or Hisato. I knew you and Enyalius knew they weren't mortals, but did you know what they really were?"

A sly grin tugged at Revna's lips. "We spirits told a few good stories while in the cave on Pocarro."

"I slept through a good time, apparently," Vatra said. "Hold on, does that mean they can do that, too?"

Revna shrugged. "I suppose so."

"Bastards," Vatra grumbled. "You know someone for how long, and they don't tell you about their cool powers. I swear, if they're just wandering around this ship, I'm going to kick their asses."

"I think we tested our luck long enough here. We should get going," Revna said. "I believe Enyalius is being held not far from here."

Spinning on the heel of her magnetic boot, Revna turned to head down the hall. But, she stopped after a few steps and looked back over her shoulder. "You're not following me?" Revna questioned.

"No," Vatra said. "Enyalius can wait a little longer. I need to find Ares."

A look of surprise widened Revna's eyes. Her lips parted slightly before closing tightly into a thin line. "I don't think he's going to hold you up on your deal to actually find Ares."

"It's my own personal deal, now," Vatra explained. "If only to see the look on Ares' face before I kill him while he's rotting in a cell here." The tone in her voice darkened, sending a chill up her own arms.

"Vatra..." Revna's voice trailed off as she stepped forward, concern turning to panic. Her alarmed gaze darted past Vatra.

Turning to face where Revna's attention had been drawn to, Vatra saw a group of four guards heading in their direction. It was obvious they'd been spotted. The guards had their weapons drawn, which were a variety of electrified staffs and short blades. No guns.

"They don't use their guns on this ship. Those weapons were only for show," Vatra observed. She watched the guards approach with a level of calmness that appeared to unnerve Revna.

A firm grip wrapped around Vatra's arm. "We need to leave," Revna said.

"Why do you think they won't risk using guns around here?" Vatra asked, her attention snapping away from the nearing guards.

"I don't know, I'd assume something around here is extremely flammable. Maybe in the walls? The ceiling? We should be happy they're not pointing guns at us and use this time to run."

 Vatra looked up. She squinted through the metal panels above them, and noted a pipe of some sort carefully hidden amongst the compartments overhead.

There was a chance Vatra could take down the four guards. Actually, it was likely she could. She'd easily dispatched a few already. The weapons made no difference to her.

However, blindly running around the ship hoping to run into a hidden cell containing Ares, or even her companions, would be impractical. They would without a doubt run into countless more guards. Vatra preferred to bargain her way out of a fight if she could.

Drawing one of her godkillers from the sheath at her back, Vatra took a step forward. She placed the tip of the blade at her own throat.

Immediately, the guards stopped advancing.

"I'm assuming you've all had some kind of intel as to what cargo you have. I don't see why else you would have kept us as prisoners. By how quickly you stopped, and your small glances at the ceiling, I'm pretty certain you do know what I am, at least," Vatra started. "Here's the deal, show us Ares and our companions, and I won't take out this part of the ship with me."

"What are you doing?" Revna whispered.

"What's the deal? You're tethered to Enyalius anyway, so you won't die in the blast," Vatra said. She was bluffing, though, of course. But, it wasn't like she could openly admit it. Vatra didn't want to die.  

The guards lowered their weapons. They spoke amongst themselves for a minute or two before one of them stepped forward.

"We'll take you to your friends, but not to Ares." The female guard relayed their decision.

Vatra had to hide her obvious anger at the answer. Of course she was glad they agreed to show them where the others were, but she wanted to see Ares. To kill him.

"Fine," Vatra said.

Revna audibly sighed behind her. "Thank the gods."

"But one wrong move, and everything around me will go up in flames." Vatra maintained a steady hold on the godkiller near her throat. She wouldn't remove it until the guards brought them to where the others were.

Then, they needed to find their way to the Agkistrodon and off whatever hellhole they'd managed to find themselves on.