Maitho opened his eyes with a gasp. The muscles in his chest felt as though they were on fire. He took lungfuls of air, but each inhalation was accompanied by a flare of pain. Waves of nausea threatened to push out anything still left in his stomach which, judging from his recent diet, wasn’t much. He turned to his side, retching and coughing in alternate turns.

He felt hands on him, but he was too focused on his own intolerable discomforts to pay attention to any external feelings. Echoes of voices reached hum from a faraway place, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. It sounded like there could be two people or even ten, he just couldn’t say.

When his reactions subsided, save for the excruciating pain still in his chest, he managed to focus on the sensations around him.

He noticed Epona’s worried face first, which instantly broke into a look of relief upon catching his eye. There was a part of him that wanted to smile. He tried to force his face to work for him, but he wasn’t certain if he had managed to react in any meaningful way.

Then he spotted the blonde-haired man standing next to her, who had his arms crossed and held a curious smile.

“What happened?” Maitho managed to say, his voice sounding like someone was choking him as he spoke. He looked around. “Where’s Charon?”

“To answer your first question,” said Raiden. “I had to shock your heart a little bit to prevent it from calling it quits. Well, maybe more than a little bit.”

That definitely explained the pain to Maitho. He grabbed his chest, feeling the burning in his chest pulsing in waves.

“As for your second question,” said Raiden. “Let’s just say that he didn’t stay to watch you returning from your near-death experience.”

As though he was overhearing them, Charon walked into their midst with a gait that could as well mean that he was taking a stroll in a park. His demeanor held its trademark calm. “I had to leave for an urgent matter.”

Raiden faced the ferryman. “Ah. Had to ferry an important soul across the river?”

Charon narrowed his eyes every so slightly at the Norse Guardian. “Something like that.”

It seemed as though Raiden was about to say something else, but he simply turned his attention to Maitho. “Glad you’re back. I was afraid you would be taken to the other side.”

Something about the way he phrased his words made Maitho realize that he wasn’t entirely ignorant about the event that transpired on the river Styx. Raising himself up, Maitho’s eyes traveled to the broken halves of Quinn. While he had made it back to the land of the living, his friend was still in the world of the departed. It didn’t seem fair, yet he pushed himself slowly to his feet. His hands and legs felt like spaghetti, and before he could tumble back to the ground, Epona hooked her hand around his upper arm. His leg had slipped under him, but she kept him balanced.

“Despite everything that happened, you will all have to disperse,” said Charon.

His words seemed to cut through whatever tension still hung in the air. Maitho wasn’t blind to see Adahlia looking at him as though he was a missed opportunity. He didn’t fail to notice Brigid whispering into Bevan’s ear while darting quick checks on him and Epona. As for the latter Celtic Guardian, he merely frowned and nodded. When his eyes met Maitho’s, his features softened for just the briefest of seconds, revealing the person he was when the two had first met. Then he quickly averted his gaze, his frown reforming on his face and making it seemed like he had never changed his expression at all.

Maitho found the strength returning to his legs. When he was able to stand, he nodded at Epona, who dropped her grip on his arm. He looked over at the ferryman, trying to recognize any intent from the man’s face. As always, he found nothing to hint at the entity’s thoughts.

“That’s it?” Brigid’s voice grabbed everyone’s attention. “We are going to ignore the fact that they nearly destroyed the base? They are intruders. If you’re not going to execute them for this mistake, which I think is what they deserve, then at least show them why they should consider shutting themselves in some hole and just wait things out.”

“She has a point,” said Charon.

“Whit?” said Epona. He hands clenched at her sides. “Ye are juist gaun'ae decide basit on whit little she said?”

“You did break into her home,” said Charon.

“I say execute Maitho and relieve Epona of any freedom.” Brigid’s eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire. “Well, if I had the same authority as Liam, then this wouldn’t have happened. I know how to keep some people on a leash.”

Before Epona’s rage could find a response, Adahlia spoke out. “I say that’s a great idea.” She stifled a yawn before she continued. “I think some people are just a lot of trouble.”

“This comes from the person wha triit tae kill us.” Epona wasn’t ready to back down. But her anger was clouding her judgment. Maitho noticed her visibly taking a deep breath to calm herself.

“See what I mean?” Adahlia took the opportunity to take a jab at Epona. “We’re looking at an uncontrollable beast.”

Maitho cleared his throat. “No one’s getting an execution. Neither is anyone going to be held prisoner.”

“I’m sorry Maitho,” said Brigid. “But being an imbecile must come naturally to you, I suppose. You are the attackers. We are the victims. Or rather, our home was.”

“But it wa—” Maitho had barely even reached the important part of his point before he was interrupted.

“Oh, hush you little child,” said Adahlia. “What more can you say to explain all of this?” She waved her hand to indicate the building behind her. “We don’t need your lie. We just need you harmless.”

“Are you going to just stand there, Charon?” said Brigid. “Aren’t you the one to fairly monitor all Guardians?”

For his part, Charon didn’t waste breath on contemplating. He grabbed on to the conversation and added his verdict a little too quickly. It was as though he had been waiting to speak all along. “I’m afraid that I am left with no choice.”

“Yes,” said Raiden, his voice clear and with a tone of assurance that only he could muster. “You are left with no choice but to prevent someone from speaking in their defense.” Everyone seemed to have turned their attention to Raiden. For his part, the Norse Guardian did not flinch from the number of eyes on him. In fact, it somehow seemed to boost his confidence even more. “If we are going to pass judgment, we need to hear both sides of the story. As Brigid rightfully mentioned, you are the one to fairly monitor all Guardians, aren’t you Charon?” His emphasis on the word ‘fairly’ was obvious.

“Raiden,” said Adahlia, her tone calm, but holding a hint of a threat. “A word.”

“Let’s finish this, shall we?” he responded. “After all, you were part of the decision too.”

“An as Maitho wis aboot tae say,” Epona took the opportunity to counter-attack. “All o this is no juist our fault. Most o the destruction is from plant lady here. No tae mention the large number o draugrs.”

“What draugrs?” said Adahlia. Maitho noticed for the first time that none of the undead creatures were around.

“The ones recordit in the security cameras. Shall we tak a look?” Epona was ready with a response.

Adahlia’s eyes narrowed for the briefest of seconds, then relaxed. “I remember now.” She turned to Brigid. “Your leader was worried you might attack the base and requested for more reinforcements. As someone who values the peace between Guardians, I naturally obliged to help.”

“A dinnae think ye heard me. Shall we tak a look at the security feit tae see whit the draugrs did as reinforcements?”

If Charon wasn’t around, there was no doubt that Adahlia would have responded to Epona’s question with violence. She was someone who was capable of hurting another simply because she disagreed with them.

“I’m sure looking through the feed will also show us just who killed Quinn over there.” Maitho pointed his hand at the wreckage of the car. He swallowed once to prevent his emotions from tumbling out of him. “He is an important part of the pantheon, no less.”

“Hold that thought Maitho,” said Raiden, raising one finger as though he was seeking permission to speak. “Who are you saying is killed?”

Maitho frowned. “Quinn.” He paused before adding. “That vehicle there. And our friend.”

“Ah,” said Raiden, looking like he was just hit with a massive dose of realization. “But on the contrary, no one died, Maitho.” A smile broke out on his face before he continued. “Your friend is not dead.