Chapter- 6 mercy of a fool
The forest was still, the air thick with the stench of blood. Shadows clung to the twisted trees as Arthur "Starlight," son of Apollo, pressed forward, golden light flickering across his blade. Ahead, crimson thunder lit the gloom.
Hazman Demiworth stood there-eyes glowing red, veins pulsing with corruption, the stink of divine ichor on him. He was no longer merely a demigod. He was something... in between. A semi-god, son of Hemithor, and devourer of his father's heart.
Arthur tightened his grip. "You look ugly. If that's what it takes to gain power, I'd rather die than look like you."
Hazman smiled, teeth sharp in the red glow. "Ugly? Beauty is wasted on the weak. My father taught me that." His eyes burned brighter, the corruption spreading, as his limbs twisted grotesquely. His hands dissolved into writhing blood that hardened into two massive, scythe-like blades.
With a scream, Hazman lunged. Arthur sidestepped, parried, and cut through one of the blood-scythes in a flash of light. But Hazman didn't flinch. The wound hissed and reformed-he was adapting, evolving.
Hazman struck again, knocking Arthur off balance. A spear of blood formed in his palm, glowing with crimson lightning. He hurled it, and when Arthur raised his blade to deflect it, the spear split into a storm of red thunder that crawled along his body.
Arthur cried out, the lightning searing his nerves. This is no mere demigod... this is like fighting a god in his own domain.
Behind Hazman, the pool of black-red ichor-the corpse of Hemithor-shivered. From its remains, weapons of bloodlust began to rise, floating, circling like vultures. Arthur's face hardened.
Enough.
He pressed his palm against his chest, summoning the divine title gifted to him: Mercy of a Fool. Golden light burst outward, forming an aura around him. Any corruption that touched it burned away. Hazman's red thunder fizzled into harmless sparks against the aura.
Arthur caught the blood-spear, light surging through him, and purified it into a weapon of holy thunder. He stepped forward, voice firm.
"Is this the honor you want? Is this the legacy you'll carry-blood and corruption?"
Hazman grabbed him by the throat, forcing red thunder against Arthur's aura. His voice cracked with bitterness.
"What legacy do I have? I am the son of a god cursed by his own hunger. No camp would accept me. No one wanted me. And you-" he snarled-"you're the son of Olympus' golden boy!"
Arthur's eyes softened despite the pain. He understood. Not every child of Olympus was born into light.
The clash shook the forest. Thunder tore through the canopy. And then-
"Arthur!"
Ethan's group stumbled into the clearing. The tension shattered. Hazman's eyes widened, realizing he was outnumbered. His hand snapped back to the ichor pool.
"Rise."
The corpse of Hemithor convulsed, a grotesque marionette dragged up by corruption. Its body loomed over the trees, half-god, half-puppet, dripping with black ichor. Arthur cursed, shoving Ethan back.
"You shouldn't be here! This corruption isn't for you to fight!"
But Ethan didn't listen.
Hazman raised his arms. The sky cracked. A sphere of crimson lightning grew above him, swelling into a burning red sun. The air itself screamed under its weight.
Arthur gritted his teeth, golden aura flaring. Axel crashed into the clearing, lightning dancing on his fists. Without hesitation, he stepped into Arthur's aura, the Mercy of a Fool shielding him from corruption.
"Together," Axel said.
Arthur nodded. Light and thunder twined, the sons of Apollo and Jupiter lifting their hands. Golden radiance and divine lightning merged into a blazing orb-hope forged against bloodlust.
The sky split as the orbs collided-red sun against golden thunder. The forest exploded with fire and storm.
And in that chaos, Ethan struck. His blade pierced Hazman's side, staggering him.
Arthur whirled, furious. "Why?! I could've ended this-I wanted to understand him! You Greeks are all the same-blind, impatient!"
Ethan's voice shook. "Arthur-"
"What?!"
"Behind you."
Arthur froze. Hazman was gone. The puppet of Hemithor loomed larger, its chest glowing. Hazman had transferred his consciousness into the corpse itself. He was no longer a demigod. He was a full god of corruption.
Arthur raised his bow, fury breaking through his calm. He drew his divine gift into a single arrow, the Mercy of a Fool made manifest. He loosed it, purifying light tearing through the puppet.
The corrupted corpse screamed. From its remains, the true Hemithor appeared-not whole, but free. His voice was low and sorrowful as he thanked them before fading into mist.
Hazman's body collapsed, fading away, his voice bitter in the air: "I was never meant to be saved..."
The group stood in silence, their breaths heavy. And then-
A rustle. Silver arrows glinted in the trees. The Hunters of Artemis emerged, surrounding them from all sides.
"Invaders," their leader declared coldly. "Come with us."
The forest fell into silence once more.
Essentially mercy of a fool use the puer and healing aspect of Apollo the weapons Arthur make is part of his normal ability and it's kinda of a joke from Apollo why? He knows Arthur love honor and is intelligent person who feels people struggle that not everyone meant to be perfect it showed in part where he said"I could've ended it but I want to understand him"meaning even though Arthur was in disadvantage against hazman he chooses to hold back lethal blows