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Being left alone with the souls, Eugene grinned.

"It looks like it’s going to be the most exciting fight!" he only said.

The next moment, he rushed into the battle, knowing well that he could not defeat the enemy.

The souls hovered around, wanting to destroy the enemy, but fearing the Sword hardened with Zeus's lightning, which the Guardian wielded skillfully and tirelessly. Eugene drew arcs in the air around him, not allowing the numerous enemies to get close.

He suddenly recalled the words of his Commander of several hundred souls that escaped and now understood how wrong the estimated number was. There were at least one thousand souls right at the entrance to the Grotto, not mentioning those who went to the Source.

Soon, the streets of the cities would be flooded with demons, Murky Shadows, and Nefarious, and people, nymphs, muses, demigods, and the Olympians would start dying.

Eugene could hardly hold back the attack of the souls. It was new for him to feel pain, but it seemed to him a pleasant reward for the Seal put on the Grotto. He felt its integrity and fought fiercely. But soon, the powers began to leave the Guardian, his hands weakened, and souls used every spot to strike.

The Guardian could not open the portal when hundreds of souls were flying beside him. He watched their transformation and wished for it to happen faster, so he would be able to dip his sword in the flesh that would take its last breath. Now he only had to fight back.

Suddenly, the crazy idea came across Eugene's mind that made him wince. This call would cost him too much. Otherwise, he would not be able to get through the thick circle of rebellious souls.

"Melinoia!!!" he cried.

Hearing this name, the souls began to squeak as if they were placed in the fire and then rushed to the Guardian in an organized stream. They were tired of playing with him because now they were in serious danger. Their rage was all-consuming as they had little time left.

"Melinoia!!!" the Guardian cried once again. "For Heaven's sake, come!"

Only a second remained to the clash between the army of souls and the Guardian. He was not sure he would survive it. Closing his eyes, Eugene prepared himself for the inevitable, but nothing happened.

"Why did you call me?" he remembered this arrogant voice well.

The souls stopped and began to run away. The goddess of spirits did not seem to notice her wards, curiously looking at Eugene.

"I'm asking for help!" Eugene barely muttered. His injuries were not so serious that the words were pronounced with such difficulty, but asking for help from this woman was too hard for him.

"Really? Are you asking me for help?" the goddess pulled out the golden lasso and grabbed the disappearing souls that twisted, rushed about, screamed, but could not escape. "What will I get in return?"

Eugene looked up at Melinoia. Despite the fact that she was the goddess of spirits and lived in the dark kingdom of Hades, doing the dirty work, looking after the restless dead, entertaining herself by scaring mortals at night, she was beautiful. Many years ago, he admired her gloomy beauty and reveled in the caresses of the goddess with a black soul, but now he was disgusted with her.

Eugene thought about the price he was ready to pay the former lover for his life and winced. Once the only thought of the subtle caresses of Melinoia excited him, but now he was ready to die to erase those memories.

"I'll give you anything you want!" he sighed fatefully.

Eugene would never say these words if it was not a matter of life or death, but the Balance, the preservation of the Source, and the great war were at stake. He could not fail the Commander, who entrusted him with the mission he had never dealt with before.

"Mmm… I've been long waiting for these words! You were my favorite toy of all the creatures!"

Not so long ago, these words could have hurt his ego, but not now, when he realized that the Gods were the creatures that he despised even more than people.

"Good!" the goddess nodded.

She pulled the lasso, snapped her fingers, and a cage appeared, into which she placed the souls. The cage burned them when they tried to break free, bouncing off with a piercing cry.

"They'll sit there until the new Carrier picks them up."

"What do you want as pay for your help?"

The goddess slowly came up to Eugene and ran her finger along his tattoo.

"No, my boy, I'll get it when I think it's right. And believe me, you won't be happy about it – that's for all the insults I had to hear from you and, of course, for treason! You know I don't forget anything and certainly don't forgive."

Eugene did not argue. When the goddess left, he jumped into the portal and went to the Commander. He had to tell what was really going on and how much worse the situation was, differing with what Tol had imagined. It was the first time when he saw so many restless rebellious souls.

Over the past few hundred years of history, there were only a few cases of escape, but such a number should not have been even given the fact that the entrance to the Transfer was unguarded for almost a day in a row.

Everything happened for a reason. Those were not ordinary circumstances. All this resembled rather a well-thought-out plan. And the faster the main idea would be determined, the better it would be for both worlds.

Heavenly Palace. Olympus.

The room was filled with light. It seemed that it was made of sunlight, but it was not. The air was filled with the incomparable, fresh, sweet, and exquisite aroma. The spacious hall with white floor, carved columns and crystal sofas was a worthy abode of the Gods. There was a pedestal with a throne in the center, where a bearded, completely naked man was sitting. He was glowing; showing no interest to anything that was happening. He was barely listening to the dispute of a beautiful black-haired goddess, the patroness of marriage, and his offspring, the god of war and bloodshed.

"We need to intervene! We need to put everything into place before it's too late!" Ares insisted, wanting to quench his thirst for blood.

"We have no right to do this. The Source is well protected. The Balance is under the supervision of the Guardians, so we can't stick our beaks into their business. That's not our problem," Hera retorted, as the thought of descending from the cozy Olympus sickened her.

"We have been idle for thousands of years, allowing these creatures to do what they wanted. Look where it's gotten us! We're one step away from a terrible tragedy! I can awaken my army, and everything will be solved in a few minutes!"