On the third day, divine retribution

Spreads its wings and tears with its talons.

— The Seven Days Prophecy

Spartan (Michael), the superhero in maroon-red, sleeveless spandex with gold accessories, soared through the bright, clear blue sky. Fluffy cumulus clouds, like floating cotton, dotted the horizon. His focus was unwavering—his goal was to reach the Greek monster. After some time, he spotted a glowing opening, encircled by swirling clouds. The clouds ascended toward it like a rising bridge.

That has to be it. The way to the monster, Spartan thought.

From hovering in midair, Spartan shifted into an almost horizontal position. His left fist pointed toward the luminous portal, while his right arm was tucked close to his body. He accelerated swiftly, streaking toward the entrance.

THRACE, SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

Spartan emerged from the sky portal, which was surrounded by swirling, radiant clouds. But the other side was dark—the sky shrouded in ominous clouds, dimming the entire landscape.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh,” the wind howled.

High above, Spartan surveyed the terrain below with his superhuman vision: the Balkan Mountains, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Bosporus Strait to the west. Drawn to the highest peak in Thrace, he sped toward it, descending swiftly. He began to walk across the mountaintop, scanning his surroundings.

Suddenly, large brown wings with black edges spread wide, and sharp yellow talons lunged at him from the side. Spartan, sensing the attack, dodged skillfully with incredible agility. The creature landed, revealing a woman with long, disheveled hair and a face contorted with anger—an aged visage, twisted with rage. She screeched sharply, her voice piercing the air. Her stout figure resembled that of a dwarf, with wings for arms and a body covered in feathers, exposing her chest. Her torso was dirty white, almost beige, while her legs ended in yellow talons. It was a Harpy.

Spartan assumed a fighting stance, ready for combat. The sun peeked through the dark clouds, casting a rare ray of light. From this beam, Spartan wove golden energy into a short sword, which gleamed brightly. It became a radiant melee weapon, Zetes. He wielded it with confidence, his eyes locked on the First Harpy, the blade’s steel edge glinting in the sunlight.

The First Harpy launched a barrage of strikes with her talons and claws. Spartan parried with expert swordplay, standing his ground as she charged forward. Unable to break his defense, the Harpy retreated. Spartan’s golden short sword dissipated in a burst of sunlight as he conjured a new weapon—a long, golden spear with a steel tip, Calais.

In his left hand, Spartan summoned a sun-infused shield, the Aegis, hiding Medusa beneath its surface. The Harpy charged again, but Spartan hurled Calais straight at her heart, piercing through and killing her instantly.

The Second Harpy arrived, unleashing a flurry of swift attacks from the air. Spartan, wielding both the spear and Aegis, dodged with rolls and tumbles, using the shield’s eight-rayed sun emblem to defend himself. He activated the hidden mechanism behind Aegis, revealing Medusa’s head inside.

Medusa’s eyes opened, glowing fiercely, while her snake-like hair slithered, hissing menacingly. Her once-beautiful face turned monstrous, covered in scales. The Second Harpy’s gaze froze, her expression turning blank. Stone crept over her face, spread to her wings, and dulled her claws. As her body petrified, she plummeted to the ground, shattering on impact.

The Third Harpy swooped down, snatching Aegis away as its sun rays concealed Medusa once more. Spartan dismissed Calais and launched himself skyward. With beams of scarlet heat vision, he pursued the Harpy, who dodged swiftly while clutching Aegis in her claws. The battle escalated, the clouds clearing to reveal the bright sun.

Empowered by the sunlight, Spartan’s eyes glowed intensely, his body radiating energy. He became obscured from the Harpy’s sight, vanishing into the golden sky. Suddenly, Spartan reappeared in a horizontal position, clasping his fists together. In an instant, he ignited in a blazing orange-red solar plasma, hurtling toward the unsuspecting Third Harpy.

Spartan streaked through the sky like an orange-red shooting star, leaving a glowing trail of energy in his wake. The Third Harpy finally noticed him, but it was too late. Aegis opened, revealing Medusa once again in her most monstrous form, her eyes ablaze with fury.

Spartan crashed into the Third Harpy, causing a massive explosion in the sky. The gold shield melting, Medusa’s petrifying glare was deadly—her face split apart, snakes falling as the Harpy disintegrated. Spartan emerged from the smoke, his helmet’s open faceplate revealing his unconscious, battle-worn face. His maroon-red spandex was torn, revealing scorched and burned skin beneath. The golden sky gradually returned to blue.

Spartan fell from the sky, becoming smaller and smaller until one final scarlet flash disappeared into the dense forest below.

In the dense forest, Captain McKinley (Benjamin), Princess Ruana (Roanne), and Oppa Rockstar (James) scoured the area until they spotted a gaping hole in the ground, smoke curling up from its depths. Without hesitation, Oppa Rockstar dove in. At the bottom, he found Spartan’s gold laurel belt, adorned with the Nemean Lion medallion. Clutching the belt, a surge of emotion washed over him. Captain McKinley and Princess Ruana watched silently, their expressions heavy with sadness.

Sometime later, aboard the Peregrine spaceship, Princess Ruana (Roanne) gently caressed the large, earthen shell of the Goat Chimaera. Captain McKinley (Benjamin) approached, noticing her unusual behavior.

“What are you doing?” he asked, curiosity piqued.

“Memories and emotions are like water,” Ruana began. “A tide from the sea may recede from the shore, but the sand stays wet, allowing things to stick. This shell was once part of the Chimaera’s Goat form. There are lingering memories and emotions within it. I’m hoping I can pick up something—something that could be valuable information in our fight against the Greek monsters.”

“Are you sensing anything now?” Captain McKinley asked, realizing the potential of Ruana’s actions.

Ruana closed her eyes, concentrating as she tightened her grip on the shell. In her mind, a vision flashed…

The Chimaera—a hybrid of Lion, Goat, and Snake—was speaking to someone outside a cave.

“My beautiful, wondrous children, my sons… destroy the Seven Acolytes, destroy them all,” a raspy voice hissed. “So the Star of Vis may become ours, for your father, Typhon. This is the plea of your dearest mother.” The voice belonged to Echidna, the snake-woman, half-hidden in the shifting light between the cave’s darkness and the sun outside.

Ruana’s eyes snapped open. “I saw her—a woman… no, a half-woman, half-snake. She called herself the mother of the Chimaera.”

“Mother of the Chimaera… that can only be Echidna,” Captain McKinley realized, his voice tense.

“She’s involved in all of this,” Ruana added. “She’s pulling the strings, secretly watching us, plotting something.”

“We need to uncover her plans,” Captain McKinley continued. “In Greek mythology, Echidna is the mother of four formidable monsters—Cerberus, Chimaera, Nemean Lion, and Hydra. She might be acting through her children.”

Ruana listened intently, her expression resolute.

Nighttime in the command center of the Peregrine spaceship. The dimly lit room was illuminated only by the large screen, casting a pale glow across the space. Captain McKinley (Benjamin) sat silently in the commander’s seat, his back to the screen.

James adjusted the camera, then began to speak. His nervous grin cracked into a brief chuckle. “I was just the lead vocalist of my boy band, Kaleidoscope, with my best friends—Ezra, Apollo, Kai, and Rowan. Those were good times, for sure.”

He continued, his tone softening. “When I discovered my powers, I was confused… even scared at first. But I quickly found the fun in it—playing my guitar, creating music that could bring street art to life, skateboarders weaving across graffiti, skyscrapers lining the skyline.”

“Becoming a kind of superhero, fighting bad guys, saving people—it’s awesome. Especially when I’m doing it with you guys. Not just as brothers or cousins, but as best friends. We’re a team, the ‘dream team’ those geeks always talk about.”

His voice grew somber. “But then, I realized it’s not all fun and games. Sophie, our Bee Girl, got shot while fighting gang members. It was the right call to pull her out early, Bro. She’s safe now, doing what she loves in the art club.”

James’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “But Allison, our Love Fey, wasn’t as lucky. Ruana told us she got petrified by Medusa’s gaze, lost somewhere in the Parthenon. We don’t even know if she’s still alive as stone.”

He paused, trying to steady himself. “Topher—Cerulean Arlentis, the paladin of our team. We had such a blast in Venice. Met a kind old man at a diner, saw the canals, palaces, old buildings, the bell tower… it was all beautiful.”

He took a shaky breath. “Then a simple gondola ride turned into a journey to the Underworld and back. We thought it was over, but a whirlwind snatched Topher away from me. Hermes managed to save me, but I came back alone, standing at the top of the bell tower.”

James’s voice broke. “Michael—Spartan—was eager to slay the Nemean Lion. It’s the symbol on his laurel belt, you know. He’s always been an action hero at heart, even as a kid. He loved fighting, especially against Greek monsters. But he fell to the Harpies… he might really be gone.”

He wiped at his eyes. “Between the two of us, you’re the one who always wants things clear, set in stone. I’m the indecisive one, the one who thrives on change and chance. But lately, Lady Luck has been playing cruel pranks on me… on all of us.”

James’s grin trembled as tears finally fell. “I never thought losing the people you care about would hurt this much.”

Captain McKinley watched, his expression somber.

“I keep asking myself why I’m still here, while Love Fey, Cerulean Arlentis, and Spartan are gone. It feels like a thousand cuts. I’m sorry, Bro. I’m supposed to be the Kuya… the Big Brother. But I’m leaving it all to you. I need you to be the strong one.”

His voice broke again, raw with pain. “It’s just too much. I can’t go on like this. I need to leave, to find myself… maybe find some answers. I hope I can make things right. Goodbye, Benjamin. This is your irresponsible, weak Kuya James. But please believe me when I say this: I love you, man.”

Sometime later, elsewhere. A bus came to a halt, and James, now back in his civilian clothes, stepped off. He gazed at the serene sea on the horizon. The breeze was gentle, the only barrier between him and the shore a simple rail.