Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Sacrifice

The hoplite was fast, but the dog was faster. As soon as the hoplite moved his shield and before his blade could hit the dog, the dog leaped onto the hoplite and pinned him to the ground. The dog’s claws, ten times sharper than before, came down on the hoplite’s chest plate. Like everything about the hoplite, the armor wasn’t normal as well, and even the mutant dog’s claws couldn’t cut through in one strike. Unperturbed, the dog tried once again, this time attempting to chew through the armor with his teeth. This time, its teeth touched flesh. 

Unfortunately for the dog, Athena couldn’t let the hoplite die. Yet. The same time when the dog thought it had a chance at devouring flesh was when it lost its mobility and presented itself as an easy target. Athena didn't let this brilliant opportunity slip and quickly emptied a full magazine of rifle rounds into the mutant dog. 

Unlike the man, the dog’s mutations didn't make it that much tougher. After taking another bite out of the hoplite’s chest, the beast collapsed after too much damage. The hoplite, still moving stiffer than before, got back up and cut the dog in half with one single strike. 

But even as the hoplite was mechanically going through the act, there was a look of horror on the face behind his helmet. This wasn’t his intention. Not at all. Even though the menacing dog was gone, he himself was gravely injured. The dog’s teeth almost bit out his heart, and when Athena was shooting at the dog, at least three stray bullets hit him, most of them landing in places where the armor was already torn off. 

Even if he could recover, it would be costly. 

The worst part of this all was that the hoplite didn't really do any of this. 

The hoplite was new to the summoning world, but Athena wasn’t. She might have lost her summons and psychic power from her previous life, but she still had the knowledge, the experience, and the techniques. 

When Athena signed the Equal Pact with the hoplite, she was given a psychic link between the two that allowed her to summon the hoplite into battle and give him commands. That seemed to be all at a first glance, but more experienced summoners like Athena knew there was more. 

With enough practice, a good summoner could leverage the psychic connection between the summoner and the summoned and directly take over control of the summoned’s body without their permission and control it remotely like a puppet.

Of course, there were problems with doing this. The stronger psychically the summoned was than the summoner, the more difficult this was. If the summoned were too strong, then they could turn around and break the link by force. The summoned themselves also knew how to fight better than if they were controlled remotely. This remote control also couldn’t last forever. 

It would also likely make the summoned utterly despise the summoner and try to break the Pact. Breaking the Pact would result in the Sacrifice Altar collecting a huge penalty from the summoned, but it was obviously preferable to death.

The only bright side of this technique was that this allowed the summoner to override the self-preservation desires of the summoned and effectively sacrifice them and do as much damage to a powerful enemy as possible. 

In this case, as physically strong as the hoplite was, his psychic strength wasn’t that much better than that of Athena, and when it came to experience in leveraging the psychic connection forged by the Sacrifice Altar, he was like a child in front of her. 

“What have you done to me, woman? Release me at once or I swear in the name of Ares…” All the man could do was call out in rage and fear. Not aware of how to break the summoning pact or Athena’s control over him, he could only hope that his cursing would intimidate Athena into letting him go. 

Much to his further despair, Athena wasn’t done yet. The dog was just one of the threats, and she wasn’t going to release the hoplite until the other one was handled as well. 

The entire process, from Athena piloting the hoplite to the dog getting cut in half, didn't take more than five seconds. By the time the second mutant reached the hoplite, the dog was already out of the picture, and Athena controlled the hoplite to pick up his spear and sword and face the mutant.

“You have agreed to obey my command. Since you can’t seem to fulfill that pledge, I will do it for you.” Athena said quietly in a cold tone that sent chills down Cara’s bones. She wasn’t yelling or screaming. She was so quiet, almost casual, as she marched her own hoplite to what would likely be his end. 

What followed was a brutal exchange. The injured hoplite, controlled by Athena, made no attempt of self-preservation and simply traded deadly blows with the Class E mutant. Neither side tried to defend themselves from each other’s blows. The hoplite’s sword hacked the mutant into pieces limb by limb, and the mutant’s claws ripped into the hoplite’s already torn armor. 

Soon, the mutant human no longer had his head after the hoplite’s sword, capable of cutting through an expensive metal safe in one strike, landed on its neck six times. On the other side, the hoplite was on his knees, blood pouring out of the multitude of injuries on his body. 

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Athena was still in control of him, and as she slowly approached him, the hoplite, having miraculously survived the brutal engagement, looked to her in a mixture of relief and fury. 

“Let me go, woman. You have won. I swear in the name of the gods that I will not seek vengeance…”

Before he could finish, Athena pulled out her kitchen knife and jammed it into the man’s eyes, killing the hoplite who, involuntarily, almost gave his life keeping her safe.

“Mistress!” As a worshiper of the Goddess of Agony and Suffering, Cara should have enjoyed the hoplite’s pain, despair, and regret as he died, but if anything, she pitied him. The hoplite had fought for Athena and likely saved her from many mutants on the way here. They might have all come from different worlds, but they were comrades here. 

Yet it was clear Athena didn't see the hoplite as an ally and instead saw him as a mere tool. A tool to be used and discarded as needed. Her taking control of him against the mutants could be classified as necessary, but they have won! The hoplite, by a miracle given how brutal Athena used him, survived! Why would Athena go through the extra trouble of killing him?

Athena pulled the knife out. She snapped to Cara and, for a moment, didn't respond. Despite winning, she wasn’t in a good mood. A lot of things were more out of control than she anticipated. The mutants here seemed to be evolving quicker than last time. She anticipated threats in the house, but she didn't expect two Class E mutants to show up so quickly. This mistake almost cost her her life. And what else had changed this time that she didn't know about? 

As for the hoplite…believe it or not, she didn't want him dead. After all, he was still in a contract with her, making him a useful asset and a good card to play when needed. But he was already gravely injured, and if Athena let him return to his homeworld, he might die there. Or he might find a way to break the contract and pay the penalty. Either way, because of the two Class E mutants in the house, he wouldn’t be ready for combat for a long time. 

Given Athena’s projected growth rate, by the time he was ready for combat again, even if he was somehow willing to fight for her despite all this, a Class E combatant like him would be worthless to her. 

In that case, Athena might as well extract the last value out of the hoplite. 

“I…I mean…I am sure you did this for a good reason, mistress. I mean Athena!” As Athena snapped to her, Cara immediately realized her mistake. 

As someone who had seen all too much pain and death in her cult, Cara was no stranger to cruelty, but she had to admit she was also a little shaken by how brutal Athena was with her savior the moment the hoplite was no longer useful. 

The hoplite was even stronger than her, and Athena piloted him into danger and then killed him without a second thought. What kept Athena from doing the same thing to her? Yes, she had potential, but these mutants couldn’t help her gain power. What if one day Athena decided she was a waste of time and decided to use her as another cannon fodder? And she signed a Superior Pact, which meant she didn't even have the option to back out! 

The only thing she could do was try to give Athena a better impression. That, and pray she could make sacrifices to the almighty Karydus soon and make herself more valuable in the eyes of her ruthless mistress.

Despite what might be going on in Cara’s head, Athena harbored no ill will toward her. She didn't even harbor any ill will toward the hoplite. His sacrifice had to be made. Still, she didn't try to explain her reasoning to Cara. What could she say? Oh, I killed the hoplite because his body can add to my sacrifices? That I will sacrifice you as well if the need arises? It was nothing the two of them didn't know already. 

Instead, she simply gave an order. 

“Drag the bodies to the living room. Be careful. If there are more mutants here they should’ve come at us by now, but still stay vigilant. I will make another summon.”

It was an order Cara eagerly obeyed. 

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