Thunder cracked overhead, reverberating through the earth like the footsteps of an approaching goliath. The sky grew murky and sinister with every passing second until it was charcoal grey as far as the eye could see. Soon the constant flashes of lightning were almost the only source of light. Lilly, Julia, and Kady stood within the safety of a derelict barn in Upstate New York.

All around them stretched miles and miles of farmland, and if anything were to happen, the three of them would be the only witnesses and the only victims. Aged white paint peeled off the side of the barn in thick rotting strips. There hadn't been animals in the stalls for quite some time, and all that remained were a few overturned tin buckets and scattered strands of hay. The gigantic sliding doors were wide open, and wrinkled dead leaves skittered across the dirt and brushed past their ankles like the fur of a cat.

"Well, this is it. The sign Reynard's been waiting for." Kady looked rather pleased with their display, and Lilly had to admit that it was quite the collaborative weather spell they'd cast.

"Come on out, asshole," Julia smirked, scanning the horizons as if he'd suddenly appear walking towards them from the road. "Something feels so right about tricking him with goddess omens." Kady gave her friend a wicked grin and nodded.

"Amen."

"I know you're here!" A shrill male voice called out amidst the wailing of the wind.

"There he is," Julia whispered. A pale-skinned man with reddish hair and a slightly hooked nose fought against the wind, his head darting in every direction. They pressed their backs against the stall doors when his eyes trailed over the barn entrance. Reynard wore a poorly tailored suit and tie, something middle management at an office would wear.

"That's him? He looks more like tech support than a god." Lilly scrunched up her face at the very non-threatening man.

"It's not his body." Julia spat, peaking around the edge of their hiding spot to assess Reynard's position.

"The lightning, the wind... Always were a drama queen!" He shouted towards the sky with a sadistic smirk upon his face.

"Let's finish this." Kady nodded towards Lilly, and Julia stepped back to afford her room to string her bow. Notching the arrow, Lilly leaned far enough around the edge to aim, but as she tried to line it up, Reynard stepped far enough away that all she could see was the left half of his arm. If she stepped out further, she'd reveal herself. Lilly pulled back with a groan. "I can't get a clear shot."

"I thought it never misses." Julia eyed the bow in question with vexation.

"Yeah, but you do need to actually try to aim for it to work. I can't line it up from here." Lilly looked around the barn for a better vantage point, but anything else would reveal their position. "Here," she handed Julia her bow and the god-killing arrow. "Go on the other side. I'll get you a clear shot."

"How?" Kady looked at her like she was insane. She may very well be.

"I know what Persephone looks like. I've got this." Lilly shut her eyes and conjured up the image of Persephone's portrait that had been on the wall of the Elysium mansion. Dark sun-kissed skin, flowing chocolate locks, sparkling green eyes. It felt like recalling a dream, reaching out only for her fingers to sink through the image like it was nothing but mist. But when Kady gasped, she knew that it had been enough. Lilly's eyes shot open just as another flash of lightning cracked overhead. The wind whipped at her face, and the hair that swept up in it was dark and long.

"Holy shit." Kady stared slack-jawed at the spitting image of their Lady Underground. The only thing missing was the flowing white robes. Lilly could alter many things, even her voice, but the jeans and jacket remained the same.

"Trust me. I'll buy us time." Lilly smiled encouragingly and hoped that her face didn't show how scared she was. Lifting her chin, she schooled her face into an expression of motherly grace. If Lilly was to embody a goddess, hopefully, this was good enough. Otherwise, she'd be dead the minute Reynard took a look at her. With a steadying breath, she strode into the archway of the barn opening before she could change her mind.

Reynard cackled towards a tumultuous sky, spinning round in taunting circles with his arms spread wide. When he caught sight of Lilly, wearing the skin of Persephone, his lips curled into an animalistic snarl. She wasn't prepared to be analyzed by the yellow-slitted eyes of a snake.

"You're here." His voice was dangerous, and Lilly couldn't tell if the energy running along her skin was from the lighting in the air or the sheer power of the Trickster God before her. "Never thought I'd see the day you stooped so low to dress in mortal clothing." Reynard spat, and Lilly silently thanked her relentless training for keeping her safe. She kept her face smooth and soft, even as she stepped forward into the open and towards the monster that could rip her heart out without even blinking.

"I can hardly even look at you. This is how you wish to use your power?" The disgust on Lilly's face was more reserved than it would've been if she was herself. It was the disgust of someone so high above everyone else, immortal and irreverent. She looked down her nose at Reynard like he was nothing more than a cockroach. In reality, he was far worse. Reynard's nostrils flared with fury. He took three long strides towards her, and she nearly stepped back in terror. Persephone, however, would not cower.

"You're the one that left me! Abandoned me!" He pointed an accusatory finger in her direction. Lilly swallowed, willing herself to stand her ground. She was so exposed, standing amid a dirt clearing beneath a raging storm of magic.

"You've used your power to wreak havoc on earth. You've raped, murdered, tortured. You are a plague. And you wonder why I left you?" She looked him up and down with disdain. A fire raged behind Reynard's eyes. He took another step forward so that if he reached out, he could almost touch her. His fingers erupted with golden crackling energy, so close that she could feel the heat on her skin. Lilly took a sharp breath, and her foot took one involuntary step backward. She stopped before she could do anything too obvious and regained her composure. But the damage had already been done. Reynard lowered his hand and tilted his head to the side. His snake-like eyes were calculating and dangerous."

"You're not her." He spat, lifting his hand with a visible threat. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am Persephone, Goddess of Spring and--" Reynard roared, his magic flared, and this time Lilly didn't bother keeping up her facade. She stumbled back, throwing up a shield just in time to block the blast of energy he threw at her. The shield shuddered under the force of it.

"You bitch! You liar!" His voice took on a quality like ice, cutting deep into Lilly's chest.

"Hey! Reynard!" Kady sprinted out from the cover of the barn and stopped beside Lilly. Reynard let his magic fizzle out as if he thought Kady to be no threat at all. To him, she was as inconsequential as a mosquito.

"I should've known. Who the fuck is this?" He pointed to Lilly, who let the appearance of Persephone melt away with the pouring rain. Droplets had begun to pelt them, coming down at an angle, and soon she was dripping. . "Where's Julia?" He looked around, leaning forward to peer inside the barn where Kady had emerged.

"She couldn't make it." Kady crossed her arms over her chest in defiance. Lilly's fingers twitched against her thigh, ready to cast with all she had.

"I doubt that very much." Reynard let out a bitter, taunting laugh. "Julia! Come out, come out, wherever you are! Come out and play!"

"You want to play?" Lilly smirked, and her eyes flicked to something just behind him. Reynard took a step forwards.

"Let's play." Upon hearing the voice of pure venom from behind him, Reynard whirled to face the woman who'd managed to sneak up on him. Julia snarled, in her arms was the enchanted bow, with a god-killing arrow notched and ready to fly. Her finger twitched, and if she'd had half a second more, the arrow would've buried in Reynard's chest. The darkness that had culminated above the barn gave way to bright sunlight, the thunder silenced, the lighting and rain cut off as if a switch had been flipped.

"Kady, what...?" Julia began, flicking her eyes to her companions. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw what had caused the change. Persephone, the true Persephone, stood beside her in all her glory. Her white robes flowed around her, settling flat against her dark skin as the last of the wind dissolved into preternatural stillness.

Reynard stood as frozen as a statue. Lilly and Kady were just the same. The only bit of them that moved was their eyes. They could see and hear everything going on around them, see the goddess holding them still. Lilly felt her divine magic like a straight jacket around her. Snug and warm, but a prison all the same. She strained against it so arduously that pain lanced through her chest. "It's you. You ignored us, and now you're here? All of a sudden? Why?" Julia spat, her arrow still poised to fire at Reynard.

"To ask you to spare his life." Persephone's face was pleading, sorrowful, and terrified. Her emerald eyes darted between Julia, the arrow, and the Trickster God it could destroy in a second.

"I don't understand. Why do you care?" Julia shook her head and pulled the string of Lilly's bow tighter. It groaned in protest, crying out to be released.

"He's my son." Persephone's voice cracked with pain, and her eyes pleaded with the mortal.

"Did you know what he was doing?" Julia looked at The Lady Underground with unbridled betrayal. "Of course, you did. He raped me! Your son! He murdered my friends and raped me! And when I thought it was finally over, I found out I was pregnant with this psychopath's baby. I lost my shade in the abortion! So fuck you, He deserves to die."

"Let me deal with him." Persephone was so infuriatingly calm in the face of a woman so broken. It made Julia feel like a toddler throwing a tantrum over a pair of shoes, not someone teetering on a tightrope of revenge and mercy.

"Why would I trust you? Come the fuck on, lady!"

"There are consequences to killing a god, Julia." Persephone's eyes searched Julia's for some sign of understanding.

"I lost my friends. I lost everything. He turned me into a monster." Tears of anger, frustration, agony slipped from her cheeks.

"You're a survivor. You're still capable of mercy, Julia. Don't let him rob you of that." Persephone's words struck something within her. Some deep chord that had been untouched since the day Reynard violated her. Persephone's voice seemed to soothe and heal where Reynard had scraped and clawed. "It's your choice," Persephone whispered, and Julia believed her. Persephone was truly giving Reynard's fate to her, a mortal woman who'd been profoundly wronged. It was poetic that it should be Julia to decide if he lived or died because he'd once held her life in the palm of her hands and crushed her until she felt like nothing more than a beating heart. Julia blinked rapidly and lowered the bow. Persephone nodded with respect and moved to stand before Reynard's petrified form.

"I am so disappointed with what you've done." Persephone's voice was severe and unyielding, so different from the one she'd used with Julia.

"You left me. You left me." Reynard whimpered like a wounded child the moment she unfroze his mouth.

"Well, I am back. And it's time to go." She cut off and further arguments he might've had and looked over at Julia again. Her eyes softened and warmed.

"You are good, Julia. Your mercy has proven that you are pure of heart." Persephone reached out a hand and pressed two fingers into Reynard's chest.

"What are you doing?" The pure panic and terror sent shivers down Lilly's spine, and there was nothing she could do. She didn't know what she would do, even if she could. This monster deserved whatever punishment was coming. Persephone's hand phased through his chest in a shower of pure golden light. "No, you can't! No, please, I'll change, I'll do anything!" When she pulled back, a shimmering circle of light was pinched between her fingers like a precious gem.

"It's too late for that." Persephone's voice was cold, and Julia sensed a tinge of regret beneath it all. Julia's eyes went wide when the goddess turned to face her.

"Julia Wicker, I bestow upon you a seed of divine power. You have proven yourself worthy of it time and time again. It is up to you whether you grow it into something more. I have chosen you. I hope you will take this gift and do better than my son ever did." Julia took a step back in shock.

"What? I don't-" Persephone's hand pressed against Julia's chest before she could protest any further, and a rush of power poured through every inch of Julia's body. She shut her eyes on instinct as a light shone all around her in a halo of unearthly grace.

"Goodbye, Julia," Persephone whispered. When Julia opened her eyes again, the light was gone, and so was the goddess.

"No, no!" Lilly shrieked, running up to the spot Reynard had stood.

"How could you do this after everything we've been through?" Kady turned accusatory eyes on Julia. Both of her companions were seething. Lilly ran both hands through her hair and pulled until pain bloomed through her scalp.

"Penny died to get this information! He sacrificed himself to get that stupid fucking book, and you just threw it all away!"

"It was the right thing to do," Julia whispered, still frozen in shock. Persephone had given her a gift of power. But it had come from a monster.

"For whom? You?" Lilly whirled, stomping up to Julia until there was barely any space between them. She panted with pure malice rushing through her veins.

"I'm sorry," Julia mumbled numbly.

"We lost Penny, Reynard gets off, and you get a gift." The rage burning within Lilly was almost consuming, and before she knew it, a ball of flames had flared up in her palm. Julia took a step back, and Kady placed a warning hand on Lilly's arm.

"Lilly, calm down." Kady's voice was low and warning. It was ironic that now Kady was the level-headed one. Once upon a time, Lilly might've been the peacemaker, might've stowed her anger into the far corner of her heart, and let her brain override the blood-boiling instincts. That was before she'd been broken down to nothing, and her heart desolated with grief. Before, she might've chosen kindness, forgiveness, but where had that gotten her? Julia seemed to register the change within her, and fear flickered behind her eyes. She held out a hand.

"Wait," Julia's head tilted to the side as if to remind Lilly to be reasonable, not to make rash decisions. Lilly only ground her teeth in response and raised her flaming hand.

"Shit." Kady's eyes glued to the sky, wide with recognition. A jet of bright blue light shot across the horizon towards them. If they didn't know better, they might've thought it to be an angel, a messenger from the gods.

"Fucking hell." Lilly dropped her hand to her side with a groan. In an instant, they were once again on the same team. Julia hurried to stand beside her with the bow still in her hand. They stood as one before the blazing comet that once landed in the clearing before them, materialized into the ghostly shell of Alice Quinn.

"Hello, Lilly," Alice smiled tightly, and the tension was palpable.

"Alice," Lilly sounded almost bored as she drawled out the Niffin's name.

"Quite the display you put on. It was pretty impossible to miss." Alice looked around at the now clear skies and wet ground as if assessing someone's home for the first time and being mildly impressed.

"Can we just skip the villain speech and get right to the part where we fuck each other up? I've already had quite a day, and you don't want to test me right now."

"But we have so much to catch up on. I'd love to hear how you managed to block my tracking spells." Alice's eyes were wide and sickeningly innocent.

"Usually, when I block people, they get the message that I don't want to see them."

"Oh," Alice gave a comical pout. "But we've always been such best friends. Remember when we used to stock up on candy and soda and study together on the patio? You always loved those little red gummies. I remember you'd pick every one of them out of the mix and just eat those. Now I find out you dumped me for these two? I'm hurt, really. I thought we had something."

"Would you just shut the fuck up and get to the point?" Kady spat.

"Kady," Alice changed her focus to the woman beside Lilly. "Last time I saw you, you were crushing Penny's heart like a bug." Lilly flinched at the name said so carelessly. Kady took a furious step forward and snarled.

"Fuck you."

"Oh, touchy subject. My deepest condolences, by the way." There was a whoosh of air behind Lilly, and Alice's hand shot up faster than the eye could see. Lilly's stomach dropped when she saw the single arrow suspended in the air before Alice. The one meant for Reynard. They watched in horror as Alice plucked it from the air like a feather and began to examine it.

"Nice try, Julia. But this only works if you have the element of surprise." Alice ran a delicate hand over the intricate spell carved into its wood. She paused halfway down its shaft and gripped both hands around it. Lilly bit back her gasp of protest as a sharp snap filled the air, and Alice tossed the severed arrow to the ground like a common twig. "Oops," She shrugged in a way that made Lilly's blood boil. "Now, I don't care how I get your blood. You can give up willingly, or I can slit your throat open and suck you dry by force."

"Over my dead body." A pulse of silver magic flew through the air as Kady summoned her battle magic. The spell exploded mere inches from Alice and spread through the air to reveal a wall of magical wards surrounding their enemy. It dissipated into crimson veins until it vanished, and Alice remained untouched. The Niffin let out a deep sigh as if she'd hoped they'd choose differently. But the feral glint in her flaming blue eyes told Lilly this was anything but true. Alice was itching for the kill. She reminded Lilly of a cat playing with its food.

"I guess we're choosing the second option." Her voice turned glacial. Lilly tried to warn the others, tried to cry out. All she could manage to do was fling her arms up to build a shield before Kady and Julia were yanked from either side of her and thrown violently into the barn wall. Their bodies crumpled to the ground in a heap, blood seeping from unseen wounds and matting dark hair.