Contents
Chapter 17: The Hunter
Overview
Kharon, sleepless and volatile after Rome, trains while missions pause and the SGC looms. Augustus reveals viral footage showing Alexis single-handedly crippling a Titan, saving civilians, and being exalted as the “Angel of Rome.” Awed yet alarmed by human obsession, they resolve to win back her trust with a meaningful gift.
Summary
Kharon trains alone at dawn, venting fury on a heavy bag while reflecting on sleepless nights guarding Alexis, his chronic injuries, and her weeks-long silence since the clash with Achilles and Patro. Missions remain suspended after Rome, and with the SGC approaching, blades have replaced guns in training.
Augustus summons Kharon to their room to watch a viral video. The footage shows two Titans advancing on civilians at the Colosseum. Alexis sprints into view, shields the humans, and opens fire before leaping onto a Titan with knives. Despite grievous wounds, she guts the creature, then tries to cuff it as the second Titan seizes her and drops her from the sky.
To their shock, Alexis converts a midair fall into a controlled landing, returns to aid civilians, and keeps fighting, using impossibly short, precise leaps. Fluffy Jr. mauls the other Titan. Bloodied but unyielding, Alexis is lauded by onlookers as the “Angel of Rome.” The video ends with Kharon sacrificing his ear to save her and Augustus carrying her away as crowds chant.
Reeling with pride and awe, Kharon and Augustus recognize the danger of sudden human adoration. The Spartan Lifestyle page fixates on Alexis, amplifying her myth. Fearing they will lose her for good, they decide only earned trust—not wealth—can reach her.
Augustus unveils a sleek black box—an intentional, non-material gesture meant to speak to Alexis’s values. United in purpose, they vow to win her back and head out to train and retrieve their wife.
Who Appears
- KharonPOV; sleepless, injured, obsessively protective; watches viral video of Alexis, feels awe and urgency to regain her trust.
- AugustusFinds and plays the viral footage; admires Alexis, worries about human obsession; produces a gift plan to win her back.
- AlexisFights two Titans in Rome, cripples one with knives, protects civilians, performs impossible leaps, hailed as the “Angel of Rome.”
- Fluffy Jr.Usually docile creature that savagely tackles a Titan, aiding Alexis during the Colosseum battle.
- TitansTwo powerful attackers at the Colosseum; one gutted by Alexis, the other abducts her midfight before she escapes.