As Arianna is about to turn to lead you to whatever she's going to show you, you feel a ripple. Arianna frowns.
"What is it?" you asked
"I- I don't know," Arianna says "Something is happening at the bar where you just were. I hoped to train you slowly over time, but you'll just have to improvise. If you can figure out your telepathy with us inside the ring, we should be able to advise you."
You're about to ask more questions, when your surroundings changed. Arianna was gone, and you were back in the toilet, still in your female form. Your clothes had been replaced with a set of silvery grey armour. Two shortswords were belted at your sides, and you were faintly glowing with golden light.
"Ok, just go into unknown situations and solve it. No problem. Solve something the collective knowledge of the goddess of wisdom doesn't know about."
You put your worries out of your mind as you stepped from the bathroom, trying to focus on keeping connected to the ring as you looked around the bar.
*Can you hear me?*
You let out a breath you didn't know you'd been holding as you heard Arianna's voice.
*Simon, we can hear you. What are you seeing?*
You dodged a pint glass that hit another patron with enough force it should have knocked them flat. The patron didn't budge, a crazed look in his eyes as he turns his gaze on you. You relayed all this information to Arianna, as you parried the man's uncoordinated attacks with the flats of your blades, marveling at your ability to multitask. You heard women were better at multitasking, but you felt your mind working faster than it had before.
*That is troubling. Simon, don't let any of them bite you. Their condition seems similar to the Madness of Dionysus.*
*Then how do I stop them?*
*You need to neutralize the alcohol in their system. You need to get water into them.*
You'd stopped listening, as you'd noticed something horrifying. Jenna and Mike, behind a barricade of tables, cowering and hoping they mad drunkards would not be able to climb over. You flew into action, slapping the flats of your two blades hard against the skulls of the mad, knocking them unconscious as you cleared a path towards your entrenched friends.
*Simon! Simon! You must listen!*
You weren't listening as you dropped more of the mad. You reached the barricade, standing before it.
"You two ok?" you asked, as you continued to discourage more of the mad from getting too close. Jenna nodded "If you can move, prepare to follow on my mark. Understand?"
Jenna shook her head, fear in her eyes, but steel entered Mike's eyes. He nods
"We understand."
You stabbed both of your blades into the ground. A shockwave of power came from the point you struck, knocking all of the mad to their backs.
"Now!"
You moved forwards, knocking back down a few of the mad that tried to get back up. Jenna and Mike ran after you as fast as they could. Once you were outside the door, you slammed the door, twisting the handle so that the mad could not exit after you.
*Simon! What are you doing?!*
You finally heard the voice of Arianna
*I needed to get them out. They were in trouble.*
*I see. And what about the other mortals that are still in there?*
*I don't know how to cure them. I need to keep them contained while I figure out how. What's wrong with them? The Madness of Dionysus? He's the wine guy, right?
*The... the wine guy? You should have more respect for the gods, champion. Dionysus is the god of wine and madness. How his affliction arrived here, I have no idea, but you could have been affected as much as anyone else in that bar. Losing you to the madness would be the worst thing that could happen.*
"Um, sorry miss but what's going on? What are you?"
You realized you had been standing there staring into space while two very scared people were next to you.
"My apologies. I am the Champion of Athena. Are you two alright? They didn't get to you, did they?"
"No," said Mike "We got behind the barricade before any of them could get to us."
"What happened?" Jenna asked, yawning as she shivered, the first signs of going into shock.
"Let's get you two some place safe," you said "Then, I'll try to explain what I can gather."