Chapter 8
Damon
Getting across that part of the river was even more challenging with the Chimera hot on our tails. Its paws clawing to capture us, its serpent tail reaching out with fangs dripping venom. We thought making it across the bank would give us enough time to get a head start, but this was the Chimera’s playground. It knew this land better than us and leapt easily across the river.
We had miles to go before we reached the bottom of Tartarus. It wouldn’t be long before word got back to Hades that we were here. Our journey was tough enough, a suicide mission, some might say. We had faced a fall into the underworld and battled with Echidna and her pit of snakes. Bent but not broken, my mission was unchanged.
“We don’t have time to be stopped by every guardian of this forsaken place. Run!” I yelled.
We took off into a dead sprint, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. The
Chimera’s roar shook the very ground beneath our feet.
“Into the dead forrest,” Christian yelled.
It was a bad idea, but what choice did we have? We ran at full speed, ducking and chopping at every branch that grabbed for us. This forest may have looked dead, but there was no mistaking that it was alive and kicking, wanting to kill us just as much as the Chimera.
Glancing back to keep Christian and Achaeus in my sights, Christian wielded his sword like a champion, and I had a more challenging time keeping track of Achaeus. I suppose that’s one of the beauties of manipulating and controlling darkness. Of course, he could blend in with it and hide, but I knew he was a man of his word, and he wouldn’t leave us to this fight alone.
Finally, we made it out of the dead forest, but we didn’t realise that there was a seep decline in the hill on the other side. Tripping over ourselves, we fell, rolling down the slope, bashing on rocks that sliced through our skin like a knife through hot butter.
“Move! Move! Move!” I bellowed, jumping to my feet, grabbing Achaeus by the collar and dragging him to his feet.
The Chimera charged down the hill after us, catching up fast, its eyes blazing with fury. We took off again, descending deeper and deeper into the unknown. This part of the underworld was like another world; I had never seen anything like it. Everywhere you looked, it seemed to mirror a dead piece of earth, and if you looked hard enough, eyes of untold monsters looked back, peering into your soul. Searching for your darkest secrets and worst fears, feeding on all the negativity of life.
“Stop!” I heard Achaeus scream as he slipped out of the darkness grabbing for Christian, but it was too late.
Trapped at a dead end with nowhere else to go but over the edge with the Chimera at our backs. Christian and I couldn’t stop ourselves as much as we tried. Then, toppling over ourselves, we plunged head first. The sight in front of me shook me to my core. A whirlpool, water speeding so fast I could see into the empty pit of lifelessness within.
Christian and I splashed into the water, as cold as ice. The shock took the breath from my lungs, making drowning much easier. I fought as hard as possible to stay afloat, but the current was too strong. I was tiring myself out fighting a battle I had no way of winning. As my muscles grew tired and achy, my strength began to weaken, forcing me under. As water filled my lungs, I felt my insides freeze. My eyes burned and stung, but all I could see was Freya's face waiting for me to save her.
Suddenly the water began to slow, giving me enough freedom to swim back to the surface and gasp as much oxygen as possible. Looking to my left, I saw Christian with his eyes glowing a blue I had never seen before. He was using all his power to control the air around us, calming the waves.
