Daria was pretty sure she was dying.
The Underworld was a lot more empty than she remembered. Her body felt sort of like it was on fire and she had a migraine, so the space she was in seemed to spin. She collapsed on the floor into a sitting position, too exhausted to stand.
Okay, so maybe she ended up in hell. She'd gotten people killed. It wasn't too much of a stretch.
Then she heard a sigh behind her. It was a dream, but Daria knew from experience that the dreamworld wasn't as imaginary as it seemed. But she couldn't bring herself to draw her weapon. She couldn't bring herself to move.
"I know it's you, Atticus," she muttered, softly because her head was pounding. She hoped he didn't take it as an indication that she was weak. "What do you want?"
He circled around her in slow, purposeful steps, crouching in front of her finally. Her knee was right below his gut. If he tried anything, she would kick him.
"I knew you were going to take that knife, you know," Atticus's face wasn't as cruel as it was in real life. She almost found herself believing that this was the man she loved once. "You're so smart. The only way someone could ever kill you is if you let them."
"Predictable."
"Yes," he agreed, sitting criss-crossed in front of her. "You're predictable to me. I am easily manipulated by you." He faltered, looking over her and wincing. Daria figured she didn't look great but, hey. "You know, until I did it, I wasn't sure I'd be able to go through with it."
"Why did you?"
"Duty," he shrugged. "Belief in this war? Something that overrode how much I cared, well still care, about you."
"I shouldn't have kissed you," he said suddenly. "Probably. I do apologize for that. But it wasn't meant to be a manipulation tactic, if you're inclined to believe me. I think, I felt compelled, in some strange way. I loved you once, and you don't have to believe me. But you're dead, and I felt that I owe you an explanation."
If Daria wasn't one step away from passing out, anger would be boiling through her like water on a low flame. He stood and walked away without touching her face or hair like he might have yesterday. As stepped outside her line of sight, he turned. "I'll see you in Elysium, Daria."
Daria narrowed her eyes. If she was going to die, then she was getting the last word. "You're not going to Elysium, Atticus." She felt another familiar presence by her. An angel that had been with her since she was 10, stupid decisions and all.
"And you," Ryan said. "Are not going to die today."
"Daria!" Nathan said urgently. "Wake up."
Her eyes snapped open.
She saw her friends huddled around her bed, worried expressions on all their faces. When Daria opened her mouth to speak, Clara shoved a water bottle into her hands.
Michael shoved Nathan. Neither of them were wearing armor, but Daria didn't know if that was good or bad. For all she knew, they'd already lost the war and were hiding out in some underground bunker. She drank.
"If you could wake her up with charmspeak before why didn't you?" Michael said.
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Because I wanted her to die. Obviously I didn't know."
Dakota clutched Daria's hand, lip quivering. "Your heart stopped," they said, telling Daria much more than she wanted to know. "I thought you died!"
They really did look like they were going to cry. Daria blinked, still not too aware of what was going on, but she squeezed her friend's arm in comfort. Her body was sore and achy, but somehow she knew the poison was gone.
A poet's creed, not long to last...Atticus didn't get his wish after all. And he never would.
"Not dying today," she muttered. Her t-shirt was ruined. She needed to change before they got back to work. She motioned to Michael. "Help me up."
His eyes widened. He looked at Clara whose lips were pressed in a hard line. Daria could hear the furious 'no' on her lips.
"Clara," Daria said before she could. "I need you to trust me. I'm ending this war," she snorted. "And then you can make me stay in bed for as long as you want."
"Kinky," Nathan muttered, but it was half-hearted. Michael hit him anyway. "Daria, what-"
"I trust you with my life," Clara said sharply. "I don't trust you with yours."
"Man, if that doesn't sum up the last few years," Nathan said, shaking his head. "We're doing fine. Are you sure you're up for this?"
Dakota shifted nervously, throwing an arm around Clara who was obviously pretty torn apart about what to do. "We're not actually doing fine," they pointed out. "We don't even know when Jason and Reyna will be back."
Daria assumed that meant they were climbing Mt. Othrys. Her mouth got dry at the thought. She hoped they would be okay, but they'd never needed her before. They'd barely need her after this, when they inevitably became praetors.
She didn't remember what happened in the moments after she got stabbed. She recalled a bit of anger in Jason's voice, probably because she'd gone and done something stupid.
"I'm sure," she said firmly, taking Michael's outstretched arm. "This war ends now."
"Legionnaires!" Daria called. "I ask for your attention."
She already had it, mostly because there was still a lack of color to her face and Nathan and Michael propping her up like a paper doll. Clara was probably right. Daria should probably be sitting in bed until this whole thing was just a horrible nightmare.
"This ends today," she said as strongly as she could, jutting her head out to the morning sun. Everyone was assembling their armor, preparing for another dreary day of battle, but they quieted down a bit when she spoke, out of respect for the annoying girl who'd been here for so long.
"Stop assembling your armor," Daria continued. "I'm sending out a small party to bring Atticus to us. No more fighting. No more deaths. His army's demolished anyway," she turned to the other Senators. "Unless there are any other ideas?"
Mitch stood, rightly assuming he would be part of Daria's small group. "You're bargaining with Atticus?" There was something weary about him. As Jess put a gentle hand on his arm, Daria realized she was the only friend he had left. "That's a dangerous game."
"A stupid one," Octavian stood, because obviously he couldn't help himself. Daria could see Dakota tense out of the corner of her eye. "Don't think we haven't noticed how you tense at his name. How you allowed him," he raised his voice. "To kill Benny. You're weak, Jackson."
Daria gritted her teeth. God, what an asshole. She couldn't believe this was the same boy who comforted her about Jason and Reyna without asking for anything in return.
"There's no one else here equipped to talk to Atticus without losing," she retorted, because it was true. "Daniel is gone. He trained me for this. I'm the only one who can talk to him, Octavian and you know it."
He tried to protest some more, but Daria held her hand up. "There's a tunnel that leads right outside his camp." She hated to send them off by themselves, but she knew she would just slow them down – a group of three of the best warriors at camp didn't need her help. "I want him back alive."
"Bring him before me."
Daria's voice sounded cold to her own ears. She stood with Octavian to her right and Mitch to her left. Though the roles should've been reversed, the set of their shoulders were tenser than her own.
"We are gathered here today to weigh the crimes of Atticus Blake," Octavian read timidly from his scroll. "For his charges against the legion. He will not be provided a defense. He will not be provided a trial, as decreed by Daria Jackson, speaker of the legion."
There was a crowd gathered behind her. She was aware of all their eyes watching, their breaths seemingly suspended in midair. Michael and Nathan dragged Atticus towards her in cuffs; his face was covered in bruises and angry red cuts, but Daria didn't feel too sympathetic. Actually, she didn't feel sympathetic at all.
"I'll admit," Atticus's lip twitched up. His voice was croaky, but still arrogant. He still didn't believe Daria would kill him. "I did not foresee this."
I am easily manipulated by you. His words flashed in her mind. Daria had never had it in her to be cruel. Until now.
The war was nearly over. Lightning flashed from Mt. Othrys in a specular display about an hour ago, so Daria assumed Jason and Reyna won. That and the enemy monsters started to retreat in panic, stomping over each other in an incredible display of stupidity.
"Neither did Prometheus, it seems." Daria crouched in front of him, her shoulder screaming in pain. She brushed it aside. "Why did you come here?"
"Other than the fact that your friends kidnapped me?" He asked. "The war is over now. Krios is dead." There were light gasps and relaxed shoulders all throughout the legion. Unfortunately, Daria couldn't bring herself to follow suit. "I am at your bidding, Daria Jackson."
You won't kill me. You won't kill me. You don't have it in you.
"How unfortunate for you."
"You want me to beg?" Atticus had a wane smile on his lips as he shook off Michael and Nathan's hold, hissing when Michael stepped on his ankle in retaliation. "Then I ask you, do not kill me."
Thoughts of everyone Daria had lost because of this prophecy raced through her mind like a flooding river. Benny, Daniel, Leila, Ryan, and maybe a bit selfishly, her own childhood. Her hands steeled with anger. How dare Atticus ask this after what he did?
It was always going to come down to either Daria or Atticus. And now that Daria was here...
Now that Daria was here, she wasn't going to hesitate.
The legion was waiting for her response. Atticus was right when he pointed out she was no longer an officer, but Atticus was a traitor, and the law was very clear about what happened to traitors.
"You can beg," she said simply. "But that won't change your fate."
"You're allowed final words," Octavian told him in a snappish tone. Daria wasn't sure where the sudden confidence came from. "Make them quick."
Atticus ignored him, taking his time. He was all about words. Poetry. Daria would burn Metamorphosis when she got the chance.
"Things never work out how you want them to," Atticus mused, looking straight at her so Daria didn't know whether he was talking about world domination or getting her to fall in love with him. "But they've always been worth it." He tilted his head. "At least look me in the eyes when you do it."
"Never have I met someone who deserves less dignity in death," Daria sneered, a move that was unlike her as well. Never before had someone brought out the worst in her like Atticus. "You don't get to dictate the terms."
Nathan and Michael stepped aside quietly. Atticus opened his mouth once again. So much for last words. When his eyes pierced through her, Daria held her breath. He must have seen something in her face because he narrowed his eyes. "You still don't have it in you."
Daria tilted her head up, looking at the archers that lined the wall. "Fire."
Oops, my wattpad glitched, here's the chapter!!
-M