Stasis
I'm BAAAACK! So so sorry about the absence, I've been really busy but I will try to get all my stories finished hopefully by the end of the year! I now it's a long time but heres a little something to tide you over, I'm getting my groove back and thought a quick little piece would get me back into the writing craze!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything
Summary: Once a month Atlanta gets to see Archie but time is running out to save him. Will love hold the key?
Flashback:
"I don't know what it is!" Cried Odie, cowering before the unknown monster
"Can we stop it?" Theresa sounded terrified, and with good reason. The monster stood like a five story building. Its razor sharp fangs dripped glowing venom and its claws slashed onyx and poison. It growled threateningly.
"We're going to try!" Jay brandished his sword "FOR ZEUS"
His comrades echoed his cry and Jay, Theresa, Odie, Neil, Herry, Archie and Atlanta ran forward only to be swept aside by a monstrous tail. Around the cavern, the team was struggling to get up. Then a purple blur flashed past and a whip cracked in front of the beast.
"Archie! No!" Jay cried
Theresa screamed and a horrible silence filled the cave as the beast reared up. Tossing the warrior into the air, he sunk his toxic fangs into Archie's torso.
It was a solemn group that stood before Hera. Theresa was sobbing into Jay's shoulder. Neil had his arms around Odie and Herry clutched at his bag of chips. Only Atlanta was indifferent. She stood apart from the group, shock stopping her from feeling the full effects of her loss. Hera addressed them.
"Archie is not dead yet." She said bluntly. "you have the Gods to thank for this, for our blessings of fortune have preserved him for this long but he is still critically ill"
Suddenly Atlanta reacted. She ran from the room with a small cry. Jay stopped Theresa from following, instead Hera calmly left the room.
"Archie's gone forever." Atlanta sobbed when Hera caught up
"He is only wounded. He will heal"
"How! How can he possibly heal from that?"
"We are to put him in stasis. For it is vital that he does not move or in fact function whilst the restorative blessings and machines do their work"
"Machines? What machines?" Atlanta choked
"Hephaestus has created a machine that can heal any ailment but it takes a long time, that is why we have to use stasis because it speeds up the recovery time"
"Stasis?" Atlanta cried "what does that even mean?"
"we will put him to sleep. His body will shut down completely"
"so you're going to kill him?"
"No, stasis offers the function of being able to bring him back. And we will, once a month to check his progress until he is healed."
Atlanta processed the information but it just didn't make sense.
"Go to him" Hera said kindly "maybe he can make you understand better than I can"
Atlanta walked past her and into the dimly lit room. Archie sat before her in a wheelchair and wrapped in a plush blue robe, he looked up sadly when she came in.
"Hey Lannie" he said softly
"Hey" Atlanta choked back a sob. She swallowed "what's going to happen to you? To the team?"
To us
The unspoken words hung in the air between them and Archie motioned for Atlanta to come closer.
"Everything will be fine" he promised, embracing her softly
"how do you know?" Atlanta sobbed into his shoulder, not even embarrassed at the sudden display of emotion.
And Archie explained.
"Once a month," he finished "they will wake me and I can see everyone. I won't be abandoning the team or affecting the prophecy because I'll still be here. Sort of." He smiled and she tried to smile back. "Just stay safe ok? Do you promise?"
Atlanta nodded stiffly and Archie kissed her lightly on the cheek. His lips were cold as ice but the gesture warmed her. Suddenly the door opened and the rest of the team entered to say goodbye.