Lady in Red, thanks for your guess, glad you were interested enough in trying to find out. However, it isn't Leto. I do have to say that I have twisted the last part of this goddess' tale from the original myth. However, Zeus did imprison her still. Yeah, anyway, it seems you guys are missing one vital clue. Well, yeah, guranteed it's a weak way to give a hint, but well... Okay, by the way, if anyone wants to guess anymore, please PM me instead! Won't want the secret to be let out until the time is due, would we?

Disclaimer: Keep Holding On belongs to Avril Lavigne and the Best Damned Thing album, so yeah.

Chapter Nine

His body ached everywhere the minute he awoke. Herry groaned softly, then opened his eyes a crack. His vision was a tad bit blurry at first. Thankfully, it quickly adjusted and he realised he was staring at the cool, damp floor of a cave or something like that. The next thing he noticed was that a giant was carrying him upon his shoulder.

It didn't take a genius to connect the dots and understand that he had just been kidnapped by Cronus. However, the giant hadn't seemed to notice his awakening, and Herry wanted to keep it that way. He lay limp again.

Just on the giant's other shoulder was Odie. On the other hand (A/N: no pun intended!), he was wide awake as well. Faking unconsciousness seemed to run in the team, seeing how both played dead - unconscious, rather.

Odie waited till the giant was distracted. Once he was convinced that the giant's gaze was nowhere near him, he linked gazes with Herry. Herry nodded in response, almost as though they were telepathic.

The giant was just thinking of getting some water when he found himself falling flat on his face. "Nnghh!" he moaned.

Odie went flying and crashing down to the ground. Herry landed on his feet squarely, though.

"Ouch," Odie grumbled, rubbing his rear end. "You could have done it lighter, you know."

Herry blinked at him. "But then the giant wouldn't have flipped over."

Odie glared at Herry, but at the next second, he grabbed Herry's arm. "Quick! Run!"

Herry turned to look behind his shoulder. A lumbering, angry giant running after them.

Not good.

--

"Do you ever clean this place?" Neil whined, ducking a cobweb.

Lyrea glared at him, brushing aside another cobweb right in front of her. "Well, no. It's a secret underground tunnel... Which, reminds me, isn't so secret after all."

Neil didn't seem to get the hint that she meant he was supposed to be indebted to her. "Why? Why isn't it not so secret anymore?"

"Well, maybe because you're here?" Lyrea responded with some sarcasm. Sniffing the dusty air, she realised that maybe he had a point. Not that she would tell him.

Neil thought for a while, stopping in his tracks. "But my presence is a reward in itself!" he exclaimed, giving Lyrea a brilliant grin.

Lyrea rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

The musty tunnel was dark, save for the light Lyrea's torch brought forth. Cobwebs hung rather eerily almost everywhere. Lyrea had to admit that it did need some cleaning at least.

"Yeah, you know - ARRRGH!"

Neil's screech made Lyrea pause. "What is it this time, another spider?" The ever-patient Lyrea was starting to get a little annoyed -"For the last time, spiders are okay!" - okay, make that very annoyed.

"N-n-no, not a spider. A dead fly! Ugh! I have been scarred for life!" Neil closed his eyes. The expression on his face was pretty comical and Lyrea couldn't help but burst out laughing. Her irritation melted away as amusement quickly replaced it.

"I thought you have some friends to save?"

"Oh yeah! I totally forgot about them!" Neil looked aghast. Biting his lip, he stormed ahead, carefully avoiding all disgusting objects. "We better hurry."

Lyrea stood there, watching him for a while. A shadow of a smile crossed her face. She hurried off in his direction. "Turn left at that end..."

--

Archie's teeth was chattering, but he could barely hear anything except the all-too-familiar roar of the wind. Numb were his fingers, and he didn't even know if he was actually gripping the bars. He was nearing his death, he was sure. He felt bitter. Why couldn't he die an honourable death instead? Like, by Cronus' evil scythes? He didn't want to go down the same way his parents did. He wanted to fight it so badly. But here he was, alone as usual, battling off the cold with his last breaths.

You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand

He glanced over at Atlanta. A small smile crept over his face. Alright, maybe not alone. It was so much better to die with someone else. At least when he got to up there, Atlanta would be with him. Of course he didn't want her to die as well, but seeing there was no other way, it was slightly more reassuring.

Atlanta shot him a questioning look. Her lips were blue, and she was trembling, but she still managed a smile too. Tucking her hand gently into his, they held each other for what they were sure were their last moments alive.

When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No I won't give in

"I-I-I can't believe it," Archie mumbled. "W-w-we're g-g-going to d-die." He gripped her hand with fingers he couldn't feel.

"C-c-come on, we've been in w-w-worst situations b-before," Atlanta scolded with as much strength as she could muster. "W-we've got to k-keep holding o-on. Th-They'll find us..."

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth

"Y-y-yeah, right," Archie replied. "I'm going to d-die the s-same way as my p-p-p-pa-parents did."

"N-not if I c-can help it," Atlanta said with some determination. "F-for o-o-once I m-m-miss your s-stupid m-macho-ness..."

"MACHONESS!" Archie burst out. "I'm not macho! Wait, is that a g-g-good thing or a bad thi-thing?"

"It's a-a b-b-bad thing," Atlanta confirmed shakily, slapping his arm.

"W-well, I'll-I'll sh-show y-ou then! W-we're g-g-g-going to survive alright!" Archie yelled back, glaring at her, purple hair, white-from-cold face and all.

So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

A jerk sent both of them lurching forward. Atlanta almost fell off the ski lift. Archie, meanwhile, grabbed her arm before she was completely off the ski lift. He carefully and painstakingly pulled her up again into his safe arms.

"I-I-Is it my imag-imagination or is the ski l-lift moving ag-again?"

The ski lifts were miraculously moving again, and at a speed faster than normal. Of course, to two people who were freezing cold, they could have just been hallucinating that the ski lift was moving faster than usual.

Before they even reached the ground, Archie and Atlanta jumped off the ski lift. They crashed to the ground, unstable on shaky legs.

"Here, this way."

Atlanta felt an arm grasp her. Looking up at concerned blue eyes, she thought it was Neil at first. On closer inspection, it was a pretty blonde.

Archie tried to stand up, but he collasped. His legs felt like jelly - 'blocks of ice' would sound more appropriate, however - as he stumbled into the little tunnel, leaning on Neil all the way.

--

Odie and Herry rounded the corner. The giant pounding of giant feet followed closely behind. They rounded another bend when they stopped.

"Cronus," Herry snarled, cracking his knuckles.

"Yes, Cronus." The god of time smirked down at them, standing in their way. "And where do you think you're going?"

"Out of here, duh!" Odie replied. No sooner had he spoke than he was lifted into the air by Agnon. "Argh, let me go, you big brute!"

"Out of here? I don't think so." Cronus summoned his scythes.

Herry looked around. Between the giants, and Cronus, escape didn't seem like an option anymore.

--

Alright, so that one's done. I'm going to write this one-shot thing soon, yup. Well, hope this chapter was alright for all of you. There's more to come, I guess.