Disclaimer: I do not own Class of the Titans! Just my brain!
A/N: Sorry it's been so long but here is my next chapter! :D
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"Wha… What? Where… Where am I?"
The young man wandered in the darkness. His eyes searching for some form of light, but there was nothing, only darkness. His body was heavy but he felt like he was floating. His chest was so compressed with pressure yet he felt them fill with so much air.
The last thing he could remember was feeling the water seep into his mouth and engulf his lungs. He remembered pain. He remembered his body shaking, shuddering, as he was held under water. And then, it stopped. All of his thrashing, all the desperation had ceased. His body felt no pain. He felt his heartbeat become still and silent. The last thing he remembered seeing was a special girl's face.
Looking down the boy saw that he was walking on nothing, nothing but a black abyss. There was no floor beneath him. No sidewalk, no road, no grass, nothing. There was no ceiling either, no sky to see within a thousand miles. This place he was in, it was sky high full of nothing.
Regardless, he kept on walking. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he had to get there. He noticed no limp in his previously weak leg. The boy was walking at what he thought was a quick pace. He couldn't tell though. It was as if time had stopped, but the second hand refused to stop ticking.
He, then, squinted his eyes. There seemed to be something ahead of him in the darkness. He couldn't make it out, but that same something told him he needed to keep walking. Coming closer he saw a figure. The figure was larger than he. He felt himself slowing his walk, until he came to a complete stop, mere feet away from the figure.
The figure turned around. It was a man. Quite burly in appearance, and was wearing what looked like armour. He looked up straight at the boy and smiled.
"My, my, Archie. How you have grown." His deep voice was calm and content..
Archie furrowed his brow, his feet finally coming to a stop before the Argonaut. He could only stare, confused of what he should feel. He was standing face to face with his ancestor. A great and mighty hero, brought down by his ankle in a war.
"A-Achilles?" He stammered.
The hero let out a bellowing laugh. "No, it's the tooth fairy!" He smirked at his successor.
Archie couldn't help but smile. He finally realized where his sense of humour came from. He couldn't help but feel warm and happy finally meeting the man that he was resuming the footsteps of.
Achilles nodded towards the left of him and what seemed to appear out of nowhere was a garden. He began to walk towards it. He looked back at Archie, who's jaw had dropped. "Come take a walk with me." He said calmly.
The young man began to walk towards the beautiful greenery in awe. He has never seen so many wonderful colours in one place before. The flowers were all in bloom and the sun was shining on the delicate lilies in the small river flowing to the right. This place was definitely a sanctuary. The sound of cheerful birds filled the air and not a cloud to ruin the beaming sunshine.
Archie followed Achilles on a stone path. Achilles said nothing, but only just had his arms behind his back strolling along the walkway. He seemed to be humming a tune that was unrecognizable. Archie took a deep breath and let his lips move to the question of which he feared the answer.
"Achilles… Am… Am I dead?"
Achilles seemed to slow his pace a little, his head turning a little to the right as to look at something while listening intently. But he simply turned his eyes back ahead and continued walking, replying a soft, swift "Yes."
"But… why? Why now? I… I still have things to do… I still have a life to live! I'm not meant to be here!" Archie began softly but raised his voice a little louder. He felt a sorrow from deep down begin to arise. It only took the one "yes" to make Archie's heart sink and become colder.
Achilles seemed un-phased. "Everyone dies at some point young Archie. Death… Death is just another part of life, ironically speaking. We don't choose when our time is. The clock stops when it is meant to, and nothing can change that." He said softly. "You know Gods may live for thousands and thousands of years, however mortals are not as lucky."
The words did not comfort Archie, but he felt a deep down notion that this was the truth. He watched as a butterfly flew in front of him. It fluttered its bright blue wings, looking for a place to land. Archie stopped and held out his fingertips and the butterfly landed softly.
Achilles stopped and turned around.
Archie watched the butterfly it daintily lifted its wings up and down. However it did not fly away. Archie couldn't take his eyes off of the creature. Wondering why it wouldn't move even though Archie moved his face closer to the insect.
Achilles walked up to Archie and knelt down on one knee. He studied the butterfly with a grin. He got up and walked over to a rustic, Greek bench made of stone that had appeared to the side. He motioned for the young hero to come join him. Archie walked and sat down as well, the butterfly still remaining on his finger.
Achilles chuckled. "I bet you are probably expecting me to tell you the meaning of life or something wise, thoughtful, and debonair." Archie gave him a weird look. "Yes… Debonair… Ahem, anyways, we are given a place in this world and nothing can change a destiny that is already set. Archie, I have no advice, no way to ease your confusion. I only have a question for you… If you could have a chance to go back… Would you change something in your life?" He eyed Archie curiously.
Archie did not take his eyes off of the butterfly. He had known the answer to this question before it was even asked.
"I… I would… I would tell someone special to me that I love her… I never had the guts to say it out loud. I always said it to myself, but would hide it in front of her. I always thought my place would be with her. Protecting her… Loving… Loving her… I knew my place was at her side. Even if she would never return my feelings… I would still protect her. I would still… Love her…"
Archie felt the tear run down his face. He didn't realize that he was shaking; the butterfly clung to his finger. He couldn't help but feel pathetic and weak sitting beside the pinnacle of a man and he was here crying. Archie forced himself to stop the tears. He looked up at Achilles.
Achilles only smiled. He put his hand on Archie's shoulder and squeezed. "Archie, you are a strong man. Love only makes you stronger. Don't ever forget that." Archie looked up at the Argonaut. Surprised and curious to whether the man was reading his mind.
Achilles stood up. Archie automatically stood up as well.
The ancestor smiled proudly. "I think you know as well as I do Arch, that once someone finds their place in the world, it is near impossible to get them to move. Just like that butterfly you've got there. He seems to have found his place on your finger there." Achilles pointed to the butterfly, who was now stationary settled on Archie's finger.
Archie smiled at the little bright blue creature. He looked up at Achilles. "So where are we going to now?"
Achilles laughed. "Well, my place is here." He looked around, then back to Archie. "However, as you said yourself, you're not meant to be here. It's time for you to return to your place."
Before Archie could reply, Achilles wound up his fist and punched him square in the chest, knocking him off of his feet and back into the darkness.
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Archie felt his lungs open as he arched his back, spitting up water and gasping for air. The pain in his chest was mild, but the pain throughout his body was excruciating. He felt burning in his lungs and his muscles ached. His vision was partially blurry he blinked trying to look around as he got used to breathing in the cold air.
"Ow…" He grunted.
"A…Archie?"
He heard a familiar voice. His vision came in to focus. He saw the bright red hair, and the teary eyes he had come to know and love. He could only muster a whisper.
"Atlanta… You came back for me…" He managed a weak smile.
Atlanta screamed so loud she thought that her lungs were going to burst. She threw her arms around him, bursting into tears once more. Archie cringed in pain, but he let Atlanta squeeze him. He was back, in Atlanta's arms. He mustered up his strength and lifted his shaky arms to embrace her back.
"I-I t-thought y-y-y-you w-were g-gone forever…" Atlanta stuttered. "I-I… w-was s-so afraid… I… L-lost y-you…" She had her head on his chest. She continued sobbing tears of relief and happiness.
Archie attempted to hold her tighter, but his muscles refused to push themselves further, though his brain commanded them to. He tried to lift his head off the ground, but he found it was so heavy that it fell back to the ground with small thump. He groaned and coughed a bit more water.
Atlanta quickly pulled herself off of him. "Arch I'm sorry! Here let me help you." She put her hand around the back of his head and lifted it up so Archie could breathe better. He spit out a few drops of water and took a long painful breath in. He looked up at her with glazed eyes, but smiling lips.
Atlanta felt herself turn bright red, but she returned a smile, tears still rolling down her cheeks. Archie shakily brushed them off her face. He stroked her face with his thumb. He coughed again and then looked deep into her eyes.
"Atlanta… there's something I have to tell you…"
Atlanta furrowed her brow. "What is it? Can I do anything for you?"
Archie shook his head ever so slightly and then cringed in pain at the headache that swept his cerebrum. He took a small breath,
"Atlanta… I-"
He was cut off. Before Archie had even got to the word "love" Atlanta had pressed her lips to his. Archie blinked in shock but then closed his eyes and reached his hand around the back of her head and kissed her back.
Though their lips were gently pressed to one another's, the passion in that one kiss was enough to even turn a heart of ice to pure mush. Atlanta couldn't stop her tears as Archie let one tear roll down the side of his face.
Atlanta pulled away from him slowly, here eyes still closed. "I love you…" She whispered.
Archie would have let his jaw hit the floor, if he wasn't on the floor already. He snickered a little. "Hey! You stole my line!" He joked. Even in a situation such as this, he still retained his humour.
Atlanta's eyes widened. "…Really?"
Archie's smile was the perfect yes. Atlanta squealed and threw her arms around the cold boy. This time, however, it was much more force, causing Archie to let out a painful grunt and a worded "Ow…"
Atlanta jumped back and put her hands in the air. "Ah! Sorry Arch!"
Archie smiled painfully. He brought his hands back up to her and pulled her into a soft embrace on the floor. Even though his body was freezing, Atlanta held him softly. Archie kissed her head and held her there.
(A/N: You're in the arms of an angel, may you find some comfort here.)
Atlanta pulled away. "We better go, I need to get you to a hospital. The others are here too."
Archie nodded.
Atlanta crouched beside him and slowly put one of Archie's arms around her neck. She then lifted himself up slowly. Archie cringed and gasped in pain a little. He found that his one good leg was usable without too much pain so he pressed down a bit to lighten the load for Atlanta.
Atlanta supported Archie on her right hip. Once they were both settled. She turned to look at him. He did the same and bent in to kiss her again. Atlanta smiled after they broke apart. The both looked at the door leading out of the warehouse. Slowly, Atlanta and a weak and limping Archie made their way towards the exit.
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Well my peeps! There you go! Archie didn't die after all!
Sorry if the beginning was really cheesy!
I promise the next chapter will have a very epic battle! :O
Anyways thank you to all reviewers! Please keep reviewing!
Love MJ
