To 8Ball3- I don't know :P RUDE, I AM DELIGHTFUL! And yes, they are six! Joyous ^_^
And now to everyone- I've waited so long to post this chapter *evil laughter*
Ma Gasket and her sons seemed to find their way through the Labyrinth without hitch. A series of turns, through a hidden door and up some stairs- half an hour later, they were in a large warehouse. It smelled of must and oil. Car engines hung from chains from the rafters, old vehicle chassis and bodies were scattered about. Dust billowed from the floor under the Cyclopes' steps. The corrugated metal roof was weathered and claw marks twisting through the metal filtered in the night sky. The one called Sump had Louisa, holding her in one large fist, arms pinned to her sides, picking his teeth with her sword. Torque had Arnie, playing with him, moving his arms about like he was a doll. Arnie kept hitting him, but it amused the Cyclops, making him snort loudly with laughter.
Sump sniffed Louisa's hair, giving her a view right up his nostrils that she did not want.
"Ma. This one smells funny."
"They all smell funny, moron. They're demigods."
"Na-uh." Sump sniffed her again. Louisa cringed away. "You smell, Ma." He thrust his hand out, Louisa's neck jarring at the action. Ma Gasket huffed, turning back. Her torch blazed over Louisa, throwing haphazard light over Ma's single crimson eye, layering it with hues of black and amber.
"Mmph," she said, sniffing as well, "my, you were born with some brains, Sump. That's Neptune's bairn, that." A yelp behind them- Torque.
"Ma! This one bit me!"
"Pleh!" Arnie spat, regretting that decision.
"Just hold 'im still, we ain't losin' our dinner now." Ma Gasket pointed at the front of an old truck. "Put 'em there. I gotta start the fire." Sump and Torque lumbered under her orders. Torque picked up some rusty metal chains, each link as big as the kids' heads. Arnie looked desperately at Louisa. She was watching Sump's other hand.
Torque lashed Arnie to the bumper, trussing him up in chains. Louisa was meant to be next.
As Sump made to set her down, his fingers uncurled enough. She got her arm free.
"Mine!" She fumed, flinging her hand out. Her sword flew from his grip and into hers, leaving bloody gouges on his fingers. Sump screamed, raising his hand to throw her. Louisa stabbed down, the blade juddering on the bones of his wrist. His screams reached a new pitch and he dropped her, hopping about in pain.
"Ma, Ma!" He cried.
"For the love of-" Ma Gasket cursed. She stomped over, picking the sword from her son's wrist like it was a splinter. His screams turned to sobs. Louisa got to her feet, calling the sword back to her again. "That be a neat trick, seaspawn. Ain't gonna do you much favour though." Ma snarled, lips curling up in a grin, revealing wonky, filthy but strong teeth. Her scarlet eye simmered- rage, hunger, triumph. They were two little demigods. They stood no chance against three big Cyclopes.
Ma roared, charging. Louisa shot forward to meet her, swinging her sword up at her outstretched hand. Blood spurted from her palm, but it did not deter her. She back-handed Louisa, sending her flying into the side of an old car body. Louisa groaned, the frame crumpling around her. She fell forward, stumbling. She steadied herself on her sword, gritting her teeth.
The Cyclops sneered at her. Sump was still whimpering over his injured wrist. Torque stood in front of Arnie, quite content to watch. Arnie strained against the chains holding him, yelling challenges and being ignored.
Louisa lifted her weapon, standing as straight as she could. The effort and resultant pain made her hands shake, her stomach clench. She looked past Ma, catching Arnie's eye.
"Let him go." She requested. "I'll stay. Just let him go."
"No!" Arnie protested.
"Now why would I give up two dinners?" Ma snorted. "My boys are hungry." Louisa lunged. She made to stab Ma's knee. The Cyclops just laughed, lifting her leg over Louisa and kicking her backwards. Louisa slammed into the truck, a harsh crack from her shoulder. Her sword hit the dusty floor.
"Lou!" Arnie fought to get to her, the chains holding firm. "Lou, cut me free, I can help!" She looked at him, head spinning. She could taste blood. She reached for her sword. Her balance was off, way off, and she staggered to her left, the blade untouched. Ma was there, pinching the back of her coat and lifting her up. "Let her go!" Arnie demanded.
Louisa spun, coming face-to-face with that red eye. Ma sneered at her.
"You ain't much, are ya?" She poked her, laughing when Louisa swatted at her feebly. "Awww, what you gonna do, Baby Big Three?" Louisa closed her eyes. She had taken on Cyclopes before. She had won- just- but she had.
Holding her hands before her, like she was holding a ball to her chest, she forced down her pain and tried to focus. She had summoned a hurricane last time. Hurricanes were a Neptune thing, she had to be able to do it again.
Air whistled between her palms, a light pressure on her skin. She opened her eyes, squinting at the gap. Her stomach churned and the pressure died. Ma cracked up, throwing her head back. She poked Louisa again, harsher, her dirt-caked nail cutting under Louisa's chin. "I'm sure you did your best." She cooed teasingly. Louisa threw her hand out, yelling. A gust of wind blew Ma Gasket's greasy hair about, but not much more came of it.
Ma tucked a wild strand behind her ear. "A'ight, kid. You ain't gettin' any funnier." She dropped her. Louisa landed on her ankle with a snap. She fell forward, catching herself on her elbows, gasping.
"Lou!" Arnie cried. She groaned, raising a trembling hand. Her sword skittered back to her. Ma stomped her foot down, trapping the blade underneath. Louisa coughed, mentally pulling on that string again. A tug in her gut and she shouted. The ground cracked beneath Ma Gasket, her foot sunk up to its ankle.
"Oh." Ma said. "Oh-ho-ho. Got some fire in ya, have you, kid?" Louisa pressed her hand to the floor, glaring at the crack. It widened, Ma sank up to her knee, throwing her hands out to catch herself. "Torque!" She bellowed.
"Ma?" He replied dutifully. Louisa yelled again. The floor under Ma crumpled entirely and she was up to her waist now. "Ma!" Torque took a step forward.
"No!" She ordered. She pointed at Arnie. "Get that one." Her red eye fixed on Louisa, seething. Her smile chilled Louisa to her core.
Torque clasped a hand around Arnie, the chains tearing away as he yanked him away from the old truck. Arnie yelled protests, trapped. "We were told you were coming, seaspawn." Ma jeered. Louisa blasted her with another gust of wind. It zipped around her, looking promising for a grand total of three seconds, before fading. Louisa's head spun. She tried to break the floor again. Ma didn't move. Her grin twisted, she folded her arms on the ground. "See, we knew you'd be here. Knew ya friend would be too. Thing is," she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder, "we don't need him." Arnie tried biting Torque again. Torque stopped him, holding his head still with his thumb.
"Let him go." Louisa groaned.
"Why?"
"Who… told you… I would-?"
"Some bloke." Ma answered dismissively. "He'll be here soon, don't you worry ya pretty lil' head."
"Let… Arnie go." Louisa insisted. She tried pushing herself up, arms trembling from the effort. Her injured shoulder shot her back full of rivulets, her arm went numb. She toppled, smacking her jaw on the ground. Ma planted her hands on the floor, pushing herself up. It took much wriggling and squirming. Louisa could do nothing to the ground again. She tried to crawl forwards, her broken ankle firing stabbing pains up her leg. Her head span, vision clouding over.
Ma was free. She snatched Arnie from Torque, squeezing. Arnie cried out.
"Look 'ere." Ma taunted, jostling Arnie to get Louisa's attention.
"No…" Louisa put her weight on her good arm. She managed to get on one knee, bile searing her throat. She choked, heaving for breath. "Let… let him go…" Ma snorted at her. She crouched in front of Louisa. Arnie met her eye. He was pale, mismatched eyes wide, brimming with tears. She could see him shake, terrified beyond measure.
"Lou-"
He never finished that sentence. Ma's other hand came up, Arnie disappeared from view. Louisa tried to stand, freezing as a series of crunches filled her ears.
Ma jerked her hands apart. Something warm splattered Louisa, soaking her face, her coat, her hair. Drips fell from her chin, splashing her knuckles, spilling onto the floor between her fingers. She looked down, a coppery taste flooding her tongue. Her hands were splashed with liquid crimson. Another drip from her chin, saw it soak into the grey dust.
Ma's feet came closer. Louisa drew her head up with an effort that made her chest ache. That red eye smirked down at her. Cruel lips moved in a victorious sneer. Louisa heard nothing but a crackling. Green flashed in her peripheral. Ma's smile fell. She took a step back.
Heat tore at her throat. Green light erupted from her, diving into the floor, circling the columns, ensnaring the rafters, slathering everything and anything. Ma Gasket and her sons vanished, their screams drowned out in the all-consuming roar.
Louisa heard yelling. Her throat felt ready to cave. She was yelling. It was her, all her.
It was all her fault.
