Chapter 11
Pandora's point of view
I was thrown to the floor when we arrived. I looked up to see Reina looking at the darkness before her as he took shape. She looked so… happy looking at this creature. He returned the smile. In the next moment, he grabbed her by the hair and forcefully pressed his lips against hers. And Reina? She clutched onto him as if she had finally caught an illusive firefly.
She smiled as he rested his forehead against hers. She looked around with joy, noticing me as a cruel smile lit her features. That very smile fell from her face, replaced with a look of utter panic. Pulling away from the creatures embrace to search her surroundings.
"Where is he?" She demanded. "Roan, where is he?"
"I barely had enough power to carry the three of us," He began to explain when Reina gave him a frightened, demented, withering look his way.
"You took her and left him?" She asked incredulously, thrusting an outstretched finger towards me.
"I thought," He began.
"Never presume to know my desires." She growled. "Roan fought for me! He raised me, protected me, and loved me in a way that no one else in my entire life has. And you let him be captured in order to save the bitch that abandoned me?"
He grabbed her viciously by the arm, pulling her against him as he grabbed a fist full of her hair.
"Remember to whom you speak, child." He growled. "You are not my equal."
"Get your hands off her!" I screamed, though they took no notice.
Before I knew what had happened, he was on his knees. My daughter stood behind him, knife against his throat.
"Want to bet?" She whispered sweetly.
He was on his feet before her, both of them with knives at the others throat.
"I will return him to you, in apology." The creature promised my daughter. "What are we to do with her?" She met my eyes.
"Trade her, kill her; why should I care?"
Mera's point of view
Jason laid on the couch as my sons played with Edmund in the living room. They were already sitting up at three months. Their motor skills were well advanced, and they easily communicated with each other. They would look at each other with these expressions and begin laughing. This lazy day was a welcomed respite from the stress of the past two months of fruitless searching. We were not even able to find out if Pandora still lived.
Even Nellena did not know the answer. The only thing she reluctantly shared was a story of the one and only time she had asked Reina about her Pandora. Reina had struck her, and commanded that she never again bring up the subject. The fear in Zeus' eyes mirrored everyone who heard those words.
Edmund was the only thing keeping Zeus sane. When he was not with him, he was tearing apart every possible hide out. He had visited Jason, taken him by the shirt color and slammed him against the wall. Even I could not pry Zeus off of him. He was crazed, screaming and shouting, grabbing his jaw, accusing him of working with Reina or demanding his help by turn. There was more than one moment I feared for Jason's life.
"It was Nell's plan!" I shouted at him. "Would you implement her as well?"
That gave him enough pause to release Jason and take a step back, raking his hands through his hair, a habit Ariston inherited when in frustration. He calmed himself down enough to ask Jason what he came here to ask.
"Do you know where they are?" He asked.
"Yes..." A sudden shock rolled across Jason's face like a title wave. "I don't remember."
"You," Zeus began.
"I don't remember." He repeated. "Zenophian destroyed the information."
Jason was not the same after the realization that Zenophian had destroyed unknown parts of his memory. There was no way to tell how much had been taken. Before long, there was this drawn, blank expression constantly written upon his face. I knew what it was. He felt violated, on a level he could not put into words. He stopped talking; he stopped touching me, and slowly over the days that turned to months became nothing but a shell.
All of us that loved him, watched helplessly as he slowly retreated into himself. No words, kisses or touches woke him from his living hell. It was maddening. One of the worst things I had ever experienced. Having to stand by, watching someone you love lose themselves, and not being able to help. I somehow lived through Ariston being kidnapped, fearing for his life with every breath I took… but I found that watching Jason was its own kind of Tartarian torment.
In the midst of these thoughts, Cronus appeared. There was a look upon his face of urgency, and he quickly requested I join him in the front yard.
"I have to explain something," He began.
"Well, hello to you too." I said to him, walking up to kiss him. Much to my shock, he pulled away, holding me by the shoulders. "What's wrong?"
"Oh Mera, I can only hope I have enough time to explain." He stumbled over his words. "I just woke and had memories of you, ones that I did not have before."
As he bumbled on, a shock, a twitch ran through me, from the middle finger of my dominant hand to my chest. I looked down in time to see it took the form of a golden ribbon of light.
"Don't be frightened," He quickly said. "It will be confusing, but you will figure it out. Trust in yourself. You will return," I could barely hear his voice as my hearing began to fade.
Electricity surged through me, countless ribbons of light racing across my skin. I looked at Cronus, watching his lips move but not being able to hear the words. I felt it building, shooting strand by strand towards my chest, and coalescing there. The pressure built and built. Then, as if a rope had been tethered through the spot in my chest, I was violently jerked backwards, my sight going black, sound and smell leaving me. My every sense was deprived. I was everywhere and nowhere. Both existing and not existing in a single blinding moment… It was very similar to a climax. In this moment, I remembered the two words I lip-read from Cronus, just before my vision went black.
Find me.
Roan's point of view
I awoke in a wasteland. Dust blew into my half closed eyes; I lifted my arm to shield myself. The grains of sand hit my skin like thousands of tiny needles. I felt weak, drained. No buildings or living thing was within view. I soon realized, much to my horror, that I had lost the ability to teleport. A figure appeared; I could not tell if it was man or woman, indistinct as it was. I got to my feet as the creatures azure eyes met my own. It turned around and I followed, having realized I had no idea where I was. If it was some sort of trap, I would handle it when the time came.
I asked where I was, or for the creatures name. Each question was met with silence. I stated focused. I had been in far worse situations than this, strange as it was. After an indefinite amount of time, a hut came into view. It was round, shabbily built, twenty-five feet in diameter and around twelve feet at its peek. but held its own in the wind. The creature's form blew away with the wind, leaving me alone in this desolation.
I decided to take my chances and after walking the perimeter of the hut, I carefully opened the door. The only adornments were the leather bound tomes set into the continuous bookcase that lined the walls. The only furniture a very uncomfortable looking bed.
I waited for the storm to pass, only to find it never did. I screamed my lungs out as panic set in, calling for anyone who might hear me. No one came. Where could I be that Reina could not hear me?
Day became night, and never once did I see a sun. Only the moon appeared to light the nights. I eventually braved the storm, running as far as I could, as fast as I could, until finally another hut came into view. I scouted it out, hearing no sound coming from within. I opened the door and screamed in horror. It was my own hut. I had an excellent sense of direction, I had gone straight, not in a circle. How… where in the hell could I be? Hunger was setting in, worsening the desperation in every moment.
After weeks, the boredom finally gave way and I sighed as I took down a random tome. I did not recognize what I was reading, until dates, names began popping up. They were my memories. That particular one was of the day my sister was killed. I threw the tome down, shaking. Behind me an ominous sound came, the door creaking open. I turned around to see the figure standing there for the first time since I arrived. The eyes remained the same azure as the face came into focus. It did not stay on one. Its face kept switching to each and every being I had ever hurt.
The creature blew away in the wind that drifted in through the open door. The door slammed shut. When it was closed, the door itself disappeared. Only the wall was left. Letter by letter, three words appeared upon its surface it blood red and ichor gold, along with a fruit basket of all things.
Welcome To Tartarus
