Disclaimer: I don't own any POTC characters, only my OCs.
Ok. So, I'm trying to cut down on the descriptions here and there, so let me know what you think. Did I make a difference?
Anyway, here we go!
Chapter 4: Running through hell
There is nothing in the world worst than falling to your death.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Nothing.
All around me, the world was a blur of ice and black, biting snow whipping against my helpless body, the darkness cackling as I fell through its embrace, desperate and lost, completely out of control. Wind snarled, crashing bright, tearing bloody, black robes fluttering up into the white night as my body fell without purpose, without meaning, my heart lost away, up in the sky; there was nothing but the cold, and the whirling world around me, snow dashing around, biting and growling. My body was lost, hopeless, falling helplessly down through the dark, tearing through the whipping snow, the ground beneath a rushing, reaching pale white as a scream tore from my lips, terror seizing me completely as I plummeted through the dark-
And landed flat in the snow.
Thud.
It was a loud thud, loud enough to ring in my ears, and for a moment, all I could see was white, pale, starling white, my heart screaming in my chest, blood rushing hot and wild, my breath rapid and violent, burning in my lungs…
And the ground firm and cold beneath my body.
The ground.
The wind howled.
Thank God.
Beneath me, the ground was cold, icy and scattered, my face flat down, my body slumped stomach first against the icy powder, fingers clutching deep into the burning ash; it was snow, of course, icy, white snow, cushioning me, comforting me, burning through my robes, grazing against my skin. The chill burnt against my face, my nose buried deep in the icy white, cheeks scratched by banking cold as my body sank, defeated, helpless, breath ragged and hot, smouldering in my lungs. Hair laid lank, flat and short against my head, frozen at its tips, metal beads buried in ice; there was snow up my sleeves, burning against my warm arms, a lash of reality biting into my skin-
Only it didn't hurt.
Not really.
Not really.
Snow singed against my ears.
Not really at all.
The wind tore.
Beneath, the ice was cold and bitter, and all I could do was lay there, flat on the snow, staring down into the scattered white dust, ice burning in my eyes as my throat scorched with fire, my heart thudding, banging, booming in my heart, panicked and wild. Blood rushed, furious and vapid, soaring through my body, pumping through veins, through damn arteries, hot and raging, fighting against the frosty chill of the snow, ripping me apart; my breath was so loud in my ears, so very loud, booming and furious, chest heaving against the icy ground as I sucked in the cold air, acid wind burning against my hot breath, throttling my windpipe. Fingers burned, snow scratching and grazing and tearing into my tired, tired skin.
Nothing hurt.
Not really.
Boots sank deep into trudging snow.
Not really at all.
My heart screamed.
For a moment, I just laid there, staring down into the snow, ice burning my eyes, panting, heaving, my mind racing as my blood rushed through my body, my entire being flooded, buried by the whipping ice-
And then, with a soft moan, I began to push myself up, digging my fingers into the icy snow, neck straining to lift up my head as my arms ached into motion, pushing slowly, lethargically away from the burning white ground-
Pain exploded.
Oh God.
It came like a wave, a brutal, savage wave, surging, crashing through my body, hot and violent, smashing through my every vein like a bolt of lightning through the heart; ache screamed, a horrible sting rippling through my body, through my blood, fires stabbing into my skin and lancing to the bone. Teeth gnashed as my head spun, a blanket of red engulfing my world as the pain, the horrible, horrible pain consumed me, writhing through my body, crippling me, muscles spasming as the pain rocked through my mind, tearing through my every senses, ripping me apart-
And then, just like that, it was over.
Completely over.
Thank God.
It all faded away, as it always did, sinking into the earth, into the burning snow, the ripping, bloody pain fading out into the world, leaving my body, my soul, draining away like blood, thick and furious. Everything went, every ache, every little sting, dying into the icy world, fading into black, wilting into nothing all over again-
As if it had never even been there.
Not even a pinch.
Nothing at all.
My breath tore through my throat, sucking in the icy air, panting furiously.
Lungs burned, screaming for air.
Muscles slumped, exhausted.
My heart screamed.
Nothing at all.
Blood roared.
Absolutely nothing at all.
Wind wailed.
Damn, I really hate that.
My back was slumped, bent and tired, my entire body leaning back against the icy packed ground as I panted, gasping, wheezing in the desperate cold air, blood roaring through my ears as I gazed down at the snow, concentrating on breathing, on sucking in the icy air, on gathering up my strength again, snow biting against my skin as it whipped blindly through the dark, clawing across my limp body-
And then, with misty puffs and burning lungs, I slowly strained my head upwards, towards the blinding snow.
Muscles groaned in protest.
Tongue twisted bitter.
The world opened up.
Great.
White screamed.
Just great.
Up above, the blizzard rained white and brilliant, a world of ice crashing through the black night, a pale blanket against the trembling abyss of Hell. Snow screamed, white and flaky, pale tears trailing from the never-ending darkness, a blinding world of frigid, white ice. Cold wind shuddered, trembling through the falling white flakes, spirits of pale dancing in the falling torrent, twirling ghosts of white, laughing to the world; flakes caught in their dancing tail, white snow dashing in all directions, a wondrous dance of blinding ice weeping from the black night. Cold shivered, frosty, biting cold, the darkness black and stagnant in between as the blizzard rained a world of beautiful ice, covering, a curtain against the cruel dark. Whispers laughed in the biting, icy wind.
Darkness screamed.
It was wild up there, a wild beautiful world of gnashing, falling snow, bright tears of white biting against my skin, whipping against my body, harsh yet soft and fair, the wind dancing a bitter melody, blotting out everything-
Everything except the citadel.
The citadel.
My breath caught.
Hel's citadel.
Up to my left, stabbing out of the snow and tearing up into the white storm, was a black castle, a giant, black cliff piercing up into the white skies. It was a monolith, a jagged rock of the purest black against the white-whipped world, a creeping dark shadow against the shivering white; it was so large, so very tall, a giant black mountain by my side, smooth black rock gliding up into the wild darkness of the night. It was a misshapen crag of black, a mountain of perfect black rock and twisting arches, a dark, warped shadow in the middle of all the white, of all the laughing cold. Turrets of dark twirled through the storm, towers of sharp and black majestic and lonely high up in the darkened skies. There was no apparent design to it, no twisting edges of careful planning, no fanciful architecture, no gargoyles perched at windows watching with soulless eyes; it was just a rock, a strange, twisted, giant fortress, irregular and aimless, as if carved into a mountainside by a blind man.
A cruelly, twisted blind man.
Turrets stabbed dark and silent, the citadel's only obvious embellishments, the giant black crag narrowing as it rose, up into the storm. Rock carved, smooth and strong and untouched by any light, a ring of jagged black spikes around the middle, stabbing out into the night like cannons, dark and sinister. Windows hung, from middle to bottom, disappearing up into the far heights of the storm, dark, soulless windows, without light, without life, battered snow slamming against the foggy glass, begging to reach into the dark heart of Hel's citadel. There was no light, none at all, the monster of black untouched, unmolested, snow pounding against its shadowy sides, engulfing its dark towers and steeples.
Snow howled against the dark monster.
At the bottom, at its base, Hel's citadel was drowning in the snow, white, icy sea crashing against its sides, consuming it, licking against the craven dark rock, white against cruel dark; there, in the middle of the rock, looming large and silent, was the North Gate, a giant tear, a carved crack in the black mountain. It was a dark, gaping mouth hidden by the whipping snow, a giant arching gate firmly shut, black rock stabbing down into the icy white. Its chains rattled in the gale, black and dark, ringing dimly like low, unnerving bells, a dark melody in the wild tempest; there was nothing beyond it, no light, as above, a sinister, silent black gate, the dark North Gate, looming in front like the mouth of some terrible beast, ready to consume me, to devour me. No light flickered, nothing moved.
Nothing I could see anyway.
Damn North Gate.
Up above, through the whipping snow, through the trailing, laughing wind and the icy onslaught of white and darkness, a single light gloomed, a bar of quivering gold, long and shivering, like an illusion in the wild storm. It was bright, trembling but bright, a perfect long bar of vivid gold, brilliant against the darkness of the black rock, muted in the wilds of the blizzard; its middle was bulged though, a giant misshapen blot in the middle of the long bar, a crack in the perfect gold-
The window.
The room.
Hel.
The hounds.
Balder.
I groaned.
Damn Balder.
It was so high up, that light, that windows and crack, that damn room, more then 40 stories up, half-hidden in the whipping snow, bright and startling against the horrid black-
And I had fallen from there.
I had plummeted from up there, 40 stories up Hel's citadel, into the whipping wind and icy snow, only to land right here, unbroken, unhurt, panting for my very breath-
Not I.
It came as a zap, a flash of light across my mind, stilling my heart, freezing my breath, my eyes widening against the onslaught of the icy snow as I remembered-
Will.
I was on my feet before I could even breathe.
Will.
There was no more pain, none at all, but my muscles still ached from the exhaustion, from the effort, my jaw locked, my breath ragged and torn, my heart booming in my chest, screaming for attention, the whipping, white snow battering against my tired body, icy and horrible, pinpricks of hell-
But how could I have forgotten about Will?
How could I forget him?
Will.
My boots sank into the snow.
Black robes tore through the ice.
My fingers were numb.
I screamed.
"WILL!"
There was no reply.
Will.
Before me, the world was shimmering blanket of falling ice, snow flogging down against the white ground, against my body, soaking through the black robe, numbing my muscles as I trudged on, dragging my heavy feet through the icy sea. My breath was cold, too cold, my lungs burning as they panted for breath, mist spilling out of my mouth as my fair hair whipped back into the snow, Sparrow's carved medallion singing out a sad tune against my icy cheek as my heart jumped, bounced, panicked, maniac, burning eyes searching for any-
And then, I saw him.
Will.
He was there, not too far from me, a dark figure sitting silently in the snow, through the whirl of ice, black jacket flapping against the icy gale, body slumped, back lazy and slouched, legs stuck out flat in weariness, hands clutching down into the ice for support, dark, dark hair caught in the white tempest-
And I threw at myself at him, hands reaching out and engulfing in an embrace. Knees slid across the snow, black robes fluttering in annoyance as I threw myself through the fog of ice and towards him, tired, numb arms wrapping around, tight, never letting go. Boots skidded, my short hair laughing, Sparrow's beads chiming as my dried lips cracked into a wry smile-
And I hugged him, never letting go. Aching arms wrapped around his cold, cold body, his dark hair crashing into my face, my black robe fluttering against us both. Cold skin burned against my own, furious and violent, so very icy in the world of cold, white snow, my cheek pressing helplessly against his forehead as I drank in the relief, happy to see him, to touch him, to know that he was alright. Icy hands froze beneath me, his entire body frigid, shocked senseless-
Then, he relaxed, and Will's arms made their way weakly around me, slow and tired, pulling me close. They were icy, so very icy, but I sank towards him, into his embrace, holding him close and letting him envelop me, icy arms burning through the cloth of my black robes. Forehead stung, cold and sharp, cruel against my own cheek, but his breath was warm, so very warm, hot air kissing against my neck as he sighed against my skin. Fingers dug into my back, icy daggers, his legs dragging slowly through the snow to push against me, pulling me closer, right towards him, hot lips brushing against my neck-
And I wanted him.
I wanted him.
Two weeks of despair, of pure agony, of muffled tears and broken heart, of cruel longing, and malicious anger-
And I wanted him.
I needed him.
I needed him to take me, right then, right now, to pull me into his icy grip, to taste his warm breath against my own, to feel his icy hands all over me-
I wanted him.
I needed him.
Right now.
Right here.
I didn't care if we were in hell, outside Hel's citadel, in a freaking blizzard of the Underworld, within dangerous distance of flesh-ripping, red-eyed hell hounds-
Because I needed him.
I needed him.
Now.
I wanted him to touch me, to feel me, to consume me, to devour me, to love me until all the worlds faded to black-
"Don't."
It was a whisper, a weak, weak whisper, hot against my neck, but it was enough for me to freeze, to let the cold engulf me again, my fingers turning numb at that simple, simple word-
And then, he pushed me away, very gently, icy hands sliding off my back and down towards me arms, pushing me back very softly, very slowly, fingers gripping weak and frail…
And I moved back.
Slightly.
Will.
He was still holding me, fingers weak around my arms, and I pulled away, away from his icy forehead, away from his hot breath, just enough to look down into his eyes, into his beautiful, cold face; his face was cold, so very cold and pale, lips parted, chest heaving, brow tight and white, snow kissing against the fringes of his dark, dark hair. His eyes were alive again, no more fog, bright and burning, big, dark pools of licking gold, of burning flames, torches of fiery lights in a cold, cold world-
And I knew, somehow, that Will wanted me too.
He wanted this too.
Will.
His breath came out in a fog of burning white.
"I missed you."
A smile cracked through the ice.
"Damn right you did."
I didn't want it to end.
Will.
For a moment, we just sat there, burning in the snow, Will's hands gripping weakly onto my arms as we just looked at each other, my chest heaving against his own, his legs cradling on either side, his eyes burning an uncontrollable flame, a smouldering desire, his lips parted, dreaming anticipation, my heart hammering, my lips itching to close the distance, to let him take me away-
And then, a small voice whispered in the back of my mind.
Not now, Joey.
My heart screamed.
Not now.
With a soft sigh, I pried away, pulling away, tearing away, muscles aching, moaning in regret as I pulled from Will and stood up into the snow, my eyes never leaving him; he let go too, slowly, icy fingers prying loose, dark hair wild in the icy gale. He pressed his lips together, gulping back, his pale skin shivering with something as I pulled away from me, from his touch, from his embrace, his fiery, fiery eyes tracking my every step as I slowly moved back from him. My skin itched with desire.
Damn it.
My breath burned hot and furious.
"We have to go," my heart was hammering, banging, my body just longing to climb back into his arms, to feel his skin, his breath all over again, "Balder said to get to the Styx, and that's where-"
"Joey…"
Another smile cracked through the world.
"I just have to pounce on you later, eh?"
He didn't answer.
Will.
For a moment, all we did was stare, refusing to look anywhere else, the white blizzard swallowing us up as I drowned in the flames of his eyes, my skin burning with desire and yearning, my legs moaning to move forward, my arms dying to reach out towards him again, my lips ablaze with hunger-
And then, Will's voice whispered through the howling, icy tempest.
"Help me up."
Will.
It gave me the excuse to touch him again, but this time, it was to help him, using my shoulders and arms and helping him to his feet; my muscles were still tired, my bones aching, but I helped him up, letting him use me as support as he painfully climbed up, snow drifting around his feet. Black coat billowed, his dark hair wry and wild in the icy gale as his weak fingers gripped into my shoulders for support, his feet sliding up beneath him, taking ground-
And then, slipping away, as if they were made of water.
"Hold on," I whispered, as I grabbed him before he fell, throwing an arm around his waist, holding him up, my own fingers digging into his red-clothed hip, pushing my weight beneath him; he was still weak, so very weak, his arms useless and meek as I grabbed one of them and tossed them over my shoulder, letting his icy arm wring its way around my neck. His skin was still so pale, his knees buckling beneath his own weight as he struggled to drag his own feet out of the snow, his weight leaning more and more into me, against me. Dark hair, fringed with icy snow, kissed against my cold cheek.
His icy arm squeezed around my neck, scraping against the short ends of my hair.
His breath was hot white.
"What happened to your hair-"
It was then that I heard it.
There, echoing through the icy storm, through the blinding whiteness of the blizzard, chains were creaking, a metallic jingle of metal upon metal, a low, ringing sound, a continuous sound, creaking through the whipping storm like the crack of a leash, running thick and through, loud as bells-
The North Gate.
My heart froze.
Oh God.
Will's voice murmured hot in my ear.
"What's that?"
My heart screamed.
Oh God.
My voice came out white.
"Hell hounds."
A howl pierced the night.
Hell hounds.
We moved.
888888888888
We must have walked for an hour.
A full, blown hour.
A bloody hour.
At least, it had felt like an hour, time and light dissipating into non-existence, mind dulled over, worn on the edges-
And the world nothing more then whipping, cruel ice and clawing darkness.
A never-ending darkness
Hell.
"How much longer?"
Hell.
Adrenaline rushed hot through my blood.
Thighs burned.
Hell.
Without a word, I turned slightly, away from the crunching white snow beneath my feet towards the man leaning up against my body, dark hair grazing against the side of my cheeks. Black, dull boots dragged through snow, dead and weak.
Breath burned.
Will.
He was there, beside me, still leaning in against me, a single, lifeless arm draped helplessly around my neck, skin cold and ashen, completely dead. He was slumped, my hand still gripping tightly around his waist, his black coat billowing behind him in a trail of shadows against the icy white world. Dark curls laughed, maniac and dying, whipping about wildly in the icy curl of the gale, crashing against my cheeks; they were cold against my flushed skin, so very cold, snowflakes of white dotting against the dark curls, frosting along its edges. His skin was swallow, white, colourless, dark, dark eyes staring down like black holes in the whipping storm. Lips curled in a quiet frown, white and dead.
His hand was a lifeless icy corpse around my neck.
His chest heaved wildly.
Will.
My tongue was too bitter.
"Not much," I said it quietly, the howl of the gale rushing over my words as I pushed him on, digging my nails into the side of his maroon-covered hips and edging him on with a knock of my shoulders, muscles aching, burning raw as he leaned his desperate, useless weight against me. He was still so cold, so very cold, trembling icy skin against my own, a burning fiery ice against the flush of my neck and cheeks-
But I wasn't cold.
Not really.
Not anymore.
Snow clawed against our ankles.
Will's breath was too weak.
"Not much?" His chest was heaving, his voice too quiet, the wind howling and biting against our ears as I pushed him on, ignoring the fiery burn in my muscles as I fuelled us forward, trying to get back to that jogging speed, mind dull and blank, "Joey. I can't go…I can't…"
My own voice came out in an unfamiliar, exhausted rasp.
"I know. You're tired-"
His lips were too taut.
"We…We have to stop-"
"Just a little more, Will."
Snow bit against weathered skin.
Wind gnawed at our ears.
Ice clawed at our feet.
Just a little more.
I pulled him slightly closer towards me, his body weak and frail, helpless and useless, leaning, depending solely on me.
Dark hair kissed against my cheek.
Just a little more.
His next words tugged at my heart.
"We've been…walking...for hours."
I reached up and grabbed the arm circled around my neck, the cold, icy, lifeless arm, grabbing his white fingers and pulling him closer to me.
Snow stung my eyes.
My heart screamed.
"It just feels that way, Will. Trust me. We're almost there."
Silence.
Pure, booming silence.
The wind howled.
We're almost there.
Were we?
I didn't know.
I couldn't know.
Before me, before us, the world was just a blanket of whipping white against darkness, every shape, every shadow blended into the eternal hell of light, the snow crashing, destroying everything. White fell, and darkness consumed, and there was nothing to see, nothing that had been seen for hundred hours, nothing but the snowstorm and its background of black. All there was was snow, cruel, biting snow, and we-
We were walking blind.
We had been walking blind.
Completely blind.
Sparrow's beads chimed against my ear.
Absolutely blind.
A part of me wanted to cry.
Always blind.
Will's voice was a soft, helpless whimper.
"I have to stop."
I couldn't breathe.
"Just a bit more, Will," there was a choke in my voice, a choke I had to swallow down, fingers digging into his hip, shoulder pushing him own, dragging both my body and him through the blinding snow, the swallowing ice, my chest tight and gasping, my mind blank as slate, "Please, Will. Please. We have…we have to keep moving-"
Something grabbed me.
It came out of nowhere, so sudden, so quick, a dash of the falling, crashing snow and the howling icy gale, my body falling sideways, down into the icy maw of the snow-
And then a flash of darkness, of biting, jolting darkness, a cry tearing from my lips as the dark consumed me-
A howl tore through the world.
Oh God.
"JOEY!"
White screamed.
Oh God.
I was on the ground, somehow, someway, back first, face up, lungs gasping for air as the snow screamed down into the world, heart hammering, blood rushing, mind yelling for help, for anything, body frozen, paralysed against the white snow, completely helpless, my entire body screaming, struggling to snap awake-
And then, it pounced onto me.
It.
It was as something had crushed onto me, a boulder, an avalanche of black slamming down onto my body, onto my gasping, wheezing lungs, ribs creaking, heart screaming, the very breath shattered away like glass, my stomach smashing away into a million pieces, tears glazing over my eyes-
I saw it.
It.
It came over my face, giant, horrid, black as death, ears flat against it's head, teeth white and snarling, tongue bloody and raw, jagged, terrible fangs stabbing down into the snow. Black fur bristled, neck roiling with twisting dark muscles, it's hind legs massive and powerful, black paws crushing my rib cage, destroying my very breath. Drool trickled, thick and lucid, fogs of foul white puffing from its wet, flaring nose and in the glaze of my tears, in the blurs of horrible, smiting pain, its eyes stared down, holes of burning fires, of licking flames and screaming souls.
The very windows into the depths of Hell.
Oh God.
My breath was dead.
Oh God.
It was so horrible, so very terrible, it's entire weight pressed down against my chest, cracking bones, smiting veins, shattering every breath, the pain tearing through my body, screaming through my blood. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I stared up into those fiery eyes, those hellion eyes, the growl trembling down to my very core, my entire body shivering, trembling as a cry throttled my throat, fear, panic, pure terror devouring me as I stared up into the monster's snarling face-
"JOEY!"
I twisted my head, snapping it against the snow, ice biting against the nape of my bare neck as I turned away from the beast, from those devil eyes, tears fogging the world as I searched against the white snow, desperation, terror gnawing my heart-
And Will was there, a few feet away, a dark blob in a world of snow and ice, brown hair tearing in the wind. He was slumped back, helpless against the snow, eyes staring right at me, dark, wild, hopeless and completely, utterly horrified. White skin blended into the churning pale snow, a ghost of a man in a fog of tears.
His scream tore through the white world.
"JOEY!"
The monster howled.
The sword.
It was painful, so very painful, a world of blinding tears, lungs crashed, breath tattered, agony soaring through my body as the beast glared down into my face, breath white and foul, eyes cruel and flaming, Will's cry crashing through the world…
And my fingers slipping down into my robe, searching, blind and helpless, cries choking in my throat as I searched against the thunderous weight, pain destroying me, smiting me-
It lunged forward.
Oh God.
It was a dash of black, a blur in the white, white world, pain devouring me-
And then, it bit my neck.
Oh God.
For a moment, I could feel nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Nothing.
All that there was the black blur, the pressing, crushing pain, terror squeezing around my heart, tears streaming down my eyes as the beast moved, lunging down, crashing into my neck-
Pain exploded.
Oh God.
I screamed.
Oh God.
All senses, all thought shattered, glass smashing, fires erupting, webs of rippling, horrid pain shooting beneath my skin, writhing in pure agony as fangs tore through my neck, sinking down into my skin. There was nothing, nothing at all but the flashing pain, the thumping, thundering agony, the beast's powerful jaws ripping across my neck, its heaving black chest pressing against my own paralysed heart. Colours flashed, red and black, screams tearing out of my throat as the pain shot throughout my body, the hell hound growling into my neck as it ripped skin from flesh, blood dripping fiery and furious, my entire body shrieking with pure agony…
And all I could do was scream.
Just scream.
Oh God.
Everything began to flash before, absolutely everything, a wild, wild world in the icy pain, in the fiery blood; images, colours, flashing neon lights bright and brilliant, laughing voices ringing through the world as faces zapped my mind, body writhing back and forth against the icy snow-
Faces that I knew.
Faces that I remembered.
Jared.
The world exploded.
Jared.
Will yelled.
It stopped.
Jared.
It was pulled away, torn away, the faces, the lights, the colours, the horrible, horrible foul breath and ragged fangs-
And then, I opened my eyes.
Will.
Above, the world was covered with tears, foggy, thick tears, frails of white dancing in the silent black, a soft song humming in my ear, like the melody of mermaids or ancient gods, willing me to sleep, to just lie there and fall asleep, forever peaceful in an eternal slumber-
"JOEY!"
I snapped upright-
And pain exploded through my neck.
Oh God.
It was livid pain, a horrible pain, a dull, throbbing, a writhing ache ripping down my side, my eyes glazing over, clouding over as the pain rippled through my body, my tongue coated bitter and metallic, fires streaming down my neck-
And then Will's voice tore through the night.
Will.
He was there, off to my left now, sprawled about the snow, dark hair flying-
And the hell hound just inches away from him, struggling out of the snow, up to it's fallen feet, snarling up into the dizzying white snow….
As if Will had pushed the monster off me or something
Had kicked him.
Shoved him away.
Saved me.
With whatever strength that he had in his dying soul.
Saved me.
The world spun.
Will.
The beast was moving.
Oh God.
I couldn't do anything.
I just…
I just couldn't.
The blood was pouring, red, dark, staining the perfect white snow as it trailed like flames down my skin, my head spinning, the world twirling as pain pounded through my body. My tongue was bitter, too bitter, heart shrivelled, agony writhing through my blood as the world twisted and danced, snow and tears melting together as the dark shape moved through the snow, through the blur towards the still, silent form, prowling to it's dinner, it's meal, hungry for blood-
To Will.
Will.
I couldn't breathe.
The sword.
The hell hound howled.
The sword.
With a blur of tears and a wretch of thumping agony, I reached down weak, bloody fingers, shivering fingers, trembling past the blood-stained black robe, searching, praying, hoping beyond tears and pain that I could find it, that I had the strength to find it, that I could be saved, that Will could be saved-
Cold touched fire.
Yes.
I grabbed Balder's sword.
Yes.
It came loose, out of the black robe, in a bright, brilliant blaze of golden light, gleaming like the sun in the bloody white world, like a star on a cold winter's night. Golden light bloomed, beautiful and wonderful, and warmth screamed, fires leaping from the gold hilt down my skin and into my blood, rushing against the cold, smiting the ice, the bloody pain. Fires shot to my very core, pumping it with flames, the ice melting, the pain shattering, the painful, twisting world clearing away like fog under the rays of the golden sun of as my fingers tightened around the golden hilt-
And I stood up.
Strong.
Powerful.
Alive.
Alive.
"Finally."
And then, I charged forward.
Alive.
Snow bit at my ankles, the ice crashing against my body, pushing me back, the ache of the hell hounds bite still throbbing in my neck, blood dripping down onto the white snow, crimson against ice-
But it none of it mattered.
None of it ever did.
Not anymore.
Red eyes turned to me.
Never again.
It didn't even have a chance.
It came at me then, ignoring Will, a powerful, black beast charging through the snow, terrible and frightening, Hel's little minion, master of fear, red eyes hellion and fiery, white fangs gnashing together, howls ripping from it's terrible throat as it raced through the snow and pounced forward, towards me, ready for the kill-
And all I had to do was turn my blade and let the fiery end rip through it's body.
Never again.
Light screamed, bright and horrible in the dark, icy, bloody world as the blade cut across the beast's exposed belly, catching it in mid-jump, a flash of brilliant gold against the darkness of Hell. Red ruby laughed, cruel and brilliant, a maniac fire surging through my body, through my very soul as I cut the beast across with my blade, light against eternal death-
And then, it dissipated into a fog of black ash.
Dead.
It happened right before my eyes, the split second of light, a growl of agony, and the horrid monster disintegrated to ashes, spontaneously, erupting into a sweeping flood of scattered foul ashes, whipping away into the wind. It was so fast, so very fast, black ash crashing against my body before I could even lower my sword, dancing away into the icy storm, lost and dead forever. Everything disintegrated, everything single thing, its claws, its teeth, it's hellions, flaming eyes…
Everything.
Then, nothing.
Everything into nothing.
Dead.
I laughed.
Dead.
I couldn't help it.
I just couldn't.
It was out of place, it was wrong-
But it was dead.
It was gone.
The hell hound.
The creature that tried to kill me.
The creature that tried to kill Will.
Dead.
Gone.
Dead.
Another laugh, and I kicked snow, blood-stained, ash-coated snow, laughing up into the wild white winds as I kissed my sword, purring in its eternal warmth, its glorious golden warmth, forgetting pain, forgetting tears-
Because I had done it again.
I had saved us again.
Another monster.
Another hellion.
Dead.
I laughed.
Just laughed.
Like a maniac.
A laughing maniac.
Dead.
Will's voice whispered like a dream.
"Is it…dead?"
He was still there, in the snow, sprawled against the shivering, icy white, dark hair whipping back, black as night. Black coat swelled, flapping back in the twirling snow as his pale, weak fingers clawed at the ice, body hunched, weak, defeated. His chest heaved, panting, rapid breaths, nose flaring, cheeks pale. Dark eyes watched, fires in the black.
The sword burned in my hand.
Dead.
A crooked smile tore across my face.
"Dead…gone…destroyed from this world-yeah," he was just watching, weak and little, a dark shadow in the snow but I was smiling, grinning, the warmth, the pure power of the sword rushing through my veins, screaming through my blood, rendering me warm and strong, "Dead. Pretty much. Hel's not going to be happy."
He just stared.
Just stared.
Just stared
Can't he see how amazing this is?
How wonderfully lucky?
Luck?
No.
No way.
This was not luck.
This was never luck.
It was this sword.
And me.
I had just saved us.
Me.
Fires soared within me.
Me.
Will's voice drifted like a dream.
"You're bleeding."
For a second, I just stared at him, at the soft black petals of ash drifting through the whipping white wind, the remnants of that terrible beast falling away with the snow, the fires, the pure heat rushing through me, engulfing me as I stared at Will's fiery eyes, my own heart pounding, laughing with ecstasy-
Bleeding.
Oh.
Right.
Without so much as a thought, I reached up my free fingers, towards my neck-
And pain moaned, stretching throughout my neck, down the side of my body, writhing beneath my skin, a dull, blunt sort of ache tearing into my flesh. Blood pooled at my fingers, thick, hot blood, trailing down my arm, down my neck, dripping like syrup into my black robe, rolling like little rivers of fires. It was disgusting, thick and gross, the pain lapping, tearing, a wrenching ache twisting my gut, my thumping heart-
And there was flesh there, ripped flesh, an icky, squishy coat of raw, soft jagged skin….
Ewww.
Without another word, I pulled back my hand and looked down at my bloody fingers, the dark crimson so strange, so out of place against the white world around us, so stark, so very haunting. Fiery licks of scarlet dripped down onto the pale snow, black ash drifting like a forgotten memory.
Pain throbbed like a distant dream.
"Ewww."
Will's voice was a weak whisper.
"Is it…healing?"
He was still on the ground, on the snow, fires dancing in his eyes, hair wild and free, blood dripping like ,the sands of time; without another word, I crossed the distance between, ploughing through the tainted snow and squatted before him, right in front of him. Our black robes billowed together, rough, ancient cloth fluttering against the oiled dirty leather.
The sword felt like manna.
He looked horrible.
"You ok?" I grinned, for no other reason that the adrenaline and fires raging through my blood, bending down and looking face-to-face into his dark brown eyes, the wind whipping our hairs together; though I no longer feel the cold, Will was shivering, his skin still so ghastly and pale, his chest heaving with each rapid breath. Dark brown eyes stared right back at me, panicked, frightened, like a deer in the headlights. Thin, chapped lips quivered.
Snow howled through the world.
He gulped.
"Me?" he shook his head, his eyes watching me and only me, dark hair wild and beautiful in the raging icy white, "You're the one…bleeding. Joey…. that thing, it bit-"
"Hell hound."
"I thought you were g-going to die."
Without a word, my grin widened, foolishly, and then, with my bloody fingertips, I reached forward and caressed one of those flying dark curls.
Red bled like dying tears.
The sword beamed.
"Will. We're already dead."
A little smile tweaked at his lips, a smile of forgotten times and distant dreams in the world of ice and dripping blood.
Pain throbbed like a dull dim.
"So it's like the falling thing then."
A drop of blood fell from my stray fingers down onto his pale, sickly skin.
The sword burned like the sun.
"No," I shook my head, pulling my bloody fingers back and wiping it against the rough cloth of my robes, fidgeting the warm gold hilt in my other hand, letting the heat, the fires keep its furious race through my blood, Will's eyes wide and dark, burning with something bright, "Not quite-"
"But-"
"Hell hounds are different, Will. Hel made them for guards of her damn palace. They would be worthless if they couldn't…."
The smile faded away, like ink in water, like smoke in ice.
"Kill you?"
"Destroy me. Destroy souls. Disintegrate into nothing, like Scooby back there. It's the magic of the gods, old stuff you know-"
Without another word, Will reached up cold, pale fingers and made for my neck, eyes dark and wild, panicked, frightened, dark pools screaming in complete anxiety, utterly terrified-
And I flinched out of the way, grabbing his stabbing, weak fingers, gasping in the icy, white air.
Fires screamed through my bones.
"It's just a bite. It doesn't even really hurt, not that much anymore, not with this sword-"
"But…but that creature-"
"Didn't finish the job, remember?" I slowly pushed his hand back but didn't let it go, his fingers, his hand so very icy against the warmth of my skin, the fires still raging through my blood, wind so very harsh and cruel, "You stopped it. You saved me."
He paused.
He gulped.
Then, he slowly pulled his fingers out of my warm grip, gently, slipping away back into his sprawled lap, his dark eyes lowering towards the red-white snow, studying the few flakes of ashes still drifting along with the falling snow. Frost of white topped his head, like a pearly pale crown.
His voice was so weak.
"It was…it was going to kill you."
Blood dripped like forgotten dreams.
"Yeah."
Silence screamed.
Will.
For a moment, we just sat there, on the snow, in the middle of the storm, kneeling across from one another, blood and ash dancing in the cold grips of the winter hell.
Blood burned like rivers of flames.
Blade beamed bright and gold.
Will's whisper was a fog of white.
"You're warm. How's that even-"
A howl tore through the night.
Oh God.
Without another word, I snapped my head up, looking away from Will and towards the direction of the howl, fingers tightening around the sword, my flaming heart choking up my throat; it was high, piercing through the endless, shapeless storm of snow, clear as a bell, loud and brutal. It tore through the world, from no direction in particular, so horrible, so very horrible, like a shriek of terror in the night, prickling right through the bone-
And then another, a ragged, calling howl from somewhere in the wild darkness, piercing through the white blanket-
A yap, nearby, and then a loud growl, a monstrous cry into the wild snow storm.
A howl of anger into the hidden dark.
Hell Hounds.
I was on my feet before I could even think.
"Joey?"
"Stay down," my heart was pumping, wild, as I swept in front of Will, blocking his sprawled body behind me, black robe billowing as the snow churned red and ash, the sword swinging loose, a streak of brilliant sunbeams. My lungs were heaving, so sudden, so panicked, the fires of the sword coursing through my blood, giving me strength, power, burning furious and untameable. Fires lapped at my heart, adrenaline rushing as I took my place before Will, sword drawing up, muscles burning with barely contained energy. Howls bayed into the icy night, one after another.
Coming closer.
Closer.
And closer.
Closer.
Blood slithered a fiery dance.
"Joey-"
"Stay behind me, you hear?" I gasped, not even bothering to look back behind me; before me, the world of ice and storm whipped empty and dark, no sign of life whatsoever. There was just the falling snow, the never-ending stretch of ice-packed ground, the whipping white storm, the creeping darkness, the last fluttering of the hound's ashes, flicks of blood-
And the sound of the hounds, howling and crying.
Closer.
Coming closer.
Closer.
I could barely breathe.
Closer.
It was so horrible, the sounds, the writhing cries, coming closer and closer, louder and louder, my eyes blind to everything but the snow, my heart screaming in my chest; the sword still burned, bright in the air, like a brilliant star, burning scores of heat through my blood, feeding me strength, power, making me feel safe and strong…
But the howls were so loud.
So close.
Closer.
All I could see was white.
Will's voice gasped.
"How many are there?"
I didn't look back-
No.
No way.
Not a chance.
Where are you, you basterds?
My heart was screaming.
"Sorry. Never got the chance to count."
Snow whipped, clawing and cruel.
Sword burned, bright and beautiful.
Heart screamed, banging and moaning.
Blood rushed, thumping and furious.
Howls tore, horrifying and bloodcurdling-
And then, something burst through the snow, right in front of me, a large, dark shape darting forward, giant and quick. It was so sudden, so very fast, moving like a beast through the cold, icy white, a giant hulking shape crashing through the sifting white, snow churning wildly in its wake. Footsteps boomed, thundering against the icy ground, the giant, dark shape hurtling towards us at the speed of light, the sword burning bright in my hand as my heart screamed with utter terror and thrill, ready to strike-
A voice cried out from the icy darkness.
"What the hell are you still doing here, dame?"
Balder.
The world sighed.
Balder.
It was Balder, rushing, crashing through the snow, fast and quick, a giant, hulking shadow moving through the icy snow, feet thundering through the perfect white ground. Golden arrows poked out from the back of his head, his bare, naked chest heaving with desperate breaths as biceps rolled dark through the snow, every muscle strained against the hushed white. It was still so dark, a blur of black in the cold, cold world, but with each step, his features became clearer and clearer, the satchel tight around his giant chest, his dark skin like the shade of dusk in a pale, dark world. Golden curls laughed, frosty and pale, wild like bright little lights.
Blue eyes beamed like dancing flames.
Balder.
I ran up and hugged him.
Balder.
He was sweaty, muscles tensed, but he still hugged me back, throwing an arm around my back, not caring if my sword still burned down the side, glowing threateningly. Golden curls laughed, crashing against my head as I stretched my hands around his tall, wide body, my heart giggling with relief, sighing with respite, his body hot and sweaty, a blanket, a shelter against the icy, icy world-
And then, he pushed me back, grabbing by the shoulders, his blue eyes wide and alive in the mist of the twisting icy white. The flute was in his hand, pressing against my shoulder now, its golden blade slicing the air beside my face, gleaming like a shard of sunbeam; his own curls flew in the wind, washed out in the whipping snow, his giant hands burning through the dark fabric of my robe, warm and alive. Flakes of snow frosted atop his wide, bronze shoulders.
His smile cracked like ice against dusk.
Balder.
I smiled.
"I didn't think you were going to catch up in time," I grinned, lowering my sword towards the icy hard ground, the pain still dull and throbbing at my neck, blood trailing like fire ants, "I thought-"
"What?" blue eyes laughed a dance, alive and burning bright, so very young, so very brilliant, his accent a familiar warmth, "And let you have all the credit for saving the pretty prince then?"
Blood burned like a fire's tongue.
"Yeah. Pretty much."
His smile was like a crescent moon in a dark, cold night.
"Stupid girl."
The cold wind howled.
For a second, we just grinned at each other, my own body, my own being thrilled at the sight of him, relieved to just see him again, the pain, the blood fading into memories as I looked up into that bright, glowing smile-
And then a howl tore through the world.
Hell hounds.
The smile dropped from my lips before I could even think.
Hell hounds.
Without another word, I threw a glance behind me, back at Will; he was still there, now standing sloppy against the push of the winter's gale, dark hair flopping wildly, his pale skin blending into the snow, as if he were nothing more then a ghost.
Then again, we were all ghosts.
Another howl, followed by a furious yap.
Hell hounds.
I turned back to Balder.
"How many?"
His smile twitched.
"Don't know," he said, so simply, so gleefully, turning back to peer about into the whizzing wildness of the snow, the smile fading a little, the dimples loosening, a darkness encroaching over his bright, eager eyes as the howls tore into the icy night, "Ten. Twenty. Maybe even thirty- don't know, don't really want to know, you know? I reckon only the North Gate is open, but then again, it could jut be wishful thinking, seeing as my sister was never much on the whole giving-people-a-change thing. I mean, you've met her. Not exactly sweet and lovely, you know-"
"Balder-"
"They were behind me," he whipped back around, golden curls twirling in the frigid cold, blue eyes flaring wide as he turned back to me, his smile hooking on edge, lips curled, tight with a suddenly forced grin, "All of them, chasing me. Didn't really bother to stop, just ran-"
"Not all of them were behind-"
"Right," and he reached up and glided a single finger along the arc of my bloody neck, skin soothing across fiery red; pain lanced under his touch, his skin rushing gently, unconscious over my open flesh, my gut tightening, my heart screaming as his touch roiled agony through my body. Pain moaned, stretched and wired, my brain screaming for a reaction-
And I jumped back, knocking his hand away from my wound, flicking stray drops of red down onto the wild snows. Pain cracked, trembling throughout my neck.
Blue eyes watched, bright and alive.
A howl ripped through the wind.
Hell hounds.
There was something too tight about his smile.
"One got past, apparently."
Pain tugged like an evil torment.
Sword burned like flames.
"Apparently," I nodded softly, the pain still burning, still throbbing, my insides gutted and weak as I stared up into that smile, a smile that seemed too false, too bright, "Balder, it's just a bite. It bit me, a hell hound, and Will stopped it-"
He looked down at the blade burning in my palm.
"And it's dead."
Icy wind moaned.
A howl tore, off to the side.
Hell hounds.
"Yeah."
Blood-stained fingers pressed against my shoulder.
A hound moaned into the icy night.
"Good."
And then, he moved.
Without so much as word, Balder moved past me, quick and agile, forever light on his feet, golden curls laughing in the storm as he swept over the icy landscape, a tall, handsome giant in a cold, cold world. He moved so silently, so very perfectly, dark, sweaty muscles rolling smoothly as he glided over the ash-stained, red-dotted world, moving towards Will's silent, misshapen shadow-
And then, without a single sound, picked Will and threw him over his shoulders.
"OI! Get off!"
A howl cried into the wind, chilling my blood.
My feet were moving before I could even think.
"Balder!" Will was hanging over Balder's shoulders now, limp and helpless, his pale, weak body startled, instinctively trying to pry away from Balder's firm grip, thrown over his dusky, bare shoulders like a flapping haired rag doll, my sword burning bright with each quick stride, "Put Will down-"
"Can he run, me dame?"
Will's dark eyes screamed at me, fingers digging into Balder's steel back as he weakly tried to push away.
He was like a little puppy in a giant's grip.
"No."
Another hound howled.
Balder grinned.
"Then, keep up."
+ End Of Chapter +
So, not so proud of this chapter. Not really good….sorry about that. I promise to work harder on the next one, and get Joey, Balder and Will out of hell as fast as possible.
To all my reviewers, thank you so much! XD Please keep on reviewing, and reading and clicking that pretty button; it works wonders to my self-esteem and hence, my writing. Also, check out my poll on my profile page, if you like.
Once again, I apologise for this chapter, and I will do better for the next one. See you!
XOXO