(A/N Hey guys, don't forget to vote! Here is the poll:
First Poll:
Yes – 4
No – 3
Second Poll (Only if you said yes to the first one.):
Reading fanfic. If this one is chosen, there will be a poll after these two to decide the fanfic they would read. – 3
An AU where Percy is mortal, but immortal beings are still around and alive. – 0
Different category of fanfic all together (probably Spider-Man because that is the other thing I know the most about, only trumped by Percy Jackson probably). – 2
Again, please don't forget to vote. I'm also very sorry, but these next couple of chapter are going to be pretty short. I hope you won't mind too much. Anyways guys, see you Sunday.)
Chapter 12: The Shadows
Percy POV
Unknown location and time
I woke up in a room where I couldn't see anything which was odd. Necause I could normally see through shadows with Erebus's blessing, yet I couldn't here. I tried to adjust, but the inky blackness seemed to swallow everything, even my vision. 'What is this stuff? This can't be anything natural, or else I would be able to see.' I thought to myself as I kept trying to look around.
"Well, looks like it worked. It's funny almost. It's funny how I beat you so easily. Obviously, you were distraught and distracted, but I mean... still. It's pathetic really. Why are you so feared?" A voice seemed to say all around me.
I didn't respond.
"Being stubborn, are we? Well, I guess I could try and make you talk. Might as well give you the option though... easy way... or hard way?" The voice asked, clearly male. He seemed to really like the idea of the hard way.
"Fuck... you... bastard..." I coughed out.
He laughed gleefully, "Okay, the hard way it is."
(A/N Heads up guys. This is going to be a long torture session. I'm sorry, but it's needed.)
I was about to ask what he was going to do when I felt a sharp pain in my left thigh. I didn't feel it much at first, but the pain kept growing and growing in intensity. I felt an extremely hot, sharp blade piercing my right leg. I didn't know when it was going to stop. I just knew that there must've been more than one person there. I started feeling pricks along my entire body. At first, they were minor annoyances compared to the other two pains, but then they kept getting jabbed at... and jabbed at... and jabbed at. My skin became raw; I could almost feel it peeling off. The pain was unimaginable. After a few torturous hours of being poked, prodded, and stabbed over my entire body, it suddenly quit. I let out a breath of relief that soon ended. I felt a sword pierce my chest and hit my lung. I could feel my lung collapse, and I could feel the effects on my body. I felt the cold, hard metal of the blade slide out of my chest as blood fell down my front side and covered my shirt. I didn't realize it, but I was screaming so loud. I was surprised I didn't hear it. Then, a thought came to me, what if this blackness also swallowed sounds. If that was the case, how could I hear that man speak. I quickly realized that he probably created the blackness, so he could see, speak, and hear in it. I was terrified. Something I wasn't used to. I waited... and waited. I waited as I felt a hot smooth surface touch my skin. At first, it was just warm and relaxing, then it got hotter and hotter. I felt the circle being burned onto my lower back. I felt my skin sizzling, my blood boiling. I felt everything melting and turning to flames and fire. I felt an unimaginable amount of pain. I felt like I was dying. Then, it dawned on me, 'I might be dying.' When I had this thought, the pain of the flaming circle left. I felt like I was free again. Like I could do anything. Then, another pain came. A pain that was indescribable. I couldn't tell where it was coming from, but it felt like I was being evaporated and reformed… over and over again. I don't know how long this lasted, but it must have lasted a long time, or it was so intense it seemed to last years. I felt like I could never leave. I felt pain so much worse than Kronos's scythe or anything in Tartarus. I didn't know how this... thing was doing it, but I did know he was the most dangerous foe I would have ever faced.
(A/N The torture is over.)
"So... feel like telling me now? Want to answer my question? Why are you so feared? You are a weak and insignificant fool. You are worthless! You hear me?! WORTHLESS!"
"Is... that... so?" I questioned him as I coughed up blood.
"Yes, it is. I don't even know how your girlfriends could even love you. They would probably be so much more satisfied with me. I can imagine them now. Them begging for mercy while I put them in my prisons. Maybe have some fun with them for a while. Make them scream my na-" He was cut off by a scream that could stop all time. The blackness evaporated, and the deafness came undone. My mouth was open, emitting the awful noise. The man stood there stunned. I broke the chains. Adrenaline rushed through my blood. I uncapped Riptide and unsheathed my new sword, recently named Void Rider, and I stabbed them both through the man's heart. He howled in pain. I ran through the open door and ignored the pain. I knew that the odds of me surviving were close to none. I was about to run through another door that seemed to lead outside when a voice stopped me.
"Percy?"
I turned to see Artemis, Bianca, Zoe, Reyna, Hestia, and Nyx looking at me. I ran to them, but I noticed something was off. I noticed that they were darker, colder almost. I reached out to caress Artemis's face when she grabbed my hand suddenly. Her eyes went pitch black, and she turned demonic. I looked at the other five and saw the same thing. I tried to run, but Artemis held on to my hand. She started to squeeze it tighter and tighter. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to hurt her because she looked like Artemis, yet I knew I had to if I wanted to escape. Without having any other option, I chopped off 'Artemis's' hand. She screamed in agony as she evaporated into shadows. I turned to see the other five getting ready to chase me. I soon bolted out the door into a bright sunlight. I didn't need to adjust to the light, but it felt odd being in the light after being in the dark for what felt like hours... days of torture. I honestly didn't know how long I was in there. I just knew I wouldn't survive unless I found help. I trudged through the forest. After an hour, I collapsed. I did the last thing I could think of. I prayed. I prayed to everyone I could think of. Then a bright golden light filled the air. I turned to see Apollo looking at me with worry, concern, and fear. He quickly flashed us to his temple. When we arrived, I instantly blacked out.
Seventeen hours later
I woke up to hushed whispers. I turned to see all my girlfriends standing at the end of the infirmary. The first one to see me was Artemis. She gasped and had tears in her eyes. She ran over to me and tried to hug me. I flinched away involuntarily remembering the shadows that fooled me.
"Percy? What's wrong? Are you okay? What happened?" She asked me desperately as she clung onto my hand.
I realized that this was the real her and gave her a hug. I whispered sweet nothings into her ear about how I was alright and about how she didn't have to worry about me.
She shook her head at me and kissed me briefly before moving, so my other girlfriends could see me. They all walked up to me and gave me a kiss and worried over me. I told them all that I was fine; I just needed a little rest. They nodded as I made the bed larger, so they could all fit in. They happily joined me and snuggled close to my chest. I smiled warmly at them; then, I remembered the pain I went through. I remembered the shadow demons fooling me into almost going back to the chamber. I remembered how I acted to get out of there. Once I made sure they were all asleep, I noticed I had two extremely visible scars, one on my chest and a burn mark on my lower back. I tried not to think about how I got those. I just tried to sleep and rest with my girlfriends. My mind however didn't want to be happy. It just kept thinking about those shadows...
(A/N So, this chapter was pretty depressing and short. Sorry. This was just to show some of the power that the antagonist holds over Percy. I hope you all enjoyed. I'll hopefully see you Sunday. BYYYYYEEEEEE!)