Forged Destinies

FTTF'S Missing Chapter

Ch. 3

Time lost all meaning.

There was no sun and no sky. The only light was a dull reddish one cast by the many fires that seemed to be burning randomly all around them. Without anything to go by, it was impossible to keep track of the minutes which were quickly stretching into hours.

It was hard to make out exactly what they were in.

Was it a cave?

No, that didn't seem the right word. It was way too big to be a cave. It was vast and seemingly endless. Every time they reached something she had seen in the distance, it was just followed by more and more of the same, never really changing and never coming to an end.

The Phlegethon went on for miles, making gentle curves and bends but generally continuing in the same direction... Whatever direction that was.

Percy said it led into the heart of Tartarus. As unappealing a place as that sounded, she wished it wasn't taking so long to get there. The longer they traveled the more alone and isolated she felt. Despite being the birthplace of monsters, Tartarus was seeming more and more like barren and deserted wasteland, devoid of life outside of the two of them wandering aimlessly until their bodies failed them.

Zoë looked to her right. Percy was looking more and more weary the further they traveled. Their conversation had dried up hours ago. Neither of them seemed to have the energy to continue it, deciding it was best to conserve all they had for the task at hand, which was currently to put one foot in front of the other and even that was becoming increasingly difficult.

Before she knew what hit her, something hard hit her square in the chest. Unable to get any words out before a hand clamped over her mouth, her panicked face told the thoughts her voice could not.

Percy dragged her behind a rock, holding her in place until she realized it was him and calmed down. Looking into her eyes as he carefully removed his hand from her mouth, his eyes darted towards the direction they had been traveling and she quickly caught on. She nodded that she understood and crept to the side of the boulder and peered around until she found a pair of Cyclopes meandering around about twenty yards ahead of them.

She had been so caught up in her internal musings that she hadn't noticed they were walking straight into danger.

She looked back at Percy who was coming around from the other side of the boulder they were hiding behind.

"What should we do?"

Percy just shook his head, "Wait? Maybe they'll wander off."

She frowned at his plan. It wasn't exactly one of his finest.

"And what? Wait for them to catch us unexpectedly?"

Percy looked thoughtful for a moment. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Anaklusmos.