Chaos Rising |BOOK 2| Harry Potter x PJO |Alexandra Marine|

ALEXANDRA MARINE

We serve the bitter and the defeated, said the arai. We serve the slain who prayed for vengeance with their final breath. We have many curses to share with you.

"Oh dam," I cursed.

The nearest demon lunged. Her claws extended like bony switchblades. 

I knew I shouldn't kill her.

I knew it.

Dam you, ADHD.

I slashed her into two.

As soon as she'd vaporized, my wrists grew hot. I looked down, and they were bleeding, as though I had been shackled, except the shackles had sharp daggers on the inside that were piercing through my skin. My ankles felt weak.

Queasiness almost knocked me over. Vengeance. A curse from the slain.

The spirits bared their fangs. More arai leaped from the black trees, flapping their leathery wings.

Yes, they agreed. Feel the pain you inflicted upon Tantalus. So many curses have been leveled at you, Alexandra. Which will you die from? Choose, or we will rip you apart!

"I-I- don't-" I muttered.

Choose! the arai cried. Will you be electrocuted like Kampê? Or cut into pieces like Kronos? Or stabbed a hundred times like Hyperion? Or perhaps you would like to be crushed by the weight of the sky? You have spread so much death and suffering, Alexandra. Let us repay you!

The winged hags pressed in, their breath sour, their eyes burning with hatred. They looked like Furies, but even worse. At least the three Furies were under the control of Hades. These things were wild, and they just kept multiplying.

With a burst of fury, I raised myself up with my trident and began attacking them all. 

Each time a demon disintegrated, I felt a heavier sense of dread as another curse settled on me. Some were harsh and painful: a stabbing in the gut, a burning sensation like being blasted by a blowtorch. Some were subtle: a chill in the blood, an uncontrollable tic in my right eye.

Seriously, who curses you with their dying breath and says: I hope your eye twitches!

I fell to my knees in defeat, blood streaming from my eyes. The poison that I had given to the King of Rome for killing my heroes. 

The Curse of the Caesar Lucius, the arai whispered. 

I touched my ears, which were ringing wildly. They were wet, blood oozing out of them as well. 

"If I can't save myself," I muttered, swallowing the metallic taste of blood coming from my mouth, "I'll at least go down taking you all out."

And with a terrifying scream, I let go of everything I had. 

Fires, deep red and powerful, erupted from my hands. They illuminated the dark corner of the forest, and began to eat away without prejudice.

"You curse me," I said, "I curse you right back."

I had to smile as the arai shrieked in horror. I felt myself go faint as my energy went to zero. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Unfortunately enough for me, my nose was bleeding too.

Tough luck, I thought.

My breath became colder, and the temperature dropped. My fires seemed to be all but tiny stars in the darkness.

I turned around, my breath sharp and fading, and backing away as much as I could as a presence emerged from the void—a form so vast and shadowy that I felt like I was learning the concept of dark truly for the first time.