Ghosts Of Revenge | ongoing

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

AN ECHO IN THE MOUNTAINS

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THE FIRST THING I noticed when I came to was that my body ached all over, there wasn't a single part of it that didn't feel like it was burning, probably from all the extortion I went through before I passed out.

Scenes of what happened flashed behind my eyelids as I remembered the escape from the underworld before I froze, thoughts creeping into my mind like a horrifying chill. Fuck, did we even make it out? What if we were caught before we even made it out?

I felt my body stiffen as I tried to listen around for anything that would give away my whereabouts. I didn't want to open my eyes yet, in fear that if Hades had indeed captured us (or just me because I still had no idea if Tempest was with me or even alive for that matter), I didn't want to give away that fact that I was conscious. When nothing about the sounds clicked, I found myself slowly opening them; just barely cracking my eyelids open to get a glimpse of my surroundings.

It was hard at first, everything was blurry and my vision wouldn't focus unless I opened my eyes fully but after a while, I managed to see something that made me relax. Light; pure golden light that had to be from the sun. No artificial like lamps or candles from back in Hades' castle.

I have never been more happy to see Apollo in the sort time that I've known him.

Groaning, I tried to sit up and look around but found everything turning black the moment my head was no longer resting against something soft. I gripped the back of my neck and slowly blinked, trying to get rid of the dizzy spell that came over me. Nausea got its grip on me as well and I took short deep breaths to calm down. When I finally could function, I looked around trying to figure out where I was.

I was laying on a bed of grass with some flowers kneaded together like a pillow, in the middle of a field that was surrounded by trees. I pulled myself on my feet slowly, trying to calm but also decipher my thoughts. nothing really made snses and my mind was racing with different possibilities, tons of scenarios both good and bad. I span around, hoping to see something, anything really that wasn't tress and grass but found nothing.

Panic seized my senses, my throat closing up but I stood my ground, still massaging my head as I took a hesitant step forward. There seemed to be a path ahead of me, mostly some repeatedly stumped on grass, so I decided to investigate. There wasn't any source of water nearby or even a cave opening which meant that someone carried me away from the gate of the underworld.

Problem number one; I had to figure out who that was and where they had taken me. Problem number two came in the form of Tempest who wasn't anywhere in sight and last I had checked she hadn't been in shape to carry not only herself but me too for more than three feet away.

I made to move between the trees for more cover when suddenly, I was pushed back. I stumbled, barely catching myself from falling over. What had just happened? I look up, narrowing my eyes on the tree line and try again. This time I saw it as it happened; the bark of the two trees I wanted to pass between bending and closing my path before I was pushed back by their branches.

I quickly stepped back, moving towards the center of the valley far away from the tree line. My breaths came out as sharp gasps as I looked around, finally noticing how the valley looked normal at first glance but when you looked closer it felt like a cage. the wind shifted through their leaves creating a terrifying sound that didn't need darkness and shadows to feel scary.

It was like I was part of a horror film but in broad daylight. I looked up towards the sun but even if I could see Apollo from here, there's no way I would be able to communicate with him. At least not in a way I knew. I cursed, turning like a wild-cornered animal while my heart raced.