Her Champion

Chapter Eleven

Word Count: 3000

Remember that mountain lake I mentioned? Yeah, that’s the only place she hasn’t touched yet. I felt my blood coursing hot, bubbling, moving at inconsistent rates. My fingers were twitching, tingly with numbness. My shoulders were stressed, knotted with pressure. I was struggling to breathe. When I finally stop zoning out I tug on Hank’s sleeve. He looks at me confused.

“Is there a gym here? Maybe a training area?” He looked to Persephone and she nodded, taking my arm and leaving the well-aged angel behind. We walked past the doorway to the tunnel.

”While I’ve got you alone, I wanted to thank you for bringing my husband back to me.” She smiled and patted my arm. I shook my head, with a smaller smile;

”I didn’t bring him back-Remi did.” She nodded along, like I was a child spouting nonsense. Maybe I was. We eventually made it to a training ground, large and strong angels were training, sparring. As soon as they saw me though; they stopped and cleaned up. Leaving Persephone and I alone on the grounds. She touched my arm and I sighed. She let go and walked away. I wanted to disappear.

I did a light stretch next to the track, warming up to run. I started with a light jog around the track, two, three, six, twelve… I lost track so I picked up the pace. I just kept running around the loop. Running and running, and running away from my problems. I felt a light sheen of sweat begin to turn into a heavy drip. I slowed down to a jog again. I wiped my forehead and walked over to the closest punching bag. I started hitting it.

Every kick and punch made the chain swing severely, I was trying to get my aggression out but it all just made me more angry. Pap. Pap. My blood pressure rose, I got tunnel vision. I was heartbroken. She had practically stripped the earth of every place that was special to me. Another swing. 

“Hon?” I froze. It was dark out now, my knuckles bloody. At some point the chain snapped but I just kept going, hitting the bag on the ground. My knees were scraped up and covered in dirt. Little droplets dusted with the brown substance dripping onto the ground.

”I think you may need to come inside. We’ve found out where Primera will be next, we think it’ll be a while before she does though.” A hand on my shoulder. I winced hard enough they let go. I could feel the tears building up, a burn in the back of my throat. I turned around and hugged them. I started sobbing into their arms, I couldn’t breathe, my breath catching each time I tried. I couldn’t stop.

”It’s okay. It’ll be alright.” I faintly recognized the voice belonging to Hera. She started petting the short stubs that made up my hair. I started hiccuping in between the sobs that wracked my rib cage. I felt something brush my neck and I looked up at her. She stuck the needle further in and a clear liquid went in. I felt another tear drop down my cheek.

”What?” My vision started to fade again, she caught me as I started to fall, her arms tightening around me.

“I’m sorry kiddo.” I slipped out of her grasp but I didn’t get far. I woke up in a field. Remi was sitting next to me, making a flower crown like Artemis. I laid there for a moment, taking in the peace and quiet. They looked at me, their multiple eyes reflecting in the sunlight. They didn’t look at me, they just kept humming and folding the flower stems. 

I finally sat up, bringing my knees up to my chest. My hair was still short here so I must still be on earth.

”You are.” They were looking at me now, intensely. Eyes shining with knowing, amusing me with my mortal concerns.

”Where am I?” I asked softly, I had looked down to my legs, I was barefoot, my legs had scars from the brush and battle. The pads of my feet were calloused and hard. I flattened my palms and ran my hands down the hairs on my legs.