▃▃▃ ᴅᴏɴᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ʜᴇʀ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴏꜰ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴄᴇ ꜰᴏᴏʟ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱʜᴇ ɪꜱ ꜰᴜʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ʙᴀᴅ-ᴊ ɪʀᴏɴ ᴡᴏʀᴅ
▃▃ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1 ▃▃ In which the only daughter of Persephone sneaks on a quest to see the world for the first time since she's been at camp. The daughter of wisdom...
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𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⭑ ‧₊˚ ⋅ જ⁀➴๋࣭ ⭑๋࣭ ⭑
I ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as the shimmering blade sliced through the space where my head had been moments before. My heart pounded in my chest as I rolled to the side, coming up in a defensive stance, my own sword at the ready. The dream world around me was a chaotic swirl of colors and shadows, making it difficult to focus. Every step felt like treading through a storm.
"Faster, Elara!" Phantasos shouted, his voice carrying an edge of frustration. He moved with an otherworldly grace, his attacks blending seamlessly with the ever-changing landscape. "You can't afford to be distracted!"
I clenched my teeth, trying to push aside my worries. Lysander wasn't in the Underworld, and I had no way to find him. Meeting two demigods in the same place only added to my anxiety. The weight of uncertainty pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.
A sudden shift in the shadows signaled Nyx's arrival. She materialized out of the darkness, her presence commanding and intense. "My Champion," she said sharply, her eyes narrowing as she observed the training. "You're not focused. What's wrong?"
I hesitated, my grip tightening on my sword. Trusting Nyx was difficult, and I didn't want to reveal my inner turmoil. "I'm fine, Lady Nyx," I replied, forcing a steady tone despite the turmoil churning inside me.
Nyx's gaze bore into me, as if trying to unravel my thoughts. Her eyes seemed to pierce through my defenses, searching for the truth I was desperate to hide. "Very well," she said finally, though her tone suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. "Distraction is the weapon of the weak. Prove to me that you are worthy of my title."
Her words stung, igniting a fire within me. I couldn't afford to let my emotions betray me. Tightening my grip on my sword, I prepared myself for the next wave of attacks.
As Nyx faded back into the shadows, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I had to prove myself worthy of being Nyx's champion, even if I didn't fully trust the goddess.
My muscles burned as I parried another strike from Phantasos. His sword came down hard, the force of it vibrating through my arms. He pressed his attack, his strikes coming faster and more unpredictably, each one aimed to break my defenses. I struggled to keep up, my focus narrowing to the blade in front of me, the clang of metal against metal ringing in my ears.
Without warning, Phantasos' sword slipped past my guard. I felt a sharp, searing pain as the blade grazed my neck. A gasp escaped my lips, and I stumbled back, my hand instinctively going to the wound. Blood trickled between my fingers, warm and sticky, and I felt a wave of dizziness threaten to overwhelm me.
"Enough!" Morpheus shouted, his voice filled with concern as he stepped forward, his eyes wide with alarm. "Grandmother, this has gone too far!"
Nyx, however, remained unmoved, her gaze cold and calculating. "Not yet," she said, her voice a chilling whisper. "She must learn to endure."
