FORTITUDINE (COMPLETED)

29) He is Death

The rain quickly filled up the small hole and I was able to swim up and out onto dry land. My clothes are now completely soaked and slows my pace as I try to run the direction Thanatos went.

It doesn't take me long before I reach the forest' edge and I stop to catch my breath. I hear shouting to my left and I see Thanatos picking Julia up in his arms and he rushes off to take her to the medical tent.

Boom.

My eyes search for who's dead and I see Stephen standing over an unresponsive Benjamin. I look towards the field to see Jacob watching me and I give him a weak smile. 'He must be really good to have defeated Julia so quickly. Stephen's also a better fighter than I thought he was.' I think to myself as I glance behind him to see Blayne hitting Thomas in the head with a rock-wait.

Thomas falls halfway into the roaring current but doesn't get pulled in by the winter waters. I sigh in relief but it gets caught in my throat when Blayne starts walking towards Stephen who has his back turned to us.

I suck in a breath as Blayne raises a large rock held tightly in his hand as he steps onto a tall boulder behind Stephen.

"Stephen! Look out!" I scream as I watch a complete and utter disaster unfold before me.

Jacob breaks out full speed towards Stephen and Blayne as I fall to my knees in fear of everyone's life.

Just as Blayne releases the rock in his hand towards Stephen's head, Jacob jumps in the way and the rock hits him in the head as he falls straight into the icy current.

I freeze in utter shock of what just happened. Stephen tries to grab his foot but the current is too fast and Jacob gets swept away, black waters swallowing him whole.

Boom.

'This can not be happening. Jacob can't be dead. The drum must be for Julia. Dear God. What just happened?'

I don't really know what compelled me to do so but I ran back into the forest like the devil himself was chasing me. A more human, blue-green eyed version of him might actually be chasing me for all I knew.

As I ran, I covered myself in a dense fog as dark rain clouds followed me overhead but no rain fell. Now was no time for tears. I was in the middle of a Trial that would decide if I lived or died. 'Like Jacob.' A single tear fell down my cheek and lightning struck a tree nearby. I flinched and wiped he tear away as thunder roared through the forest trees. I stopped running and fell to my knees.

A dark chuckle rang into the thick fog that surrounds me.

I gasp for air out of breath from running and get into a defensive position.

"Who's there?" I call out into the unknown.

"Death." Whispers a deep voice from behind me.

I scream and turn around only to see white fog.

"Where are you?" I gasp out as I steadily turn around in circles to find the owner of the all too familiar, terrifying voice.

"Everywhere." Whispers the voice as it echoes in all areas around me.

That's when Thanatos steps out from the fog and uses all his strength to punch me in the head.

I fall to the ground with a thud and watch with fading unconsciousness as Thanatos kneels down and brushes a strand of hair out of my face.

He bends down to plant a kiss on my forehead. "One weakness down, one to go." He whispers as I am swallowed into darkness.

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