Falling Through Portals

WE ARE THE MASTERS

Chapter 113

​Annie brandished her knife so that the sun from the opening glinted off the metal, "I have been itching to kill someone for a while. Who knew I would get the chance so soon."

​Annabeth hid the rock she had plucked from the ground as she got to her feet, using the wall for stability. There might have been four feet between them. It meant there was four feet between her and the knife. It also meant there was four feet between her and the exit. And considering she was completely unarmed, Annabeth's only chance was the exit.

Annabeth tightened her grip on the rock. It was small but it was better than nothing.

​Annie took a step towards her.

​Three feet.

​"You know," Annabeth wiped a stray piece of hair out of her eyes, "When I read the books, I never realized what a sadistic brat you are."

​Annie sneered at her before taking another step closer.

​Without warning, Annabeth struck. Slamming the rock into Annie's temple before kneeing her in the gut. Annie stumbled back and dropped the knife. Annabeth scrambled past her and into the opening of the cave. Her knees and hands scraped on the rocks as she raced out.
​Nearly tumbling into the sand, Annabeth forced herself to run.

​A yell from behind her was enough to tell her Annie was on her heels. Annabeth dragged every bit of strength together into this sprint.

​After a week of dogging shrubs and running in the shifting sands, Annabeth had gotten very good at it. Annabeth glanced back at the murderous redhead who raced after her. Some of the tightness in Annabeth's chest released after seeing the distance the terrain was putting between them. But Annie was learning quickly. Annabeth chose the most difficult path down the hill, carefully avoiding the voids of loose sand.

​By the time she made it to the dry flat between two of the hills, her claves were already burning. Annabeth forced herself to pick up the pace. Once Annie made it to the flats she would start gaining. She aimed for one of the rocky plateaus and kept running.

​Annabeth turned on a dime to enter the quarry. She darted through a small cleft in the rocks. Barely big enough for one person, Annabeth ran as fast as she could as the rocks on either side of her scratched her shoulders. Nearly stumbling on a stray rock, Annabeth was released into the open once more.

But she was stopped short by a man who appeared in front of her out of thin air.
Annabeth stumbled to a stop.

Before she could dodge him, two huge hands grabbed her shoulders. He slammed her against one of the rocks.

The back of her head hit the rock with a sickening thump.

Through the stars decorating her vision she saw the man's face. Seemingly covered in pitch colored glass, his entire face reflected the sun like a dark mirror. Annabeth strained against his grip but his hold on her was rock hard.

​"Surrender yourself, Annabeth Chase," the creature growled.

​Annabeth twisted away from the man's face. She tried to knee him in the groin but he was too fast. he responded by grabbing her wrists and throwing her off the ledge of rock they stood on.

​Annabeth barely had enough time to get her hands in front of her face before she slammed into the sandy rocks below.

The breath was knocked right out of her.
Her body launched into panic as her senses began dimming.

Until she finally choked through her first breath, all she could feel was the sharp rocks digging into her flesh.

She pried open her eyes only to be beaten back by vertigo.