Memories

Branded

Chapter 2- Branded

We were trapped in a dark abyss, the only light coming from riptide's faint glow. Annabeth's hand was neatly tucked into mine. Having this small comfort grounded me, reminded me that I had to protect Annabeth, so I raised riptide a little higher and stood a little taller.

"Demigods," the voice of all that is evil spoke, causing the ground to grumble. "What a lovely surprise: the best heroes Olympus has to offer, cowering in my domain."

Annabeth squeezed my hand slightly, as if checking I was still there, before speaking up: "Let us go!" Her voice sounded so strong and commanding that I almost believed she wasn't scared. "You need us up on earth! We're good for business. Without all of the monsters we send to you, you would be nothing!"

"You make an interesting pitch, Daughter of Athena," the voice spoke thoughtfully. "But there are other demigods that send monsters my way."

"But not to the extend we do," I challenged.

"Think about all the powerful monsters we've sent you in the past few years alone!" Annabeth continued. "The Minotaur, The Nemean Lion, The-"

"I believe you're right, Miss Chase," the voice purred evilly.

"So you're going to release us?" I asked, hopeful and weary at the same time. Clearly, that was the wrong thing to say.

The formless voice roared with laughter, "Not quite. You still must be punished for entering my domain uninvited."

The lighting began to change around us and I pulled Annabeth closer to me. The room was painted in splashes of red and orange hues, black shadows cast upon the stone walls. It was completely empty besides two pairs of shackles attached to the wall next to each other.

A man draped in a black Grecian toga materialised in front of us, his colourless eyes twinkling menacingly. "Tartarus," I spit out, the very name sending shocks of fear around my body.

"I cannot kill you as Miss Chase rightly pointed out, it would be bad for business and I am a man of my word, so I will keep my promise to let you go," he seemed to talk without moving his lips; the words gliding from the back of his throat as easily as he was gliding in circles around Annabeth and myself. "So I shall have some fun with you for the remainder of your stay."

Suddenly, I was gazing at Tartarus from a different angle in the room, and I noticed that Annabeth's hand was no longer in mine. I looked up and saw that my wrists were shackled to the wall, as were my feet, and the manacles were so tight that they were already beginning to rub the skin off. Annabeth was beside me in the same position, looking at me despairingly.

"Who wants to go first, then?" Tartarus snapped his fingers and what looks like a whipping post appeared behind him. Wicked shadows stretched out beside the towering post that taunted me, laughed at me. "Miss Chase, would you do me the honour-"

"Don't you dare," I snarl. "You lay so much as a finger on her and I swear on the river Styx that I will erase you from existence."

"How touching," Tartarus said it completely stone-faced. "I suppose you'll be willing to take her place then. We'll see how long your sacrificial heroics will last."

Annabeth suddenly cuts in, her trembling voice shouting over the fear in my mind. "Don't you dare! Percy, don't-"

"Yes." I said as boldly as I could, swallowing the lump of fear in my throat. I couldn't let Annabeth get hurt, I couldn't bear the pain of knowing that I could have stopped her from getting hurt.