Fear of Erebus

Escaping Darkness: Part I

I awoke in a damp cell. The steady, painful drip of water down the back rock face was the only thing to be heard. The low gloom of the Greek fire torches, that hung just beyond the bars, was the only thing to be seen.

I slumped against the wall and closed my eyes in defeat. How could I have been so naive? The signs were all there- mocking me to second guess him, but I was blinded by my want to trust. I had thought he was different.

How did I screw up so badly?

"Lady Artemis?" A meek, hoarse voice crept from just over my shoulder. I cocked my head to the side, listening. I knew that voice. "Lady Artemis." It repeated. Two bone thin hands gripped at the rusted bars next to my ear, her green eyes illuminated by the fire. "Where's Per-" A merciless cough stopped her from finishing. She didn't need to finish, though, I knew who she was asking for. I rested my head back against the cell and closed my eyes. The coughing got worse and the splattering sound smelled of copper.

She sniffled and, between the bars, I felt her collapse helplessly against my back. "Where is he?" She sounded tired.

The words felt sore in my throat. "He's not coming." For a moment I didn't hear anything, and I bitterly thought that she might have given up- given in. It was probably better that way.

"You're wrong." She breathed. I wish I was but it was layered in a thick uncertainty.

"Where's the other one. The Roman Augur?" I turned my head to the side, her breathing was uneven.

She paused again, desperately trying to keep her sobs to herself. "He's over there," I knew that she was trying to smile, despite herself. "alive, I think." As one of my brother's chosen, she was a lot stronger then most, and I admired her for that, but I also knew that she was scared. And she had every right to be.

"Hey, Rachel," I patiently waited for a response, a signal that she was still here. But there was nothing. "Rachel?" I rolled on to my knees and squinted through the darkness. "Rachel, hey, come on." I scarcely managed to squeeze four of my fingers through the bars and nudged her shoulder. She groaned and her head lolled slightly. "Come on, we will get through this, okay." She whimpered and her coughing started again.

I slid back down. "We'll get through this." I murmured more to myself, rather then anyone else. "I promise."

<Line Break>

I was pretty sure I was beyond the point of exhaustion, now. The darkness was both suffocating and empty at the same time, and I just really wanted to punch it in the face. Rachel had fallen asleep awhile ago and the roman Augur occasionally made unintelligent grunts and groans as he rolled from one side to the other. I felt like punching him too.

There was a hum of energy in the air, it seemed so familiar- yet, so... distant? The torches roared with renewed strength and there was a clang of metal keys. I rolled my head to the right, a slim silhouette stood expectantly in the doorway, the reflection of the green light danced innocently against his scarred face.

"Traitor." I hissed. I would have imagined him smiling, a bit of a sane-less grin from his time in Tartarus, and I slammed my head back against the bars as a sudden violent gust of anger rolled over me. How could I have been so foolish to trust him? Of all people?

"Lady Artemis." He said flatly. I couldn't ignore the sound of the soft crack of dirt under his boot as he circled me, careful and calculated. And then he stopped, no more then a few feet away. So close I could lunge, maybe strangle him. One last act of defiance. But I was too tired. Too weak. There was a rustle of clothing and I could sense him crouched down, his dangerous green eyes, glowing like a cat in the full moon. "No one's coming to save you this time."

The sides of my mouth twitched upwards, my uncontrollable wrath was about to hit boiling point. "What's the matter?" I taunted back. "Can't finish the job?" I spat at him, right next to his nose. He might have smiled at that.

I smiled back. Then I punched him, square in the jaw. An awkward kick to his hip followed, and I sensed him crash on to the floor. I heard him shift as I dived for his throat, his legs thrashing wildly and it made me wonder how well he could see through his master's gloom. I gritted my teeth and grunted when a stray foot made contact with my stomach, pushing me back with an unexpected force. He jumped to his feet and wasted no time in throwing aimless punches, I dodged and tried to hit back, once getting him under his armpit, only to be greeted by an elbow to my cheek.

I grabbed at his right bicep and roughly clasped my other hand around his throat, kicking fiercely at his feet, hoping to knock him down, put him on the defensive. But he just held me at length, a quiet persistence had settled over him- like he knew he had won, and my efforts of struggling were nothing more then an amusing game to him.

But something was off - there was no grunting or growling, or deep breathing, or unnecessary backchat. Just him and me, reduced to a natural instinct of fight and survive. And in that moment, I felt it. His muscles were lax somewhat- he was holding back, but it was just enough for me to get the upper hand. I kneed him in the gut and jabbed him in the neck with my two fingers. He doubled over and staggered back a bit, but I stayed in my battle stance, waiting for a sound.

There was a sharp scrape against the floor, and then a quite whoosh of the air- like a heavy object had been thrown- and Jackson sailed overhead. An ugly snap followed as his head made contact with the metal bars that separated the prisons. By the dimness of the light, I could see his body sag slightly, and that familiar copper smell drifted to my nose.