Starlight and Repair boy (Leo Valdez x OC)

Chapter 26

Caitlyn

"Pain is what can drive you insane if you let it,"

They were uglier than I recalled. But what most freaked me out was... Their eyes. Their eyes were soulless pits. If I had kept looking into them, they would've driven me into total despair. Tears streamed out of their eyes and the Algea acted as if they had no control over them. The tears streamed down their hollow cheeks. I diverted my eyes away from theirs and looked away.

I was on the dirt floor, listening to their painful sobs. Just hearing them made me want to curl up into a ball and die. I allowed their taunting whispers to overwhelm me. This is it, this is where I give up. I looked up and saw a toothless smile grow on their face.

Why would she be smiling? I realised those depressing thoughts weren't mine and shut them out. The same Algea who smiled, her lips went downwards and more sobs escaped them. It's the energy coming from them that's making me feel like this. I won't give in to them.

With a groan, I stood up and I turned, facing them. We weren't underground anymore. The sky was grey, not a beam of moonlight to be seen. The gravestones surrounded me felt eerie, it was as if they were watching me, seeing who would win.

Wow, I'm feeling the pressure now. I heard Leo's groan from behind me, bringing me out of the depressing sight. "Leo!" I scrambled for him, completely ignoring the Algea's hissing. I kneeled next to him, checking for injuries. Luckily, he was only covered in dirt.

"I'm okay, Starlight." he chuckled, lightening the weight of the situation. "Starlight?" I asked as I helped him onto his feet. He looked at me as if I should have known what he was talking about. "Yeah, cause' your dad is the sun god and such. The sun is a star so-"

"Whatever Leo! Look around you, it's not the time to be creating nicknames!" I yelled.

"Okay! Okay, chill. Uh, what's up ladies," He finally saw the Algea behind me. I didn't even bother to roll my eyes because once I faced them, fear started clawing at my gut. But I was still annoyed at Leo for not taking this seriously.

I looked at each of them and tried to work out who was who. I guessed the one who was on the ground sobbing hysterically, clutching her stomach was Lupe: the goddess of pain. Ania: the goddess of sorrow, was probably the one standing still as tears leaked from her pure black eyes and with her head bent down. I looked to the goddess in the middle, that must be Achus: the goddess of anguish, she was clutching her head tightly and shaking her head.

These are some creepy goddesses we're facing, okay.

"Enough chatter," Lupe hissed, "Time to be fed." The others cackled in glee and looked greedily at us. "Uh, do they mean that they want to eat my flesh? Cause' that's a no for me,"

Just when he finished talking, all of the Algea started chanting. Well, more like moaning and they would occasionally wail for a bit. I felt like running away from this cursed place but I stood my ground knowing that wouldn't fix anything.

Their voices themselves caused a chill to go up my spine and I felt dread in the pit of my stomach. Just thinking about what possibly could happen next made me feel nauseous. All of a sudden, the dirt beneath us started moving.

The dirt below us bubbled as if it was a pot full of boiling water. I heard one of them say, "Ah, this graveyard, so much misery, depression, so much... pain." I could hear the glee in her voice and it terrified me. The Algea, all at the same time, raised their arms as if they were summoning Satan.