The New Gods

Chapter 6

-A Golden Trident-

Nicholas awoke to a distant dripping sound that echoed through the room. He felt sluggish, and just the mere action of opening his eyes was difficult. 

"Mom?" he called. He must've fallen asleep pretty late last night. He knew he had school that morning. He couldn't miss the bus again. 

Nicholas was finally able to focus his eyes, and realization punched him in the gut. His breath seemed to be literally sucked form his lungs as he took in his surroundings. His arms were held above him by chains clamped around his wrists. His back was pressed up against a cold stone wall. It looked like he was in some type of basement but medieval style. It was dark besides the green glow that came from a pot in the middle of the room. 

His heart sank. Adira was strung up beside him, but just out of arms reach. She was still unconscious, her head dipped forward on her chest. Nicholas fought against his restraints. The metal dug into his wrists and he clenched his teeth. 

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," a woman's voice echoed from somewhere in the darkness. "Try all you might, child." A moment later the old lady from before emerged into the green hue. She smiled a crooked smile, exposing her crooked teeth. Nicholas grimaced. 

The woman shuffled forward. Adira groaned. Nicholas turned, pulling against the chains as he leaned toward her. "Adira," he called as her eyes fluttered open. He watched as she tried to process what was happening. She finally met his eyes.

"Nicholas... What's going on?" she asked, her voice sounding tired and worn. What was in that food?

The woman laughed, which sounded more like a cat hacking up a hairball. "What do you think, dearie?"

"What are you?" Nicholas spat, once again trying to find a way out of the metal cuffs.

The woman's smile grew inhumanly. Her eyes glossed over with a purple film. "I'm a follower of the Greek Goddess, Hecate. She has blessed me with the ability of magic. But every gift comes with a price..."

The witch woman moved forward to Adira. She pulled a sickle, a sharp crescent moon shaped knife, from her cloak and eyed the girl with an odd look almost like... hunger.

"Hey!" Nicholas yelled. The metal dug into his wrists and he felt liquid begin to run down his arms. "Get away from her."

"What do you want!" Adira whimpered, trying to shrink away into the wall behind her. She squirmed against the metal restraints the held her in place. The woman came closer, her baring teeth more resembling fangs. 

The woman sprang forward and gripped Adira by the shoulders. Adira yelped as the witch dug her claws into her skin. She held the point of the sickle to Adira's throat and pressed lightly, dragging the sharp end down her collar bone. 

"Stop!" Nicholas cursed himself and the chains that bore into his skin. He hated being restrained. He hated watching helplessly as Adira was in pain. Anger began bubbling up in his stomach, as if someone had set water on a stove to boil. 

"What I want is," the old woman smiled as she moved the sickle so it was pointed at Adira's chest, "you."

The witch pushed the sickle into her skin. Adira screamed in pain as, instead of blood, green mist exited the wound. The trail of mist circled around the old woman. The witch stared at, her brows furrowed. The blood seemed to have drained form Adira's face. Her amber eyes turned gray and she slumped forward, once again unconscious. 

Nicholas couldn't believe what had just happened. The boil of anger suddenly exploded. "NO!" he boomed. There was a tug in his gut, and he directed the emotion to the feeling. Something grew in his hand. Water formed from his palm and stretched in the air. It created a staff. The water solidified, turning into a gold trident.