Storm [LAMS demigod AU]

Alex

Trigger warning: death mention. 

A/N: Sorry this chapter is a bit late I've been really busy lately. 

Alex must have fallen asleep while plummeting to his death.

Either that or he'd actually died and he was now in the Fields of Punishment vibing with everyone else who had done such horrible things that Pluto had taken the time to design a special punishment just for them.

If Alex really was in the Fields of Punishment, his eternal punishment must be an eternal migraine. The pain in Alex's head was so intense that he could barely keep his eyes open.

Not that he really needed to keep his eyes open. It was so dark that there was really no difference between opening his eyes and closing them. Either way, everything was pitch black.

Alex heard movement in the distance, the sound of wind rustling through grass.

Grass? He thought, confused. There's no grass in the Underworld.

The sounds of movement got closer and closer. Alex's instincts screamed at him to run and hide, but where could he run to? Was there even anywhere to hide?

Alex shakily got to his feet. He hesitantly took a few steps forward, extending his arms out in front of him to make sure that he didn't walk into anything.

This must be what it feels like to be blind. Alex thought as he slowly made his way forward.

Wherever Alex was, this definitely didn't feel like the Underworld. The air felt open all around him. He could feel a cool breeze against his skin. He'd never been to the Underworld, but he'd always imagined that the air felt heavy and oppressive, carrying the stench of sulfur and the screams of the damned.

Here, it was dead silent.

There was no cool breeze in the Underworld. The air didn't feel this fresh and open in the Underworld.

He looked up, hoping to see the stars or the moon or anything that might indicate where he was. But the sky was just as pitch black as everything else.

Something felt off about this place. This darkness wasn't just normal nighttime darkness. It felt like something was sucking the light out of the air, like someone had pulled a heavy black curtain over the moon and the stars.

I take it back. Alex thought. I'd take the Fields of Punishment over this place any day.

He walked a few more steps before he heard the voices.

"Our ambush was successful, Mistress."

"I must say, I'm a bit surprised that it worked so well. The brat was putting up such a fight I thought we would just have to kill him right there."

He heard a sound that might have been laughter, a horrible rumbling sound that sent chills down Alex's spine.

A wave of fear washed over Alex. This wasn't normal fear, like when he saw a monster or was late for role call or someone made Reyna angry. It was raw, primal fear, an intense fear that rattled his bones and turned his brain to mush. He was frozen in place. He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He barely dared to breathe.

He'd often heard people use the expression "paralyzed with fear." That was exactly how Alex felt, only the fear had been multiplied by a million. He felt as though he physically couldn't move. His limbs had turned to stone. His muscles had turned to dust.

He was petrified. He was completely and utterly petrified.

Oh, my silly venti. You fail to understand the true nature of demigods. They're so obsessed with being noble, so consumed by the need to complete their quests and save the world and serve the gods and all of that nonsense. They're willing to sacrifice anything to do so, including their own morals.