Not Just Another God ✓

Chapter 10: More monsters! Yippee!

Trigger warning: gore

I watched as the two figures approached, their walk slow and steady as they made their way over to me.

I held back a grimace as they came near, bringing the stench of rotting flesh and burnt plastic with them.

Exhaling heavily, I tried to run through some words to use, to help defend my case but gave up, deciding to give an impromptu speech.

I help up my hands in surrender. "Look, guys, I-"

A low snarning noise cut me off, deep and guttural, causing a shiver to run down my spine. That wasn't normal.

I took a step backwards, reaching instinctively for my sword as they continued to approach, though their movement seemed choppier now, almost as if they were wading in water.

"Perseus Jackson," one of them hissed, a rough rasp of a voice, echoing in both my head and in front of me, making me do a double take.

The other one laughed maniacally, a sound that would haunt my dreams for the rest of my life-if I had one, that is.

"Two sets of monsters in a day," I said, drawing out my sword. "Boy, am I lucky."

They spat, their spit landing near my feet, steaming as it hit the ground, letting off a smell of dirt and burnt flesh.

Still snarling, they ripped off their police vests, exposing their taunt gray skin, stretch tightly over their hollow body, rotting in some places.

"We're just here to finish the job," they said, the double layered voice of theirs clouding my thoughts and making it impossible to think.

I slashed at them, uselessly. "Who are you working for?"

They smiled, a lifeless look in their blank gaze, the same, almost dark look as the nosoi had.

"The Master has plans for you, Perseus," they said. "Wonderful, wonderful plans."

I felt that familiar tug in my gut as I drew water out of the ground and emptied in on them with as much force as I could muster, but that only seemed to amuse them.

"We are the draugar," the one on the left said, hurling a tree branch out of the way, "and now youd friends are gone, we have direct orders to finish you off.

I shook off a flashback of Tatarus and started taking hasty steps backwards as they advanced towards me.

"Unnatural little halfling," their voice in my head echoed, as I tried-and failed, to shake it, as if thay would make the voice go away.

"We'll make sure your experience is very memorable."

A maniacal laugh erupted from them as they came right in front of me and lunged, turning the world a pure black.

***

Sounds were layered over each other, screams and calls for help, begs and pleads as I shook them off, and smiled, a sick, oily smile that somehow reminded me of all the villains I had ever killed, all the monsters I fought.

Do you even know how many lives you have taken?

I frowned, a deep crease forming in between my eyebrows. No. I didn't know how many lives I had taken, how many monsters, people, I had killed, stealing their breath behind their backs.

But the scariest thing was the way I felt. I delighted in the deaths, in the screams of pain. I felt no guilt, no remorse, nothing. I was completely and utterly numb.