The Other Side of Darkness

Welcome to S.T.Y.X.

Episode 6: Chapter 38~39

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Everything hurts.

Lev groaned. Clutching her side and sitting up; she looked around. She was on the top of a large mountain overlooking a old Greek city. She pulled herself up against a large rock and rubbed her aching abdomen. 

She growled. "I swear if those S.T.Y.X goons dumped me on some random mountain--"

"It's over Hades!" 

Lev jumped in surprise. She looked behind her and saw a beautiful woman in a long purple dress smirking proudly at the Underworld God she saw in another dream. 

The woman laughed, "Wonder-boy has fielded every curve ball you've thrown at him. Maybe you should give up." She picked up a Greek-styled vase and examined it happily.

"As if," Hades snarled. "He's gotta have a weakness and you, Meg my sweet, are gonna find it."

Meg snarled and gripped the vase tightly. "I'd rather throw myself off the cliff." 

Hades rolled his eyes and leaned down to whisper in Meg's ear. "How about this? You find out Wonder-boy's weakness, and I'll get you the thing you want most." He hissed, "Your freedom."

The women's eyes widened and the vase slipped from her fingers, smashing against the ground. The noise startled Lev and she gasped loudly.

To her surprise, Hades snapped his head around towards the rock she was hiding behind. Somehow he could hear her. Meg, meanwhile, still seemed completely taken aback by the offer she was just granted.

"Who's there?" Hades barked. He turned to two little demons who had been playing around in the dirt and worms. "Find whoever's there!"  

Lev quickly got to her feet and started running away.

"C'mere little human...demon...whatever you are!" one demon shouted.

"Come out! Come out!" The other yelled. 

Lev just kept running as fast as her feet could carry her, until eventually her legs gave way and her exhaustion caught up to her. She collapsed on the ground. 

"I gotta wake up..." she muttered between pants. "I gotta wake up..." Fear and worry crept into her stomach, where it heated hotter and hotter. She brought ber knees up to her chest and placed her head between them. So hot...

"I gotta wake up..." Hotter. "I gotta wake up..."

"There it is! Ahhh! What is that?!"

Her eyes snapped open, expecting to see the demons, but all she could see was white fire. After that, there was nothing. 

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Lev awoke to the smell of something vile. She coughed and flailed her arms. She felt someone--no, two people-- grab her shoulders and arms and pull them back in order to hold her still.

"Let go of me!" she yelled. She tried to open her eyes, but it was so bright she could only squint. 

She heard someone sigh. "You idiots...unlike games, you can't respawn whenever you want in real life. What were you thinking flying all the way out here on some flimsy broomsticks? Do you want to die? Be grateful I'm the one who saved you, otherwise you'd be greeting your ancestors."