The Tale of Mythia

Chapter 56: So Begins Tartarus

(Tuesday, 13th of Marching Legion Moon, 2021)
It was now the begining day of Tartarus, and the day where all of the students will be assigned their instructors for the duration of Tartarus. Jack was in the gymnasium with the rest of his class, waiting for the announcement. Not too long ago, he finally received the last 11 artifacts from the pigs he sent out. Lindwurm is armor that resembles that of a dragon. Hyperion is more complex, taking the form of a yellow bike that had machine guns on either side of it. Death Bride is more simple, just a pouch that can create any explosive that is no larger than the pouch. Bamboo Forest is a katana with a sheathe, and the katana had a black blade. Joker was a silver handled scythe with a crimson blade. Basilisk is a Sabre that emitted flames at the blade. Cinderella took the form of a golden harp with golden flowers decorating the frame. Grateful Beast was mildly terrifying, because it was a chest with very human arms and legs. Fastest Thing took the form of a shortsword paired with a green sheathe with intricate designs. Flower Queen was a set of six javelins made of different colors from one another that formed a rainbow. Sparta took the form of a bronze spear and a heavy shield that was Jack's size with red paint on it to depict a lion. Take Five By the Hand was an oddball, and took the form of a golden ladybug.

"Should we not have told everyone?" Juana asked while Jack looked around the room. "They look kind of distraught?"

"I think most of them are just dreading Tartarus." Catherine observed before her eyes landed on Alice. "Jack, can you go talk with Alice real quick? She looks bothered by all of this."

"Yeah, sure thing." Jack agreed to go check on Alice, since she was his best friend.

Alice looked a bit gloomier than usual cheerful and optimistic self. Alice didn't have her usual make-up on her face, and Jack saw something surprising as you walked up to her. Alice had freckles. Normally Jack couldn't see it because Alice often wore makeup to cover them up, and it was likely that the makeup had magic to not melt off when she sweats. Alice had dark circles around her eyes from not sleeping well, and she was thinner than usual. Alice noticed Jack walking up to her, and forced a smile and waved at him.

"Hey Alice, are you doing alright?" Jack asked the girl, who was putting away her phone after doing something on it.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Alice answered in a tired voice while looking down. "I just don't understand why Grandpa would keep something so important a secret from me. Especially since it might involve these voices I've been hearing, and how he asked you to monitor me...say, how long have you been monitoring me?"

"Oh I never agreed to monitor you or anything, just making sure you were okay was enough for me." Jack answered Alice's question honestly. "Besides, I only joined this 'other side' at the beginning of school."

"So you were my friend from the beginning, before we came here?" Alice asked, and her lilac eyes looked up at Jack with hope in them.

"Well, I don't remember anything before the accident, but I promise you, I was always your friend." Jack may not remember everything perfectly, but he had a feeling that was the truth.

"Thanks, can I ask you for a favor?" Alice requested, and Jack answered without giving it a second thought.

"Sure thing, what do you need?" Jack asked the goth, and she suddenly outstretched both her hands.

"Please hold the fuck up." Alice requested, and her friend was confused for a moment. "I'm the fuck up, please hold me."

Jack rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Alice, and she wrapped her own arms around her friend's torso. Due to the height difference, Alice had to stand on her toes to rest her chin on Jack's shoulder. After a couple moments, Alice broke the hug as Herakles walked up onto the stage in the gymnasium. Both Jack and Alice turned their attention to the stage where Herakles was preparing note cards in his hands as he walked towards the microphone.