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Chapter 46 - Ill-Fated Nightmare (Part II)

Chapter 46 - Ill-Fated Nightmare (Part II)

Weaver

"Icelus, wake up." The Hydra had grabbed my arm and was violently shaking me.

"Damn it. You of all people should know you're having a nightmare," the monster grumbled. When did the serpents learn to talk?

I opened my eyes and saw Markus staring at me, concern in his eyes.

"Thank Zeus, you're alive. I couldn't find your pulse. I never had a reason to before," Markus said as he helped me to a sitting position. We were back in the cave where Acteon had left me. I was still sore all over, but it was not as incapacitating as earlier.

"You're alive," I said, my voice gruff from the terrors I'd seen. "Those sadistic women were just a dream."

"Fascinating how you saw that. But no, they were real. Except they were not women. Once I acknowledged that, it was easy enough to deal with them. Although Persephone is hot regardless of the form. Hmmm I should tell her when we're playing pretend," Markus replied, grinning at the thought.

"Where's Francis?" I asked, worried.

"He's out there leading his battalion of pansies."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, not pansies. Don't tell the Furies I said that. Those girls are very sensitive."

I got to my feet, Markus steadying me when I wobbled.

"Hey, you don't have to go out there," Markus told me.

I scowled at him, stood tall and retorted, "When did you become an idiot?"

"When I act like a big brother who thought he could make his sibling wimp out," Markus answered as he led the way out of the cave.

We were high above ground and farther from the raging war between fabled beasts than I was in the nightmare I had earlier. Wingless, it would take time and energy before I got to Francis. Markus looked at me, knowing what I was thinking.

"Will it upset your manly pride if I offered to carry you to the party?" Markus asked me, trying not to laugh.

"As long as you never mention it again," I replied.

Without responding, he lifted me and swiftly flew us to Francis, evading the Hydra's heads and several harpies along the way.

Our youngest brother was holding a triple crossbow loaded with lightning bolts similar to the ones Zeus used. He looked relieved when he saw us. "I thought you two would never show up. My babies are getting tired."

I looked at the whimsical creatures from dragons and griffins facing the harpies and gorgons to the Erinyes, Centaurs and Cyclopes trying to corral the Hydra and the Empusa. Brightly colored pixies with translucent wings tackled the Chimera. I realized belatedly that they were brightly colored red. They were covered in blood, but they didn't look ready to admit defeat. I never knew these pretty little things could kick ass.

I was about to hop on one of the dragons when the ground shook. I dreaded what would happen next.

Instead of the deities of destruction though, Typhon and more mythical horrors crawled out of the abyss. Acteon led the maelstrom, raring to conquer the dream world.

But he halted where he hovered when he saw me. He glared at me then barked at Typhon, "Kill them!"

The father of monsters charged toward us, his enormous serpentine legs writhing and destroying everything in his path. His head held a hundred screaming snake heads, eager to strike us dead. He opened his mouth wide, showing us the fires of Tartarus.