Chapter 28
Damon
I had the coin.
I had the key. Nothing that Freya was trying too hard to hide it in her legging pocket.
"I hope it's worth it", Anya worried behind me.
I took the key and put it in my bedroom door hole and twisted it. Pins impossibly fell in line and clicked in placd,"It is".
I pushed the door open and pocked the key. I stepped into complete darkness. Only two steps in and the door slam shut behind me. I called up my element only to get a dark blue violet flame. I cautiously walked forward slowly with only the sound of my feet hitting concrete pavement. I walked forward for a long while until the ground became uneven and the smell of death hung in the air. It's general shape was ovoid, the walls below the ridge smoothly curved to the floor, the walls above arched another hundred feet up to giant stalactites and the bat roosts. I could hear the sound of rushing water close by.
"Are you brave or just plain stupid?" A powerful voice echoed all around me.
"Who's asking", I said trying to pinpoint the voice.The ground beneath me broke. I took one step back and through the crack poured up a sword shining as if it was made from the sun itself. The handle of the sword was bound with black leather, the hilt decorated in a simple Greek helmet, and the blade was short.
"Pick it up", the voice commanded. I did. Weighing the sword in my left hand, slashing it delicately at the air with a novice-like apprehension, and as I did so the reflection of the my flame danced warmly within the cool steel. The sword was so beautifully made I wouldn't be surprised if Hephaestus crafted the blade himself. "Go forward".
"I know who you are, my Lord", I stated walking froward,"I'm not coming back until justice is served whenever the cost".
"Words of wisdom, know when it's time to go home. Know when it's time to quit because there is one person waiting for you to come back. Do not keep her waiting forever on a dead man".
"I won't. And thank you", I said to Ares.
"Finish this, and that will be thanks enough", and with that he was gone. Now I was more than just ready, I was prepared. I kept moving forward until the path of stone rises ahead in rugged perfection, my flame playing over the grey as if it were the fingers of a pianist upon gentle keys. I walked for a long time until I reached a dead end. The only way forward was up. I put my sword in my backpack and began to climb.
Damon?
I heard Freya call out to me. I did want to answer her call but I couldn't. I wasn't going to lie to her and I didn't want to endanger Freya.
I'm here.
Where did you go? I had a version from the past and I could use your expertise
I could feel a heaviness in her soul. I could feel how tired an emotionally drained she was. But if I was going on just listening to her voice none of that was there.
I have something I really need to do. And as soon as I'm done I'll find you and I'll tell you everything.
It's not dangerous is it?
No dangerous than any other mission.
There was long period of silence before Freya finally spoke.
Do you want help? I know the Brotherhood isn't my biggest fan but if you needed me I would come running.
I know, my love.
At least the brotherhood isn't mad at you. At least not mad enough to not give you missions. Just be safe. I love you.
Those three little words and everything I was doing worthwhile. It was worth the risk and before I could tell her I loved her the rock falls away beneath my feet. I know there is a ledge, otherwise I'd be falling, but I can't see it at all. If I turn my head too far I could unbalance and the drop is further than I can see. Already the adrenaline coursing unchecked, urging me to do what I cannot. Sure my muscles are stronger and I'm more awake than I've ever been, but this isn't a situation where running hard for a long time is going to help. I have to think back to my training. Out here there's no safety rope, no soft mats to land on. I wish the human body was wired differently, I wish I could get the increased strength without the urge to run but I can't. All I have is the rock, the wind and a long way down.
I think completely on my feet as I set my eyes on a ledge I'm not sure can support my weight. But I need something to stop me from falling. I jump barely reaching the inclined ledge and start to pull myself up as the rocky tower starts to shake. I didn't have time to worry about that as I tried to quickly ascend to the top of this mountain that was quickly falling apart. I was fighting against gravity until an explosion of rocks threw me down. A hellish growl echoes all around destroying everything it bounced off of. It was a hard decent my body collided with every piece of rubble until eventually hitting water that slapped into me like a brick wall. My head bobs beneath the rushing current. As soon as I come up for air I'm met face to face with Cerberus. The massive, black three-headed red-eyed dog bearded it's teeth and lunged towards me. I dove down into the thick heavy water. Clearly I had pissed off the guardian dog the underworld as it tried to stomp me to death. Cerberus growled angrily biting at the water desperately trying to get me. I couldn't tell which way was up or down trapped in a typhoon. One of Cerberus sharp claws collided into my stomach tearing my skin is if I were nothing but paper. I opened my mouth to yell in pain only to choke on the thick water. I had to come up for air.
The cold water pushed me down and when I tried to swim back to the surface my oxygen levels had run out. I felt my brain fuzz with the onset of asphyxia. I tried with great effort to swim back up to the surface, but I sank faster. My heart started beating frantically, desperate for sweet oxygen. I couldn't fight back anymore I pulled my sword from my backpack and swung her radically. Until the blade all but nicked Cerberus but that cut was enough to make it back down. I had exploded out of the water gasping for air to see the hellhound growling submissively at me. It's breath was hot and I could see it's intent to kill raging in all of its eyes. I had to fight back against the current not to be dragged into its way. I swam to the nearby bank not sure what my next move should be. The giant archway into the underworld was blocked by one of its oldest protectorates. And I didn't have anything to get past it.
"That's enough, Cerberus", a woman said appearing behind me. She was dressed finely in a heavy wool cloak with a hood covering her face,"You can take me back in a moment".
Cerberus growled as if not believing her but kept all three of its heads trained on her ready to attack if she ran. The woman knelt down to me and removed her hood. I coughted out,"Freya?"
This woman was the spitting image of Freya. Right down to the gray and silver specs in her eyes the soft curves of her body but even though she looked like Freya. I knew this woman wasn't her. Her eyes were hardened and even though she was grinning at me it wasn't the way Freya smiled at me. I didn't feel any connection to this imposter,"Is that my name nowadays? I take it you're not my Theo".
"No. I'm Damon, I know you're not Freya. Who are you?" The woman stood up and offered me a hand up.
I took her hand keeping my sword close by my side but I didn't feel any mal intent,"Ariadne of Sparta".
