Rouge Fleur

Chapter 5

Awareness returned to Alice slowly, dragged reluctantly from the comforting void of oblivion. Her head throbbed fiercely, and her body still pierced and thorns in her body. Somewhere in the distance running water echoed eerily, as though singing a siren's song. As she gained focus, the grim surroundings came into disturbing focus.

She and Percy sat imprisoned in a rusty cage suspended above a churning underground river by thick vines and roots. "Where are we?" Alice sluggishly stood up, looking around, their attackers were nowhere to be seen, but the stench of evil lingering in the air told them to stay alert.

Alice hurried to Percy's side, gently shaking his shoulder until stormy blue eyes locked in with her emerald eyes. "Are you alright?" she said anxiously, wincing as she looked at his wounds. To her relief he smiled at her, rubbing his head ruefully. "Feeling great! Other than the millions of thorns that are in me. Where in the blazes are we?"

Before she could answer, frenzied splashing came from below. Two pallid, bloated creatures thrashed in the current, pale eyes fixing hungrily upon the trapped morsels hanging above. Hungry Mermaids. Alice's breath shaked, she pulled Percy back from the bars. Their cage creaked ominously, as Alice noticed the screws at the top slowly screwing out.

"Percy! Look! We need to get out of here." She carefully looked around, seeing if there was a pace they could jump to for safety. But escape was imperative, but how? Alice focused, recalling the gift that had simmered dormant within all these years. The Archmage clearly sought its power for her own sinister ends. Taking a steadying breath, Alice closed her eyes and- *whoosh*

A blinding azure light exploded from her hands with a crack, severing every vine at once. The Mermaids recoiled in horror and hissed as the cage pitched forward into empty space, dropping into the river below with an almighty splash. Percy grabbed hold with an iron grip seconds before impact.

Underwater, Percy frantically searched for Alice. Suddenly a hand grabbed his leg, pulling him towards her. He looked back, the mermaid grinning as its sharp teeth rotted. He kept kicking the mermaid as he attempted to swim forward, his eyes widened as he saw Alice, unconsciously sinking as the second Mermaid swam towards her. Unknowingly he unsheathed his sword, striking the mermaid's head clean off. He swam quickly towards Alice with all his remaining strength as the water stung his thorn wounds. Right before the mermaid took a chunk out of Alice, Percy struck, slicing the mermaid's tail off, she hissed as she sank to the river bottom. Percy took Alice's waist and swam as fast as he could to the surface.

As he surfaced, he took a large gulp of air, he looked at Alice, her eyes still bound closed and her black hair stuck to her skin like tar. He paddled to the shore, careful not to submerge her underwater. As he dragged himself and Alice onto the cold stone he looked down worriedly at Alice. "Oh God, she's dead, she killed herself! What was that glowy orb? It doesn't matter. Please Dahlia, wake up." Percy sobbed as he hung his head over her.

Suddenly a glowing tear fell from Percy's face onto 's body, the golden tear spread around her body and healed her wounds, her body and hair became dry and her face was no longer covered in scratches and bruises. "You haven't called me that in so long" Alice's weakened voice squeaked. "Wha-?"Percy looked at Alice, her eyes fluttering open slowly. "Dahlia, my middle name." Alice sat up, looking completely unfazed. She peered all over her body, "Where'd all my-" Percy hugged her, Alice was stunned, but this was the warmest and most comforting hug she had ever had. She smiled as she lightly hugged Percy Back, careful not to touch his wounds.