Steady Ground | ✔

16 | You know I love you, right?

Atlas held Ashe's wriggling frame down. With a knee pressed onto her stomach, he pinned her elbows down at her sides. Even when he tried ripping more tape off her arms, nothing changed.

Already, her fingernails were wet with her own blood. Long scratches ran down her neck and her arms, and her face was tense and pale as she writhed in whatever mental agony Chaos put her through. Blood and mud spun away from her frame in the rippling of the water beneath them. If one good thing was happening right then, it was how her head curled upwards, away from the water that could drown her faster than Atlas could figure out what to do about it.

Once more he felt completely powerless as he watched his friend be tortured from the inside out.

You're not back in Alaska yet! Chaos' words continued to echo in his head, leaving the most bitter of lumps in his throat.

He couldn't leave her pinned. He needed to get her further away from the oil slick. Now.

Pain filled his chest as he backed up from her, and yanked up the now-soaked through emergency blanket. He couldn't carry her flailing - could he restrain her with it if he tied it around her?

He fought against flailing limbs and fingernails as he tried to slide the blanket under her and tie her arms down to his chest. It was impossible. She'd kick him in the leg, scream, rip at the thin fabric with clawed hands. Restraining her would be a two person job.

Atlas couldn't help but feel guilt once again as he turned and started running.

"Levi!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "Someone! I need help!"

How far did Chaos' reach go in the tunnel?

He skidded to a stop as Chaos' laugh once more resounded against the towering rock walls. More stones skittered down, and then it became a roaring tumble. He shouted, scrambling back. He tripped, and landed butt first into the water as large rocks and boulders came crashing down in front of him.

He watched completely helpless as his exit was filled with dirt and rubble.

When it calmed down, the tunnel was filled up to the top with an impossible amount of earth. A few pebbles continued to bounce down, and just barely, he could hear some confused shouts from above.

Those sounds were his savior right then. On shaking legs, he stood up, backing away from the rubble. "Levi!" he screamed again.

His voice echoed, and his call was not returned.

Blood pounded in his ears as he continued to desperately look up at the sky. But what would it matter? He couldn't climb out - what if the rocks fell again, and he was crushed? Or what if he watched one of their coworkers try to help only to fall to their doom?

He would have to go back, or hope Dizzee and Grayson could make it through too.

His thoughts were squashed when he heard the sound of splashing footsteps behind him.

Atlas twisted around, almost hoping to see Dizzee or Grayson following suit, and froze.

His mother stopped, maybe five feet away, with a hand on her hip and that same smile from before on her face.

"How did you—?"

They could come through the portal, too?

Were the dogs going to be right behind her? Cerberus, even?

He thought seeing his mother there would only add to the panic he felt right then, but no, for the first time since Ashe collapsed, he felt the sedative calm of the Siren call wash over him followed by the faint scent of sandalwood.