HIS GOD COMPLEX | under construction!

22 | είκοσι δύο

22 | είκοσι δύο

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❝SO, WHAT EXACTLY is our new plan?" I asked as we all got into our transporting positions. "The plan doesn't change." Answered Apollo, who was gripping onto my elbow tightly. "Apollo's right. We're going to have to get all the other objects without Eris, unfortunately." Ares agreed and I had to do a double take at their words. "Guys..." I took my fingers off of the necklace as my hands rushed to my hips.

"They could be torturing her..." I reasoned, pouting at the two gods, they could be so insensitive sometimes.

Apollo ran his thin fingers through his platinum coloured hair. "We know, but we have to move forward. We cannot help her if we cannot kill Zeus." I nod at Apollo's harsh words. It was true.

"Fine," I murmured, placing my fingers back on the device around my neck. "Ready?" I asked as Ares grasped my arm, warming my heart so effortlessly. Apollo did the same and they both nodded.

I didn't know where the necklace would take us next. We still had quite a few objects to obtain. We had the amulet of Aphrodite and Apollo had his bow. We still needed the Omphalos, the spear of Achilles and the eternal flame.

I turned the lateral line once, bracing for impact. Twice, not sure if I could take another journey and three times.

The familiar feeling of being squeezed through a tight tube returned, and so did the yoyo effect. I swear its like Hades wanted to kill us.

It wasn't long before the lacus fabrica hurled us onto grasslands once again. I took a moment to compose my best, trying my best not to hurl.

"Remind me to go back and kick that foul creature called Hades where the sun don't shine after we win this." Hissed Ares as he pulled his body up from the long grassy straws.

"Where are we?" He dusted himself off, surveying the lands.

It was long, grasslands and trees in the distance. We were stood on the sand of the shore, waves crashing against each other but still not far enough to hit us.

"We're on an island." Apollo was the one who replied, eyebrows furrowed worriedly.

"An island? What could possibly be on an island." Ares was scratching the top of his head and I almost wanted to coo at his naivety. "We're on the island at the center of the earth, aren't we?" I was the one who answered as Ares narrowed his eyes at me. "We're here 'cause of the Omphalos. The center stone." I gaped around, glancing into my surroundings. Over in the distance, I could see trees.

"Do you think we're in the center of the island?" I asked and Apollo shook his head, skin paled. He casted out his hand and a tiny golden vintage compass appeared in his hand. "It says here, we're north of the center." So we need to start moving south." He was pointing his fingers in all directions.

"The legend states that the stone is in the very center of the island, yeah? In the very middle." I pointed south. "It was guarded by Python, but Apollo killed him. Do you guys think it would have conjured up a new guardian? I mean, it's been centuries now." Apollo shrugged, his cerulean blue eyes darting all over he place cautiously. "I must warn you, Ariel." His voice was very subtle. "Python may be dead, but – " Apollo's words were cut off when hissing began to sound from all around us.

My eyes instinctively glanced at the long grass we were stood in the middle off. There were three snakelets slithering my way, and I couldn't stop a loud shriek from floating past my lips as I jumped into the arms of the closest person.

Fortunately, it was Ares, who had a self-satisfactory grin tugging at his pink lips. My eyes met his and my cheeks felt hotter as my heart began to race.

I tore my gaze away from the god, and I just knew I would not hear this end of this one.

I held on tighter to him, feeling goosebumps crawl up my skin when I glanced down and saw even more snakes slithering my way.

Now that I was properly looking around, I realised that there were snakes everywhere. In the trees, in the grass, on the walkway. The whole island was just littered with them.

Ares kept his feet firmly on the ground, thick red eyebrows furrowing when he noticed my observation as well. "Turns out Ares is going to have to carry me throughout this entire journey," I mummbled, nervously laughing.

Some of them looked poisonous. Majority of them were poisonous. They were certainly all dangerous. I began to identify the different snakes with my heart hammering against my chest. My breathing grew heavier.

Oh, look – a Burmese Python hissing at me from right where I was previously standing before jumping into Ares' warm arms. An Inland Taipan, hissing in the corner of my peripheral, how comforting.

Apollo was trying his hardest to contain his laughter at my actions, his blue eyes glistening mischievously. "I may have forgotten to mention the millions of dangerous snakes littered all over the island? Python, despite being the bruiser he was, really didn't waste time in reproducing." He smiled guiltily at me.

"I – yeah, I think you neglected to mention that tiny little detail." I gasped, trying to conceal my fear with nervous laughter.

Okay, Ariel. You can do this. Just clear your head. You are alright. I breathed in, screwing my eyes shut. I peeked at Ares, who was gaping at me with amusement. "Obviously, you are both immune to snake-bites then." I sighed, and my question was answered when a Copperhead snake bit into his leg, and he didn't respond to it, only flinched with the word ouch emitted from his lips.

Apollo took a snakelet into his fingers, grazing the miniature snake endearingly. It was about as long and as wide as a milkshake straw. It was brown in colour and despite being a snake, seemed harmless. I couldn't help the disgusted expression that found its way onto my face when he started to play with it.

"Want to name him?" He asked, beaming at both Ares and I. We both shared a glance before shaking our heads. "Let's just find the stone and get out of here, put the snake down Apollo." Ares lectured like he was Apollo's father instead of his brother.

Apollo pouted like a child, eyes still on the baby snake. "Can I keep him?"

"No!" We both yelled at the same time, and Apollo frowned. "Fine." He bent over to put it down and then watched it as it slithered away from him to join all its other snake friends. "Well let's get going, then." He mumbled, narrowing his eyes at the both of us.

We began to tread on, and I tried to ignore Apollo's grunts about his pet snake.

This was going to be a long journey