Immortal Fire - Book One

I was standing before a lake I did not recognize. The night air was chilled like ice and eerily still. Bracing my arms about myself, I looked around. Rolling hills were covered intimately by the mist that licked at the water’s surface. Tents and camping equipment could also be seen if I squinted hard enough through the darkness, in the distance beneath trees.

I was still dressed in the silver dress from the art exhibit that was torn and covered in blood. I was completely disorientated. How did I get here? Looking around once more, I decided to find out where I was. Walking over the cool, damp earth with cut-up feet was a nightmare, and I eventually gave up and sat down on a patch of grass near the water’s edge.

Shivering, I started to feel the panic rise within me. I had no idea where I was, I was alone, and I had no way to call anyone. Had something happened and I just did not remember? The last I knew; I was sitting on the couch next to Damien while he spoke to Cassie…

Feeling outright overwhelmed, I wiped a tear from my cheek and hugged myself closer as if to keep the freezing air from me as my lips started to turn blue from cold.

Aria… “What?” I whispered as I spun around, looking for the person who had whispered my name. I could not see anyone.

“You’re going fucking crazy,” I stated to myself, pulling my legs up and hugging them, wishing I had pants on instead of this ridiculous dress. A chill ran down my spine and forced me to sit up straight and swivel on the spot to try to get a better look around. I was getting a bad feeling that I was being watched.

Aria, Aria, Aria… Oh, sweet Angel of Death. Death befalls those you love. Aria, Aria, Aria… Oh, sweet Angel of death.

Shooting to my feet, I was breathing hard. Little puffs of white air could be seen from my frightened breaths. I still could not see anyone, but the haunting voice that had sung those horrible words still played in my head.

“Where are you?” I shouted out into the dark, dreading that I might get an answer.

A splash in the water caught my attention and I tried to focus on the spot. A light shimmered beneath the water as it started to boil. Moving closer to the water, I tried to get a better look. A crunching noise beneath my feet stopped me. Taking a few steps back, there was a flyer on the ground.

Picking it up, it read “Devil’s Lake State Park” and had a list of activities. So that is where I am. Looking back to the water and clutching the flyer close, my heart raced. A face was sticking out atop the water’s surface.

Eye’s orange and skin grey like death was watching me. Black veins showed from beneath the skin and patches of long hair grew atop its head, flowing down to beneath the lake’s dark waters…

Aria, Aria, Aria… oh sweet Angel of Death… I wanted to scream but could not. The face watched me, and its head twitched like it was having a seizure. A clucking noise was coming over the water and the face’s mouth opened grotesquely wide as black ooze seeped out, spilling to the water’s surface. Finally screaming, I turned and ran.

I am going to feast on your soul, Hayden’s, and Hunter’s… Angel of Death.

Its horrible voice screeched at me. Not looking where I was running, I tripped over a rock and went down. A cracking noise is the last thing I heard as the world around me shimmered in and out of focus…

Forcing myself up, I was stunned to find that I was not by the lake anymore. I was in a cave. Obsidian rocks protruded from the walls like stakes. The smell of sulfur was rich in the air, and I was sweating.

“What the fuck now?” I said in disbelief with a whimper as I forced myself to stand. Touching the side of my head, I could feel I had a huge bump, and my hand came back covered in blood. It was a miracle that my head had not completely split down the middle from the number of times that I had hit it lately.

Cries and screams of terror could be heard everywhere, and I had a feeling that I knew where I was this time. I was in Tartarus.

Taking a step forward, I cast a look outside of the cave; a corridor wound its way to the left. Stepping back into the cave, I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath of sulfur-filled air, almost coughing as its potency filled my lungs. If I was here, then I could find Hayden…

The thought of Hayden pushed me through my fear, and I pushed my hair out of my face. Stepping into the corridor, I started down to the unknown. Screams became louder, almost deafening as I went. I had no idea where I was going but a gut instinct told me to take a right when I came to a crossroads in the corridor. The screams drifted out of earshot as I went. I walked for what must have been an hour.

My feet left a trail of blood as I went down the hall my cuts had torn open against the harsh terrain; dirt sticking into my wounds… Finally, I reached a dead end.

“What the hell!” I muttered to myself annoyed. I had just walked for an hour to find a dead end! My anger boiling over, I punched the wall. A cracking noise sounded in the wall before me, and I stepped back. The wall shimmered and opened into a room that had shackles dangling from the ceiling and walls. A figure hung unresponsive on the opposite side of the room, and I rushed forward; only to crash into an invisible wall, breaking my nose. A scream of pain escaped my mouth before I could think to stop it.

The figure lifted his head, and it was Hayden.

“Hayden!” I screamed and hit the invisible barrier. He was struggling to breathe and bleeding from everywhere. One of his eyes was swollen shut. My hands felt as if my bones were breaking as I continued to attack the wall. I did not realize how much noise I must have been making until Hayden forced out barely a whisper.

“Aria, go. They have heard you and are coming. Go. Now, please…” he pleaded with me, coughing up blood.

“I’m not leaving you!” I screamed at him. A growl behind me spun me around to face what I was dreading. Cerberus...

Walking back slowly, looking for a way out, I could find none. He had me cornered and I was going to die. Cerberus sprung at me before I could think to bring forth the angel fire and he locked his jaw on my shoulder, closely missing my neck. Pain filled my entire being and the poison from his saliva spread through my body, setting my insides on fire and teeth crushed my bones, ripping through my flesh. I could faintly hear Hayden’s muffled struggles with the shackles and screams for me as everything went black.