It's a pain I know all too well—a cruel reminder of the loss I’ve already suffered. Adrian's face flashes before my eyes, his anguished screams echoing in my mind. I can’t lose Lucian, not like this. Not when I've already lost so much.
But fighting shadows is a losing battle, and I know it. Calypso's power is too great, and her mastery over the darkness is too complete. I’m like a flickering candle trying to hold back the tide of night, and I can feel myself being swallowed up by the inky blackness.
Still, I can't give up. I won't. Lucian is counting on me, and I’ll be damned if I let him down. So I grit my teeth and push through the pain, forcing myself to stay standing even as my knees threaten to buckle.
"Alright, stop!" I choke out, my voice raw with emotion. "I'll fucking do it, goddamnit. Just let him go."
The words taste like ash in my mouth—a bitter surrender I know will haunt me for the rest of my days. But what choice do I have? I can’t let Lucian die, not when I have the power to save him.
Even if it means making a deal with the devil herself.
Calypso's lips curve into a smile as genuine as a three-dollar bill. "Smart girl," she says with false sweetness.
She yanks her hand out of Lucian's chest with a sickening squelch, like she's pulling a boot out of thick mud. Her hand is covered in blood, dripping onto the floor in a macabre display. Lucian crumples to the ground, clutching his chest as he gasps for air.
"Fuck you, you psychotic cunt," Lucian wheezes, his voice strained with pain and anger. He staggers to his feet, still holding his chest, but the gaping hole that was there moments ago is already starting to close up, leaving only a bloody stain on his shirt as evidence of the trauma.
Calypso saunters to a trickling fountain at the back of the room as casually as if she's just finished a pleasant stroll in the park. She begins washing her hands, the water turning pink as it swirls in the basin. "Now then, shall we get back to the task at hand?" she asks, her tone as nonchalant as if she’s discussing the weather rather than the fact that she just tried to rip out my friend's fucking heart.
I can feel my blood boiling with rage, my fists clenching at my sides as I struggle to keep my composure. This bitch is certifiably insane, with a side order of sadistic tendencies that would make even the most hardened serial killer blush.
But as much as I want to tear her limb from limb, I know I’m outmatched. She holds all the cards, and she knows it. If I want to get out of here alive, with Lucian in tow, I will have to play along with her twisted little game.
For now, at least.
Lucian shoots me a look that's equal parts pissed off and resigned, as if he knows exactly what I'm thinking. "Well, let’s get this shit show on the road, then," he quips, "Wouldn't want to keepHer Majestywaiting."
I nod, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "Fine. What do I need to do?"
Calypso smiles—a cruel, twisted thing that makes my skin crawl. "I'm so glad you asked, my dear. Let’s discuss the details over dessert, shall we?"
She gestures to the table, where a group of nervous-looking servants carries trays of what looks like sea-foam green pudding.
I exchange a glance with Lucian, who just shrugs and mouths, "What the fuck," before plastering a fake smile on his face and taking a seat at the table.
I follow suit, my stomach churning with fear and anticipation. Whatever Calypso has planned, I know it won’t be good.
"First things first, you will have to collect a key at Serraphatic Cove. The key is crucial to obtaining the Siren's Lyre. Before obtaining the key, you must visit the Pools of Reflection to access the water gates throughout the realm."
My head is spinning like a damn top already. "Woah, slow down—wait a minute." I let out a deep, frustrated breath. "What key and pools of what now?"
Calypso lays it all out for me. First, I must obtain a key to unlock the area of the Siren's Lyre, which is essential to its super-secret hiding spot—the key is tucked away in some underwater cave off the shores of Serraphatic Cove.
Why make things easy, right?
Once I've got the key, I must go to Tempest Isle, where the Siren's Lyre is hidden in a dusty old tomb. Calypso makes sure to give me the full rundown of all the charming bullshit and challenges I'll face along the way.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the Pools of Reflection. These magical little puddles are the golden tickets to accessing the underwater gates that can zip me around the realm like some aquatic subway system. They’re the same gates that felt like I was being flushed down a giant toilet. Plus, they’re the VIP passes to specific locations that only the truest of hearts can enter. Apparently, your soul needs to be as pure as driven snow to get this job done.
Lucian leans back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. "Come on, Lara Croft, whaddaya say? Let’s get this tomb-raiding shit started. I’ll be the Jonah to your Lara, minus the whole 'getting captured and almost sacrificed' thing. I don’t do damsel in distress, Honey Pot."
I look at him. "Hold your horses, Indiana Jones. We still don’t know whatUrsulahere plans to do with this magical lyre once we hand it over."
I turn back to Calypso, fixing her with a pointed stare. "So, once I get this thing for you, what then? I'm not about to go on a wild goose chase for some ancient artifact without knowing what chaos it will unleash. What’s your end game?"
Calypso smiles enigmatically like she’s got a secret that she’s dying to share but can't. "That is for me to know and for you to find out."
I feel my eye twitch, my patience wearing thin. "Listen, lady, I’m not a fan of surprises, especially when they involve potentially world-ending relics. For all I know, this Siren's Lyre could be a one-way ticket to Armageddon."
