𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄
𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒕

❛ and here i thought
he would save me ❜

                         𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐓, 𝕬urora Stark was not a scaredy cat. Ever since she was a kid, things that scared most people, didn't really faze her. From bugs, flying, closed places—nothing made her think twice ( obviously other than snakes and on occasion heights, but that's a conversation for another day ) not even horror movies got a reaction out of the girl. The jump scares were always weak and predictable, not even making her flinch an inch. But, even she knew the sight before her was eerie—not a scary eerie, just eerie.

                         She was on a dark hillside, encased in fog so thick she could hardly see her surroundings. When she looked up, the ceiling was pitch black no light whatsoever around her. It gave her the impression she was underground, like in a cave of some sorts. Nonetheless, the heavy darkness caused a shiver to crawl up her spine.

                         She went to stand up only for a sharp pain to erupt in her stomach. Ah, the manticore spikes. She looked down expecting to see the spikes coming out of her stomach, only to be met with nothing. Well, not exactly nothing, her shirt was ripped by her stomach as though someone used scissors to cut her beautiful turtle neck, and stained around its edges was dry blood.

                         That meant she's been here for a while.

                         She picked up her dagger ( which was on the ground in front of her. It was only one too, the other was probably with the others back at Westover Hall ) and with a groan wiped it against her battered shirt. She almost lost her balance then but luckily was able to catch herself.

                         She hoped the others were alright. If what she remembered was correct, she was able to take down the manticore and could only hope that would be enough for them to get away.

                         "M-My dad's going to kill me," she muttered as her predicament sank in.

                         Aurora bit her lip and limped up the hill, her hand still clutching her stomach where the wounds were still healing. Her entire stomach must've been wrapped with bandages and yet the pain continued to linger.

                         Once she reached the top of the hillside, old broken Greek columns of black marble were scattered around, as though something had blasted a huge building to ruins

                         "Hello!" Aurora cried. Looking around at her surroundings.

                         "Au-Aurora!"

                         Aurora froze. She knew that voice.

                         "Aurora! Leave!"

                         It was Nate.

                         Aurora turned in every direction looking for the man. Her mind was going haywire at the sound of the voice she hadn't heard for so long.

                         "Nate?"

                         "Yo-You lying bastards! You tricked me!" He bellowed but he sounded in anguish like something was paining him. "You told me she wouldn't have anything to do with this!"

                         Aurora ran towards the sound of his voice and gasped at what she saw.

                         Nathaniel was crumpled on the rocky ground, trying to rise. The blackness seemed to be thicker around him, fog swirling hungrily. His clothes were in tatters and his face was scratched and drenched with sweat, "Aurora!" he yelled. "Don't come any closer!"

                         His brown hair had grown longer in the past year, now completely unruly. Along with the growing stubble on his face. He had a deep scratch alongside his cheek that was dripping with blood, mixing in with the sweat sliding down his cheeks.

                         Aurora surged forward, but Nathaniel frantically shook his head. His face distorted with pain.

                         "What happened?" She watched him struggle. "Nate, What's going on? How do I—" she watched him wince as she tried to reach out to him. "By the gods."

                         "You can help him Aurora."

                         Aurora whirled around and she watched as Luke approached her with a smirk glistening on his face. His scar looked deadlier in this lightning.

                         He gestured towards Nathaniel, "You can protect your protector."

                         Nathaniel shook his head and yelled from behind her, "I'm going to kill you! I'll slaughter every single on of you!"

                         Luke only smirked, "You and what army?"

                         Nathaniel sneered under the weight above him, "I'll only n-need myself!"

                         Aurora watched Nathaniel's face turn to pure pain. The effort from screaming and struggling under what he was holding had to be immense because he looked like he was moments away from giving out.

                         She turned back to Luke with a glare on her face, she couldn't watch Nate suffer. The way his face was twisted into utmost pain while also doing his best to protect her had her moments away from tearing up, "How do I help him?"

                         "N—No! Aurora don't do i—"

                         Luke grinned, "It's easy. Just carry what he's carrying."

                         Aurora narrowed her eyes at the male, "Why should I trust you?" she asked.

                         Aurora didn't get her answer. The darkness above Nathaniel began to crumble, like a cavern roof in an earthquake. Huge chunks of black rock began falling.

                         Despite Nathaniel's protest Aurora rushed in just as a crack appeared, and the whole ceiling dropped. She held it somehow—tons of rock. Then she realized why Nathaniel didn't want her to. The pressure made her feel like dying the very first second she began to hold onto it. It felt horrible. Like she was carrying Stark Tower times a hundred. The pressure hardly let her breathe, let alone move. Her muscles felt like they were tearing apart at the sheer weight.

                         She hadn't even noticed Luke push Nathaniel out of the way. The man fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes. He looked exhausted, but he tried to stand up to help a groaning Aurora.

                         She let out a weak whimper, "N-Nate! It h-hurts," she gasped out. "I c-can't."

                         Nate was too exhausted but even then, with the tiniest force he had left he began to crawl back to the girl he considered his own.

                         She let out a large scream of pain as another chunk broke and came sailing down, the pressure felt more intense, "C-Can't!"

                         Nate was moments away from reaching her, only for Luke to grab ahold of his shirt and with no effort pull him back and throw him away from the girl.

                         "Don't you . . ." Her breaths were short. "Dare t-touch him!"

                         "Oh, don't worry, sweetheart," Luke said. "Your help is on the way. It's all part of the plan. In the meantime, try not to die."

                         The ceiling of darkness began to crumble again, pushing Aurora against the ground.

                         As we watched Luke drag a helpless Nate away, she did the only thing she could do—by adjusting her grip ( with much much effort ) on her left hand, specifically her knuckles were now holding up what she figured to be the sky, but in doing so applied pressure against the ring Tyson had made her.

                         Now all she could do was hope and pray her friends were on the way.

— NAT TALKS !

What do you think is going on? 🤔🤔

Also, this act will be much shorter than the others for obvious reasons. Either way, what is something you'd like to see considering the predicament both Nathaniel and Aurora are in right now?

Dont be a ghost reader! Vote and comment! Like I've said before, I try to respond to all comments!

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❪ the prodigy, 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 book. ❫
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