Chapter 48: Road to Purgatory-Oblivion.

I never saw myself wake up in the same hideous environment. I was sprawled on the ground on wet squishy grass. I tossed, turned and bit my lip in pain as I slowly sat upright. I stared at the thick fog, squinted my eyes and stared at the canopy of trees above me. I ogled at myself, I was dressed in white jeans, boots, a hide jacket and a bag filled with materials and I dropped the bag onto the ground and rummaged inside. I found: Some dried food, water bottles, a first aid kit and daggers. I slug it onto my shoulder and scramble to my feet and explore the forest. It was too familiar; I knew exactly where I was.

I trudged in further, passing a narrow winding path then I paused and looked around, left and right. I brace for it then I move. Thick Branches sway above me as the wind picks up, rustles and howls here and there a sharp movement. The fog parts and shrouded in the darkness was a tall, thin muscular man holding an arrow while glaring at me through the shadows as I gulped and staggered backwards. He lowered his bow and cocked his head before jumping gracefully on the floor. Birds squawk and soar into the dazzling blue sky.

"Prove to me that you are a woman?"He instructed, his voice deep with hatred and anger.

"What excuse me?"I screamed, flabbergasted as he seemed unconvinced. He huffed and paced around, observing me with curious bright green eyes as he narrowed which felt oddly familiar.

"Well," I trailed off, I'm a woman-you see. It's obvious-"I pointed at my hair then I patted my chest, "I have boobs-"and I pointed at my behind and scowled, "And I have more ass than you'll ever have, sir."I screamed, my voice rose as before I knew it the arrow was pointed at the skin of my throat. I froze and cursed at myself internally. Damn, this morning seems so weird and crazy.

He sighed, staggered and paced back and forth."Sorry, miss. I...I just wanted to be sure-the gods over here have very odd ways of killing people so you can never be so sure. I've met sirens and other creatures."He said,I just gawked at this boy or man.

"So, you must be new?"He asked through gritted teeth, as I slowly nodded. I finally met the eyes of the man and damn, he looked so alike to Noah--no don't think about him with bronze skin, mahogany hair and those alluring bright green eyes. I blinked twice and cursed at myself again as I stared at this nightmare I have to endure.

"Have you checked your arms?"He asked, and looked over his shoulder, the mysterious male who threatened to kill me thought I was a monster or a demon sent to kill him. Gross, I shuddered at the thought. Then as if on cue, my arms sting like needles embedded under my skin as I clenched my jaw. On my skin was a raised light blue tattoo in a twisty fashion with flowers dotted in it like a map tree. I gaped at it when I noticed the man in front of me, smiled.

"I'm guessing the gods, the Fates I mean. Have they explained at least some vital information about why you are here? For starters, that mark shows your winnings. Your rank and how your life's on the line, literally. If all your lives are used, you're dead, actually dead then judged in the Underworld. The people over here are mostly supernatural and some humans here and there. Yes, I know you have questions forming in your head. But no, I can't answer all of them. So the unspoken rule is that if you die over here, you will rejuvenate but if you're murdered continuously by monsters you are dead and if...only if, you survive all your trails you might be brought back to the human realm and you can live your life again."He finished, I realised this is so like Jumagi or a videogame.

"What is this thing...sir?"I asked, my eyebrows raised.

"Philon, the name's Philion.''He started, an odd smile formed on his lips as his expression softened then I stared the grass. Philion bents over to me and flashes his sign on his forearm. It was a lightning shaped tattoo as I gulped. He cleared his throat and continued, "So the reason why we are in this situation is because the gods are just bored. Ok,they're bored out of their mind. The forest made here is because of the goddess Demeter, the monsters and creatures are from Tatarus thanks to Hades is how we are able to rejuvenate."He concluded. I groaned and sulked as I approached a tree as the prickly grass seeps into my white jeans and Philion crawled long into his tattered, dirty tent next the creek.

I rubbed my temples and glanced at my scar on my skin and all that worried me was the trails awaiting and the monsters I'll have to fight.

It was suddenly the next day; I was starving and extremely confused. I knew I wasn't dead but I was expecting to feel my mortal needs but Philion seemed unbothered to do anything but he was refreshed. I needed to hunt which was bad because I only learnt how to hunt in my wolf form but I was stripped of all my powers even though Noah helped me by killing my wolf and poisoning my powers. Luckily, Philion let me use his pot to boil the freshwater. I noticed that we were dressed similarly and so far we didn't cross paths with monsters or people in our rounds. The boy didn't eat or drink but only slept in the evening. He was also dressed the same way but switched with a hide jacket or just a plain shirt. I nibbled on some dried beef and mango as I sipped some water as he laughed and I glared. He disappeared for hours and sometimes he looked unbothered or shocked but drenched in green slime, clothes in tears or tatters or just soaking wet or bloody but I didn't question a thing. He warned me if I want my trails to start I have to walk overboard then monsters will attack me. A safe zone.

"Why don't you eat or drink?"I asked while I crossed my legs on the campsite, as he stared at the sky, deep in thought. He looked taken back and surprised at my questions so he rolled his eyes and sighed.

"What did I say about asking questions?"He snapped, his eyes raised and I glowered at him and heaved a great, sad sigh."Fine, I've lived here for more than three years but...but that doesn't mean I'm a professor. Ok, ok. If you stay here for as long as years like me and survive all your monsters and hope from the minor gods, you earn points and now I'm immortal but can be killed so I can eat or not or hydrate."He said. I nodded but I had more but now I grabbed my daggers and knives and I wished I had my gun because I'm horrible at knives.

After a few days of practising, I decided that maybe I should start the earlier I start this madness the quicker I'll end it but I had no words about my own predicted stupidity. Well, hello. I bet my life on the line to the gods and people.

As soon as I trek across the border, the scenery wavered and changed. I was now in a swamp with murky brown water and trees with their roots poking out of the water and the air was thick and moist as I groaned and walked across to the water and looked around on the small muddy spit I was standing on.

Suddenly, thick green vines thick like a man's thigh crawled out the water like blossoming tentacles as they curled, writhed and wiggled crazily. I stagger and leap to the other side and slash and swipe my dagger as it squelches and screams before growing back. I wondered if it was growing like seaweed underwater and how I'll kill it. It might drag me into the depths and suffocate me like a snake or leave me to die.

I dived into the water, headfirst as I twisted and turned. Then I forgot that I couldn't see that well and suddenly something heavy and wet wrapped around my ankles .I broke through the surface but to be dragged. Water filled my lungs and squeezed me as I grabbed my dagger and let it sink me deeper as black splotches blinded my eyes and wrapped me in a leafy cocoon. Suddenly, my eyes snap open only to face-to-face at least twelve feet underwater were half rotten corpses floating haphazardly around me and below me was a phosphorescent yellow eye with black silts staring at me as it opened its hole of a mouth with mossy spiny teeth. I had an idea, I grabbed the hilt of my rusted dagger and allowed it to pull me further into its wide hole then I sliced and slashed the vines and swam above the hole and poked it with my dagger till it exploded with golden gooey slime as it burned me as it screeched and untangled from my body.

I broke out the surface, my skin heating up and drying as it crusted all over my body. I groaned and rested on my back on the muddy ground, unbothered by the moving soil. After resting and catching my breath, I peeled the crust out of my body and hydrated with water and puked the seaweed I found growing by the bank. I crawled out with my back behind and sprang to my feet and navigated the swamp. Slowly, the scene wavered again and I was back at the camp, the sun was setting, streaks of ornate and blue appeared on the sky as I passed by.

Philion told me over here that time is a construct, it isn't real. It could be a week over here and a year or a day in the real realm. If he's been here for three years in the real world it might have been longer.

I was starving and surviving off of dried meat and water wasn't healthy, I lost a lot of weight and now I'll hunt or die whichever comes first.

Next challenge was not that hard, other than fighting demons and vampires. In the total thick darkness which was sad. I died at least twice and earned a few after recovering. I met sirens but luckily I'm not a dude but they tried to drown me, sing songs that triggered painful memories. A week after that, I fought snake ladies by slicing their tails off and I used their venom and meat.

After another week, I was exhausted and tired and depressed. I stumbled into quiet destroyed ruins and fought bittersweet memories and was almost eaten alive or drowned in quicksand. I had to fight Philion and he ripped his clothes and turned into a gargoyle and dragon hybrid with beady black eyes and had an exoskeleton and webby wings made out of membranes as he used his talons and flew me into the sky and chased me around. When I killed him, he melted and collapsed on himself as his organs shriveled and melted then he died before smiling in earnest. He wanted to die, didn't he?

The scene wavered; I appeared into a long whitewashed room with glass curved windows looking into the whole arena. I stumbled around and gaped. I winced in pain and bit my lip as the talons that digged into my shoulders hurt.

"Well, well, "trailed a familiar male voice from behind me as his footsteps echoed as he slow clapped. I sighed and spun to him and gaped. I was horrified yet confused. There standing in front of me was no other than Alpha Ryan. He loomed over me and eerie creepy smile that almost ripped his face off, with his golden eyes bored into me.

"What ...what are doing here?"I demanded, my voice rose as I clenched and unclenched my fist; "You...aren't dead, are you?"I pressed as he shook his head and cackled harder, he changed, a pointed black beard and spiked his hair as he smiled harder.

"No, Lunar Silver. I'm not dead."He said. He looked even more muscular and dressed in all black as usual, his iconic turtleneck, boots and bull belt and in his hand was a glass of champagne as he relaxed on a table and swirled the drink.

"What's going on?"I demanded.

"O.k. So you have completed all your trails, lost most of your lives but you aren't done yet, apparently. You have one last challenge to fight, "I looked around as he padded closer and rolled his eyes at me,"Ok, so Philion had been trapped here for over thirty years that's why when you spoke specific things he was confused. the gods formed a plan for him....to kill you or seduce which went wrong. Damn, the gods weren't thinking at all, "He completed and carelessly tossed the champagne as it shattered, "you...Have to fight me and if you win, you wouldn't die and I'll help you but if you fail, you die."He concluded as he grinned and snorted.

"What are you then?'I asked.

He rolled his eyes and drummed his fingers impatiently as he tried to avoid my face."I'm a lycan."He stated, then arched a perfect black brow, "But I expected you to figure it out since the gods favour you. I've been alive for three hundred years and I get this."He scowled ,then he grew taller, his joints gave sicken pop then a low growl rumbles from his throat as his teeth grew and talons sprouted out then he grew black fur and in front of me was a lycan.

Then he lunged at me with full speed as I dodged and side stepped his black talons from slashing and slicing me into bits. I groaned as he growled loudly then I grabbed the hilt of my bloody knife from the ground and ran to him, jumped on his back as he swiped me like an annoying bee then I embedded the knife in his neck as he screeched in pain. I forked him with my legs then tried to push him on the white stone ground. I rolled over and panted when the jabs and gashes I did on his back healed. Slowly, he morphed back to human form, shook his head in disappointment.

"Tut,tut,"He mused, a small smile grew on his lips, "You failed horribly. Well, bye Heather. We shall part ways and meet again so."He waved his hands in a wide arch as everything wavered as I struggled to scream and thrash.

I bolted upright and breathed heavily as I looked around the white room and the blanket when two silhouettes of familiar guys ran into the room with panic and confusion in their features. I gasped and smiled at Zale but glared at Noah. I embraced both of them only thinking about all the weird things that took place.

"Hamia, where did you disappear too?"They demanded, pacing around my bed.

"Um,I was walking around."I lied as I looked at the ceiling, ignoring their glares at each other.

"Stop, lying, "Noah snapped, "For two weeks, you vanished without a trace and we...We couldn't find you?"He ended, biting his nails as I sighed.

"I-I can't."I stated, as I counted the days in my mind. When they finally closed the door to get me food and drinks, I lay face down on the bed immersed in my thoughts.