Colton stepped through the golden portal, the air crashing into him with a bone-chilling gust as he faced a dark cave. A frigid wind howled from its depths, lashing his hair, carrying shrieks and guttural growls that clawed at his sanity.
The Prometheus spark flared in his chest, its fire to defy the gods pulsing through his muscled frame. Hercules did this, he thought, picturing the demigod's epic feats—strangling the Nemean Lion with bare hands, dragging Cerberus from Hades with sheer might. Hercules was half-god, forged in war's crucible. I'm just a kid, he mused, though his arms, hardened by the spark, felt foreign yet strong.
The cave's blackness swallowed the light, its walls slick with moisture that gleamed like blood under the faint glow of his entrance. Colton focused, igniting a solar flare in his palm, its torchlike blaze slicing through the oppressive dark. He wondered what else this fire could unleash as he steeled himself to move. The ground quaked beneath his boots, a low rumble hinting at lurking threats. Shadows writhed along the walls, their shapes contorting into monstrous forms that lunged and vanished, sending his pulse racing.
He ventured deeper, the air thickening with the stench of rot and sulfur. A sharp crack split the silence, and a jagged rock plummeted, forcing him to dive aside, his body rolling with honed agility. The spark's heat surged, knitting a gash on his arm as he rose. Another tremor rocked the cave, unleashing a barrage of stones. He sprinted, Hermes's speed flaring, blurring past a boulder that shattered where he'd stood. His breath rasped, the cave's walls seeming to pulse, their sigils glowing with a sinister rhythm that mocked his every step. The tunnel ahead narrowed, its ceiling low, forcing him to duck as icy droplets splashed his face.
A skittering erupted behind him. He whirled, facing a pack of skeletal shades, their charred flesh aglow with ember eyes. They pounced, claws slashing air. Colton unleashed a solar flare, a blinding burst that reduced the lead shade to ash. The others hissed, retreating into fissures, but the fight left his nerves frayed. The path twisted into a cramped tunnel, the wind screaming like a tortured soul, tugging at his jacket. He clambered over a collapsed slab, muscles straining, the spark's energy driving him upward. The walls closed in, brushing his shoulders, their rune-like carvings seeming to shift as if alive. A sudden drip of frigid water hit his neck, making him flinch, but he pressed on, the tunnel's end a faint promise ahead.
The tunnel spat him into a vast chamber, torches lining the walls flaring to life in a domino cascade, their flames casting a hellish glow. A giant black hole dominated the center, its edges pulsing with dark energy. The entrance to the Underworld. Colton edged closer, tremors jolting the earth. Rocks crashed down, dust choking the air, forcing him to shield his face. The orb in his pocket warmed, his mother's voice cutting through. "You're stronger than you know, Colton. For Bella, for Kevin."
A clawed hand gripped the hole's rim. A Chimaera hauled itself up, lion head roaring, goat horns twisting, serpent tail hissing. Its scales gleamed, eyes blazing with hate. "How dare you trespass here, worm!" it bellowed. "Who are you?"
Colton raised his hands slightly. "I'm Colton. I mean no harm. I don't want to fight."
The Chimaera erupted in a wild, cackling laugh. "Colton? Who is that? I've never heard of you. Leave now or die!"
Colton's jaw tightened. "Honestly, I don't know who I am. But I do know you're going to let me pass." The Chimaera charged, jaws snapping. Colton triggered Hermes's speed, blurring aside as its claws raked the stone. He unleashed a solar flare, blinding the lion head and singeing its fur. The beast staggered, roaring in pain.
The marks on Colton's chest burned bright, the Prometheus spark flaring. The Chimaera gasped, its laughter dying. "A spark bearer? How?!"
"Like I said," Colton growled, "you're going to let me pass. One way or another." He activated Hermes's speed again, dodging a wild swipe, then brandished his spear-ring. The gem flared, extending an energy blade. The Chimaera's eyes widened, its bravado faltering as it stepped back nervously. Colton thrust the spear into its chest. The Chimaera slumped, gasping its last words. "You won't make it out. The Underworld will crush you." It collapsed, lifeless, blood flowing hot and thick from the wound.
Panting, Colton closed his eyes. His friends, family, Apollo, all counting on him. He opened them, resolve hardening. The Eclipse Aegis pendant hung black, swallowing light around it. As he neared the black hole, torches along its edge flared to life, their glow illuminating the abyss. A suction feeling of wind tugged at him, pulling downward, mingled with eerie wails and distant roars echoing from its depths. He picked up a loose rock, dropping it into the hole. Silence followed, no sound of it hitting bottom, only the sucking wind and haunting noises. His stomach churned with dread. Hesitantly, he grabbed the rope ladder, fingers trembling against the rough cords, and began his climb into the abyss.