Three Hearts / Chapter Eight: Rise of a Serpent
Three Hearts
  • Athena was rushed to the hospital. Nurses and professional doctors took her in.
  • She laid in the hospital bed, with the heart monitor tracking her beating heart. Outside the emergency room, Shion, Odette and, of course, Heli, sat outside.
  • For Heli, without Athena beside him, he felt hopeless. As he heard the external defibrillators on Athena’s chest, he burst into tears.
  • I can’t have her dead, he thought tearfully, I can’t lose her like I lost my mother and father! I just can’t!
  • Heli then sobbed to his heart’s content.
  • “Please don’t leave me!” he wailed, “Please don’t!”
  • But Odette was more passionate about Athena the most. As Athena came to, Odette called her name as many times as possible.
  • But Athena couldn’t hear, let alone hear her. Odette was enraged.
  • “WHY CAN’T YOU HEAR ME?!” she screamed through the glass.
  • “She can’t hear you because she is through the glass.” said a villainous voice, “The only reason she was ill was that she was passionate about someone…someone that she loves deeply.”
  • Heli looked at the woman, who was Odile, the former Queen of the Serpentine.
  • “Odile,” Heli snarled, “You’re the one that cursed her with this ability! You are the reason I’m in love with her!”
  • Odile became teary-eyed.
  • “It’s not all of my fault, though. It’s not even Athena’s either. It’s my mum and dad’s fault! If they didn’t abandon me when I was ten I would have still had a happy life. And then I wouldn’t have made a pact with the Krampus!”
  • There came a sudden rumble in the ground. And there was a faint sound of growling.
  • And then, the Krampus had then appeared before them, making a thunderous roar.
  • “What the hell is that?” asked Shion.
  • “The Krampus.” answered Heli in a whisper.
  • The Krampus came charging after the group of the Serpents and Angels. To escape injury, Heli took off his shirt and revealed his brown wings. Everyone was surprised.
  • “He is…a hybrid!” said Odile, stunned.
  • It was an epic battle! At the same time, William, Vincent, Oliver and Thomas arrived at the hospital to check on Athena.
  • “You know, I do feel a bit bad for her for once,” said William to Vincent.
  • “You should be!” said Thomas, “Caning her could have cost her her own life! If she would have died…then Heli would have no one to have beside him.”
  • They entered the hospital. But they found it in a tizzy.
  • “What happened?” asked Vincent.
  • “I know what exactly happened,” said William, “The Krampus had come here to play.”
  • The battle progressed.
  • Swish! Bang! Grunt! Crash! Clash! Roar! Aaaahhh!!! Ouch!
  • These sounds of the battle had filled the silent air. And then, a sudden loud crash had motivated Athena.
  • She heard the rumbling clash of a creature versus the people of Purgatory (a place for both Angels and Serpents).
  • She took off the hospital gown and flashed her wings, revealing her recovery. Odile was stunned.
  • “Impossible!” she whispered to herself.
  • Athena rushed down the hallway and somehow broke Odile's blade, then she stabbed her with her sword.
  • Odile suddenly fell unconscious. She was still alive, even with her wound.
  • All Athena had to deal with was the Krampus himself. Another battle pursued.
  • Swish! Bang! Grunt! Crash! Clash! Roar! Aaaahhh!!! Ouch!
  • Athena drew her blade.
  • The Krampus roared and hissed. He darted out his spiky tongue. Athena lifted her blade to defend herself and immediately sliced off the tongue.
  • It fell to the ground wriggling in the dirt.
  • The Krampus made a gurgling sound.
  • The final battle had reached its peak. Athena leaped onto the Krampus, pulling herself up his furry back. The Krampus twisted and snapped, trying to shake Athena off.
  • Her blade almost pulled itself out of her hand in its constant pursuit of the horrendous creature’s head.
  • Athena made her way to the Krampus’s vest where she was stuck trying to slash its neck.
  • The vest buttoned strain with Athena’s weight. They suddenly snap.
  • One. Two. Three!
  • There was only one left holding the vest on by the thrust. Athena could barely hold onto her sword.
  • Just as the last button gave way, she propelled herself into the air.
  • “OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!”
  • With one powerful force, Athena sliced off the Krampus’s head. Both she and the head fell at once, the Krampus’s jaws were still snapping at her in its death throes.
  • Athena hit the ground hard. The Krampus’s head rolled a couple feet away.
  • She laid on the ground, breathing heavily.
  • Heli rushed to her side.
  • At first, she didn’t seem to wake up at first. But he then realized that he had read enough fairytales to know how to heal the heroine of the story. He pulled her head close to his.
  • He pursed his lips. But then, he puckered them. He then laid her head down…and kissed her on the lips.
  • Finally, he gently laid her head back down.
  • Slowly, but quickly, Athena fluttered her eyelids. Heli immediately helped her sit up.
  • “What happened here?” she asked dizzily.
  • Heli wanted to say something…but then smiled and shook his head.
  • “Nothing, darling,” he said, “I’m just glad to see that you’re alright.”
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Chapter Eight: Rise of a Serpent