Chapter 110: Tartarus

Chapter 110: Tartarus
Gwendolyn awakened to the sound of shrill screams and hollow wails.

She sat up slowly, wincing from the pain in her head and wondering where she was.

The entire atmosphere looked gloomy, covered in darkness and grey ash. She couldn't even see the sky, if there was one.

"Kieran?" She called out, her voice echoing eerily. Where the hell was this place?

A minute ago, she had been curled up beside him in the mating cove, fast asleep.

She looked down suddenly, and a gasp escaped her when she noticed she was dressed in a tattered looking dress, brown with dirt. She had been wearing Kieran's cloak when she went into the forest.

It was at that moment her memories surged back.

She collapsed to her knees, her heart pounding hard within her. Panic clawed up her throat and she started to breathe heavily.

"I heard mom's voice." She whispered in horror. She had followed Naomi's voice into the forest, not knowing she had been lured.

She jumped to her feet, her eyes frantic as she searched the wasteland before her. There was no sign of movement.

"MOM!" She screamed, her voice echoing all around her. "MOM, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Apart from the eerie echo of her voice, coupled with occasional screams from unseen beings, it was totally silent.

The wind howled furiously, and her throat felt badly parched from all the ashes in the air.

Out of the blue, she heard a laugh. It sounded all around her, cold and cruel.

She backed away, her arms held out in a defensive mode.

"Who's there?" She yelled. "Show yourself!"

"Pathetic little Onyx." The voice mocked. "Such unimaginable power in such a weak, puny body."

Gwendolyn instantly became suspicious. Whoever owned that voice, they definitely knew who she was and the kind of power she possessed.

"Show your face, you coward!" She retorted. "Why did you bring me here? Who are you?"

The voice laughed again and slowly faded. Before Gwendolyn could understand what was happening, the earth beneath her feet opened and she fell through, a terrified scream leaving her lips.

She felt the heavy pressure pressing against her, almost crushing her. Her arms flayed as she searched for something to hold, to stop her fall, but there was nothing. All she could see was endless darkness that seemed to be drawing close.

And just as quickly as she fell through, she hit the ground with a dull thud. Pain exploded behind her head, and for a moment, she saw stars.

Then she noticed she had appeared in another part of the realm. The darkness and ashes were gone.

In this place, there were clouds above her, and what looked like the sun, even though it wasn't.

The floor was covered in black tar, emitting smoke in several places.

She climbed to her feet, flicking off the thick, black liquid that clung to her dress.

Then she raised her head, and froze.

A few meters away from her, her mother was chained to the wall.

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she stood there, praying it wasn't her mind playing tricks on her, or a dream.

But when the image didn't dissolve this time, she slowly realized where she was. This was Tartarus, and Kieran's father must have lured her out and brought her there.

Luna Naomi had her eyes closed, her hands and feet bound with chains. Her hair was in disarray, like a scattered bird nest. She looked pale and malnourished. Was she alive?

Gwendolyn took a step forward, afraid of believing it was true.

"Mom?" She whispered.

Naomi opened her eyes, and when she saw Gwendolyn, she started to cry.

"No." She whispered. "Not again. I can't take it anymore, please."

Gwendolyn didn't understand what she meant. She started to cry too as she took another step forward.

"Mom, it's me." She whispered.

"Enough of this." Naomi cried out, screaming to the clouds above. "For how long will you torture me? Just kill me already... I can't take this anymore..."

Understanding slowly dawned on Gwendolyn. How long had Khal Anubis tortured her mother with her image that she couldn't differentiate what was real and what was fake?

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched Naomi cower away, sobbing with all her heart. She had to do something.

She crouched beside her and placed a hand on her hair. Naomi flinched at the contact. Her eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed, and when she looked up, Gwendolyn's heart broke at the agony in her eyes.

"Mom, it's really me." She whispered. "I'm real. I'm here."

She took Naomi's hand and lifted it, placing it on her cheek. Then she took her other hand and placed it over her chest where her heart was hammering hard.

Naomi looked doubtful, terrified of believing. Khal had tortured her for years, showing her the image of Gwendolyn and her mate, Thane, to the extent she couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion anymore.

But when she felt Gwendolyn's strong heartbeat beneath her palm, when she felt the warm tears on her cheeks, her eyes slowly widened. This was real.

"Gwen?" She whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.

Gwendolyn shut her eyes as Naomi caressed her face, slowly at first, then fervently.

"Oh Gwen, is it really you?" She whispered.

"It's me mom." Gwendolyn smiled through her tears. "I can't believe I found you."

"Oh god, it's really you." Naomi pulled her into her arms, embracing her tightly. Her entire body shook as she cried and laughed.

Gwendolyn didn't want to let go. She never stopped believing, never stopped waiting for the day she would see her mother again.

Naomi pulled back and cupped her face. "I can't believe this. My daughter. How... how did you get here? You can't let him see you..."

"Mom, wait..."

"You can't let Khal see you, Gwen." Naomi rushed on, her words pouring out rapidly. "He'll keep you imprisoned here like he did to me. You have to leave."

"No! I'm not leaving without you." Gwendolyn shook her head in determination. "I have spent all my life waiting for the day I would see you again. I knew you were alive, and now that I've found you, I'm not letting you go."

"I'm dying, Gwen." Naomi said suddenly.

"What?"

"I'm dying. He... put something inside me. It's eating me from within. I don't have much time."

"Mom, I can heal you."

"Heal me? What do you mean?"

"I know everything." Gwendolyn broke the news. "I know you and dad aren't my real parents, and I know what I am. But there's no time to explain. Getting you out of here is more important."

"But Khal..."

"Forget about him. Let's get you out of these chains."

Gwendolyn held the chain and focused all her energy on it. Slowly, black fog spilled out of her body and swirled around her.

Naomi watched wide eyed as the fog wrapped around the chains. Suddenly a figure appeared before her.

"Gwen, watch out!" She screamed.

Gwendolyn started to turn around, but she wasn't quick enough. Khal materialized behind her and struck her in the face, knocking her unconscious.