The Reaper's Wicked Obsession
Chapter 69: Finishing The Challenge

Chapter 69: Finishing The Challenge

Isadora’s breath was ragged and unstable, her eyes fixed on what would welcome her horribly to the gods. It’d be an awful sight.

She could already picture it and it caused her to remain frozen in place as her mind made up possible scenarios of her death.

"Focus on what’s in front of you."

"I am!" she snapped but then her good leg slipped, a scream broke from her but she held on with her hands before she could fall to her death, her nails digging into the rough surface.

They hurt from clenching too hard but the pain drowned by the eager slamming of her heart on the verge of jumping out of her chest.

Swallowing a lump in her throat she continued her movement, making sure her back was pressed closely on the rough surface, her good leg supporting most of her weight and helping her through this death sentence.

Her teeth gritted hard, and her body shook in excruciating pain but she was determined to get to that top, however she could.

She placed her hand on the platform, a growl of pain escaping her as she pushed herself up.

Her elbows dug into the ground as she hoisted her body, only to collapse moments later. Harsh breaths escaped her, sending her hair fluttering away from her face.

"Just a little further," she murmured, before forcing her body up, leaning on the wall for support as she dragged herself further.

The closer she got the waterfall between the rocks could be spotted. Desperately drew closer to it, stretching her palms to take water to quench her parched throat.

She moaned at the fresh taste, closing her eyes briefly. Leaning closer she allowed the water on her head, to wash away the sweat and to cool it away from the grinding headache.

Isadora sat down to catch her breath, sniffling as she raised her gaze to spot the light once more, it was a glimmer of a lit torch.

She was getting closer.

"That will lead back to the challenge."

She turned her eyes back to Kraven, leaning against the wall. He might be here to watch her suffer but at least she had company.

"Good," she said, forcing her body back to her feet. "I have to finish the challenge after all."

"I thought you wanted death."

"I want anything at this moment, as long as I don’t remain here with you"

"Hm I doubt... I’ll be everywhere you go." This time his voice was so close to her ear and at the sound, she turned, but he was gone.

Her eyes searched the area in confusion but he was nowhere to be seen. She turned back toward her goal and resumed it.

~♧~

Hand found the surface, tapping, before grasping hard enough to pull through, Isadora forced her body up.

The light met her eyes and blinded them temporarily, causing her to lose her balance and fall—hitting her broken ankle.

A yelp escaped her as she collapsed to the ground, with her back flat on the ground.

Her lips parted as she tried to breathe but it was difficult to do so with the constriction in her chest and the pain shooting through her.

Her vision blurred and everything attempted to fade away, black dots coating her vision.

Is it this? When she had finally reached the top and now death came?

"Isadora." A sing-song voice came forth and her blurry gaze found Kraven’s silver eyes, he appeared five before her eyes.

The smirk on his lips said volumes as well as the realization finally struck her.

"You’re not real, are you?" she said weakly.

Taking his head back, he released a maniac cackle. "You finally figured that out." He clicked his tongue. "Then you must realize you’ve been at death’s door, since the first challenge?"

She gulped heavily.

"That wound you didn’t heal completely was already killing you."

His voice became distant as well as her thoughts.

"Your mind needed something to keep you away from that reality... so you thought of me," he added with pride. "It makes me wonder why you didn’t think about your precious Rav, but me instead."

Everything faded away.

The sound of a raven came through, jolting Isadora awake, her half-closed eyes on a raven bird perched on the rock with silver eyes. It croaked loudly.

Growling, she forced her body to sit and said. "Are you in my imagination too? Or Is that really you?"

It flapped its wings and her eyes followed it to a path, narrowing her eyes she forced her body up, limping toward it and holding the wall for support.

Is that a tunnel?

A breathy laughter escaped her as she laid eyes on the flag. The raven tilted its head to the side watching her laugh her heart out.

Her humor slowly decreased when her eyes landed on another tunnel.

"Where does this one lead to then? An escape or another claim for my life?" she asked the raven as if it could understand her.

It simply croaked, flapping its wings, taking flight toward the mysterious tunnel.

Isadora turned her gaze back to the flag, grabbed it, and without second thoughts followed the raven.

This was a crazy idea, she knew that much... here she was following a bird which could be random. But there was this unmistakable feeling, it was sent to her.

’Or it could be your imagination again.’ The thoughts in her head voiced. But what were the odds? The other entrance was shut which meant the second challenge was already over, her best chance was this one.

There was light at the end of the tunnel. Using her hands to shield her eyes, she limped toward it.

"The next challenge," she said.

The closer she got the brighter the lights were and she was forced to close her eyes briefly.

When she opened them again, she found herself in a vast forest, trees stretching for miles and miles.

It was a woods.