ATN 3: THE JAR IN THE MAZE

HESTIA'S WARNINGS COME TRUE

After a heart filled Chinese lunch, as we were going to get out, Hestia caught me alone. "You shouldn't have done it, son of Hecate."

I was sick of this. I said, "If I had a dollar everytime someone said that..."

"Don't mock my warnings, Jay Chatterjee." Hestia's facial expression changed into something I had never expected to see on her, "Do you know what you have stirred? You go about being a super powerful sorcerer, but you got no idea about balance."

"Balance?"

"Yes, balance. The balance between the dead and the living. The Fates had spun Abhro's webs. They had cut her thread, and recognized the Minotaur to be the cause of his death. And you have changed that. You know what happens when the supposed-to-die is resurrected?"

"What?"

"A terrible imbalance between the living world and the world of the souls."

"Hades?"

"Yes. You didn't know?"

"No."

"Then, apparently, you have learned now."

"Lady Hestia, I don't care. See how happy they are? How happy we all are? I couldn't lose my brother."

"Happy, for now. When you suffer the consequence, no one will be happy."

"It can't be that bad." I said. I seriously had no idea.

"That bad? You just brought someone back to life. Whatever, don't get scared if you see someone who is supposed to be dead." And, she disappeared in thin air.

When I returned, my brothers and Tina asked me what Hestia said. I didn't tell them the truth. However, I would soon have to.

We walked past two more rooms full of garbage. And then, we entered a room which had blocks on water. This was a trap room. There was shot circuited wire on the water, which meant that one step on the water would electrocute and kill us. Good use of new technology, Labyrinth! Our only hope of survival was jumping from block to block. 

Tina went first, and easily jumped from one block to another. Abhro went next. He went easily too. Dadai went after him. He slipped and nearly fell, but steadied himself and reached the other side. Lastly, I went.

I was not having a great day. So, when I reached the last block without any difficulty, I felt a little surprised. That is when I realized how I had messed up a little while ago.

I lifted my right leg to jump to the other side, but couldn't bring it down. I felt like something was holding itself against my foot. Then, I heard a voice, whispering around me, chanting my name. Apparently, the other three had also heard it. Dadai asked, "What's that voice?"

"Jay da," Abhro said, "Quickly put your foot. This room seems haunted."

"I am trying." I said. After about ten minutes of pushing through, I finally was able to get to the other side safely. We stood there, assessing what had happened right before. I looked around for the source of that whisper. I saw no one. Tina asked me, "Did anything hold you?"

"Yes." I said, "Some sort of energy field. I couldn't push through and put my step."

"Weird."

"Yeah."

We followed the string for about half hour more, until we came across a tunnel. It was a small one, not much problem for us to cross. But still, it left us with the shock of our lives.

Midway through the tunnel, I heard the same voice again. The others heard it too. They stood stiff by me. And suddenly, I saw someone who shouldn't have been here at all. Right in front of us was Viraj. Yes, Viraj Singhania. The traitor of Atlantis. He seemed unburnt. Only, he was transparent. He was not living. Behind me, all three of companions seemed shocked. Viraj smiled, "Hi, guys."

"You shouldn't be here." I said, and flicked my fingers. Nothing happened.

"Your magic won't work, Jay. I am not anything made of matter anymore."

"Then what are you?"

"Ghost, soul, spirit, whatever you wanna call it."

"Jay," Tina asked, "What is he saying? How is he here?"

"Ooh!" Viraj smiled evilly, "She doesn't know. I figure none of them does. Should I tell them?"

I looked at the ghost eye to eye and told my friends everything. Everything Mom had warned me about. Everything Thanatos said, everything Hestia said. "Why did you save me, Jay da?" Abhro asked, "You have jeopardized everything now."

"He has, hasn't he?" Viraj interrupted, "Because I am gonna go to Jared, and provide info no one can. And you can't stop me. You can't even touch me, you powerless fools."

And saying so, Viraj disappeared. Hestia's warnings had come true. I felt disappointed at myself. I felt useless, powerless. I felt as if I had betrayed my friends. "Jay," Tina came running down at me, "It will be okay."

"It will be okay?" I asked her, my voice giving up, "All this, all this, is my doing."

"I died, right?" Abhro said, "There was no need to bring me back."

"Shut up, Abhro." Dadai said to him. Then, he came to me, and said, "He's facing some survivor's guilt. So you messed up. Big deal. There has to be some way of sorting this out. Think."

"I can't think." I said.

"You have to. Before this ghost slithers to Jared, you have to. Think."

I tried to remember. And I did. "The Fates." I said, "The Moirai. They are the ones who inflict this curse upon us."

"Can we convince them?" Dadai asked.

"I can try."

"Then go, take the string, and go. Stop this soul invasion."

"Go?" Abhro asked, "All alone?"

"Yes." I said, "It has to be me alone. I am the one who disrupted the balance."

"But Jay," Tina said, "I can't leave you alone."

"Don't worry. I will be fine. I will return."

I got up, and aborted our ongoing mission in the string. I typed 'Themiscyra'. The string glowed and elongated. We followed it and came across a cracked wall. Tina broke it with her sword and the wall opened right beside the stage in the Citadel. It was night time in Themiscyra. I said to Dadai, "Tell everyone what had happened. Tell them the truth."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"I am. We have to trust each other."

Tina kissed me on my cheek and said, "Return quickly, and safely."

I nodded, and turned away. The entrance closed behind me. I looked at the screen. It said, "Mission successful." (Contrast) I opened a new mission, and typed under destination, 'The home of the Moirai'. The string glowed again, and elongated again. I started following it again. This time, alone, all by myself.