Half Blood Heroes: Eternal Rivers

Never Heard Of County Soul?

Mark hovered over a sewer with a raven on the top. "This is the one." He pushed the sewer cover open. It didn't smell bad as in 'the sewer' smell, it was a musky, dark smell. "Smells like death, doesn't it?" We crawled down the ladder. The farther we went the colder and darker it got. The smell shifted to the scent of an apothecary. "It's like a morgue down here."

"Cold place where dead people are? I see the similarities."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"Both of you shut up." I was at the top of the ladder slowly climbing down. "We're here." In the distance, there was a dark castle built on a mountain. "That's my mother's palace. I have access to crows, they're in a cave though."

"Cave or grave?" Arin eyed him suspiciously. "Cave, let's go." There always seemed to be looming shadows behind us. "Mark? Bro, who are they?" Mark sighed and turned around. "Zane, they're guests."

"Guests? No, those are the people mom sent you to capture."

"ZANE!" Arin and I drew our swords. "Capture us?"

"Wait, no not anymore."

"I knew it, we never should've trusted you." Arin swung his sword at Mark. I pointed my sword at Zane. He didn't have a sword, what idiot doesn't carry a sword around when you'll need it? He had nothing but a measly dagger which he picked up from a dead skeleton. "Why does your mom want us?" I chased Zane around the stone formations. "I don't know! I swear."

"Lies!" I swung at him successfully scratching under his eye. He stepped back in shock looking at blood in his hand. "Hey! Hands off my little brother! You can hurt me but you're not hurting Zane." Mark rushed over with a cloth. A slow clapping interrupted the peace. "Very well Mark, I guess I underestimated you. Zane, you should've come with a sword." A woman with a long black dress adorned with silver chains and raven's feathers. Three ravens were on her shoulders. Her long black hair covered her back. In her hands was a tall scythe with a blade that shimmered with glistening blood. "I am the goddess, Morrigan. What brings you three half-bloods to my humble kingdom?"

"This is humble, it looks like the bottom of someone's shoe," Arin said nonchalantly. "I will never give you access to my crows. Throw them in the dungeon." Morrigan walked away with her three ravens. "Thanks, Arin, you have won the award for the biggest freakin' idiot." I glared at him. He looked away not wanting to admit his idiotic move. "Look, Sweetness-"

"Don't call me that."

"Kendra, I'm so sorry."

"Save it."

"We don't know where your mother is, really I swear on Lugh."

"You do know, Arin was right. You just don't care."

"I care, but Lugh and Dagda are sending god after goddess here to ask my mom for information on Danu. She gives them the same answer, they ask the same question. They just don't get it. My mother is worried about Danu, she's trying her hardest as well. Please just understand." I was handcuffed and shackled to the ground. "No, I hate you. I trusted you, you liar." He looked hurt but still kept a stoic expression. His brother, on the other hand, the poor guy looked like he didn't know a single insult. He was glaring at us with his icy blue eyes. Although he looked like a cat.

"You look like a cat." He gasped holding the cloth of his eye. "Keep them in the worst dungeon."

"Zane, be nice."

"Stop being nice, just throw them in the dungeon."

"It's gonna be cold and sad," Zane said to my face. "Yeah, no duh Sherlock."

"Whatever."

"You'll never find your mom."

Long story short we were thrown in a dark, dingy dungeon to supposedly rot. The dungeon was separate from the castle, heavily guarded nonetheless. I looked around, beside us in another cell there was a ghost. "Hey kid, stop staring." I looked up, the ghost looked, well ghostly but guilty. "Sorry, what are you here for by the way?"

"I killed someone."

"Who?"

"My brother."

"Oh." I looked away awkwardly. "How bout' you and your friend? You both don't seem dead."

"We were sent on a quest and trusted the wrong person." He laughed quietly. "Her children can't be trusted." I nodded in agreement. I looked up at Arin, he looked out of the cell. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

"It's fine."

"No, I should've listened. I was a newbie, I should've-"

"It's fine. I wanted to go here anyway. See my dad after 6 years."

"Arin, I don't want to see my dad here." I hugged my knees sadly. He put his hand on my shoulder. "You won't trust me." Once again the ghost spoke quietly. "You can get out, hidden hatch. Get you out quick." The keys were in front of us. "Get the keys, I'll help you out." I looked at the water on the ground. I quietly controlled the water to get the keys and bring them in. "Almost-" The lock clicked, we quietly opened the doors. The ghost stepped out. "The crows will listen only to children of Morrigan." A voice at the end of the hallway caught our attention. A girl with black hair stood there. She was my age holding a black sword. She was holding the reverse grip. She flipped it to hold it the normal way you hold a sword. (If you have ever held a sword before) She lunged forward. "Wait- please." Like that would work- she stopped and lowered her sword. (Oh it worked that time). "Speak now," I spoke up. "We're half-bloods on a quest. We need Morrigan's crows to find Danu." She looked annoyed for the reason we were there. "Didn't you hear? My mother knows nothing. The crows in that area were hunted down. They never came back here!" Sounded much more convincing than Mark. "Go back to your home, beg the gods and goddesses to leave my mother alone."

"How do we know you're not lying."

"If you leave now, get them to stop. I'll never tell anyone about this."

"Really?"

"Swear on Lugh, by the way, what are your names?" Arin lowered his sword. "Arin O'Connor and this is my sidekick-" I nudged him hard in the gut. "I mean my partner Kendra Waters. How bout' you?"

"Cynthia Castor, if we meet again, you can just call me Tia."

"Of course, we'll get going."

"Also I have an idea on where your mother is Kendra." She pulled out an aged scroll and a pen. "Write down: Map To Éibhiocht River. It is undetectable."