The Ancient Prophecy

26 : The River Styx - Charis / Petros

        Charis

    Charis landed on cold sand . It had a red-ish color and it was surprisingly smooth to touch .
     She got up from the sand and looked around . She saw in the distance a road made from obsidian black rocks . The place was surrounded by high walls probably made out from actual obsidian . Charis looked up to see the size of the walls but saw a black void instead .
     Charis started walking in the direction of the rocky road . Then she remembered , I have to wait for the others . She decided to sit on a nearby boulder to wait .
     Then she heard a loud dropping sound from behind her . Then a familiar voice cursing loudly .
     She turned her head to see Sot in the sand . Charis couldn't help but laugh as he dropped his head in the sand with rage .
     She walked to Sot and held a hand to him "Need some help getting up ?" she asked with a smirk , trying not to laugh again .
     Sot lifted his head , sand dropping from his hair . He smiled weakly at Charis "Stop with that smirk , Char ." he grabbed her hand and stood up too "How did you land so smoothly ?" Sot searched her up and down for a little sign of an injury or any sand-stains .
    Charis chuckled while shrugging "I suppose I was just calm ."
"Makes sense .." Sot said then ran his hands through his hair , trying to get the sand out .
     Charis turned her head again to look around at the place . The more she looked , she observed even more new details . It was as if the place changed a little bit every second . She decided to stop looking around and focus on anything else but the landscape .
      Then Phedora landed too , smoothlier than Sot .
"Oh come on ! I fell on my face in the sand and you two landed perfectly !" he said , his arms crossed . Both Phedora and Charis laughed at that .
      After that , Phedora put her hands on her hips and looked around the place with a wandering stare . Charis stopped herself from following her gaze .
"Honestly , it looks better here than I expected . There are no hungry monsters who want to eat us .. at least not yet ." Phedora said with a nervous smile .
"We are not in the actual Underworld yet . We have to cross the River Styx first to get there ." Sot explained .
"I'm surprised you remember all the information from that Hades kid ." Charis smirked at Sot "Sometimes you don't even remember your own name ."
     Sot chuckled "I only remember important stuff . For example : my sneaking strategies , other's names and information for a mission into the Underworld ."
"I still don't know how you managed to get so much information without suspicion ." Phedora said , an eyebrow raised .
     Sot just chuckled at that "Let's just go . The place already starts to morph into another ." he changed the subject then started walking to the rocky road Charis saw the first time . Now it looked slightly different . Charis and Phedora followed behind Sot on the road .

         Petros

    When Petros landed on the red-ish sand , the three demigods have already walked away . Which was great because Petros did not want to accidentally meet with them and fuck up his plan .
    But at the same time it was bad because he had to search some moments for them .
    He walked past a boulder to a road made out from rocks .
    Then he saw three figures in the distance , one taller than the other two . That must be the three .
     He walked further on the obsidian-looking road cautiously , again using his talent of silent steps . He pulled his black hood on his head . Luckly he could infiltrate in the dark landscape with his all black clothes .

         Charis
   
    At some point Charis heard the distant sound of a river flowing to her left "Do you hear it too ?" she asked Phedora and Sot .
     They both stopped a moment from walking to listen carefully .
"That must be it !" Sot said cheerfully "The River Styx .. or at least one of the of the other four ."
"Should we go see it ?" Phedora asked .
"I suppose , but there is a little risk that the landscape will change and we'll lose the road and the river ." Sot said .
      All three stood a moment in silence before Charis said "I'll take the risk ." then she sprinted in the direction of the noise as fast as she can .
      As she ran , she heard Phedora and Sot running too , right behind her .

          Petros

Why in Tartarus are they running so fast and where ? , Petros thought as he ran after Sot , Phedora and Charis . He was far enough for them to not observe him . He was also out of breath . He never had great stamina .
     Minutes later they were still running , but this time Petros finally heard it . A river  .
     The sound of the flow was getting louder and louder as he got closer and closer . Or at least as close as he can without catching the attention of the three demigods .

         Charis

     Charis , Phedora and Sot stood on the river's bank . The water was flowing fastly , its color an unhealty black .
"Well , it is actually the River Styx ." Sot said , catching his breath for a moment from all the running .
"So how do we cross it ?" Phedora asked , taking a little sip from a water quiver .
"We need to find Charon for that ." Charis said .
"Yeah." Sot said "Luckly I got some drachmas for the payment ."
"And where do we find Charon ?" Phedora asked , staring past Charis and Sot , probably trying to find a sign of something other than flowing water and red-ish wastelands .
"I guess we just walk along the river bank until we find him ." Sot shrugged .
"Makes sense ." Phedora almost mumbled , while still looking past her and Sot .
     Charis suspected something happened to Phedora . She acted strange . Unconcentrated , unorganised , panicky . And the expression on her face when she showed up at the back of the base . The way her eyes were slightly wide with shock and the way she was faintly shaking .
    She decided not to ask her about it yet . At least not in the middle of a mission into the Underworld .
     She'll ask her about it after they successfully and safely get out with Athena's soul .

         Petros

Gods of Olympus , that's the River Styx , right ? , Petros though while peeking from behind a boulder at the river . It looked simplier than he thought . Only a big mass of black water . But he knew what that water could do . Petros decided he rather not think about it .
      Unfortunately , Petros was too far to actually hear what the three demigods were talking , but by the gestures they did , he figured out they were going to walk along the river bank until they found someone . By what he knows , Petros realized that that someone is Charon , the ferryman of Hades . He knew that crossing the river with his boat was the only way to get into the Underworld .
     Then he realised the three demigods were starting to move again , walking along the river bank .
     Petros quickly looked around the landscape for a place to hide , closer to their location .