| The Rising Moon: The Awakening of a Demi-Goddess |

█▓▒­░⡷⠂ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪɴᴀʟ ꜱᴛʀᴀᴡ, ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ.⠐⢾░▒▓█

 Celestials mind had been a blur. One moment, magic had overcame her and hexed her to argue with Nico, the next, she opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar dark room. The walls were boarded up and the floorboards creaked.

In case you couldn't tell, no, This was not part of her ingenious plan. Something had changed about Pandora's Mansion since the last time she had entered it. It was almost as if the evils that had been trapped in here... had never left.

Muffled noises caught her attention, and she turned her head, a small gasp escaping her lips. Everyone except Nico; Percy, Annabeth, Frank, Hazel, Jason, Piper, and Leo, were all tied behind a chair with adamantine chains. They seemed to be struggling, as if held captive by someone. (Who was she kidding, of course they were being held captive by someone.)

"Well well well. If it isn't my dear sister," A cool, hollow yet familiar voice sounded in the shadows. Celestial swiftly turned, her teeth bared, and was face to face with her brother, James. The memories of him flashed in her mind; the two of them playing tag at the age of three; both of them being adopted by Portia and him turning into... something else; the two of them being elected Eris's generals; it was at this moment when Celestial realized how much she really hated her twin brother.

"Oh, James. Should have known you'd be here, ruining the mood," She said bitterly, giving him a cold glare. He scoffed at her, slowly stepping down from tall post he was at. He slowly circled her, and she showed her teeth at him.

"I wouldn't be speaking from the position you're at. Adamantine, I see? Perfect. That will make killing you much more easier," He said it so calmly she almost thought she had imagined it. Then again, why was she surprised? The fact that he was her brother made him want to kill her more, not less. She let out a low, bitter, chuckle, and stood up from where she was sitting at.

"And how to do you intend to do that? I know you don't like getting your hands dirty," She commented sourly. While it may seem like she was at the disadvantage, she could already feel Nico's presence. The son of Hades would surely help his friends escape, which was all the she needed. Not only that, but she happened to have a special backup in her boot, just in case she needed it. James clapped his hands slowly, as if giving her a cruel award.

"That you are right about, sister. See, here in Pandora's Mansion, where all the fears and horrors are at their strongest, our dear Wraiths have much much more power," James said, twisting his neck with a sinister smile. She scowled tapping her foot on the ground as he snapped his fingers in a gesture.

The cloaked figures emerged from the shadows, ready to serve their master to taste the blood and to hear her screams. She heard a small click! from her boot and saw a glint of silver. One of her top recommendations as a general? Always carry an adamantine knife with you. It would come in handy.

Before her brother could comprehend what would happen, she kicked up the knife and using her mouth, slashed one of the Wraiths with a dagger. Her handcuffs had fully engulfed both of her hands, so it would just be mouth and legs for now, and she had no complaints. The Wraith let out a screech and disappeared into dust, its brothers turning and realizing what she had done. They hurled themselves towards her, screeching with their long bony hands extended out.

She had only been taught how to fight alongside the Wraiths, never against them. Luckily for her, she didn't need any teaching. She ducked and dodged and weaved, working her way through the Wraiths. Scratches and bruises appeared, but she kept on fighting, her teeth gritted with the dagger in her mouth.

"Fighting like an animal now, aren't you?" Her brother's cool voice was heard. To his demise, the others had been freed by Nico and were now fighting the Wraiths. She scowled at him, and spat out the dagger.

"Come on, let's be more civil than that," He said, but she could hear the tremble in his voice. The last straw. Today was the last straw. He had tried to kill her so many times. And she had let him walk away freely. The rage built up in her. Heh seemed to realize this too.

"Dear sister, let's talk this through. I never intended to-" The dagger went straight through his heart. She didn't even bother hiding her powers in that moment. She levitated it straight through his heart, nearly missing an odd pendant he had been wearing. She had killed him. And she meant it.

"Celestial! Watch out!-" Nico's voice rang through her ears as a shadow loomed over her. She turned, and there was a Wraith, hovering over her with hatred and despair. It consumed her thoughts, resurrecting the horrid memories that she had lived through.

I have to survive. There's no way I can't. She clutched the sword in her hands, her fingers cut and her breathing shallow. They were in Tartarus. Flipping Tartarus! How would she even survive? Eris had set up a Hunger Games for all of the generals!

Blood flashed in her eyes. No. The distant howling echoed in her ears as she realized how slim her chances of living were. She had seen so much death. So much loss. How would she survive?

The Cocytus river filled her mind with all of her depressing thoughts, all of her worries and hates and troubles. 'You're nothing', the voice whispered in her mind as the cold water made it hard for her to breath. 'You left them all! And for what? Nothing! Everybody hates you, and you know it,' The voices pressed in her head. She felt herself sinking in the river.

Celestial couldn't take it. The horror and anger and hate the Wraith was filling up in her soul with was too much for her to handle. Known the battle had already been won, she let the pressing thoughts in her mind take over.

She passed out.