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

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The blood dripped from Celeste's hands. She looked at the splattered crimson liquid, at the bodies in front of her. Had she really done that? Murdered in cold blood?

'It was in self defense,' She told herself, but still couldn't shake of the notion. A howling noise entered her ears and she froze, fear paralyzing her body. 'I have to hide! Who knows what monsters are hiding down here?' She quickly slid behind a tree, thumping noises making her quiver with each one.

"I smell demi-god blood, Ephialetes!" One voice said excitedly. "Quiet Otis, I can't locate it with you pointing out every single obvious thing!" Another voice hissed. Celeste swallowed. The two twins, the giant counter parts of Dionysus. '

I'm screwed.' she thought helplessly. She closed her eyes, and remembered. Remembered the screams of the people she had killed when she had been down here. Remembered the one innocent girl who she had tried to protect, who was now dead. Remembered her brother, who had been working with Eris the whole time. Rage burned into her. Eris. The goddess of chaos thought that she could just throw a handful of demi-gods into Tartarus so that they could go all hunger games on each other.

'Well you've got another thing coming,' Celeste's mind hissed. 

Yeah, she was in Tartarus.

What was she going to do about it, cry? 

'No, I need to survive. My chances are slim...

but it's better than nothing,'

The first thing Celestial felt when she had opened her eyes?

Sick. Absolutely sick to her stomach, like she was going to throw up. Her vision was blurry, her mouth dry and her mind fuzzy. Where was she? She slowly sat up, her insides churning.

"Sleeping beauty is awake! You know, I didn't think you had it in you to.. you know, drink," Leo's voice commented beside her. She blinked slowly.

Wha...? She faintly recalled a blonde haired dude, Dylan or David or Dean or something, a bit aggressively invite her to drink. She had been so terrified by the amount of people she immediately gave in, and about lost herself at the third cup.

A twinge of horror entered her stomach. No, she wasn't upset at the fact she had drank alcohol, she wasn't a teetotaler anyways. Her true concern was the mission of planting the devices. She had known all along; (seeing the fact that she was the one who planted the information for Leo to discover about the party anyway). Had she messed up the mission? Were they able to plant the devices? I might have just screwed up the whole plan! Holy Hera, what was wrong with me? I might have screwed over the whole plan!

She turned to Leo, concern flickering in her eyes. "Were you able to-" She cut herself off, realizing she was supposed to act like she had no idea what their true intentions were. "-bring me back without any trouble?" She made up quickly, hoping that Leo wouldn't catch her. The son of Hephaestus gave her a suspicious look, it was merely a quick glance, but she saw it.

"Riiiggghhhhhtttt. Yeah, we had no problem- apparently people passing out due to- uh- alcohol is a regular thing at these parties. You've been out for two days. That why you usually skip parties?" He asked, leaning one arm on the wall beside him. Her throat felt dry.

Actually.. no. It was the crowds she had a massive fear of. It reminded her of the parties Portia had forced her to go to.

As for the alcohol, she reluctantly admitted to herself that she had taken large doses every now and then when she had been free. Even after making her foolproof plan, depression struck her hard. It was wrong- she was only 15- but after what she had been through? It was the least of her concerns.

She tugged her adamantine gloves. Was it just her, or had her powers gotten stronger? She searched her memory for a myth about it and came across one she had stumbled across when she still lived with Portia.

Poseidon, Athena, and Hera all wanted to overthrow Zeus because they were tired of his tyranny. So they chained him up with adamantine, their combined willpower keeping him in place. But he had a.. friend? she couldn't recall the myth very well, but continued on. Anyways, this friend dude sent some monsters to distract Zeus's captors- and their willpower wavered when they were busy fighting, so he bust out of them. Is it possible that someone's will for me to be captivated became fainter?

She couldn't think who in their right mind would believe in her, especially if they had known what she had done.

"Say, Snowhead, you don't happen to have anything in that backpack of yours, do you?" He asked nonchalantly, fiddling with one of his gadgets. She froze, praying that he didn't search it and read her notebook. Everything was there. Literally everything. Her secrets, her dreams, her literal plan, which even you readers still don't know! She gave him an awkward laugh.

"Backpack? Anything in it? Of course not!" She said frantically, sitting up. Leo raised an eyebrow and mhmmed at that, before finger gunning behind her.

"Hey Death Breath! How long have you been here?" Leo said, making Celestial blink. Death Breath? Who's-

She turned around and literally, I mean literally jumped out of her cot, landing on the hardwood floor with a thud. She scrambled up, rubbing her eyes, and saw Nico standing behind her, his pale skin illuminating. He gave her a guilty look, which confused her. What, am I supposed to be mad at him or something. She said the first thing that she thought she was supposed to be upset about.

"Harry Potter? Hermione Granger?! You're lucky that Juan couldn't read!" She vaguely recalled training the boy, who had been the Son of Aries. While he was strong, his brainpower was... not that impressive. He quirked an eyebrow up and rolled his eyes at her.

"I panicked, okay? How was I supposed to know we were going to make fake names?" He said, crossing his arms. She was about to say something sarcastic when a sudden queasiness took over her and she stumbled, making Nico rush to her side.

"Are you-"

"I'm fine!" She snapped, gritting her teeth and pushing herself off the floor. Nic pulled out a plastic bag and took out sandwich.

"Eat," he ordered, helping her up. She turned around, slightly feeling sick. "I said I'm fine!" she grumbled, crossing her arms. It was just the two of them now; Leo had slipped out of the room quietly.

"Are you avoiding it?" His voice made her shiver. How did he even know? Before the ball he had made her eat a few pieces of bread...

They didn't find out, did they? She froze, her mouth slightly ajar. It was one of the only things she hadn't written in her notebook. After a few moments of absolute silence, he shoved the sandwich in her mouth. She obliged, eating it in a matter of seconds, before biting her tongue. This isn't apart of the plan! They all have to hate me for this to work! A tinngling feeling swept over her, and she blinked multiple times.

What was going on with her?

She remembered her dream, and how broken she had felt. How angry. How bloodthirsty. 

Nico reached out to her. She flinched back, realization dawning on her.

I can't do this- but- but I have to. The plan won't work unless; unless... She glared a Nico, giving him an icy look.

"Listen up, De Angelo. Whatever is happening to me is my business, okay? I don't need the others, I don't need help, and I especially don't need you. I hate you. I can finally say it with every bone and nerve in my body that I hate you and I never want to see you again. It was a lie. It was all a lie. I never loved you. And I never will."

She spat out the vile words, the bitterness in her throat scorching. She didn't mean it at all. If she could take back the words- in some universe- in some life- she would.

But she couldn't.

Nico's expression flashed a flurry of different emotions- shock, betrayal (for a second time), anger, heartbreak, and disgust. With a final lethal glare, she swiftly sat up and exited the room, heading straight for her bed.

There. She had done it. She locked the door and crumpled in her bed, letting the tears fall. I just hope it'll be all worth it..