Daughter of the Myths: The Lightning Thief

Chapter 21

 My parents once took my little sister and I too a Yankees game, in order to be more like a "normal" family. For the longest time, I thought was the largest crowd I would ever see. Then I saw the fields of Asphadel for the first time and it put the stadium to shame. The only think is that it's the eeriest crowd you will ever meet, I have an easier time seeing the specters but even still they seem to bend and warp around the edges making it hard to really focus on them. I crave to hear what the other demigods hear, I can hear the screaming voices of the dead, with ease.

"Keep your heads low, and don't try to talk to anyone," I whisper, my eyes darting.

We wander through the specters, their hands reaching for us. A few walk up to me and whisper pleas for help and other light conversation, I try to ignore the calls of "misstress," and "lady" but they burn my ears. I don't fear the dead, I pitty them. Forever, with nothing to do but stand in a giant field, chattering with the wind. Seems lonely, normally I would try to talk but I am trying to not reveal that there is a demigod here and a living person communicating with the dead that aren't a direct decendent of Hades or Persephone is unheard of.

We follow the snaking line of the newly dead, that weaves through the field and heads towards the Judgment pavilion. I eye the two lines at the back of the tent, the left heads towards my step-fathers favorite place. The Fields of Punishment. To the right, I can feel my mothers magic ringing out for me. Elysium, that's where I hope to end up once I am done with the mortal world.

"That's what it's all about," Annie says, her eyes glittering like the lake in the middle of Elysium. "That's the place for heroes," She says, talking about the Isles of ther Blest.

I doubt I will ever end up there, I don't think that the methods that Luke, Kronos and I are using are going to be considered ethical, but Hades, it'll feel good to finally get the recognition I deserve.

Besides, it takes a lot to get to the Isle. Annie will do it, if anyone could get to the Isle it's my Annie girl.

We walk for a few more miles before the familiar sounds of screeching ring in the distance. My eyes lift from the trampled black grass under my feet and I see the glittering black obsidian palace of my step-father. I watch as the batlike figures of the Furies fly around the parapets, my stomach whirls.

"I suppose it's too late to turn back," Grover sighs.

"We'll be okay," Percy says, but his green eyes are wide.

"We could check some other places first," Grover suggests, slowly stepping towards Elysium. "Like, Elysium for instance,"

"Come on, goat boy," Annie says, grabbing his arm as she presses forward.

Grover yelps as the sneakers sprout wings pulling his legs out from under him and haul him away from us. He lands flay on his back in the dirt, a choked gasp escaping his lungs.

"Grover," Annie chides, her hands on her hips. "Stop messing around,"

"I didn't!" He yelps again, the shoes flapping like mad. They pull his feet off the ground and start hauling some serious ass across the feild.

"Shit, Grover!" I shout, stumbling after him.

"Maia!" He yells, but the words appear to have no affect.

Just like Luke and I wanted. But it was supposed to be the kid with the shoes on, not Grover. I was hoping that the shoes would sense that it wasn't Percy wearing them and this wouldn't happen.

The three of us are now chasing after the flying goat boy as he continues to scream the magic word but the shoes don't so much as slow. He was picking up speed as we start going down hill. I am sprinting trying to keep up with the shoes, my hands out trying to catch one of Grovers flailing arms, but I keep missing.