𝗪𝗔𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗘 ━━ l. valdez

xvi ━━ still alive killing time at the cemetery (never quite buried)

05. chapter sixteen

━━━━━━━━ ( 💫 ) ━━━━━━━━

THE SUN WAS BEGINNING TO RISE when I was able to see Central Park in the distance.

It took a few hours to reach New York City from Eastern Pennsylvania. I spent most of that time asleep on Festus's back. I would have loved to say that I didn't dream, but that wouldn't be true.

In my dream, Leo, Piper, Jason, and I were on the back of Festus, riding to Quebec. I knew we were riding to Quebec because Leo and I looked a mess after a night in the woods and Bunker 9. I was in that stupid dark cloak and tunic from my claiming and I was freezing.

I was behind Leo and everything was fine. The for of us were tense obviously because we were flying off towards our first quest, but nobody was dead yet and Gaea hadn't woken. That was my version of peace.

I was beginning to think maybe the dream would be an okay one when the dream version of Festus suddenly lurched forward. Leo went flying off the bronze dragon. I reached for him, but I knew it was already too late. He went tumbling through the sky.

Piper and Jason freaked out. We tried to get Festus to dip and save Leo, but the dragon wouldn't respond to us. Piper asked Jason to fly down and get Leo, but Jason couldn't fly anymore.

That was when they turned on me. They began to blame me for Leo falling off Festus. My dream self, instead of defending myself, just began hysterically crying. It was scary to watch. I never would have responded like that.

I woke with a start and found myself on the back of Festus alone, which freaked me out even more. I was so startled I nearly fell of the dragon, which sent a harsh reminder of my dream into my head.

I became suddenly aware of how alone I really was. I left camp and all my friends to go on a death mission to save Leo. Nobody knew where I was. I had to somehow convince the god Hades or trick him into giving me Leo back.

I had been reckless, and I knew I'd have to pay the price for my lack of planning, but I couldn't turn back. I made a promise, and I never broke a promise.

As I descended on Festus' back, the first light of dawn cast an eerie glow over Central Park, transforming it into a realm caught between dreams and reality. The city that never sleeps seemed to hold its breath, its usual chaos replaced by an unsettling stillness. Below, the trees of Central Park stood like ghostly figures. The skyscrapers of New York City loomed in the distance, their glass facades reflecting the pale light in white. The air was cool and damp, carrying the scent of earth and ignorant sleep.

It was strange to think anybody could just be going about their lives as if things were normal. I envied the mortals' innocence.

Festus landed softly on the south side of Central Park, his metallic wings folding with a quiet creak. The early morning mist clung to the ground, swirling around his feet as I dismounted. Percy had told me I would find the Doors of Orpheus here, hidden in the park.

I had no idea where to find the entrance to the Underworld, or even what it would look like. I wandered aimlessly, my mind a whirl of uncertainty and doubt. Percy had been vague, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration. How was I supposed to find something so elusive?

As I moved north of the pond, a faint pull in my gut began to guide my steps. It was an inexplicable sensation, like an invisible thread tugging me forward.