Eye of Hecate

Ozzy

"You've crossed the river." 

I feel my ba float up out of my body, but the voice greets me instantly. I'm still looking at my sleeping body when I hear her. 

"Where are you?" I demand. 

A strong wind whisks me out of the sewer, and suddenly, I'm in a ruined mansion. 

I know I'm not in Chicago anymore. The vegetation is different. It reminds me of the Northeast of the United States, though I've only been there once or twice with Amos. 

The mansion is built around a large reflecting pool. The pool itself is drained, and has two spires growing in it. I find it eerily similar to the art exhibition up above us in Grant Park. 

"Come over here." The woman's voice commands. 

I have no choice but to obey, as my ba sails over to one of the spires. 

Up close, I can see it's more of a cage. Tendrils of stone and earth twist up, caging a woman in a dark hood. I can feel the power that emanates from her, even though I'm not actually there. 

She looks up at me, and it feels like a bolt of electricity goes down my spine. 

"Hera." I realize.

She smiles faintly. "So you recognize me, then?"

"I've been around gods before."

She narrows her eyes at me curiously. "Yes...you have. Though none like me." 

I can't help but agree. She has a different aura to her. The Egyptian gods I've faced have been manageable. I get the feeling I couldn't beat her in a duel. She's too big. Too immortal. I can't simply banish her back to the Duat. She'd simply refuse. 

"What do you mean I've crossed the river?" I ask her. I find she makes me really nervous, like all the atoms in my body want to vaporize in her presence. 

"You've crossed the river. From the Egyptian side to the Greek side." 

"I did what the torch lady said." I argue. "She said I need to be here, to help."

"The torch lady..." Hera sounds out the words, as if they have genuine meaning to her. "Well, I can't say anything about a torch lady, but she was right. You're meant to be where you are."

"Asleep in a sewer?"

She grimaces. "Yes. Osiria, you are critical for the success of this quest."

"But what am I supposed to do? I don't want to birth any giant revenge."

She gives me an irritated look. "Your actions will be for the best. But your main concern should be helping your questmates. They can't survive the oncoming challenges without you."

A knot of irritation starts building in my chest. "How can I help them then? Piper doesn't even trust me. Jason can't remember his past, and I don't know any spells for memory regeneration. And Leo..."

My voice trails off. Leo seems to be doing just fine. How can I help him with anything?

"Piper will learn to trust you. The question is, do you trust the Greeks?"

That's quite the loaded question. Amos always told me to be wary of the Greeks. He made it seem like they were no good for me. But, at the same time, by best friend is a Greek demigod. I trust Leo more than anyone. And, for some reason, I trust Jason and Piper too. My gut tells me they won't do anything to hurt me. But Amos's warnings ring in my ears. The West is the side of the dead. The side of chaos. The side of evil. The Greeks settled in the West. Do you really believe they're good?

"I don't know." I admit. "I want to. I trust the friends I have."

She gives me a knowing smile. "Good. I think you'll learn that us Greeks aren't as bad as your uncle may have made us seem. You might even find you have quite a bit in common with us."

"What does that-"

Before I can finish my question, I get whisked away. I get pulled upwards, then I get sucked downwards, deep into the earth. Even in my spiritual form, it's quite disorienting. It takes me a few seconds to adjust to my surroundings when I finally stop. 

I've been drawn into a cave. Stalactites and Stalagmites (I can't remember which is which) glimmer with moisture. I can't tell how the cave is illuminated, but everything has a faint glow. A small stream of water flows over some rocks nearby, giving the entire place an echoey sound of water that makes me have to pee. 

So, you've joined the quest.

The voice echoes up through my feet and rattles my eardrums. It's the voice of a woman who clearly isn't happy. 

"Who are you?" I demand. "Where are you?" 

Instinctively, I reach into the Duat for my wand and staff, but as a ba, I can't grab them. 

I believe your friends call me the Dirt Woman. She purrs. But I prefer to consider myself the Great Mother. 

"Good for you." I say. "Why did you bring me here?"

To warn you, Osiria Kane. This quest will bring nothing but hardship and loss for you. You will lose your goals. Your dreams. You will never become a Chief Lecter. You will never become the greatest Egyptian magician. 

"Why not?" I demand. "And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do?"

The ground shakes, and I realize she's laughing. Consorting with the Greeks is not in your best interest. Walk away now, little sorceress, and you will tread lightly on this earth. I will help you achieve your goals.

"Pffft." I scoff. "Yeah, right. I"m gonna team up with the woman who killed my best friend's mom. Wake up and smell the worm poop, Queen Dirt Face. I'm here to stay"

Clearly, that's not what she wanted to hear. The earth rumbles again, this time like a growl. You can leave now, or I will make sure your life is a waking nightmare. Your loyalty to the child of fire will be your downfall.

"You mean Leo?" I ask. "I don't think so. And I'll do you one better. If you even try and mess with him, I'll ha-di you before you can say fertilizer." 

Before she can say anything else, my ba gets sucked back to my body, and I wake up.