#1 Daughter of Hera: Rise of Tartarus

Chapter 24 - Is That Really Charon? That's Quite Unexpected

Am I dead?

That's the first thing that popped in my mind, though I'm pretty sure I'm asleep in my cabin in Camp Half-Blood. Darkness surrounded me like cold, wicked blanket. My body felt light like I was submerged underwater. I felt blind and naked. Helpless in everything that is to come. Then, light flashed above, blinding me.

I blinked. I found myself floating in the air. Blue, blue skies stretched on all four directions. Below, vast waters sparkled against the harsh daylight. Day? Maybe this is the past? Or the future? I looked down. Just below me, an island stood. Or so I thought. The view zoomed in. Imagine standing still on a particular spot. Nothing happened. Then, suddenly, things moved toward you in lightning speed like you're a magnet or something. The things didn't mess their original arrangement, just move toward you so suddenly. I found myself floating just above an amphitheater carved on a hillside. It was deserted but I could feel some sort of force in the island itself. It was running from the very bottom of the island underwater, flowing through the roots of every plants and trees, even pulsing to the very bit of stone of the amphitheater. A sacred place.

I wanted to land, know more about the island but a distant rumbling of thunder surprised me. I looked around, there's no storm clouds present in the vicinity above but the sky opened up like it was being forcefully ripped apart by two giant hands. The blue sky like a curtain, revealed a hole with walls of storm clouds. Lightnings flashed above and the thunderous vibrations shook the island. From the chaotic hole, came two chariots. One silver. One gold. Both in a frenzied rush, determined to escape the storm. The chariots landed not far from me and I caught sight of the twin gods. Lightning arched above and a voice roared, "APOLLO! ARTEMIS! WHERE IS HERA?" before the colors melted into black.

This time, I am standing on the ground, no longer floating midair. All around me was darkness but unlike before, it wasn't total darkness, I wasn't floating, and I wasn't alone. Pale, smokey figures surrounded me, all moving in no particular direction. Then, a ghostly hand grabbed my arm. Though not possible, pain tore my skin as the ghastly fingers dug deeper in my skin. I turned and where the eyes and mouth should be, empty hollow sockets greeted me.

A raspy voice. A disembodied one. A chorus of dead voices from the ghosts around me melded into one through the ghost in front of me. "We will show you the one you're seeking!" Then, all at once, the ghosts lunged toward me.

Another scene. This time, I was floating again but not alone. The ghost that spoke was with me, still holding my arm.

"Below." It said.

I looked down. My eyes went wide in horror. Below me was a gaping hole bigger than the sink hole in Guatemala and seemingly continues to grow. I watched as a part of the earth breaks and drops down to the black chasm.

"W-What in the world is that?" I asked. I breathed, taking in large amounts of air. The world began to spin as the air thinned. I found myself gripping the ghost's wrist. I could feel a wicked force trying to pull me in. The force is too powerful that the air seemed to thin and the space altered like a ripples of oil on water.

I wanted to run. I wanted to escape this vicious force. But the ghost pointed down to one side of the hole. "Look! Look closer!"

I tried to swallow down my fear and focused on where the ghost is pointing. Not far from the very edge, a huge cage made of Celestial Bronze with a stand was fixed on the side of the hole. I strained to see more. I caught figures inside the cage but I focused more on a certain person. A girl of my age with blond hair and baby blue eyes. Trisha! I tried to fly toward her but the ghost held me back. I tried to free myself from its grip but to no avail.

"Let me go! I need to save Trisha!" I thrashed but soon, the scene faded and my eyes snapped open to the dim light of my cabin.

I lazily traced a line on the dusty window of the taxi. Soft sunlight shone on me but I cared not. I watched blankly at the cars already rushing past in an early morning. Opposite the noisy street, silence took superiority inside the taxi. I delved in its soundless domain to recollect my thoughts and go over my plans.
Soon, the taxi stopped in front of the studios.