Daughter of Aphrodite(a demigod story)

Death House for Demigods

On the sixth day of traveling, Stewart, Tyson and I came to where the border had been placed. It was hard to see because of the thick Mist that surrounded the area but what I could make of it was a clear blue force-field. Stewart and Tyson stepped through the boundary without hesitation but I halted. This was it, once I pass through this mysterious shield, I'd be facing all the nightmares I at first had dreamed. The boys waited patiently as I slowly stepped through the barrier; the dark magic of the shield tingled my skin as I passed over it.

Dark clouds swirled over Mount Rushmore and the strong evil filled every sense. I could taste its sourness, I could smell its stink, I could hear it whispering in my ear, I could see it blocking out the sun, I could feel it urging me for bloodshed. I shuddered and Stewart smiled a small smile of encouragement and I brought out Heartbreaker and moved on.

Not a word peeped from our mouths and no one needed to; the Mist was so thick now that Tyson's eye looked like two eyes and my sword seemed to be fading from a sword, to a gun. The dark clouds started to drizzle and the wind picked up. From a drizzle to a pour and from a trickle to a roar, the rain dumped and the wind howled. The rain was like a blanket, blocking out our destination and the wind urged us away.

I slipped and a gust of wind pushed me onto the ground; my face was sprinkled with mud and my shirt filthyed. Stewart or Tyson were nowhere in sight and I started to scream out their names, only for my voice to be drowned out by the wind. The valley played with me, mimicking my voice every time I would cry out and wiping me out with whirlwinds filled with rain.

The third time I was pushed down onto the muddy earth, I looked up to see a bright glow. I staggered to it and saw Stewart and Tyson searching for me, with light glowing from Stewart's sword. When I was close to them, another playful shove from the wind threw me to the mud. Stewart turned around and saw me crawling up to them. He wrapped his arm around my waist and Tyson stayed close as we trudged through the storm.

An hour passed by and the rain and the wind have given up. We stood, soaked to the skin, at the entrance to the tour grounds of Mount Rushmore. A policeman stood talking with a park ranger for security reasons.

"How are we going to get past them?" I asked.

"Alyssa, those are cyclops," Tyson whispered.

"What?"

"Those men in the funny uniforms are cyclops."

"Alyssa, didn't you realize that they're on the job during lunch break?" Stewart asked.

"No, I didn't," (I still don't know how he knew that).

Stewart patted my arm and pointed at a fire pit that burned in front of the two talking cyclops. He strung a blunt arrow, aimed and fired. The arrow caught on fire as it passed over the flames and hit the cyclops disguised as a policeman.

"Hey, what's that smell?" The other asked.

"Oh, it's me cooking," then the cyclops processed what he said and ran into the entrance, being chased by the ranger, who was trying to put it out.

We snuck in behind them and the fire on the pants of the cyclops lit the rock cold walls. It was hard to find any Greek signs because of how thick the Mist had become. Without any warning, a shock of pain pierced through my head and I crumpled to the ground.

A vision flashed in my mind where a Greek symbol for a cyclops hid on the wall and the pain instantly went away. Stewart was kneeling next to me, but I hurriedly stood up and followed a strange lead that brought me to the exact wall in the vision. I ran my hand over the rough stone.

"What are you looking for?" Stewart asked me.

"A way in," as my hand brushed the symbol, it glowed then the wall in front of us trembled and parted; some charred stone dust came up in a wave and sent us coughing.

The world went from American to Greek through one door. Greek writings covered the walls and torches lit the path. The halls were wide, probably because cyclops were so huge. Tyson seemed to like the way the environment was but of course, he's a cyclops.

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I had never been claustrophobic, but this place was not my style. I made a mental note that I could never live in a hobbit hole. Stewart held his sword close and he didn't look at home either. The sounds of banging hammers echoed down the halls from forging cyclops.

The further in we went the more I felt the aura from Aphrodite. It usually felt like a tidal wave of rose smell and happiness, but now it was just a gentle lapping wave, like on the sea shore.

There was a bend in the tunnel and I somehow knew that around that corner was Aphrodite. I drew Heartbreaker and motioned for Tyson and Stewart to be quiet.

We crept around the corner, um, well Stewart and I crept, Tyson kinda stomped. No offense, I knew he meant well, but cyclops are not meant to be quiet. Anyway when we rounded the corner we saw Aphrodite. She was in chains on the floor and she looked even worse than I remembered.

I think the worse part though was that she was crying. I had never thought that gods could cry and her crying especially was just so pathetic that I wanted to break down and cry with her.

Tyson started to tear up too and he frowned, "Aw, pretty lady is sad. I will give her a hug." he moved forward to do so, but Aphrodite looked up at his voice.

She immediately began to wipe off the tears and tried to look like she hadn't been crying. That kinda made it worse, because of her mascara. "Young cyclops I do not need a hug." she said pushing Tyson away.

"Well, it is about time." she huffed.

I decided that for her sake I would ignore the tremor and break in her voice.

"Yeah. Hi, Mom." I said.

"Well, are you going to get me out of here?" she said as she examined her nails like she couldn't care less. May I just say that her nails were all broken and chipped and looked very grimy indeed.

Stewart took out his sword.

"Hey, Sunny boy, I don't think that will work-" I broke off as Stewart's sword cut right through the chains.

"Well, that was easy." he commented.

He supported Aphrodite. I think my mom was leaning on Stewart a little much and I didn't like how she was cozying up close to him, but there was nothing I could do about it.

"Let's get out of here." I urged them. I had begun to feel a shiver up and down my spine.

We began to lead her out when Tyson shouted, "Alyssa, look out!!!!!"

I barely avoided being pulverized by a blast from Eris who had come into the cavern by one of the other tunnels.

"Did you really think you could get away that easily?" she snarled.

"Stewart get Aphrodite out of here!" I yelled.

"No not without you!" he called back.

Eris sent another blast my way.

"Out!" I screamed.

"Not happening!" Stewart yelled.

I was unable to dodge the next one and it hit me in the chest. I staggered. Tyson caught me. I pulled off my necklace and Heartbreaker and tossed them to Stewart. I had a sinking feeling I wouldn't get out of here alive.

"Now get!" I yelled.

Stewart had a war raging in his eyes, but Tyson was obediently pushing him and Aphrodite out of the cavern.

"Alyssa!!!" Stewart yelled.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" I called as I began to run after them. Then Eris sent another blast my way. I dodged it, but to late I realized her intent. It hit the wall and caused a pile of rock to close up the exit tunnel.

The last thing I heard was Stewart, "Alyssa!!!!!"

A rock hit my head and I was out.