Too Many Memories

We Meet The Seer That Can't See

We Meet The Seer That Can't See

The world faded as we shadow traveled, which was not pleasant. It was my first time shadow traveling. Percy had told me about it, and I thought he was exaggerating, but if anything, he downplayed it.

It was like going through the scariest haunted house ever created, on the fastest rollercoaster in the world, in the middle of Antarctica.

I hated shadow travel with a passion. I don't know how Percy loved it. Maybe it was guy thing. When we emerged in the DOA Recording Studios, Nico seemed at ease, Leo was ecstatic, and Tammy looked like she was about to throw up.

"Thanks, Nico. You can go if you want, but we may need your help getting to Phineas." I patted his shoulder and started to walk over to Charon.

"I'll come back once you're in." Nico grinned. "And you'll need this. Good luck." He handed me a small red rubber ball and melted into the shadows, and we were left with dozens of dead souls, waiting to go to the Underworld.

I cleared my throat and stood in front of Charon. "Excuse me?"

Charon turned and glared down at me, his eyes widening when he recognized me. "You again? Let me guess, all three of you drowned in a bathtub?"

"What?" Leo sputtered. "How does he know you?"

I waved him off. "A plane crash, actually."

Charon chuckled. "Nice try, die and come back."

"Wait!" I reached over the counter and grabbed the sleeve of his suit. "Would this help?" I pulled out the pouch of drachmas and counted out ten, leaving us with ten.

"You and that Jackson boy should keep visiting. Soon I'll be rich." Charon scooped up the gold coins and beckoned for us to follow him into the elevator. He shoved away wandering souls and pushed the down button. The doors closed and we dropped.

Tammy grimaced and held onto my arm. Leo smiled madly, and I knew someone had given him coffee or sugar before we left.

The doors of the elevator faded away and suddenly we were standing on the raft, with Charon in his grim reaper outfit, pushing and pulling his long stick in and out of the water. We made it to the other side of the highly polluted River Styx.

"Thanks," I said, after we stood on land. Charon grunted a reply and pushed back.

"Well, guys. Welcome to the Underworld."

~

I held the red rubber ball in my right hand, waving Leo and Tammy forward with the other. All three of Cerberus' heads had their eyes trained on the sphere. Leo and Tammy made it under Cerberus and on the other side, so I tossed the ball straight up and ran after them.

We ran through the gates, ignoring the alarms and going straight to hiding. Nico appeared. "I know where Phineas is. I can show you, but then you're on your own."

Nico guided us to the Fields of Punishment and to one section. "He's in there. Be careful." Nico whispered and disappeared.

We walked into the field and found an interesting sight. Phineas was staring at a blank screen, as if he could see, but you could tell from his eyes that he was blind. He constantly squirmed around, his body and face making it clear he was uncomfortable.

"Phineas?" I prompted.

He whimpered. "Come stand in front of me. I can't look away from this screen, they keep playing me movies and right at the climax they switch to another so I never know the ending."

The three of us cautiously stood in front of him. "What do you want?" Phineas practically snarled.

"Where can we find Gaea?"

"Ha! Even if I did know, why would I tell you?"

"I personally know Lord Hades, as well as his son. I don't think you want me to bring them into this."

He flinched. "Good point. Sorry sweetheart, I don't know how to help you."

"Yeah, you do." I stuck my dagger under his chin. He gulped.

"I don't think I do."

"Okay. Tammy, please do the honors."

She looked up and smiled. "My pleasure. Oh, Ni--"

"All right, all right! I'll tell you. I don't know where Gaea is, but I do know who does. You have to find Nereus. The Old Man of the Sea. He's at the docks in San Francisco."

I removed my dagger and Phineas rubbed his neck. The name rang a bell. Percy had told me about Nereus, when I was taken by Thorne.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Leo said, and we walked away.

When we walked out of the Fields of Punishment, three small spheres sat on the ground. I recognized them. "Thanks, Percy." I picked up the pearls and handed one to Tammy and Leo, keeping one for myself.

"Stomp on a pearl when I say so, and envision the docks in San Francisco." I instructed them. They nodded. "Now."

We placed our pearls on the ground and stomped on them. The pearl fragments burst with green light and fresh sea air, and we were floating in white spheres. The spheres floated upward and we were surrounded by darkness.

When we saw sunlight again, we were treading water in front of the docks in San Francisco. Homeless men and women lounged under the bridge, but one stood out. I knew it had to be Nereus from the smell. Percy had told me how he had to capture Nereus in order to ask him a question.

We climbed out of the water and casually made our way over to Nereus. I was ready, and so was Tammy and Leo. I launched myself at him and locked my arms around his neck. He jumped and squirmed and threw himself into the water, transforming into seal. I struggled to hold onto the slippery seal in the water, but that's what Tammy was waiting for, and she controlled nearby kelp to grab him.

He yelped and turned back into a human and hauled himself, as well as me, back onto land. It seemed like none of the other homeless people had seen the struggle.

"Fine, fine!" Nereus relented. "I'll answer your question. What is it?"

"How can we save Hylla?" I asked.

Nereus smiled. "You and my last visitor, that son of Poseidon, ask such easy questions. One of you already know the answer to."

"What do you mean?"

"Simple, your friend here, Tammy, already knows where and how to save the Daughter of Bellona."

Leo and I looked at Tammy. She sighed. "Gaea sent me a vision while we shadow traveled. She was standing in a junkyard. I could see Hylla buried in junk off to the side. There was a post office that said GILA CLAW, ARIZONA, a boarded-up house and a taco shop by them. Gaea didn't say anything, she just smiled and showed me the place, along with her army. It was huge. She has one more giant and a goddess. I didn't say anything because I thought she might be tricking me."

Gila Claw, Arizona. It sounded familiar. Something Percy told me . . .

I had almost figured it out when a raspy voice interrupted my train of thought. "Well, looks like today is a lucky day for me."

Nereus dove into the water as an eel and swam away. We slowly turned around to face the monster Kampê.