Hi everyone! I'm back. I now present you the sequel for Daughter of Hera: Rise of Tartarus. I know some of you were angry for that ending but you wouldn't like to kill me without knowing what happens next, won't you? *wink wink* I know I already said this for many times but really guys, thanks for supporting me. My grammar might still be off but I won't make excuses for not improving it. I might update in an irregular basis just like always but rest assured I will really update. Cheers for the sequel! I dedicate this to all of you. If it weren't for you, I won't be trying to improve my writing skills. Thank you!

Warning: This story may be a bit cliché. Turn back down and forever regret reading it. Just kidding, but seriously, you've been warned.

Note: I don't own PJO nor HOO. All credits goes to Rick Riordan for these two wonderful series. Credits to the artists of the pictures used in the cover.

Chapter 1 - Did My Best Friend's Dog Just Turned Into A God?

For life and death are one,
even as the river and the sea are one.
-Khalil Gibran

~Trisha Ledger's POV~

The music had stopped...

The lullaby that I worked hard for years...

It was gone...

Only a cold, dead silence remains...

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling of my mother's cabin. I shifted, burrowed myself deep under the covers. Six weeks had passed since I was kidnapped in the mall and locked up in a cage. Ten days since Christine descended to the Underworld to rescue me. Ten days since she died and I arrived in camp. Ten days since her funeral. Nine days since I was claimed. I buried my head under a pillow as a sliver of light escaped through the door.

"Trisha...are you already awake? It's already morning."

Footsteps echoed on the floor. The bed bounced as Clarisse sat down. She lifted the pillow a bit and peeked.

"I'm awake." I said. I pushed the pillow back under my head and stared at the pink wall of the cabin.

"Everyone's gathering at the pavilion. Breakfast time." She said.

I didn't answer.

She sighed and slumped against the wall. "You know what, Christine's going to haunt you if you continue sulking."

"Very funny." I scowled. "If I remembered right, Christine often says that you are no good at jokes."

"Well, she often says that you sulks like a rebellious five year old." She shot back.

"That...is something I guess I couldn't argue."

"She's a good observant. Quick in her reflexes as she is quick in wit. But surprisingly stubborn sometimes."

"No arguments here."

She looked at up the ceiling, wrinkling her nose at the heavy scent of perfume wafting in the cabin. "I called Mr. Ledger earlier. Told him that you've been already found and is in good custody."

"Bet you didn't told him about camp."

"No need. He seemed to know, Trisha. You know about being your mother a goddess and you being a demigod. He insisted in keeping you safe, see you as soon as everything settles down."

"How about Christine? Did you tell him about it?"

She shook her head. "No. Not yet."

I didn't speak. I just studied the intricate patterns on my blanket. Clarisse was still leaning on the wall, looking out at the window toward the expanse of the camp. She must be thinking about something. The door slowly creaked open and a guy poked his head inside. It was Clarisse's boyfriend. Chris Rodriguez. We both looked at him. He regarded me with friendly reassurance.

He cleared his throat and spoke."Breakfast's ready. Well, if you're ready to eat now, you know."

"We're coming. Go ahead." Clarisse answered.

He nodded and disappeared.

Clarisse stood up and pulled the blanket off unceremoniously. "Stop sulking and get changed. You got a lot of activities today."

I groaned and buried my head under the pillow.

She grabbed it away. "Now!"

I sat up and scowled at her."Yes, Ma'am!" I grabbed a towel and headed for a bath. "You're already ruining my already ruined day!"

She snickered. "I won't go easy with you today."

"GET OUT!" I shouted.

She smirked and went out, closing the door behind her.

The sky is sunny and clear. The morning breeze smells of fresh wet earth and strawberries. The pavilion was jampacked with demigods. Breakfast had started and voices melt together into one loud undistinguished chorus. I sat down with my half-siblings and glanced to Clarisse who has started fighting about something I don't consider worthy of arguing. A wood nymph passed by, placing a plate fresh bread and cheese and an enchanted goblet before me. I ate silently, listening to the gossips coming from my half-siblings. There are gossips who dates who and the hottest gals and guys in camp. There are also talks about some famous celebrities, including a man named Tristan McLean, which our head counselor looked away as soon as the name was spoken.

As soon as breakfast ended, Clarisse pulled me away for my first activity for the day. Sword practice. I admit I'm having a hard time handling swords and other weapons. I once tried out all weapons available in the armory to no avail. But I do possess godly abilities concerning my mom's dominion, especially the rare ability known as charmspeak. I never realized it until I accidentally used it on Clarisse. Somehow, she managed to break free from it. It wasn't as strong as our head counselor's but it definitely have high potential. I was about to use it to Clarisse to let me go off the practice when Clarisse came charging at me. I barely blocked with my shield.

"Focus! Don't zone out during a battle if you don't want to die!"

I struggled to block her continuous assaults. The force was powerful it knocked my sword out of my hand. She placed the tip of her sword under my chin.

"Checkmate."

"Right." I pushed the sword away carefully and picked up my sword.

Clarisse trudged toward the stone seats and picked up a water bottle."You should put more force when blocking. It will help counteract your enemy's and prevent from losing your hold of your weapon."

"I told you. I'm not cut out for this." I said as I sat down. I placed the sword upright beside my feet.

"Who gave you that idea? I know a couple of Aphrodite kids who are good at fighting." She handed me a water bottle.I took it gratefully.

"Yeah. Sure. But really, I'm not an Aphrodite kid who was blessed with skills in fighting."

She flicked my forehead.

"Owww! What's that for?" I asked as I rubbed on my forehead.

"That is for your idiocy! Thinking you're not cut out for fighting when your life depends on it..." She huffed. "You're asking for an easy death wish, you know."

I shrugged. "That's easy for you to say. You're an Ares kid. You're good-Ouch!"

"Pick up your sword! We still got half an hour! Double time! Be quick!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Ever since Christine's funeral, Clarisse had been persistent in training me. She would always make sure I don't skip my camp activities especially sword practice. She wants me to learn how to fend off myself. Perhaps, even better than Christine had done. Despite that, she'd grown to be very protective of me. It's quite understandable. She'd lose some of the people important to her. She'd lose Christine. She don't want to lose me either. And so am I. It's quite hard. Not just for me but for the whole camp. The campers had been pretty gloomy since Nico broke the news for us.

"Christine...she...she's gone. Tartarus took her. She sacrificed her life to give us time to escape and prepare for the war. She...she's dead. I'm sorry..."

That's what he said. Every word was etched in my memory. It was so clear that it could have been spoken again and again in a nonstop rhythm. I wished it was the opposite. I hoped she came back with that son of Hades, wounded yet alive. I wished I can see her smile, that smile that gives hope and life to darkness. But it was the opposite. She never came back. She's gone...dead.

Nightfall. Everyone huddled to the pavilion as dinner was served. Voices broke into a chorus of screams as the ground trembled violently. Plates fell and goblets toppled off the tables. Some of the campers crouched down to the ground. I gripped at the edge of the table as the world moved randomly around in my sight. The earthquake lasted for a minute and a half. The longest and the most powerful yet. Chiron called off a meeting with the head counselors immediately after the meal. Everybody else were sent off to bed early as the sing-a-long and Capture the Flag were canceled. As I was going to my mom's cabin together with a few of my half-siblings, a rustling by the nearest bushes followed by a bark caught my attention. I separated from the group and peered, sweeping the bushes open. A small figure jumped at me and began licking my face.

"Markus!" I giggled as I lifted the brown and white shirt tzu. He wagged his tail happily at me. "What are you doing here?"

He barked. It was only then that I noticed the collar around his furry neck. When did Markus wear a collar? I looked at it closely. It wasn't a collar but a bracelet. I set Markus down and unhooked the bracelet. It was made of Imperial Gold. My eyes went wide.

"This...this is Christine's charm bracelet! W-Why do you have it?"

He barked in response and ran back to the bushes.

"Wait!" I ran after him but found no sign of him. I ran finger on the golden loops of the bracelet. Etched on the back of the peacock pendant was a Latin inscription I managed to understand thanks to my multilingual father. Monēre. Just then, white blotted my vision and memories flooded at me. Memories of Christine. Everything that happened while she is wearing the bracelet. I saw a woman gave her bracelet, gently fitting it on her wrist. I saw the times we share in every places we go. I saw the time when I was kidnapped in the mall. Her struggles in camp until she gave the bracelet to a young girl clad in silver. Every memory was crystal clear. All emotions, all sounds, all sensations it was like my own. I didn't realized then, I was already on my knees, crying. I wiped my tears and looked down on my hands.

Instead of the bracelet, a golden scythe was lying on my palms. The pole is six feet long, pure gold. The polished blade is curved downward, about three feet, made of Stygian Iron. It has a leather grip, tightly wounded around the pole. The bottom of the pole was a disk with the inscription Monēre. A small spearhead shaped blade protruded below the disk. A silver chain wrapped around the pole up to my wrist like a handcuff. I gaped at the beautiful yet dangerous weapon before me. Seeing this made me remember the stories about Ouranos' fall on the hands of his son Kronos with a weapon similar to a scythe and the birth of my mother.

A owl hooted nearby, catching my attention. I looked up and saw a figure flying away. It was dark to recognize who is it, but I saw it holding a rod with wings and a pair of snake-like things intertwined around it. The figure turned and bowed down before it disappeared in a flash of light. A voice whispered in my ear.

"Be warned of the dangers ahead. Always listen to what you are instructed to do. May this be a reminder to you and to those who will hold Monēre after you."

I glanced around but found no one. I touched the silver chain and the weapon turned back to a charm bracelet. Instead of a peacock and an eagle, a dove pendant dangle from the golden loops. I heard our head counselor calling my name. I hooked the bracelet around my wrist and went back to camp.