A battle ax was not for me. A sword, maybe. I could use a dagger, but it's a dagger, not really meant to be fought with. I was still pretty good with a bow and arrow. At least that's what my trainer, Mattie, said.

Since my father couldn't assist me personally, you know, Underworld business, he got me one of the best warriors he had to train me. Mind you this warrior was in fact, dead.

"No, Bianca! One swing left, one swing right, turn, clash, draw, down." Mattie said calmly.

I was panting. We had been at this everyday for about two months. I had most of it down, but the sword just didn't feel balanced in my hands. Mattie had told me that we would find the right sword when I was good enough. Apparently I still wasn't.

I attempted the battle pattern again. I failed.

Again. Wrong. Another try! Finally.

I heaved a sigh of relief as I fell onto the sandy shore of the riverside. Mountains rose up all around us, we were blocked from mortals' eyes.

"Ya really are getting there. I'd say in another two months, you'll be one fantastic swords-woman!" Mattie grinned.

"Haa... Thanks.." I breathed.

"Need some water then I suppose." He tossed me a canteen.

I sat up so I had my legs out in front of me with my knees bent. I rested my arms around them, after catching the canteen.

I chugged down the water until the canteen was barren.

"Guess you were thirsty." Mattie laughed.

I rolled my eyes, "Well, while you just sat there, I was having an all out battle with air."

Mattie shook his head, "That's because I already know how to fight with a sword."

I took that as a chance to argue, "But you're probably a little rusty, you know. Sine you've been dead for so long!"

That got him, "Are you challenging me, Bianca?"

"I don't know, maybe I am." I joked.

Mattie picked up a sword from the pile of weapons that we had been using, "You really wanna test it?" He smirked.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy one you!" I smiled.

He came at me full swing, I side stepped, dodging his attack. But he probably had already anticipated that, so I quickly ducked under, attempting to knock him off of his feet. That didn't work. He leaped over me, and without a moment of hesitation, spun on his heels and pointed his sword at my neck.

"Game." He gave a sly smile.

But I had other plans. I brought my feet up and kicked his kneecap, he cried out in agony before collapsing onto the ground, dropping his sword. I brought mine to the back of his neck.

"Game!" I giggled.

"Ah. That really hurt. Maybe I am out of practice." He stood up brushing off his chest. "Or maybe, you're just getting better."

"Hey, I beat you! That's gotta count for something." I argued.

"Of course it counts for something! More training!" Mattie playfully punched my in the arm.

"Wow, what a reward." I said, the sarcasm dripping off every word.

And so continued our free for all, without any more lucky hits from me.

Darkness began to approach through the peaks of the mountain tops. Almost time to catch some Zs, but then continue Hell the next day.

"Ready to hit the hay then, I suppose?" Mattie cocked an eyebrow.

I was breathing too hard to get any words out, so I just gave him the best glare I could muster.

"Alright, fine." He waved both hands in the air in a surrendering position. I hated him.

"Asshole..." I finally croaked under my breath.

A few minutes later I was on my back lying on my temporary bed (a sleeping bag) staring into the pitch black sky. No stars appeared that night, so I gazed into the darkness, unblinkingly, until my eyes couldn't stand it.

"AAARRRHH" I let out a scream of frustration. Was it really so wrong that I wanted to go back to my brother? My poor little brother whose happiness had been taken from him. The reason being myself?

I thought back to the night where I was face to face with him. Free to tell him anything and everything I wanted him to know. But I hadn't. Instead I had told him exactly what my father had ordered me to tell him. His eyes were so broken, so full of pain and anger, but mostly... sadness. An overwhelming sadness that no one should feel. A sadness, that was all my fault.

I felt the tears sliding down my cheeks once more. Every night, I thought I would somehow leave and just go and find him. But what chance did I have. Facing a world of monsters and having not a clue where to go. I stumbled upon my father merely by accident. What good was I-

CRASH!

I jolted up right. My head snapped in the direction where the loud noise had come from. "Mattie?" I called.

There was no response. Mattie might have been dead but to train me, my dad had given him a solid figure. If he was still awake, then he might have been the source of the loud bang.

However, there was no response. And again everything was still and silent. All you could hear was the soft breeze gliding through the trees and the crickets chirping a lovely song.

I tensed. Slowly rising up from my sleeping bag, drawing my sword.

I didn't say a word, nor did I make a sound. I stayed as quiet as possible. Was this a test? Was Mattie trying to pull something?

A twig snapped from somewhere in the distance, though it had felt like it had come from everywhere. What was happening?

I crept forward just a little bit, glancing in every direction. Was there a monster?

That wouldn't be possible though. There was a barrier surrounding this area, protecting me from monsters, similar to Thalia's Tree in Camp Half-Blood.

I blinked, suddenly feeling very tired and light headed. The world was spinning... spinning so very fast. My ragged breathing was uneven. Everything in my body was fighting to keep consciousness. I cannot fall.

Yet the feverish feeling would not yet go away. I dropped my sword. I brought my hands up to my eyes rubbing circles around them. I fell to the ground, continuing the battle to stay awake. What was happening?

My heart was beating so fast, I thought it would escape from my chest. Unbearable pain erupted inside my head. The ringing in my ears was blocking every other sound that I had been hearing. I couldn't' do it.

Make it stop! Please! MAKE IT STOP!

And it did.

It seemed like the world had stopped spinning. Everything was clear. The wind was blowing, the crickets were singing. And in the distance you could hear the ocean waves collapsing onto the shore and then receding back.

I was dumbfounded. My breathing was loud, I took deep breaths. What the Hell? What was that?

My eyes scanned the area for something, or anything that could have caused the break down, but there was nothing. Just the darkness.

I carefully stood back up, not bothering to pick up my sword. I stumbled back to the sleeping bag and collapsed upon it once more.

"OW!" I yelled.

I couldn't remember putting anything in my back pocket, but it was quite obvious something was in there from the pain it had just caused my rump.

I reached into it, pulling out... a ring?

It must have been. A ring, in the shape of a skull. I didn't remember getting this from anywhere. Nor did I think I had ever even owned a ring. Nonetheless, one shaped as a skull.

Without thinking much, I slipped it on the ring finger of my right hand. My dominant hand. I shrugged, closing my eyes and almost immediately, falling asleep.