On the north of Erebus, the river Lethe flows by the Land of Dreams. Icelos transported Menthe to the mouth of the biggest cave on the river bank, which was the entrance to the Oneiroi tribe's lair. There was scarcely any light in the dank, earth-smelling cave, which was littered with boulders. Since Menthe couldn't see, the god of nightmares took it upon himself to carry the nymph all the way to the end of the tunnel.

Soon they hit a dead end – a large smooth cave wall. With a wave of Icelos' hand, a circle of runes lit up and the wall began to shine and ripple like water. Menthe closed her eyes and gripped Icelos' neck tighter as they walked past the barrier, expecting to hit a wall or maybe for the transition to hurt, but she didn't feel anything unusual. Only a curtain of white mist awaited them on the other side.

A couple of steps later, the white fog cleared to reveal a land beyond any imagination (or more appropriately, if a mortal were allowed to create a realm based on his opium and mushroom induced visions... the Land of Dreams would be it).

There were two sides of the dark green sky – one side was 'day' the other was 'night'. On the 'night' side there were two ringed moons, shifting constellations (that were dizzying if stared at too long), and a (surprisingly normal) aurora borealis swimming through it. On the 'day' side, fluffy pink clouds partly covered the blue sunlight, dying the checkered grass blue, while winged fish (yes, birds swam in the streams) darted between the fluffy things.

Menthe, who grew up in the banks of Cocytus and saw nothing but black rocks all her life, gaped at the colorful view, wondering if she were still in the Underworld (or maybe Lord Hades really did kill her and she was now in the land where dead immortals go).

Icelos gently set her down and led her by the hand until they reached the base of a purple mountain peppered with large floating soap-bubble like orbs that acted like lanterns. A river flowing upstream carved its way from the mountain base, creating a waterfall that flows in reverse. The god of nightmares grasped the nymph tighter and stepped on the water, letting the current carry them to the top where Hypnos' palace was built.

Hypnos' palace was large and as colorful as everything in the realm. The dream god walked purposefully through the winding and visually striking hallways (probably seizure-inducing to some mortals); pacing himself so that Menthe was always three steps behind. They ended up in front of a large and colorfully ornate double door.

"Wait here," he said, gesturing for her to stop. He knocked three times.

"It's open," said whoever was on the other side. With a slight push, Icelos entered through the doors and closed it behind him, leaving the nymph alone to wait on the hallway.

Inside, a man with long purple hair stood with his back facing the god of nightmares. His hands were busy orchestrating the thousands and thousands of glittering and floating crystal orbs filled with shifting images – dreams played to mortals – to drift this way and that.

"Are you here to bring your early paperwork again Icelos?" the man asked without turning around. "Your eagerness in your mortal list is most astounding. If only Phantasos is as timely as you are," he sighed.

"Thank you for the compliment, Morpheus but I'm not here to discuss paperwork," Icelos replied. "Have you seen father?"

"Father is sleeping right now," he answered casually.

"Aw, really?" he groaned. "How enviable. How long do you think it will last?"

"It's five this time but he's been in his room for a while now so it shouldn't take long."

"I hate to be a bother but do you think you can accompany me to…interfere?" he asked while shifting his weight between his feet. "I need to break the 'do not disturb' rule and have an audience with father immediately. There's a lovely nymph that I need him to see."

Morpheus sighed. "Icelos, if you haven't noticed, I'm quite busy. Neither I nor father have time for your latest dalliance."

He snickered. "Though that's quite the lovely thought, it's nothing amorous. For the first time in my entire existence, my ability was personally requested by King Hades. For once I am useful to our king and I honestly couldn't be more excited to carry out his order."

"And what did Lord Hades order of you?" he asked, finally turning around and giving his younger brother his full attention.

"I was assigned to keep the nymph, who pushed the queen down Tartarus, for one week."

Morpheus paused, his expression unreadable. "You…were tasked to use nightmares to punish that…that treacherous nymph?" he almost snarled.

Icelos examined his brother's sudden change in demeanor then smirked arrogantly and crossed his arms. "Well look who's jealous."

"Quite," he seethed. "I'm mostly angry though. That nymph almost ruined a two hundred year investment of mine. If I could, I'd personally put her in a coma." He narrowed his eyes at him and continued in a lowered tone, "Make sure you give her your worst. Come, I'll accompany you."

Icelos whispered "Ooh scary" playfully under his breath and out of earshot as Morpheus passed him by. When they exited the room, the violet haired dream god didn't waste time passing Menthe a murderous glare before ignoring her altogether.

With Morpheus brisk and subtly hurried pace, they reached Hypnos' bedchamber in a matter of minutes. They could all hear licentious sighs, gasps, moans, and giggles drifting from beyond the large bedroom door.

"Father it is I," Morpheus said as he knocked. "Please make yourselves decent. Icelos and I have an urgent matter from Lord Hades."

A minute later the doors opened and revealed Hypnos sitting in the middle of a king-sized bed with only the sheets covering his nakedness and with five scantily clad nymphs fawning over him.

"What is the urgent matter?" he asked in a serious tone and a stoic expression (even though his hands were busy caressing naked skin).

"Father," Icelos began, equally serious (even though he took time winking flirtatiously at the ladies in between words, earning him a few giggles). "Lord Hades assigned me to take care of this lovely belladonna." He gestured behind him to point at Menthe who was trying to look at everywhere but the bed. "Would you please help me put her to sleep?"

Hypnos surveyed the nymph, his fingers twirling a lock of one of his women's hair. "Oh? Aren't you the stubborn nymph who held onto Thanatos' leg?" he asked. Then turning his sights back to Icelos he continued, "What did she do?"

"She's the one who pushed the queen to Tartarus."

His eyes immediately darted towards the nymph. "Wow. I knew you were tenacious – enough to give Hecate migraines – I just underestimated how much. Alright, how long is she supposed to sleep?"

"One week."

Menthe glared at the floor and gripped her skirts. Using nightmares was an unusual punishment for a sleepless spirit such as her. She didn't even know how much this 'lighter' punishment would hurt but she was determined not to fuss. Not even a sigh of complaint would escape her lips.

Hypnos nodded and waved a hand. Immediately the nymph fainted on her feet and she would have landed on the floor too if Icelos had not caught her. "Do what you want with her and leave us."

"Yes father," both younger gods replied with a bow before Morpheus waved the door closed.

Icelos shifted the nymph in his arms into a more comfortable position, one arm under her neck and the other under her knees, before whispering, "Really, I am amazed every time I see it. I can never seem to match father's libido and appetite for women, nor have I seen anyone who comes close. How much larger does the Oneiroi tribe have to be?"

You have yet to see Zeus or his dreams brother, Morpheus thought. "As large as father wants it," he replied, sparing the nymph in his brother's arms another scathing glance before marching back to his office with purposeful strides.

Icelos clicked his tongue disapprovingly and whispered in a sweet voice to the unconscious woman, "They are so cold to you Belladonna. Don't worry; I will make sure you're comfortable in my room. Goodnight," He bent down and gave her his Kiss of Nightmares on her forehead. "And sweet dreams…"

888

"Alright. These are the chariots," Erebus said as he waved the torch and walked around the cold, stone room, bringing the chariots – black, skeleton covered carriers with wide-rimmed wheels and spiked hubs used to dismantle another chariot's wheel – to light. Kore blanched as she stared at the ominous rides with wide eyes.

These look nothing like Artemis' graceful and delicate-looking moon chariot, she thought.

"I had the mounts transferred to a cage on the back of the building for you," he said as he moved through the dark stone halls that resembled a dungeon. "Now keep in mind, they are Tartarus' grandchildren and as such they spit fire, venom, bite, head-butts and spit and they will do so simultaneously."

"Spit? Spit what?" Kore asked.

"Well, spit of course. Harmless but disgusting all the same. Come on, I'll show them to you."

Erebus opened the latch of a big metal door and a gust of musky air, which smelled like wet dog, greeted her. "Tread carefully. There are steps here," he said as he led the way down the spiral staircase. Faint growls, roars, hisses and bleats wafted from somewhere deep within the dungeon and they became louder and louder as they neared their destination. Finally they reached the source of the sounds – a large, circular stone pit deep enough that they couldn't see what's below. Erebus conjured another torch and dropped it in the hole and the feral noises multiplied.

Kore held the stone ledge with trembling hands. "What-what are they?" she asked with a shaky voice as she gaped at the fierce sight below. Beasts with the three heads – a lion, a goat and a serpentine tail – moved and growled restlessly.

"Chimaeras. I know you use 'horses' to pull chariots in the Upperworld but down here, we use them. Now I know they look menacing but like I said, they take after their grandfather… unfortunately," he whispered the last part under his breath. "So which one do you like?" he inquired as if he were a cheerful salesman asking her to make a choice among adorable puppies.

"Which one?" she repeated mechanically.

He nodded. "Whoever you choose will be yours – your personal chimaera. Hmm… how should I put it?" he mused. "They're not just mounts but rather like pet that will follow you everywhere. Aidon and I figured that you needed one in case someone decides to push you down Tartarus again. How do you like that?"

She stared at the vicious-looking beasts below and felt her legs buckle. "A chimaera for a pet?" she gulped. She remembered taking in a furry, plump rabbit for a pet when she was younger and these looked nothing like them at all. "Would-would it be possible to see which one I can build rapport with?"

"Alright. Give me a moment to pacify them then you can jump in," he said smilingly.

"Wait. J-jump in? Are you sure?"

He didn't answer her but instead leapt inside the cell filled with a party of chimaera (she didn't know whether to call them a herd, a pride or a den). As soon as Erebus' feet landed on the ground, a black smoke exploded and immediately the animals calmed like bees. Then a peculiar thing happened – Erebus and the chimaeras began to converse in a language Kore didn't quite understand but it sounded a lot like a lion's guttural growl. "Alright Persephone," he said after clearing his throat from all the harsh throaty sounds he just uttered. "They promised they won't spit fire or venom or try to head-butt you so you can just jump in now. Don't worry I'll catch you."

Here goes nothing, she thought as she climbed up the rim and let herself fall in. A cloud of darkness caught her and dampened her descent, gently setting her down at the center of the circle. The chimaeras, upon seeing her, fell in a neat line like Spartan soldiers on inspection. Kore bit her lip as she looked at each and every one of them, making sure to make eye contact on all three heads before moving on to the next one. They all looked fierce and high strung until she reached that one chimaera, the smallest one of the bunch, which spat at her from its goat head and drenched her from head to toe with thick, yellow and pungent smelling saliva.

"Aw, this little one likes you," Erebus nudged at her as she wiped the spittle from her eyes.

"Are you sure?" she asked uncertainly.

"Go ahead. Make friends with him," he replied, giving her a little push on the back.

Kore cautiously approached the beast, tentatively reaching her hand out.

"You can stop there," Erebus said. "Let him come to you. And don't be too afraid. They can sense your unease."

She obediently followed his instructions and froze on the spot, her hand still outstretched and waiting for a reaction from the chimaera. The beast slowly broke from the line and circled her with an intelligent gaze in its feline eyes as if it were appraising her. Not knowing what else to do, Kore followed his movements with her eyes and just smiled at him.

And then the goat head of the chimaera spat at her again while the lion head placed its nose on her open palm, and the serpent head coiled itself around her ankle.

"He really likes you," Erebus laughed.

"I like him too," she replied, rubbing the nose of the lion with one hand while wiping the liquid from her face again with the other. "I think I'm going to name him Daisy."

"I don't think the chimaera would like such a…" Erebus started.

But the lion head of the chimaera purred in agreement.

"…" It actually likes the name Daisy, Erebus thought. (In hindsight, the chimaera has never seen a daisy before so he thought that the name sounded alright). "What a peculiar name for a chimaera, very deceiving," he thought aloud, trying to convince mostly himself of its validity. "You'd think it was a harmless cat instead of a beast that spits fire and venom, how clever. Well no matter." He shook his head. "Now that you have your mount, I'll have to teach you to secure it to the chariot then we can begin."

"Alright!" Kore cheered as she continued to pet her new friend chimaera…before it drenched her again.

"…Lord Erebus?"

"Yes?" the dark god replied, his shoulders shaking with restrained laughter.

"Do you think Daisy is actually vomiting on me?"

888

"Pull!" Tartarus yelled over the drumroll. At once a loud thud of a large wooden contraption sounded from behind him and a shade went sailing at an incredible speed over the volcano's caldera. He carefully took aim with his enormous long bow, making sure he had the target on sight before he released the heavy set arrow with a morning star bludgeon tip. The drumroll missed a beat as the arrow struck right in the shade's torso before the volcano erupted, and a geyser of lava incinerated the shade on spot.

"Target obliterated," he said with a satisfied smile. Then reloading his bow with the same large arrow, he twisted behind him and hit the shade playing the drums. "Find me a more competent drum player!" he demanded.

"Yes master!" Alecto snapped into attention then she proceeded to dispose of the unmoving shade into the volcano's lake of fire. "You!" she pointed to one of the shaking shades chained in a line. "Play the drums and you!" she shifted her finger to another shade, "You get in the seat."

The two shades, forced into the situation, climbed into their respective positions. The one shade closed his eyes in resignation as he sat in the giant wooden crossbow while the other one nervously fumbled with the drum sticks.

"Alright pull!" Tartarus shouted again as he drew his arrow back. The 'happy' room did a lot of damage to his psyche. He was already having the worst violence withdrawal symptoms when Nyx opened the door, which wasn't a pretty sight. As soon as freedom was offered, he immediately escaped the place, like the wind itself was biting at his heels (really, it was only a few of the surplus of puppies, kittens, bunnies etc. spilling over from the room) and became an inconsolably vicious beast with the penchant for the most extreme and unusual punishments when he returned to his layer. However right now, he was on his way to recovery and was dealing a relatively 'lighter' combination of catapult, arrow and lava than the first, more terrible combinations.

"Alecto, who did you bet for?" Tisiphone whispered, making light conversation, as she unlocked the latest shade and prepared it to climb the crossbow while watching the master entertain/rehabilitate himself.

"The chariot race you mean?"

Tisiphone nodded. "My bets are leaning towards the queen."

"Not for me. I heard she has terrible motion sickness and can only drive the chariot at a walking pace and Lord Erebus and Lord Hades are trying hard to figure out how to cure her of it. I'll have to bet on the nymph."

"What are you girls talking about?" Tartarus asked, narrowing his eyes as he slowly lowered his weapon (but the shade still got incinerated by a lava geyser behind him when it reached the center of the caldera). "I heard Aidon and Erebus' names."

"Master, this year's Chthonic Games are hosting a special event," Alecto explained. "The queen and the daughter of Cocytus, Menthe, made a bet through a chariot race. Word on the grapevine claims that the nymph was sentenced to Tartarus by Lord Hades but the queen was against it. If the nymph wins, then we receive her but if the queen wins, she goes free."

"Hoh, that spitfire nymph eh?" he smirked in thought. "I knew I chose well. So what does my brother have to do with it?"

"Lord Erebus is currently training the queen how to ride a chariot."

"Oh? And who's training Menthe?"

Alecto and Tisiphone exchanged glances before Alecto replied, "No one, Master. She is currently imprisoned in Hypnos and Icelos' magic."

Tartarus frowned. "That won't do." Then a sadistic smirk slowly spread across his face. "If Erebus is training the queen then it's only natural that I train the competition…"

AN: Sorry for the lateness. There's a legit reason why the Chimaera was named Daisy. Cerberus, apparently, means Spot (google it). So Hades had been calling his dog Spot all along. So now, Kore's pet is Daisy... (It's like naming a lion 'Kitty' or something)