I hope my readers are enjoying this story.
Sonya was surprised that Apollo was still asleep the next morning. She had slept with Meg in Cabin Four last night because they had extra bunks.
Waking up to warm sunshine and the sweet smell of tree blossoms was much better than smelling wet garbage. She changed into a fresh pair of clothes and hurried outside.
Marching across the green she admired Cabin Three. Poseidon's cabin was very alluring. Making sure no one saw her; she went inside to look around.
The cabin was exactly as her step-cousin described. She loved the sound of the water lapping in the grotto. The walls shone brightly. She saw the Minotaur horn on the wall and touched it.
It was very sharp and she could just imagine how hard it was to kill the beast this came from. Being inside made her feel very calm. "If you can kill a monster without knowing you were a demigod, then I can help defeat an immortal emperor."
She left the cabin and ran into one of the Champions, Wyatt she believed his name was. "Sorry, I should have watched where I was going!" she squealed.
"Same here. So, your Percy's step-cousin?" he asked. Getting a nod Wyatt continued. "I only met the guy once. He seemed like a decent person. Can't blame you for wanting to look inside Cabin Three."
"I'm never going to see this place again. I'm not blessed like you. I'm just wearing jewelry from two goddesses. Got to enjoy what I can."
Wyatt emphasized with her. He was worried about not getting back in come September. "Hey, I still have to finish my patrol. Why don't you join me? Maybe I can help you out with using your magic jewelry."
Sonya took him up on his offer as they headed for the beach. Wyatt explained what his duties as a Champion were. Besides doing patrols and representing Hera, he helped with keeping the campers safe.
"My bunkmates and I are the first line of defense should we get invaded. That's when our blessing fully activated. We can use special powers for a short time to hamper the invaders giving the demigods better odds."
"That sounds pretty important."
"It is. The thing to remember when your using godly weapons is to focus on using only the smallest amount of power. Too much can kill you in seconds. If you use too little then you're good as dead."
Once they reached the beach, Wyatt led Sonya to a small cluster of rocks. "Lightning is a powerful force. You need to focus on your target. Try to aim at the rocks."
Sonya squeezed the earrings and the two bolts of lightning sizzled out and struck the sand leaving a small amount of glass. Sonya stumbled back a few steps.
Wyatt steadied her and encouraged her to try again, this time only using one. She tried it again and this bolt went sideways. She didn't stumble. Instead, she felt drained.
"There has to be an easier way to do this. The twins had to know all an enemy has to do is restrain my hands and I couldn't use the earrings."
Wyatt was deep in thought as he considered what to do. "Do you have to keep squeezing the earrings for the lightning to fire or do you squeeze them so you can fire the bolts from your hands?"
Sonya smacked herself. Why hadn't she thought of that? It would make more sense since she would have better control over the aiming part. The part of them only going where she looking finally made sense.
This time, she squeezed the earrings for three seconds then quickly removed her hands. There was a strong tingling sensation in her hands. She curled her hands into fists and punched.
Ball lightning discharged from her knuckles and struck the rocks. There was a large cracking sound as the rocks shattered.
Sonya was shocked and pleased at the same time. She had done something incredible. Then the backlash happened and she felt very woozy. "I need to sit for a second."
Wyatt helped her sit down on the sand. "This is what I meant by moderation when using godly objects. You have to figure out what your sweet spot is when using the earrings."
After a few more tries, she joined Wyatt as they headed to the dining pavilion. Upon arriving, Sonya wasn't sure where to sit. Then she spotted Apollo and Meg at the main table.
Asking a passing dryad for a small plate of pancakes, the mortal joined her quest mates. Dionysus gave her a shrewd look then decided she wasn't worth turning into a bunch of grapes.
He turned his attention to his brother instead. "I wish you luck with your mortal companion. Perhaps she's useful as a human shield."
"Don't talk like that brother," Apollo snapped. He was not a god anymore, but he wouldn't have anyone being satirical to his friend. He then turned his focus back to the invention Nero sent with his ultimatum.
"I always liked Nero. He had panache," Dionysus said with a flourish. He didn't seem troubled that everyone appeared crossed with him.
On the opposite side of Dionysus, Nico's apple withered away listening to the conversation. Will tried to get his boyfriend to eat a new apple only for the boy to refuse.
Will was surprised when Sonya tapped him on the shoulder. He moved aside and she knelt by Nico.
"I understand how it feels when you want to fix something, but can't. I do know that you can fix one thing."
The pale boy looked at her as she held out a tiny bowl of applesauce. "I don't know if you enjoy apples, but I know applesauce is easier to eat. Especially if you haven't eaten in a few days."
"Why don't you eat a spoonful for breakfast? I'm sure it will make you feel a bit better."
Nico reluctantly took the bowl. To everyone at the table's astonishment, he ate three spoonfuls before handing the dish back to Sonya. "Thank you for the food."
"You're welcome," Sonya replied simply. She returned to her seat and the conversation went back to discussing the prophecy and what it meant.
Will asked why the prophecy said only two would ascend Nero's tower when there were three questors.
"It probably means Sonya will be helping us differently. Like Lu's going to help us once we're inside," Meg chirped. After adding more syrup, she dug into her pancakes with gusto.
Dionysus rolled his eyes. "Trusting a Gaul to help is like asking a grapevine to grow strawberries. Your precious "Lu" will betray you at some point. Probably after the burning of NYC."
Again, everyone gave the wine god a crossed look. He cheerfully ate his pancakes indicating he was done with the conversation.
Ignoring Dionysus, Meg assured them that Lu's plan would work. They had to trust her. They just needed Nico to help them meet the cave-runners.
That surprised Nico because Will had forgotten that part of the prophecy on purpose. The boys started arguing about the cave-runners being friends or enemies. It appeared to be a touchy subject.
Sonya broke up the argument by telling the boys to be shut up. "Regardless if these cave-runners are friends or enemies, the prophecy states we have to meet them. That means this argument is mute."
"Will, why don't you help Nico get what he needs for this quest? After you finish all of us will be going to visit the Delphi priestess Rachel Dare according to the prophecy's directions."
The next morning Nico returned with what he needed for the quest. Argus took the small party to Rachel's home in Brooklyn. As soon as they got out, the monster floored it back to the camp.
Some of Sonya's anxiety had returned. Brooklyn was not as busy or tightly packed as Manhattan. There were still a lot of noises and strange smells. However, the big difference was that there was a lot more greenery and a small-town feel.
They were in Sunset Park, near the docks. The area was undergoing gentrification. Across the street from the Dare compound what had once been a machine shop was now a café.
The compound had once been home to a row of warehouses. Now it was a massive fortress advertising how much money Mr. Dare made from his destruction of wild areas.
Sonya glanced towards the docks. There was pressure behind her eyes again. She closed them tightly and waited for the pressure to pass. Once it did, she saw a beautiful four-story redbrick mansion. Squinting, she could just make out a reed boat tied to the dock.
Oh, that must be the Brooklyn House of Carter and Sadie Kain! Annabeth did mention that Brooklyn was an area under the Egyptian Gods' protection. I hope no one brings that up or mentions Boston.
I don't think I'll be able to keep my mouth shut about Annabeth's cousin and that the Norse Gods used the city as an entrance to Valhalla. It makes you wonder what other cities are homes for different pantheons.
As she pondered the question, Meg nudged her. It was then that Sonya realized that everyone was waiting for her to get inside the compound. The mortal felt sheepish as she hurried into the house.
Being inside the house was more stressful than being outside. The place had no color to it. The design elements were oppressive even with the giant windows.
The floating staircase was a modern feature Sonya could do without. Sure, it had a nice look, but it made the teenager feel like she was going to fall off any second. She was relieved when they got to Rachel's room.
Apollo also appreciated Rachel's room. It had a large amount of sunlight coming in. Colorful beanbag chairs dotted the room. Cans of paint were stored next to six easels holding large painted canvas. There was also a fridge and futon for eating and sleeping.
Will ran for the sunlight as Meg bee-lined to the fridge. Sonya sat down in a beanbag and was now taking calming breaths. Nico was talking to Rachel about her paintings.
"I'm glad you like them, but these aren't my best work. They're part of a larger painting I'm trying to create."
Apollo took a closer look at the paintings and gasped. The six paintings were bits from his quest to regain his godhood. Those paintings took up five of them. The fifth portrait was only partially painted.
So far it showed bits of the Jackson/Blofis apartment and the Grey Sisters. Rachel seemed frustrated that she couldn't figure out what to paint the rest of the canvas.
Her sixth portrait was the only one that looked fully complete. It was a picture of all the mortals that had helped him on his journey. The Champions and Acolytes were in the foreground. Behind them, he could make out Isra, Brooke, and Ulster, along with Raquel and Roselyn in his current male body.
At the very top of the painting was Sonya, who was smiling. Just by looking at the paint, he could tell Rachel had only finished painting this right before they arrived.
"You have been getting visions again."
Rachel shrugged. "Only bits and pieces when you free an Oracle. For some reason, I can always clearly see in my mind the mortals who have aided you before the Oracles are released."
Abruptly, Rachel changed the topic. "Now, about the cattle. You can see the cars out there."
Indeed, there were three freight cars with bovines peeking out of the slots. "They appeared overnight. I've called the train company and the animal cruelty hotline. No one knows what I'm talking about. It's as if they don't exist."
"Maybe we should free them. It's going to be getting hot later," Will suggested as Meg nodded in agreement.
"No. You don't want to do that," Nico insisted.
"Nico's right. If mortals don't see them, then the Mist is working overtime to cover them."
Anticipating what Rachel would say next, Sonya pulled the girl closer and whispered in her ears about the secret next door. She also assured her they were dealing with Greek monsters not Egyptian.
Satisfied by the news, Rachel turned to the more pressing subject. "I know why you came to see me. I can't see the future clearly. I didn't need to know you would need the blueprints for the building."
She went over to her futon and grasped something that was underneath the mattress. She pulled out a huge number of blueprints. "These were nearly impossible to get. My dad had to call in a few favors to get them for me. He's under the impression I wanted them to learn how to construct buildings."
"Not a fan of being an artist for the sake of art, is he?" Sonya commented.
Rachel shook her head and spread out the blueprints so everyone could see them.
She pointed to a room in the middle of the tower. "Nero's fasces is stored on this floor. It has no other entrances except special access since the elevator only works if you have the right eye, finger, voice, and DNA print to activate it. It's also been reinforced with Celestial Bronze."
Sonya let out a whistle. "Nero's made sure that no one has access to the floor except himself."
Meg commented they were never allowed on that floor. None of her siblings had even tried to circumvent the system to see what was needed all that protection.
Rachel flipped to another blueprint showing the floor plan for that particular area. She tapped one end indicating an industrial-strength vault on one end. There were also prisoner cells nearby.
Meg got in Apollo's face crowing how she was right to trust Lu. Rachel looked at the others and Will mouthed he would tell her later.
Nico was staring at the vault on the blueprint. "Am I reading this right? I was expecting more defenses around the vault."
"That's what I thought as well," Rachel commented. "I saw something when I first looked at these prints. There's an ancient creature inside that vault. One that is extremely dangerous to immortals"
Apollo started turning green as he thought of the many creatures that could kill an immortal. He was cursing his human brain as Rachel explained to the others about the vats and how they could be disabled.
Sonya's heart started to pound a little when Nico said his new friends, the troglodytes, would be able to dig underneath the vats to sabotage them. She didn't know what the word meant. She had gut instincts that there was something bad about them.
She stumbled to the window trying to focus on the waterfront. The pounding wasn't going away. It was getting louder.
The teenager started repeating her mantra over and over when she realized the pounding wasn't her heart. The bovines had broken out of the freight cars and were coming straight at the building!
"STAMPEDE! RUN!" Will scooped up Rachel and the others all high-tailed it out of the room.
Apollo informed the group of what was charging the retaining wall of the compound. "They're called tauri sylvestors! Their common name is forest bulls. Nothing can penetrate their hides!"
"Less talk, more running! I don't want to be caught up in the Running of the Bulls!" Sonya shouted as she dashed for the floating staircase only to stop. The giant bovine chose that moment to burst inside the building.
They swung their horns and kicked their hooves destroying everything in their path. The bulls tried to get up the floating staircase only for it to crumble beneath their weight.
"We need another way out and now!" Meg snapped.
Rachel pushed herself out of Will's arms. "Follow me! There's a staircase that leads right to the garage in the back! Hopefully, my dad left the keys to his Ferraris in there!"
The group made it to the garage and looked for the car keys. They were unlucky in the fact the keys were missing. They ran out of the compound right as the house collapsed.
Sonya stumbled to the ground. Her anxiety was out of control freezing her in place. The others were already running towards the construction zone when they realized the teenager was not with them.
The tauri broke down the gates and continued to stampede towards the demigods and priestess. In mere seconds they would trample the mortal teenager to death.
Sonya managed to squeeze the earrings and threw the balls of lightning at the leaders of the herd.
The lightning didn't injure them. Instead, they were blinded. The leaders started smashing into each before the giant herd split in two. They went around Sonya, who had summoned the shield to defend herself.
Most of the tauri avoided the shield. A few rammed into creating sonic booms that destroyed glass in all the windows. A few car alarms went off and a fire hydrant blew.
Finally, they stampeded past her. Hurrying down the street she saw the herd was at a standstill as some of the members died in the pit. Those who hadn't fallen were mooing at each other as they decided what to do next.
"How am I going to get to the others now?" she asked herself. She inched closer to the monsters and at the same time shuffled to the side. It took several minutes to get to the far corner where the site was fenced off.
Again, moving very slowly and quietly, she crawled under the fence. Every few seconds she stopped and listened. None of the tauri were coming her way.
Finally, she was through the fence. She tiptoed towards a nearby tarp and slid underneath it. She could make out her friends slowly descending from the crane to the ground.
Looking at the monster bovines, the group waited until the questors were directly in the pit. Then one of them jumped into the pit. Moving a little closer she heard a large snort of triumph followed by panicky screams.
After a minute another bovine jumped into the pit. This time the snort was even louder. Something had changed about the screams, but she wasn't sure what it was.
"I need to get down there without being seen by the tauri? How am I going to do that?" Sonya wondered. The construction workers had to get into the pit to do their work. A way that didn't involve jumping onto a crane.
That's when saw something on the side of the pit opposite of the tauri. It was a platform for the workers. There were ladders on both sides leading down. There was her way in.
She sprinted to the platform hoping the tauri wouldn't notice her. Grabbing the ladder, she descended into the pit. Once at the bottom, she saw what the commotion she heard was.
Meg was fighting one of the bulls. Her scimitars protected her as she tried to keep the creature from killing her. Apollo was running from the second bull in an attempt to tire it out.
The only ones tiring were the heroes. They had used up most of their energy reserves already. There was no sign of Nico, Will, or Rachel to relieve them. Where had they gone?
It didn't matter at the moment. Was there anything she could do to distract the bulls to give her friends time to recover? She thought about regular bulls and recalled something that might help.
Apollo had just jumped one bull with Meg. They were trapped in a corner and didn't know how to escape. Nico wasn't back yet from shadow transporting Will and Rachel.
He didn't know if Sonya was still alive or not. There hadn't been any time to look back when they were running for their lives. He hoped she wasn't dead.
As the two bulls came charging a large bang was heard. The two bulls reared up in fright. There was another loud bang and this one was coming from a different direction.
Three more bangs occurred from different areas of the pit. The two tauri were getting riled up as they searched for the source of the sound.
Apollo and Meg were using the distraction to slowly move away from the corner they had been trapped in. Suddenly, the tauri returned their focus on the duo.
The creatures charged them. As they got closer, several dollies with metallic humans attached to them, came crashing from all sides. The tauri couldn't avoid them as they crashed straight through.
What the tauri were unaware of was they lost precious seconds as they smashed through the dollies or tossed them away. It was enough time for Nico to retrieve Meg and Apollo before going back for Sonya.
While Nico recovered his strength from using his powers too much, Apollo checked over Sonya. Her clothes were dirty and she had a long scratch on her back from crawling under the fence.
"Thank you, for saving Meg and me. Your distractions kept us from being impaled."
Sonya smiled hearing the praise. "That's nice of you to say. I was lucky that the tips for handling charging bulls worked on the tauri. I shouldn't have frozen up in the first place."
Apollo assured her that other questors froze up too when facing dangers. The important thing was that she had recovered. "Look on the bright side. If you hadn't frozen, there wouldn't be anyone left to help us escape."
Half an hour later, Nico had regained his strength. He started leading the group down a steep slope. "We have to go really deep if we're going to find my friends. Stay together so you don't get lost."
The slope continued for many miles. The further they went, the darker it got. The glowing moss got weak and weaker. Sonya clutched Rachel's hand tightly. Her whole body was shaking.
"Not a fan of the dark?" Rachel whispered. Receiving a confirmed whimper, the priestess tried to figure out something comforting to say.
"I know it's silly to still be afraid of the dark at fourteen. I just can't stop thinking about what could be out there. The streetlight outside doesn't help much because it blinds me."
"There's no shame in buying a nightlight if you need to buy one. I slept with one until I was twelve."
What felt like an hour later the slope leveled out. They emerged in a natural cavern. In the center was a huge stalagmite. Peering closely, you could see shallow grooves going down a thin entrance at the base.
"Alright, this is where the journey gets tricky. Remember, don't talk about the Labyrinth, and don't touch your weapons. Let me do the talking unless they ask you a question. Keep your reply simple and polite.
The group descended even further down. The handholds went down a full mile before they reached the bottom. It was completely black now. Everyone could hear Sonya breathing hard as she tried not to panic.
"Will, do your thing. Keep it as minimal as possible."
"Do I have to?"
"Troglodytes can see in the dark, we can't. It's easier to negotiate with them if I can see who I'm talking to." They all felt more than saw Nico turn his head towards Sonya. "Besides, I think one of us really needs it right now."
There was the sound of Will taking off his shirt and putting it in his pack. He took a deep breath and slowly a light glow filled the area. It wasn't bright enough to light up the whole area.
It was sufficient to cover the area the heroes were standing in. Sonya latched onto Will as if he was a lifeline. Nico appeared a little annoyed but understood the need to have physical contact after a panic attack.
Five minutes later Sonya was calmed down. She hated the way the others were looking at her. "I'm sorry. There wasn't any time to stop and take an anxiety pill on the way down."
Nico dug into his pack and found a water bottle. Sonya pulled out her first aid kit and grabbed her medication. Putting the pill in the back of her mouth, she took several sips of water to get it to go down.
"It should start to kick in soon. Hopefully, it will help keep me calmer."
When Sonya was ready, Nico called out, "Troglodytes! I am Nico di Angelo, son of Hades! I have returned with companions!"
One moment they were alone. The next a small army of troglodytes surrounded them. Their speed outdid the animal records. Apollo now understood Nico's warning.
The troglodytes were humanoid in shape, but not very tall. The tallest was Meg's size. Their features were very amphibious looking. Thin stretched lips, recessed nose, and giant brown eyes which were heavily lidded.
Their skin ranged from slate to chalk. Some of them had dark platted hair or wore stones and moss on their head. They were dressed in old clothing either taken from a store or a costume shop.
Surprisingly, everyone had a hat on. A few had three or four piled on them. The leader of the troglodytes wore a George Washington costume.
"We see you, Nico di Angelo." He eyeballed the group and added. "Are these the sacrifices you mentioned? Because my people are very hungry!"
"These are not the sacrifices. I have brought you something more worthy of the troglodytes, O great Screech-Bling!"
Will gave his boyfriend a small bundle. Unwinding the cloth, Nico presented the troglodytes with the rarest of delicacies, a five-lined skink. Every single cave-runner oohed at the sight of it.
"Is that a grr five-lined skink click?" Screech-Bling asked in wonder.
Nico nodded. "I searched far and wide for this delicacy because only the best for the Wearer of Great Hats!"
He offered it to Screech-Bling who slowly took it from the demigod. "I hope I have honored you greatly enough. This is my peace offering in hopes of establishing a great friendship with you."
Screech-Bling presented his people with the lizard. He gave a short speech to them. Whatever he said made the community cheer.
The crowd parted for a troglodyte with a mud-covered chef's hat. He bowed to his leader and gently took the prized lizards in his hands.
"I, Screech-Bling, chief executive click officer wish to share this bounty with all my shareholders. We shall make a huge soup so everyone may taste this five-lined skink!"
Turning back to Nico, Screech-Bling thanked him for the delicacy. He declared that Nico and his companions would not be added to the meal. He claimed they were uncivilized because they didn't wear hats.
Nico thanked him for the hospitality. "I would propose a pact with you O great Screech-Bling. An agreement that will produce many hats, along with what else makes you more civilized than us. For I am a barbarian without fine clothing, lizards to eat, and rocks to own. With your help, I hope to become as civilized as all troglodytes are."
Screech-Bling talked with his board of directors. They consisted of the chef, along with three others. They wore a police hat, a firefighter helmet, and a cowboy hat.
"We will hear your proposal. Let us return to headquarters so we can have our great feast."
The group suddenly found themselves on the troglodytes' shoulders. Without warning, they took off as fast as a rocket train.
They arrived in seconds at headquarters. It resembled an abandoned subway station only it was made of earth and not metal. There was a subterranean river nearby. Their tent homes were made of hides from the tauri.
Everyone was very lively and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Screech-Bling called out telling his community about the great feast that awaited them. Everyone dropped what they were doing and cheered.
They were led to a guest tent to freshen up in. Technically, Nico was the one that was given the tent. The troglodytes' thought Will was a mobile pile of glowing moss.
The rest of the group got the feeling they might still be on the menu. Sonya noticed a merchant selling hats. She walked over hoping he would sell her one.
"Female barbarian, what can I do for you?" the troglodyte asked.
"I humbly ask to purchase a hat from you. I have no money, but wish to offer a trade if your inclined to it."
The merchant spoke quickly, his words getting lost between the clicks and screeches. "Screech-Haberdasher click screech only trade for screeeeeeeeeeeeeccccccccccccch merchandise. What could click female have to offer me?"
Sonya thought about a few seconds then reached into her backpack and pulled out three items.
There was an insect house, a guidebook on the dangers found in nature, and lastly, an emergency sewing kit. "I am ignorant in the ways you obtain your delicacies I hope these items don't offend you."
"You can store up to twenty insects in this tiny house. Insects that can be used as bait to lure your prey closer to you. This humble guide has information about the dangerous creatures from both ends of this continent.
If you run out of reptiles to eat in this area, it can help you find even greater delicacies to taste. Lastly, this kit can help repair any damage to your magnificent hats and clothes. Your outfit is very grand and it would be said to see such magnificent garments thrown away."
Screech-Haberdasher nodded. "I click, lost my favorite, screech click, outfit because it was torn up by the rocks. The other items click could be useful screech to the tunnel-lings. I am willing to trade with you."
Sonya scanned the rack of hats and asked politely if she could have the blue knitted hat. The troglodyte smiled informing her she made a good choice. She returned to the guest tent.
Nico looked alarmed. "You didn't steal that hat from the troglodytes', did you?" he asked frantically.
Sonya shook her head. "I traded a few items for it. You can ask Screech-Haberdasher yourself."
Will looked at his boyfriend strangely. "I thought you said your friends didn't do straightforward trading."
"I've never seen them do it. Whatever you traded for it must have been very valuable to them.
Rachel interrupted the conversation. "I'm glad you were able to get a hat, Sonya. Though do I need to remind you we're on a tight schedule. Sunset is only two and half hours away."
Apollo and Meg looked very grim upon hearing this. They needed to be at Nero's tower before the deadline. Then it was a matter of buying enough time to dismantle the vats. Which wouldn't happen unless Nico could persuade the troglodytes to help them.
"The only way to prevent Nero from triggering the vats once we're inside is if Camp Half-Blood launched an attack. He would want all his enemies in one place to enjoy roasting them," Apollo pointed out.
"I can't let more people can hurt or die for me. Even the ones I managed to save are extremely vulnerable. If Nero wins, he can easily kill them or worse, torture them into servitude. I can't let that happen."
"I don't want anyone else to get hurt either Apollo. I know Nero and the more people he can kill the longer he'll wait. Besides, the camp is already on standby to launch an attack. Rachel just needs to give them the signal," Meg quietly told her slave.
The mortal god knew they were right. He hated it was necessary to endanger so many people. He also worried the casualties would double if those who saw his astral form decided to come to NYC to aid him.
The discussion was tabled as the group was informed that the feast was ready to share. All their eyes rested on Nico. He was their only chance in convincing the troglodytes to help them.
Sonya took her small cup of lizard stew and found a spot close to the tunnel-lings because she was already wearing a hat. The others were given different hats and had to sit next to the chef.
Screech-Bling permitted everyone to eat before they started corporate negotiations. Sonya took a tiny sip to be polite. It tasted awful and she wanted to throw up.
"Great Screech-Bling and Chef Click-Wrong, I must apologize to you both. My poor stomach cannot handle this potent delicacy. With your permission, can I please share it with your sons and daughters?"
Click-Wrong replied to her question. "Not everyone can handle the delectable flavor of my five-lined skink soup. I click screech your screech click honesty. You may click divide it screech equally among our click children."
The tunnel-lings lined up next to Sonya, who poured a tiny amount in each of their bowls. They thanked her for her kindness before returning to their parents.
The others took a tiny sip and then offered their soup to the more worthy troglodytes. Click-Wrong assured them that their stomachs would be able to handle the soup better next time.
Screech-Bling clacked his spoon against his stone bowl. "Friends! Shareholders! I see you are all here. Our guests have come with a proposal for us. I shall speak in their barbaric language as a show of courtesy."
Nico thanked the CEO for showing honorable actions towards his group. He especially appreciated that he had allowed them to partake in the feast instead of being the feast.
Screech-Blink turned back to his people. "The Italian son of Hades click screech has informed us of Emperor Nero's evil plans." He waited until everyone calmed down before continuing.
"The son of Hades has asked for our help. The emperor has hundreds of vats filled with fire-liquid. We are all aware of them because humans are loud and clumsy when installing items underground. Their handiwork is shoddy!"
"EXTREMELY SHODDY!" the community roared as one.
Screech-Bling revealed how Nero intends to burn the Crusty Crust with the fire-liquid. That only the civilized troglodytes could eat, no, disable them. He opened the floor to the shareholders to discuss the proposal.
The police hat member reminded the CEO that they lived too deep to be affected by the burning Crusty Crust.
There were only a few hundred troglodytes alive. it would be inadvisable to assist the group.
Nico told them their food sources would be burnt as well. Will reminded them that there would be no more hats to wear. Rachel even commented that their rocks would melt.
Nothing was persuading them to risk their numbers. Apollo looked at Meg asking for permission to speak.
Suddenly, Sonya raised her hand. Screech-Bling and the other board members took notice of this. They were impressed that she was following proper etiquette.
"Mortal-Sonya, you have a question for the board? Then, please ask it."
Sonya stood up slowly. The medication was kicking in and she was able to speak clearly.
"CEO Screech-Bling, I am confused by your board member's comment about the troglodytes living too deep to be affected by the burning of the Crusty Crust. How far down does the Crusty Crust go before it turns into Inner Earth?"
The board member with the cowboy hat pulled out a crystal sphere. Then he used three strips of bull hide to divide the sphere into three sections.
Receiving permission to come on stage, Sonya stood next to the cowboy member as he explained the different depths.
"Does that answer your question Mortal-Sonya?" Screech-Bling asked in a patient tone.
It was lost to the others, even Nico, why the troglodytes were being very kind to Sonya. Nico had followed all their protocol, but Screech-Bling wouldn't have let him join him on the stage to view a visual display.
"Yes, it does CEO Screech-Bling. Your visual has helped me understand that you and your kind are indeed in danger should the Crusty Crust burn up."
The board member with the fire helmet asked what she meant. This time it was the troglodytes who were confused.
"Have you ever come across underground rooms? Big ones full of supplies?" Receiving a yes, the teenager continued. "It is with great regret I must inform you of what the plan is should a large portion of the Crusty Crust gets destroyed."
"Humans have been planning for the Apocalypse, the end of the Crusty Crust, for a long time. One of the survival plans is to dig deep underground into the Inner Earth. Humans would form underground cities to live in safety until the Crusty Crust is safe to live on again."
The news shocked the entire community. Even with their speed and power, the troglodytes couldn't stand up against millions of humans if they started living in the Inner Earth.
"Son of Hades, does the Mortal-Sonya speak the truth?" Screech-Bling demanded.
Nico nodded and gave them historical examples where humans would keep digging underground shelters. Each time they would dig a little deeper."If Emperor Nero releases the fire-liquid, millions will die. In retaliation, humans would start digging underground to find the source. You already know how loud and shoddy humans are. The authorities could miss the vats completely and come after you."
Screech-Bling and the board questioned the others to get the full details. Rachel and Apollo enlightened the CEO about the depraved minds of Nero and Python. The CEO and his associates huddled together as they whispered intensely to each other. After several minutes they reached an agreement.
Screech-Bling looked at the questors. "It has been decided by the board that we will help you disable the vats. If we continue to aid you afterwards will be up for discussion later."
They were working out who would take Nico, Will, along with Rachel and Sonya, to the vats when they all heard the sounds of stampede coming their way. The tauri had found them!
Screech-Bling cursed and gave orders to the community. Sonya was with Creek-Morris (cowboy) as they gathered the tunnel-lings. Screech-Bling ordered Nico, Will, and Rachel to follow him.
The fire helmet troglodyte was in charge of evacuating the rest of the community. Which left Grr-Fred reluctantly leading Meg and Apollo towards the river.
The tauri smashed into the headquarters. They attacked anyone within range of their horns. Sonya snatched up a small child holding a crystal ball to his chest. "We need to get out of here now!"
She sprinted down the tunnel with the tunnel-ling. The boy's mom zipped back to collect him. Creek-Morris pulled Sonya onto his shoulders before dashing away from danger.
Once they had traveled several miles away, Creek-Morris let the teenager down. "Are you click alright?"
"Forget about me, are you okay? Are all the tunnel-lings safe and accounted for?"
The troglodyte was very pleased that the human was more concerned about his people than herself. Perhaps she wasn't a barbarian at all. "All tunnel-lings are account for."
The mother of the tunnel-ling she saved dashed over. She offered Sonya some rocks for her hair. "Thank you for saving my child. I Click-Gora owe you a debt."
"I Clang-Otto owe you a debt as well," the little boy added as he looked up at her with hero worship.
Sonya bowed slightly and told them that she had just done what was right. "I will collect my debt when the time is right." The mother and son nodded before dashing off.
Creek-Morris tapped her arm to get her attention. "You are brave Mortal-Sonya. We are click screech safe for the moment. The tauri sylvestors will track us down. There are not enough skilled click adults screech to take them down when they track us here."
Sonya could imagine how many children would die if the tauri found them here. She asked if there was anything she could do to lead the forest bulls away from the tunnel-lings.
The troglodyte replied that if she angered the creatures enough, they would attack her instead of the little group. They didn't enjoy loud noises.
"I have an idea which could work, but there is one problem. For it to work, I need to know how your kind has managed to get through their impenetrable hides."
"The tauri hoofs and eyes are vulnerable. Neither is covered by skin. Target them and you have a slim chance of walking away alive."
Satisfied, the teenager asked if Creek-Morris could give a message to her friends. After she defeated the tauri, she would return to the Crusty Crust to get help for the mission.
The troglodyte promised he would. He wished her luck in defeating the tauri. Sonya gave him her thanks and told him to make sure the tunnel-lings stayed safe.
The mortal raced back the way they had come from. First, she needed to cover up the smell of the troglodytes. She wasn't sure how well the bovine could smell, and she didn't want to find out.
She dispersed the pepper spray over a four feet area behind her. Next, she found a side tunnel that narrowed the further you went. Then she used the rope the campers had given her to form a net before filling it with rocks.
Lastly, she made sure she had an escape route to the surface. She wouldn't be able to re-enter the main tunnel if her plan worked. Now all she had to do was to get the tauri to come to her.
Reentering the main tunnel, the mortal strained her ears hoping to hear the stampede. She could only hear the faint sound of hoof-beats. The tauri must have split up to attack the different groups.
"I need to ensure the beasts don't track Meg and Apollo. Time to use the big guns," Sonya whispered to herself. Summoning the shield and lightning, she smashed the ball lightning on the shield. A loud bang followed by a sizzle echoed through the tunnel. She did it three more times.
"Come on, come on. Where are you bovines?"
The tunnel started to shake violently as the bulls appeared at the other end. Lifting their heads and took in her scent. Letting out a series of deep bellows, the herd charged.
Sonya started running down the side tunnel with the shield covering her back. Her flight instincts were giving her a need boost. Every few seconds she would shoot a ball of lightning over her shoulder.
A few of her attacks hit their targets, the hooves and eyes of the beasts. Other times the lightning collide with the ceiling. Stalactites would fall causing the tauri to jockey for positions. The biggest of the bulls smashed his way to the front.
"I hope this works." Grabbing the shield, she slung it forward watching it speed away.
Jumping over a small boulder the teenager twisted in midair. She fired the ball lighting at the net back at the side tunnel entrance. The net snapped, causing the rocks to block the way back to the main tunnel. The tauri were unable to go back the way they came.
Sonya leaped onto the shield and rode it like a sleigh. The tunnel was narrowing. There was a tiny opening ahead. Lying as flat as possible on the shield, Sonya squeezed through the opening.
The leader of the tauri couldn't stop in time. He ended up getting stuck. The other tauri all crashed into one another similar to a group of dominoes falling over. The girl laughed in exhilaration. The tauri are going to spend hours figuring out how to untangle themselves before they can even try to destroy the rock wall.
She picked up her backpack, which she had placed by a maintenance ladder earlier, and started climbing. It was a tough climb without light-up moss to guide her path.
What felt like hours later, she emerged in a sewer pipe. Picking a random direction, she started walking at a fast pace. When she saw a manhole, she climbed the short ladder then pressed her ear against it.
There was no sound of traffic, animals, or potential dangers, which was good to know. Carefully, she pushed the cover off.
Someone reached inside and pulled her out. To her shock it was Bronte, and she wasn't alone. There were a lot of people with her. No, not people, gods, and goddesses!
"It's about time you got here. We couldn't start the meeting without you," Bronte informed the mortal.