I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Just an update on the next part of this series- it is going well so far, I love certain interactions so freaking much already. Like, it's so fun.
Replies:
Thickneck: I do think it might be easier for me to just include them in main story to be honest.
Guest: Well it sort of spans across almost three years- leading up to the first PJO fic but it's mostly establishing certain things which are going to be important. And the meeting isn't a cameo- it's very much introducing a character who will be sticking around throughout the series from that point onwards and establishing relationships between characters if that makes sense.
Guest: I do think that's what I'm leaning towards doing- and honestly, I doubt they register it.
Undeath9087: Yeah, I do think that's what I'll do- it does include some very important meetings.
PJ Fan 285: I get what you're saying but I think like a few people said it'll lead into the main plotline of the TLT plotline quite sharply- and that may be the case!

The trio had just started discussing what their next stage would be- how they'd get to the Hall of Judgement when the boat had arrived, and Sadie had grinned widely.

Percy had never seen the Egyptian Queen before. Or met the demon who was bound to serve the Kane family-but she had been told about it.

It was a steamboat, twin smokestacks trailing luminous gold smoke and a paddle wheel churning through the lava as it moved towards them. Percy could see Carter and Walt waving from the bow of the ship- and next to them stood the demon who Percy had been told about. Bloodstained Blade, wearing a riverboat pilots uniform, with- well, his head was a blood-speckled double-sided ax.

"That's a demon," Zia muttered the words "I do not like the idea of having to travel with a demon while Apophis is rising."

"We don't have a choice now."

And the crew of glowing orbs were zipping around the boat, pulling lines and lowering the gangplank.

Percy couldn't help but notice that her brother looked exhausted. He wore jeans and a rumpled shirt with specks of barbecue sauce on it. His hair was wet and flat on one side as if he'd fallen asleep in the shower.

Zia didn't seem to care though, she practically leapt onto the boat before Percy and Sadie could even step onto the gangplank, almost flying towards Carter, wrapping her arms around him tightly in a way that Percy knew Zia wouldn't even consider if there had been anyone else there. The three Kanes and Walt were some of the few people Zia really, truly trusted.

Percy grabbed Sadie's hand as they made their way onto the deck.

"Welcome aboard, Ladies Kane." his voice was a metallic hum from the edge of his frontal blade. "I am at your service."

"Thanks ever so." Sadie was scowling, and she pulled Percy into her side tightly, clearly protectively, and then, "Carter, may I speak with you?" Not that Sadie gave him ma chance to say no, she was dragging Percy with her and she stormed over to him, grabbing his ear and pulling him toward the deckhouse.

"OW!" Carter yelped the word as Sadie dragged him along- and Percy had to admit it was kind of comical- Zia looked like she wanted
to laugh- which made sense, as much as Zia loved Carter she did enjoy teasing him- there was a reason the three girls all got along well.

Soon enough they found themselves in a dining room below deck. There was a large mahogany table, laden with platters of fresh food. The chandelier illuminated colorful wall murals of Egyptian gods, the gilded columns, and the ornately molded ceiling. It looked like something you'd see in a palace, not on a boat- but Sadie's attention was quickly pulled to Sadie again.

"Have you lost your mind?" Sadie was snarling the words as she glared at Carter.

"Ow!" he yelled again, "What is your problem?"

"My problem-" Sadie lowered her voice, "is that you summoned this boat again and its demon captain, who Bast warned would slit our throats if he ever got the opportunity!"

"He's under a magic binding," Carter argued. "He was fine last time."

"Last time Bast was with us. And if you think I trust a demon named Bloodstained Blade farther than I can—"

"Guys," Walt interrupted.

Bloodstained Blade entered the dining room, dipping his ax head under the doorframe. "Lord and Ladies Kane, the journey is short from here. We will arrive at the Hall of Judgment in approximately twenty minutes."

"Thanks, BSB," Carter said as he rubbed his ear. "We'll join you on deck soon." "Very good," said the demon. "What are your orders when we arrive?"

"You'll wait for us while we visit the Hall of Judgment," Carter announced. "When we return, you'll take us where we wish to go."

"As you say." Bloodstained Blade's tone had a hint of disappointment which made Percy's eyes narrow.

After he left, Zia frowned. "Carter, in this case I agree with Sadie. How can you trust that creature? Where did you get this ship?"

"It belonged to our parents," Carter said, "Didn't I mention it before? We used it when-" his eyes flicked to Percy, and she gave a wry smile.

"While I was escaping from Desjardins and making my way back to Brooklyn House to meet mom. When you guys met Thoth."

"Yep." Carter nodded, "That was it. Listen- we didn't have much of a choice here-" He glanced at the table, at the food, "But we can sit down and eat and talk whilst we head where we need to go."

And so they did- and Percy had to admit that it was incredibly awkward. She sat at the head of the table- since Carter and Zia were sat together on one side and Walt and Sadie were sat together on the other side.

Carter could tell that there was something big bothering Zia- and he could also clearly tell that she didn't want to speak about it with the others there- or at all, which worried Carter, and Sadie was watching Walt carefully- and it was clear that he was in a lot of pain.

Percy however, decided to ignore the awkwardness, happily sipping her cola and munching on the burger that the boat seemed to have magically produced for her.

And they talked- Carter told them about their preparations, the evacuation of Brooklyn House which Bast would oversee- how everyone would be going to defend the First Nome- which was somewhat comforting- Percy was willing to admit that, and also worrying- none of the iniates were over twenty- and that was the very oldest of them- a boy named Jacob, most of them were around Carter or Sadie's age- and a few even younger- Percy thought of the little girl- of Shelby who had shown her the drawing of the snake- and yeah, yeah it was worrying to say the least.

They were all children marching off to war.

And in return Sadie told Carter about their meeting with Amos, about their discussions and about how Sadie hoped to help Bes, and she told him about the information from Tawaret- about Bes' shadow.

"The ruins of Saïs…" He frowned. "I think Dad mentioned that place. He said there wasn't much left. But even if we could find the shadow, we don't have time. We've got to stop Apophis."

"I made a promise," Sadie insisted. "Besides, we need Bes. Think of it as a trial run. Saving his shadow will give us a chance to practice this sort of magic before we try it on Apophis—um, in reverse, of course. It might even give us a way to revive Ra." Percy's gaze shifted to Zia at Sadie's words-and Zia looked away, shoulders tense.

"But—" Carter tried to protest but he was cut off by Walt.

"She's got a point," And Sadie and Carter both looked pretty shocked by that.

"Even if we get Setne's help," Walt said, "trapping a shadow in a statue is going to be difficult. I'd feel better if we could try it on a friendly target first. I could show you how it's done while—while I still have time."

"Walt," Sadie said, "please, don't talk like that."

"When you face Apophis," he continued, "you'll have only one chance to get the spell right. It would be better to have some practice."

When you face Apophis. He said it so calmly, but his meaning was clear: he wouldn't be around when that happened.

Percy felt the urge to hug the boy.

Sure she wasn't as close to him as Sadie and Carter were but that didn't mean that she didn't like him. Because she did. He was nice and kind and he made Sadie happy, and he was Carter's friend.

The mood dropped almost instantly and Carter nudged his half eaten pizza. "I just…I don't see how we can do it all in time. I know this is a personal mission for you, Sadie, but—"

"She has to," Zia said gently. "Carter, you and I once went off on a personal mission in the middle of a crisis, didn't we? That worked out-" she faltered, eyes flicking towards Percy, "In the end in any case. You got the Crook and flail." She put her hand on Carter's.

"Sometimes you have to follow your heart."

Carter looked like he was trying to swallow a golf ball. Before he could say anything, the ship's bell sounded.

In the corner of the dining room, a loudspeaker crackled with Bloodstained Blade's voice: "My lords and ladies, we have reached the Hall of Judgment."

The black temple looked just as Carter and Sadie had described- Percy had only ever seen the inside. They made their way up the steps from the dock and passed between rows of obsidian columns that marched into the gloom. Sinister-looking scenes of Underworld life glittered on the floor and in friezes circling the pillars—black designs on black stone. Despite the reed torches that burned every few meters, the air was so hazy with volcanic ash, that Percy couldn't see far in front of herself.

As they moved deeper into the temple, voices whispered around them. Out of the corner of Percy's eye, she saw groups of spirits drifting across the pavilion—ghostly shapes camouflaged in the smoky air. Some moved aimlessly—crying softly or tearing at their clothes in despair. Others carried armfuls of papyrus scrolls. These ghosts looked more solid and purposeful, as if they were waiting for something.

"Petitioners," Walt said. "They've brought their case files, hoping for an audience with Osiris. He was gone so long…there must be a real backlog of cases."

Walt's step seemed lighter. His eyes looked more alert, his body less weighed down by pain.

"How do you know?" Sadie's voice was curious, and Walt hesitated.

"I'm not sure. It just seems... correct.

"And the ghosts without scrolls?"

"Refugees," he said. "They're hoping this place will protect them." and Percy decided not to ask what he meant by that- it was probably all connected to Apophis.

"We need to hurry." Sadie's voice was tight and she started to take the lead but Zia stopped her before she could get too far.

"There," she said. "Look."

The smoke parted. Twenty meters ahead stood a massive set of obsidian doors. In front of them, an animal the size of a greyhound sat on its haunches—an oversized jackal with thick black fur, fluffy pointed ears, and a face somewhere between a fox and a wolf. Its moon-colored eyes glittered in the darkness.

Sadie beamed at the sight of it, "It's just Anubis. It's where we met him before."

"That's not Anubis." Walt warned.

"Of course it is. Watch-" and Percy resisted the urge to laugh as her stubborn sister bound towards him, ignoring Carter's attempt to warn her.

"Hello Anubis." she called brightly. "It's just me. Sadie."

The jackal bared his fangs and his mouth began to froth, the message was very clear, and Sadie seemed to listen to it and she stopped.

"Right. Uh. That's not Anubis. Unless he's having a really bad day."

"This is where we met him before," Carter said. "Why isn't he here?"

"It's one of his minions," Walt ventured. "Anubis must be…elsewhere."

And Sadie scowled slightly, letting out a huff as Zia moved forward, "What now? Do we have to defeat it to pass it?"

"We uh-" Carter hesitated, "We've never actually come in like this before." he admitted.

"No." Walt shook his head, stepping forward, "It's just a gatekeeper. It needs to know our business."

"Walt," Carter said, "if you're wrong…"

Walt raised his hands and slowly approached the jackal. "I am Walt Stone," he said. "These people are Carter, Percy and Sadie Kane. And this is Zia Rashid. We have business at the Hall of Judgement."

The jackal snarled, but it sounded more inquisitive, not so chew-your-head-off hostile.

"We have testimony to offer," Walt continued. "Information relevant to the trial of Setne."

"Walt," Carter whispered, "when did you become a junior lawyer?" but Sadie shushed Carter, and Walts plan seemed to be working.

The jackal tilted its head as if listening, then rose and padded away into the darkness. The obsidian double doors swung open silently.