Chapter 6

The street was bustling with shoppers. Every nook and corner sold weird magical items. There were all kinds of stalls here. There were armories, there were fast food chains, there were seemstresses and even shops which used forgs to clean feet.

Talking about feet, mine were caked with blood from both the graze and the walking. Every step I took, let me meet new people. I wouldn't really say 'people' actually because some were creatures. There were centaurs, giants and even cyclops.

Not before long, we arrived at a motel named "Rest the Best" . It was owned by a brawny cyclops. His head was almost touching the ceiling. The clothes he wore were worn and torn. His shoes didn't even fit him. Most of all, the chair seemed half a butt too small for him. The cyclops had to sit with half his butt off the seat.

When we reached our motel room, something hit me. Wasn't the Labyrinth destroyed in the previous war? Hadn't Daedalus died? Didn't the Labyrinth go down with him? Wasn't that what Grover had told me? Unless…Grover lied?

No, Grover wouldn't lie. Maybe he didn't know too. I tried reassuring myself. But if he didn't know, how did he bring me here? The question shot me long and hard. It was as if something jumped up and bit me. I decided not to think so much into this.

For the first time, I was doubtful. I was full of hesitation. I have never felt like this before. All these years, I trusted Grover. I never doubted him. I never have. Something was wrong with me. something was very wrong. I was so full of suspicion. Nonetheless, I didn't know what was wrong with me. I was scared.

In the end, I came to a decision. I was going to take my mind off things by sleeping. Sleeping has always comforted me. I wanted so badly to be taken away by my dreams into a world that never existed. Into a world where happy endings do exist. Where I find comfort in. But I was so wrong.

I had just received my results that day. It was all A's. Mother would be overjoyed, I thought to myself. And if I was in luck, Stepfather would be too. My brother was babbling on and on about how proud Mother would be of me and how he would never measure up to me. I laughed. However, all the joy would soon come to an end.

As Brother and I approached the house, I realised the slightly ajar door. Was there a break-in? From the weary looks on Brother's face, I could tell he was as worried as I was. He ran into the house first. Being the timid one, I crept slowly into the house. I grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door further. The doorknob was wet – with blood.

Now, I was very much on my toes. I prayed so hard, hoping Brother was safe. Before I turned the bend heading towards the bedrooms, I felt something hold onto me. I looked down. There she was. Mother was lying on the floor, bleeding profusely.

I gasped. I knelt on the floor next to her, savouring the last few moments of her life. Looking through my bleary eyes, I saw something glistening in her hand. I leant forward to take it but I stopped. A few feet away from me was a man in a black cloak. I couldn't see much underneath the hood wrapped around his head. He practically looked like The Reaper. I knew who he was. So did Brother. In Father's hands was my petrified Brother. Brother had a knife at his throat.

"What do you want?"I challenged Father. He was my true father, the one I wished I was never born from. Hate engulfed me. I clenched my fist, waiting for the moment to strike. "Join me, my son, we will conquer the Earth…"he rumbled, "…Father and son."He grinned. He knew that I knew if I didn't comply with his rules, Brother would die.

I was about to agree when wall of water came between us. At the doorway was a tanned boy, maybe in his teens. He shouted, "Come." Without thought, I went for Mother. I took the object in her hands and made a dash for the teen.

That was the last I saw of Brother and Father.