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Wanna check out how the main character looks like, along with the other Percy Jackson characters? Check it out at my tumblr page, 'turtledynasty' with the title 'one fanfic creator'. Fanfiction doesn't allow me to show links so just copy and paste turtledynasty . tumblr . com, and remove all the spaces in between. I post only Percy Jackson stuff related to my fanfic, so check it out!

Thank you so much for the insightful reviews so far! Here was one great obsevration made by one reviewer and I thought I'd share it with you:

Reviewer: I am curious as to why you have Percy's power turned down so so much. If the river water wOn't listen, well Percy can control blood. Percy's not weak, and yet you made him so. Besides that good story.

Me: Hey, great question! As you have read in chapter 10, once Hick and her gang entered another world through the portal where the gods do not rule over, all their powers started to weaken. In Percy's case, since Poseidon is not the ruler of the sea in Terra, the sea does not 'listen' to Percy. Hope that andwers your quesiton.

Reviewer: Thankyou for the response, I was more curious about on earth, where honestly if he so chose he could've crushed all of the bees. And for Hick, Hades is the god of the underworld not shadows, maybe a child of erebus? but for Hades the shadows would never listened that much.

Me: Perhaps, but I think it would be too easy for the story to end off with Percy crushing those millions of bees. I mean armies of millions of bees. It would be like the original hero Perseus, son of Zeus, conquering a war by crushing millions of army soldiers with lightning bolts. Percy was, though, courageous in protecting Hick and Nico and I thought I'd like to bring that quality out in him, whether or not he is powerful. :) As for Hick, that is a great point you raised. :) The Helm of Darkness is one of Hades' symbols of power. It allows Hades to melt into shadows and pass through walls. In this way, he has control over shadows and naturally this control is inherited by Hick. I would like to say this is the ability she inherits the strongly from Hades, compared to Hazel and Nico. Then again, this is just a fanfiction I wrote, and there are bound to be loopholes although I really try not to have that. Pardon me for that. :)

As I have said before, such constructive criticism is most welcome! I'm so thankful that you guys are really reading my story closely and paying attention to the plot. It would be great to add in suggestions as well, on how you'd like the plot to turn out or change. I would really like to hear out your suggestions. :) All in all, thanks for reading! xD

The Warrior

There stood Hick beside a long stone table in a great tall hall known as the High Hall, where important meetings in Terra were most likely held. She was all by herself. Percy, Nico, Hazel and Jason were made to wait just outside the hall. Just then, the doors swung open, revealing Dane still in his regal blue riding attire.

Burning white with fury, the young king crossed the room, struck Hick on the face and her head snapped to the side. Just then, Hick heard Viktus's voice ring out sharply from the doorway. "Dane!"

He looked like he'd love to slap her again, but Dane decided against it and turned away, glaring into the fire.

"For shame, Dane," Viktus said, crossing to the young king.

Dane turned on Hick again, spitting venom. "Two fliers are down, and we cannot awaken Harpett because the Sky-dwellers must escape! Strike her? I say we throw the lot of them into the Dead Land and let them take their chances!" shouted Dane.

"Be that as it may, Dane, it is not seemly to strike a lady," said Viktus, but Hick could see the news had upset him. "Both rats are dead?" he asked.

"Dead and in the river," said Dane. "We scorched the land."
"This matter of 'we' you and I shall take up later," said Viktus severely. "The council is not pleased."
"I care not what pleases the council," muttered Dane, but he avoided Viktus's gaze.

"Look," Hick interrupted. "I know I have no right to talk after all the trouble I have caused, and – "
"Do not say that, Hick the Sky-dweller," Viktus interrupted. "It was not your intention."
"It would do you very well to be silenced," sneered Dane, but Hick decided to not address the retort. It did no one any good, and she learnt that well from her previous feud with Percy.

"I am responsible for the death and injury of thousands, maybe millions of Stingers and I drove them all back here only to have them perish in thirst. Yes, it was me," said Hick, meeting Viktus and Dane's horrified gaze. "I shouldn't have blindly followed orders and finish a war with more violence and bloodshed. I shouldn't have endangered Henry and the… uh… the other two guards that followed."

"Barog and Harpett," Dane reminded her.
"Right. Barog and Harpett. And I am sorry for all I have done, the damage I've caused. So I offer you this, my servitude. Viktus talked of the water source that the rats cut off from reaching Terra, and the famines it is starting to cause in the rural parts of Terra. If it's filling up all the rivers of Terra with water again, let me help. Let me do something."

"You fool!" Dane sneered, before Viktus could reply. "Do you think we fools? Did you not think we tried to get back our waters? The dam the rat's built is heavily guarded. We've lost many men trying to tear it down, what makes you think YOU can – "

Just then, the High Hall's doors burst open once again and a throng of elderly Land-dwellers filed in, taking their seats around the stone table as soon as Dane sat upon what looked to be a throne, with Viktus by his side and Hick on his other. Viktus introduced the people around the table. They all had funny-sounding names that Hick immediately forgot. The council began to ask her questions. All kinds of things, like when she was born and whether she could swim and what she did in the Skylands (to which she told them was called 'Earth' by humans beyond the portal). She couldn't figure out why a lot of the stuff was important. Did it really matter that her favorite color was yellow? But a couple of Land-dwellers were scribbling down every word she said like it was golden. After a while, the council seemed to forget she was there, and they argued among themselves. She caught phrases like "a child of blood-stained locks" and "white water runs red".

Finally Viktus rapped on the table for order. "Members of the council, we must decide. Here sits Hick the Sky-dweller. Who counts her the warrior of Oh great titanness Phoebe prophesied?"

"Woah, what! Warrior? Prophecy?" Hick exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table. Another prophecy? They have got to be kidding her.

Ten of the twelve raised their hands. Dane kept his hands on the table. Either he didn't think she was the warrior or he wasn't allowed to vote. Probably both.

"We believe you to be the warrior," said Viktus, ignoring Hick's bewildered gaze.
"What prophecy are you talking about?" exclaimed Hick, utterly bewildered.
"Hick the sky-dweller, when the servants set fire to your possessions, they found two items that withstood the scorching white flames of Terra," said one of the council members whom Hick can't quite recall the same of. He beckoned one of the guards to approach and what lay on the table were the scrolled prophecy and brass knuckles Phoebe had bestowed on her. Except that the wooden rollers were taken out and Hick could now see that the brown parchment paper had torn edges at the bottom end.

"It is half of the entire prophecy Phoebe had told all creatures that stand on this world's soil," continued the council member, who beckoned another guard to come form and lay another piece of brown parchment paper on the stone table - the bottom half of the prophecy. "And here it is in its entirety. The Prophecy of Blood."

Hick peered at the inscription at the now whole scroll.

For Oceanus, swim, swim, swim again.
Thou see the what but not the when.
Die the baby, die thy heart,
Die us all, and thy most essential part.
Oh aye, hear scratching on ground below,
Rat of long-forgotten snow,
Evil cloaked in coat of white,
Might sky Warrior of red keep light.

"The rat, the evil cloaked in coat of white," said Viktus. "That is the Bane, the rare white rat of great strength and wit that rules the Clawers. Hick the Warrior, you promised King Dane and I your servitude and an end to the famines that threaten to take Terra's light."

"Yes, I did," said Hick and clenched her fists, bracing herself for whatever Viktus was going to say next.

"It is the hour Phoebe calls upon for you to kill the Bane," the old man spoke. "So kill the Bane, render the Clawers powerless, and return us the waters they held from us."

"The other four Sky-dwellers ought to aid her. They all have powers. I witnessed with my own two eyes," announced Dane, and all eyes turned to the throne. "I saw them summon green flames, water and lightning."

Just then a bat veered through the doorway and crashed onto the table, and the room was in an uproar. A ghostly woman slumped over the bat, pressing her hands to her chest to stem the flow of blood. One of the bat's wings folded in, but the other extended at an awkward angle, clearly broken.

"Anchel is dead. Mawlin is dead. The rats found Shed, Fangor. Gorger, King of Clawers, has launched his armies. They come for us," gasped the woman.

Viktus caught the woman as she collapsed. "How many, Keeda?" he asked.

"Thousands. Ten…T-Tens of thousands," Keeda gasped, starting to gurgle blood from her throat. And then, silence. The soldier's eyes went blank.

"Sound the alarm!" shouted Viktus, and the place exploded in frantic activity. Horns began blowing, people rushed in and out, bats swooped in for orders and disappeared again without taking the time to land. Everyone ignored Hick as they shifted into emergency mode. She wanted to ask Viktus what was going on, but the old man stood in the High Hall in a blur of bat wings giving commands.

So Hick went out on the balcony. She could see Terra swarming like a beehive. Many rats were coming. Terra was going into defense mode. Suddenly, it hit Hick. They were at war.

"Why? Wh-Why's this happening?" said Hick, her voice faltering.
"They've come for the Warrior! She must set off, now!" announced one of the council members.

Viktus thought for a second and called Barog over. "Take the Sky-dwellers to the royal museum where we keep their weaponry, let them choose whatever they think may aid them on the journey. I give you the delegation of Troy," said Viktus, before stepping into another storm of wings.

As soon as she retrieved her brass knuckles from the stone table, Hick ran after Barog, who had sprinted for the door where they met Percy, Jason, Hazel and Nico waiting. All of them still had on their yellow helmets, much to Hick's amusement. Three staircases and several halls later they arrived at a large chamber filled with glass displays of silver weaponry.

"Here are the items that fell from the Skylands. To the left, in the glass display, lie your weapons. Remember what you choose you must carry," instructed Barog, thrusting a brown leather sack with drawstrings into each of their hands hands.

In the High Hall, the mission was readying for departure. Several bats had lit on the ground and were being loaded with supplies. Percy had reunited with Riptide, Jason with Gladius, Nico with his Stygian iron sword and Hazel with Spatha. Hick still had on her brass knuckles, and had her utility belt equipped with knives, the kind of weapon she was most used to. They had all been cloaked in brown garments with hoods attached. It was to hide their hair colour and not give away their identity as Sky-dwellers, hair colour that is not of the same silver of the Land-dwelling humans' locks.

Hick saw Henry hugging a painfully thin teenage girl good-bye. She was weeping uncontrollably despite his attempts to comfort her.

"The dreams, brother," she sobbed, "they have worsened. Some terrible evil awaits you."
"Do not distress yourself, Nerissa, I have no plans to die," said Henry soothingly.
"There are evils beyond death," said his sister. "Fly you high, Henry. Fly you high." They embraced, and Henry swung up onto his velvety black bat.

Hick watched nervously as the girl came her way. She could never think of the right things to say when people cried. But the girl had pulled herself together by the time she'd reached Hick. She held out a small roll of paper. "For you, Sky-dweller," she said. "Fly you high." And before she could answer, the girl had moved away, leaning on the wall for support.

"What's that?" called Jason, peering over Hick's shoulder.

Hick opened the paper, which wasn't paper but some sort of dried animal skin. It had Phoebe's prophecy written in it.

"Phoebe's prophecy. I was just thinking how useful it would be if I had this," Hick commented, looking up to meet Jason's gaze.

"Nerissa knows many things. She has the gift," said a boy mounting a golden bat beside them. On second glance, Hick realized it was Dane. When Hick glanced up, she found Dane looking at the demi-gods curiously. "What wear you on your heads, Sky-dwellers?" he asked.

"It's a hard hat. With a light," said Nico. He flicked it on and off to show the curious Land-dweller.

Hick could tell Dane was itching to try it, but he didn't want to ask. Hick quickly weighed her options in her head. True, they weren't friends ... but it was better to get along with him if she could. She needed his help to fulfill the prophecy and permit her, Nico, Hazel, Percy and Jason back home safely.

"Here, check it out," Hick called out, tossing her hat over to Dane.

Dane tried to appear indifferent, but his fingers worked the light switch eagerly. "How do you keep the light inside without air? Does it not get hot on your head?" he asked.

"It runs on a battery. It's electricity," added Hazel. "And there's a layer of plastic between the light and your head. You can try it on if you want."

Without hesitation, Dane popped the hat on his head as the three Hades kids watched on while Percy and Jason exchanged smirks. "Viktus has told me of electricity," Dane said. He shot the beam of light around the room before returning it to Hick reluctantly. "Here, you must save your fuel."

"You will begin a new fashion," said Henry cheerfully. He grabbed one of the small stone torches off the wall and laid it on top of his head. Flames seemed to be shooting out of his forehead. "What think you, Dane?" he asked, showing his cousin his profile with exaggerated haughtiness.

"Cousin, stop! Your hair is alight!" Dane suddenly yelled and pointed. Henry dropped the torch and beat at his hair as Dane went into hysterics.

Realizing it was a joke, Henry caught Dane in a headlock and rubbed his short hair with his knuckles while the young kind laughed helplessly. For a minute, they could have been a couple of kids in the Overland. Just a brother and sister - Hick realized - like Nico and Hazel, wrestling around.

Viktus strode across the hall. "You two are in a merry mood, considering we are at war," he said with a frown as he vaulted onto his bat.

"Mount up!" called Viktus, and Henry and Dane leaped onto their bats. Hick could spot Barog preparing to leave also. He was riding a bat Hick hadn't seen before. Probably his other bat was still recovering.

"Come on then, Percy shall ride with Dane, Jason with Barog and Nico with me. Hick and Hazel, you two can ride Falora," Viktus instructed. As soon as Hick clambered onto the brown bat and helped Hazel up, they were finally ready to depart.

"To the air!" ordered Viktus, and the eight bats lifted off in a V formation.

As they veered sideways over the city of Terra, Hick was reminded of the gravity of their task by the manic activity below. The gates to the stadium were being fortified with huge stone slabs. Wagons of food clogged the roads. People carrying children and bundles were hurrying toward the palace. Extra torches were being lit in all quarters, so the city looked almost bathed in sunlight.

The city quickly gave way to farmland, and Hick had her first glimpse of how the Land-dwellers fed themselves. Great fields of some kind of grain grew under row upon row of hanging white lamps that glowed bright as the darkness of the night took over Terra.

"What runs the lamps?" asked Hick.

"They burn with gas from the earth. Dane once suggested a plan for lighting our city, too, but at the moment, all light must go for food," said Viktus.
"Did a Sky-dweller show you how to do that?" asked Nico.

"Nico the Sky-dwller, we have inventors just as you do, and light is most precious to us when night falls, as Clawers and all the other creatures of this world can well attack us without the aid of light. Think you we poor Land-dwellers might not be as clever as you Sky-dwellers from above?" said Viktus good-naturedly.

Hick could tell Nico felt sheepish by the blush that emerged on her brother's cheeks. She didn't blame him. She too had sort of thought of the Land-dwellers as backward. They still used swords and wore funny clothes. But they weren't stupid. Her grandpa said even the cavemen had geniuses among them. One was even found to have tobacco and bread in his digestive system, and that before civilization and agriculture came about.

The number of bats had been increasing as they flew. Henry led the party into a vast cave. Hick gave a little jump when she realized the ceiling was bumpy with hundreds and hundreds of hanging bats.

"But don't we already have bats?" asked Percy, echoing Hick's thoughts.
"We need official permission to take them on the quest," said Viktus. "Also, there are matters of war to discuss."

A towering cylinder of stone sat in the center of the cave. Its sides were as slick as those of the palace. On the round, flat top a group of bats waited.

Viktus turned back to Hick and whispered, "We humans know you to be the warrior, but other creatures may have doubts. Whoever you think you may or may not be, it is essential that our neighbors believe you are the one."

Hick was trying to unwind that in her head when they landed next to the bats on the huge pillar of stone. The humans all dismounted, and the demi-gods followed suit. Deep bows and greetings followed on both sides.

One particularly impressive, silvery white bat appeared to be in charge. "Queen Minerva," Viktus said, and presented him. "Meet you the Sky-dwellers."

The bat - whose name Hick realized to be the same as the roman equivalent of Athen - immediately set her sights on Hick. Especially on her red hair. "Be you the sky warrior of red? Be you she who calls?" asked the bat in a soft purr.

Hick stood up straight and tried to control the quaver that slipped into her voice. "I am the warrior. I am she who calls."

The bat was still for a moment, then nodded. "It is she."

They flew through the dark sky for hours. The gloom brought all of Percy's negative thoughts back. The waters in this world could not perform according to his command like the waters at home, Jason's command of the sky and his electrokinetic powers was far weaker than when he was back home, and Nico, Hazel and Hick were visibly straining to just summon the underworld flames. How were they going to combat well with their powers weakened now?

When he felt the bat coasting down for a landing, Percy was relieved at the distraction, although he disliked meeting up with Dane and Henry again. He was sure they would be more smug and patronizing than ever.

When they landed, Percy switched on the torch on his helmet and the other demi-gods did the same as they. There was flat stone-paved land all around, and scuttling off into dark shadows behind the rocks of the field were the huge roaches Percy had seen at the coast.

Everyone had just sat on the ground and waited. The bats hunched over, twitching at what Percy supposed were sounds he couldn't even hear. From the corner of his eye, he watched as Hazel rummaged through her bag and took out… a can of root beer?

"Hey! Where'd you get that?" said Hick.
"When we were at the museum. I saw a carton and shoved two cans in my pajamas pockets," replied Hazel.
"Whatever the hell for?"
"Hey, I love root beer! Leave me alone."
"Then give me a sip," said Hick, reaching her hand out to which Hazel scoffed at.
"Get your own root beer," she retorted.
"You know, I think… I THINK… this world doesn't make soda," replied Hick sarcastically.

Hazel proceeded to take a swig. Realizing that Dane was watching her closely, she decided against gulping down the soda and offered him the drink instead.

Dane looked alarmed. "Should you drink it?" he asked.
"Sure, try it," Hazel said. She offered him the can.
"Oh, so he can drink it but I can't," commented Hick, folding her arms. To her irritation, Jason, Nico, Percy and Henry were blatantly grinning at her, clearly amused that she was behaving like a child.

Dane tentatively took a sip, and his eyes widened. "It bubbles on the tongue," he said.

Just then, Viktus called them all to dine.

"I am drinking a beverage of the Skylands," announced Dane, holding up the root beer can. Hazel had to explain about the root beer all over again, and then everybody had to try a sip.

When the can got to Jason, he poured out two little puddles.

"For the Crawlers," he said, pointing to the first puddle. "Bats," he said, pointing to the second. The bats immediately got to lapping it up. From behind the rocks, a couple of the huge roaches shyly emerged.

"Be the prince accede, be he?" hissed one of the roaches.
"I believe they're asking you for permission," said Percy, punching Nico's shoulder. The pale, feeble boy winced and looked up at the expecting roaches.
"I've told you time and again, I'm not your prince!" said Nico.
"Be the prince angry, be he?" another roach hissed, and all their feelers drooped.
"Oh, look what you did! Now they're sad!" scoffed Hick, punching her younger brother in the other shoulder.

Amidst the bickering, Jason tried to coax the roaches out to drink the soda. "Come on, it's fine. Hey, I don't bite."

Eventually, the roaches were coaxed out, and they obligingly drank up the root beer.

"I believe Jason, you to be a natural ambassador," said Viktus, smiling. "You treat all with an equality I myself aspire to. Come, let us eat."

Everyone dug in like they'd never seen food before. When he'd slowed down enough to actually taste his food, Percy asked the question that had been worrying him since they'd escaped from the spiders. "Viktus, is your world known to have gods that rule your seas, skies and underworld?"

"We have heard of gods from your world, Percy the Sky-dweller, but we have none here," said Viktus. "The titanness, Terra or whom you know to be Gaea, plucked us humans and the other creatures from your world and planted us all here to build a different world that only respected the titans. But she reigned over us with terror until one day, she disappeared and the titanness Phoebe sought to care for us, by gifting us with white fires, and running rivers, and the sun to lit touch all lands during the day. She planted in us the knowledge of language, music and art. And she let us grow."

Percy exchanged looks with his teammates. All of them were starting to connect the dots.

"So… Zeus doesn't rule your skies?" said Jason.
"I believe not. No god rules our skies. Neither does one rule our seas, or the place that we go to in our afterlife. Only Phoebe watches over us, but she lets us rule our world," replied Viktus.

Viktus paused a moment, taking in the group. "It is time for Barog and I to return to Terra to aid our war against the Clawers. We will fly after we rest."

"Then Henry and I will come with you," said Dane.

"No. You and Henry will aid the Sky-dwellers. Both of you are not ready for war," said Viktus.
"But you can't leave us. I mean, we don't even know where we're going," said Hazel. "Do you guys know where we're going?" she asked Dane and Henry. They both shook their heads. "See?"
"I do not plan to leave you stranded in the Dead Land," said Viktus.

"Oh, great, this place here is called 'The Dead Land'?" said Hick. "Pretty sure the name doesn't imply we're going to live."
"So, you're going to ... what? Draw us a map?" said Nico sarcastically.

Viktus chuckled good-naturedly while Barg maintained a stern expression.

"No, I have arranged a guide for you," said Barog. "A guide?" asked Henry. "A guide?" echoed Dane.

Viktus took a deep breath as if he was about to begin a long explanation. But then someone interrupted him.

"Well, I prefer to think of myself as a legend, but I suppose 'guide' will do," said a deep, world-weary voice from the dark.

All five demi-gods shot their flashlight beams toward the sound.

Leaning in the mouth of the tunnel was a rat with a diagonal scar across his face. Hick instinctively unsheathed a knife from her utility belt and flung it straight at the rat, to which it lazily deflected with a flick of its tail.

"Stay you!" cried Viktus, as everyone except Barog sprang up, swords in hand. "Stay you!"

The rat regarded the seven armed humans with amusement. "Yes, stay you or I shall be forced to move, and that always puts me in an ill humor," he said languidly. "And may I say, stunning reflex from the Warrior you found Viktus."

All of them stopped uncertainly, but Henry ignored Vitkus's command and lunged at the rat. Still, without moving another muscle, the rat flicked his tail. It cracked like a whip knocking the sword from Henry's hand. The blade spun across the stone floor and slammed into the cavern wall. Henry gripped his wrist in pain.

"The hardest lesson for a soldier to learn is to obey orders he believes are wrong," said the rat philosophically.
"Take care, lad, or you shall end up like me, stripped of any respectable rank and warming your shabby old hide at the fire of your enemies." The rat nodded at the old man. "Viktus."
"Crunch," said Viktus with a smile. "We have just commenced dining. Will you join us?"

"I thought you'd never ask," said Crunch, pushing himself off the wall and slouching over to the fire. He squatted back on his haunches next to Barog. "My dear Barog, how kind of you to fly out to greet me. And with a war on, too. Enjoying your rank as these royal's top dog?"
"I could scarcely have missed an opportunity to break bread with you, Crunch," said Barog through gritted teeth.
"Oh, come now, you know perfectly well you only tagged along to wheedle information out of me," said Crunch. "And to gloat over your victory at the Flames."
"I destroyed you," said Barog nonchalantly. "Your army turned tail and ran howling into the river."
"Army," snorted Crunch. "Why, they were as much an army as I am a butterfly. I'd have stood a better chance fighting with crawlers." The rat looked at roaches who resumed cowering behind the rocks, and sighed. "Present company excepted, of course."

Just then, the rat turned his glowing eyes on Hick, and she was intrigued by what she saw there. The intelligence, the deadliness, and, most surprisingly, the pain. This rat was not like Fangor and Shed. He was much more complicated and much more dangerous. For the first time in Terra, Hick felt completely out of this rat's league. If she fought this rat, she wouldn't stand a chance. She would lose. She would be dead. The rat appeared to be intrigued by her as well.

"Ah, this must be our warrior," said Crunch softly. He glanced around at Dane, Henry, Nico, Hazel, Jason and Percy who were keeping their distance. The bats were extending and folding their wings, unsure of what to do. "Well, come on, then, isn't anyone else hungry? I hate dining alone. It makes me feel so unloved."

"I did not prepare them, Crunch," said Viktus.
"Clearly," said the rat. "Clearly my arrival is an unexpected pleasure." He went to work on his beef bone, making an awful scraping sound.
"Meet you, Crunch the Clawer," said Viktus to the group. "He shall be joining the quest as your guide."

There was a quick breathy sound, as Dane, Henry and the bats inhaled sharply. A long pause followed in which no one exhaled. Hick tried to make sense of what Viktus had announced so calmly. A rat. He was leaving them in the hands of a rat.

Finally Dane spoke up in a voice hoarse with hatred. "No, he shall not. We do not travel with rats."

The rat scoffed. "What say you, Warrior?" said Crunch, turning to meet the only human besides Viktus and Barog, who dared approach him. "Do you refuse to go with me as well?"

Hick looked into Crunch's mocking, tortured eyes. She wanted to refuse, but if she did, could they even find the Bane for her to kill?

As if following her thoughts, Viktus spoke up. "You need Crunch to guide you to the Bane. These lands are beyond our human territory and unmapped by man. You would never find your way without him."

Still, he was a rat. Hick looked to her teammates. They had only been in Terra a few days and they already despised rats. The rats had almost eaten her and her teammates alive. Hick could feel her rage coursing through her veins. But if all rats were bad, who was this strange creature staring at her from across the fire, offering to be their guide?

"So, what's in this for you?" said Hick to Crunch.
"A fair question," said Crunch. "Well, madam Warrior, I am planning to overthrow King Gorger and I need you to help me."
"By doing what?" said Hick.
"I don't know," admitted Crunch. "None of us does."

Hick rose and caught Viktus by the arm. "I have to talk to you alone," she said. The anger in her voice surprised even herself. But the rat was not part of what she'd agreed to. She couldn't risk the chance of Percy or any of her teammates almost getting their face ripped off by a rat one more time. This was not what she'd signed on for.

Viktus took Hick's mood in stride. Maybe he had expected it. They walked about twenty yards away from the group. "So, how long have you had this plan with the rat?" asked Hick.

Viktus thought a moment. "I am not sure exactly. Perhaps two or so years. Of course, it was all dependent upon your arrival."
"How come you didn't tell me about it before?" demanded Hick.
"I do not believe in giving people more information than they can handle," said Viktus.
"Who says I can't handle it? I can handle it!" said Hick, obviously not handling it.
"Perhaps you can, as well as your fellow Sky-dwellers. At least more easily than Dane and Henry,'" said Viktus.

Hick felt her anger ebbing and fear filling the empty spaces it left. He took another tack. "How can I be sure this rat is trustworthy?" said Hick, almost pleading. "He may kill us, eat us raw like Fangor and Shed had attempted." "No, you cannot judge Crunch by what you know of other rats. He has wisdom unique in any creature. Things were not always so bad between humans and rats. When Barog and Crunch and I were younger, we lived in relative peace. Crunch would see that restored, but King Gorger wishes all humans dead," said Viktus.

"You're saying that… that thing, there… is a good rat?" said Hick, choking on the words.
"If he were not, would I trust my grandson to his care?" asked Viktus.
"Your grandson?" said Hick blankly.
"Dane's mother was my daughter, Judith. She and her husband, the Late King Paris, died by the claws of rats. And it all happened when the peace between Clawers and us humans died. So I ask of you, young Warrior, to revive that peace."
"By killing King Gorger. And the Bane," said Hick.

"Two lives is a small price to pay for the peace of the whole of Terra. Do you not think so?"

Hick wanted to disagree. It would just enrage the rats more, she knew. But she made Viktus a promise to at least fill their city with water again. She was going to keep to that.

Hick lay down on the blanket just beside Nico, and he curled up with her without protest. Meanwhile Hazel was snoring lightly in her sleep on Hick's other side. Just behind Nico, Jason had fallen fast asleep while Percy struggled to sleep. Dane refused to lie down. Aurora came and wrapped her golden wings around him. Ares pressed his black, furry back against Aurora's, and Henry lay at his feet.

They could take whatever precautions they wanted to, but Hick felt sure Crunch could kill all seven of them in a flash. "He'll pick us all off one by one," thought Hick. Maybe Ares or Aurora could escape, but the rest of them were sitting ducks. If only their supernatural demi-god powers were as strong here as they were in their own world.

Speaking of their own world, Hick sighed. She really regretted yelling at Viktus for her now non-existent phone. He had been so understanding, so kind, so considerate… and she hadn't even apologized. She had no right to yell at him, even though she felt terribly homesick. How was her mom doing? What are Ryan and José getting up to now in college? Had they all moved on since the gods erased their memories of her? Had her mom fallen in love with a man? Had… Ryan fallen for another girl?

Over time, Hick could feel her lids growing heavy, so she let herself drift off, trying to push the images of jagged rat teeth from her brain. What a rotten day it had been.

She awoke with a start to a loud slapping sound. She instinctively crouched over Boots until he realized it was just Crunch smacking his tail against the ground.

"Come on, come on," he growled. "Time to get moving. Feed yourselves and let's go."

Hick crawled out from under his blanket and waited for Barog to get the food. Then he remembered that Barog was gone.

"How do you want to handle this food thing?" Hazel asked Henry, deciding to take charge of the food.

"Dane and I do not serve food, we are royalty," said Henry haughtily.
"Yeah, well, we Sky-dwellers are demi-gods. And you two are going to get pretty hungry if you're waiting for me to serve you," said Hazel. Hick could tell the patient, good-natured girl was way over this royalty thing.

Crunch laughed. "Tell him, girl. Tell him people from your world fought a war so you wouldn't have to answer to kings and queens."

Jason looked at Crunch in surprise. "How do you know that?"
"Oh, I know a great many things about the world you call 'Earth' that our friends here do not. I have spent much time among your books and papers that haven fallen from the sky. They come out metal boxes that came out of wrecked ships made of metal," said Crunch.
"You mean cargo ships," Hick said. "So… So… You can read?"
"Most rats read. Our frustration is, we cannot hold a pen to write. Now move, madam Warrior. Eat, don't eat, but let's go," ordered Crunch.

Hick went to the packs of food to check out the supplies with Hazel and Jason. It was mostly smoked meat, bread, and those sweet potato things. She guessed they might have enough food for three days, if they were careful. Of course, Crunch ate like a pig, and he would probably expect them to feed him. Okay, maybe two days.

Dane came over and sat awkwardly at Percy's side. "What?" Percy said.
"How do we ... make the food?" Dane asked.
"What do you mean?" Percy asked.
"Henry and I, we have never actually prepared food," admitted Dane.

Percy could see Henry scowling at Dane, but Dane did not look at him.

"You mean, you never even made yourself a sandwich?" asked Nico, joining in the conversation.

Percy tapped his chin as he watched Hick and Jason help Hazel prepare the food. He couldn't cook much, but if his mom had to work late, he'd make dinner sometimes. Just stuff like scrambled eggs or macaroni and cheese, but he could get by.

"A sandwich?" Dane asked, puzzled.
"Woah," was all Nico could utter, as he stared blankly at Dane.
"It's… uh… two slices of bread with meat or cheese or peanut butter or something between them," said Percy awkwardly.
"I have not made a sandwich," said Dane.

"It's not hard. Here, slice off some pieces of meat," Hazel called out, beckoning Dane to come. The young king made his way to her.

"Not too thick," Hick added, handing Dane a knife. He watched as Hick sawed away at the bread, managing to get eighteen slices out of one loaf. Dane and Jason did a pretty good job with the meat, but then, they were used to handling blades. Jason showed Dane how to assemble the sandwiches, and the king seemed somewhat pleased with his accomplishment. He took five for himself, his cousin, and the bats. Hick took the other eight for her and her teammates, as well as Crunch. It would be asking too much of Dane to serve the rat.

After setting the plates for her teammates, Hick approached Crunch, who was leaning sulkily in the tunnel. She held out a sandwich. "Here," she said.

"For me?" said Crunch, with exaggerated surprise. "How very thoughtful of you. I'm sure the rest of your party would be happy to see me starve."
"My teammates and I didn't exactly had a good first experience with rats. But I thought about it. Stereotyping rats as nasty creatures just because some behave that way is kind of like racism. And racism's wrong where I come from," said Hick.
"Quite true," said Crunch, popping the entire sandwich in his mouth. His tone was dripping with sarcasm. "I feel such love emitting from your warm heart."

"Do rats love?" Henry called out dryly, apparently eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Oh, yes," said Crunch with a smirk. "We love ourselves very much."

Breakfast was finished in two minutes, and they packed up. They were starting to mount the bats when Crunch stopped them. "Don't bother. You cannot fly where we go," he said, and indicated the tunnel. It was barely six feet high and only a few feet wide.

"We're going in there? Isn't there another way to get to King Gorger?" asked Percy. He didn't want to head into the dark, narrow space with Crunch, even if they had mutual need.

"There is another way, but not a better way. Unless you know one," said Crunch.

Hick could feel the bats twitching in distress. "What about the bats?"

"I'm sure you'll work that out," drawled Crunch.
"Can you walk?" Hick asked Ares, Henry's bat.
"Not long. Not far," said Ares.
"Then we'll have to carry you," said Hick.
"What?" cried Nico.
Just then, a couple of roaches scurried over.
"Prince be distressed?" one of the roaches asked.
"For the last time – " Nico began. "We just need to give the Fliers a lift," Jason interrupted.
"Ride you, Fliers, ride you?" asked one roach.
"Fliers do not ride Crawlers," said Aurora edgily.

"Well, I'm not carrying you. We've all got our own food and weapons to carry. So, if you're too good to ride on the crawlers, I guess you'd better ask Crunch for a lift," said Hick sternly. She didn't like that everybody being snooty to the roaches. They never complained and they pulled their weight and they looked after Nico in their creepy, stalkerish way. All in all, the bugs were the most endearing creatures in Terra.

The Falora, Ares and Aurora fluttered but didn't answer.

"Do not use that tone with them," snapped Dane. "They do not sneer at the Crawlers. It is the smallness of the tunnel. Fliers do not like a place they cannot spread their wings."

"Yeah, well, half of us haven't been having much fun flying hundreds of feet in the air, either," said Percy.

"Look, I know it'll be hard, but I'm sure the whole trip won't be in such small tunnels. Right, Crunch?" Hick added. She suddenly felt bad. The bats probably did not mean to offend the roaches.

"Oh, surely not the whole trip," said Crunch, bored to pieces by the argument. "Can we start, please? The war will be over before we decide our travel plans."

"We will ride with the crawlers," said Falora shortly.
Jason and Percy helped Dane and Henry set the bats on the roaches' backs. They had to lie facedown and cling to the smooth shells with their claws. Hick had to admit it looked like an uncomfortable way to travel. "Okay, lead the way," she said to Crunch.

"Finally," Crunch said, and slid into the black hole of the tunnel. Henry followed next, with a torch and a drawn sword. Hick guessed he was trying to give the bats some feeling of protection. They went next, single file, on the roaches. It was awful. Cramped and airless, with some foul liquid that smelled like rotten eggs dripping from the ceiling. The bats were stiff with discomfort, but the raoches seemed at home.

They trudged on for a while in silence. From the periodic splashes on his face, Hick knew that everyone must be getting wet. After several dismal hours, everyone was soaked and miserable. Crunch led them into a small cavern. The smelly water ran down along the sides of the place like rain. The bats were so stiff that Dane and Henry had to lift them off the roaches and help straighten out their wings.

Crunch lifted his nose in the air and took a deep sniff. "There. That has done much to conceal your odor," he said with satisfaction.
"You mean you just took us that way so we'd all smell like rotten eggs?" said Hick.
"Quite necessary. As a pack, you were highly repugnant," said Crunch.

Everyone was too worn out to argue. The roaches scurried away. Dane and Percy helped Hazel open up the packs and doled out food. No one felt like talking. Crunch swallowed his lunch in a gulp and stood in the entrance to the tunnel. They were just finishing up when Hick went tense. Something was coming, she felt it stronger this time. The feeling of imminent death dawning upon them all. "Something's coming," she whispered. She met Jason's gaze. They were in big trouble.

The bats started to shudder. "Spinners," warned Aurora.

"What?" said Percy, forgetting for a moment what 'Spinners' stood for.
"Spiders," Hazel reminded him.

"Yes, yes, they've been on our trail almost since we started our journey. I cannot smell how many in this place, with all the water. What can they want, I wonder?" Crunch flicked his tail and gave an order. "Three-point arc, all of you boys. Have the ladies guarded in the middle."

Dane and Henry exchanged a look and didn't move.

"Three-point arc and this is no time to test my authority, pups!" growled Crunch, baring his terrible teeth. Henry, Dane and Jason got Hazel behind their backs while Percy and Nico reluctantly took places on either side of Crunch to guard Hick. The bats took positions behind them.

Hick went for a long dagger from her belt, simultaneously checking to make sure her brass knuckles still lay snug in her belt pouch. She met Jason's gaze. He looked anxious. Her eyes must now have been entirely black. "Like a beast," the minotaur she fought had once commented.

Everyone became motionless. Hick could see the muscles rippling in anticipation along Crunch's broad gray back as the Spinners approached. Everyone waited as they braced themselves for a wave of bloodthirsty spiders.

To be continued.