This chapter is going to be dedicated to someone I've had the pleasure of working on a very successful story. Ellen 26. She was my first PJO reviewer, and so that inspired me to name a character off of her, since then we've been in constant communication. I'm usually expecting an email from her in my inbox, and I'm surprised if there's not one.

So, Ellen, this one goes out to you.

Having an old hag drag you across Charlotte wasn't exactly the best reputation builder. I had been in North Carolina for at least three weeks, and had been apprehended at least four times by countless enemies.

But none of that compared to what I was feeling now. It was like someone had ripped out my pulsating heart with their bare hands, had thrown it to the ground and kicked it like a soccer ball into a wood chipper. I never blamed my mother's death on Hades, but what Megaera was saying made it sound like he was behind her death. That if he hadn't interfered, I'd still have my mom with me today. My eyes were practically flooded with tears, but I held them back. I wasn't about to give the Fury the advantage of seeing me cry.

Megaera dragged me down the street, on almost the same exact path I had just taken, except she took a sharp right in between two buildings, and led me through a grimy alleyway. She clutched the upper part of my arm, her thumbs digging into my muscles. I had a feeling that there would be a bruise on my arm in the morning.

As we passed the single metal cans and loose bags of trash, the aroma of stale and rotten food crossed with an overwhelming scent of cigarette smoke danced through my nostrils, making me choke. As we strode through the alley, I noticed that it was a dead end. A large wooden fence blocked the exit, a sign attached to it saying Private Property: Trespassers will be prosecuted. Once we stood directly in front of the fence, she released my arm, a wave of relief flowed through my body as blood finally was able to travel through my arm.

"Over," she demanded, gesturing to the fence. She had taken up the form of a semi-elderly woman, she crossed her arms.

I looked at her for a second, she impatiently gestured to the fence with her head. I awkwardly walked to the fence, hopelessly reaching for the top. I was way too short. I jumped, grabbing, but only swiping through thin air. "It's too tall," I informed her.

She rolled her eyes. "Be creative, you're a son of Hades."

Be creative? What did she mean by that? Was I supposed to sprout wings and just fly over the top?

"Something? Anything?" she was getting restless. I stood, staring at her, and she rolled her eyes once more, as if I was stupidest half-blood she'd ever come across. "In the future, you will have to work through situations without help of me, or anyone else. As a child of the Big Three, you will be expected to take charge. That means using your powers as often as necessary. But for now-" she extended her arm, instinctively, I stepped back. There was a slight change in the atmosphere around us, as a cracking noise popped in my eardrums. As I watched, the wood began to split, and timber that had been forced to separate in half fell to the ground, clattering against the pavement.

The whole ordeal was over within seconds, but I stood there, in shock. I had seen magic at work before, but never like that. It had a different vibe to it.

Before me, stood a tall hotel, chipping pink paint and broken windows were the first sign it was unoccupied. But there was something different, something off balance, as if in that very hotel was the presence of death. I could sense it.

"In this hotel lies one of the only entrances into the Labyrinth in North and South Carolina." Megaera explained. I shielded my eyes from the sun with my hand as I looked to the top of the building. A large black crow perched itself at the roof of the abandoned hotel, watching us intently.

We pressed on, and as we drew closer to the door, the feeling of death got stronger, overwhelming my body. But, I wasn't afraid of death, I embraced it. And I still wanted to kill Megaera, but I wasn't looking to become immortal. As we reached the door, the Fury rushed ahead of me, she twisted the golden doorknob and pushed. The hinges of the door protested loudly as Megaera attempted to open the door.

"We were just in here an hour ago!" She yelled at the door, as if that would budge it. "Do you want to end up like the fence?"

And I thought I was psycho. Finally, after a few more seconds of struggle, we entered the lobby of the long-abandoned building.

Light streamed in through the window, setting an eerie contrast on the floor. Sheets covered the furniture, and a smooth, perfectly polished table sat in the middle of the room. To the side, sat a dusty tan desk, with a leather-bound guest log. The Fury hurried behind the desk, flipping open a latch in the wall, and flipping the electrical breaker. The room lit to life, allowing me to see all the way across the room, where elevator doors separated, beckoning us to enter.

If it had been anyone else but Megaera escorting me, I would've asked why no one had canceled the electricity in an abandoned building, but since it was her, I didn't say a thing. And I didn't plan to. She led me to the elevator, and gave me a light push in.

"You are to press the button that says Basement three times, that will take you to the Labyrinth. There, you will meet with the girls who will accompany you to Germany."

Without saying anything, I pressed the button three times, and the doors slid closed. Light elevator music hummed in the background. My stomach churned as the elevator descended unsteadily.

I thought about Hades, and what Megaera had said. Just like he did with your mother. I thought about the wicked grin that had unfolded on her face as she said those terrible words.

But, that can't be true, can it? I thought. Even though I knew it probably was. And, even if Hades denied it, there would still be that...that hint of doubt that would always nag at my brain. I would never look at the Lord of the Dead the same again.

Ding! Chimed the elevator, and the doors slid open, exposing nothing but darkness. I nervously readjusted the backpack on my shoulder and stepped into the shadow.

"Hello?" I called. There was no response. I lifted my arms out, feeling for the walls of the cavern, walking slowly to the right. When suddenly, my hands hit something cold and hard.

"Hello?" I called again, feeling along the side of the wall. I could hear the echo of my voice, accompanied by hushed whispers. It was them.

"Hey!" I called, rounding a corner. I could smell the dampness in the air, the whispers got more frantic. Suddenly, I could see them. Two figures casting shadows along the walls against the dim light of a candle. They looked at me. I could clearly see a girl, with her red hair tied into two separate braids, freckles painted across her face.

"Cynthia?" I asked, trying to get a better look.

"Greg?" Her voice protruded through the darkness. She, and the girl next to her placed their candles higher in the air, as if trying to get a better look.

"You two know each other?" The other girl asked.

"For a while now," Cynthia explained. Her eyes fixed on me.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked her. "I thought you would be on your way back to camp."

"I was," she told me. "But, as I was on my way to the train station, I got an Iris Message from Chiron. He told me that Ares had sided with Hades and that it would be in my best interest not to come back to camp anytime soon. Of course, he had no clue I was planning on returning right then."

"What about your siblings?" I asked, not really concerned.

"They're being evacuated."

"Sorry to umm... you know, interrupt," Began the other girl, she seemed nervous. "But we have big problems."

Being the nice person I am, I snapped at her. "Who are you?"

She seemed to back up further into the darkness. "I'm Estelle, Daughter of Demeter."

"Demeter?" I asked skeptically. "All the half-bloods on earth and they send me a daughter of Demeter?"

"Excuse me?" She asked, offended. "I may not be a daughter of the Big Three, but Demeter is born from the same parents."

I looked at her, somewhat surprised. I hadn't even seen her face, yet we were already at each other's throats. But I had a reason, I hadn't really had a good day. "It's no secret the children of Demeter aren't the best fighters."

She stepped forward, I could see her figure cross her arms over her chest. "You think so?"

"Pretty sure,"

"I guess we'll find out." She said, sounding something like a threat. There was a pause, and a cold chill passed through the air. I don't know why I hadn't realized it first, but the Labyrinth was the aura of death I was feeling. I had heard of it, and had always been fearful of it. I knew people could go insane, or even die in these tunnels.

"So..." Cynthia said. "What problems do we have exactly?"

"For starters," Estelle began. "We're in caverns that stretch across the entire world, and we haven't the slightest clue where we're headed. Also, we're going to need water. I can take care of food, seeing my mother is the goddess of agriculture. I have one jar of water on me, though." In the shadows, I saw her look at each of us, as if expecting us to say I have water! But neither of us did.

"Alright, what we're going to need to do-"

"Do you hear that?" Cynthia interrupted.

"Hear what?" I asked, listening hard, but not hearing anything.

"I think it's... singing?" Estelle asked, raising her candle, giving me the first good glance at her face, exposing her light brown hair and fair cocoa-colored skin.

Then, I heard it.

"-over Jordan, and what did I see? Coming for to carry me home! A band of angels, comin' after me!"

The music echoed softly through the Labyrinth. I unsheathed my sword, instantly feeling the coldness of the blade. "You think it's a friend or enemy?" Cynthia asked me.

"Do I look like the oracle?" I asked harshly, rolling my eyes. "Either way, they're not doing a very good job of staying undercover." I started walking into the darkness. All I had to lead me was the soft sound of the singing. I hoped I wouldn't get us lost. It was like shooting an arrow into the pits of Tartarus, and hoping to hit Kronos. We pressed on, my sword held at an awkward position, my free hand brushing against the walls of the Labyrinth.

The singing turned into a somewhat low, humming sound that buzzed through the air, penetrating the usually-silent maze. As we drew closer, the sound grew louder, and I could vaguely begin to see the dim glow of a candle.

Must be around a corner, I thought. If it wasn't, we would've seen the candlelight long before.

"Do you see-" Cynthia began, but I rushed my hand to her face, silencing her. Slowly we crept towards the light, and with each step my blade grew heavier in my hand. Who knew what types of monsters were hidden in this ancient maze? Would Hades still punish me if I died on this quest? Would he really raise me from the dead to make me immortal just because I failed him? There was no way to tell for sure, but my instincts told me he would.

The humming had returned to singing. Hearing it from a closer point, I realized that it was indeed a woman. A sphinx, maybe? Possible, but highly unlikely, due to the fact I'd never heard a sphinx sing. I stopped as the light from the candle lit up the sharp corner. I let my hands slip slightly over the cold stone. My heart was beating at a faster rate than I had ever felt it beat. What if I did die down here? Would Hades truly see it as failure, or would he see it as a son dieing preforming the wishes of his father?

There was no time to dwell, and I figured I'd find out soon enough, one way or another. I jumped the corner, as if I thought I was some crazy ninja, sword extended as far as my arm would let it. I looked at the face exposed by the candlelight, expecting to see the face that would send me to my father's realm, but instead, I saw—

"Elana?" I asked, keeping my sword leveled to her face. Cynthia, and Estelle—whom I still hadn't known very well, had gathered behind me.

The ghost looked at me, a No duh! look in her eyes. "No... I'm the queen of England, I just dress up as Elana on my free time because it makes me feel pretty." she eyed my sword nervously. "Now put that thing away. There ain't a reason on earth to be swinging it that freely. It's not a toy, you know."

I rolled my eyes and sheathed the sword. "What are you doing here, anyway?" It came out nastier than I intended. She stood up, hands on her hips. She was at least my height.

"Are you using a tone with me?" she asked, almost mother-like.

"No, I just—" She interrupted me.

"Yes sir, you most certainly are. Have a seat." She gestured to the floor around her. We all three sat in unison, as if rehearsed. There was a short moment of silence, and then Estelle spoke up.

"Excuse me, ma'am, I'm just curious... are you a... a um..."

"Ghost?" Elana offered. Estelle nodded grimly, and Elana smiled almost wickedly. "Why yes, yes I am." Estelle gulped, and Elana turned to Cynthia. "You must be the daughter of Ares I've heard so much about."

My cheeks flashed briefly red. "I guess," said Cynthia with a smile.

"Elana, what are you doing here?" I repeated my question from earlier. "I just talked to you like an hour ago. And why are you sitting in the darkest place on earth, while singing?"

"Well, as I came back to the Underworld after our little chat, I was immediately summoned to Hades's palace. After grumbling to Charon about how the god of the dead was going to have to start paying my way across the river—and if you know the Underworld, you know that from where I row from, it takes a good thirty minutes or so to get to the Throne Room. But Hades told me of the cruel punishment he threatened you with. I practically screamed in his face."

"You yelled at the Lord of the Dead?" Estelle asked, astonished.

Elana shrugged. "What can he do? I'm already dead."

"Point taken."

Now that I had a better look due to the larger candle, I could see that Estelle was rather beautiful. She had long wavy black hair, and flawless mocha-colored skin. Her eyes were a sweet and chocolate-like. Though, first impression did tell a lot about a person, and she and I hadn't had the best greeting. I could tell that we wouldn't even come close to being friends.

"Hades told me," Elana continued. "That there was no other way to motivate you."

"Probably right," I said, pessimistically.

"Wrong," Elana corrected, as if she knew me better than I knew myself. "Very wrong."

"I don't think so, either," Cynthia said.

"I don't exactly know how to put this," Elana went on. "But your father told me that if you follow your commanders' every wish, he'll give you the thing you want most in your life."

I swallowed hard.

"What?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

"He'll give you your mother back."

--1--

Beside me, Cynthia gasped, covering her mouth with her palm. I was stunned, and for the second time today, tears stung at the back of my eyeballs. That's more crying than I usually did in a year.

"He's evil," I murmured. "Plain evil."

Elana looked at me, eyes wide with sympathy. "He's trying to motivate you."

"Yeah, well, he's going about it all wrong." I told her bitterly. I turned away, towards the wall so no one could look at my face. "Who's my commander?" My voice bounced off the stone wall and echoed through the darkness.

Elana hesitated, but reluctantly answered. "Any of the Three Furies that choose to take on the task." Just then, was the moment it all soaked in. I could have my mother back, but what was the price. My life? My cousins' lives? I felt as if the room around me was shrinking, and every second I was more closed off.

"I hate the Furies," I announced.

"Is there anything you don't hate?" Asked Estelle. I could hear Cynthia whisper something to her and she continued. "What? I just met him today, and he wasn't the nicest grape in the bunch."

There was another long pause. As if everyone was waiting on me. It was Estelle's first day with me, and she had probably already figured out the drama that took place in my everyday life. I turned around to face Elana.

"Let me guess, there's also something they want me to do while I'm in the Labyrinth?"

She bit her almost transparent lower lip. "Not exactly," she explained. "They want you to recruit someone for them before you reach the Erebian Stronghold."

I threw my hands up in annoyance, not willing to speak. As if picking up on this hint, Cynthia chimed in. "Who?"

"The great Achilles," Elana said, almost as if the ancient warrior was a king.

"No!" Cried Estelle, startling me.

"What?" Cynthia asked, seemingly confused. "Why not? He's supposed to be the greatest warrior who ever lived."

"Key word: supposed." Estelle said matter-of-fact tone.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded. My frustration coming through in my voice.

Estelle took a deep breath. "Achilles, in myths, was a great warrior who defeated everything that stood in his way. In reality, every victory he had was great luck, his mother watching over him, some think."

"What?" Cynthia asked disbelievingly. "That's... impossible. It can't be true!"

"But it is," Estelle assured her with a nod. "I've seen it myself. He owns a computer repair store in Germany, a year ago, when the evidence of this war was apparent to Chiron, he got worried, knowing that—like the last World War-- the gods would have their own... side bet. He thought that if Achilles were to fight, more people would get hurt. He seemed to think that Achilles's mother—who had died years before, might still be protecting him, making him once again, unstoppable. So, Chiron sent me to Germany with a pomegranate from my sister, Persephone's garden, hoping I would talk him into taking a bite, binding him to the Underworld for eternity, making him unusable in this war."

"Obviously, you failed?" Cynthia said, but it came out as a question.

Estelle took a sigh. "Yes, on my final attempt, he tricked me by asking for the pomegranate, and when I handed it to him, he threw it, attempting to hit me—I was less than two feet away, need I mind you, yet he still missed, and the pomegranate flew through his shop's window, setting off the alarm and signaling the police."

There was an awkward silence as we tried to soak all this in. "Well," I began. "I don't care if he's paralyzed from head-to-toe, the Furies want him, so we're going to get him."

"You don't understand," Estelle pleaded. "Now that his mother's gone, he can't... he can't even hold a sword without causing some type of damage to himself, his fellow warriors, or his property. He's really very clumsy."

"As I said before, I don't care."

All of a sudden, there was a tiny spark of hope in my mind. I could actually get my mother back. Sure, I hated the Furies, but if following them meant getting my mother back, it would be well worth it.

And I would do anything to get her back.