Hello again guys. I got the greatest idea from PollyLittle, She is awesome by all means.

Oh I do not own most of the stuff in here. All rights go to Rick Riordan.

Aria: I don't want to talk to Luke!

Me: Yeah he's an idiot.

Luke: Hey!

Me/Aria: It's true!

Luke: Aria! Amber!

Me/Aria: (Run out of room pursued by insane Luke)

Anyway Enjoy!

...

Aria

I ducked under someone's arm and accidentally knocked something out of their arms.

"Sorry!" I yelled over my shoulder.

"Aria!" Luke called after me. "You're Kronos's sister?!"

I almost tripped in shock. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

He grabbed my wrist. "Yes you do. He is isn't he?"

I gritted my teeth and nodded.

Kronos's voice strengthened. "Finally."

"Shut it!" I told the titan.

I could feel his shock ripple across the world.

Luke stared at me.

I heard kronos mutter something rather rude about me.

"Kronos!" I exclaimed. "Watch your language!"

Both the males were speechless.

I grinned as an idea formed in my head. (Actually it formed in PollyLittle's head) "Kronos." I said sternly. "You need to reverse your behavior, before I have to go down there and beat you over the head with a stick."

I probably looked totally insane talking to thing air between Luke's and my own arms. To most people that's what I looked like. But to me I could just make out the silhouette of my titan half brother.

That's when I met her.

xxx

Carter

I seriously doubted Aria was going to meet us in Memphis, considering we were leaving when I realized this.

As far as rides to Land of Death go, the boat was pretty cool. It had multiple decks with ornate railings painted black and green. The side paddlewheels churned the river into froth, and along the paddlewheel housings the name of the boat glittered in gold letters: Egyptian Queen.

At first glance, you'd think the boat was just a tourist attraction: one of those floating casinos or cruise boats for old people. But if you looked closer you started noticing strange little details. The boat's name was written in Demotic and in hieroglyphics underneath the English. Sparkly smoke billowed from the stacks as if the engines were burning gold. Orbs of multicolored fire flitted around the decks. And on the prow of the ship, two painted eyes moved and blinked, scanning the river for trouble.

"That's odd," Sadie remarked.

I nodded. "I've seen eyes painted on boats before. They still do that all over the Mediterranean. But usually they don't move."

"What?" Sadie asked. Then she understood. "No, not the stupid eyes. That lady on the highest deck. Isn't that..." she broke into a grin. "Bast!"

She was right, unfortunately, up on the top deck Bast smiled leaning against the window of the pilot's house. I was about to wave when I noticed the demon standing next to her. He looked normal enough until you reached his head, it was a full out battle axe.

The ship pulled up to the dock. Balls of fire began zipping around—lowering the gangplank, tying off ropes, and basically doing crew-type stuff. How they did it without hands, and without setting everything on fire, I don't know, but it wasn't the strangest thing I'd seen that week.

Bast climbed down from the wheelhouse. She hugged us as we came aboard—even Khufu, who tried to return the favor by grooming her for lice.

"I'm glad you survived!" Bast told us. "What happened?"

We gave her the basic idea and her hair puffed out again. "Elvis? Gah! Thoth is getting cruel in his old age." She hissed. "Well, I can't say I'm glad to be on this boat again. I hate the water, but I suppose—"

"You've been on this boat before?" I asked.

Bast's smile wavered. "A million questions as usual, but let's eat first. The captain is waiting."

I was seriously starting to wonder if anyone even slightly related to us was sane. But I followed her below decks.

...

The dining room was decorated like an Egyptian palace.

A long dining table was laden with every kind of food you could want—sandwiches, pizzas, hamburgers, Mexican food, you name it. It way made up for missing Thoth's barbecue. On a side table stood an ice chest, a line of golden goblets, and a soda dispenser with about twenty different choices. The mahogany chairs were carved to look like baboons, which reminded me a little too much of Graceland's Jungle Room, but Khufu thought they were okay. He barked at his chair just to show it who was top monkey, then sat on its lap. He picked an avocado from a basket of fruit and started peeling it.

I wondered what Aria would think of it. My stomach clenched. Aria, she had run off and told me to get to my flight. Then a blonde dude with a jagged scar across his face had raced after her. I shook my head telling myself that she'd be fine. I didn't convince myself.

The door opened and I jumped out of my skin. The demon bowed deeply as he entered the room.

"Lord and Lady Kane," the captain said, bowing. His voice was a quivery hum that resonated along his front blade. I saw a video one time of a guy playing music by hitting a saw with a hammer, and that's sort of the way the captain sounded. "It is an honor to have you aboard."

"'Lady Kane,'" Sadie mused. "I like that."

"I am Bloodstained Blade," the captain said. "What are your orders?"

Sadie raised an eyebrow at Bast. "He takes orders from us?"

"Within reason," Bast said. "He is bound to your family. Your father..." She cleared her throat. "Well, he and your mother summoned this boat."

The axe demon made a disapproving hum. "You haven't told them, goddess?"

Bast sighed. "I'm getting to it."

...

Time skip I'm bored.

Sadie

Bast, Carter, and I stood at the prow of the boat, watching the river appear out of the darkness. Below us, the boat's painted eyes glowed faintly in the dark, sweeping beams of light across the red water. Khufu had climbed to the top of the gangplank, which stood straight up when retracted, and cupped his hand over his eyes like a sailor in a crow's-nest.

But all that vigilance didn't do much good. With the dark and the mist, our visibility was nil. Massive rocks, broken pillars, and crumbling statues of pharaohs loomed out of nowhere, and Bloodstained Blade yanked the wheel to avoid them, forcing us to grab hold of the rails. Occasionally we'd see long slimy lines cutting through the surface of the water, like tentacles, or the backs of submerged creatures—I really didn't want to know.

"Mortal souls are always challenged," Bast told me. "You must prove your worth to enter the Land of the Dead."

"Like it's such a big treat?"

I'm not sure how long I stared into the darkness, but after a good while a reddish smudge appeared in the distance, as if the sky were becoming lighter.

"Is that my imagination, or—"

"Our destination," Bast said. "Strange, we really should've been challenged by now—"

The boat shuddered, and the water began to boil.

"Why did you have to say something?" Carter grumbled.

A giant figure erupted from the river. I could see him only from the waist up, but he towered several meters over the boat. His body was humanoid—bare-chested and hairy with purplish skin. A rope belt was tied around his waist, festooned with leather pouches, severed demon heads, and other charming bits and bobs. His head was a strange combination of lion and human, with gold eyes and a black mane done in dreadlocks. His blood-splattered mouth was feline, with bristly whiskers and razor-sharp fangs. He roared, scaring Khufu right off the gangplank. The poor baboon did a flying leap into Carter's arms, which knocked them both to the deck.

"You had to say something," I told Bast weakly. "This a relative of yours, I hope?"

Bast shook her head. "I cannot help you with this, Sadie. You are the mortals. You must deal with the challenge."

"Oh, thanks for that."

"I am Shezmu!" the bloody lion man said.

I wanted to say, "Yes, you certainly are." But I decided to keep my mouth shut.

He turned his golden eyes on Carter and tilted his head. His nostrils quivered. "I smell the blood of pharaohs. A tasty treat...or do you dare to name me?"

"N-name you?" Carter sputtered. "Do you mean your secret name?"

The demon laughed. He grabbed a nearby spire of rock, which crumpled like old plaster in his fist.

I looked desperately at Carter. "You don't happen to have his secret name lying around somewhere?"

"It may be in The Book of the Dead," Carter said. "I forgot to check."

Shezmu growled. "You dare ignore m-"

He as interrupted by a shriek as a familiar brown haired girl fell from the sky and landed on the deck.

I turned back to Carter. "Look!"

"Keep him busy!" Carter yelled and scrambled off.

"Great." I muttered.

"Do you give up?" Shezmu bellowed.

"No!" I yelled. "No, we don't give up. We will name you. Just...Gosh, you're quite well muscled, aren't you? Do you work out?"

I glanced at Bast, who nodded approval.

Shezmu rumbled with pride and flexed his mighty arms. Never fails with men, does it? Even if they're twenty meters tall and lion-headed.

"I am Shezmu!" he bellowed.

"Yes, you might've mentioned that already," I said. "I'm wondering, um, what sort of titles you've earned over the years, eh? Lord of this and that?"

"Blood and Wine." A heard a voice behind me mutter.

I ignored Aria and turned back to the god.

"I am Osiris's royal executioner!" he yelled, smashing a fist into the water and rocking our boat. I heard a thump and a groan as Aria was thrown back into the pilots house. "I am the Lord of Blood and Wine!"

"Brilliant," I said, trying not to get sick. "Er, how are blood and wine connected, exactly?"

"Garrr!" He leaned forward and bared his fangs, which were not any prettier up close. His mane was matted with nasty bits of dead fish and river moss. "Lord Osiris lets me behead the wicked! I crush them in my wine press, and make wine for the dead!"

I grinned nervously making a mental note to never drink the wine of the dead.

You're doing well. Isis's voice gave me a start. She'd been quiet so long, I'd almost forgotten her. Ask him about his other duties.

"And what are your other duties...O powerful wine demon guy?"

"I am Lord of..." He flexed his muscles for maximum effect. "Perfume!"

He grinned at me, apparently waiting for terror to set it.

""Oh, my!" I said. "That must make your enemies tremble."

"Ha, ha, ha! Yes! Would you like to try a free sample?" He ripped a slimy leather pouch off his belt, and brought out a clay pot filled with sweet-smelling yellow powder. "I call this...Eternity!"

"Lovely," I gagged. I glanced behind me, wondering where Carter had gone to, but there was no sign of him.

Keep him talking, Isis urged.

"And, um...perfume is part of your job because...wait, I've got it, you squeeze it out of plants, like you squeeze wine..."

"Or blood!" Shezmu added.

"Well, naturally," I said. "The blood goes without saying."

"Blood!" he said.

Khufu yelped and covered his eyes.

"So you serve Osiris?" I asked the demon.

"Yes! At least..." He hesitated, snarling in doubt. "I did. Osiris's throne is empty. But he will return. He will!"

"Of course," I said. "And so your friends call you what...Shezzy? Bloodsiekins?"

"I have no friends! But if I did, they would call me Slaughterer of Souls, Fierce of Face! But I don't have any friends, so my name is not in danger. Ha, ha, ha!"

I looked at Bast, wondering if I'd just gotten as lucky as I thought. Bast beamed at me.

Carter came stumbling down the stairs, holding The Book of the Dead. "I've got it! Somewhere here. Can't read this part, but—"

"Name me or be eaten!" Shezmu bellowed.

"I name you!" I shouted back. "Shezmu, Slaughterer of Souls, Fierce of Face!"

"GAAAAHHHHH!" He writhed in pain. "How do they always know?"

"Let us pass!" I commanded. "Oh, and one more thing...my brother wants a free sample."

I just had time to step away, and Carter just had time to look confused before the demon blew yellow dust all over him. Then Shezmu sank under the waves.

"What a nice fellow," I said.

"Pah!" Carter spit perfume. He looked like a piece of breaded fish. "What was that for?"

"You smell lovely," I assured him. "What's next, then?"

I was feeling very pleased with myself until our boat rounded a bend in the river. Suddenly the reddish glow on the horizon became a blaze of light. Up in the wheelhouse, the captain rang the alarm bell.

Aria

I was lying at the mouth of some kind of cavern. Floating above a massive pit was a man glowing with power.

"Well." He snarled. "It seems you've finally realized who you are, sister." He spat the last word angrily.

I managed to stumble to my feet. "Kronos?"

He snarled. "No! I'm your long lost sister Aerodrome."

I groaned. "Any particular reason I'm here?"

"I felt you should have a fair warning. You're about to die." He said. "Within the hour."

"Great." I said my voice laced with sarcasm.

Kronos laughed coldly. "We could save you. If you fought with us."

My guilt rapidly turned to anger. "Why! I have absolutely nothing to offer, all I can seem to do is wreck my life even more!"

He laughed again but this time it was strangely understanding, like he knew how I felt. "You honestly don't know how powerful you are. Do you?"

"Shut up!" I yelled and willed myself to wake up.

...

I gasped and woke up. I looked up and saw the smiling face of Bast.

"You never cease to surprise me." She muttered helping me up.

I shook my head. "Welcome to the club."

Sadie sighed. "You're alive."

I smirked. "I noticed."

She smiled and hugged me.

I smiled sadly. "Sadie. I'm probably going to die really soon. I'm sorry."

She blinked. "What?"

I smiled then started laughing. "I'll be fine."

I had to save my family, keep the world alive, and somehow get back to camp half blood before Grover called, on top of all that I was going to die within the next hour. I just love my life.

That's it about 2000 words, I feel pretty good. Aria is going to die huh?

Aria: Why can't I stop dying!

Me: I don't know! Ask Kronos!

Kronos: No Way!

Aria: Give me my necklace Amber!

Me: HaHa!

Me:(Runs out of room before pillow hits head.)