30+ Advance chapters on [email protected]/Saintbarbido.
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(Loth's P.O.V.)
The sunlight outside the camp's borders felt different—brighter, but somehow oppressive. It wasn't the warm, protective light of Camp Half-Blood. Out here, it felt like the sun was glaring down at us, watching, waiting for us to stumble.
I adjusted the strap of my bag and glanced at my companions.
Percy was fidgeting with his pen, as if preparing to uncap it at the first sign of trouble, while Annabeth was absorbed in a crumpled map that Luke had given her before we left.
"So, we're heading to the Underworld," Percy said after a moment. His voice carried that mix of nervous energy and clueless optimism I'd come to expect from him. "But, uh… how do we get there? I mean, I've heard of the River Styx, but we're kind of a long way from Greece."
Annabeth didn't look up. "The Underworld isn't tied to one location," she said, her tone clipped, as though she was already tired of explaining. "There are entrances scattered across the world. The most accessible one for us is in Los Angeles."
Percy blinked. "L.A.? the city with the Hollywood sign?"
Annabeth nodded. "The gate to the Underworld is actually hidden beneath the Hollywood sign."
I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I guess that explains the traffic. Who wouldn't want to avoid crossing paths with angry shades on their morning commute?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "It's not *literally* in the middle of L.A. traffic, Loth. The entrances to the Underworld are shrouded in magic. Mortals wouldn't even notice it's there."
Percy scratched his head. "Still, L.A.? That's a long way from here."
"And we've only got ten days," Annabeth reminded him, her tone grim.
As we boarded the bus, I instinctively scanned our surroundings.
The other passenger's auras felt normal enough—a couple of teenagers, a frazzled mother with a crying baby, and an old man snoring loudly in the corner. Nothing screamed "monster in disguise," but then again, that was the point of the mist.
Annabeth claimed the window seat and leaned her head against the glass. "I'm going to nap. Wake me up when we get to the next stop."
Percy and I sat in the row behind her. The silence stretched between us, awkward and heavy.
"You should get some rest, too," Percy said after a moment, glancing at the bandages on my arm. "I'll keep watch."
"Thanks," I said, closing my eyes. Rest wasn't what I needed—I needed to meditate, to wrestle my magic back under control.
I focused on the warmth of Luna's bracelet against my wrist. It anchored me, keeping the feral instincts at bay, but I could still feel them lurking beneath the surface, waiting for a moment of weakness.
---
-Manhattan
-June 11 - 10 days until the Summer Solstice-
2 hours later, we left the bus in flames.
We ran, coughing and gasping, as smoke billowed into the air behind us. The charred wreckage of the bus loomed in the distance, along with our fellow screaming passengers.
Gradually the noise faded as we entered the woods, eventually coming to a stop within a small groove.
"Three Furies and an exploding bus," Annabeth snapped, brushing ash off her shirt. "This is officially the worst start to a quest I've ever had."
I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "We could've taken them if Percy hadn't pulled us out."
Percy, sitting on a nearby boulder, shot me a glare. "A fight would've gotten the other passengers killed. You saw how fast they panicked!"
Annabeth nodded. "Percy's right. And, Loth, if you're blaming yourself for not sensing the Furies earlier, remember—they're from the Underworld. Just like the Hellhound. The Curse is probably interfering with your abilities."
I growled in frustration, punching a nearby tree. The bark splintered under my knuckles. "Dammit. And now we've lost everything—our bags, the cash Chiron gave us…"
Leaning against a tree, Annabeth sighed. "I never thought I'd say this, but I actually miss Grover and his dumb jokes."
Percy smiled faintly. "The prophecy said three demigods. Besides, Grover's got his own quest—cleaning up Pan's shrine."
That brought a flicker of relief. Chiron had actually listened to me about the shrine. At least something good had come of this mess.
Annabeth clapped her hands, snapping us back to reality. "We need to focus. The question now is, how do we get to L.A. without money?"
I racked my brain, trying to remember how the quest originally unfolded. Nothing concrete came to mind. Finally, I sighed. "Let's rest for a bit. Then we start walking east. We'll figure it out as we go."
The others agreed. Annabeth took first watch while Percy and I tried to sleep on the hard ground. It was uncomfortable and I had nightmares.
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In my dream, I was surrounded by darkness. A voice slithered into my mind, deep and ancient.
"Retrieve the bolt for me," it whispered. "And you shall be rewarded with power beyond your wildest dreams."
I crossed my arms, unimpressed. "Does that include a cure for this curse?"
The voice chuckled. "Serve me, and the curse will be but a memory."
I snorted. "Nice try, Kronos. I'm not interested in being anyone's lackey."
I wasn't as easily influenced as Luke.
The voice turned sharp, like the crack of a whip. "Naive boy! Your defiance will cost you dearly!"
The darkness surged, swallowing me whole.
I woke with a gasp, my heart pounding. A wet tongue dragged across my face.
"Uh… hello?" I muttered, the details of my nightmare fading away.
The dog barked, but it wasn't just barking—I could somehow *understand* it. "Hello!"
My eyes widened. A monster? No, the collar hanging off her white furred neck and the bright eager eyes staring into mine killed off that notion.
---
A short while later, Percy woke up screaming from his own nightmare. He rubbed his eyes, blinking at the dog sitting on my lap, "What… is that?"
Annabeth, still intensely staring at the two of us for the last two minutes, finally spoke up, "Loth, are you seriously talking to the dog?"
"All I hear is barking," Percy added.
I scratched the dog behind the ears. "Her name's Gladiola, and yes, I can understand her. No idea how. Probably the Hellhound's Curse."
Sharing a look with Percy, Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Well, what's she saying?"
I grinned. "Gladiola says she's a good dog. And, apparently, a *missing* one. There's a reward for her return."
Percy's face lit up. "A reward? That could solve our money problem."
Annabeth nodded thoughtfully, a small smile tugging at her lips. "That's great, just as long as it doesn't involve another bus."
---
-St. Louis Station
-June 13 - 8 days to the Solstice.
Using the reward from bringing Gladiola home, we took a train ans arrived at St. Louis Station after two days of travel.
The intercom crackled overhead, announcing a three-hour layover before the train departed.
Annabeth stretched, looking out at the crowded station eagerly. "We've got time to kill. Let's check out the sights."
In the original story, something happened in St. Louis. For the life of me I can't pinpoint exactly what it was, but Percy was going to come across an important clue that would help us in the Quest.
Best not to change that with my interference.
"You guys go ahead," I said, rubbing my temples. "My enhanced senses are acting up. I'll stay here."
While Luna's bracelet was effective against the volatile emotions affecting my mind, it was less so on the physical changes. A crowded city was the last place I wanted to be.
Percy clapped me on the shoulder. "Cool. See you in a few hours."
"Hey Percy."
I stopped him before he could exit the car."Be careful. And look after Brainy for us."
Annabeth flipped me the bird while Percy smiled and nodded.
"Don't worry, she won't leave my sight."
Once they were gone, I closed my eyes and leaned back on my seat, trying to clear my head.
There was a problem that needed addressing. My memories of the original story were woefully incomplete. General and important details could be easily recalled, but nothing specific. An example being Medusa's location. I knew if I trusted the prophecy we'd eventually find her but I hated leaving it to fate. When we returned to Camp, I would ask Luna if there was a way to access all my memories with magic.
With that decision made, I opened my eyes...and found a woman in a flowing purple dress and black lipstick sitting across from me.
Her dark eyes sparkled with mischief. "Hello, my son."
I swallowed hard. "Hecate."
She smirked, crossing her legs. "Pardon the unexpected visit. I was in the area and thought to drop in."
"No problem." I took a shuddering breath. "I was expecting you sooner or later."
After all, the Goddess of Magic would not ignore magic being defiled. Which is what the Curse had done to me. Now the question was, did she come to help or to punish me?