Avery's POV
"Avery." I faintly heard to my left. Someone shook me gently and I shifted, trying to open my eyes. "Avery..." the voice called again sweetly before a pair of lips kissed my cheek and a small smile came to my face, knowing who it was.
With heavy eyelids, i opened my eyes, a huge wave of exhaustion coming over me.
"Hey," Luke smiled softly at me, his voice in a whisper when he saw me open my eyes. "We're here."
I gave a small, sleepy nod, "Thanks."
Luke got up and started to get our things from the top compartment. I looked past Like to see that Thalia had already left. Knowing what I was doing and seeing my surprise, he gave a small laugh. "She bolted as soon as we landed and they let us go."
Understanding, I nodded, once again feeling the guilt in my stomach from accusing her of her fear of heights. The thought of her fear reminded me of my own from that dream, which reminded me about my recent dream.
Luke tossed me my bag then sad down next to me smiling but slowly his smile disappeared as he looked at my face. "Hey," he put his hand on mine. "Are you alright?" His eyes looked worried but I waved him off, not wanting to explain my dream at the moment.
"Just tired." I reassured him but Luke knew me better than that and continued to give me a look but soon realized the pleasing in my eyes, later.
We exited the plane and soon caught up with Thalia. We got some snacks from the vending machine then left to find a cab.
Thalia nibbled her granola bar sitting out under a tree in a nearby park. "So what's the plan?"
"First," I took a deep breath. "I need to tell you guys about my dream."
"Dream?" Thalia repeated turning to look at me. "What dream."
I started explaining everything and how Hecate and I practiced nearly the whole flight until she thought I could practice in my own.
Luke nodded thoughtfully. "That explains why you look so tried. The Mist takes a lot of energy from you after you use it."
Sleepily, I gave a nod, agreeing. "I don't know why it will be so important, it's not like Thalia can't control if," I featured to the right of right of me but Thalia shook her head when I gestured to her.
"The Mist that you control is much more power ups everyone can control a portion of the Mist, but it seems like what your power is, is much more.... Concentrated. I can only strengthen the Mist, not create complete new things."
"But why would controlling the Mist be so important and why not give it to Luke or you?"
"Quest are difficult to understand," Luke explained. "We can't know why until after."
"Alright well let's figure out a plan for the Underworld, how are we supposed to get past Cerberus? Doesn't he fairs the gate."
Thalia's face paled, "I forgot about that."
"This is it?" I asked as we stood in front of the DOA Recording Studios sign, unimpressed.
Like nodded. "This is it."
We stood only blinking at the sign. "Ladies first?" Luke suggest. Thalia punched his arm before walking forwards and swung the door open before walking in. Luke pursed his lips before following. About midway, he stopped when he realized I wasn't moving.
"Avery?" He asked, turning around to see me in the same place. Concern laced his voice. "Avery." he walked towards me and softly took my hands, my eyes still fixed on the door to the Underworld. "Hey." He said softly. "Are you alright?"
I looked over at him, meeting his eyes. "No one has ever made it back from the Underworld." I reminded, my voice shaking slightly.
Luke rubbed my hand reassuringly. "We'll be the first."
My head turned back to the door, still doubting. He sensed my doubt and stood in front of me, his arms around my wait. "I'll be with you every step of the way."
"What if we don't make it back?" I pressed, the fear clearly in my voice.
He hugged me, burying his face in my neck. "Then at least I'll be there with you."
Finally the weight seemed to lift from my shoulders from his sweet words as I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close and smilingly. "Thank you." I whispered, inhaling his scent.
Rather than responding, he simply hugged me a little tighter then pulled away, kissing my cheek, linking arms with me. "Come on, Thalia will be waiting."
I gave a silent nod then followed him into the building. It wasn't what I imagined at all, walking in was a small entry took with a large sign that took me some time to read but I finally made it out as "NEWLY DEAD? COME GET CHECKED IN, JUST WALK TO THE END OF THE HALL, TAKE RIGHT AND ASK FOR ASSISTANCE!"
No one was in the room which made me uneasy. Muzak music could be heard faintly, almost like elevator music. Luke and I looked at each other, then the sign, then started down the hall.
We passed about five different rooms that we passed, waiting rooms from the looks of it. Lots of people crowded the rooms but no one moved or spoke. Luke and I had trouble trying not to stare because if you looked at one of the people directly, they seemed to disappear but from the corner of your eye, you could see them.
"They're spirits." I guessed, knowing that's how Grey looked when she went transparent, but unlike these people, I could see her.
Luke nodded, frowning. "They look miserable."
I gave a sad nod, agreeing, my heart breaking as I saw small children sitting alone. People of every age sat in the waiting rooms and it broke my heart to think that all of these people had died.
Giving me a nudge, Luke gave me a sympathetic look and intertwined our hands. I shook myself from the depressing thoughts and allowed him to lead me to the main lobby room,down the long hallway.
About halfway, we paused, hearing fighting down the hall. Luke and I gave each other a panicked look before running towards the yelling, knowing exactly who was the cause.
"Thalia!" Luke yelled when we entered the main lobby and saw Thalia arguing with a tall dark skinned man in nice suit with sunglasses, though I didn't think the sun shone down here. He had a permanent scowl on his face, though he seemed calm, but obviously annoyed as Thalia continued to speak her mind to him. Heading her name, Thalia turned we head sharply to us, her eyes burning and her nostrils flared.
"He won't let me in." She growled, jerking her thumb at the man in the suit.
"As I've told you before," he stated in an annoyed and bored tone, his accent was hard to place, not quite American, but not quite something else. "only the dead can enter the Underworld and you..." He looked her up and down. "Are most certainly not dead...." His face darkened, "yet."
Luke and I suddenly gave a look of worry to each other, realizing we had forgotten that. No one would want to let us in if we weren't dead.
"No, no we all died." I assured him hurriedly, praying I sounded believable. .
The man rose an eyebrow skeptical. "I would believe you, but most spirits aren't so... Obnoxious and loud." He glared in Thalia's direction and she gave a snarl of her own.
"We're on a quest for Zeus himself," Thalia declared menacingly. "and as his only daughter, I command you to let us by!"
"Yes I know who you are," he gave her a look of distaste then continue sarcastically. "Zeus' daughter. Pha, as if that holds meaning to me."
Thalia straightened, obviously offended by his attitude. "You have to obey the King of the Gods or else you'll be punished!" She snapped at him.
"Godlings." He sneered. "Always thinking they can boss me around. Always trying to come here. Believe me, you'll have your time to be dead, some..." He looked at each of us with a look that made me shift uncomfortably. "Closer than another." He gave a wicked smile before returning to a precessional look. He tilted his head up, speaking more clearly. "I only serve and obey one King and," he narrowed his eyes at her. "It's not the 'almighty' Zeus."
Her temper flared from his sarcasm, "Why you little-" lightning flickered from Thalia and both Luke and I jumped in holding her back before she leapt at him.
As we held her arms, Luke and I gave her a stern look to keep quiet before turning back to look at the man.
"Please..." I begged, my eyes trailing down to squint at his name tag. "Charon," I finally decided it read. "You need to let us by."
Upon hearing his name, a look of surprise crossed his face, his eyebrows high on his forehead.
Thinking I did something wrong, I looked to Luke but he looked just as confused as I was.
"You... You said my name right." He said, as though it was a great feat.
Confused I scrunched my eyebrows, holding onto Thalia tighter when she struggled against our grip. "Is that a problem?" I asked, mystified.
He shook his head immediately, interrupting. "No, no, no, no. Not at all! No one ever pronounces it correctly besides Hades himself. Everyone..." His face became hollow in sadness. "No one remembers me..."
An idea sparked in my head and when Luke met my eyes, we both smiled, nodding in understanding.
"How could no one remember you?" I asked, emphasizing my words.
Thalia muttered to my right, "Maybe cuz he's a pain in my-" I hit her before she could continue.
"You're one of the most important people down here!" I continued, talking over her. "You ferry everyone across right?"
He nodded, "Indeed."
I blinked, his accent suddenly changing to to a British accent, but I went to keep going only Thalia interrupted.
"You weren't British before." She pointed out, just as confused as I was.
Charon looked over at her like she was a waste of time but answered anyway. "Much like you mortals, I change, much like my attitude. And when I change, the rest of the Underworld changes as well." He spread his hand to the lobby and I blinked when the whole lobby had changed from a black color scheme to a grey color scheme.
Still confused, but knowing we were short on time, I kept going. "Without you, no one could even make it to the Underworld! You're the one who ferries the dead across. Without you, Hades kingdom would never grow."
He nodded thoughtfully. "I am rather important." He mused then his face dropped. "Though no one will remember you."
"If we make it back," Luke piped in. "I'll be sure to make a section about you in the Underworld pamphlet. I swear on the River Styx." Thunder boomed in the distance, making Charon look up, his grin widening.
Underneath his shades, I could tell Charon's eyes brightened.
"But we can't do that unless we finish our quest." Luke pressed.
The three of us waited patiently, praying this would work.
Charon stayed silent then walked over behind his desk, checking over a book and turning the pages, muttering to himself. Finally, he looked up and nodded, all three of our spirits brightened. "The boat is practically filled, so three more isn't going to harm anything."
Gesturing for us to follow, Charon walked to the elevator and used a keycard to open the doors and typed in a password. Immediately, all the people sitting down grew restless, starting to nervously chatter among themselves. Charon walked in front of the elevator and allowed us to go in first, while he started to call ticket numbers and those numbers gave him their ticket, he stamped it and they were allowed on. A few times, people tried to sneak past him but Charon seemed to have eyes everyone as he got them and then proceeded to tell them they had another hundred years for not obeying the rules. Finally, once the elevator was boarded, Charon joined us, the doors closing behind him.
All of us watched him nervously as he gave a sinister smile that didn't seem to help my mood. "Welcome to Hell." he grinned, "And I do mean literally."
Suddenly, my stomach dropped when the elevator descend, making Thalia actually fall to the floor then scramble up, glaring at Charon knowing he meant to do that by his smirk. She wiped herself off then crossed her arms and glared daggers at Charon while he spoke.
"Most of you should know that you are dead, and no whining will be tolerated on this ride, unless you'd like to wait another 100 years to finally find peace with your soul. Remember there are two lines, the line straight to the fields of Asphodel and to the gates where you are to be judged on how well you did in your life. Remember, just because you're dead, doesn't mean your life can't get worse." He gave, what he probably thought was a friendly smile, but only made me take a step back.
"On the boat, there will be no roughhousing, no whining and certainly no whining."
"You already said that," Thalia pointed out sassily.
Charon glared in her direction. "Because this time, i was talking to you directly Miss Grace."
Thalia's eyes widened hearing her last name and shrunk behind Luke. Charon grumbled to himself before giving a huff of satisfaction. The doors opened and he allowed everyone off before having them board on the boat.
Rather than a small canoe like boat, like i had imagined it, the boat was an actual ferry, just a smaller size, like what you'd ride in the Mississippi or that boat in Disneyland. "I guess you really are a ferryman," I marveled as i stepped on.
"Hence the name." Charon gave me a twisted smile.
I nearly screamed, putting my hand over my mouth seeing that Charon's flesh seemed to be melting away into white bones, his eyes hollow now and his suit now a grey robe. Everyone aboard, besides us, also had their clothes melt into robes.
Finally, with a large pole, Charon shoved off and started to navigate on the Styx River.
Luke looked overboard and frowned. "It's so.... polluted."
I could see what he meant, you could see tons of things floating in the river, ripped up diploma's, dolls, books, nearly everything.
"All your mortal hopes and dreams." Charon answered from the front of the boat. "These are the ones that never made it."
"Well thats....depressing." Luke muttered, looking away from the edge.
Suddenly one of the kids on the boat, about three or four, giggled, from an older sibling by the looks of it, who was chasing her. She ran right past me, a feeling of cold surrounding me. On instinct, I grabbed Luke's hand, making sure that i wasn't the only one alive on this boat.
"No horsing around!" Charon shouted, stopping the boat and storming towards the kids, giving them a stern talking to.
"Hey," Luke rubbed his thumb on my hand. "It's gonnna be alright. We're going to make it."
Thalia put her arm around me. "Even if that means we're going to shove Charon off the boat." She gave a 'sweet' smile to Charon who glared at her, obviously hearing what she said.
Once Charon talked to the kids, he remained to his position, glaring at Thalia every once in awhile to see what she was doing, which wasn't much. She leaned her arm and head on the railing, muttering how boring this was. When the ship stopped abruptly, she nearly fell off the edge of the boat! Thankfully Luke and I caught her, only having a scream leave the boat.
Charon escorted everyone out then tripped Thalia while she got off the boat. She cursed and was about to storm up there and hit him, but the ramp was already gone, Charon already sailing back. "Remember your promise." He reminded. "And.... I really hope the two of you make it back safely. Such a pity to have the two of you die" He then glared at Thalia, making sure she knew he wasn't talking about her before turning and sailing off in the distance.
Thalia made a face, mimicking him then kicking the air as if kicking him. "Good riddance." She spat. "I don't know if i'm going to be able to handle another immortal if i can't even handle him."
Luke sighed. "Just try Thalia, this is your quest after all. Try not to loose your temper."
"Try not to loose your temper." She mimicked then rolled her eyes becoming her stubborn self once again. "Come on, we've got a sword to get back and we're going to get it." She cracked her neck, storming forwards, "Even if i have to tear it from Hades hands himself."
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A/N: OVER 1,000 HEARTS! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! Tell us what we can do to tell you thank you!! We were thinking about having a contest and have the winners be characters in Forbidden and have a preview of our latest new Percy Jackson fan fic. What do you guys want? Tell us please!!
-Breann and Chloe