The First Daughter

Chapter 27:


We walked for quiet a while and soon the terrain became less hilly and was just flat with stalagmites gutting out of the ground: They provided good hiding places. So I decided to scout ahead hurrying to each towering spike. I did this for quite some time, and as we went down the high cave ceiling diminished and shrunk back into a tunnel but still somehow managed to maintain the width and the river was still running through, but somehow sounded like the silent death, rather than a lively river.


But I didn't pay attention to that: I was listening to the two voices up ahead of me, I began to hear them back a ways, I told Darren and Lilly to stay behind, while I went ahead. The voices had started out like a murmur but as I came closer I figured out it was two people, two people complaining about being stuck down here with The Seven and the others. I smirked and looked over the upside down cone I was behind. I got a glimpse of them and ducked back into my hiding space.


I closed my eyes and breathed out slowly, listening quietly to see if I was spotted. Their conversation didn't stop or change so I quietly and carefully returned to Darren and Lilly. “What's going on?” Lilly asked when I settled in our hiding place.
I let out a breath and looked over my shoulder one more time, then turned back and answered, “Two guys, we could probably take them.”
“What did they have for weapons?” Darren asked.
I stopped for a moment and recalled the information,

“Guns.” I replied, my eyes still closed, “Fully automatic guns.”
“What are we going to do against that?” Lilly asked.
“I don't know.” Darren replied.
“We need a distraction.” I said out loud.

I looked up and Darren's eyes met mine and we stared at each other for a second then we simultaneously looked at Lilly. Lilly looked back at us confused and asked what was going on.



***




“SAVE YOURSELVES! SHE'S BEHIND US!!!!” Darren shouted. I screamed along with Darren running like a mad people to the guards. The guards once they saw us, aimed their weapons at us and told us to stop; but we kept running crazy to them even with the guns pointed to us. We ran past them anyway still screaming our heads off and ran down the tunnel in front of us. “NO ONE IS SAFE!” I shrieked at the top of my lungs for added affect. Darren then pulled me to the side and we hid in the darkness of the cave we were in. We looked at the backs of the now uneasy guards with the weapons.


“What do you suppose that was?” One asked. “Don't know, but we should go get them.” I froze as they turned into the tavern but they stopped; mist started to form at their feet with a hissing sound. They turned around and were completely frozen by fear. I smiled to myself seeing that our plan was working and pulled Darren's arm and we ventured deeper into the cavern, hearing hisses and rantings of the little horror story that we had created. It was dark but I was able to turn on a flashlight that had been given to us by the Romans.


The walls were coming lower and lower upon us and the walls on the side came closer in until the cave completely narrowed out into a tunnel. Darren had to bend slightly over in order to get through, he groaned as he accidentally bumped his head. I stopped and crouched on my knees sniffing the air. I reached out in front of me and touched the gravel. “They're not far.” I got up and lead the way down the hall as if narrowed more and even became like a little hobbit sized crawl space until it stopped in front of me.


Darren looked at the wall and groaned, “All this for nothing?”
I leaned forward crawling to the door and place my hand flatly against it.
“I don't think so.” I replied.
I came closer to the door where the tunnel was the smallest part of this tube that was activating my claustrophobia intensely, but I buried my fear and took in a long prolonged breath and put my hands against the wall and pressed my body then pushed hard.


Nothing.


I sighed angrily, frowning from my frustration, Darren patted my shoulder as if to comfort me but I tilted my head to the side to flew it and tried pushing the wall again. I grunted, close to screaming as I pushed harder and harder into the rock, until it it finally budged forward in a great heave and groan of a rock. I fell hitting my face on the stone floor smashing my nose. I sat up checking my sore nose and looked up at Darren who was caught between laughing at me and stifling a laugh, and amazement.


“Can you fix my nose?” I asked nasally.
“Let me look.” Darren said taking my hands away gently with his own and looked at my nose. He gave a gentle touch then pulled out a ambrosia square and pulled off a corner and handed it to me. I chewed it and felt better but then I head a voice shout from behind the door I had just pushed open. I quickly changed gears and crawled through the thick door, and found the room where the demigods were held.


They all were relieved to see us but I quickly put a finger to my mouth telling them to be quiet. I counted them all but there was one missing, Percy.


Darren and I quickly began to untie the Heroes and as I freed Annabeth I asked where Percy was.
“They took him away.” She replied breathlessly.
“He is a war prize.” Reyna added as she was freed.
“Which way did they take him?” Darren asked.


I never got the answer though, cause everyone looked behind me as this shadow crept over me. I stopped breathing as I stared at Annabeth in horror, as she started back at me and the figure cowering over me. I knew full well who was behind me. I closed my eyes and swallowed in fear, and clenched my jaw. I slowly turned around and faced what stood brooding over me. I looked up at the man, er, god, and met a pale long face and intense eyes, but he smiled a long grin, “Hello, Daughter of Artemis.” He said. I raised my hand nervously to wave, “Hi, Hades.”

Notes

whew! Sorry for the long wait i had an intense writers block!