Stacey Pendragon-daughter of the sea

continued...

"You can what??" Nico looked at me, dumbfounded.

"I can shadow travel, too," I replied, looking at their faces in confusion. What, didn't they know that every sorcerer could shadow travel? "Only children of Hades can shadow travel, Stacey", Percy said and I shook my head.

" How can you shadow travel?" Nico asked me and I replied,

"Hades has given sorcerors the ability to shadow travel. You see, he is a one of the very respected gods at the House, since he has been very helpful to us".

"Hades was helpful?" Nico asked incredulously. "Why? What's wrong?" I asked him and Percy replied, "The thought of Hades being helpful is...kind of weird", and I shrugged.

" Anyways, I'm going no matter what. I'm putting on some sensible clothes," I said, looking down at my pajama's and went into the washroom to change. I came out after 5 minutes in a pair of jeans, turquoise shirt and a black coat.

Percy and Nico were standing out of the cabin, waiting for me. "I'm telling you all the last time, you don't need to come with me. Its dangerous," I said but Percy put up his hand and said,

"If you are going, I'm following you," and Nico nodded. "Don't tell me I didn't warn you", I muttered and went to the nearest shadow I could find.

" I still don't believe you. About the shadow travel, I mean," Nico said as I stepped into the shadow. I looked back at him and said, "Want me to prove it?"


"I guess so," he replied. I held out my hand to both of them, Percy took one of my hand and after a great deal of blushing, Nico took my other hand. Seriously, boys.

"Hold tight," I said and pictured the dark room I had seen in my dream and willed the darkness to surround me. I felt a sudden rush of cold air blow across my face and a tug in the pit of my stomach. But then, things went wrong. I felt Percy lose his grip on my hand. I held on to dear life and suddenly we were thrown out of the shadows.

I landed on the ground, a few feet away from Percy and Nico in the snow. "Where...," I started then trailed off.

We had landed in Central Park, which was completely covered with snow. But it had not stormed at night. Then how?

"Had you pictured this place?" Nico asked me and he got up and dusted the snow of him, while Percy looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Something grabbed for me in there," he said, looking towards me. "I bet it was Titania. The faster we reach, the better".

"But why did you picture Central Park?" Nico asked again and I shook my head. "No, I thought about the place I saw in my dream".

" How did it look?"

I described it to Nico, and he nodded his head and said, "Its Hades' throne room. Perhaps your shadow travel skills are not so good?" He suggested and I scowled at him. "Let's see you try it, smart Aleck".

He walked to the nearest tree and stood in its shadow. The shadows engulfed him, but a minute later he flew out of them and landed in the snow, face first.

" Nico!" I ran to him, followed by Percy. He stood up, grumbling and dusted off the snow from him, a disgruntled expression on his face. "What happened?" I asked him, and he replied,

"Something's blocking the entrances to the Underworld. I have to get there. That's why you were transported to the nearest entrance to it. Here," he said pointing to a rock.

"A rock?"

"I remember! Before the Titan War, you took me to the Underworld by this route. It was that rock to which Orpheus sang to, to rescue his wife, right?" Percy spoke up. "Yes. So, who knows to sing here?" Nico asked and Percy looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

"What? Why are you looking at me?" I asked him, and he replied, "Well, you keep humming everywhere. Go ahead, sing".

" I don't know to sing!" I protested and Percy snorted. "You are such a liar, Stacey. You wanted to come here, so you have to sing". I glared at him and knelt next to the rock, trying to remember any song.

My Mom was crazy about singing and would always sing ballads and other things to me. She wanted me to learn too, and that was how I was so good and singing, though I didn't sing much after she died. I decided to sing one of my Mom's favorite song, which I had committed to memory. I cleared my throat and began,

In the beginning, my tone came out a little rusty, since it was years since I hhad sung it. But after I covered the first verse, my voice improved and soon I was completely into it, not minding what was happening. When I finished, I opened my eyes and realized I had been crying. I wiped my tears and looked up at Percy and Nico.

They both were standing there, with their mouths hanging open and their eyes trained in me. I looked next to me and saw the rock had opened up into a deep, dark tunnel. " What are you waiting for? Come on," I said, trying to break the awkward silence and entered the tunnel, which had steps leading down. I heard Nico and Percy come behind me, and Nico caught up with me.

"What?" I asked him and he replied, "Your voice, its beautiful". I was really thankful for the darkness, because it covered my face. " Thanks," I replied, my voice kind of tight and I ran forward.

You must be wondering how my first visit to the Underworld might have gone. The truth, I dont remember. As soon as I reached the end of the staircase, I felt something pull me towards it. I kept in following it, wherever it took me. I didn't even notice which places it took me through. As I drew nearer, the tug was stronger. After some time, I stopped in a huge room.

"Stacey, wait!" I heard somebody shout behind me. I turned back in a haze and saw two boys running behind me, panting. Who were they? One of them, the one with the black hair came to me and asked, "How did you reach here on your own? Did you know the way?"

It suddenly dawned in me. "Your Nico!" I said and he took a step back from me, looking concerned. "Stacey, what..." When the other boy came running to me. I didn't know them, did I? Shake it off, Stacey, a voice said inside my head. I shook my head and it cleared.

So, you finally are here.

"I'm not going to let it happen Titania. Whatever you have planned!" I called out. Oh, its already happened, she said and my body suddenly erupted in pain.

My nerves felt like fire was racing through them, and my intestines were being twisted. My entire body was being being put through the wringer, and from head to toe, I felt like I was being pounded. I heard a scream of pure agony and pain, and later realized it was my voice. I never thought even my voice could sound like that. I fell down, clutching myself and trying to somehow stop it, just stop it. Suddenly, it did.

I rolled to my side, shutting my eyes tightly. "Stacey!" I heard Percy call out to me, and I felt somebody take my head in their lap, but I couldn't open my eyes. "Stacey, Stacey! Open your eyes!" I felt someone slap my face, and I managed to open them by a crack and groaned.

"Don't worry, she is not dead. Only her soul was being split in two, so that I could get my physical being".

I shot awake at those words and looked around. They felt so physical, so whole. When I looked to my right, my entire body turned cold. My worst nightmares were true.

It was Titania. In physical form.

Notes

Titania is back!!

And keep COTEing!