The monster forces overwhelmed us but I kept my head down. I lead Glory through it, soothing herthe entire way. She pawed the ground and refused to move right in the middle of the path. I tried togently nudge her but she stood put. I looked up at where she was staring and looked into the eyes ofthe creature that had been talking to EO. He was even more hideous in person, his mix matchedpatches of skin almost glowing with an eerie color in the setting sun. He stood regarding me, his facedevoid of all emotion. All sorts of hideous monsters surronded me and Glory. Something told me shewasn't going to go any further. I looked her in the eye."Thank you for choosing me. You were the best Pegasus I could've asked for. But this is where wemust part old friend. I love you." I tell her my voice breaking as I hug her tight. She nuzzles me. Isniffled and patted her."It's time. Go back to camp. Lola and Ben will take care of you. And who knows, maybe Vulcan willlike you back." I say and chuckle slightly. She doesn't leave."Glory, you have to go." I tell her, trying to keep it together. She paws the ground indecisively."It's ok girl. I'm ok. Go." I tell her and give her one last hug before she takes off. She took the rest ofmy heart with her. I walked numbly through the crowds of monsters and walked up the dilaptiatedsteps to the massive oak doorway. EO's presence was everywhere. I could sense him, the real him,so close. It drew me towards it like a magnet and I could barely resist running toward it. I followedthe creepy guy through the chambers and ancient hallways. tiny yellow eyes were everywhere, theirowners hanging from the walls staring at me. I started shaking."You are very brave to have made it this far. Most failed at the gate." He says in his croaky voice.There were more? I ask myself."More of me?" I ask him softly. He chuckles."Yes lots. In fact, almost every generation has one that is chosen. Most just die because of Our GreatOne's overwhelming power. Some have tried, but only two others have made it this far. One, the firstto make it here, banished my Master into this form." He says and bares his serrated teeth in disgust.I was shocked to hear his voice soften. "The second, a girl only a little older then you. She was a lotlike you. Brave and loyal till the bitter end. She couldn't handle the Chamber." He says and gets alost look in his beady yellow eyes. I wondered why the girl had such an effect on him. He straightensand the look leaves."Master is certain you will do better then the ones before you. When we get to the Chamber, don'tresist the process. It'll be over quick enough." He says. I just kept walking. The pull was so strong. Ithurt my chest and made my head spin and throb. I wasn't paying attention much to what he wasrattling off. He stopped in front of pure black doors with swirls of purple around them. I knew whatlay behind those doors. The green monster looked at me. I shook uncontrollably."I am sorry this had to happen to you. Did anyone come with you?" He asks sympathtically. Daggersto my dead heart."Yes. One's almost died because of me, the other probably hates me." I tell him in the softestwhisper. He nods."Well, it's nice you had friends. Most who were given this honor came alone." He says and I couldtell a slight change in his voice again. Something was off about this dude. Even my dull mind couldtell that. He winced and shook his head."The Great One says it's time." He says and I nod. I was about to open the doors when a hear it. Ishouldn't have been able to, yet I did. The howling of a wolf. The guy must've heard it too becausehe paused. The howl was joined by 3 others and I knew why now. Pain, Panic, Famine, and Oblivion.Ben. I thought and cursed under my breath. The green dude gripped his sword that I hadn't realizedwas there. I heard some noise and commotion outside. A crawling beast ran down to us and madesome grunts and gestures to the green guy. He nodded and his fangs bared."Intruders?! Demigods?! Ok, I'll come help as soon as I get The Vessel to Master." He says and thething runs off. The Vessel. Thats me. I think and also look at where the weird monster had gone. Ifeared for Ben and Lola's life. Neither are in any fighting shape, and the wolves would only help alittle. One tiny tear slipped down my cheek as I looked at the green guy. He was looking down thehall as well. "I'm guessing you know who those demigods are?" He asks me. I nod slightly."I told them to stay away, its not safe... I'm doing this for them and I don't want them dying before Ican save them." I say, mainly saying my thoughts out loud. He nods. He sighs."Come on. It's time." He says and I go numb again. But just before we fully enter the room, I feel justa small flow of emotions. Some sad, some angry, but there was this tiny feeling I didn't expect.Especially now. Hope. Just the tiniest hope that they would survive, or come to their senses, or evenfind help. But that I could even possibly survive this next and likely last phase of my life. I realize howshort it was, but it was a pretty awesome life. It had its troubles and minor problems but they onlymade me stronger. I sighed and pushed it all away. The darkness swallowed me and the green guyas the heavy doors clanged shut.Meanwhile in New York City...I always went to the Ring when I needed to blow off steam, or hit something. The Ring was a smallgym where adults could workout, train and fight. It was started by a Son of Ares actually. He ownedand ran the place. Any demigods who lived nearby were welcome for free. I was a regular. This time Icame to work off all my worry over Audrey. I hadn't heard anything from her since she and herfriends came to the apartment and we had all gone to the Underworld. My mind wouldn't leave her. Iworried endlessly. Was she ok? Is she hurt? Did something happen to her? Those questions batteredme constantly. I hit the punching bag again. I was still recovering from the fight even though it hadbeen a few days since the underworld ordeal. I had passed out for the day and everyone hadexplained what had happened after I woke up. Audrey had jumped down and killed the thing andthen healed me enough so I would survive. She then was 'possessed' by the monsters she'ssupposed to defeat and carted off the Hade's dungeon. Her friends had came back and explainedeverything and it took all I had (and Dev holding me back) not to march down and kill Hades myself.We sent Erebus instead. He came back that afternoon saying they had rescued her and she was safewith Nerth and would soon return. That was days ago. No word. We sent him back and he foundnothing. I punched and punched and punched and punched. Nothing could stop it. The stress keptme up for hours and I had only caught snippets of sleep. Dev as well though he needed it more forwork. I punched it one last time and it sent it hurtling into the wall. a spike caught it and it stuckthere. I stopped and groaned in frustration."woah woah woah. Something's got you wound up. Everyhting ok?" John asks me. He was theowner and in his mid 50s. He was extremely strong and always wore a stern look on his face. Ishoved off my punching gloves."My daughter is on a quest and we haven't heard anything in days." I say and grab a sword and startpracticing on a dummy. He walks over and stops my aggressive hacking."I'm sorry Lura. I never had a kid go off on a quest but I remember the stories. I'm sure she's fine. Ifshe's anything like you she'll be back by the end of the week." He says and gives me a small smile. Ishrug. He didn't know the full story and I wasn't wanting to share it."I guess. But I can't stop worrying about her. Can't sleep, can hardly eat, can't relax." I say and setthe sword down."Well, the Ring is always open to you. I'll even let you come by after hours if you can't sleep." Hesays and I smile at him."Thanks John, you really don't have to do that." I tell him."My pleasure. We demigods got to stick together." He says and walks off. I sigh and grab my bag. Idrive back and look at the clouds. There was a a massive dark cloud covering all of New York.Thunder rumbled but no lightning yet. I wonder whats up. I think and had this awful feeling somthingwas horribly wrong. I tapped my foot on the floorboard and parked. I went inside and walked into myapartment. It was bare and the grey filtered light made it almost eerie and empty. Greyson was atCamp waiting for any word if she showed up there. Dev would be back in a bit. I sighed and set mybag down. Something felt off and I fingered my dagger in my bag. I turned around and whipped outmy dagger only to find a small floating paper. It had an inscription on the outside. I set down my dagger and tentitavly grabbed it.To Lura Baxter, Devin Baxter, and Greyson Baxter. I looked at it, confused. Maybe its from Camp? Ithink and open it. Light flooded the grey room and a projection of Audrey appeared. I gasped."Audrey?! Audrey honey its me!" I say but she seemed to not hear me. She looked awful, dark bagshung under her eyes and she had small bleeding cuts all over her. Her eyes seemed more sad too. Iknew that look. I had seen it in my own eyes on my quest. The look of deep grief and sadness buteternal determination against everything. Her hair was blowing in the wind and I saw some feathersso I assumed she was on Glory. Grey had told me that Glory had flown off in a fit suddenly yesterdayand they hadn't found her. She was going to Audrey. I realize and I was happy they weren't alone.She sighed."how do you work this thing?" She says and then looks at the thing. I was crying tears at this, mydaughter was alive!!! She sighed and looked at the paper. I could almost reach out and touch her."oh I guess its already on. Well hi mom and dad. And Grey too if hes there. Um, its been a crazycouple of days um... Yea if your reading this or whatever I just want to say I'm sorry. Yall were thebest family I could ask for and at times I took it for granted but now looking back I see how incrediblemy life was." She says and my hearts sinks a little. Why was she saying these things? I had thishorrible feeling something was incredibly wrong."I know yall are probably wondering when I'll be home but... I won't be able to come back. I'm sorryGrey I broke my promise and made this into a whole mess. And only I can fix it. So thats what I'mgoing to do. EO has promised he'll spare yall and all of our friends and family if I go through with this.He has this plan and having seen it... I'm scared. Not scared, terrified. I had hoped to find a way towin, but there is no winning situation here. I just hope yall can forgive me. If the enevitable doeshappen, there something I have that nobody has seen yet but I think it's time. Under my bed, towardthe back behind the boxes, is a small box with all my keepsakes. In there, theres a drawing I hadhanging up but took it down. It should have all of us on it. Look on the back. It's the only part of menobody knew about. It needs to updated but it'll be something to remember me by." She explain sand tears roll down her cheeks. I was panicking. What is she saying? What promise?! What was shegoing to do?! I grab my phone and dial Dev. It goes striaght to voicemail. I cursed loudly, which Idon't do often, and called Greyson. He picked up after the third ring."Hello? Anything?" He asks me."Get over here now. Something's wrong." I tell him and hang up. He'll be here soon. I tell myself andlook at the message. It seemed to be repeating itself. It needs to updated but it'll be something toremember me by." She says and sighs. She wipes a tear from her cheek and looks in the distance. "Ilove yall. More then you'll ever know. Tell Lola and Ben I'm sorry." She says and the projectionpauses. I break down in sobs and I don't move until Grey helps me up. He carries me to the tablewhere I sob and can't explain anything to him. He eventaully gets ahold of Dev and he rushes over. Imanage to tell them how to work the letter and they listen to it. My girl is dying. I think over and over.And there was nothing I could do about it. Dev was in total shock and Grey yelled in grief and ran offand locked himself in his room where I could hear him sobbing punching things. I just sat there.Maybe if I had just tried a little harder, been a bit nicer, maybe she wouldn't have gone. I realizedwhy she had taken it. I had heard of her little club, only snippets. The second born forgottens. Ilooked back on all the times she had done great things but Grey always got the glory. How awful thatmust've made her feel. And I caused some of it. I think in shame. I did praise Grey a ton more thenher even though looking back now, she did so much more then him. I picked myself up and walkedabsent mindedly to her room and crashed on the floor sobbing. I could see her everywhere, in thebed, on the floor, in the swing, at her desk. I then remembered the tiny detail. I looked under her bedand pushed aside the box and grabbed out the tiny box she had described. I carefully pull it out andopen it. I gasp and start crying again. All the tiny things that seemed like ordinary things restedcarefully in her. But each had a piece of her. I looked through and then pull out the photo she hadtalked about. She did get my talent for drawing, the picture was beautifully. I picked out the people inthe picture. Nerth, Lola, Astraea, Cole, me, Dev, and Grey and so many others. Her family. I think andsee her in the center smiling. I sucked in a breath and turned to the back. I gasped at the intricate detail and design. Everything had a purpose, everything had a tiny detail that made it unique. Howdid she do this? How did she know? I ask myself as I inspect it. It was incredible. But it only mademe cry more. Why Audrey? Why did it have to be her?!