Demigods Discovered ) (Percy Jackson No Mist)

The Cavern Part 2

Hazel

The cave stretched downward at a steep angle. Without my sense of the underground we would have had a few accidents. The walls were grimy and I didn't want to think about why.

"How far do we have to go?"

I closed my eyes. This place made me shiver, but farther down the cave their was something that seemed to be pulling me. It was close. I didn't know if that was a good thing.

"Around one hundred meters ahead. Careful, there is a drop ahead."

We had only walked a short distance before Frank grabbed my arm.

"Don't move." His voice was calm, but shook at the same time.

He quickly turned into a bat with a few odd sounds as his body shrunk. I had seen him morph multiple times, but I still wasn't used to it.

He jumped up onto my shoulder and started to flap his long, bony wings. He was small and brown, but he looked like a small alien. He flew up ahead into the blackness. I waited for what felt like hours before moving ahead. There was a small bend in the cave and I slowly peaked around it. The cavern was glowing with a faint light. I moved forward and learned around. We were in a large cave the size of the big house at Camp Half-Blood. The walls glossed a faint blue and green that made it look like an underwater world. The floor was covered in a thin layer of grass and vines with fruit snaked their was along the walls. Fruit trees littered the small space with beautiful harvests: apples, plums, peaches, and pears. A small trickle of water fed out of the wall and pooled in one corner.

I heard speaking and looked up. Along the ceiling were hundreds of bats; large grey one, brown, black, even some silver colored bats. They were all looking at one section of the cave.

I moved behind some of the trees and saw a women in all black. Her back was turned to me and her long tangles black hair was pulled into a donut braid.

A small, brown bat landed next to me and changed back into Frank. The cracking of his bones caused the women to turn to us.

Her eyes held golden brown eyes framed by long lashes and high cheekbones.  Her skin was darker and blended with her dark clothing. Her smile seemed calm which was unusual for monsters so I relaxed ever so slightly.

"Ahh young heroes you have finally come. Follow me." She turned and walked into about her, smaller cave.

I turned to Frank. He arched an eyebrow and walked forward.

It was unwise to cause a fight if this women did not want to harm us.

We walked into the cave after her. This cave was long and emerged into a darker cave. The women stood off the the side and studied Frank and I.

"Who are you?"

Her eyes crinkled as she smiles. "I am not widely know, but I am Nyctimene, more commonly know as the owl of Minerva. I live in these caves as a favor to Minerva and Hecate."

I looked at a Frank. He was looking at the women with a curious expression. His eyes studied her before quickly scanning the cave. I looked around to. The walls were the same as the previous room, but without the life. Instead, along one wall a carving in Ancient Greek.

Mormó the leader of the  great...

I turned back to Nyctimene. "Why?"

The smile still lacing her lips turned sad. "Because it was what was asked of me."
I didn't press her. She wast trying to kill us and I didn't want to anger her.

"I have waited hundreds of years for heroes to come so I might leave. My duty was to protect this caver and inscription until a hero would come to claim it." She waved her had and the stone slab slid out of the wall into a small bolder. She walked over and picked it up. "Do you accept?"

"What is the price?" I knew enough of the gods to always suspect.

"Nothing, my dear. I am just satisfied to have my freedom back."She handed me the stone along with a small owl pendent. "I am indebted to you, Hazel. I have watched you grow and I know you. Go find Hecate." She gave me one more smile before disappearing in a instant.

I turned and slowly put on the necklace. I fingered it as I started walking back to the previous cave wit the stone under my left arm. Frank followed me.

"I don't know what is going on, but I think we should thank the gods that Nyctimene was here to help."

I nodded slowly. I dropped the pendent and lifted the rock in front of me as we reached the cavern. The grass was no longer here, only a dark cave.  "I don't think that was the last of Nyctimene. We should contact the others when we get back to San Francisco."

Frank nodded. We climbed out of the cavern slowly.  The climb out was much harder than the climb in. The slippery, steep walls were almost impossible to grip. After an hour and multiple cuts and bruises we emerged.

Arion was surprisingly still here sleeping in the grass. The sun had gone down and the lights in the distance from a city looked like the sunset. "It's really late. Maybe we should contact the others tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't want to be the one to contact the others at," he looked down at his phone and paled, "two in the morning!"

I laughed. "Imagine Nicos face, though." I walked over to Arion and he opened one eye. "You ready to head back?"

He gave me a look and neighed. "You know you love me." I summoned some gold and handed it to him. He quickly ate it and allowed me  climb on. "See you at camp Frank!" Arion and I took off.  I couldn't wait to get back to camp and sleep. I buried my face in Arizona's mane as we raced across the country.