Children of the Big Three-Book Two-Quest of Centaurs

Chapter 27 - Eryn

Approaching the second O of the Hollywood sign, Sydney instructed Rachel to put her hand on the dirt.

"State your name and your business," Sydney reminded her, "Just say that we're here to visit your dad." 

"Okay, um, I'm Rachel Hyde," Rachel said nervously, after putting her hand on the dirt as Sydney showed her, "I'm, um, here to visit my dad." 

After a hesitation, the ground inside of the O split, allowing everyone room to enter. We all stared at each other nervously before Jace, stepping up, walked in first. Zaylor entered behind him, Sydney close behind her, then Ryker, and then Summer. 

"Go ahead," Rachel invited, staying back to give me room. 

I smiled at her and went in, she was close behind me. As soon as she was completely in, the dirt opening closed back up, leaving us in the pitch black.

"Hey," I recognized Zaylor's voice, "Who turned out the lights?" 

Behind me, I heard Rachel laugh. 

"Again, thank you!" Zaylor said appreciatively. 

"Hey, not to be a party pooper," Summer said, "But, what do we do now?" 

"Well," Zaylor, the quest leader started, "I... I'm not sure. Sydney?" she searched for assistance. 

"Well," Sydney started, clearly also at a loss, "The prophecy says 'To the Underworld you will go, one won't come back, a Hades' foe.'" 

"So..." Ryker started, "Maybe we go to Hades?"

"The question is," Jace said, "How do we get there?" 

"Don't worry, guys," Zaylor's confident voice was heard, "I can just shadow travel us to his throne room. That's what Skipper did the last time I was here." 

"Okay, let's try it quick," Summer said, "I'm starting to get the creeps." 

The seven of us grabbed each other's hands. 

"Ha, shouldn't be too hard to find shadow, am I right?" Zaylor said. 

Again Rachel laughed. 

After a minute of silence and concentration from Zaylor, she managed to say, "It's-it's not working." 

"Maybe only Hades's kids can shadow travel in the Underworld," Sydney suggested. 

"Yeah, maybe Rachel can shadow travel us!" Ryker suggested. 

"Oh, uh, but I don't know how to shadow travel," Rachel said nervously. 

"Yeah, guys, besides," I cut in, "That's kind of a lot of pressure to put on her." 

"You're right, sorry," Ryker said. 

"Wait, guys," Summer said, "What if it's not working because we aren't in shadows?" 

"Then..." Ryker said nervously, "...what are we in?"

There was a scared silence between the seven of us before Sydney cut in, "Well, guys, we can't just stay here and find out. Let's keep moving." 

Still grasping each other's hands, the seven of us began to move forward through the pitch black. After a really long time of wandering, maybe half an hour, we came across a large ferry, faintly glowing in the darkness we waded through. 

Sydney gulped. "Charon's ferry," she clarified. 

"Let's go there," Zaylor said, pointing to the boat. 

Jace shook his head, but obeyed Zaylor's orders anyway. 

"I'm betting we'll need Drachmas to get on," Summer pointed out as we approached it. 

"Everyone go through your bags and pockets," Sydney instructed. 

All seven of us checked our bags and pockets and produced a fair amount of Drachmas. 

"Um, hey," Zaylor said, approaching the cloaked figure holding the paddle in the ferry, "We're looking for a ride across?"

The figure slowly turned its ghostly head towards us, sending a chill down my spine. Then, he extended a bony hand. 

Putting most of the Drachmas in a zip-lock bag, we placed the whole bag in his hand. Yet, he left it extended. 

"Come on, bro, we gave you 14!" Zaylor complained, "That's two per person." 

The figures eyes met Rachel's, his arm still extended. 

"Um," she managed, clearly uncomfortable, "May we please pass, sir?" 

The figure stared a moment longer, then accepted the bag and allowed the seven of us to board. Once Rachel, who was still last, boarded, the figure left the dock and began rowing away from shore. 

Soon, all that was left to see was the bottom of the ferry and the rivers which we were boating through. Although, one look down into those... waters was enough to make my stomach turn. I focused my attention on my buddies in the boat instead. 

Zaylor sat next to Sydney, who looked as sick as I felt. Next to Zaylor was Summer, across from Zaylor was Jace. Next to Jace, on one side, was Ryker. Rachel and I sat in the back, squished together on the smallest bench. 

Soon, longer than it should have been for Sydney and I, we came to shore again. The figure let us off and silently motioned goodbye. Out of the corner of my eye, however, I swear I saw it give Rachel a wave. 

Sydney, looking at the wall a ways into the shore, turned even paler. 

"Oh, crap," she said, "He took us to the entrance." 

"Yeah. Where else was he gonna take us?" Summer said sarcastically. 

"You don't understand." Sydney gulped. "Cerberus guards the gate. No one gets in without an escort." 

"Can't Rachel be considered our escort?" Jace asked hopefully. 

Sydney shook her head. "Not unless she's been here before." 

"Okay, so we need to get past this dog," Ryker thought aloud, "But that's impossible without an escort, which we don't have." 

"Or we could fight it." The six of us turned our heads to Zaylor, who stood confidently, her hand on the hilt of her sword. 

"Yeah, good idea, Zaylor," Summer said sarcastically, "If you want to die." 

Zaylor rolled her eyes. 

"What else can we do?" Jace said defensively, "I say it's worth a shot." 

We all looked at each other, some confident, but most uneasy. 

"Alright," Zaylor smiled, "Let's kick some Cerberus butt."