Typhon's Revenge

Chapter Two

Fire

After stopping to rest and to eat, I got to my feet and started walking away from the fire. The others were still sitting down, looking at the compass and murmuring to themselves, but I really wasn't in the mood to chitchat. I had a bad feeling about where we were. 

Taking out my blade and moving closer to the door the arrow had pointed to, I realized it was open and I pushed it slightly further back. The door squeaked as it moved and my eyes widened when I saw what was on the other side.

I didn't know what I had been expecting, but not this. The tunnel continued on the other side and torches hung from the walls, fully lit and illuminating the path that led to the other side. 

Slowly, I walked forward and followed the path where it ended. My nose creased in disgust when the smell of rot reached me. I quickly covered my face with my hand and continued walking until I was at the other side. The path ended abruptly and it was a good thing I had been walking so slowly because if I hadn't, I would have tripped and fallen into a very foul-smelling, dark body of water.

My eyes widened when I looked at the river cutting our path short. I looked around for any sign on how to get to the other side but there was nothing. All I could see in the distance, was the subtle light hanging on a boat far in the river. My blood went cold when I realized what this place was.

Without hesitation, I ran back to where I had come and pushed the door open for me to pass through. Suddenly feeling out of breath and overwhelmed, I shook my head and tried to calm my racing heart. In the distance, I could hear my friends making their way towards me in a hurry.

"Aileen?" Alex asked in a worried tone. 

Slowly, I straigtened and looked at her. All eyes were on me as they examined me and wondered what could have happened. 

"I'm okay," I said, still sounding out of breath.

"Where did you go off to? One minute you were with us and the next you weren't. Did something happen?" Andrew asked as he stepped closer to me, making me stiffen. 

Something inside of me moved as he stepped closer, it was as if I could feel a spark igniting inside of me and not in a good way. It was a sensation I hadn't felt since I had learnt how to control my powers. 

Shaking my head, I tried to focus and then pointed at the door behind me. "I went in there to see where the path led to." I began and everyone stiffened. "I know where we are and I know what we're going to need," I said as I put my blade back in my belt and looked at Andrew in the eyes. 

"We're heading straight for one of the rivers of the Underworld. I think it's the River Styx," I whispered and Andrew stiffened as he understood what that meant. 

"Oh, great. One of Hell's rivers," Kalani murmured and I instantly stiffened. 

Looking at her, I saw her tense under my gaze and she shifted her weight but crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You know about the rivers?" I asked in disbelief and Kalani nodded her head.

"Father mentioned them a couple of times before. He said they are very nasty and gross. I was hoping we wouldn't come across any," she said with a shrug and I quickly turned away. 

With Andrew so close to me, and Kalani using a smug tone, I didn't know if I could control my powers. Closing my hands into fists, I turned to the rest of the group. "Does anyone have anything made out of silver? Anything you're willing to give up, that is," I said.

Alex and Mason looked at each other and then shook their heads. While Andrew played with a ring on one of his fingers. "I have this ring, I think that will be enough," he murmured and I looked at Kalani.

She was holding up a shinny, silver chain on her hand as she nodded her head. Looking into my worn-out satchel, I pulled out a big silver coin that had been with me since I could remember. Barbara had said I had arrived with it and that I should keep it well hidden. I always did so, not because I knew what it was worth, but because it was something from my home. 

And now, I knew why it had been given to me. My parents must have wanted me to save it for this moment, for the moment I would have to pay to travel across the river. 

"We'll have to see if this is enough," I murmured as I looked at Alex and Mason nervously. They nodded their heads and everyone followed after me as I led them towards the tunnel on the other side of the doors. 

The tension on the air was evident and I had to push myself to keep calm as we reached the end of the trail. Taking a deep breath, I placed my fingers in my mouth and whistled loudly. My whistle pierced the silence of the cave as it echoed in the distance, reaching the boat far into the river.

Slowly, the boat started to change direction until it was facing us and moving slowly towards us. I stiffened as the boat got closer and closer, aware that this was the only thing left between us and the Underworld.

The boat came to a stop as it hit a couple of rocks nearby, gently, and the face of a man appeared in front of us. He was wearing a long dark robe that was ripped at places and very worn-out. His face was covered by the cloak and I could only see the scowl on his face as he examined us. On one of his hands, he was holding a long cane with a skull on top of it with bright emeralds shinning where the eyes were supposed to be. 

"You are not dead," the man spat out. 

Alex stiffened next to me as she moved closer to my back. Shaking my head, I said, "my name is Aileen. I am Hades's daughter and these are my friends. We want you to take us across the river."

The man scoffed and shook his head before pulling back his hood, revealing a very pale face and his red lips were turned into a scowl. "I don't care about who you claim to be. Either you're dead and hopefully your family had some decency to send you off with silver, or you pay for your ride."

I glared at the man for a moment before extending my hand in front of me, revealing all the silver objects we had brought with us. 

The man's eyes gleamed at the sight of silver and he quickly reached for the artifacts and studied each piece carefully. A smile appeared on his face and he nooded his face. "This is enough for a trip for four," he said darkly and I stiffened. 

Someone shifted their weight uncomfortably behind me and I shook my head. "Please take it and help the five of us cross. I promise that as soon as we reach my father's castle, I will bring you more silver," I urged but the man was already shaking his head. 

"No silver, no passage. This is enough silver to cover the passage of four living people... and a soul," he murmured with a dark laugh and my blood went cold.

"What does that mean?" Kalani asked from the back and the man's hollow eyes turned to her. 

"It means the five of you can pass if one of you dies," the man replied coldly.

Alex stiffened behind me, knowing what the man was referring to. He wanted us to kill her so that we could all go. 

"No. There must be another way. Please, I will get you as much silver as you desire," I said bit more nervous now. 

The man shook his head and smiled wickedly. "That is the only way the five of you are going to pass through. Otherwise, she can stay here and wait."

Alex was quickly nodding her head as she grabbed my arm and made me turn to look at her. "Yes, Aileen. I'll do it. I'll stay back and wait for you," she urged and I shook my head. 

I opened my mouth to speak when Andrew's voice cut through the silence. "No, Alex. It's too dangerous. This might be the only entrance to the Underworld, but think about it. Not all people die with silver on them, those souls who cannot pay a safe passage, where do you think they're going to go?"

Alex stiffened and she shook her head but Andrew was quick to interrupt her. "They are all trapped in here. Maybe we didn't see any on our way down because we stayed together as a group, but I can assure you that they won't hesitate to attack any of us if we're alone. Hoping to steal any silver you could have yo guarantee them a trip to the Underworld."

Alex didn't say anything as she considered all that Andrew had said. She turned to face me, her eyes asking for confirmation and I stiffly nodded my head. He was right. 

"Oh for the gods' sake, I'll do it. I'll get us across this filthy river," Kalani said as she pushed her way to the front of the group and glared at the man. 

"We won't be needing your services, sir. I've got it covered," she said smugly as she raised her arms and closed her eyes. A slight breeze passed, moving her hair, and then... nothing happened. There was no more wind, not even a hint of movement around us. 

"What?" Kalani asked in disbelief and shock as she looked at her hands. 

The old man laughed and shook his head. "Little girl, your powers don't work here in this part of the realm. No half-blood nor god can use their powers here besides the royal family of the Underworld. So, even if your friend says she's who she says she is, she won't be able to use her powers since she hasn't been crowned as Princess of the Underworld."

Kalani slowly turned to look at me and I nodded my head. "He's right. I can't use my powers." Then she turned to face Mason, and finally Andrew, all of which shook their heads. 

Stiffening, she pursed her lips together and didn't say anything to the man who was smiling at her. 

"Now you see, it all comes down to this," the man said coldly.

"Hold on, what if I have something else?" Alex asked as she looked at the ferryman. 

"What sort of something?" The man asked slowly.

Taking a deep breath, Alex reached for the back of her neck and pulled from it a silver chain with a pendant hanging from it.

My eyes widenened as I realized what it was, the last thing she had of her parents. "Alex don't. That was your mother's. You don't have to do this," I said quickly as I grabbed her arm to stop her. 

Alex sighed and turned to look at me. "Yes, I do. It's the only way." And side-stepping from me, she handed the pendant to the man whose eyes were gleaming expectantly. 

"Oh yes, this will do just fine," he murmured as he moved aside and motioned for us to step into the boat. 

Alex quickly took the lead and sat down at the back of the boat. I started to make my way towards her but Mason placed a hand on my arm. "I'll go talk to her. Don't worry," he whispered and I nodded my head as I watched him reach my friend. I stood still as Andrew and Kalani walked into the boat and the ferryman started to push us away from the tunnel, deeper into the river.

Both my cousin and Alex hugged and I could see as Alex hid her face on his shoulder. My heart broke for my friend as I took in what my friend had had to give up to come with us. 

"Take a seat, children, this will be a long ride. My name is Charon, by the way. I am the ferryman of the River Styx."