Blood Of The Hero

Chapter 12

Charon lead us down the pitch-black corridor, each stride was powerful but silent. Eventually, at the end, the corridor opened up to a massive expanse, huge and wide like it was outside.

It was dark, but red, but also bright gold at the same time, all the different colors merging together to form a beautiful citadel. Monsters that I'd usually be afraid of were living like they were normal humans, travelling inbetween buildings, conversing with each other and just living their everyday lives. It was disconcerting to say the least.

The city of monsters was far above us though, on a higher level than everything else. And honestly, I wasn't complaining.

In the distance, I could see a huge castle, made of the same obsidian that DOA Studios was, but it was much more elegant. Metamorphic rock protruded from it, like an innate defense against any attackers. Lava poured down the side of it, forming a sort of moat that was effectively uncrossable. However, there was something even more strange about it, that was glaringly obvious.

The castle was upside down, hanging from the infinite dark expanse that seemed like the sky, higher than all others, even the city of monsters. I gave Annabeth and Grover quick glances and they nodded.

That had to be Hades' palace.

However, all of that was great and all, but it was on the other side of a river, the river that Charon was gonna help us cross. But this wasn't just any river.

It was the River Styx. The mythical river that granted Achilles his invulnerability, until he obviously died. I'd heard legends from my mom about this black, destructive, dangerous water, and I felt no connection to it, nothing like I had with other bodies of water. Poseidon had no claim here. The river would kill me just the same as anybody else, and if my mom was right, it would burn me up horribly until I get erased from existence.

Yippee.

Charon took us down to the banks of the river, careful not to let it splash on him, and got on to a rotting fishing boat easily, taking a seat at the front of it. He gestured for us to get on with him, and we all nervously looked at each other.

Grover was the first to get on, then Annabeth, leaving me to hesitantly step inside and clutch onto the sides of the boat to keep my balance.

"Let us depart." Charon declared, grabbing his oar and rowing forwards.

Instantly, I saw the other side of the river, and my heart dropped.

On the other side was a massive dog, a Rottweiler to be exact. It was at least forty feet tall, and it's face seemed vicious.

Well. Faces. It had three heads, growling constantly and ready to rip us apart.

"Cerberus..." Annabeth muttered beside me.

It towered above a large cluster of souls, all waiting in a well formed line, like they were queuing to get somewhere.

"Hey, Charon. Why are they waiting?" I asked and the boatmen grunted.

"They're waiting for judgement from the Judgement Pavillion, so their souls can be granted rest in the correct part of the Underworld." He said. I nodded before asking another question.

"Who are the judges? And what do you mean, 'what part of the Underworld'? Isn't it all just the same?" I asked.

Charon only glared at me with irritation, probably annoyed at my questions, so Annabeth stepped in.

"The judges are some of the most acclaimed mortals, specifically demigods, in recent history. Hades selects them every couple of centuries or so. I think right now, it's Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, and Bill Russell." She spoke and I raised my eyebrows.