The Cult of Dionysus

Callida

I stand outside the golden gates of Elysium, steeling my nerves. I'm more scared to go inside here than I thought I'd be. Inside, I can see hills lined with a variety of different styles of houses. I can smell fresh baked bread and sweet flowers and fresh-tilled earth. And it makes my heart race.

Unfortunately, if I want to leave the Underworld, I have to go in and deal with whatever is going on in here. As Hades said, this is supposed to be the good place.

"Come on, kiddos." I drag the kids into the gates. For a moment I worry that we won't be able to go in. What have I done to be worthy of Elysium? Sure, I fought some giants, but it's not like I had a choice. The most heroic thing I did was try and sacrifice myself to stop Gaea, and that didn't even work out. I got Leo killed instead. But I'm able to walk through, as are the kids.

The streets look deserted. Besides that, I feel like I'm walking through a street in San Francisco. Buildings line either side of me. Townhouses, by the look of them. On the ground floors are a variety of boutiques, cafes and other various shops. Everything is brightly colored, and the different styles of architecture make the place look like a collage of every city and time period in the world.

I keep looking for someone. Anyone. But there's not a soul outside. I do notice that blinds draw closed as we approach. People lock their doors. But I never see anyone.

I look to the kids, and see that they've resolidified again, without my touch. They laugh and run around, pushing each other and pointing at different flowers and houses. It's kind of cute.

"Calli?" I hear a whisper.

I immediately pull my dagger, looking around. Hades didn't specify what kind of disturbance is going on here. From what I can tell, the only weird thing going on is a mass case of agoraphobia.

"Calli!" The voice whispers again. I see a door is cracked open on one of the quainter houses. It's a wooden, shack-looking structure, with three floors and simple white curtains in all the windows. Brown paint is chipping off of the wooden outside, and my gut twists when I see Hermes's caduceus hanging over the door.

It looks exactly like the Hermes cabin at camp.

"Come on! Before they see you!"

I drag the kids over and the voice allows me to enter. He bolts the door shut behind us.

I turn and nearly lose the few remaining marbles I have left.

"Luke." My voice sounds squeaky.

"Hey, Cal." My old friend, Luke Castellan, gives me a small, shy wave. He's in an orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt with simple jeans and his usual sneakers. The scar that was across his face is gone, which makes him look even more handsome. "Gods, look at you. I know it hasn't been that long but you look so much older."

"Uh, yeah." My face burns a little. I'd had a crush on Luke when I was a kid. Annabeth did too. We never told each other about it, but it was probably blatantly obvious. "What's up?"

"What's up?" He asks with a nervous chuckle. "What are you doing here? Did you die?"

"Uh, no." I shake my head. "Not yet. I'm here on a sort-of mission." I suddenly realize that Luke might feel a little slighted at the fact that I came to the Underworld to rescue Leo and not him.

"What kind of mission?"

I wince. "Hades gave me some maintenance tasks around the Underworld."

"Why?"

I sigh. "For each task I complete, I can rescue a soul. I'm here to bring my boyfriend back, along with those two over there." I nod at the two kids who have made themselves at home by jumping on the couch.

"Your boyfriend." He repeats, shaking his head. "You have a boyfriend now. How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Gods, the time flies. So, your boyfriend died, and you're trying to bring him back?"

"Yeah. I was wondering if you've seen him around here actually. Leo Valdez? Short, skinny, curly hair-"

"Nah, no Leo Valdez here." Luke shakes his head. "At least, not that I know of. Of course, everyone's been hiding the past few days, so if he's a new resident we wouldn't really know."

"Yeah." I sigh. "So, what are you all hiding from?"

His face darkens. "Phthoni."

"Phonies?"

"No." He shakes his head, but the corner of his mouth tilts upwards. "Phthoni. Spirits of envy."

"Envy?"

"Yeah." He sighs. "Spirits escaped from Asphodel. They made their way over here, and I guess that got a little jealous that we've got it so good here, and they turned into these violent, angry...things."

"I mean, I just came from Asphodel. I can see why they might feel that way."

"Right." Luke clears his throat. "Well, they can't kill us, but whenever they come across someone, they wreak havoc. My friend across the street got lifted up and tossed into a cactus patch in the Fields of Punishment. It took him days to get back over here."

"Great." I grit my teeth. "So, how do I get rid of a bunch of envy spirits?"

Luke shrugs. "Silena down the street thwacked one with a bronze vase and the spirit dissolved."

"Oh!" I can't help but grin. "Well, that's helpful! I just have to hit'em with some good ol' Celestial bronze, and that should do it!"

"But Calli, there's like, a hundred of them."

"Oh." My grin fades. I'm regretting more and more having come down here.

But you're doing this for Leo, I remind myself.

Luke peeks out the window. "From what I hear, they're all mostly in the center of town."

I heave a heavy sigh. "Guess I'm heading for the center of town."

Luke frowns. "You're not going alone, are you?"

"Well... yeah." I shrug. "I was hoping you'd watch Amber and Giuseppe for me?"

He glances warily at the kids. "I mean, yeah. Sure. But don't you want help?"

"Help from...who?"

He grabs a bronze bat from behind a doorway. "Let me come with you."

"But... the kids."

"They can stay here." He gestures around. "Not like they can die again."

"Fair point." I whistle at the kids. "Hey, stay here. Don't make a mess. Behave. I'll be back in a bit." I repeat my instructions in Italian. I'm going to have to teach that kid some English once we're back in the mortal world. I'm already tired of having to say everything twice.

Both kids run up to me, wrapping their arms around my waist. "No."

It makes my heart hurt a little.

"Hey." I crouch down to their eye line. "It's not safe for you out there, okay? Just stay here. I promise I'll be back before you know it. I just have to help my friend here with something."

Amber nods. "Okay."

Giuseppe watches her reaction and nods.

"Okay." I ruffle Giuseppe's har. "Stay here. Stay inside. Keep the windows closed."

The kids nod.

I face my old friend. "Let's go bash some spirits."