CHAPTER 14

They sat on the floor as they each took a slice of pepperoni pizza from the box. Irene decided to call for the delivery earlier since she doesn’t feel like cooking – not that she doesn’t know how. And eating pizza supposedly could make one happier, plus when you have more people around you.

But all the five of them were eating in silence. Even Joy the talkative prankster is munching her pizza straight while her eyes darts everywhere but at Seulgi and Irene. Yeri on the other hand, was smiling sheepishly at the two while Wendy nudged her to focus on the food.

Wendy clears , “So, uh… where is the entrance currently located? Is it nearby?”

All of them look up at Irene expectantly, who almost choke while swallowing her pizza as she suddenly realize their real reason. “Mr K told me its somewhere at Apsan Park. It’s not really close, but it’s not that far either.”

“Ooh, Apsan Park!” Yeri squealed, “I’ve been there with my dad before. There’s a small amusement park over there, right?”

“Yeah, but people don’t usually go there for that,” Irene replied, “Anyway, I gotta give you guys, this…”

Irene reached for her duffel bag and rummaged the insides. That bag may look small, but only Gods know how many stuff was in it. From books to make up accessories and even Seulgi’s own golden bow could fit inside that bag – perks of having Hephaestus children making things for you.

“There you are,” Irene took out a familiar rectangular case, open it revealing the cube size ambrosia, “You guys take one each, just in case we got separated.” Irene handed out to each of them and Seulgi flinched when their skin touch, earning a knowing snigger from Joy.

Although they were a bit weary, especially after facing that bed-lover Poly earlier, they know they still had to train a little bit here and there for tomorrow. All of them were unsure what they would face tomorrow, so they better get prepared – physically and emotionally.

And here they were, outside at the patch of green of Irene’s house, with Seulgi trying to aim the apple on top of Yeri’s head. The kid was being forced by Joy to become a volunteer and now she’s fidgeting from time to time, making the apple toppled to the ground, and making it hard for Seulgi to aim.

“Don’t move!” Joy ordered, “Seulgi is the most capable archer in Apollo’s cabin. She won’t hit your face. Trust me.”

The other two on the other hand, was sitting on the ground away from those three, as they scan a couple of books, searching for certain information.

“I don’t think there’s any book that states how to wake up Thanatos,” Wendy sighed, as she flipped from page to page, “I think you have to do it.”

“Me?” Irene asked in confound, “What can I do about it—wait don’t tell me I need to charmspeak?”

“By the looks of it, that’s the only resort.” Wendy shrugs.

“But Thanatos isn’t a mortal. He’s a God.” Irene emphasize, “I don’t think my charmspeak would affect a God – if it was my mother, it probably will but I’m just a demigod, Wendy.”

Wendy nods and sighs as she stares ahead to the three of them who were lying on their back, they had just done a sit-up battle. A sudden thought dawn in Wendy’s mind as she saw Seulgi closing her eyes. “How silly of me! Why haven’t I thought about it at all!”

“What are you ranting about?” Irene asked seeing the lit up expression of the girl beside her.

“Thanatos is being put to sleep, right?”

“Uh-huh,” Irene still unable to relate things.

“Who puts him into sleep?” Wendy hints.

“Hypnos,” Irene quickly answers and after a few seconds her face brights up, “Hypnos!”

Seulgi groans a little as she sit up from her lying position. The small ache in her back could still be felt, due to her being thrown by Poly earlier. She looks to her side to see Joy and Yeri dozing off on the green while Irene and Wendy were still deep in talk.

“What is up?” Seulgi groggily sat down near the two and both of them look up to her expectant eyes.

“Seulgi, do you know anything about Hypnos?” Wendy inquired her.

“Umm… I’ve had a Hypnos kid as a roommate for 1 day before,” Seulgi stifled a yawn and her eyes darts to Irene who was glaring at her as if she had done something wrong, “What?”

Wendy chuckles before rummaging Seulgi’s hair, “We’re talking about Hypnos himself. Not the child, silly.”

“Oh…” Seulgi blames Poly for her distortion, “Hypnos…hmm, God of Sleep? God of Hypnotizing? The word hypnotize came from Hypnos, right?”

“Yup,” Wendy replied.

“Wait…we’re heading to the entrance of the underworld tomorrow right?” Seulgi questioned, and after seeing Wendy nodded, “And we’re meeting Thanatos—“

“—but he’s asleep,” Irene chirps in, “put to sleep more like.”

“By…Hypnos?”Seulgi tried to regain certain links about those two Gods. She was sure she heard it somewhere in one of her classes back at the camp. “Hey…aren’t those two related? They’re siblings if I’m not mistaken.”

“Yup, they are.” Wendy sighed, “But they never had any history of feud between them as far as I know. So I don’t understand why Hypnos would put his own brother to sleep.”

“Someone force him to,” Irene interjects and she nudge Seulgi, “Don’t you remember what the empousa said the other day? Someone constrain Hypnos to do it.”

“Who’s that someone?”

“I would already exterminate that someone if I knew who it was,” Irene answered in annoyance.

“True.” Wendy muttered and again she sighed for the uptenth time, “So the plan tomorrow is to find the Doors of Death and find the God of Sleep.”

“Are you sure Hypnos is around Apsan?” Irene doubts.

“70% positive,” Wendy firmly declared, “Why? Because Apsan is located near a mountain and Hypnos lives in a cave. And where there’s a mountain, there’s bound to be a cave. Plus, both of them are siblings, I reckon they don’t live far apart from one another.”

“This sounds like a jumble of guess to me,” Irene squints her eyes as she pondered for a moment, “But what other picks we have.

The three of them stay silent for a moment till their eyes fell upon the two who was by now, in a deep sleep. It was already very dark and only the lights from the lamppost outside the gates and the light coming from Irene’s house assist them as they trudge back inside.

Seulgi eyed Joy who was already sprawled on the single bed, tucking in into the comforter while Wendy sat on the mattress, analysing a book with Yeri dozing on her lap. I could just sleep on the floor, Seulgi thought as she grabbed one extra pillow from the cupboard and attempt to lie down before Wendy asked, “Why are you sleeping on the floor?”

“It’s okay. You and Yeri should sleep on the mattress. I could sleep anywhere. Don’t worry about me.” Seulgi assert as she put her head on the soft pillow.

“But Irene said—“

“Kang Seulgi,” A demanding voice she often heard called aloud. Over the door, stood Irene, arms folded, looking straight at her. “Why are you sleeping on the floor?” Do you find me so unkind to let you sleep on the floor?”

“N-No,” Seulgi sit up once more, as she scratches her head, “It’s just that I don’t mind. I can sleep anywhere.”

“Well then, I expect you to be in my room – now.” Irene turns away and walks back to her room.

“I was about to tell you that Irene told me to tell you that you’re sleeping at her room...but hey, isn’t that a good thing huh?” Wendy wiggled her eyebrows as a meaningful smile etched at the end of her lips.

Seulgi peek her head inside the room, noticing only the lamppost by the bedside is switched on. The owner of the room wasn’t in sight too