CHAPTER 19

She was back in the garden of roses. The last time Seulgi visited this place, it was calm and soothing with a breeze blow of the wind. But now it was the opposite. Total darkness prevailed as clouds thickened the sky, the fierce wind push the still water of the ocean ahead into choppy mountains of angry waves. Seulgi then heard the deafening cry of crows, and she looked upwards to see flocks of the black feathers swarming and circling above.

A flash of lightning strikes and a sigh of a raspy voice resound amidst the surrounding. Its heavy breathing resonates and Seulgi search for the source of the voice to no avail. Another thunder shrilled the darken sky and a familiar voice echoes

“Daughter of the Light,

Seat yourself now amidst pain,

For you are the child of Apollo,

Grasp the bow fast in your hands,

Hidden allies awaits you.”

An ear-splitting thunder sets loose once more and the voice faded, leaving Seulgi to cry out for whoever was above until she felt a heavy pain at her chest before she sunk to the ground with a thud.

She woke up shivering. Although there were furry blankets placed above her, she trembled against the cold air. Seulgi realized her torso was half exposed with bandages draped over her chest. And she tried to sit up from the thin mat covering the brown earth as her eyes darts to her surrounding. Seulgi is locked up in a prison. A cave prison. And there was only two torch of fire illuminating and no guards guarding her. Her friends were also missing, probably locked up in the same way she was.

But as Seulgi was about to stand up, she heard footsteps coming and she lean back once more on the caves wall. The person who came to visit her made her heart plummet. Standing outside the bars, was Irene with a tray of food and a cup of water. She stood there looking a bit surprised seeing Seulgi who was equally having the same expression. But her expression change as she spoke,

“Seems like you’re awake.”

Seulgi did not respond anything back, and look away from the girl instead. What is it to say to the girl who tore her heart raw.

“I suppose you’re hungry. I’ve brought food—”

“I’m not hungry.”

“I brought ambrosia to heal your wound faster.”

“Does the healing apply to the wound inflicted internally?” Seulgi stare straight at Irene whom for a moment, Seulgi thought she saw a glint of sadness in those doe brown eyes. But who was she kidding? Isn’t Irene the master of disguise and manipulation?

Irene sighed, or Seulgi thought she did, before unlocking the bar and walk in. She simply placed the tray beside her and walked back outside, locking the bar once again. “Your friends are being locked up nearby too if you’re wondering.”

“They were your friends too.” Seulgi retorts.

“Eat Seulgi.” Irene said in a dejected manner before wandering away. Seulgi almost thought she sense a tint of care in Irene’s voice but she shook her head once more, telling to herself it was all a lie.

Seulgi glance at the tray being left behind and saw a bowl of porridge, cup of water, ambrosia and  a big cello tape – which was weird. But nevertheless, Seulgi didn’t touch a single thing and huddled herself in the blanket, drifting off to sleep once more.

And when she woke up, her stomach churned in hunger and she was force to eat up the already cold porridge. Nevertheless, she finished the whole bowl and drank the cup empty, leaving behind small chunk of ambrosia and the useless tape.

The air was still cold as ever and Seulgi had no idea whether it was day or night. She grabbed the metal bars and tried to peek around, seeing nobody in sight but she knew there were more cells like the one she is staying nearby, considering what Irene told her. Seulgi slumped back on the ground feeling helpless and powerless.

Things had gone completely wrong. Seulgi thought they could bring back Thanatos sword like they promised to Hypnos soon, and catch the criminal behind all of the happenings, but their plan literally crumbled to dust with the sudden spin-off. She recalled Kai mocking to her regarding the Gods helping their children. Well, truthfully, it really did hit home to Seulgi.

Well, the Gods must have known the obstacle she was about to face. Mostly her dad, Apollo, who is also the God of Prophecy. Surely he would have know what was in store for her future. But did he told her about it? He did not – unless, his helper Delphi, gave a prophecy to her could be counted.  But Apollo did help her bit by bit along her mission and that was why Seulgi hold on to it. Because her dad did aid her, no matter how small the aid was. And maybe it didn’t go the same way with Kai and his dad, but whatever it is; Seulgi would never go against the Gods.

Unconsciously, Seulgi grab the cello tape and twirl it in her hands. Her thoughts were going haywire thinking about ways to escape and other crazy things Kai and his army was about to do. Seulgi pulled the tape and start wrapping it round and round the cup thoughtlessly. But what happened next surprised her as she released the tape immediately. Because the upper body of the cup was completely gone and it was now left with an irregular shape – definitely can’tbe used for drinking anymore.

“What in the world…” Seulgi muttered as she grabbed the tape once more and examined the round object.

Seulgi thought this object might be something Joy would have, but why is it here. Oh yeah, she thought, Irene left it on the tray along with the food. Seulgi’s frown slowly starts to unknot after a few thinking. Was it possible that Irene purposely left this for her – to escape? Or maybe the beauty did not realised the tape was on the tray. Seulgi badly wanted to go for the first choice but she kept her heart in guard knowing the chances of being the latter option were much realistic.

Seulgi wore back her stained looking shirt and creep towards the bar, again, peeking outside in case there were other inhabitants walking around, and after making it clear there was no one, she took out the tape and starts to paste it on the bar in a square shape befitting for her to get out. And as she hoped for, the bar went gone with a poof and there was her exit. Keeping back the tape in her pocket, she walked out of the bar and discovered a long path leading to a T-junction, and with that, she went off.

Seulgi found out her cell was the only cell there is along the path. And after reaching the T-junction, she decided to turn left because she thought she heard a sneeze echoed along the walls. And she was darn right because she was met with many other cells and only 3 were occupied. Two cells on the right was Wendy and Yeri, both of them were sleeping and the cell on the left was Joy who kept rummaging in her blanket, tossing and turning.

“Guys,” Seulgi call them out, but not so loud. “Guys it’s me, Seulgi.”

Joy immediately flip the blanket away and almost yelled out her name not after Seulgi signal the shush sign on her lips.  “How did you get out? No, wait – how are you even alive?”

“What do you mean?” Seulgi took out the tape and strap it on the bars while Joy look at her, bewildered. “Why do I smell something burning at your cell?”

“Go figure.” Joy grasped her hair and shook it. The end of Joy’s hair was uneven and singed. Seulgi guessed it must be the chimera’s job. “And what in the name of Hermes are you doing right now?”

“Getting you out.” Seulgi mumbled. And just as before, the bars were gone in an instance and Joy concludes that the tape must have been a product of Hermes or Hephaestus.

Waking Wendy and Yeri was quite hard considering the fact they were in some sort of a deep slumber. Joy informed her that the two girls were charm speak by Irene and Seulgi asked why Joy isn’t.

“This two were charm speak because they kept thrashing around and calling out for you who’s dead and—”

“—I wasn’t dead! And how come you weren’t charm speak too?”

Joy sigh and grasp her hair once more, “Because I ran away and almost died when the chimera blow the fire on my gorgeous hair.”

“Oh.”

“Wake them up!”

“How?”

Joy click her tongue and shook Wendy’s shoulder so hard, even slapping her cheeks in a not-so soft way. And this method was also being applied to Yeri who actually woke up faster than Wendy did. And the first thing Wendy spoke, no – yelled, when she shot her eyes open was.

“You’re alive !!!” And Joy immediately muffled the girl in an instance.

So far, luck had been on their side. Or maybe the Gods were helping them too. Because Wendy kept mumbling her prayers to Athena throughout the journey of them reaching the exit.  And maybe it worked because there was no one, nobody on guard.

“Why is it so quiet?” Yeri whispers.

They were standing outside the main hall. The throne in the middle stood empty, unoccupied. The cage at the corner where the supposed chimera was locked in was also vacant. Everything seems to be still and quiet which slightly alarmed Seulgi.

“Where did everyone went?”

“Did they just leave us here?

“Damn, they’re totally underestimating us.”

“They even took out the chimera…” trailed Wendy, her voice hinting uneasiness. “Don’t you think they’re making a move already?”

“What do you mean?” Seulgi questioned.

Wendy clasp both of her hands on her hips, “Well, we all know how Kai is trying to gain control by having this army to overtake the Gods. One of his ways of doing this is by releasing all the monsters lock up from Tartarus to stir havoc on our current terrain, and, at the same time he wants the Gods and Goddesses on Olympus to feel threaten. And when they feel threaten…?”

“…they’ll ask for the demigods help.” Joy answered.

“But?”

But? Seulgi thought, as her mind starts to work out, “But the demigods are on Kai’s side? Wait, I don’t think so. Most of the campers don’t seem like they hold a grudge on their parent.”

“Did you expect Irene or Sehun to turn their back and join Kai’s army?” And that point was all it takes for Seulgi to realize that the probability of getting the demigods to combine forces with Kai was much higher than they expected since the unexpected events had occurred.

After noting Seulgi’s silence, Yeri step up, “Shouldn’t we get out from this place now?”

“They’ve taken my bow…” Seulgi push back her hair in frustration.

“But you still got your flying shoes,” Joy intercepts, “and so do I.”

It seems that the four of them had taken the secret hideout a little too lightly as there were not a single demigod or a monster that stop them from reaching the entrance. But as soon as they reached, they stared at each other upon realization.

“Do you remember the chant?” Joy questioned as she grabbed both sides of her head in order to recall what Irene had recited.

Seulgi sighed, “Even if we do, none of us can charm speak.”

Wendy touches the earthy walls and mumbled a little too low for their hearing. Her eyes were staring upwards and for a moment Seulgi thought the girl was possessed until she suddenly draws a finger and pointed at her, Seulgi.

“You,” Wendy step closer to her, “you’re sure you’re the daughter of Apollo?”

“W-What?”

“Kang Seulgi, are you the daughter of Apollo, God of The Prophecy, Healing, Light, Music and Truth?”

Seulgi nodded swiftly, although she isn’t sure why the sudden query. “I am, Wendy. Why?”

All eyes were on Wendy as the latter smile ghostly, as if their current problem is solved. “If you really are, we don’t need a charm speaker to get out of this place. Apollo is always good with words. He invented literature, poetry and all those sappy terminologies. I’m sure this particular traits run in you, Seulgi.”

Seulgi had open and close, not sure what to speak, but she nodded nevertheless. “I guess I could try. Do you remember the chant?”

Wendy smiled, “Dóste katafýgio gia na deíxei”

“Okay…” Seulgi faced the block of earth, while the other three move backwards. Doste katafygio gi— “What was it again?” And this time Yeri uttered the chant to her. “Alright, got it.”

Seulgi breathe in deeply as she prayed hard for Apollo to hear her prayers. She knew she was about to channel some deep amount of energy because it will be her first time to spew the chant. Plus, she was not sure that it will work because it was going to be her first time. And somehow her thoughts ran to Irene, recalling how focus the beauty was and how her energy was slightly drained after the recital. And of all the times Seulgi could be delusional, she thought she heard the velvety voice in her head saying that she can do it.

“Are you ready?” Wendy calls out after seeing Seulgi shaking her head furiously.

“Yeah, give me a second.”

Seulgi shut her eyes and focus on the words, inhaling deep and after countless of ‘You can do it’ in her mind, she opens her eyes and lift her arms directed to the wall. And when she spoke the five words, Seulgi felt light in the head but something inside her stir and before she knew she felt a firm grab on her waist before watching the ground crumbled open.

“We did it!” Joy shrilled next to her ear, “You did it!”

But as they climbed out from the hidden cave, they knew something else was bound to happen. Just as the four of them were finally breathing some fresh air, they were met with dark clouds along with an almighty camera flash that blanketed everything at once. Moments later, there came the rumbling thunder right on cue.

“Bless Athena,” Wendy whimpered slightly, “something is definitely brewing at Olympus.”

They staggered back to the uneven ground where they came before with much carefulness. And after reaching at the peak, only then Seulgi is strike with a sense of dejavu as she overlooks the thrashes of the sea waves accompanied with the booming of thunder.

“Look! They’re down there!” Yeri pointed out over the rails, while her hair plastered her face due to the violent wind.

And Seulgi was sure it was the same tail she saw previously, but now the tail, no, the mermaid was entrapped in a familiar looking net, The Web. It was the same net both Seulgi and Irene used to trap the kerkopes they caught back then. And her eyes did not fail to see Irene having her, Seulgi’s bag, slung behind her back. In the bag contained most of Seulgi’s belongings, including her bow which she really need.

“We have to go down there.” Seulgi’s eyes search the surrounding to see a possible faster route to reach below.

“Okay hold up,” Joy walks in front and faces the three of them, “So your plan is to go down there and kick their , right? And all of us are defenceless except for the flying shoes –”

“—which I don’t have,” Wendy chirps in between.

“—and there is a son of Ares, your half-brother, your sly girlfriend and a wild chimera which will probably be the cause of our death. Oh, and because we’re demigods, this heroic blood runs in us which also means that we must save that mermaid and—”

“—take the sword of Thanatos!” Yeri finishes Joy’s sentence which the latter nod in approval.

Seulgi too nodded and their plan was lay-out pretty easily despite knowing that it doesn’t seem to be simple as it sounds. So many things could go wrong, and death felt like it was just hovering above them. But all in all, Seulgi very much wants to believe that there will be some way out with their situation and hope for the best.

“I have to take back my bow.” Seulgi professed, “One of you has to deal with Irene and me the bag.”

Wendy lifts up her hand, “I’ll take Irene. You handle Kai and take the sword.”

“And I’ll take that nasty fireball,” Joy’s face turned grim as she was reminded with her hair incident, “You save the mermaid alright, sidekick?”

Yeri smiled and held her hand to Seulgi, “Can you give me the cello tape? I think I’ll be needing that to save the mermaid.”

“It’s Nereids by the way,” Wendy inserted before they take one last look downwards at the cove. “So, which route are we taking?”

Seulgi thought they could descend down towards the cove and hit behind a huge rock as low-key as possible but she was wrong. With the howling of the winds, and the drizzle of rains, they were a bit far from being low-key. Plus, since Wendy was the only one who does not have the flying shoes, Seulgi took charge and carried the girl bridal style with much difficulty, which most come from the wind and a little from Wendy who kept blabbering on prayers and tighten her arms over Seulgi’s neck, almost choking her in the process.

But thank Gods the crooks were focused on the entrapped nereid, they did not notice the four of them flying in zigzag and managed to land behind a huge rock. They stood hidden and listen to the hoarse commands from Kai demanding something from the nereid but Seulgi could not made out what it was. And it seems that Kai had threatened the captured with the chimera because the creature released a growl before nearing the nereid.

“Ouch!” Wendy whimpered, when Joy suddenly gripped firm of her shoulders.

“That chimera is gonna catch this hands.” Joy declared in a low snarl. “Let’s go.”

“Joy, wait—”

Before they could stop the daughter of Hermes, the latter had already moved away from their hidden spot and lavishly introduced herself towards the other three.

“Hey traitors, what’s good?” Joy called out, making the other three turned behind, stunned for a second.

And since Joy had revealed herself, Seulgi and the two, make known of their appearance. Seulgi felt something ign