By the time the truck stopped, it was already noon. Irene was awake and the trio had a spartan brunch of dried beef jerky they found after turning Hower’s back pack upside down.

Once they've arrived, the three jumped out as the truck stopped on a red light.

They wove through the bustle of pedestrians, passed shops that featured new types of fishing rods, brand new hiking gears and camping supplies. The trio stopped at a T-intersection, between a Wendy's restaurant and a hardware store, and looked around. Snowcapped mountains could be seen from the distance but weather was pleasantly warm and not a single cloud marred the deep blue sky.

They asked around for directions, easily passing up as tourists going for a hiking trip. After talking to a group of fellow tourist, the trio then started walking the highway.
A breeze of cool wind blew, the result from the surrounding mountain ranges made the air crisp and fresh, making their walk a bit bearable. They walked close to the road but kept at least a few meters of distance, opting to trek through the thin lines of trees. An hour or two has passed, cars passed them by, honking obnoxiously while they kept their pace light, occasionally switching to mid-jog when they see a suspicious black van on the road. 

Out of the sudden, a group of over-enthusiastic bikers cycled beside them and even conversed with the trio. The adrenaline junkies briefly asked them if they visited Jackson for a hike before they got carried away with their enthusiasm of cycling the famous Teton Pass. Eventually they went away. 

Continuing their walk, the bridge that crossed the river can be finally be seen in the distance, a few more patient minutes and they’ll finally reach the river. The three agreed to survey around the river, look for anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. If their hunch is correct, then the river will lead them to the objective of their quest.

But Hower suddenly stops.

Yongsun blinks the sunlight as she turns to ask Hower what was wrong. The satyr raises his head and takes a sniff.

“I smell something.”

Yongsun and Irene straightens reflexively.

“Monsters?” Irene inquires.

Hower doesn't respond. He inhales deeply, tracking the scent he picked up before snapping his head towards an off-road path to their right. Without waiting for the two's permission, Hower marches straight towards the path.

“Hower? Where are we going?” Yongsun hisses as she sees a ‘NO TRESSPASSING’ sign.

But Hower still doesn't answer, his strides became faster and frantic. The trees in the area became denser, the thick green canopy shading the area against the strong sunlight. As they continued, the branches of the trees soon blocked any light from reaching the ground. For a guy who still has an injury and a pair of hooves, Hower walks pretty fast.

The two girls finally catches up to Hower when he slowed his pace. Yongsun’s heart races as she sees Hower's pale face.

“I smell blood.” He states before running forward in full speed.

“Hower! Wait!” Irene and Yongsun chased their friend through the forest. They stumbled over tree roots, swatting low branches and spider webs away from their faces. Their shoes pounded against the earth heavily, and a particular step made a crack.

It was a little too late when they realized what happened and the next thing they know they've fallen through a hole on the land.

Weirdly, Yongsun started to think about the rumors she had heard about falling into Tartarus. There were so few heroes that have braved Tartarus and made it back alive. Yongsun briefly wonders if this is how it feels like to fall to Tartarus.
Snapping from her thoughts, her instincts starts kicking in. Like all the drills they teach you at camp, actions became muscle memory. She tries to find her balance and just before she hits the ground, tucks in and breaks her fall. Her side ached, probably put too much weight on it when she landed.

She slowly stood up, slightly disoriented but otherwise in one piece. She heard Hower’s hooves clashing on stone as he landed, a groan as he clutched the nearest wall for support.

She looked up and Irene was hanging on a root, willing them to slowly aid her as she got down. Irene shoots her a smug look and Yongsun rolls her eyes but was nonetheless relieved to see her friend safe.

The hole that the three fell in was completely dark, except from the light that was coming from the fallen ceiling of earth where they've fallen to, that was at least 20 feet high. The air inside the cavern was cold and damp, an eerie feeling quickly made Yongsun's skin tingle. She stepped around the rubble scattered around them, stumbling and almost falling to her face as she reached the nearest wall.
Yongsun ran a hand through the rough-hewn stone walls of the cave – pulling back and seeing black smudges on her palms. She examines it and recognizes the familiar texture.

“Where are we?” Irene asked. Her voice echoing in the dark.
 
Yongsun rubs the black smudges. “I think… We fell in a coal mine.” She walks closer to the wall and felt a long rectangular wooden shaft that supported the cave. “There’s traces of coal on every surface and wooden beams along the walls.” 

Her eyes traced the ceiling that was supported by worn out wooden logs, forgotten davy lamps hung around the edges, the mesh screen torn apart. 

“Hower?”

Their satyr friend has trotted a few steps ahead of them, his sneakers long discarded along the pile of rock they've fallen with.

“This is bad.” He croaks nervously.

“You smell it? Here?” Yongsun steps over a pile of debris.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“I think so.” He swallows. The three stared off in the darkness, a sense of dread creeping to their bones.

“...Let’s go.” Irene walks towards them, holding out a glow stick for Hower. “Lead the way.”

The trio walks along the walls of the dark and enormous cave, their weapons drawn and a glowstick to light their way.

“Why can’t you like- I don’t know, glow in the dark?” Irene asks a few minutes into their walk. 

Knowing that Irene was a scaredy-cat and recognizing that this was her way to distract herself from thinking too much. “I do ask myself that sometimes.” Yongsun responds, glad to entertain her friend and fill the heavy darkness with light conversation.

“That was rhetorical.”

“I know.”

The three edged over a turned over mine cart with old beer bottles that probably sat there for decades, collecting dust and cobwebs.

“Imagine if I light up whenever it gets dark. I'll be like a walking lighthouse, attracting monsters everywhere I go.” Yongsun muses. “I’ll be a walking snack, 10 outta 10”

Irene grumbles in the dark, the light from their green glowstick and weapons casting her features with otherworldly colors.

“Why do I tolerate your stupid again?”

“Because you appreciate my deadly sense of humor?”

Yongsun grins, even though she's not sure Irene would see it.

“The only thing that would die here is our friendship if you continue.”

“Also, my creative use of figures of speech.”

A smack landed on Yongsun shoulder causing her to snicker.

“Shh!” Hower suddenly warns. The two demigods quickly readied their weapons, peering through the darkness of the cave for any potential threat.

But no matter how prepared they were, everything happened too fast. Something solid was thrown towards Hower, hitting his forehead with a sickening crack and making him topple backwards - dropping the glowstick on the cavern floor. The next second something whammed on Yongsun's gut, throwing her harshly against the wall. She hit the wall by the side that ached earlier.

Spots danced across her eyes, her vision swimming. She coughed, finding it hard to inhale - bruised rib. She groaned, clutching her side as pain rippled through her body, slowly she stood up. Yongsun gently shook her head and her vision cleared. 

In the dim lighting she could barely make out a figure evading and trading blows with Irene. Irene slashed at the attacker but the attacker swiftly ducked, with a few precise moves she was held hostage. 

Yongsun’s first reaction was MONSTER! and quickly stab it, but as her eyes adjusted to the poor lighting, the outline of the attacker became clear. It was a human. At least she hopes so. Yongsun takes a deep breath, willing herself to calm down.

Yongsun quickly sheathes her blade, raises her hands.
“We come in peace.” Not the really the smartest greeting but It'll do.

The stranger didn't respond, their glare unrelenting.
Irene sneered, being held hostage under her own weapon. She tries to free herself from her captor, only to be surprised when the stranger countered her attempt by forcing her to twist her arm. She cursed in Ancient Greek.

“Put down your weapons.” The stranger says, their voice unexpectedly deep yet feminine. Yongsun raises her eyebrows. She focuses on their attacker, thinking of the best way she could handle the situation. For one, she didn't expect the other to see her weapons easily. Something tingled inside her as she observes the attacker.