Persephone Stepped neatly from nowhere and stood in front of me. I blinked up at her. She smoothed out her dress of dried flower petals. 

"Thanks Lady for joining me in eternal punishment. I was getting lonely." I snarked. 

She just smiled down at me. She clasped her hands together. "We do not have much time. My husband will figure out where I am soon enough. But Listen to me Hero." 

I capped my marker and stood up, curious about what she was going to say. 

"I know all about you and what happened with Aphrodite." 

I growled at the name, she still made my blood boil. 

"Yes, I agree. She likes to stick her fingers into other peoples business, trust me, she's tried. Not that she actually loves Hades, she's just a superficial gold digger. Anyways, your battle for true long suffering love caught my attention. I don't like involving myself in the half bloods lives, however every once in a while I will pay more attention." 

"Oh lucky me!" I said, my words dripping with sarcasm.

"Relax, not in that way. I see what you are trying to do, even if my...more...stubborn husband does not. Granted, I am not a big fan of my husbands affairs and the children he has produced out of them." 

"Again, that's not our fault, so stop punishing us! We're kids! We have no control over if we're born or not!" 

"Yes, I understand that child."

"Really? Because from my perspective it's not. Maybe stand up for Nico once in a while! It's not his fault Hades is a lack luster parent and Bianca gave her life for her friends! Nico has just about died a few times saving his friends, if Hades would just shut up and pay attention he would see that and stop comparing his children!" 

All Persephone did was nod slowly and hum. She looked at me thoughtfully. She took a step closer towards me. Her eyes were dark brown, almost the colour of mud right now, and with her dark hair and pale skin, she looked other worldly, dark and dangerous, yet breath takingly beautiful. She hummed again. 

"You may not be part of the prophecy, but you will play a large part in it. And I do believe you are a danger if you do indeed become a host to Kronos- willing or not."  She said slightly louder over my protests. I scowled at her. "Now, it is important that you understand your enemies anger. As I do believe you do. You are both fighting for change, but in very different ways. I see your anger and frustration half blood, I also se how hard you love and your loyalty to those you love. A warning though." 

She paused as she regarded me, I just stared back at her, feeling uneasy and unsure. Most gods usually wanted something. Hestia was the only one who just wanted to talk, everyone else always wanted something. 

"Love." She said, catching my attention, "love can hurt, it's hard and sacrificial, its work, and its a choice over and over again, despite how much they hurt you." 

I nodded, knowing this already. I had seen it in my dad. He had no blood relation to me, yet he chose to stick around and raise me. I had seen the sacrifice Sally made for Percy. I understood. At least I thought I did. 

"Good. Because that is your greatest strength. And also will ultimately be your down fall." 

I stepped back suddenly, shocked she would tell me something like that lightly. She didn't seem to notice my reaction. She continued on. 

"So, you understand that is what Kronos and Luke do not understand. They do not understand sacrificial love."

"Okay...why is that important?" 

"It may be your only true defense and weapon to Kronos. If he manages to get his hands on you then that might be the only thing that truly saves you." 

"Oh." I said quietly. She placed her hand on my shoulder. I looked up hesitantly, suddenly feeling really small and insignificant. 

"Daughter of Light. You are the daughter of a Titan, head up. Your loved, never doubt that.

"You gods have a funny way of showing it."

 "They are arrogant and proud. I do not have a cabin at this camp, and I am okay with that, because I love my husband and I choose him. So i have no mortal offspring, and I am alright with that." 

"They all need to be more like you and Hestia. You two are solid... Artemis is also a solid." 

She finally smiled and let a small light laugh out. She patted my shoulder. 

"Now, why I am really here. I know of Nico's plan for you and Percy. You child will need it sooner I fear."

"Oh well, that's not encouraging." I muttered.  

"I agree with...my...step son..." She said those last few words like se was swallowing something bitter, "It is a good plan, it's dangerous, but its probably the only way you can save your friends and Olympus."

"Will you persuade Hades to join the fight?" 

"That...I can not say." She shook her head sadly. 

"Oh. Well...then I guess its up to us mortal CHILDREN to save your sorry asses again." 

"Unfortunately my hero, it seems so." She looked at me sadly. 

"Fine." I snapped, "What do I need to do? Also, I'm kinda trapped in a black stone prison."  

Persephone gave me a mischievous smile, and winked. "That I can help you with. First steps though, you need to have the blessing from your parent." She turned and pulled the air back like a curtain. I saw my dad sitting at his desk at school, bent low over his papers he was marking. 

"I will give you thirty minutes."

"And if he doesn't give me his blessing? Then what?" 

"We will discuss that in thirty minutes." She said solemnly. "The fait of your loved ones rests on this blessing." 

"No pressure." I muttered.

I took a deep inhale, shouldered my backpack and stepped through this shimmering mist of thin air. 

🔆

The shimmering curtain dropped and I stood in front of dads desk. He jumped and looked up.

"Nora!" He yelped. 

I deflated, I was deaf again, everything was silent. I saw his mouth moving, but I couldn't hear his voice, and that almost hurt more then anything. I could hear for a few hours. But the person I loved more then myself I couldn't hear his voice. I swallowed around the lump in my throat and blinked the tears. I watched as dad scrambled out of his chair and hurried around his desk. I threw my arms around him, burying my face into his shoulder as he squeezed me tight.  

He pulled away to sign, "What's wrong? How did you get here? What's going on?" 

I pulled away even more and sighed. I sat on one of the desks, dad backed up and sat down on his desk. His big green eyes watching me intently, he had worried lines across his forehead. I ran my hand through my hair and began to explain everything. There was no hiding this anymore. His eyes never left, watching. His frown became more pronounced, but then I got to the end...

 "It's dangerous," he signed. "Even for you." His face looked pained, like this conversation was hurting him.

"I know. I could die. Nico explained that, even Persephone said it was dangerous. But if we don't try-"

"We'll all die," dad signed, nodding sadly, "I gathered that much."

"Dad, we don't stand a chance against an invasion. And there will be an invasion."

Dad deflated, like I confirmed his worst fears. He looked at me hard for a moment. 

"I need your blessing, Dad. The process has to start that way. Persephone said I needed your blessing. I guess it has to start that way. I guess the parent has to be willing to let her kid take the risk."

"You want me to bless this?" he shook her head. "It's crazy."

"I can't do it without you."

"And if you survive this . . . this process?"

"Then I go to war," I signed, giving more confidence then I felt right now. "Me against Kronos."

"Why must it be you that does this? "

"Because dad." I signed. "I'm the heir of a Titan. It has to be me. Kronos is after me because of my lineage. He's going to destroy everything I love, and I wont let that happen!" 

Dad sighed and hung his head. He ran a hand down his face and then looked back at me. He pushed off the desk and stepped up in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders. He gave me a sad smile. 

"I know, Nora, you were never one to sit and let others fight your battles. I'm just worried I wont see you again." 

"I'll see you again Dad." I signed, I felt the tears, which now glowed with the emotions bubbling up. Dad smiled at me again, and wiped the golden glowing tears. 

"I'm proud of the young woman you are growing up to be. You look just like your mother. You also have her feisty spirit." 

I smiled threw my tears. 

"Okay Nora. I give you my blessing." 

"Thank you dad." 

He pulled me into a tight hug, and I held on tight. He held me until the air behind me rippled and I saw the black stone Prison. I signed and hugged dad one last time. 

"It's time." I signed, pulling away, "I love you dad." 

"I love you too Nora." He signed, his eyes glistened with his own unshed tears. He held my cheek for one last second before I turned and walked back into the underworld prison of stone. 

🔆

Persephone was waiting for me. She looked expectantly at me. I just nodded. 

"Good. Nico explained?" 

"Sort of." 

She nodded and waved her hand. The black stone disappeared, along with the deafening silence. The noise of a fast flowing river hit my ears. The sounds of the EZ-DEATH line was quite, we were far down the beach. The River Styx's current swirled with strange objects- broken toys, ripped-up college diplomas, wilted homecoming corsages- all the dreams people had thrown away as they'd passed from life into death. Looking at the black water, I could think of about three million places I'd rather swim. I shivered. Slowly I shrugged my backpack off, and took my hoodie off. 

"I guess I just...jump in..." 

"You have to prepare yourself first," said a voice behind me, "or the river will destroy you. It will burn away your body and soul." 

I whipped around and found myself face-to-face with a Greek warrior. For a second I thought he was Raph, because this guy looked exactly like Areas- tall and buff, with a cruel scarred face and closely shaved black hair. All sons of Areas seemed to look the same. He wore a white tunic and bronze armor. He held a plumed war helm under his arm. But his eyes were human- pale green like a shallow sea- and a bloody arrow stuck out of his left calf, just above the ankle.

 "Achilles," I said.

The ghost nodded. "I warned the other one not to follow my path. Now I will warn you."

"Luke? You spoke with Luke?"

"Do not do this," he said. "It will make you powerful. But it will also make you weak. Your prowess in combat will be beyond any mortal's, but your weaknesses, your failings will increase as well."

"You mean I'll have a bad heel?" I said. "Couldn't I just, like, wear something besides sandals? No offense."

He stared down at his bloody foot. "The heel is only my physical weakness, demigod. My mother, Thetis, held me there when she dipped me in the Styx-"

"Dude, I met your mother, she's a real Karen and tried to kill me and my friends!" 

"Don't get me started with that woman! She set me on a path of self destruction. But what really killed me was my own arrogance. Beware! Turn back!"

He meant it. I could hear the regret and bitterness in his voice. He was honestly trying to save me from a terrible fate. Then again, Luke had been here, and he hadn't turned back.

Then it hit me hard, like a punch in the gut- that's why Luke had been able to host the spirit of Kronos without his body disintegrating. This is how he'd prepared himself, and why he seemed impossible to kill. He had bathed in the River Styx and taken on the powers of the greatest mortal hero, Achilles. He was invincible. Now I fully understood why I had to do this- I had to keep my loved ones safe- it had to be me. I was an heir of a Titan. I could save my friends and family, my home. My resolved hardened. I ground me teeth and my hands clenched.

"I have to," I said, shaking my head, 'Otherwise I don't stand a chance."

Achilles lowered his head. "Let the gods witness I tried. Hero, if you must do this, concentrate on your mortal point. Imagine one spot of your body that will remain vulnerable. This is the point where your soul will anchor your body to the world. It will be your greatest weakness, but also your only hope. No man may be completely invulnerable. Lose sight of what keeps you mortal, and the River Styx will burn you to ashes. You will cease to exist."

"Thank you." I said with a small nod. "And I'm sorry your mother made you into...this." 

He just looked at me blankly. "Prepare yourself. Whether you survive this or not, you have sealed your doom!"

With that he poofed into nothing and disappeared. 

"Great thanks." 

Before I could change my mind, I concentrated on the point that would keep me mortal- a spot right over my heart. It was well covered when I wore my armor. It would be hard to hit by accident. No place was perfect, but this seemed right to me, and a lot more dignified than, like, my armpit or something. And everyone kept talking to me about love. So I figured that was the best place for me. My heart kept me mortal. My love for others kept me mortal. 

I pictured a string, a bungee cord connecting me to the world from the small piece of my heart. And I stepped into the river. 

Imagine jumping into a pit of boiling acid. Now multiply that pain times fifty. You still won't be close to understanding what it felt like to swim in the Styx. I planned to walk in slow and courageous like a real hero. As soon as the water touched my legs, my muscles turned to jelly and I fell face-first into the current.

I submerged completely. I couldn't breathe underwater. I finally understood the panic of drowning, I was a good swimmer, but there was no swimming in this river. Every nerve in my body burned. I was dissolving in the water. I saw faces- Raph, Percy, Nico, Will, Kayla, Beckendorf, Selina, Grover, Tyson, my dad, Sally- but they faded as soon as they appeared.

"Nora," my dad said. "I give you my blessing."

"Be safe." Percy called.

"Percy's little big sister!" Tyson cried.

"Don't be an idiot!" Nico cried.

I was losing the fight. The pain was too much. My hands and feet were melting into the water, my soul was being ripped from my body. I couldn't remember who I was. The pain of Agamemnon's spear had been nothing compared to this. 

"The cord, dummy" a familiar voice said. "Babe, Remember your lifeline!" Two voices, two familiar voices said.

Suddenly there was a tug in my heart. The current pulled at me, but it wasn't carrying me away anymore. I imagined the string around my heart keeping me tied to the shore.

"Hold on, Sunshine." It was Raph's voice, much clearer now. "You're not getting away from me that easily."

"Come on you dork. Don't give up now!" Percy sounded slightly exhaspirated with me.

The cord strengthened.

I could see Raph now—standing barefoot above me on the canoe lake pier. His smirk clear, on his dark featured face. Percy stood beside him, his arms folded and a look of amusement on his face, like he just couldn't believe it. I'd fallen out of my canoe. That was it. They reached out their hands to haul me up, and they both were trying not to laugh. Raph had his typical tight black t shirt rolled up showing off his is tattoos. Percy wore his orange camp T-shirt and jeans.

"You are such an idiot sometimes, Sunshine" Raph smiled. "Come on. Take my hand."

"As if my sister fell out of a canoe!" Percy shook his head.

Memories came flooding back to me, sharper and more colorful. I stopped dissolving. My name was Eleanora Blofis. I
reached up and took Raph and Percy's hand.

Suddenly I burst out of the river. I collapsed on the sand, and Nico scrambled back in surprise.