Riding Slitzer in his kelpie form was not fun. I made a mental note never to ride him in the water but he was fast, really fast. I guess mostly because he wanted this whole ordeal to be over with. I had to squeeze his neck to hold on and Andrew squeezed my waist as if it were his dear life. We couldn't even open our eyes since the water was all muddy green.

The mermaids were quite a problem but Slitzer seemed to know how to get past them without being seen since there were no mermen or harpies chasing after us. And frankly, the kelpie had a large prize on his head.

He dived down deep for at least two minutes before coming out for up to catch our breaths. It was like hell. And he seemed to enjoy the fact that we were suffering. I swore that if I caught a cold, I will definitely throw him in prison for a decade before giving him his so-called freedom. To make things worse, his scales were really slippery.

Eventually, I my started to itch and I once sneezed underwater, sending off bubbled and almost drowning. Once we did reach the palace and got dropped off at the stairs of the breakfast hell, I was too busy trying to breathe that I forgot we were already in enemy territory. Slitzer left as soon as possible. Our feet were still in the water with only our backs lying on the stairs well below the breakfast hall so that no one who passes by will see us.

Andrew's face was pale, green and sour. I think he puked along the way, I don't want to think about it. We planned Slitzer's death while we recuperated.

'I'm going to decapitate him,' said Andrew.

'Yeah? I'm going to throw him in a dry cell,' I said as I sniffed. I think I already did catch a cold. It took all my effort not to sneeze. Eventually I did, just to send the pressure off my ears. It hurt. If I put more force, I think my brain matter might even ooze out.

And so we wandered around the castle. It was past midnight I guess and there weren't much people wandering around. Even the harpies that guarded the hallway were drooping down in sleep. The whole palace was decorated in white lilies, pearls, silk, lace and anything that has to do with weddings. A few nymphs rushed around with last minute decorations. We had a hard time creeping around, especially with the sound of my sniffs.

'Cut it out!' snapped Andrew.

'I can't.'

It took a long time just to reach the entrance of the arena that faced the Imprisonatorium door. The tiny narrow entrance was not guarded. Not at all... But the arena had an army waiting. Okay, not an army, but at least a dozen harpies.

And they were all were flocked around the light of a tablet. There were loud screams, music and the sound of someone commenting on something. Like a soccer game.

'WWE,' said Andrew.

'Seriously!' I mumbled.

'I missed a lot.'

Boys.

'So,' said Andrew. 'Do we attack?'

'We attack,' I said.

'Sure,' said Andrew. 'Just attack?'

I shrugged, 'Watch and learn,' and I stepped under the moonlight.

'Hello there, folks! Sorry to interrupt you but_'

'The queen!' one screeched.

'The alarm! Raise the alarm!'

I guess I was getting pretty good at archery since I manage to shoot the wings of one harpy who was about to fly away. One charged with a sword, who accidentally slipped and tripped on the sandy arena floor. I guess they were not that good at running. And I think the poor creature twisted his ankle as well since he was moaning while clutching his leg.

One charged with a spear in mid flight to which Andrew came to my rescue with performing since impressive Samurai moves and ended up disarming the harpy and having the hilt of his sword hit his gut. He too fell down, clutching his stomach and with an 'Oooohhhhh. I surrender... damn you're good.'

One harpy flew straight at me, but I stepped sideways and he hit straight to the wall. Another sparked with Andrew sword to sword, only to get defeated by Andrew. Another yelled the results of the wrestling match which his comrades dealt with us. I had to shoot some and I felt quite sorry for them. It's not their fault that were half bird and controllable by bird-man. Well, I didn't kill any. Andrew managed to knock some down until finally only one harpy remained. He seemed to be the youngest and was shivering all over when we approached him, clutching the still working tablet.

'The combination,' I said. 'Or else the tab will pay and Smack-down will go one without you.'

The poor boy gulped and stepped back, pressing against the door of the Imprisonatorium.

'Not the tab!' yelled a fallen harpy.

'N-nineteen-o-eight, three, nine... his lord's birthday...'

'Right,' I said. I leaned closer to him, trapping him between us. 'Now... go to sleep.'

The boy fell down, snoring. It took a while to notice that all the fallen harpies were asleep too.

I never knew I could do that. Andrew stared at me as if I pulled a frog out of my ear. 'That's no unfair,' he said. 'Why can't I do that?'

'Because,' I said. 'You have an advantage of being a Ninja.'

It took a while to turn the combination of the foot wide safe knob before the lock opened.

'I still don't get it,' said Andrew. We has rather spaced out while I worked on the combination.

'Don't get what? Why harpies love wrestling?'

'No,' he said. 'Why you are enchant a lot of things besides fairies.'

I shrugged and pushed the door. It was pretty heavy. 'A bit of help please?'

Then together, we hauled the door open and made a tiny space enough for us to squeeze in.

'We have to be quick,' said Andrew. 'It won't take long to raise the alarm.'

Then we pushed the door back to place, leaving a small narrow opening, just in case the door gets locked form inside. Andrew slipped a stone in narrow space and then we moved on.

Well, at least birdman did do some service. He had fixed lights on top of the passage ceiling that were motion sensitive and turned on and off once we passed through. I hope there are no surveillance cameras though.

'Where do you think the deities are?' I said.

Andrew tapped on my shoulder and pointed at the end of the passage where there was a map covering the wall.

I whistled. 'Perfect! Let's see.... Deities.... Sector fifteen....'

Everything was labeled; the floors, passages and even rooms were shown on the big intricate map. The passage angled down, took a sharp turn and angled down again like a staircase without stairs. It took a while to reach sector fifteen which was seven floors down. The air grew moist and musky and finally we reached the door that said "Zeus; Lord of the Skies. Greek. (Beware of Thunder and lightning.)

I pulled the lever. The door slip open and opened into a luxurious silvery suit with a TV, a kitchen, a window that showed clouds outside and even a dining table lain with food.

'Ah!' said Zeus who got up from his white couch, holding the Dairy Invisible. 'I wondered when you might come.'

'How come we got a tomb and you got a suite?' I said.

Zeus snapped his fingers and the room melted. The luxury all vanished until only a bed and a chair remained. 'I just redecorated.'

I see.

Next was Athena, who waited by the door with her arms crossed, 'Finally! What took you so long?'

Horus hugged me when we set him free. He kept on crying, 'He has her... he has her.... Poor Nadia!' It was Seth who pulled me out of his grasp and pulverized him back to his senses. 'I told you I didn't steal your Nadia!'

Sobek was his own private pool and he was taking a little dip when we freed him. Fortunately he wore a loin cloth. His golden crocodile eyes blinked once before turning his head back into that of a human. 'I almost feared that you might leave me here.'

Poseidon yelled at Zeus for a whole fifteen minutes while we freed the others and finally patted his back like old loving brothers. Hera scowled at Zeus the whole time mumbling that it was his entire fault in the first place. I could tell she didn't like me since he glared at me whenever I faced her.

Even poof Enof and Nymphea was stuck in the Imprisonatorium. Nymphea sobbed for a long time, hugging Andrew while he awkwardly said, 'It's all right... there.... There....'

I rolled my eyes at him. That boy does not know how to interact with people.

The fairies almost lifted off the ground we freed them. Tyke kept on yelling, 'We're free!!!' over and over again while Mr. Trolsky face palmed a dozen times.

Yup, birdman dumped everyone that I knew in here. Even the unicorns. It's a miracle Slitzer managed not to get captured. The magician Abdahabul (the guy who coroneted me) was the last one we freed and by that time, there was a whole crown of invisibles standing behind me.

There was a loud chatter until I cleared my throat.

Athena tapped my shoulder, 'You do have a plan, don't you?'

'It... some sort of a plan,' I said. Then I raised um voice. 'Uh... can I have everyone's attention please?'

The crowd quieted down.

'The wedding is today,' I said. 'At nine in the morning... I have no idea when he is trying to open the portal but it's today. So... we got to stop him and.... I hope I can get your support.'

There was a long pause of silence.

'Please...'

'You know that we don't have a choice,' said Seth.

'Okay then.'

Our little group took a sweat time to make our way to the door. Fortunately it still had the stone stuck in the gap and light filtered through it. I guess it was already morning. I peeped through and noticed about a five dozen harpies waiting outside. I looked at my group; there were a lot of numbers, if you count the fairies.

'Okay,' I said. 'There is an army waiting outside. Thor, get ready to push this thing. And once we do, we charge. Athena, Mr. Abdahabul and the fairies come with me. Andrew, you gather the dragons. Unicorns... take the civilians to safety. Seth, Zeus, Horus and Poseidon; take care of the harpies. Hera, wait behind the wedding and take my mom out when it's safe. Thor, you have the most important job.'

Thor raised his head. 'I need you to destroy the arch.'

'I don't have Mjolnir,' he said blankly.

I sighed. 'Sobek, help Thor find is hammer. And make it quick. That portal must not open today.'

'What are you going to do?' said Zeus.

'I must crash a wedding,' I said.

'And how do you plan to do that?' said Athena. 'We are very less in numbers and power all together. You can never over power him.'

'Taramen is not en enchanter,' Andrew cut in.

There was a silence.

Then I explained. 'He's using Horus's amulet. It has the essence of Nadia.'

'I will destroy that imposter!' yelled Horus.

'Quiet down, chicken,' snapped Seth.

'Plus, the guy isn't a mage either,' I said. 'His power lies in his scepter. If we get both items, he will be powerless.'

'And how do you plan to do that?' said Hera.

'I'll figure something out!' I snapped. 'Let's just get out of here!'

We all positioned ourselves behind Thor who pressed himself against the door. But Horus pulled me behind. For once, Horus got serious and whispered something into my ear it sounded like Egyptian gibberish to me but I somehow remembered it, 'The spell with reveal her essence.'

A plan started to form in my head. And it was not half baked.

While Thor wrestled with the door, I pulled Andrew towards me. 'I want you to wait with the dragons outside, if things go wrong, charge in.'

Andrew nodded with his face sullen. 'And... Amethyst....'

'Huh?'

'Just in case things go wrong... It.... It was nice knowing you,' he said.

'Andrew, no one is going to die.'

'I know,' he said. 'But you should know, I'm happy that... we're family.'

I couldn't help but smile. I ruffled his hair. 'I've always wanted a little brother.'

Light poured into the dark passageway.

'CHARGE!!!!!!' bellowed Tyke and ran out into the arena. No one could stop him.

'For Sightless!' yelled Zeus and summoned a bolt of lightning.

'Aaarrrrghhhhhhh!' screamed the rogue ones.

'For science!' said Sobek.

Salzar swooped down and picked up Andrew. The fairies, Athena and Mr. Abdahabul accompanied me as I shot some harpies. The magician managed to shove away the harpies with a hand gesture. Athena picked dup a fallen spear and reflected attacks. Well, she was a warrior goddess. We passed through the arena in the middle of chaos. Mr. Abdahabul simply parted the three harpies who were guarding the exit of the arena and we ran out into the palace ground.

I had a feeling that wedding was in the throne room. It had to be. I saw the fairies hovering about me like a school of fish. I turned to the magician, 'Can you do an invisibility spell?'