Word Count: 1111

Recap: After a few moments, it ended abruptly and they found themselves standing in pitch-black and cold darkness with no light to guide them. The garnet in Alex's hand began glowing with a faint crimson light and that is how they knew they had come to the right place.

          Unable to see in the dark, Nico unsheathed his sword. It cast a dim purple glow over their surroundings. Now able to see, Adri pulled out her torch from her bag of shadows. A haze of ghostly purple flames bathed the area with just enough light that they could see without drawing unwanted attention.

          Since Adri had the torch and Alex had the garnet, they both guided the boys. They saw stalactites and stalagmites covered in a thick layer of ice and heard the drip-drip of water echoing around the cave. 

          For a few meters, the cave looked like any other frozen, underground cave, but then it started getting weird.  There were fewer stalactites and stalagmites and less ice covered the ground. It started getting cleaner too. Despite the cave being underground with ice, the rubble that had fallen magically cleared up and there were no puddles of water.

          The group had obviously noticed this and expressed their concerns that something was wrong. "Guys, is it just me or is the cave getting less cave-like?" Magnus asked. "Not just you." Adri replied in a nervous tone. "This area consists of no puddles at all. Where did the melted ice go?" Alex asked. Nico didn't partake in the discussion but it was clear that he, too, was unsettled.

          Since none of them had an answer, they continued forward. It had been five long minutes of silence when Nico abruptly broke it. "Guys. The ground's turned into a cobble path." Adri halted. "The dark's playing tricks on your min- Wait. It is." Alex and Magnus also stopped to examine what they were walking on.

          There were a few confused glances. "Do you think we should follow the trail??" Adri asked, lifting her arm so that they get more coverage. Her expression was pained and she kept supporting her arm with her other, free hand. This hadn't escaped Nico's keen gaze. "Morte, I'll bear the torch. Give it here." He said, not waiting for her reply and taking the torch from her hands.

          After he properly held it, they saw that the cobble path they had taken led them to a grand set of gates. The gates reminded Adri and Nico of the gates to Hades' palace as they both were huge, imposing gates made from black metal. Unlike Hades' gates, these ones had runes inscripted into them. They figured it was protection spells or something signifying whatever they were going to enter.

          "Should we go in??" asked Magnus, taking careful steps towards the gates. He read the runes. "Um.. They say that the gates will open to wielder's of death?? I'm gonna take a guess and say that means Adri and or Nico." "It could be anyone. You, me, Jack, anyone. We all kill, don't we??" Alex asked. "Could be. But it specifically states that people who harness death will be able to open the gates." Magnus informs Alex.

          "Then I guess it is us." Adri said. "Shall we, m'Lady?" she said, mock-bowing to Nico and offering him her hand. Nico snorted, but took her hand nonetheless. They each placed one hand on one gate and pulled. The gate didn't budge. So, they pushed. This time it moved by an inch. The glanced at each other. "What if we use our powers to summon ghosts and skeletons?? They're dead, right??" Nico thought about it and nodded.

          Together, they concentrated and summoned a few spirits and skeletons. As a team, they all pushed and the gates swung inward without making any noise. This led the demigods to believe that this place was magic or otherworldly as, 1) It exists in an underground cave. and 2) Water is all around but the gates' were quieter than a church mouse.

          Adri thanked the spirits and then sent them back to the Underworld. Nico to bade goodbye to his undead friends and wiped the dust off of his hands. As the doors were now open, the four proceeded inside, still weary of their surroundings. 

          As they continued walking in, the path changed from cobble to brick and then, astonishingly enough, gold. They followed the gold-paved path to what looked like the doors to a king's court. There were intricate patterns hammered into the gold of the doors and the patterns were further decorated with precious gems of all kinds. They noticed that between the two doors, there was a sort of niche.

         "What's that supposed to be?" Nico asked, going in for a closer look. None of them had an answer. None except Alex. "I think I know." she said as she confidently strode forward in a very Alex-like manner and placed the garnet in the indent.

          At once, the garnet snapped into place with a click and whirred around. There were a few chimes from inside the door and it opened with the sound of what sounded like harps. Literally. It opened so slowly, it could even be considered dramatic. When it was open wide enough for them to see through, a golden light burst out from inside the room, momentarily blinding the demigods.

          Once they could see again, their jaws dropped. It was a room almost as big as Hades' courtroom but this one had huge purple banners falling from the ceiling. They walked forward into the room and wherever they lay their eyes, all they could see was gold. Golden thrones, golden vases, flowers coated in gold. Even the slight dust on the ground contained gold flakes.

          "Well, someone likes their gold.." Alex remarked, feeling the dust between her fingers. "Definitely." Magnus agreed. They walked forward and onward until they reached the throne. They couldn't see it from far away but now that they were nearer, they saw a skeleton sitting on the throne. Though it was dead, the position in which it was seated just radiated arrogance and power.

          "Nico, can you see who this skeleton is?" Magnus asked. "I don't have a skeletal log of every person who died." He was just met with three blank stares. He rolled his eyes and closed his eyes. "This guy was a king whose ministers and courtiers killed him because he uh.. Wanted to have lots of gladiator competitions and loved endangering people for his amusement and entertainment and was kinda like the Viking version of Caligula."

          Adri winced. "I hate people like that." Alex nodded. "Sounds a lot like my mom, Loki." "Wait. Loki's your mo-" "C'mon Nico. Y'know how Loki mothered a horse with eight-legs?? I assume it's the same way??" Alex nodded in confirmation. "Anyway, let's search for the dagger." Magnus said pointedly, before any further questions could be generated and asked.

AN: There. How was it?? Thoughts?? Anyway, thanks for waiting. 

Love, 

Helene