A/N The Italics are part of the story! All of the italics were already written, so I just had to type them. Sorry if it's short, it seemed pretty long on paper. Oh, whatever!

He pressed his lips into a thin line, gazing solemnly at the water of the lake. I studied his gaze, my eyes falling onto the woman next to him. They both looked saddened, as if I wouldn't be prepared for what the story held. "Dad, are you OK?"

My father looked down upon me, his sea green gaze studying the worry etched across my face. Mama held his hand, tightening her grip while softly brushing his messy hair behind his ear. Before mama could say anything, dad answered my simple question. "I am unsure you would like the story, for it is filled with pain and sorrow."

I thought about his response for a moment, my gaze shifting towards the waters. "The water seems clear today."

"They always are when you are around, my dear." My mother says, though I am unsure of who she is talking to. 

I brush my blond hair behind my ear, turning my gaze to meet my dad's. My dad looks at me calmly, answering the question I tried hard not to let seep through. "I think you should know the rest of the story."

My mother chuckles, giving my father a small smile. "You're such a seaweed brain, you know that?"

"That's why I have you, wise girl," Dad answers, pecking Mama on the cheek. 

I giggle at the nicknames, though I had grown accustomed to them. Dad grips my hand, and says, "I suppose I should continue the story now, huh?"

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When I arrived at Damasen's shack, I was unsurprised to see it abandoned. I was hoping to see my old friend, or even Bob. But, alas, they were gone..

As I fell into the pit, I could already feel the heat burning at my skin. I fell for what felt like eternity, but when I finally reached the bottom, I caught myself with the water from below. The river was not a major river, that I could tell. But I didn't bother to find out what river it was; I was close to the shore. I stood up on the glass sand, and made my way to the river of fire.

On the way to the shack I drank from The Phlegethon, and had fought a few hellhounds and a dracaena. I had to stay hidden, which was not as hard as I thought it to be. There wasn't a lot of commotion, which was unsurprising to say the least. After Gaia was put to sleep again, the monsters had nothing to do, no one to serve. I followed the river for a while, eventually trailing off to find the Hermes shrine.

After finding some food from the shrine, I headed off to cross the River Acheron. Oh, how I despised that river. The river of misery! I hated it so. Those awful thoughts it plants in your brain. But, alas, I could not escape the pain it would bring me. I had taken the shortest part of crossing, across from the Forest of Curses. This time, though, I made sure I wasn't close. I'd had too many experiences with curses for my liking.

It had been talking in voices I recognized. Voices of... my dead peers. Luke, telling me I could've killed Kronos sooner. Ethan, asking why I didn't save him faster. Beckendorf. Silena. Zoe. Bianca. Bob. Damasen. Leo. And so many more... 

"You could've saved us"

"You're a disapointment"

"You murderer"

"I hate you"

"Why?"

"What did we do?"

By the time I had reached the shack, I was bloodied and beaten. I was tired. I stumbled into the shack, and looked around. It looked the same as when I had last looked at it, with the Drakon bone decorations and furnishings. 

I stumbled into the kitchen, looking for something to drink. I was more that happy when I saw a small bottle of the familiar clean liquid sitting in a cupboard. I didn't know where it had come from, but I didn't care. 

I tore off the cap, hesitating before I put it to my mouth. I used m power over water to lift it out of the bottle, testing it and checking that it wasn't poison. When it obeyed my command correctly, giving me a familiar feeling in my stomach, I stopped questioning it, and happily slurped it down without hesitation. 

I stumbled onto the couch, falling asleep almost instantly. Just before I drifted off, I hoped I would have a peaceful rest. But then again, demigods never have peaceful rests. 

Images of my dead comrades slashed at my vision, showing me pain and torment no person should ever taste. There was a shadow that didn't move, though the images changed before I could register them. The shadow glowed silver, and the images ended after what felt like eternity. There was blood. So much blood. A room of blood. Yes, a room that shone the most beautiful color of red you've ever seen!

Red. It was all there was. So many shades of red! I frowned. The shadow was still there, burning into the back of my mind. 

A familiar woman walked out of the shadow. How did I know her? I did not know. Her white hair glistened as she hummed to herself, studying my fallen appearance. I gazed upon her hastily, only then processing what she was wearing.

She wore the corpses for show. They trailed behind her, grotesque fabrics made of flesh and bone, spreading across the endless blood room. Those bereft of legs and feet used hands and elbows; those lacking jaws and tongues moaned from the hollows of their throats. I looked down towards where her cloak led, until I was no longer certain of where here dress ended and the room began.

The silver haired woman hummed in amusement at my repulsion, while I simply stared at her with a look of pure horror. She pulled down her dark hood, revealing sharp features that I immediately recognized. She smiled sweetly at my realization, greeting me. "Hello, tourist. Long time no see, yes?"

I gasped, trying to look away from the primordial. She sighed, and said, "I have forgiven you, Perseus. You were just doing what you must to put my sister back into her stupid sleep."

"Oh" was all I could muster, before fainting--though I was already asleep.

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Next chapter is going to be what Annabeth was doing/ thinking during this, so yeah! Enjoy your day, and this should be updated by next week! Thanks, have a nice day!