GeminiTay's POV:

"Pearl?" Xisuma panicked, shaking her arm.

Teddy yelped and plead for his owner to wake up.

"She's not having a fever, so that's good... a good night's sleep and she'll be fine," Mari reassured the unnerved man.

"I wonder what her dreams will be..." I questioned myself.

"B-dubs any idea's what's happening?" Hypno asked his half-brother.

"A message was sent to her, someone with strong willpower sent her a message," B-dubs said, crossed arms and deep in thought. "Didn't she say something about a timer, it must be time-related."

"Strong willpower?" Beef asked.

"Sending a shockwave to one person and causing them to faint? That's not easy, it needs a lot of concentration, and that person must know of Pearl in some way." B-dubs shook his head.

"If it was a shockwave that intense, I would have felt a presence nearby... could it be that presence is stronger than I am?" I silently gasped.

That made the worry in the room fill up, Mari noticed the fear in our faces and placed down a small bowl of cookies.

"I don't know what's happening, but it sounds bad. But remember there's strength in numbers, if most of you stick together, you can always rely on the others." Mari looked at the clock, "It's getting late, you all should get to sleep."

"But... Pearl..." Wels stared at the fast asleep Pearl.

"I'll take care of her. Don't worry..." Mari sat to the chair near Pearl's, Teddy jumped up onto her lap.

Beef gave her a blanket and a pillow, "Don't overwork yourself, you can always take a break, mom."

"I'll keep that in mind." Mari smiled at her son.

We walked upstairs to Beef's bedroom; it was filled with that nostalgic smell of childhood. A few action figures were put on the shelf; books lined the shelf with topics that they learn at school. A painting hung high and mighty from the walls, pens spilled across the desk, and one green paint spot highlighted the joys of not having to clean up.

"Woah, Zed do you also live here?" Scar asked.

"No, well kind of. My old bedroom is next to this one and the walls are thin enough for me to hear all the snores." Zed smirked.

"I do not snore!" Beef huffed.

"Oh sure... yeah." Zed rolled his eyes.

"Oh no! This can't be!" Tango suddenly exclaimed.

"Tango? What's wrong?" Keralis asked.

"No... I just realized something big!" Tango looked around panicked.

"More unwelcome news? Great!" I can't tell if Ex is sarcastic or not.

"You won't believe what I just found out!" Tango gasped, looking into his pocket.

We stood in silence, waiting for Tango to speak.

"I could have sworn I stole some of Mari's cookies..." Tango sobbed silently.

"Really? I was preparing for the worst... no fun." Eurydice crossed her arms.

"No fun? This is the worst possible thing to ever happen!" Tango sat on the floor, now sad and unmoving.

"You nearly got crushed by a rock once." TFC reminded the young Tango.

"Yeah, that was scary but..." Tango looked at his empty hands, "Food... I'm so hungry as well..."

"Hungry? You just ate!" Eurydice remarked.

"I'm a growing lad!"

"My gods you are a headache and more." Eurydice backed up and hit a shelf, it shivers against the shoulder of the stranger and a single book fell like a tear.

"Ow, sorry. Oh?" Eurydice picked up the book.

"That's my old grade 3 book! Little Blue Riding Hood... it's really dusty." Beef sneezed at the invading dust.

"You know... I and Orpheus don't have stories like this. Stories which a strong moral stood, it's strange for me to ask, is it too much trouble for me to uh... read them?" Eurydice stared enchanted by the blue cover.

"Oh, I don't mind at all! but can I ask why?" Beef laid down a sleeping bag.

"The people in Asphodel Meadows, someone has to give them some entertainment." Eurydice smiled.

The Hermits looked at each other with a confused glance.

"If my memory is correct, weren't you and Orpheus reunited in the afterlife?" I asked her.

"Maybe in your version of the story, but in all honestly, we were both in Asphodel Meadows, just different parts of it, bound apart." Eurydice slowly flipped a page of the book.

"Orpheus was worried for all the younger dead souls in the Meadows, so he started playing his lyre near the barriers, so all people can watch." Eurydice exhaled a tear, "You may be on the opposite side of the barrier but watching his hand play the lyre was magical enough for most."

"Now, allow me to guess it wasn't enough for him." Joe suddenly said.

"Yeah, he wanted all of them to be fully happy, so I started to tell stories on my side. And with these books, the youngest of the souls there are going to be so happy." Eurydice looked up at us, "He's been feeling guilty since the day he tried to lead me back to the overworld... I would do anything for a genuine smile on his face."

B-dubs yawned in response, "It's very nice of you but we should be sleeping right now."

"I suppose you are going to stay up reading, Eurydice?" I nodded to her.

"You all go to sleep, I'm not tired." She mumbled.

B-dubs hit the sleeping bag like an anvil and his half-brother soon followed.

"Have a good sleep, don't worry about me." Eurydice waved us to dreamland.

...

But I couldn't sleep.

My head was filled with thoughts, and it drowned out the air, so I needed some air.

So, I awoke in the middle of the night, it looked like the sunlight is about to breakthrough.

Seemed like Eurydice didn't have the energy to continue reading her books. I glazed at a passed-out Eurydice on the ground, a book was on her lap being covered by her arms, a small pile of books scattered beside her.

The quiet snoring from Beef filled the room.

I smiled at myself and Zed. He was right! Beef does snore! It's annoying but a bit cute when you think of it. I thought to myself.

I looked around for any strange signs and spotted one right away.

Grian wasn't at the bed.

A bit odd to take a leak at this hour of the night, but a man got to do what a man's got to do. I convinced myself.

I silently walked downstairs, once again I looked around. Pearl was still asleep, but she looks better, Teddy is right beside her, fast asleep as well.

But where was Mari?

I walked around the kitchen to see if she was in here and also to get a glass of water.

4 am water just hits differently you know.

Then my ears picked up some mumbling from the outside.

I couldn't hear whoever was out there very clearly, so I sneak closer to the window.

I can just make out the silhouettes of Mari and Grian, they were sitting on the bench right outside the front garden.

But I still couldn't hear them properly, so I silently opened the window, my deer-like ears can pick out what they are talking about just barely.

"I know I shouldn't worry but the thought of him getting hurt..." The shadow of Mari spoke.

"It's rough being a demigod, but we will try and protect him the best we could." Grian's glowing wings sparkle in the moonlight.

Huh, they must be talking about Beef. I thought to myself.

"I know that but, the fact that he only told me about his condition after his first quest makes me concerned."

"How so?"

"I think he was scared to tell me, that he was scared that I will... do something to him."

"Well Mari I think, he just didn't know how to tell you, I mean, it will be hard for a human to understand the unknown."

"I want him to be happy, I really do. So, if that means I have to understand Greek mythology and support him, I will try my best,"

"Mari... I'm sure that Beef and Zed appreciates that."

"Zedaph... he always wanted to know who his true parents were and maybe with your help... maybe just one day."

"Zed and Beef is happy to be Hestia's Champions right now, I think the rest of the Greek gods actually scared them a bit." Grian laughed quietly.

"Didn't you say that Zed and Beef can't use electronics devices?"

"Yeah, the materials in the devices and the magic in our bodies causes a shockwave that monsters can sense."

"But you have a flying machine on your back."

"Some materials are magic-safe so to speak, the machine on me causes little to no shockwaves; but I still can't use it much in public, who knows if the person next to me is a disguised monster?"

"That's a shame, from what I heard from Xb, you are a great flyer."

"That's nice of him, I'll say my thanks in the morning." Grian got up from the bench.

"Wait! I have a favor to ask of you..." Mari waved him back onto the bench.

Then they leaned closer to each other and started whispering. Darn! I couldn't hear them at all!

I kneeled onto a chair as quietly as I could, but the chair decides to be squeaky at this hour of the night. I ducked behind the door, but the damage was done.

"Who's there! Show yourself!" Grian's voice said, sounding ready for combat.

I opened the door and stepped into the moonlight, I looked at Grian with a guilty smirk.

"Oh... it's you Gem." Grian dropped all the aggressiveness he had.

"Color me impressed, you sounded like you were ready for a battle right then and there," I noted.

"Gem dear, what are you doing at this hour of the night?" Mari asked.

"I needed some air; my brain has been so busy." I looked at the moon, "Sometimes, we just need to breathe in. That always makes the horrors of the outside world more bearable."

Grian nodded in agreement, and I turned to his attention, "So why are you up so late?"

"I needed to take a leak. Then when I came out, Mari looked distressed, so I talked to her." Grian said.

"Yes, I asked him if I can vent a bit," Mari said.

"Well, continue, I'm here for the air." I lied and walked to the garden and sat on top of the biggest rock I found.

"So, it's possible to talk to him even if he's moving around on a quest?" Mari asked Grian.

"Yes, indeed. But magic can fade, so that's not really a desirable choice." Grian pulled out one of his magic letter birds, "It looks like a regular origami... but it has a bit of my magic."

"Well, I can't use those because the magic will fade and well, I can't do magic on my own." Mari laughed.

"I can get an animal to deliver the letter." I said looking over, "I have a few bird friends that will happily do that."

"That's a great idea!" Mari clapped happily.

"You were listening? Oh, of course, you were." Grian grinned.

I laughed, "The fastest bird I have is a male White-throated Needletail, but he is a bit small."

"Well, I'll make my letters short and sweet!" Mari smiled.

"Well, do you have bugs nearby? He would listen to you better and uh... wouldn't perk your eyes out." I chuckled to myself, "I made that mistake one time."

"Yeah, I have a bit of small ant problem in the garden." Mari pointed at the corner of the garden.

I nodded, "Then great, maybe he'll like you and even live with you!"

"Oh, is he lonely?" Mari asked.

"Yes, he is a migratory bird, and while one of his migrations, a thunderstorm hit his wing and I took him in. He's been alone since." I whistled to the woods.

A small black and white figure zoomed out and onto my fingers.

Mari took a step forward and was about to reach her hand out, "Wait! Mari!"

"He's very cute." Mari petted the small bird, and the White-throated Needletail leaned into the pets.

"How did you?" I asked, remembering the first time I tried to pet him.

"What, you jealous?" Grian rubbed it in.

"No! ok, maybe just a little." I felt like twisting his neck.

"If you are this affectionate forever, I would probably name you!" Mari picked up the male bird.

"Maybe that's just because she has that mom vibe." Grian patted me on the back, I stared at the White-throated Needletail in betrayal.

"I raised you, how dare you do me like this?" I asked the bird.

Its tweets sounded like a mocking laugher; I grew angry at the small bird.

"Come at me, come on! Try me!" I yelled at the bird, and Grian pulled me back into the house.

"Ok, Mari, Gem needs some sleep! You get some sleep too! Ok! Good night!" Grian pulled me back into the bedroom and kind of forced me to sleep.

...

Mari was making some breakfast as we sat around Pearl.

Wels was whispering into his hands, hoping that she'll wake up soon.

"I think she's waking," Joe said, looking at the barely awake Pearl.

"Ugg... what happened?" Pearl sat up slowly.

"You were passed out for half a day Pearl... are you ok?" Tango asked.

"I'm fine... wait half a day?" Pearl suddenly looked panicked.

"I don't suggest moving so quickly after passing out," Iskall added, Teddy winced at his owner.

"The timer... it was true! It went down by one day!" Pearl looked terrified.

"Was that all of the shockwaves sent you?" B-dubs asked.

"Yeah, I don't remember anything after the timer faded away." Pearl looked down at herself.

"Must be that the shockwave is so intense and that your body is not used to magic at all that causes a short message and that long of a pass out," Hypno said.

"I would have given you something to eat but the cookie I stole just kind of disappeared." Tango shrugged.

"We need to work on your thieving skills, Tango." Grian lightly joked.

"In any case, your friend Impulse was kind enough to help me with breakfast." Mari put down a few plates of pancakes.

"It's freshly cooked, so it's hot!" Impulse added more plates of pancakes.

Pearl's stomach growled, "Oh... my stomach wants it."

"So, we need two groups, one to search the caves that Eurydice stayed in and one to stop Orpheus from making himself stronger."

"Impulse and Etho should go with the Orpheus team because our first stop is a desert," Ex said in monochrome.

"Tango should be in the Cave team because of his ability to sense things underground." TFC said, "I and Zedaph will come too, we never know when another cave-in will happen, and Zed's fire will come in handy."

"Grian and Cleo's people charming skill should be better in the Orpheus team, I doubt there is anybody left in the caves." Hypno chimed in.

After a while of decisions and pancakes, we decided on Impulse, Etho, Cleo, Grian, Xb, Ex, Scar, Cub, Iskall, False, Hypno, Gem, Pearl, Joe, and Beef for the main Orpheus Team and Tango, TFC, Zed, B-dubs, Doc, Jevin, Keralis, Mumbo, Ren, Stress, Xisuma, and Wels for the caving team.

"I trust that you will take care of the Orpheus Team," Xisuma said to his twin, shaking his hand.

"And you wouldn't go crazy without me?" Ex said.

"Haha, I can care take of the Caving team just fine." Xisuma grinned behind his helmet.

Meanwhile, Scar pulls his bowtie tighter and examined his big hat.

"Scar, don't you think this is a bit too much?" Cub asked melodramatically.

"Nope, I'll fit right in with the businessman and woman and people in between." Scar bowed to himself.

"Gods, have you ever seen a real businessman?" Ren analyzed Scar's rather unique clothes.

Pearl gasped, "I finally remember what I wanted to ask of Mari!" She turned her attention on Mari, "How on earth- uh Gaia, did you even get this?"

Mari laughed in embarrassment, "Oh that's a long story."

"You see, my mom was in a play!" Beef began.

"Beef... don't embarrass me..." Mari covered her face.

"Mom, don't worry I won't say the mistakes." Beef gives Mari a thumbs up, "Maybe just one mistake."

"Beef!"

"So, anyways my mom was in a charity play for something. She got the role of a tycoon boss mastermind or something. But she was too nice to even try to act mean!" Beef continued, ignoring the Mari that stood just behind, preparing to throw a pillow at Beef.

"Then she had an epic line where she will reveal how she will kill the main heroes; I think the original line was 'Fear me as I will poison them one by one!' but she got so nervous the line sounded more like 'Fear-ear me as I will put sons in them one by one!'" Beef reenacted the scene.

"Oh, that play! The actors were so confused." Zed said, eating the last of the pancakes on the plate before a furious Mari lightly hit him.

"Oh, give me a break!" Mari laughed halfheartedly.

"Well, that explains the nice clothing." Scar looked at his tycoon clothes once again.

"Mari? Can I ask for another offer from you?" Pearl asked, sweating nervously.

"Of course, what is it?" Mari gently smiled.

"I mean if you don't want to that's totally fine because I know it's a lot to ask and you have been so nice to us, and I will understand if you say no!" Pearl silently murmured.

"Pearl, have more confidence in yourself. Take a deep breath and calm down a bit before asking me anything." Mari stared at the uneasy Pearl.

Pearl inhaled, "Mari, I don't want Teddy to be caught in this... quest. But he's a puppy and can't take care of himself well. I would like you to take care of him for a while." Then she exhaled.

Teddy, in the mention of his name, looked at Pearl then he looked at Mari.

"Well, that's a good point, Teddy has been very tired since you got there... left it to me! I had dogs once in my life." Mari grinned.

"Well, you should be feeling quite lucky, you get to enjoy Mari's cooking whenever and whatever you like." I kneeled to the dog.

"Now, just know that if you need to rest, my doors are always open to you." Mari hugged Beef tightly.

"Mom... we know." Beef hugged her back.

"Choices are hard," Eurydice added in.

"What's the problem?" Scar asks, taking some of Cub's pancakes.

"If I follow the cave team, I can maybe give clues to who my master is." Eurydice pondered, "But Orpheus... I would love to see if he is ok."

"That's rough, it's like your brain and your heart disagreeing." Mari agreed.

"If I stay with the cave team, maybe he won't sense me if I do say his name." Eurydice walked in a circle.

"But Orpheus is still under his thumb, I can talk some sense into him."

"It's dangerous either way," Ex added.

"My heart... it hurts." Eurydice looked at the ring on her finger.

"If it hurts that much, maybe you should just follow us." Cleo said, "If you go back to the cave you were trapped in, it may bring back some bad memories."

"Well, you've convinced my heart, but my brain is still unsure." Eurydice nodded.

"Whichever way you go, we will try and protect you all the way through." Xisuma patted her.

"Well, thank you." Eurydice stood up straighter.

"I have chosen to listen to my heart." Eurydice rested her hand on her heart.

We walked to the garden and split up into the two groups, saying our goodbyes and good lucks to each other, then we turned to Mari, standing in her garden: dog in hand and beaming at us.

"Take care of yourself and each other! Ok?"

The way she smiled at her son, warmed my heart; and I understood what Grian mean.

With a family like that, I suddenly got the urge to protect Beef as best I could.

"Beef, you have a wonderful mother figure." I looked at my feet.

Is this what mothers are like? I have lived with the thoughts of my Goddess criticizing my every move, was that a different kind of love? Not really...

I looked at Beef who was shocked at what I said, I shook my head.

"Just tell your mother I said, thank you," I whispered.

"Of course, when we can see her again." Beef grabbed my hand and run ahead to catch up with the rest of the group.

"If I am reading this map correctly, the Lemnos desert is just east of here... maybe a full day's walk... maybe less," Grian said pointing at the east.

"Orpheus, stay safe... we are coming to bring you home." Eurydice stared into the sky.

"I'll have to trust the son of travel." I nodded and followed him.

With the sun slowly rising to the top of our heads, we walked through an area of mostly plain greens and trees. Following the son of travel, we crossed into a small town and took a small lunch break.

"Geez, even the police don't exercise me this much. My legs are fully dead." Pearl melted into her chair.

"The sun is unusually bright; I suggest drinking more water." I reached into the sunbeams.

"Forget water! Cold chocolate can give Elysium a run for its money." Scar sipped more of his chocolate.

"If the sun feels hotter, that because the heatwaves from the desert run through this area." Impulse pointed at Grian's map.

"I'm getting a bit bothered by the heat," Etho said, sitting in the middle of the café's air conditioning.

"Oh, that's right. Son of the ice and cold right?" I asked the man.

"Yeah. Heat makes me feel uncomfortable." Etho nodded to himself.

"Can't you just remove your mask?" Cleo asked, "For as long as I knew you, you had that mask on."

"I rather not have a face, thanks. Same goes for Xisuma and Exy." Etho shook his head.

"Ok, I think we are about ready to go." Grian ate the last of his chicken sandwich and looked at Scar.

"Yeah, I'm..." Scar quickly drink the rest of his cold chocolate and got up, "... ready."

"Scar, you are going to give yourself a brain freeze," Joe noted.

"What do you mean! I'm just... ow... ok maybe a bit of a brain freeze." Scar winced suddenly and held his head.

"I told you so." Joe sighed.

We took a few steps forward then an old lady came around, Grian decided to ask her a question.

"Miss, what is the fastest way of getting to the next closest city?"

The lady stopped in her tracks and looked at Grian closely.

"Well, if you want the closest city, just take the path to the southeast of here."

"Oh, thank you, old lady!" Grian nodded politely.

We started to pass by her until she uttered a word,

"Wait."

The lady looked at us closer.

Pearl leaned to me and asked, "Is this a monster? Do we kill her?"

I thought hard for a little, "It's unusual, but I don't sense danger in her."

The woman then suddenly exclaimed, "Are you vegan?"

In total shock, none of us can utter anything.

"Well, you should know that I have a huge following on the media, and I think you are all sinners for eating the divine meat of God."

"Can monsters be vegan?" Pearl asked Cleo.

"That wouldn't be the weirdest thing I heard," Cleo responded, hand in her belt.

"Monsters? You have a nerve child! Do you know that I was a teacher?" The lady stared at Pearl intensely.

"So was I, kids can be challenging at times." Cleo tries to smooth-talk her way out of this mess.

"You are not leaving until you answer me!" The lady walks in front of Cleo.

Cleo then became flustered and waved a lot of hand symbols in the air.

You 'all this lady is not affected by charmspeak! Cleo waved

Try again! Maybe you were too nervous. Grian signaled back.

"I am so sorry, but my friends and I need to go somewhere important." Cleo charmspoke again.

"What were those hand signs? Gang symbols?" The lady didn't listen to a single word Cleo spoke.

Cleo looked terrified and looked at Grian waiting for a signal.

Then Ex suggests an idea, he gestured one word.

Run?

We all just agreed to it and ran away.

It may not be a pretty scene, but if we don't have to deal with an angry Karen, I really don't care.

At less we were alive.

TLDR:

In Horror movies, the cast usually splits up to cover more ground... so we are doing it here too to explore an extremely hot desert because covering a haunted house and a desert is the same thing... right?

Author's Note:

I now have an art book!

Feel free to see it, I guess.

Secondly, YOU ALL I TALKED WITH DOCM77

I AM STILL SCREAMING

AAAA