I slumped against a neighbours wall a few streets away from my own house and rummaged through the white backpack Thanatos had given me. Inside the main compartment, I first noticed a wallet, in it was a wad of colourful paper I immediately recognised. Excitement bubbled in me as I counted more than three hundred euros.

I gaped at the amount, fanning it open as I recounted it. This was the most money I'd ever had in my possession. I let out an excited whoop and put it away, I didn't need anyone to know I had valuables. My neighbourhood was relatively safe, it was tourist central, so it had to be but you can never be too sure. I pulled out a plastic wallet holding two pieces of paper, they were return bus tickets to Roma. Tucked into the corner of the wallet was a small raffle ticket, as I inspected it further I saw the word Colosseum.

"So I need to visit the Colosseum," I murmured to myself, what could possibly help save the world at the age-old Colosseum?

I hesitated, I'd never gone further than my little town and even then I was always accompanied by my mother. I slowly grinned, this would be the first taste of independence but I had a task to complete if I were to save my mother. My poor mother stuck in the clutches of death, literally. I wasn't ever one to believe in the Greek myths, maybe more so the Roman gods, but if they were one and the same did it matter?

I shoved all the contents back into the bag, I didn't have time to waste, not when so many lives depended on it. A part of me wondered if this was one of those times where creepy adults lied to you to get you far away from home and do despicable things. The wings though, Thanatos's black leathery wings had me believing otherwise. He was telling the truth, so I needed to do this thing for him and save the world.

As I walked to the nearest bus station the rest of the world finally came to life. People left their homes for work and school but it felt all wrong. It wasn't fair that they could carry on with their lives while I was suddenly thrust into a life or death situation. On the plus side, I got to skip school with a full ride to Rome. That maths homework still on the kitchen counter would have to wait and don't get me started on my English paper I'd had to write. I guess today wasn't going to be as terrible as I initially thought.

It was just past ten when I found myself boarding the coach to Rome, the driver had inspected my ticket a lot longer than the other passengers and for a moment I thought I'd be caught with a forgery and thrown into jail. I wasn't though, he'd grunted and gestured for me to move along. I squeezed through the narrow aisle smiling politely at the other passengers until I wedged myself into the back right corner and sunk into my seat.

I stared out of the window watching the town slowly bleed out and turn into dirt rocky roads; eventually, the bus jolted and jerked coming to a stop. I peered over the empty seat in front of me and watched as the coach door opened to let a teenage girl onto the bus. She was wearing blue denim jeans and a black band T-shirt, she was dark-skinned and very pretty. Her eyes locked with mine as she strode towards me, a small smirk on her face.

My heart pounded and my palms began to sweat, I'd never been one to talk to girls I just met, so I had no idea what to say as she sat in the seat in front of me. She turned sideways propping her feet on the seat next to her and leaned her head back onto the window. The bus restarted, jarring back to life down the rocky road.

"Where you headed?" the girl asked before blowing a bubble of gum.

I let out a squeaky, "Rome,"

I cleared my throat and tried again, "Rome."

"Rome, huh," she looked around, "All by yourself?"

I clutched my backpack close to my body, "Could say that about you, you're a bit young to be travelling on your own."

The girl looked at the ceiling, "Not if you have parents who live on opposite sides of the city and don't have a family to usher you back and forth."

I immediately felt guilty, maybe this quest had me a bit on the defence.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"S'ok," she said and closed her eyes.

She stayed that way for the whole nine-hour journey, it was just after six pm when we arrived at Tiburtina Station in Rome. I'd subtly pulled out a map I found inside the backpack, it was hard to read while the bus rocked and jerked among the traffic. When I'd stepped off the bus I had a rough idea where to go, but following map directions weren't really my strong suit.

"See you around," the girl called out to me as she stepped off the bus.

"Yeah, see you." I waved my arm in an awkward jerky movement before quickly turning around to hide my face. "Stupid, why do you have to be like this when a girl speaks to you?"

I walked in the direction of the Colosseum, thankfully there were signs posted everywhere so I didn't get lost in this new city. When the big crumbling building came into view I couldn't help but appreciate how something this old was still standing. I jogged down the slope towards the entrance, it was fairly deserted apart from the few strolling tourists who took photos outside the building. There was a man in a blue uniform packing up a stand in the forecourt.

"Excuse me!" I shouted with a wave of my hand.

The man's head snapped up to look at me.

"Are you still admitting people inside?" I asked, "It's kinda important I go inside as soon as possible."

The man shook his head, "No, we're closed, late-night viewings only happen in the summer months. Come back tomorrow morning."

I sighed, "Are you sure there's no way I can get in? I have an assignment due tomorrow and I need to take a few photo's of some of the architecture."

The lie rolled off my tongue so smoothly I surprised myself by it.

The man looked like he was about to say no again so I hit him with the most desperate expression I could muster. "Please? You'll be saving me a lot of trouble."

I waited for a minute until his expression softened but I held the desperate look until he finally gave way.

"Ok," he said shaking his head, "I was your age once and I remember the dread of going to school without a completed assignment."

"Oh thank you, thank you so much," I gushed, "You're a lifesaver!"

"Come on then," He gestured for me to follow.

I didn't waste any time and followed him right on his heels as he led me through the main doors and down a stone corridor. There was a stand of headsets connected to phones on the left, he picked one up and handed it to me.

"Take it, I can't guide you around but this thing can. You've got half an hour to get the pictures you need to before it goes completely dark out."

"Thank you, sir,"

He patted me on the back and walked down where we'd come from. I put the headset on and clicked play. There was nothing in the backpack that indicated where the entrance to the underworld was located in the Colosseum, but maybe I'd get a hint of it on the tour guide. In all honesty, I wasn't up to scratch on my knowledge of the Colosseum so this could take more than the half an hour given.

I wandered around listening to the guide, running my hand along the walls feeling like an idiot. I hadn't come across anything remotely godlike which had me constantly worried I'd be played a fool. I was fourteen! I shouldn't be out in a foreign city running after children's bedtime stories.

It was dark now, and I'd defiantly run out of time as I walked in this maze. The only light guiding me was the phone and moonlight. I heard a rock clatter to the ground behind me, I spun around to face it, waiting to see the man from the stand come out and drag me by the collar to the exit. There was nothing there, but I had this sinking feeling that I was being followed.

I carried on walking but fear begun to eat away at me and my breathing seemed too loud now. I took the headset off, I felt too vulnerable wearing them when something could be stalking me. Ahead of me, there was a flash of light, it was bright white, a torchlight I guessed. I hid behind a rock peering from the side, waiting for the light to disappear but it suddenly turned on me. I flung myself back against the rock hiding my full body.

"Busboy?" A familiar girls voice called out. "Is that you hiding behind that rock?"

My body sagged in relief, I took my time as I stepped out of my hiding place and into the light.

"Busgirl? What are you doing here?"

The light lowered and I could finally make out the girl from the bus.

"I followed you of course," she came closer until she was standing a foot away.

"Why?" I asked baffled, "Why follow me?"

She taps me on the head like I'm a little kid, "You, my friend reek of being on a quest and I want in."

Wait what?

"Come again?" I asked dumbly.

She sighed heavily and mumbled under her breath "Maybe I chose the wrong person for this."

"Chose me for what?" I was getting frustrated now. "Excuse me, but can you give me some answers?"

Even in the dim lighting, I could see her roll her eyes at me.

"You're a demi-god right?" she didn't bother waiting for me to reply. "It's obvious you're on a quest, you reek of it. From my guess, this is your first one and you're going it alone. I'm here to offer my services."

"Um yeah," I really didn't know what to say and if she was offering help I was willing to take it. I'd never find the entrance on my own.

"Great, I guess you need to find the underworld?" she looked pleased with herself.

"Yeah."

She turned away from me, her flashlight briefly blinding me as she turned.

"It's this way."