"I still can't believe I was possessed, knocked out, and woken up in a single day," Will muttered, seemingly concentrated on the ground. "Nobody gets their soul taken by an eidolon as their daily workout."
"Oh, shut up!" Sadie snapped, rubbing the lump on her head. I had hit her quite hard, and she was still recovering. My friend wasn't really dancing on rainbows, as she was a little grumpy from the scene, and hadn't calmed down. "I just wish we had food. I haven't eaten in days, except for ambrosia, and that's not even food!" I secretly agreed with her, but I couldn't show any sign of weakness as their leader.
"Guys, how about we all calm down and decide what to do next calmly," I soothed, massaging Sadie's temples. She opened her mouth, but I quickly shushed her and spoke up again. "We can't just burst straight into Tartarus unprepared. Well, we did, but now we have to think of a real plan before we just go barging in."
"What was that?" Sadie asked nervously. A low growl came from somewhere near, before I laughed hollowly and rubbed my stomach.
"My stomach, from lack of food." I replied, still wishing that I could find some somewhere. Percy had said they had gotten food from Damasan, the kind giant, and an offering from the Stoll brothers had somehow ended up in those pits, but there was no Damasan and no offering. We would have to think of another way before we starved. Closing my eyes, I tried to think with Sadie and Will constantly complaining.
"We need to find food!"
"Stop saying that word! It's making me even more hungry!"
"Well, we've gotta find some fast!"
"ENOUGH!" I screamed, and they stared at me in surprise. Will opened his mouth, but he quickly closed it when I gave him a death glare. If looks could kill, I think he would be dead and buried. "Don't you even dare say a word. We're caught in Tartarus, the both of you just got possessed by eidolons, and I can't think, much less decide where to go with your constant arguing! It'd be better if you'd just shut the heck up!" I ranted, losing all the impatience I had fenced in for days. Sadie had looked away, seeing as I was radiating the anger and madness of Ares, and I would probably be seeing red if I could.
"Now get up, don't say a word, and follow me." I snapped, and they quickly lifted themselves off the floor. Trailing behind me swiftly and silently, I was pleased by my drill sergeant effect on them, until I stopped and Will crashed into me, maybe on purpose. I whirled around, and he immediately took an unlikely interest in the floor. "I said, follow me, not crash into me!" I yelled, and Sadie flinched.
Turning around again, I stormed off, Sadie and Will scrambling behind me like little ducks. I could see only ahead of me, and my vision was tinted with red. Reaching a clump of boulders, I peered over them and saw something that burned into my gaze: a river of fire. "Lovely," I said cantankerously, crouching down beside it and beckoning Will and Sadie over.
"River Phlegathon," Sadie murmured, and I looked at her in confusion.
"Sounds like a marathon for spitting," I quipped, silently giving credit to Percy for that line.
"Please don't make me laugh." Sadie grumbled, in perfect imitation of Annabeth. I grinned a little.
"What's so funny?" Will asked, on the far left of me.
"We just replayed the Annabeth and Percy scene, when they were here." I noted, looking at the soft footprints across from us. Tartarus, however ugly and hurtful, could preserve things well. Cupping a handful of fire, I raised it to my mouth, preparing myself for the grotesque taste. Just as I was about to bring it to my mouth, Sadie slapped my hand away, spilling the fire all over my knees.
"Vlacas," I cursed, wiping the liquid off. Brushing the fire off my hand, I glared at Sadie. "Why'd you do that?"
"Don't kill yourself," she scolded, like everyone already knew what she meant.
"Don't kill yourself? Ha, you must be joking. Fire in this river heals you, in Annabeth's scene," I scoffed, enjoying her dumbfounded face. Cupping my hands again, I filled my mouth with the fiery liquid--and instantly gagged.
"Jaz!" Will screamed and rushed to my side. I managed to swallow and grin unconvincingly.
"I'm fine," I sputtered, still trying to rid my mouth of the taste. It tasted like I had eaten a dirty, rotten sock, just multiply it by 10,000. You still wouldn't get how disgusting it was. I feebly reached in and grabbed a handful for Sadie. Gulping, she sipped, and instantly got the same reaction. Little by little, cuts and blisters began disappearing on her skin, but her mouth seemed like the worst part on her body.
Repeating the sequence with Will, and watching him struggling to swallow, we turned away from the river Phlegathon and walked on with disgusted faces, not looking back.
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