CHAPTER TEXT

Nico and I were standing at the edge of the River Styx, and I was staring at it apprehensively. 

The River Styx's current swirled with strange objects—broken toys, ripped-up college diplomas, wilted homecoming corsages: all the dreams people had thrown away as they'd passed from life into death.

Looking at the black water, I could think of about three million places I'd rather swim.

 "So . . . I just jump in?" I could almost swear I heard snickers in the back of my head. (And no, not the candy. Sadly.)

 "You have to prepare yourself first," Nico said, "or the river will destroy you. It will burn away your body and soul."

 " Ooh, I love it when my body and soul burns away" I muttered.

 "This is no joke," Nico warned. "There is only one way to stay anchored to your mortal life. You have to . . ."

 He glanced behind me and his eyes widened. I turned and found myself face-to-face with a Greek warrior.

 For a second I thought he was Ares, because this guy looked exactly like the god of war—tall and buff, with a scarred face and closely shaved black hair. He wore a white tunic and bronze armor. 

He held a plumed war helm under his arm. But his eyes were human—pale green like a shallow sea—and a bloody arrow stuck out of his left calf, just above the ankle.

 I stunk at Greek names, but even I knew the greatest warrior of all time, who had died from a wounded heel.

 "Achilles," I said.

 The ghost nodded. "I warned the other one not to follow my path. Now I will warn you."

 "Luke? You saw Luke? What did he do?"

 Achilles ignored his questions. "Do not do this," he said. "It will make you powerful. But it will also make you weak. Your prowess in combat will be beyond any mortal's, but your weaknesses, your failings will increase as well."

 "You mean I'll have a bad heel?" I said. "Couldn't I just, like, wear something besides sandals? No offense."

 He stared down at his bloody foot. "The heel is only my physical weakness, demigod. My mother, Thetis, held me there when she dipped me in the Styx. What really killed me was my own arrogance. Beware! Turn back!"

 He meant it. I could hear the regret and bitterness in his voice. He was honestly trying to save me from a terrible fate.

 Then again, Luke had been here, and he hadn't turned back.

 That's why Luke had been able to host the spirit of Kronos without his body disintegrating. 

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This is how he'd prepared himself, and why he seemed impossible to kill. He had bathed in the River Styx and taken on the powers of the greatest mortal hero, Achilles. 

He was invincible.

"I have to," I said. "Otherwise I don't stand a chance."

Achilles lowered his head. "Let the gods  witness that I tried. Hero, if you must do this, concentrate on your mortal point. Imagine one spot of your body that will remain vulnerable. This is the point where your soul will anchor your body to the world. It will be your greatest weakness, but also your only hope. No mortal man may be completely invulnerable. Lose sight of what keeps you mortal, and the River Styx will burn you to ashes. You will cease to exist. You will be obliterated, wiped from existence-"

"I don't suppose you could tell me Luke's mortal point?"

 He scowled at the interruption. "Prepare yourself, foolish boy. Whether you survive this or not, you have sealed your doom!"

 With that happy thought, he vanished.

 "Percy," Nico said, "maybe he's right."

 "This was your  idea."

 "I know, but now that we're here—"

 "Just wait on the shore. If anything happens to me . . . Well, maybe Hades will get his wish, and you'll be the child of the prophecy after all."

He paled, looking terrified and apprehensive at the idea.

 Before I could change my mind, I concentrated on the tiny bit of skin behind my earlobes. It would be hard to hit by accident, and few enemies would aim for it on purpose. No place was perfect, but this seemed right to me, and a lot more dignified than, like, my armpit or something. (Wow, really?)

 I pictured a string, a bungee cord connecting me to the world from the spot under my earlobe. And I stepped into the river.

Imagine jumping into a pit of boiling acid. Now multiply that pain times a hundred. You still won't be close to understanding what it felt like to swim in the Styx.

 I planned to walk in slow and courageous like a real hero. As soon as the water touched my legs, my muscles turned to jelly and I fell face-first into the current. I submerged completely. 

For the first time in my life, I couldn't breathe underwater. I finally understood the panic of drowning. Every nerve in my body burned. I was dissolving in the water. 

I saw faces—Rachel, Grover, Tyson, my mother—but they faded as soon as they appeared.

"Percy," my mom said. "I give you my blessing."

"Be safe, brother!" Tyson pleaded.

"Enchiladas!"Grover said. I wasn't sure where that came from, but it didn't seem to help much.

Then other people, I didn’t even know started appearing. Or at least I was pretty sure I had never seen them before. 

First there was a woman with chocolate coloured hair, that looked like it was woven with gold. She had beautiful eyes that shifted color a tiny bit every few seconds. 

Ah, my beautiful Penelope. Wait, what?!? I didn’t even know anyone named Penelope! 

But there she was, floating in front of him and smiling. He felt a faint glimmer of recognition, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen her before. She smiled at him sadly. “Remember your lifeline, my husband. Do not let the River control you.” With that she disappeared. 

I was completely confused. I wasn’t anybody’s husband! I was only sixteen! I didn't even have a drivers license! Then I remembered what the lady said, about my lifeline. Oops.

I tried to focus on the cord that was literally tying my soul to my body. It was kinda hard, because, well, my soul was dissolving. Ouch.

Then another woman appeared in front of me. This one I recognized. It was Calypso. She looked different from when I had last seen her. She looked a lot younger, and she was wearing a simple white chiton, with her hair down. She looked beautiful. “Odysseus. Do not fade from this world. Focus on the memories you have of this life. Think of all the things in your life, good and bad, and hold on to it. Do not slip away from me.” And she also disappeared from view. I was shocked at what she said, but I decided to think about it later. 

I did as Calypso said, focusing on Annabeth, Thalia, and all my other friends at Camp Half-Blood. I thought of when I had first met the hunters, with Zoe standing in front of my mind. I remembered witnessing Kronos taking over Luke’s body. I smiled slightly at the memory of Rachel throwing a hairbrush at him. Ouch! That hurt! My lungs started burning from holding them for so long. I started to panic.

Then another person appeared in front of me. Uh-oh. She didn’t look happy. She had white hair and slightly glowing purple eyes. She was scowling at me, with her arms crossed in front of her. While I stared at her, I could feel myself getting grounded, becoming more connected to the world around me.

“So. A reincarnated soul coming in my waters. Does NO ONE care for ancient laws anymore!” She stalked forward (Can you stalk underwater? Is it even called stalking???) uncrossed her arms and touched my forehead muttering under her breath as she did this. I glowed faintly for a second, and then suddenly I was surrounded by an air bubble. I could breathe!! I gulped in the air desperately as if my life depended on it. Oh wait. It did.

A cough sounded from in front of me, and I looked up warily. In my haste for air (Hehe haste, sounds funny) I had temporarily forgotten the person in front of me. From what I could glean from her words earlier, these were her  waters… meaning this was the goddess of the Styx! Wait, what was that she said about reincarnation? And what Calypso and the person called Penelope said about me being Odysseus. That was impossible…

A sigh interrupted me from my musings. I winced internally realising that my ADHD had distracted me again. (Dam I’m using a lot of emphasis today… hehe dam)

”It seems like modern day demigods have ADHD, as well,” The goddess in front of me said exasperatedly. I started, momentarily forgetting the goddess in front of me again. (Only momentarily!) I gulped nervously. 

The goddess glared at me accusingly. “Well, Percy Jackson, or should I say, Odysseus, it seems we need to have a talk”

At that moment, she scarily reminded me of Calypso. Ah, shit, I was doomed. Wait a minute, did she say I was Odysseus?!!?!