I woke to the sound of the horn.

The only thing louder than the horn was the erratic thump of my imaginary heart as I scrambled off of my bed and grabbed my ID tablet and my standard issue sword. The other kids usually got special weapons from their godly parents as presents, but my mother being Harmonia, people thought I only ever wanted flowers and other hippie stuff.

Oh yeah, 'cause flowers were totally going to block a blade that's about to knock my head fifty feet from its original position. No wonder people didn't take me seriously.

I ran from my gorgeous little apartment complex out to a cobblestone street filled with laughing spirits and plants bursting with green and even more effing flowers, looking frantically above other slightly transparent heads to find where the others were. I caught a synchronized movement to my right. Marching people. Thank the gods.

As usual, I was the last to catch up with my fellow 'Extra Force'ers, stumbling into the march to the gate of Elysium, AKA, paradise section to the 'not as pleasant in any other way' Underworld.

Yeah, I was dead. Long story.

If I were better at not seeming wimpy to the Inspectors when training, then maybe I would be able to add a 'hopefully not for long' to the end of my admittance to being dead. But I was about the last person they would choose to lead, and I highly doubted anyone would choose me as a companion.

After the head councilor, a tall, strong guy named Nate with sandy blonde hair, sent me a dirty scowl, we continued on, frustration bubbling within my gut. I'd hoped he wouldn't notice.

There we lined up, standing perfectly still and trying not to wince at the endless screaming that we could barely hear from the Fields of Punishment. There were about thirty of us in the Extra Force. It was the nice name for us, though most just called us Expendables. When the gods didn't want to risk a live demigod to do their tasks, why not throw in a dead one? It sounded valid, but we didn't really care. We were dead anyway, but if we completed the quest, the gods promised to grant us life again.

It was this little 'dead hero outreach program' that they'd created once they'd started to care more about their live demigod children about two years ago, after the giant wars. Several were content with the Underworld, but not us few. Hey, my death was completely pathetic, so I signed up instantly. The training was brutal, but it's not like I had anything better to do with my eternity.

I could feel the area heating up with the amount of nervous tension in the air when the Inspectors stepped before the gate in their billowing black robes. I took a moment to wonder how the capes could billow; it was the Underworld, not a windy plain.

Anyway, in came the usual: Achilles, Daedalus, and Odysseus. I'd always wondered why they added Achilles; He was so idiotic. I mean, the guy has only one weak spot on his entire body, and he's too lazy to cover it? All it could have taken was a tiny piece of armor mail on his sandal.

Lost in my thoughts, I was jerked out of them by gasps and whispers. Looking upward, I saw why, and joined in with the quiet exclamations. Hades, Lord of the Dead and Underworld, had come.

In shock, it took most of us time to realize that we should probably be kneeling to insure that he wouldn't incinerate us on the spot. Correction: incinerate our souls. Being ghosts, we didn't quite have bodies at the ready for such endeavors of incineration.

Hades never came for such unimportant events such as our quest announcements and choosing, but here he was now, long black hair and pointy beard, skeletal crown, blood red cape, pale face, black eyes to match his black heart and all.

Okay, so the guy wasn't evil. Just grumpy as, well, Hades.

His skeleton horses stopped his creepy chariot before us and stepped off. He didn't say a word other than, "Rise", to us, so that we would quit with the groveling. All he did was stand by his chariot, arms holding his pitchfork crossed and eyes narrowed, waiting for the Inspectors to begin.

Odysseus cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, I suppose you all basically know why you were called here. As you have noticed, however, by the deeply, erm, honored presence of our Lord Hades, this quest is quite imperative. I will let Daedalus explain the issue."

He stepped back as Daedalus raised his hands imploringly. "The gods have been informed by the goddess Artemis, who witnessed the happenings on her hunt, that the Titan Prometheus is at large. Now, usually," he said, raising his voice over the sniggers. Everyone knew that Prometheus was a rather peaceful fellow, despite getting his gut pecked out every day until Heracles rescued him. Even I was smirking skeptically.

When we couldn't hear our Inspector over the noise, Lord Hades himself slammed his pitchfork into the ground and bellowed an echoing, "SILENCE!" This caused the crowd to hush and cower, standing straight back up as soon as possible, quivering fearfully. I just rolled my eyes. Gods. So touchy.

Daedalus continued, "Usually, yes, he is a peaceful being. But last time, he brought fire to man, and now he is trying for something else. Now, he is experimenting with nectar and ambrosia of the gods… trying to give the mortals immortality."

The demigods around me instantly burst out in rage, and Hades scowled deeply. I found myself doing the same. Even as a dead person that wants to live speaking: Death is a part of mortal life. If we were meant to live forever, then we wouldn't be called mortal. I mean, overpopulation, much.

With one more quieting from Hades, Daedalus finished, "He has so far succeeded in one human, and will soon be passing the serum on to more. We need a group to steal his solution and trap him for imprisonment, along with getting past all of the defenses he has set up around Manhattan. He's there to get easy access to the nectar and ambrosia necessary, and the gods are beginning to guard it well."

"And for this special task, Lord Hades will be picking one of you to work with the demigods of your choice on the mission. Usually, one of the gods would lead this, but we need someone focused and with a clear head; We need someone without any other responsibilities weighing them down. Lord Hades?"

Hades took the floor, silently beginning at the other side of the line, eyeing each warrior. Sometimes he would stop to ask a few quiet questions, the person that he asked looking like they were about to pee themselves. I tried not to snort in laughter and stared straight ahead like I was supposed to.

I patiently waited about fifteen minutes till he made it to the last person in the line: me. When he stared down at me, I stared back quizzically, being swallowed by the black holes of death that were his eyes.

It was an awkward minute before he finally spoke. "You're not afraid of me, are you?"

I shrugged, admitting, "Not really, sir."

"Why is that?"

"Well," I said slowly, finding the perfect words. "I guess it depends on what aspect of you I'm looking at."

In times like these, it was great to be the daughter of Harmonia. Her children always knew the exact things to say to end conversations peacefully. I had discovered over the years that I was very good at this, but sometimes my big mouth ran away with me. Therefore, I counted on my mother's peaceful aura to influence people. I just didn't know if it would work on Hades.

This seemed to amuse him. "Explain yourself."

"I could see you only as a god of the Underworld or someone that could blast me to bits and send me to eternal punishment of stripping of my skin while being boiled in dog barf. Or, sir, I could see you as a bit of a misunderstood guy that needs a friend and a few anger management classes, with all due respect."

My mother's aura on me seemed to have effect after all, because his eyes flickered with about as much mirth as someone like him could show. I was confused. He was supposed to yell and condemn me to something weird and extreme, like gods do even when they're only a tiny bit offended.

He just said, "What is your name, girl?"

"Clio Concorden, sir."

"Who is your immortal parent, Clio?"

"Harmonia, sir."

"Hmm," he said, examining me critically. "I didn't quite expect that."

I clenched my jaw. "Most people wouldn't," I said.

My other sisters and my brother enjoyed frolicking in daisies and doing yoga. I would rather practice with my sword and I tended to argue with people. Well, I only argued with people that started a fight, so I liked to call myself worthy of creating peace.

A few moments later, he continued his interrogation. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen, sir."

"How did you die?"

I could feel my mostly transparent cheeks blush. "Um, my mom's necklace. Her children got the curse."

"Yes, yes, were killed, went insane, I know," Hades said impatiently. "What happened to you?"

I took a deep breath, not wanting to anger him further by mumbling. "I was trampled by a herd of llamas."

"This is no time for jokes, girl."

I huffed out in frustration. "I wasn't joking! Nemesis thought that I was too lucky not to be cursed and killed, so she sent llamas to trample me at a petting zoo!"

The others I trained with already knew the story, but they still began to laugh hysterically all the same. I lowered my gaze to my combat boots and waited, resisting the urge to wrap my hands around their non-corporeal necks.

Finally, Hades sighed. "How long have you been here?"

"Fifteen years, sir."

"Longer than almost anyone, I'd say, hmm?" Hades questioned.

"Yes, sir," I said, emphasizing the 'yes'.

I swallowed and breathed out, trying to calm myself as Lord Hades strode back to speak in hushed tones with the Inspectors. The minutes of their conversation blended until Hades called out my name. "Clio. Come forward."

Score! I thought, elated,

Clio: 1

World: Well, about 50

"You're joking!" Nate and a few of the others started yelling out. Before Hades could turn his glare to them, I just smirked at Nate and gave him a little wave as I walked up to where I was called, kneeling before the Lord of the Dead.

"Clio Concorden," Hades announced, "you have been chosen to lead this quest. Shall you complete it worthily in the eyes of the gods, you shall be granted one more chance at life. If you should fail or perish, you are offered your home back here in Elysium. Is this understood?"

"Yes, Lord Hades," I confirmed, trying not to sound quiet.

He seemed satisfied. "Rise." I did. "You will be presented with a list of other Extras to come along. You may take a maximum of three along with you. You will leave first thing in the morning." Raising his gaze to the rest of our Force lined up, he dismissed, "That will be all. Thank you."

Lord Hades swept off to talk with Daedalus while Odysseus walked up to me, smiling. He'd always been my personal favorite.

Odysseus passed me a roll of parchment. "Everyone available is on here. Good luck, Clio, and for your sake, I hope we don't meet again for a while."

I grinned. "Thank you, Master. I won't let you down."

I turned, planning to run full speed in excitement back to my place, when I almost charged over my best friend.

It actually wasn't likely that I would run into him. He was fast, as a son of Hermes, and could dodge things easily, including teenage girls that are only at eye level with his upturned, freckle sprayed nose.

But he was grinning with those twinkling sky blue eyes filled now with hope, anxiousness, and their usual mischief. I instantly checked to make sure I still had my sword, because it was the only thing he could possibly have stolen, but it was still there. Pushing a hand through his curly, dark brown hair, his said snarkily, "What's the rush, hippie?"

I groaned. "Again, with the hippie thing?"

His smirk grew, and I was again confused at the weird increase of heart rate and catching of breath that I was getting around him lately. I seriously didn't understand what was happening to me; I was dead. I couldn't breathe and my heart didn't beat, yet I still felt like it had started up again, and fast. Strange.

"When you get back up to the normal world, I'll buy you some peace sign shirts and those rose-colored glasses. That is," he said, looking at his feet shyly and hopefully, "if you take me with you."

Rolling my eyes, I gave him a light punch in the arm. He rubbed it and glared, so it apparently wasn't as light as I thought. "Of course I'll take you, Heck. Who else would put up with me?"

Hector's smile nearly lit up the Underworld. "Really?"

I gave an annoyed puff though my mouth that blew my bangs a little away from my face. "Do I seriously need to repeat myself? Yes. As long as you promise not to buy me peace sign shirts and rose-colored glasses."

Letting out a whoop of joy, he actually lifted me and spun me around. With my cheeks on fire, he set me down and hugged me, then let me go and hopped around. "Yes! I'm gonna live! I'm gonna be alive again. I love you! You're amazing! I'll meet you at the gates tomorrow, you beautiful, wonderful, sexy thing!" With that completely random statement, he ran off to the boys' Extra Force apartments, spreading his arms wide and laughing.

I shook my head in bewilderment, but his happiness was infectious. By the time I was back to my own apartment, I couldn't keep a smile off of my face.

Hello gorgeous readers. If ya like it, please R&R for another chapter! If you don't, well, critiquing would be appreciated. :)