As Annabeth walked through the gold door, she found herself in a small, old Western town. It was dark, the full moon so vast it nearly filled the sky. She approached a man clad entirely in black—a trench coat, cowboy hat, and revolver with a big blade holstered at his hip. A strange silver sheriff's badge adorned with a skull gleamed on his chest. His long black hair framed a solemn face, and his eyes glowed red. The air crackled with a silent threat.
He spoke in a low, gravelly drawl: "Evening, little lady. My name is Jericho, and I'll be your organizer. Yes—I am a vampire. Let's get that out in the open. Before we go any further, I work for an organization called Darkwatch. We hunt monsters."
Annabeth cocked her head, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "A vampire works for an organization that hunts vampires?"
He inclined his head slightly, a dark, wry edge to his voice. "Yep."
Annabeth drew a steady breath, her mind already racing. "Okay. Tell me what I need to do."
Jericho's posture was calm, but the weight of guilt and regret hung around him like a heavy cloak. "There are six people left in this small town. One of them is a vampire. You need to figure out which one before dawn. Do that, and you win. Time starts now. Good luck."
Then he melted into the shadows, leaving Annabeth alone under the moonlight.
She let out a breathy, frustrated sigh. "Great. I'll just figure out who in town is a vampire… all by myself. How am I supposed to do that—ask them? Oh well. Guess I should get started."
Annabeth strode into the saloon, posture poised and alert. She took a seat at the bar and fixed the bartender with a steady gaze. "So, barkeep—seen anything strange lately?"
The bartender raised an eyebrow. "Other than a little girl walking into a bar like she belongs here? Well, yeah—there've been some strange killings lately."
Annabeth's brow furrowed, curiosity and strategy warring in her expression. "Interesting. Tell me more… but first—can I have a glass of water?"
"Sure, kid," he said, turning to fetch it.
While his back was turned, Annabeth deftly produced her fountain pen and wrote the word silver on the counter. To her satisfaction, the letters shimmered into a small silver bar. She picked it up and slipped it into her pocket.
The bartender returned, placing a glass of water in front of her. "Here you go. It ain't free, by the way—that'll be a penny."
Annabeth slid the silver bar back onto the counter, meeting his gaze with quiet composure. "Keep the change."
The bartender stared at the bar in stunned recognition. "Is this… the word 'silver' made out of silver? You'd better be careful carrying something like this around, young lady—but thank you kindly."
Annabeth exhaled, mixed relief and disappointment coloring her face, then turned and left the saloon.
Outside, she spotted two men deep in conversation by the general store. Blending into the shadows, she found a vantage point. Then, with a flick of the pen, she wrote holy water in the air. The words materialized as massive, watery letters that hurled into the men, knocking them down and soaking them thoroughly.
One staggered up, sputtering. "What the hell? Who did this? Show yourself!"
Annabeth's sighed with disappointment. Neither was the vampire—but it sparked an idea. She pulled back from the town's center, heart pounding with determination.
She raised her pen again and wrote Holy water, dramatically large. Then using her weather magic she evaporated it, forming rain clouds overhead. She positioned them above the town, and soon it released—a downpour of holy water.
Annabeth stood and waited. Minutes passed. Then a chilling, inhuman wail echoed through town. A figure streaked across the street, body smoking. It dove through a window.
Annabeth sprinted after them, moving silently and swiftly.
Inside, she found a woman with black hair, sickly pale skin, and red glowing eyes. Her burning flesh was already repairing itself. She panted, pain and hunger twisting her features.
The woman looked up calmly. "Oh, hello there, dear. I didn't hear you enter."
Annabeth slipped the pen behind her back, voice steady and cool. "Miss… you seem to be hurt."
The vampire offered a soft, mocking laugh. "Oh, I'll be alright. I just need a drink. Would you be a dear and help me up?"
Annabeth's mind raced as she stepped closer, calculating. She masked her wariness with a subtle softness. The woman's intentions were transparent—she wanted Annabeth within striking distance.
As the vampire lunged, Annabeth leapt back gracefully. In one smooth motion, she thrust forward the word sunshine with her pen.
Blinding light surged, burning with the sun's searing radiance. The vampire screamed, turning to ash. Silence fell.
Annabeth released a long, shaky breath. Relief softened her shoulders. "A little close—but I managed."
Then a soft clearing of a throat echoed from behind her. She turned to see Jericho leaning casually in the doorway, silhouette still in twilight.
He said, "Not bad, kid. You got her—and with four hours to spare."
Annabeth frowned, tilting her head. "This… didn't feel like it was as hard as it should have been."
Jericho shrugged, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, it would have been extremely hard if you hadn't done the other challenges first. The main point was for you to have fun. But the main reason it wasn't that difficult… well, your age."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "What does my age have to do with it?"
"You ain't ready for the real tough stuff yet," Jericho said, eyes serious behind his usual casual lean. "Tet set the doors up to generate challenges appropriate for the challenger. They take everything about you into account—age, experience, even personality. So it gave you challenges suitable for a thirteen-year-old demigod. Go through this gauntlet again next summer, and they'll be completely different."
Annabeth thought for a moment, then nodded. "I guess all that makes sense… I'll try again next year."
Jericho's smirk turned into a nod of approval. "That's the spirit, kid. Now, it's time for your reward."
With a flick of his wrist, he created an orb of light and flung it toward Annabeth. It struck her chest and was absorbed instantly.
Annabeth blinked, wide-eyed. "Whoa… what was that?"
"I just gave you a healing factor," Jericho said. "From now on, your body will recover a lot faster than before. Minor wounds heal in seconds, major ones in minutes. Broken bones will take an hour or two."
Annabeth's eyes went even wider, a mix of awe and incredulity flashing across her face. "If I keep doing these challenges every year… will I even be human when I'm done?"
Jericho let out a low laugh, the sound rough but amused. "Who knows."
He snapped his fingers, and the exit appeared. "Your ride's here, kiddo. Best get going."
Annabeth nodded and stepped through the door, finding herself back at Camp Half-Blood. The other campers were gathered, clapping and cheering her arrival.
Tet appeared, his usual sharp grin on his face, holding out a small celestial bronze bracelet. "Congratulations, Annabeth."
She took the bracelet, turning it over in her hands. "What's this?"
"Remember Kaiba telling you I'd give you a magical duel disk that lets you summon your monsters anytime to fight for you?" Tet said. "Well… that's it. Put it on and tap the charm that looks like the Fairy Tail symbol."
Annabeth followed his instructions. The bracelet shimmered and expanded, transforming into a celestial bronze duel disk, the Fairy Tail guild mark emblazoned at its center. Her deck was already inside it, perfectly arranged.
Tet smiled, and said. "Once again, congratulations. Now… take a seat. You're probably tired."
Annabeth nodded and walked toward the seating area, her duel disk safely strapped to her arm. She joined her friends, feeling a surge of pride and relief.
Tet stood before everyone, hands clasped behind his back, his grin wide and confident. "And that, kids, is the Four Doors of Mystery. I'll be leaving these up permanently, so feel free to test yourselves whenever you feel like it. And… look forward to a new event next Friday."