Hades and Hecate: Book 2
DAUGHTERS OF NYX
1
A Broken Heart
JASON
Jason wasn't on the verge of tears. They were already flowing from his eyes like water from Niagara Falls. "Why?" he moaned, slamming his fists on the outdoor picnic table. He envisioned Piper sitting beside him, her cornucopia slung over her shoulder for war, her hair tied back neatly. A smile would've adorned her face, teeth whiter than the clouds highlighting her smile. Jason envisioned it all, but it could never happen. He looked at the photographs strewn across the table, covered in leaves and dirt. Nico, Percy, and Frank stood by Jason, their eyes glistening with tears above to flow.
Jason looked at the pictures. They documented Piper's final moments above the Underworld, taken from a newly-installed security camera. The first had a wave of Imperial gold shards flying through the air at a hunched figure. Jason realized it was Nico. The second and third photographs, probably taken over a matter of milliseconds, documented Piper diving in front of Nico. The next few photos showed Piper lying on the ground, shards of Imperial gold dug into her. She was evidently gasping for breath, but trying to speak. She was bleeding badly by Nico di Angelo's side. The final photographs showed Nico on his knees, trying to get Piper to stay with him. The very last was a picture of Piper's face, calm and rested, as if dying was okay with her. Jason knew it wasn't.
It's not fair that she died, Jason thought, we had a future together.
Life's not fair, Jason Grace. Shut up, a contradicting thought approached his head. Jason looked up at the four friends standing by his side. "It's all right, Jason. You'll be fine," Percy said.
"No- I mean, I know, but it's not right," Jason stuttered with a squeaky voice.
"You'll see her again, man," Nico said. Of course, Nico would be the one to comment on Jason dying too someday. Thanks, Nico, Jason thought. He stood up. "Well, let's not be so bad about this, life's full of possibilities," he said. "I could make a deal with Hades-" Nico held up a finger.
"Don't try that."
"Why?"
"It's not going to work," Nico answered. Jason looked at his muddy shoes. The stormy spring weather lately fit his attitude now perfectly. This can't be happening. Again, the second voice in Jason's head contradicted his thought: It is, so suck it up. Jason gritted his teeth and frowned. Okay, I've heard of demons getting into people's heads, but what are you? Jason asked the voice in his head. I'm you, Grace. Jason got up and walked into the Zeus Cabin.
Slamming the door behind him, Jason said, "Okay, what's really going on?" He noticed he'd spoken out loud. There was a searing pain in his mind, and the voice said I will show you my might. I am a daughter of Nyx, the great Keres. There was a pain in his head like someone cutting a knife through his scalp, and a creature appeared in front of him.
It was blue skinned with crimson red eyes that pierced the darkness of the cabin like a sword. Black symbols decorated the Keres' face, designs looking like ancient Chinese symbols branching off from black circles around the creature's eyes. The creature's mouth was encircled in black, and the creature displayed a set of razor sharp white teeth. The creature had scraggly hair hanging down to their shoulders. The Keres' only clothing was a brown rag and the top half of a dirty toga. The Keres hissed. "I am a spirit of violent death. Challenge me, and I shall inflict my wrath."
"No," Jason answered. "You must be destroyed." The Keres smiled, showing off their hideous teeth. Then it lunged. Jason drew his Imperial gold blade and blocked the Keres' attack as it swept its clawed hand at Jason. The creature wailed, and attacked again. Jason swung his sword, and the creature's arm went through the blade.
Jason looked in shock as the Keres' hand fell to the floor. Instantly, the Keres' stub of an arm re-grew to a fully functional arm. "Don't forget," the Keres said, grinning, "that I am a spirit of violent death." The creature raised its arm, and Jason was hit with endless pain. It stung, and blood fell from Jason's mouth and nose. The skin on his limbs ripped in some places, and blood poured out. "Ow, ow, ow," Jason moaned. The Keres laughed and lunged. Jason swung the sword at the Keres, and its head hit the ground, leaving a stump-like neck. The creature's head began to re-grow. "You will regret this when I am avenged, godly scum."
Jason scanned the room, trying to think quickly. An open flame burned on a mint-scented wax candle. Jason picked it up, but he was too far from the Keres. Its head was re-growing. With one last effort, Jason threw his sword at the Keres, slicing its head off. He rushed in and dove at the stump. The candle left the Keres in flames, and it burned. Jason waited, but nothing happened. What did it say? He thought. Was it- oh no. There are more of them.
2
Meeting the Family
Jason
Well, that stinks. Jason envisioned an army of blue spirits covered in black markings gathering at Camp Half-Blood as he left the cabin, forgetting what he had been intending to actually do there. He had to tell Chiron about the Keres' final words: You will regret this when I am avenged. Jason's pace quickened something that hadn't happened since he got the big news.
"Chiron," Jason said, notifying the Camp head counselor he knew well from the Greek-Roman war with Gaea, "you need to know this." He proceeded to explain to Chiron his experience with the Keres and what it had said.
"The Keres? This may be the time of uprising, my dear friend. The spirits of death have never in legend inhabited one's head without war following soon after. This is not a good sign."
"What do you mean? I mean- what will happen?" Jason asked, stuttering.
Chiron sighed. "Another war with Nyx, the night," he replied. Jason opened his mouth. "Who's-"
"The mother to the Keres," Chiron answered, without listening to Jason's full question. Jason nodded, and was off to warn the campers.
Percy stood outside the Poseidon cabin, attempting what Jason thought was telekinesis with water. A puddle leapt up from the ground and soaked the grass, spreading in a rough oval. "Percy," Jason started, "The Keres are invading. Or- attacking, I guess."
Percy's eyes glowed red like the Keres' eyes. "Mother Nyx will not avenge us. We will avenge our fallen sister." The red glow in Percy's eyes faded into sea-green. "Whoa," Percy said. "Sorry, man."
Percy looked confused. "There's something in my head? I mean, that isn't- me."
"I think so," Jason answered. "We need to get it out."
"How?" Percy asked. Jason frowned, and then his face lit up like a light bulb.
"What are you?" Jason asked.
It worked. Percy's eyes glowed red, and the Keres inside hissed: "I am a spirit of vile death." There was a flash, and a figure stood between Percy and Jason. It was a Keres, but it had dark mahogany skin, so the markings were faint. Jason drew his sword and swung it at the spirit's head. A red-brown hand reached out, and caught the blade in mid-stroke, making a gash in the Keres' hand. It hissed: "That will not stop me." The spirit gripped the blade and ripped the handle from Jason's hands. He stared in shock and summoned a venti.
The wind spirit blew the Keres, ruffling its dark hair and pulling the sword away. The Keres lunged at the venti, and Jason summoned a thunderbolt. It struck the Keres as the venti unleashed a storm-cloud-like blast. The Keres howled, its previously mahogany skin turned a dark, rich black-brown color. The Keres howled and clawed at Jason, ripping the sleeve of his brown jacket off. Its knife-like claws cut into Jason, and it was his turn to howl in pain. He realized he had attracted the whole camp's attention, and he summoned a legion of venti that encircled the Keres. Some venti lit up with static electricity, and when the fog-like clouds spread apart, the remains of the Keres were left.
Jason stumbled, his energy drained from summoning the angry venti. He reasoned it was probably a bad idea to summon thundercloud spirits, if the camp were to stay intact. "Okay," Jason said. "How many of them are there? Did it tell you?"
"No," Percy replied simply.
"Damn." Jason spat out the word.
"Well," Percy said, "on the bright side, one of us can kill one of them."
"Well, yeah, but there might be hundreds of them."
"Shut up," Percy said. "What I'm trying to say is that our powers combined would do some serious damage to them. That's hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning: some natural disasters there already."
"Can't you create earthquakes? You know, being the son of Poseidon and all," Jason inquired.
"No," Percy said. He flexed his wrist and evidently tried to create an earthquake. Nothing happened.
"Well, that sucks."
"I can't, but I know someone who might be able to," Percy said.
Dinner, four hours later, was weighed down by misery again. Twice Jason looked over his shoulder at the Aphrodite table; just to be sure this hadn't been some cruel joke. It wasn't. Jason sighed and scraped a portion of his spaghetti and meatballs to the side of his plate. That'll be for you, dad, Jason thought. He sacrificed, or rather burned, the food in an altar. He had earlier warned Frank, Leo, and Nico di Angelo of the Keres. Nobody seemed any happier with that news, like that was a big shocker.
Jason finished his spaghetti and orange soda and trotted outside. The stars gleamed in the sky like a single candle burning in an abyss void of light. "I know how you're feeling, Jason," a familiar voice said from the dark. It was somebody Jason would not expect to be sympathetic: Nico. "It hurts, I know. To have someone you care about die, so close to someone you trusted, who could've saved them. And I'm sorry, Jason."
"Your- your sister- she died, when Percy was there to help," Jason said. "Right?"
Nico nodded. "But I learned it wasn't Percy's fault. It was Bianca's own free will."
"Still, you weren't mad?"
"Oh, I was. I hated Percy, and Annabeth, and the whole camp. I ran away." Jason looked at Nico like he was an odd specimen of frog. Nico sighed. "And about the Keres-" Yes, of course. Back to the Keres, Jason thought. Nico continued: "There are about two-and-a-half thousand." This got Jason's attention.
"No way," he said.
"Yes," Nico replied, "it's true. But they can be defeated all in one, I don't know how. All I know is that they'll be here in three days. Well, in New York City, not right here, but you get it." Jason nodded, trying to hide how much he was freaking out.
3
This Is War?
Leo
"You're just telling me this NOW?" Leo screamed.
"Yes, calm down," Nico said. "Anyway, we need to be ready. Can you have the Argo III here by tomorrow?"
"What time?" Leo asked, curious about Nico's intentions with the new ship.
"Four o'clock."
"Okay, four p.m. it is."
"Four A.M.," Nico corrected.
"What?" Leo was stunned. "Fine," he sighed.
Leo hung up the smart phone he'd assembled and threw it across the hotel room, at the bed. It skimmed the maroon covers and hopped off a slumbering form. "Ow!" Calypso said.
"We need to go to Camp Half-Blood," Leo explained, packing a black leather-lined suitcase.
"Why? It's five in the morning."
"And we have to be there in twenty-three hours. We're in France, okay? It's not easy to get hundreds upon hundreds of miles in that time," Leo said, exaggerating.
"Why do we have to go?" Calypso complained. "Is this another demand from your friends?"
"Yes. No. Oh, come on, let's go." Leo pulled open the window and climbed out into a ship that was moored to the hotel, bringing his suitcase with him. Calypso followed, pushing bags and boxes and clothes through the window. Leo slammed the window shut after slipping a messy stack of banknotes onto the windowsill alongside a card saying Bye! Leo took one last look at the white stone-walled hotel and grabbed a pocketknife from his tool belt. He grabbed the rope mooring the Argo III and sawed through it with the blade. The rope snapped, and the ship was airborne. Leo smiled in the breeze and lugged his suitcase down below deck to a bedroom with the label Captain. Calypso had decided to get some more shut-eye in the room. "It's more comfortable in the hotel," she complained.
"That's why we got it," Leo said. Then he returned up with Festus above deck. He placed Festus up by the wheel to man it. "Thanks, Festus," Leo said. He could swear Festus grunted back welcome. Then Leo returned below deck, out of the wind that billowed his white linen garments.
"Well, you're up early." Leo selected his words carelessly. Calypso rubbed sleep from her eyes and walked forward, scowling at Leo. She exited the captain's bedroom and came into the blood-red-carpeted hallway.
"Shut up," she said, slamming her open palm into Leo's stomach. He doubled over and groaned.
"What was that for?" Calypso scowled again and walked off. There was a mechanical roar from the other room. Leo raced up to the deck.
The clock implemented in the Archimedes sphere read 3:50 A.M. The Argo III flew over the hills near Camp Half-Blood. They were there, and early, too. Leo threw the anchor of the Argo III down. It notched itself into a little groove in the grassy hillside. Leo pulled the rope's wheel and lowered the ship. Then he jumped overboard, yelling "We're here!" to Calypso. She followed him down, sliding down the rope. Leo looked in awe. "Did you get a rope burn from that?" he questioned. Calypso held up her hands, which were untouched. "Well," Leo said, "Let's go."
Nico was waiting. Leo observed his attire, which wasn't Nico's usual. A brown trench coat fell down to the soles of his brand-new white canvas Nikes. Under the trench coat was a gray skull-pattern tank top and mahogany jean shorts. He twirled his skull ring. "So, you're on time," he said.
"What's with the-" Leo started.
Nico held up a bony white finger. "Not a word about the clothes, Leo."
"Okay," Leo said, "Where's everyone else?"
"It's just Percy, Jason, and I," Nico answered. As if on key, Jason and Percy proceeded forward from the shadows.
"Let's go," Percy suggested, holding out Riptide. He uncapped the pen and it extended into a glowing Celestial bronze blade.
They walked in silence to the Argo III and boarded it. Leo stepped behind the wheel beside Festus, who rumbled in approval. "NYC, here we come," Leo said.
"Okay," Nico said, "The Keres are meeting something, or someone, in New York City. So, what is it?"
"I have no idea," Percy said. Everyone else nodded. They sat down on the deck of the Argo III.
"Wait," Leo said, stopping, "Can't we just shadow-travel, Nico?"
Nico shook his head. "I'd die," he said, "Will isn't going to let me."
Leo scowled and put the Argo III into max-speed. "Away we go!"
4
To The Source
NICO
Nico watched as the Argo III landed in the midst of a Keres attack. Thousands of red and blue beasts with markings covering their faces rushed towards them. "What are they looking for?" Nico asked.
"I don't know," Jason yelled over the sound of Keres' footsteps. People were cowering in cars and shops. What are they thinking? Nico thought. The Argo III flew into the sky again. Peering from above, Nico saw the Keres marching into an office building. Nico pointed to the needle atop the building. "Let's go."
Leo nodded and turned the wheel sharply, swerving the ship over. They got about ten feet from the needle and fifteen feet above it, Nico guessed. "Okay, stop." Nico walked to the front of the ship and walked foot-over-foot to the end. Wind gusted, blowing Nico's aviator jacket. Nico gripped a tear in his jacket and backed up two steps.
"Nico, what are you doing?" Percy asked. In answer, Nico jumped. His hands closed around the needle and he slid down onto a small glass ledge. He unsheathed his sword and stabbed it into the glass. It shattered, and Nico fell. A chunk of glass smashed into the window on the side and broke it, glass covering the ground. Nico slipped and fell towards the gap in the window. He recovered by gripping a glassy piece of the floor. The shards tore up his hands as he steadied himself.
"You guys can come if you want," Nico yelled. In answer, Percy and Leo jumped. Jason didn't. Whatever, Nico thought, walking away to the stairs.
Thump, thump, thump. Thump. Thump, thump. The Keres were coming. Nico gripped his sword and readied himself. The first line of Keres, five red, muscular demons, turned the corner of the stairs. Nico pointed his sword at the Keres, and the sword pulled their essences towards it. The Keres charged at Nico, and he let his sword come up to head level, leveling it out and swinging it like a tennis racket.
The blade cut through the Keres' necks cleanly, leaving a group of dead Keres. Nico's sword absorbed the Keres' essences, and they disappeared. The next wave of Keres came up. Nico summoned the glass and it flew at the Keres. They howled as glass cut them. Nico charged with his sword and stabbed a Keres through the stomach. It howled as Nico pulled the blade out. Percy had joined Nico and was beheading Keres as they flowed into the room. Leo was shooting fireballs at the Keres to little effect. A blue Keres covered in black markings with war armor made a break for Leo and thrust a dagger at him. It struck Leo as a fireball from his hands flew into the Keres' head. Leo crumpled to the ground, bleeding badly.
"Leo!" a voice screamed. Jason dropped from the hole in the roof, his eyes filled with thunderous rage. A bolt of electricity crackled around his hands, and he pointed at a wave of Keres. Lightning crackled and zapped the Keres, who screamed.
Nico looked back to the Keres and waved his sword at them. They started to back off as Jason struck them with lightning. Nico waved his sword, cutting into a Keres. It was no use. They were coming like leaking water from the water main.
Leo struggled to get up as Nico walked backwards towards him. The Keres charged again, and Nico sidled up next to Jason and Percy. The three of them continued to strike the Keres with their swords. The Keres responded by throwing their daggers. They all missed, but came close to Leo. Nico raised up a portion of the floor to block Leo. His eyes shuddered from pain. His magic wouldn't last much longer. Nico watched the Keres march towards him. One of them, wearing a gold and lapis crown like an ancient pharaoh's, bellowed at the Keres. It didn't sound like a language Nico understood, but he could guess the basics: Go you lazy lumps, or I, the chief, shall destroy you!
The chief Keres reached into his leather belt and slyly pulled a dagger out, throwing it at Nico, his muscular red-and-black arm moving at lightning speed. Nico pulled his sword up just in time, blocking the blade.
A wave of daggers flew through the air, one lodging itself into Nico's chest. He fell in a crumpled heap, his baggy jacket soaking up blood. His gray shirt became maroon. Nico breathed heavily as Percy and Jason fell to their knees. "Nico!" They wailed.
Nico waved them away and grabbed the dagger's handle and yanked it out, throwing it back into the wave of Keres. He stood up, blood gushing from the wound. Nico cowered in the back of the huge room and ripped off the arm of his shirt after rolling up his jacket sleeve. He tied the sleeve over the wound, into the dagger hole in his shirt. Pain filled Nico as he hobbled back to Jason and Percy.
The Keres were practically on top of them now, but their numbers were diminishing. Still, more Keres marched up the rough polished quartz stairs, some carrying expertly crafted, iron-tipped spears, others with stone blades tied to carved wooden sticks.
Next thing Nico knew, the Keres had overtaken the room. Percy, Jason, and Nico were backed to the far wall. Leo groaned from his temporary safe house. "Use the water main," he groaned. Water main, Nico thought, what's that supposed to do to help? Nico's eyes lit up as he realized Leo's point.
"Percy, the water main: break it," Nico said, stabbing a Keres as it reached them. Percy nodded and started to concentrate. For ten long seconds, Nico only heard the blood rush in his ears and the beating of his heart. Then there was a huge boom, and, as out of nowhere, water gushed from holes in the roof and flooring. The Keres were swept towards the side of the room, and Percy, Jason, and Nico followed. Thinking fast, Nico threw his sword at the huge window. It shattered completely, and glass filled the water.
Glassy water rushed out the gap in the room. Nico's sword was wedged between two pieces of debris. He waded through the water, reaching out to the sword. He grabbed it and swung at a nearby Keres. The Keres were falling like water drops in a waterfall. Soon, only one remained: the chief.
5
The Second Battleground
NICO
Well, that sucks, Nico thought. More Keres rushed up the stairs and waded through the water, throwing spears and battleaxes. Nico dodged them desperately as he waded through the strong current.
Percy and Jason were trying to evade the Keres. Percy shook up a huge wave, and it came crashing down on the Keres, sweeping a number of them away to their deaths, out the shattered window. Nico stepped on a piece of glass with a crunch. Percy kept on creating bigger waves, but it turned out, that might not have been so smart.
A spear flew through the wave and lodged itself in Percy's arm. He howled in pain and fell. Nico hurried over and ripped the spear out of his arm, leaving a big gash in his arm. Nico winced just looking at it.
Jason had abandoned his sword and was trying to electrocute the Keres. When nothing worked, Jason touched the water with his hands. Electricity coursed through it, shocking Nico, and evidently everyone else. From his knees, Nico realized there were only two Keres and the chief left. Nico went for the chief.
The Keres' chief was ready for Nico's attack, blocking his sword with the shaft of his spear. Nico yelled out to Percy and Jason, "Kill those two!" and proceeded to swing his sword at the chief. The chief stopped the blade with his bare hand. Grinning, he touched Nico's head, and he was inside.
Pain seared through Nico's mind. He fell to his knees when the chief formed in front of him. The chief swung his spear, cutting across Nico's arm. He stabbed at Nico, at Nico started to fade.
With the last of his strength, Nico grabbed the chief's leg and pulled his over the edge of the building.
They were plummeting. "NICO!" he heard Jason scream, but it was too late. Nico glanced around, and tossed his sword at a window below him. It broke. Nico concentrated hard, and a cascade of bones erupted from the earth. Nico landed on the web of bones and climbed down, jumping into the cracked window. The chief was still falling.
Nico turned to the inside, and all see saw was red and blue, with some strange war marks around their eyes. Crap, Nico thought. Jason and Percy landed next to him. "Come on," Jason said, summoning a venti.
Lightning rocketed through the roof, scorching a Keres. Soon, a horizontal web of electricity had bound all the Keres in an extremely painful knot. Percy broke the water piping again, and water gushed out. Jason touched the water, and a shock rippled up Nico's spine. The Keres had gotten the same message, as some were lying in the water, their eyes open, but not breathing. Nico raised his hand, and concentrated. Pain coursed through him. Pain and anger. Nico opened his eyes and focused on a group of Keres. Dirt and stone erupted from the floor, and soon, it cocooned them. Then the earthen shell exploded, leaving nothing but darkness.
The rest of the Keres backed away. Nico didn't care. He shook the floor in rage, and cut through them with his sword. Only some survived.
"Nico, stop!" Percy said. Nico turned and looked in the huge wall-long mirror. His eyes were red, and a kind of dark essence floated around him. Nico turned back to the Keres. "No mercy," he said.
The Keres got the message and started to attack. Percy went down in pain, as if a Keres had gotten inside his head. Riptide hit the floor with a clang. Nico moved in, and the Keres evaded him. Percy stood up again, picking up Riptide.
Nico concentrated, and a crack opened in the floor. Eight tentacles made of pure darkness grabbed the remaining Keres and pulled them into the earth. Nico smiled. "Threat terminated," he said in a low, dark voice, one he had never used before. Then he was out of his rage-driven state, back to normal.
"That was weird, man," Jason said. "Come on, let's go help Leo. He's hurt bad."
They started to walk towards the window, when Nico asked, "What were they even looking for?"
The answer came in a booming voice, "They were looking for their master- the one who would destroy you." Nico turned, feeling Jason and Percy do the same. What Nico saw made his mouth drop: the plastic-white face and gold eyes of Hecate, goddess of magic.