Chapter 1 – Enter, Hunters of Artemis
Nico stepped out of the shadows of an alleyway somewhere in Los Angeles. Black converse silently hit the pavement of the sidewalk as Nico pulled up the hood of his black jacket over his dark head hair, getting the sun out of his eyes. He passed pedestrians on the sidewalk, they gave a wide berth to what they thought was a troublesome teenager.
Finally, Nico crossed the street and came to his destination, an old Fifties-style diner. Inside, there was a group of silver-clad girls. Nico was not looking forward to this 'friendly visit' as his father had so quaintly put it; this was more like jumping into the frying pan.
As soon as he had entered the diner, the group of girls went deathly quiet. One of them stood up and came to meet him, she had the body of a twelve year old, but anyone who had met the Hunters of Artemis knew better. The goddess herself was coming to him, and she did not look happy.
"Nico Di'Angelo, Where is Hades?" Artemis demanded, staring Nico down, which was quite impressive considering she was two feet shorter than Nico in his almost-six-foot frame of his almost-sixteen-year-old body.
Nico shrugged, pulling down his hood and staring Artemis in her silver eyes, "He sent me instead. Problem?"
Artemis frowned, "His son will do, I suppose." Artemis turned on her heel and strode into one of the empty booths of the diner, Nico followed. The silver-clad girls around him stopped their whispered conversations as he passed.
The Hunters of Artemis, the most famous, teenage, boy-hating clique of never-aging females that Nico had ever laid eyes upon. And his father had sent him right into it. In his opinion, it was worse than entering the Underworld, this coming from a boy who is the son of the ruler of the Underworld, Hades.
Nico took a seat across from Artemis in the booth. With a wave her hand, a plate of steaming venison was in front of him. "Eat." Artemis ordered. Nico ate, knowing that it meant that Artemis had at least a grudging respect for Nico, even though he was a male. Not many men could say that he had survived a visit with the Hunters of Artemis, but Nico could. But it was probably because of his late older sister, Bianca. She had joined them right after they had discovered that Greek Mythology wasn't much of a myth.
Bianca had joined the Hunters of Artemis, leaving a twelve-year-old Nico to go to Camp Half-Blood alone. Bianca had gone on a quest with famous son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson, and didn't come back alive. It was when Percy told him that his sister had died did he finally discover who his parent was, he had opened up a chasm straight into the Underworld, something only a son of Hades could possible do. But after a few years and almost the end of the world, everything went over okay.
And here he was, sitting in front of the Goddess of the Hunt, Maidens, and Moon, eating venison. Really good venison, too. While he ate, Artemis explained what she needed.
"I'm requesting passage into the Underworld. I wish to gather information from someone deceased." She said.
"That's quite a serious request, Artemis. I'm sure you know that not many have ventured in and out of the Underworld easily." Nico said, taking another bite of venison.
"I am aware, which is why I needed to speak directly to Hades." Artemis said.
Nico thought this over, and then decided it was best if his father organized this visit to the Underworld. "I'll see what I can do."
He got up and walked into the bathroom. He turned off all of the lights and the room was enveloped in shadow. Employing his shadow travel, he arrived in the Underworld with no trouble. Being the son of Hades did have its perks, like not having to die to visit your father.
Nico strode into Hades' throne room, where the Lord of the Underworld was sitting on his ebony throne, and passing judgment on what seemed to be a difficult case.
The chained man was kneeling to the ground, "Lord Hades, I swear, I did not mean to drink and drive!"
"And the texts?" Hades pointed out.
"I haven't had a problem texting and driving before now!" The man said.
"And now you're dead." Hades said. "But seeing as you're not evil, and it was just you in the car, I leave you to the Fields." Declared Hades. The man sighed in almost relief until Hades said, "But put him in the back of the line."
The man widened his eyes, "I have to wait through the line again! Can't I just—" The man didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as a pair of WWI skeletons took hold of him and escorted him out of the throne room.
Hades spied his son, "Nico. How is the visit with Artemis?" He asked.
Nico sighed, "You fed me to the wolves."
Hades smirked. "What did Artemis want?" he then asked.
"She wants passage into the Underworld to speak with some dead guy." Nico replied.
Hades thought this over, "Bring Artemis to me. Tell her to bring a few of her Hunters." He said.
"Will do. Be right back." said Nico, then shadow traveled back into dark bathroom of the diner.
Exiting, he sat back down in the booth where Artemis was still seated, but the venison was gone, much to Nico's disappointment. It was really good food. Artemis looked expectantly up at him.
"Hades says he'll speak with you. He says to take a few Hunters with you." Nico told her.
Artemis nodded, and then chose her Hunters, "Thalia, Phoebe, Hazel." She called. Immediately the three girls ran up to Artemis.
"Yes, Lady Artemis?" said the spiky-haired and electric blue-eyed Thalia. Nico knew her from the night when Bianca joined the Hunters. He'd heard that she had joined them.
"We are going into the Underworld. Are you prepared to come?" Artemis asked her Hunters.
Thalia nodded her head and pulled out a canister of mace, which turned into an spear, which Nico knew was lethal in Thalia's hand. Artemis rose from the booth, and then looked to Nico. Taking the cue, Nico led them to the still darkened bathroom.
"I am not going in there." Said one of the Hunters, gesturing to the bathroom.
Thalia grimaced, "Neither am I, Death Breath." Nico raised an eyebrow as Thalia's nickname for him.
"For your information, I brushed my teeth this morning." He flashed a smile at Thalia, showing off his pearly whites, "and it's either this bathroom or the alley across the street with a dirty hobo in it. You're choice."
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever, Death Breath." Nico proceeded into the bathroom and held the door until everyone had, reluctantly, filed in.
Nico briefly prepared them for his shadow travel, "Just keep hold of me the entire time and don't get freaked out by the noises or things grabbing you. They're harmless when you're with me." He said, holding out his arms for the girls to take them.
Though there was a little under the breath grumbling, the girls took hold of his arms. Nico closed his eyes and concentrated, he'd done jobs like this before, but it was always ten times harder than just shadow traveling just him, and slower, not to mention it left him sleepy.
After a deep breath, Nico called upon his powers and propelled them through what he called the shadow world. Usually when he shadow travels by himself, he isn't bothered by any of the grabbing and noises, but now, things grabbed at his clothes and screams of tortured souls rang throughout the darkness. All but the grip of Artemis tightened on his arms. Beside him, he heard the scared whimper of one of the Hunters he didn't know.
Suddenly, the grabs and screams stopped and they were in Hades' throne room. The Hunters and Artemis immediately dropped his arms and Nico let out a huge yawn, all of a sudden extremely sleepy. Meanwhile, the Hunters and Hades started discussing.
"Artemis, so you wish to interview one of my deceased?" He asked.
"Yes. I wish to speak with Geryon, who recently was killed by Percy Jackson. He has information on my most recent prey." Artemis informed.
"Geryon? The former owner of the Triple G Ranch?" He asked.
"Yes. He was the caretaker of a dangerous animal. It has escaped and is wreaking havoc all of the country. I need to speak with him so that I can know exactly what this animal is so I can destroy it before it becomes unstoppable."
Hades nodded, thinking over the situation. "You may speak with Geryon, however, you will need to pay a price"
"What price?" Artemis asked, a small touch of fear in her voice.
"In order for you and your Hunters to return to the living realm unharmed, you need to sacrifice the immortality of one of your Hunters."
The Hunters were silent. Thalia broke the silence, "I'll sacrifice my immortality, Lady Artemis."
"No! Thalia, I cannot permit you to do this!" Artemis protested, genuinely distressed at the price of passage. Nico was still standing off to the side, unable to move. He knew that the price of passage was always steep, but it was so much different for someone he knew to pay the price.
He spoke up, "Father. By immortality, you don't mean that they die straight away, do you?"
Hades looked at his son, "Only if they get killed as soon as they enter the mortal realm again. Otherwise they'll live a normal human lifespan."
Nico sighed, relieved that someone he knew wouldn't have to die straight away. Artemis was holding Thalia's hand, whispering to Thalia. For a few moments, they spoke, and eventually Artemis turned back to Hades with teary eyes.
"Thalia Grace has sacrificed her immortality on my behalf. But as a gift to her for such a sacrifice, she will keep her talents of archery and the skills she has gained during the Hunt." Artemis declared.
"Very well." Hades accepted.
Artemis turned to Thalia, taking hold of her hands. Thalia's electric blue eyes shimmered with tears as Artemis spoke, "Thalia Grace, you have served faithfully as the Lieutenant if the Hunt. You are honorably discharged from my service."
Thalia was enveloped in silver and when the light faded, she fainted into Artemis's arms.