Knight in Black
by : ReynaAvelyn2901
For Pete
Knight in Black - Chapter 1 - The Child of Hades
I ran, my heart was pounding madly. A dark form closing in behind me just about 40 meters away. A dog-like creature ,about as big as a rhino, its eyes glaring red, pierced the blackness that enveloped the building. If not for the silvery light cast by the moon through the unfinished windows, I would not see the long block of wood that would have caused a trip and my early, unplanned and harsh death.
I've read about hounds from stories but getting chased by one would not be in my Top 50 list for things I want for Christmas and would be the last thing I need at the moment. And being devoured by one would certainly not make a heroic death.
I started to think of a plan. Can I lose it? Not the best idea. It's fast and seemed to find me wherever I hide. Fight? Sure if you're desperately longing to join the dead. And fight with what, darts? Best idea - run.
Memories flooded back to my mind as I dashed ahead, ducking and evading scrappy junks everywhere. My grandma sitting in the balcony chair, with her glasses on and a book in her lap, she'd look up and smile at me. My grandfather handing me an archery set I've always wanted saying,"Now, child, how can you shoot without missing your target?" and I'll always reply,"Whatever you hit, call it your target." We'll burst out laughing then. Now, my eyes stung with forming tears. I can't put their lives in danger anymore. I can't...
Bump!
A kid fell beside me. It was a boy judging from the sound of his voice groaning,"Ow.."
I grabbed his arm, pulling him to get up as I did, and dragged him to run, ignoring his protests, as a piercing howl snapped me back to reality.
You can't just leave a kid at the mercy of a creature that could snap his skinny body dead can you?
We burst out of the abandoned building. I didn't bother remember what it was or what street we were heading to. Or even that the lights of all the stores we passed we're off. Like no one was there. Looking behind, I saw the hound nearing.
"Um, hey, just an advice, if you don't wanna be eaten by a demon dog, I suggest you run FASTER!"
On the contrary, he pulled his arm free from my grip and unsheathed his sword ( which I didn't notice he had ). He stopped and turned around, stance as if he was a warrior on a one-on-one combat waiting for his enemy to strike.
Something about his shoulders gave me the feeling he was glaring. "What are you doing? Are you insane?" I screamed, he was just a few paces away from but he didn't move.
"Oh sure, you got a sword! Oh wow! Who are you now, Hercules?!" I shouted mockingly.
The hound was closing in, about 25 meters yet I only saw his shoulders shrug. Was he smirking? We're about to be killed by an overgrown dog and he SMIRKED? The F?!
"It'll use your sword as a toothpick after it's done with us!" Again, he didn't move.
Finally, my heart beating madly, I drew my bow ( I didn't bother to use it earlier since it doesn't do anything besides to anger the beast even more).
19 meters, I my hands are shaking. So were my knees. The hound keeps moving I can't get a good aim.
16, meters.. Swoosh!I let my arrow fly... Missed.
13.. Missed again. Making me wish I had Queen Susan of Narnia's bow and arrows.
7 .. God, please let my arrow hit, please, I prayed, my heart was doing back flips and cartwheels already.
Closing my eyes, letting pure luck take over, I loosed the arrow. Swoosh! With a miraculous thud!, it hit my target's right eye. It seemed hurt for a moment, my heart gave a leap. But I know my rotten luck would always ruin even my littlest hope.
The monster shook its head violently and charged at us again. "Close enough," the kid said.
"Close enough for what?!" I cried. "Get back," he ordered. I barely noticed he was dead calm. "What?" He didn't answer, but gave an irritated expression and pushed me stumbling back. A good 3 feet back.
The hound leaped just as the kid thrust his sword to the ground, cemented it was, the sword went through.
The ground rumbled, cracked and fell. Fell into the Earth's core like it's being sucked in. Shadows around us formed hands, so many of them, grabbed the hound, pulling him into the huge scar in the ground as it trashed until he was gone.
The kid drew back his sword. The ground weaved itself, covering the scar where the hound was sucked, or more like grasped into, until it looked as if nothing happened. The shadows, streetlights', trees', etc, were back where they were before.
He fell to his knees, his shoulders rising and falling, he was panting. I was trembling as I got to my knees, wide-eyed at what happened. I've never seen anything like it.
It was AWESOME as it was frightening.
Who is that kid? No, not who. What. What is he? Superman? Hercules-reincarnation? Though, I doubt it. I've always pictured Hercules with huge muscles. This kid was slender to the point of skinniness. Mutated human aka mutant? An alien? Probably not. He doesn't look like he could sprout ugly wings or ears or another set of eyes and arms.
Well, don't judge a book by its cover. Sorry I watched a LOT of movies and voilà! This is what it brought me.
"Never thought I'd do that again," he said between his gasps for air.
"Who are you? And more importantly, what are you? And how did you do that? The ground it cracked! From your sword to like, 10 feet away! And it was gone!" The words came out before I could stop them. "What are you?!"
The moment he got enough oxygen to breathe normally, he spoke," I am Nico di Angelo. Son of Hades."
I tried not to laugh. "Oookay . . . and I'm, like, Jeanne Garcia - what? Daughter of Artemis?"
"I doubt that. Artemis has no children. She swore to be an eternal maiden forever." "
Okay . . . So what are you?"
"I'm a demigod," he was calm as he explained, like he was used to this. "And that monster that chased you - demon dog, you said - is called a hellhound. They came from the underworld, and being Hades' kid, I could control them. Normally they stay in the underworld. That one obviously got out though. "
"Uh huh.. And I thought I was crazy..." I mumbled quietly.
Unfortunately, he heard. "Crazy,huh?", he smirked and continued,"Can you explain what happened to you as crazy? Being chased off and almost killed by a hellhound? This isn't the first time that you encountered monsters,right?"
I was taken aback. I said nothing and looked away. He was right. This wasn't the first time. There were much worse before. Girls with bird bodies, with the help of the Internet, I found out what they were - harpies. Chimeras with their serpent tails and lion heads. Ugh! Are monsters really that ugly?
"Ever heard of Greek myths? Zeus, Athena, Hera?"
I nodded," One of my favorite topics."
"Good. That way, you won't have a hard time understanding the new world you're in." I looked at him.
Under the moonlight, he looked like a dark prince in one of those comics I read, with his black hair and eyes. I noticed when he sheathed his sword, it was black. Pure black. "You've been diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia?"
I didn't notice I was staring at him. "ADHD, yes, Dyslexia, no." This kid is really weird. How'd he know about my ADHD? I got no idea. He gave me some explanations about that and how I could use it in battle. Blah blah blah. . . I was too busy absorbing the fact that I'm not normal (not that I wasn't used being called weird before) and Greek gods and goddesses do exist.
"So, you think I'm also a demigod?" I asked.
"Yes, but I already know you are. You've got the...characteristics. ADHD, monsters attacking,..." his voice trailed off as I was lost in thought, Great. The demigod disease. And I got the symptoms! Happy? NOT!
"So demigods are half-human half-god, right? Who do you think is my godly parent? "
"That, I don't know. There's so many possibilities. Your dad or mom didn't tell you? Who are you living with, anyway?"
"Okay. If they did then why am I running off on my own, finding where I belong in this stupid miserable world? And correction - who I was living with."I saw him roll his eyes. "With my grandparents. I ran away."
"Obviously. If you didn't why'd you be here now then?" He retorted. Before I could answer, there was a rustling in the bushes. "Come on. We have to leave. We can't stay in one place for long. It attracts monsters," he brushed the dirt off his aviator jacket and pants. "
Where do you suggest we go, Mr. Demigod?" I said, putting much sarcasm in the sentence.
"To a friend of mine."
I sat nonchalantly on the couch in the living room in the apartment - Nico's friend's apartment - somewhere on Upper East Side, as I tried to forget the extremely humiliating happenings of earlier.
"KYYYAAAAAAHHHH!" I screamed, staggering backwards as a huge dog-like creature formed from the shadows, rose from the ground and bounded towards Nico.
"Get on," he said, handling the hellhound as a rider handles his horse. He was calm, relaxed.
I wanted to strangle him for it.
Had he completely forgotten that this was the thing that almost tore me to pieces?!
"What the heck?! That's a hellhound! What the heck?! Less than 5 minutes ago, if you've already forgotten, IT TRIED TO RIP ME TO PIECES!"
He thought for a moment, placing a hand on his chin, the other still patting the hellhound.
Finally, he looked up and said," They're not the same. The one that pursued you's already in the underworld."
"They're still the same kind!"
He turned his attention to the hellhound. "This one's mine. I handle him myself. And being a child of Hades" - he turned to me -" I am a very good handler."
He said it with a cross of confidence and boasting.
I rolled my eyes. "Oh joy"
"His name's Argus. Named after the dog of who alone recognized Odysseus on his return, perked up his ears, wagged his tail, and sadly, died. Ever heard that myth?"
"It's the Odyssey. Who wouldn't?" I said nonchalantly.
"You'd be surprised. Most mortals, even some demigods, don't have respect for the classics these days. How old are you, anyway? You sound like you're already in your 20s."
"I'm 11. Could we just leave please?" I was getting tired of it.. "Oh, where's your friend's house again?"
"Manhattan"
"Manhattan? Might I remind you that it's the middle of the night?"
"Don't worry. Whoever said we'll commute? Get on," he said and he turned to the hellhound and it lowered its head.
Dumbfounded, my eyes widened, but I mounted the hound, holding the fur just below his head. It rose.
Then I remembered. "Umbraportation?"
"I'd rather you call it Shadow Travel. You know, less Sciency," he said, shrugging.
He patted Argus and whispered," Upper East Side. You know where it is." Argus made a playful bark and bounded off. I was slightly glad that this hound was not that bad. The shadows again met and formed a portal. "I'll be with you-"
I heard the Nico call but it was cut off. Argus has already bounded to the shadows. I closed my eyes... A second later, I opened them, all I saw was darkness. Argus was going so fast I felt as if my skin would peel off. A few second later, I opened my eyes.
I didn't know what I was expecting but, I found myself standing before a white building, the natural blasting sounds New York traffic behind me.
I faced a building.
I got off Argus and he sat facing the building, his tail wagging and tongue dangling, he's pretty enthusiastic.
Great, I am left with an overgrown dog, waiting for another weirdo, who I barely know, in a place foreign to me.
Wonderful, just wonderful.
I imagine the kid wearing a pink tutu and dancing ballet with his dog, it made me feel better.
Then he burst out the door, pulling me back from my wonderful dream.
"You remembered something?" I said sarcastically.
"I didn't forget about you," he answered as he glanced at me and walked over Argus.
"It's been 5 minutes."
"Don't exaggerate, it's only 4 and 16 seconds, until I came out," he said.
He pat and said," You can go now Argus. Thanks."
I don't understand how a dog that big can bound off among the so many humans and then disappear.
What's more questionable is, the humans don't even notice Argus at all, and even moves away when he passes.
I inclined my head in confusion.
Nico noticed. "It's called the Mist," he began which made looked at him with my confused expression.
"It's like, you know," he continued ",A mist, that hides him from mortal eyes. So mortals don't see what they don't need to see."
"Like a magical barrier or something?"
"Yeah," he nodded,"something like that. Now let's go upstairs. I want you to meet somebody."
"Hey," a voice pulled me from my reverie.
Nico came back from the kitchen with his friend, each carrying a slice of blue cake.
In the bright light, I could see Nico's features better, features I didn't notice earlier. His skin was ghostly pale white, and messy jet-black hair that looks like he just got out of bed after wrestling with his teddy bear.
He took off his aviator jacket(seriously, WWII much?) exposing his black sword in his chain belt. He had those lines under his eyes that makes you think he's been staying up late mourning for his dead puppy.
His friend, Percy, a son of Poseidon, as he introduced to me earlier, offered it to me and I gladly took it.
I've been out by myself for a week now, and I've budgeted my money. So, I took the least amount of food in possible.
"It's Percy's birthday today," Nico began as dug into his cake.
"Really? Happy Birthday then, Percy," I said, digging into the cake myself.
Then Percy's mom, Sally called from the kitchen," Percy? Are there enough lemonade for the three of you?"
"Yes, mom!" Percy called back,"Ask Tyson if he wants some."
"Tyson's asleep beside your bed, honey. Just call me if you need anything, Paul and I are going out alright?" She walked out of the kitchen,took her coat from the rack and the guy she was with, Paul smilingly waved goodbye, as they left.
"Nice mom," I said ",You're lucky Percy."
"Yeah. Why? What about your mom?"
"Didn't know her," I tried to act nonchalant as I sipped my lemonade.
My blue lemonade.
I pushed down all the emotions that builds up in my chest when people mention the word "family". Inside, I wanted to scream, why? Why don't I have a mother and why's my father gone? Why do people even get married if they'll just end up separating? Humans and their nature.
Nico set his plate down, and asked if he could have another slice.
"Sure, no problem," Percy, looking surprised, got up and went to the kitchen.
Nico put his hand on his chin and leaned on the arm of the couch and said,"So your godly parent is your mom huh?"
"Yeah. Probably. Since I lived with my dad's parents."
"And did your dad tell you anything about your mom?"
"All he said was she was the most amazing woman he knew."
"Athena."
"I'm sorry, what?" "
If your dad said she was the most amazing woman he knew then, your mom might be Athena, the goddess of Wisdom. Or I think."
"Probably," I said without emotion. I wasn't really in the mood to light fireworks and throw a huge party just because my mom might be Athena. I didn't actually care. Well, at least I can finally have someone to blame for the danger me and my family had been through. All because my dad had to fall in love with a goddess. Jeez! Why couldn't he had picked someone mediocre? Why did he go for the dangerous one? Did he even think once that he may put his future life in danger because of one stupid mistake?
I roll my eyes. Things people do out of love. Percy got back from the kitchen and said," Nico, here's your cake!"
Nico gladly took it, and thanked him. "Percy," Nico said," I'm going to take her to Camp Half-blood."
"Sure, but now?" Percy asked ,"Let's wait for my mom. I'll ask her to drive us in the morning," he scratched the back of his neck as if he felt suddenly wary - "In the meantime, we have an extra mattress here that you could crash into."
- Yeah, I know it kind of sucked.. I stopped this because Riordan unexpectedly did a plot twist ... and, I need your opinion if I should continue it. Those who aren't familiar with PJO series or Heroes of Olympus series, or Greek Myth, you'll get your answers on the next chap. Thanks a lot for reading! I really appreciate it.