Prologue

Aaron POV

I ran threw the black fields, burned corn fields passed me by as my mind focused on my footing as i ran: Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right et cetera.

My target was just a thy metres ahead, a stygian iron javelin in its hand and its mane brisling with blood.

A Manticore.

It threw a javelin at me blindly, i ducked and rolled out of its way and continued running, my jacket rippling in the wind, I drew my sword, a metre long double edged blade of stygian iron with the pattern of a river on the handle, the River Styx to be more precise.

I sprinted towards a large rock in the ground, i jumped on top of it and sprang forward and i tackled the Manticore to the ground.

It bit at my skin and arm but i kicked it off before it cut off a limb, it landed hard against a black rock and went limp and i could tell i had broke its leg.

I got to my feet and walked over to the struggling creature "You have disgraced Lord Hades, King of The Underworld and High Lord of Tarturus, for that you will be sentenced to eternity in the pits of Tarturus" It stared at me, horrified "Please! Have mercy!"

I thrust my sword into its heart and it dissolved into gold vapour and was blown away by the wind into the chasm of Tarturus.

I sheathed my sword and put my fingers to my lips and whistled and a black skeleton horse with leathery wings flew down, it nuzzled my neck and i gave it a sugar cube, i honestly did not know where the food went when he ate it.

I mounted on its back and whispered to it "To Hades" It extended its black leathery winds and the next second i was soaring in the air, towards a black, terrifying castle.

Hades Castle

I walked threw the black halls, skeleton soldiers stared at me, holding either a sword, a spear or a machine gun, I didn't even give them a second glance as i walked into the black halls of Hades, where sat the Lord of Death himself, he was drinking a goblet of Nectar when he saw me

"Ah Aaron welcome back! Have you dealt with that little problem we discussed?" I nodded "He is now in Tarturus as we speak" Hades nodded "Good then i guess your ready for another mission" "No" Hades spat out his nectar and the golden liquid evaporated on contact with the floor "No? You dare defy your master!" "You are not my master, i was forced into this and plus i'm exausted" "Your a immortal! I granted you immortal life! You can't get exausted!" "Even immortals get tired Hades, not that you would know, sitting on that throne all day and night"

He growled in anger and i just shrugged and went off to my room.

Well...more like cell them room, i walked threw the wall, threw and invisable door and lay on my bed, staring at the sky.

It had been exactly 5 years since Hades had made me immortal and i had neither aged nor had a birthday since...Five years since i had last saw my mother...

Suddenly someone walked threw the wall and i expected Hades but i was surpraised to see it was my friend, Nico Di Angelo.

"Nico!" I jumped up and hugged him "Your back!" "Good to see you Aaron" "So tell me news on Camp! How is things? I heard Hades talk about a Titan War and i feared you had died?" "Oh there was a war, but its over" "Good...good" "So how are things with father?" I looked at Nico "He is cruel and evil and i wish he wasn't immortal so i could shove my fist down his throat"

Nico flinched "Still hate being here?" "Loath it, your the only good thing about it, your my only friend here" Nico nodded then suddenly was knocked out the way by a long white hand and in walked Hades.

My hand went to the dagger in my belt but Hades didn't have his staff so i knew i was safe "So...Aaron...i have a proposition for you" My hand clenched the dagger.

"You say you are tired of my generous service" I shrugged "More like enslavement, almost getting killed everyday" He ignored this "I shall let you have a quest, if you succeed in the quest i shall free you from my service...but if you fail you will be my slave for all eternity-" he then sneered "Or die in the process for as soon as you leave the Underworld your immortality ends for you are only immortal when you enter the Domain of Death"

I stood there for a thy moments, looking from Nico to Hades "Fine, i accept the quest"

Suddenly the air became a lot more thicker and three old ladies appeared in the room and i relised they were the Fates.

I stood there for a moment then they opened their mouths and spoke in unison:

The Son of the StyxReborn of the pastwill challenge to go his own pathwith the help of the owl and the boarshall proceed to find the smoking daggerBut first will travel to the coreTo get the north winds daughter's frozen heart

They then handed me a copy of what they said on a piece of papyrus and disappeared again in a wisp of smoke.

"Ah the prophecy that will begin the quest! I always love that!" Said Hades in evil glee "Now to get you started!" He then flicked his wrist and all my things packed themselves into a rucksack of mine "Now go my slave!" He then touched my forehead with his cold hands and the next thing i saw was darkness.

I woke up at the base of a grassy hill, the wind hitting across my face, I pulled myself off and saw my Rucksack next to me with a sticky note on it which said:

Try not to die! I would hate for one of my best tools to be broken!

Love Hades

Sick man, i thought i then reconized the hill.

It was Half-Blood Hill and Camp Half-Blood was bellow me.