It's finally here!
So sorry for the loooooooong wait.
Sword of Hades (part 2)
No one's POV:
Slowly after lunch, the campers and counselors started filling the meeting room. Everyone was in except Clarisse.
"Where's Clarisse?" Annabeth asked doing a head count again. The Stoll brothers raised a flask with something that was purple.
"We wanted to make this last few pages the best." Travis said smirking.
"Food poisoning?" Piper asked.
"Yeah, literally." Connor answered. Annabeth sighed and sat down.
"Oh well, she's too sick to heal now. Who would like to read?" She said raising the last pages of the story. Leo frowned at this.
"Ooh me, Annabeth!" Katie shot her hand like a bullet and was waving it.
"Sure" Annabeth slided the papers to Katie's direction and she started.
We walked for what seemed like eternity.
"I got a bad feeling about that." Rachel sank.
Three more petals withered from the
carnation which meant it is now officially half-dead.
"That's some flower." Jake started.
The flower pointed toward the
range of jagged gray hills that looked like teeth. So we charged in that direction, over a
plain of volcanic rock.
"Nice day for a stroll," Thalia muttered.
"I got sick of the sarcasm." Jason complained.
"The Hunters are probably feasting in some
forest glade right about now."
I wondered what my family was doing. My mom and stepdad, Paul, would be worried
when I didn't come home from school. But it wasn't the first time this had happened.
They'd figure it out pretty quickly that I'm on some quest. My mom would be pacing
back and forth in the living room, wondering if I was going to make it back to unwrap
my presents.
"So who is this Melinoe?" I asked, trying to take my mind off home.
"Long story," Nico said. "Long very scary story."
Nico twitched.
"What the heck, Nico?" Leo said.
I was about to ask what he meant when Thalia dropped to a crouch. "Weapons!"
I drew Riptide. I'm sure I look terrifying with potted carnation in the other hand so I put
it down.
"Haha, my imagination of that is so funny." Thalia teased.
Nico drew his sword. We stood back-to-back. Thalia notched an arrow.
"What is it?" I whispered.
She seemed to be listening. Then her eyes widened. A ring of a dozen daimones
materialized around us. They were part humanoid female, part bat.
"Oh man, more freaky combinations." Travis said.
"I'll take that as sarcasm." His brother laughed.
Their faces were
pug-nosed and furry, with fangs and bulging eyes. Matted gray fur and piecemeal armor
covered their bodies. They had shriveled arms with claws for hands, leathery wings that
sprouted from their backs, and stubby bowed legs. They would've looked funny except
for the murderous glow in their eyes.
"I can't imagine that anymore." Piper said.
"Keres," Nico said.
"What?" I asked.
"Battlefield spirits. They feed on violent death."
"Oh, wonderful," Thalia said.
Jason glared at his sister.
"It comes to me." She shrugged.
"Get back!" Nico ordered the daimones. "The son of Hades commands you."
"Ooh, a twelve year old giving me commands." Connor commented.
"You'll be surprised how old I am." Nico said back.
The Keres hissed. Their mouths foamed. They glanced apprehensively at our weapons,
but I got the feeling the Keres weren't impressed by Nico's command.
"Soon Hades will be defeated," one of them snarled, "Our new master shall give us free
reign."
"We got that a lot in our quest." Leo said.
"Wow, that's annoying." Nico replied.
Nico blinked, "New master?"
The lead daimon lunged. Nico was so surprised it might slashed him to bits, but Thalia
shot an arrow point-blank into his ugly bat face and the creature disintegrated. The rest
of them charged. Thalia dropped her bow and drew her knives.
I ducked as Nico's sword whistled over my head, cutting a daimon in half. I sliced and
jabbed and three or four Keres exploded around me but more just kept coming.
"Iapetus shall crush you," one shouted.
"That sounds like a brand of chips." Chris commented.
"What the heck?"
"Anyway, why aren't you with Clarisse?" Annabeth asked him. Chris thought for a moment.
"I have no idea." He answered.
"Who?" I asked. Then I ran her through with my sword. Note to self: If you vaporized
monsters, they can't answer your questions.
"Not this again." Annabeth said.
Nico was also cutting an arc through the Keres. His black sword absorbed their essence
like a vacuum cleaner and the more he destroy, the colder the air become around him.
"Nico, that is cool." Jake said simply.
"You think any weapon is cool." Leo said to his half-brother.
"You too!" He defended.
Thalia flipped a daimon on his back, stabbed it and impaled another one with her
second knife without even turning around.
"Show off." Connor mumbled.
"Die in pain, mortal!"
Before I could raise my sword for defense another daimon's claws ripped my shoulder.
If I have been wearing armor, no problem. But I was still on my school uniform.
The thing's talons sliced open my shirt and tore into my skin.
"What happened to Sword Champion?" Pollux asked.
"Distracted once again." Annabeth answered.
"But you weren't there." Piper smiled.
My whole left side seem to
explode in pain. Nico kicked the monster away and stabbed it. All I could was to collapse
and curl into a ball, trying to endure the horrible burning.
The sound of battle died. Thalia and Nico rushed to my side. "Hold still, Percy," Thalia
said. "You'll be fine." But quiver in her voice told me the wound was bad.
Nico touched it and I yelled in pain. "Nectar," he said. "I'm pouring nectar on it."
He uncorked the bottle of the godly drink and tricked it across my shoulder. This was
dangerous. Just a sip of this stuff is almost demigods could stand but immediately the
pain eased. Together, Nico and Thalia dressed the wound and I passed out only a few
times.
"I didn't catch that part." Travis said.
"Oh please, Travis your ears are like the Aphrodite girls. Who use them for spying." Thalia said.
I couldn't judge how much time went by, but the next thing I remember I was propped
up with my back against a rock. My shoulder was bandaged. Thalia was feeding me tiny
squares of chocolate-flavored ambrosia.
"I-" but Annabeth cupped her hand to Piper's mouth.
"The Keres?" I muttered.
"Gone for now," she said. "You have me worried for a second, Percy. But I think you'll
make it."
"Don't you dare say a word, Piper." Annabeth warned before Piper could make a sound.
"Aw" the Stolls whined.
"Not you too!"
Nico crouched next to us. He was holding the potted carnation. Only five petals still
clung to the flower. "The Keres will be back," he warned. He looked at my shoulder with
concern. "That wound. The Keres are spirits of disease and pestilence as well as
violence. We could slow down the infection but eventually you'll need serious healing. I
mean, a god's power, otherwise…" He didn't finish the thought.
"Monsters always have this thing when they bite you." Jake complained.
"I'll be fine," I tried to sit up and immediately felt nauseous.
"Of course"
"Shush, Jake!" Katie reminded.
"Slow," Thalia said. "You need rest before you could move."
"There's no time," I looked at the carnation. "One of the daimones mentioned Iapetus.
Am I remembering right?
"I hope not." Clarisse snorted.
Pollux just gave her a face that was like really?"
That's a Titan."
Thalia nodded uneasily. "The brother of Kronos, father of Atlas. He was known as the
Titan of the West. His name means The Piercer because that's what he likes to do to his
enemies.
"Typical titan" Travis rolled his eyes.
He was cast into Tartarus along with his brothers. He was supposed to be
down there."
"But if the sword of Hades can unlock death?" I asked.
"Then maybe," Nico said, "it could also summon the damned out of Tartarus. We can't
let them try."
"Is that what damn means?" Katie asked.
"Yes, apparently you're too much of a goody two shoes to know." Travis said back.
Everyone just started at them, Piper smirked behind her long hair.
"Are you sure that's what it means?" Rachel asked.
"Well I'm not using it." Leo said, breaking the awkward moment.
"Way to break the moment, Leo." Piper nudged him.
"I just wanted to continue." Leo protested.
"I thought you didn't want this to end?" Jason asked him.
Leo just shrugged.
"We still do not know who them is," Thalia said.
"The half-blood working for Kronos," I said. "Probably Ethan Nakamura.
"He didn't have to say it, it's really obvious." Rachel said.
"Thank you, Miss Obvious." Chris said.
And he's
starting to recruit some of Hades' minions to his side like the Keres."
"The daimones think that if Kronos wins the war, they'll get more chaos and evil out of
the deal."
"They are probably right," Nico said. "My father tries to keep the balance. He reins in
the more violent spirits. If Kronos appoints one of brothers to be the Lord of the
Underworld—"
"Like this Iapetus dude," I said.
"—then the Underworld will get a lot worse," Nico said. "The Keres would like that so
would Melinoe."
"You still haven't told us who Melinoe is."
"Oh yeah"
"You're stalling, Leo."
"No you're stalling by saying something back."
Nico chewed his lip. "She's the goddess of ghosts, one of my father's servants. She
oversees the restless dead that walk the earth. Every night, she rises from the
Underworld to terrify mortals."
"Oh my gods, I think I saw her before!" Connor said in a panic tone.
"I thought you were sp guilty of stealing my piece of candy that you were hallucinating." Travis said.
"Me too, man."
"You've been a bad boy, Connor. You deserved it." Annabeth teased.
"She has her own path into the Upperworld?"
Nico nodded. "I doubt it would be blocked. Normally, no one would even think about
trespassing in her cave. But if this demigod thief is brave enough to make a deal with
her…"
"He could get back to the world," Thalia supplied, "and bring the sword to Kronos."
"Who would use it to raise his brothers from Tartarus," I guessed, "and we be in big
trouble."
I struggled to my feet. A wave of nausea almost made me blacked out but Thalia
grabbed me.
"Percy," she said, "you're in no condition."
"I have to be."
I watched as another petal withered and fell off the carnation. Four left before
doomsday.
"Give me the potted plant. We have to find the cave of Melinoe."
"So how do you pronounce Melinoe?" Leo asked Annabeth.
"Stop it, man you're stalling again." Jake said to his brother.
"But I really don't know!"
As we walked, I tried to think about positive things — my favorite basketball players, my
last conversation with Annabeth,
Piper raised her fist and punched the air while Annabeth blushed in her seat.
"You're too obsessed with this." Chris reminded her.
"Don't care, this story needs romance." Piper said back.
"Now that's an Aphrodite girl, which I didn't expect." Jason told her.
Piper frowned "Is that bad?"
"Nah"
what my mom would make for Christmas dinner.
Anything but the pain. Still, it felt like a saber-toothed tiger was chewing on my
shoulder.
I wasn't going to be much good on a fight and I cursed myself for letting down my
guard. I should have never gotten hurt. Now Thalia and Nico would have to haul my
useless butt through rest of the mission.
"Haha, useless butt, that's funny." Clarisse joked.
I was so busy feeling sorry for myself; I didn't notice the sound of roaring water until
Nico said, "Uh-oh."
About fifty feet ahead of us, a dark river churned through a gorge of volcanic rock. I'd
seen the Styx and this didn't look like the same river. It was narrow and fast. The water
was black as ink. Even the foam churned black. The far bank was only thirty feet across
but that was too far to jump and there was no bridge.
"Now how do you pronounce Lethe?" Connor asked.
"Ooo, figured it out by yourself huh?" Travis said.
"No I can see the paper from here but thanks for the compliment."
"That was not a compliment." Pollux told him.
"I'll take it."
"The River Lethe!" Nico cursed in Ancient Greek.
"Whoever wrote this always use "cursed" instead of the real word." Thalia commented.
"Well because there are also young people reading this." Annabeth replied.
"I thought we were the only ones hearing this?" Leo said.
"Then you're considered "young", Leo." Piper teased.
"Hey!"
"We'll never make it across."
The flower was pointing to the other side, toward a gloomy mountain and a path leading
up to a cave. Beyond the mountain, the walls of the Underworld loomed like a dark
granite sky.
I hadn't considered that the Underworld might have an outer rim, but this appeared to
be it. "There's got to be a way across," I said.
Thalia knelt next to the bank.
"Careful," Nico said, "This is the river of forgetfulness. If one drop of that water gets on
you, you'll start to forget who you are."
Thalia backed up. "I know this place. Luke told me about it once. Souls come here if
they choose to be reborn, so they totally forget their former lives."
"Hmmm…" Connor hummed.
Nico nodded. "Swim in that water and your mind will be wiped clean. You'll be like a
new born baby."
"I can't imagine that." Rachel laughed.
"You haven't seen the worst." Nico grumbled.
Thalia studied the opposite bank. "I could shoot an arrow across. Maybe anchor a line to
one of those rocks."
"You want to trust your weight to a line that isn't tied off?" Nico asked.
Thalia frowned. "Yeah right. Works on the movies,
"That would be so cool, though."
but no. Could you summon some
dead people to help us?"
"I could but they would only appear on my side of the river. Running water acts as
barrier against the dead. They can't cross it."
"That's stupid." Jason snorted.
I winced. "What kind of stupid rule was that?"
"Great minds think alike I guess." Pollux said.
Jake looked disguisted "Dude?"
"Nevermind."
"Hey, I didn't make it up." He studied my face. "You look terrible, Percy. You should sit
down."
"I can't. You need me for this."
"For what?" Thalia asked. "You can barely stand."
"It's water, isn't it? I'll have to control it. Maybe I can redirect the flow long enough to
get us across."
"In your condition?" Nico said. "No way. I'd feel safer with the arrow idea."
"They're both scary, but I like his idea better." Piper said.
I staggered to the edge of the river.
"He's a dead man." Connor immediately said.
I didn't know if I could do this. I was the child of
Poseidon so controlling salt water was no problem. Regular river, maybe. If the river
spirits were feeling cooperative. Magical Underworld rivers? I had no idea.
"He's serious about that." Travis said.
"When it comes to his flaw." Thalia smirked.
"Stand back," I said. I concentrated on the current, the raging black water rushing past.
I imagined that it was part of my own body. I could control the flow, make it respond to
my will. I wasn't sure but I felt the water churned and bubbled more violently as if it
could sense my presence. I knew I couldn't stop the river altogether. The current would
back up and flood the whole valley, exploding all over us as soon as I let it go. But there
was another solution.
"Here goes nothing," I muttered.
The looks on everyone's faces were filled with worry, wondering if Percy could get through.
"I bet you two bucks he gets through." Travis said.
"Cheap" Connor snorted. "I bet eight dollars he gets through but something bad will happen on the way."
"That's how it always is." Nico commmented.
I raised my arms like I was lifting something over my head. My bad shoulder burned like
lava but I tried to ignore it. The river rose.
".!" Leo shouted.
"It was better in person." Nico agreed.
"It looked weird but awesome." Thalia added.
"Can't admit it, huh?" Connor smirked while Thalia rolled her eyes.
It surged out of its banks, flowing up and
then down again in a great arc — a raging black rainbow of water twenty feet high. The
riverbed in front of us turned into a drying mud — a tunnel under the river just wide
enough for two people to walk side-by-side.
"Oh my gods." Katie said.
Thalia and Nico stared at me in amazement. "Go," I said. "I can't hold this for long."
Yellow spots danced in front of my eyes. My wounded shoulder merely screamed in
pain.
"That would be so wrong." Pollux said.
"He didn't mean it literally." Jake replied.
"Shush! You're breaking the moment!"
Thalia and Nico scrambled into the riverbed and made their way across the sticky
mud.
Not a single drop. I can't let a single drop of water touch them.
"Now that's scary."
The River Lethe fought
me. It didn't want to be forced out of its bank. It wanted to crash down to my friends,
wipe their minds clean, and drown them. But I held the arc.
Thalia climbed the opposite bank and turned to help Nico. "Come on, Percy," she said.
"Walk."
"How? Bring the river with him?" Leo asked.
"Are you always like this." Thalia asked him.
"Surprisingly, no." Jason answered her.
My knees were shaking; my arms trembled. I took a step forward and almost fell. The
water arc quivered. "I can't make it," I called.
"Yes, you can," Thalia said. "We need you."
Somehow I managed to climb down into the riverbed. One step, then another. The
water surged above me. My boots squished in the mud. Half-way across, I stumbled. I
heard Thalia scream, "NO!" And my concentration broke.
"Oh shoot."
"Ha! You owe me eight bucks." Connor said to his brother.
"He's only halfway." Travis crossed his arms.
As the River Lethe crashed down at me, I had time for one last desperate thought: Dry.
I heard the roar and felt the crash of tons of water as the river fell back on its natural
course but…
"This might be fun." Travis joked.
I opened my eyes. I was surrounded in darkness. I was completely dry. A layer of air
covered me like a second skin, shielding me from the effects of the water. I struggled to
my feet. Even the small effort to stay dry, something I'd done many times in normal
water, was almost more than I could handle. I slugged forward to the black current,
blind and doubled over with pain.
I climbed out of the River Lethe, surprising Thalia and Nico who jumped back a good
five feet. I staggered forward, collapsed in front of my friends and passed out cold.
"Well?" Connor did an evil laugh. "Give it here." He opened his palm.
"Fine" Travis handed him the bet. "But please don't do that laugh again."
The taste of nectar brought me around. My shoulder felt better but I had an
uncomfortable buzz in my ears. My eyes felt hot like I have a fever.
"We can't risk any more nectar," Thalia was saying. "He'll burst into flames."
"Have you ever seen someone burn like that?" Nico asked.
"Long time ago." Jake sighed.
"Percy," Nico said, "Can you hear me?"
"Flames," I murmured. "Got it."
I sat up slowly. My shoulder was newly bandaged. It still hurt but I was able to stand.
"We're close," Nico said. "Can you walk?"
The mountain loomed above us. A dusty trail snaked up a few hundred feet to the
mouth of a cave. The path was lined with human bones for that extra cozy feel.
"Ready," I said.
"I don't like this," Thalia murmured.
"I think only zombie dude likes it." Rachel joked.
"Hey!" Nico defended.
She cradled the carnation which was pointing toward the cave. The flower now had two
petals left like very sad bunny ears.
"That would've been cute." Piper added.
"A creepy cave," I said. "The goddess of ghosts. What's not to like?"
As if in response, a hissing sound echoed down the mountain. White mist billowed from
the cave like someone had turn on a dry ice machine. In the fog, an image appeared —
a tall woman with disheveled blonde hair. She wore pink bathrobe and had a wine glass
in her hand. Her face was stern and disapproving. I could see right through her so I
knew she was a spirit of some kind but her voice sounded real enough.
"Not what I expected from the goddess of ghosts." Leo commented.
"Now you come back," she growled. "Well, it's too late."
"English please?" Chris asked Nico.
"Just listen." He replied.
I looked at Nico and whispered, "Melinoe?"
Nico didn't answer. He stood frozen, staring at the spirit.
Thalia lowered her bow, "Mother?"
Everyone looked at Thalia. Connor started rocking back and forth.
"Oh gods oh gods, I'm becoming deaf!"
"I'm sorry to say this Thalia, but this is extremely freaky." Leo said calmly.
"Why is our mother the goddess of ghosts?" Jason asked.
"She's not really" Thalia started. "Um, it's hard to explain."
"Or you're just too lazy to explain?" Nico said to her.
Her eyes teared up. Suddenly she looked about
seven year old.
The spirit threw down her wine glass. It shattered and dissolved into the fog.
"And it begins." Jake said.
"That's right, girl. Doomed to walk the earth, and it's your fault! Where were you when I
died? Why did you run away when I needed you?"
"I don't know which side to pick." Will said.
"I— I—"
"Thalia," I said. "It's just a shade, it can't hurt you."
"I'm more than that," the spirit growled, "and Thalia knows it."
"But you abandoned me." Thalia said.
"You wretched girl! Ungrateful runaway!"
Thalia started laughing.
"Stop that." Nico said.
"Stop," Nico stepped forward with the sword drawn but the spirit changed form and
faced him.
This ghost was harder to see. She was a woman in an old fashioned black velvet dress
with a matching hat. She wore string of pearls and white gloves and her dark hair was
tied back. Nico stopped in his tracks.
"Oh no." Annabeth added.
"Now I'm really confused." Will said.
"No."
"My son," the ghost said, "you were taken from me so young. I died of grief, wondering
what had happened to you and your sister. "
"Mama?"
"Aww how cute." Piper said.
"I didn't say it in a cute voice!" Nico defended while Thalia continued laughing.
"No, it's my mother," Thalia murmured as if she still saw the first image.
"My gods, woman!" Connor shouted. "Make up your mind! Or I'm just deaf again."
"It's wrong how you said that, Thalia." Rachel told her.
My friends were helpless. The fog began thickening around their feet, twining around
their legs like vines. The color seemed to fade from their clothes and faces as if they too
are becoming shades.
"Enough," I said but my voice hardly worked. Despite the pain, I lifted my sword and
stepped toward the ghost. "You're not anybody's mama."
The ghost turned toward me. The image flickered and I saw the goddess of ghosts in
her true form.
"Doesn't that burn you up?" Piper asked.
Thalia shrugged.
"We're still here aren't we?" Nico said.
You think after a while I would stop getting freaked out by the appearance of Greek
ghoulies but Melinoe caught me by surprise. Her right half was pale chalky white like
she'd been drained of blood. Her left half was pitch black and hardened like mummy
skin. She wore a golden dress and a golden shawl. Her eyes were empty black voids and
when I looked into them, I felt as if I'm seeing my own death.
"Now that's what I expected. Except for the gold dress and shawl." Leo commented.
"Where are your ghosts?" she demanded in irritation.
"Yeesh, woman they're not dead." Travis said.
"My— I don't know. I don't have any."
She snarled. "Everyone has ghosts — deaths you regret. Guilt. Fear. Why can I not see
yours?"
Thalia and Nico were still entranced, staring at the goddess as if she were their long lost
mother. I thought of other friends I'd seen die: Bianca di Angelo, Zoë Nightshade, Lee
Fletcher to name a few.
"Did she have to mention that?" Pollux and Nico said.
"Jinx" Will said between them.
"I've made peace with them," I said. "They've passed on. They're not ghosts. Now, let
my friends go!"
"I don't get it." Leo said.
I slashed at Melinoe with my sword.
"Isn't she a ghost?" Annabeth asked.
She backed up quickly, growling in frustration. The
fog dissipated around my friends. They stood blinking at the goddess as if it they were
just seeing how hideous she was.
"What is that?" Thalia said. "Where—"
"It was a trick," Nico said. "She fooled us."
"You are too late, demigods," Melinoe said. Another petal fell off my carnation, leaving
only one. "The deal has been struck."
"What deal?" I demanded.
"What deal?" Travis asked and Nico put his hand on his face.
Melinoe made a hissing sound and I realized it was her way of laughing.
"That's weird." Rachel commented.
"That's wrong." Leo said after.
"That's-"
"Shut up!" Katie warned.
"I was going to say annoying." Jake defended.
"So many
ghosts, my young demigod. They long to be unleashed. When Kronos rules the world, I
shall be free to walk among mortals both night and day, sewing terror as they deserve."
"Where's the sword of Hades?" I demanded. "Where's Ethan?"
"Close," Melinoe promised. "I will not stop you. I would not need to. Soon, Percy
Jackson, you will have many ghosts
"What does she mean by that?" Piper asked.
"Sounds like I don't wanna find out." Connor replied.
and you will remember me."
Thalia notched an arrow and aimed it at the goddess. "If you open a path to the world,
do you really think Kronos will reward you? He'll cast you into Tartarus along with the
rest of Hades' servants."
Melinoe bared her teeth. "Your mother was right, Thalia. You are an angry girl. Good at
running away, not much else."
"Let's put Thalia on a slingshot!" Travis joked.
"Oh haha. She said girl not bird." Thalia rolled her eyes.
The arrow flew but as it touched Melinoe she dissolved into fog, leaving nothing but the
hiss of her laughter. Thalia's arrow hit the rocks and shattered harmlessly.
"Now that's a ghost." Will said.
"Stupid ghost," she muttered. I could tell she was really shaken up. Her eyes were
rimmed with red; her hands trembled.
"No offense but you looked like a mad person." Nico said.
Thalia glared at him.
Nico looked just as stunned like someone had smacked him between the eyes.
"Hey!" Nico said.
"Well you did look like it." Thalia teased.
"I was afraid you were gonna charge at me."
"Or the fact that Melinoe fooled you."
"The thief?" he managed.
"Probably in the cave. We have to stop him before—" Just then the last petal fell off the
carnation. The flower turned black and wilted. "Too late," I said.
"I thought it would be one of those moments that you save the day a millisecond something bad happens." Chris said.
"Then you watch too much TV." Pollux told him.
A man's laughter echoed down the mountain. "You're right about that," a voice boomed.
"I was expecting an evil laugh from a small voice that turned out to be a fail." Chris said again.
"Then you spend too much time with the Stoll bros." Katie said.
At the mouth of the cave stood two people — a boy with an eye patch and ten-foot-tall
man in tattered prison jumpsuit. The boy I recognize, Ethan Nakamura, son of Nemesis.
In his hands was an unfinished sword — a double edged blade of black Stygian iron with
skeletal designs etched in silver.
"It was a pretty wicked sword." Nico added.
It had no hilt but set in the base of the blade was a
golden key, just like I'd seen in Persephone's image.
The giant man next to him had eyes of pure silver. His face was covered with a scraggly
beard and his gray hair stuck out wildly. He looked thin and haggard in his rip prison
clothes as though he'd spent the last few thousand years at a bottom of a pit. But even
in this weakened state he looked plenty scary. He held out his hand and a giant spear
appeared.
"Titan." Jason added.
I remembered what Thalia had said about Iapetus. His name means The Piercer
because that's what he likes to do to his enemies. The Titan smiled cruelly.
"And now I will destroy you."
"Master," Ethan interrupted. He was dressed in combat fatigues with a backpack slung
over his shoulder. His eye patch was crooked
"What's with the eye patch?" Pollux wondered.
his face smeared with soot and sweat.
"We have the sword, we should—"
"Yes, yes," the Titan said impatiently. "You've done well, Noaka."
"Haha, Noaka." Leo laughed.
"It's Nakamura, Master."
"Whatever. I'm sure my brother Kronos will reward you. But now, we have killing to
attend to."
"My lord," Ethan persisted. "You're not at full power. We should ascend and summon
your brothers from the Upperworld. Our orders were to flee."
The Titan growled on him. "Flee? Did you say flee?"
"Uh oh. Flee like little flies." Connor said.
The ground rumbled. Ethan fell on his butt and scrambled backward. The unfinished
sword of Hades clattered to the rocks.
"Ma-ma-master, please."
"Iapetus does not flee. I have waited three eons to be summoned from the pit. I want
revenge! And I will start by killing these weaklings."
"This'll be good." Chris commented.
He leveled his spear at me and charged. If he'd be at full strength I have no doubt he
would have pierced me right to the middle. Even weakened and just out of pit, the guy
was fast. He moved like a tornado, slashing so quickly I barely had time to dodge the
strike before the spear impale the rock where I'd been standing. I was so dizzy; I could
barely hold my sword. Iapetus yanked the spear out of the ground but as he turned to
face me, Thalia shot his flank full of arrows from his shoulder to his knee. He roared and
turned on her, looking more angry than wounded. Ethan Nakamura tried to draw his
own sword but Nico yelled, "I don't think so!"
"Yeah, go Nico." Nico said to himself.
The ground erupted in front of Ethan. Three armored skeletons climbed out and
engaged him, pushing him back. The sword of Hades still lay on the rocks. If I could
only get to it. Iapetus slashed with his spear and Thalia leaped out of the way. She
dropped her bow so she could draw her knives but she wouldn't last long in close
combat. Nico left Ethan to the skeletons and charged Iapetus. I was already ahead of
him. It felt like my shoulder is going to explode but I lunged myself at the Titan and
stabbed downward with Riptide, impaling the blade in the Titan's calf.
Nobody bothered to comment, they were all busy listening to the battle. Connor leaned back.
"The usual." He said.
"Shh!" Most of them said.
"Yeesh!"
"Uhh-ah..." Golden ichor gushed from the wound. Iapetus whirled and the shaft of his
spear slammed into me, sending me flying. I crashed into the rocks, right next to the
River Lethe.
"You die first!" Iapetus roared as he hobbled toward me. Thalia tries to get his attention
by zapping with an arc of electricity from her knives but she might as well have been a
mosquito. Nico stabbed through his sword but Iapetus knocked him aside without even
looking.
"I will kill you all! Then I will cast your souls into the eternal darkness of Tartarus."
My eyes were full of spots. I could barely move. Another inch and I would fall into the
river head first. The river. I swallowed, hoping my voice still worked.
"No way." Leo said with awe.
"Yeah way." Annabeth said softly.
"You're— you're even uglier than your son," I taunted the Titan. "I can see where Atlas
gets his stupidity from."
"All the titans are ugly." Chris said.
Iapetus snarled. He limped forward, raising his spear. I didn't know if I have the
strength, but I had to try. Iapetus brought down the spear and I lurched sideways. The
shaft impaled the ground right next to me. I reached up and grabbed his shirt collar,
counting on the fact that he was off balance as well as hurt. He tried to regain his
footing but I pulled him forward with all my body weight. He stumbled and fell, grabbing my arms in a panic and together pitched into the Lethe.
"Reminds me of that monster he fought." Thalia said.
"That was worse since we saw what was happening underwater." Annabeth commented.
FROOM! I was immersed in black water. I prayed to Poseidon that my protection would
hold. And as I sink to the bottom, I realized that I was still dry. I knew my own name
and still had the Titan by the shirt collar. The current should have ripped him out of my
hands but somehow the river was channeling itself around me, leaving us alone. With
my last bit of strength I climbed out of the river, dragging Iapetus with my good arm.
We collapsed at the river bank — me perfectly dry; the Titan dripping wet.
"Hmm I wonder…" Pollux said. Nico and Thalia started laughing.
"What?" but the two kept laughing.
His pure silver eyes were as big as moons. Thalia and Nico stood over me in amazement.
"And that's just half of the titan war." Travis said.
Up by the cave, Ethan Nakamura was just cutting down the last skeleton. He turned and froze
when he saw his Titan ally spread eagle on the ground.
"My-my lord," he called. Iapetus sat up and stared at him. Then he looked at me and
smiled.
"Hello," he said. "Who am I?"
"You're my friend," I blurted out. "You're... Bob."
Everyone started laughing.
"Hey, t-that's my idea." Piper stammered, trying to calm down.
That seemed to please him greatly. "I am your friend Bob!"
They laughed even harder.
"Maybe he'll started crawling and sucking his thumb!" Connor laughed.
Clearly, Ethan could tell
things were not going his way. He glanced at the sword of Hades lying in the dirt but
before he could lunge for it, a silver arrow sprouted on the ground at his feet.
"Not today, kid," Thalia warned. "One more step and I'll pin your feet to the rocks."
"Now that's a threat." Jason said to his sister.
Ethan ran straight into the cave of Melinoe. Thalia took aim at his back but I said, "No,
let him go." She frowned but lowered her bow.
Chris snorted.
"Trying to be the nice guy huh?"
I wasn't sure why I wanted to spare Ethan. I guess we'd have enough fighting for one
day and in truth, I felt sorry for the kid. He would be in enough trouble when he
reported back to Kronos.
Nico picked up the sword of Hades reverently. "We did it. We actually did it."
"That" Chris said. "I expected that line."
"Okay we get it, oracle of Delphi." Travis said to him.
"We did?" Iapetus asked. "Did I help?"
I managed a weak smile. "Yeah, Bob. You did great."
We got an express ride back to the palace of Hades. Nico sent word ahead, thanks to
some ghost he'd summoned out of the ground. And within a few minutes, the three
Furies themselves arrived to ferry us back. They weren't thrilled about logging Bob the
Titan too, but I didn't have the heart to leave him behind especially after he noticed my
shoulder wound and said "Owie" and healed it with a touch.
"I thought I'll never see the day." Jake laughed.
Anyway by the time we arrived in the throne room of Hades, I was feeling great. The
Lord of Dead sat on his throne of bones, glowering at us and stroking his black beard
like he was contemplating the best way to torture us.
"Why are the gods always mean to us?" Leo said.
Persephone sat next to him, not
saying a word as Nico explained about our adventure. Before we gave back the sword, I
insisted that Hades take an oath not to use it against the gods. His eyes flared like he
wanted to incinerate me but finally he made a promise through clenched teeth.
"Haha."
Nico laid the sword at his father's feet and bowed, waiting for a reaction. Hades looked
at his wife. "You defied my direct orders."
"Liar of course. Looks like bits of the Underworld rubbed off on her." Chris said.
"What the heck, Chris?" Jake commented.
I wasn't sure what he was talking about but Persephone didn't react even under his
withering gaze. Hades turned back to Nico, his gaze softened just a little. Like rock soft
rather than steel.
"Aww, Hades does have a heart." Rachel teased.
"I know right." Nico blushed.
"You will speak of this to no one."
"Yes, lord," Nico agreed.
The god glared at me. "And if your friends do not hold their tongues, I will cut them
out."
"You're welcome," I said.
Hades stared at the sword. His eyes were full of anger and something else — something
like hunger. He snapped his fingers. The Furies fluttered down from the top of his
throne. "Return the blade to the forges," he told them. "Stay with the smiths until it is
finished and then return it to me."
The Furies swirled into the air with the weapon and I wondered how soon I would be
regretting this day. There are ways around oaths and I imagine Hades would be looking
for one.
"Of course. Luckily, he hasn't found anything yet." Wil said.
"Yet." The Stol brothers said.
"You are wise, my lord," Persephone said.
"If I were wise," he growled. "I would lock you in your chambers, if you ever disobey
me again."
He let the threat hung in the air. Then he snapped his fingers and vanished into
darkness.
Persephone looked paler than usual. She took a moment to smooth her dress and
turned toward us.
"You have done well, demigods." She waved her hand and three red roses appeared at
our feet. "Crush these and they will return you to the world of the living. You have my
lord's thanks."
"How will you crush roses?" Piper asked.
"Well, Beauty Queen, you throw them to the floor-"
"No need for that. I just always thought of crushing as crushing something hard."
Leo started at her. "You're stalling."
"No I'm not!" Piper defended.
"I could tell," Thalia muttered.
"Making the sword was your idea," I realized. "That's why Hades wasn't there when you
gave us the mission. Hades didn't know the sword was missing; he didn't even know it
existed."
"Ooh." People gasped.
"Nonsense," the goddess said.
Nico clenched his fists. "Percy's right. You wanted Hades to make a sword. He told you
no, he knew it was too dangerous. The other gods would never trust him. It would
undue the balance of power."
"At least Hades has a brain." Katie muttered.
"Then it got stolen," Thalia said. "You shut down the Underworld. Not Hades. You
couldn't tell him what had happened and you need us to get the sword back before
Hades found out. You used us."
Persephone moistened her lips. "The important thing is that Hades has now accepted
the sword. He will have it finished and my husband will become as powerful as Zeus or
Poseidon. Our realm will be protected against Kronos or any others who try to threaten
us."
"And we're responsible," I said miserably.
"You've been very helpful," Persephone agreed. "Perhaps a reward for your silence."
"Get lost," I said, "before I carry you down to the Lethe and throw you in. Bob will help
me. Won't you, Bob?"
"Haha."
"Bob will help you," Iapetus agreed cheerfully.
Persephone's eyes widened and she disappeared in a shower of daisies.
When no one was commenting, Travis broke a awkward silence.
"This is all normal, the usual." He said proudly.
Nico, Thalia, and I said our goodbyes on a balcony overlooking Asphodel. Bob the Titan
sat inside building a toy house out of bones and laughing every time it collapsed.
"I can't take it anymore. My mind can't imagine something that weird!" Leo shouted.
"Leo, stop over reacting." Piper told him.
"I'll watch him," Nico said. "He's harmless now. Maybe… I don't know. Maybe we could
retrain him to do something good."
"Are you sure you want to stay here?" I asked. "Persephone will make your life
miserable."
"I have to," he insisted. "I have to get close to my dad. He needs a better adviser."
"That's a good idea." Jason said.
I couldn't argue with that. "Well, if you need anything…"
"I'll call," he promised.
He shook hands with Thalia and me. He turned to leave but he looked at me one more
time. "Percy, you haven't forgotten my offer."
A shiver went down my spine. "I'm still thinking about it."
"What offer?" Piper asked Annabeth.
"Ask Nico." She pointed her thumb to Nico.
Nico nodded. "Well… Whenever you're ready."
After he was gone, Thalia said, "What offer?"
"Something he told me last summer," I said. "A possible way to fight Kronos. It's
dangerous and I have enough danger for one day."
"But you gotta admit, it was worth it and it was awesome to watch." Will said.
"Watch what?" Leo asked him.
"Tell you later."
Thalia nodded. "In that case, still up for dinner?"
I couldn't help but smile. "After all that, you're hungry?"
"Well duh, it's been like the whole day." Rachel added.
"Hey," she said, "even immortals have to eat. I'm thinking cheeseburgers at McHale's."
And together we crushed the roses that will return us to the world.
Katie frowned at the papers and looked at her fellow campers and said, "that's it." The others frowned, and Annabeth stood up, frowning too.
"Okay, guys, looks like we got time before dinner to work on the Argo." The campers looked at each other, each with horror-struck looks.
"Oh come on, Annabeth" Leo whined. "Do we have to? Maybe you could tell us a story about Percy?" He was hopping this would work.
"Hmm" everyone leaned in to hear. "I'll tell you about Percy…while we're working on the Argo." Everyone groaned while Leo whispered to Jason, "Let's hope she got a long story for us."
And everyone stood up and followed Annabeth and began walking to Bunker 9. Annabeth smiled and said,
"It all started when Percy arrived at camp."
END
Hope you like it!
Who knows?
I only put there "The Short Stories" if you know what I mean…