Chapter 8: Welcome to the Future

Morning brought about deep melancholy in the group. Ms. Samhain knew that they would be leaving and made them all breakfast, lecturing them as only a mother could.

"Don't trust strangers, do dangerous drugs, or drink alcohol if you don't know where it came from. Be mindful of your surroundings and watch out for those that you don't know."

"I got it mom." Nikolai said, kissing his mother on the cheek. He had a backpack filled with essentials, mainly food provisions and weapons, just like the other demigods.

"Ready to go?" Percy asked, seeing how Nikolai was a little nervous about this. Mrs. O'Leary was coming as well, thanks to Nico helping Percy convince Annabeth that the hellhound could be extremely useful.

"I guess so." Nikolai said, grabbing the black box and staring intently at it. Annabeth wasn't sure if Nikolai even knew the password, since he barely remembered anything about his past, but was surprised when he proved her wrong. "Command: Return. Password: Child of Time." The box split open and a silver portal appeared in the air above it. They got Mrs. O'Leary through first, worrying that the giant hellhound wouldn't fit. Mrs. O'Leary vanished through the portal with Nico without any problems, and Annabeth went next. Nikolai quickly gave his mom one last hug and she kissed his forehead.

"Go kick some ass!" She said, Nikolai blushing as he grabbed Percy's hand and they went through together. The gray light blinded them, and they were suddenly disoriented. Opening their eyes, Nikolai realized that where they were standing was, at once, familiar but foreign. Mrs. O'Leary was barking and growling at a tree, much to Nico's shock, since hellhounds never growled at dryads. A black haired Japanese girl faded out from the shadows, having shadow traveled there. Her black hair was tied up in a high ponytail and her dark blue eyes scanned the group, looking each over expectantly. Upon spotting Nikolai, she went over to him and hugged him.

"I was wondering when you'd return to us." Nikolai smiled softly.

"These are my friends. The girl is Annabeth Chase, your half-brother is Nico Di Angelo, the hellhound is Mrs. O'Leary, and this is Percy Jackson. Everyone, this is Akira Yoshika, daughter of Hades."

"It's them." She whispered, grabbing them all and dragging them through the alley behind the rundown, empty buildings. "You don't know who you brought through with you, do you?"

"Not as you know them apparently. Why?"

"Percy Jackson is the one that helped save Olympus from Cronus, had the Big Three's pact destroyed, made them claim all of their children and care about lesser gods' children, and he helped avoid the second demigod war. Annabeth Chase also played a key role in that war and Nico Di Angelo did as well. Jackson and Di Angelo were the last children of the Big Three to be born, besides Thalia, who's a Hunter of Artemis, and her brother Jason, who died a long time ago back in their rightful time." Akira said, leading them through the backstreets.

"So, what should I know now that I don't remember?"

"That you're the deciding piece to this fucking war. Darien, Veronica, and myself, along with Nico, Annabeth, and Percy, are major pieces, but you'll be the one who ultimately decides if the world ends or not." That's just fucking great! I don't know shit about this war and I'm supposed to end it.

"What happened to this city?" Annabeth asked, and Akira frowned.

"The war happened. Humans got caught up in the middle of it and many cities have fallen because of it. Humans are also being forced to help fight this pointless war for food and resources, travel in search of resources, or stay put and scavenge for them. This is where most of the war's battles take place, so it was hit hardest. Both sides are too blind to notice that while they're fighting, monsters are going around killing people." A gorgon ran across the street at the sound of their approach, charging them, and Akira decapitated her with her all black katana without looking.

"What about the resistance? How are they fairing?" Nikolai asked, slightly shocked that he remembered there was one. My parents were part of it. That's why they sent us away.

"When all of our parents were killed and we vanished, the resistance almost fell apart. Luckily, there was someone to take it over and control it these past seven years. You'll meet her soon." They carefully crossed the street and ran into an abandoned grocery store. "The hellhound can't go any farther like that. I'll be right back." Akira vanished into the shadows and returned a second later with a redheaded boy. The boy was wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and tan combat boots. "This is Finn, a son of Hecate and one of the most skilled of her children that are on our side. Finn, this is Nikolai, Percy, Annabeth, Nico, and Mrs. O'Leary. Can you work up a spell to hide her and change her size?" The boy looked Mrs. O'Leary over, muttering to himself.

"Yeah, but I'll need something to tie the spell to." Nikolai handed Finn his necklace and Finn nodded. "This'll do nicely." Finn's hands clasped around the necklace's charm and they glowed a vibrant violet. Mrs. O'Leary started to glow the same violet, and slowly shrank to the size of a normal Rottweiler. The magic disappeared and Finn handed Nikolai his necklace, which now had a dog's paw print on it. "That's as small as she'll get."

"Thanks." Nikolai replied, putting the necklace back on.

"Let's go." Akira escorted them through the shadows and they emerged in the alleyway behind a tall, stone, Catholic church. Walking down the deserted, ancient aisles, they stopped at the cross on the far wall. Akira pricked her finger on the cross and touched it. "Open." The stone wall next to the cross opened, the two, double doors swinging back to reveal a narrow, stone passageway. "This way." Akira said softly, and the group followed her and Finn down into the bowels of the earth, unsure of what awaited them at the end of the mostly dark tunnel.