Chapter Nine! After almost a week long wait! (Well it was Christmas so who can blame me!)
~Chapter 9~
"That'll put hair on ya chest!"
My father could be moody, very moody. But never had he ever blocked me from the Underworld. But that's what he did. When attempting to Shadow Travel to the great hall of Hades, I was 'redirected' after a very dizzying light show.
"Faaaaa!" I was flung out of the shadows and across a dark room.
*Crack!* I was flung into a wooden shelf set of some kind, and it HURT.
"Aaaaaahhh!" Screams followed the loud cracking noise.
"What in Hades Nico!" a voice cried out.
'Will Solace?' I thought as I slowly made it to my feet, shaking off the dust and debris.
"Hello, Nico?" the speaker was indeed Will Solace, he shook me gently as I came back to my senses.
"Wow!" I gave my head a sharp shake and regained as many of my faculties as I could. "Oh?... Will." I blinked and looked at Will, clad in his denim shorts, and battle gear. "Nice outfit." I scanned around me, I was obviously in Apollo Cabin, the guitars, Lyres and other 'Apollo Related Paraphernalia' were dotted about the walls.
"Hi, thanks, but is there any reason you decided to Shadow Travel into our Lyre Rack?" He asked, actually annoyed.
"Oh..." I looked behind me at the damaged Lyres. "I think I took a wrong turn at the River Lethe..." rubbing my shoulder I tried figure out what happened.
"Well glad to see you're safe." I was patted on the shoulder again.
"Safe?" I asked rather confused.
"You don't remember?" Will sat his bow down next to him on a bed and looked at me with genuine concern. "Nico you've been missin for a whole day." from Will's look I knew without question he was being truthful.
"A whole... day?" I slowly stepped back, I bumped into one of the other beds, falling back to sit on it.
"You alright?" Will stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder sympathetically.
"Yeah I FEEL fine..." my eyes couldn't help but glance at the lyre rack. I placed my hand on my chest to feel the warmth of my heart, something was under my shirt that should not have been there. "Huh?" I pulled out the long chained pendant hung around my neck. A skull with a pair of wings coming from its head.
"Nice pendant." Will blinked.
"It's not mine... At least I don't think it is." I ran my finger down the skull, it felt cold, a lot colder than something that's been against my body should be.
"Either way you should tell Chiron your safe, he was about to cancel the party." I nodded in agreement, deja vu was running through my mind as I examined the skull. "While you're around the Big House maybe you should ask Annabeth about the pendant." Will added. Instantly my mind flooded with flashbacks of what Jason said.
"Yeah." I said half-heartedly and stood up. "I'll go do it now... Sorry about the rack." Will told me not to bother about it, sneaking in a comment that it'd give him a chance to spend more time with those 'burly Hephaestus hunks.'
Chiron was pleased to see me safe and sound, he made a large bellowing announcement that the party would continue as planned. Chiron always made me feel weird and strange so I decided better the weird you know, and headed off for Athena's cabin. Athena's cabin was jammed pack full of technical drawings, chalk boards with half-finished equations on them and miniature mock battle sets. No doubt about it, these kids were smart with a capital V… S… I hate being dislexic.
I found Annabeth at the rear of the cabin in the head councillor's 'office', she was towering over a strategic map of the camp, laid out on the map were all the features of camp. "Logistics" Annabeth said without turning around. "I'm going over last minute things to do with the party." she explained. Annabeth had evolved past people needing to ask for an explanation, she offered them up like a waiter offers a patron free water at a restaurant.
"I see..." I walked around her battle map table and sat down on one of her stools, hinting I was there for something.
"Oh did you want something?" she asked.
"Yeah Chiron said you might be able to help me with something." I took off my necklace and laid it down on the map.
"What's this?" Annabeth picked it up and examined the skull.
"Well I was hoping you could tell me."
"Where did you get it?" Athena's favourite daughter ran her fingers over the skull to try and literally get a feel for it.
"I went to shadow travel to Hades, next thing I knew I was flying into Will Solace's Lyre rack and giving him the freight of his life." I picked up a set of dividers and began making them 'walk' across the map.
"Well its Obsidian." the pendant seemed to shimmer as Annabeth held it. "The skull's your father's symbol. The winged helmet... Is the symbol of Hermes?" Annabeth began to walk around the table slowly, a sign she was deep in thought.
"And that means?" I asked, now juggling the dividers, tempting a few nasty pricks with its sharp tips.
"Well the wings aren't Celestial Bronze. More like..." she stopped and held it up to the light. "Platinum?"
"And that means?" I asked now nursing a pricked finger.
"Platinum is an expensive metal..." Annabeth continued pacing.
"My father's realm includes metals." I perked up trying to be helpful.
"Expensive materials are often associated with Hermes, he is the god of merchants." Annabeth was in heaven, unravelling a mystery.
"Why would Hades and Hermes' symbols be merged? Might have something to do with your going missing?" she stopped and looked at me.
My mind was clicking like a little hamster on its wheel. Hades and Hermes merging their symbols, was it related to Connor and I?
I wasn't sure how long I was pondering things to myself, but when I finally snapped out of my daze I found Annabeth reading out of her 'Oxford Classical Mythology 7th Edition'.
"Annabeth?" I turned and cocked an eyebrow.
"It says here that there it was not completely unheard of for Gods to bestow their blessings and boons on people in the form of a magical item."
"We knew that already," I sighed as I caste my gaze on her yankees cap.
"Gods could create items together that could act as conduits for their powers." she explained, once again without request.
"So...?" I asked.
"Well it seems from this definition that Hades and Hermes are giving you a message." Annabeth handed me her book and then tapped a paragraph.
I read it aloud, which was kind of hard... Dyslexia skucs... "The Olympians would often send their ch-champions divine gifts that may have seemed confusing at first but often had a secret purpose?" I looked up at Annabeth and cocked another eyebrow.
Annabeth sighed and rolled her eyes. "Meaning Hades and Hermes are hiding their intentions, for now." she handed me back my pendant.
"Well a heads up would be nice." I sighed, gazing at the skull.
"They'll let you know when it's time... As for times, shouldn't you be getting ready for the party?" with her words I glanced out the window and noticed the setting sun. Time to race!
I walked around my cabin waiting for the party to start. Some would say I pranced around my room, being shirtless does give that impression I'll admit. The Coco-diAngelo project was hanging off its hanger, waiting to be put on and ready to wow people. Hades' tonic gift rested on the coffee table. 'Did I put that there?' I pondered as I reached down for it; a jet black note was attached now.
"Drink this, you'll need it." the note was scratched in my father's hand writing without a doubt. Being a loyal and respectful son I took a gulp, it tasted like tar, ash and aniseed. The pendant seemed to shimmer as I drank, definitely connected.
"That was fou-" before I could finish my body felt like the world had been thrust on top of it, knocking the wind straight out of me. With a loud echoing thud I hit the floor. I lay on my back panting and sweating like I had never before, cold and hot flashes as well. On top of it all, I had a vision.
I was standing in the middle of my father's renovated palace, black basalt columns lined the dark purple carpet that ran the length of the room, going up 3 steps to Hades' throne. Platinum and other expensive metals dawned the reliefs all over the friezes. I looked around on shock and awe of its majesty.
"Son!" the loud bellow of my father's voice shook me to my senses. He sat cross legged atop his throne of bones, the bones of all the world's greatest leaders.
Without hesitation I fell on one knee. "Your majesty Hades, lord of the Underworld. What can I, ever so humble, do for you?"
"Arise my son." father's voice was not as... Well abusive as usual. Not that my father abused me or anything, just that well, he wished I were my sister... Who was standing next to me?
"Bi?" I saw her out of the corner of my eye as I arose.
"I wish to use you my son." Hades' legs uncrossed.
'No surpise there.' I sighed to myself. "How can I be of service my lord?" I asked with a slight bow.
"This party that will take place at Camp Half Blood... I wish to... Give a gift." Hades smirked
Thankfully Bianca took over. "What father means to say is," she stood between us after offering father a small bow. "that to commemorate the victory over Kronos he has a gift to camp for our troubles in the war. A gift that only a chosen child of Hades can deliver." Bianca's eyes seemed to glow, only moments later did I realise it was actually Hermes arriving behind her.
"A gift only a chosen child of Hades could deliver... With the blessing of Hermes, god of travellers." Hermes clicked his fingers and a light glowed around my neck, Hades swished his hand and a dark light appeared in the centre of the light, the pendant formed seconds later. Soon the room was enveloped in light and I awoke on my floor.
"That'll put hair on ya chest." I looked at the vial of Hades Tonic in my hand. Seconds later it seemed to melt into shadowy mist. The conch sounded... The party was about to start. I quickly jumped up, wiped myself with a towel, applied some 'Calvin Klein' Sally Jackson had gotten me. Now it was time to unveil my secret weapon... I slipped on my get black smart shirt with very feint purple pattern. On top of the shirt I put on my tailored trench coat, a one off design by Coco Chanel. It was tapered, trimmed and styled in all the right places.
After a small prayer at my father's shrine I stood at my front door, nerves building. The sounds of campers walking past my cabin signalled the gathering had started, I could hear Percy and Jason approaching.
"Well here goes nothing!" I pushed open my door and walked out into the fray.
Not many notes from me this time! Just gotta say the stories wrapping up soon so yeah! Might have a sequel coming along, certainly laid good threads for one I think! All spelling mistakes in speech or in Nico's 'rants' are intentional.
Thanks gals and guys!
