Hello I'm back *from Hades* thanks for being patient with me and remember to review!
I guessed our time was up because Annabeth slowly started fading like she was being blown away by wind. She had a grieving look on her face like she thought this was the last time that she would see me again. Maybe it was.
As the white mist faded, we were left alone. Thalia's tears cut through the dust on her face leaving shiny stripes across her face. Nico's teeth were clenched and face was rigid, but threatening a wave of mournful tears. He was blocking the exit to the alcove of trees. I noticed that his hand rested on the hilt of his sword. When I tried to walk around him to the palace he stepped in front of me. He started slowly shaking his head.
"I've changed my mind, hopefully you can see my point of view." Nico's eyes bore into mine and I could see the grieving hurt shadowing his face. For a kid he wore this expression to often.
I sighed, I had a bitter feeling that this might lead to a lethal duel.
"Move, now," I growled through gritted teeth. I pulled out Riptide but left it in pen form. Nico saw this but glared at me murderously. It was a mask, he didn't want to fight me.
I'd win if was just us not Thalia helping also Nico was in the Underworld, he could summon armies of warriors to subdue me. It looked like it was going to come down to that. Nico stood his ground and glared up at me which is hard to do since I'm three years older than him and about eight inches taller.
I sighed like I was going to give in. then without warning I pushed Nico with full force back and ran like crazy to the Emo Cinderella castle. When I looked back I saw that Thalia was trailing shortly behind me not even breaking a sweat. Nico was at least 20 feet behind her. I wasn't getting any faster but unfortunately Thalia was. But finally I made it to the castle. A skeleton guard slowed me down enough for Thalia to tackle me the marble floor.
I don't remember hitting myself on the head but when I opened my eyes again of course I was tied to a tree, and disarmed. Thalia sat 10 feet in front of me, Indian style with her arms crossed. She looked at me like she couldn't decide if killing would solve any of her problems. Her eyes told a different story, she was crumbling to pieces on the inside. The only to cope was to disguise that emotion with another one or she really was pissed off at me.
"Percy lets just go home," Thalia's said in a voice barley above a whisper.
"There's nothing to go back to." I didn't want her to hear that but she did.
"Annabeth, wouldn't want you to be sad, you know that," Thalia said staring into my eyes. I sunk back against the tree, my head in my hands, I was thinking of plans to get around Thalia and to the castle in my head. Nico probably was waiting in the shadows waiting for me to do that. I surveyed the setting. We were back in Persephone's garden and I could see that there were hordes of skeleton guards blocking the door. I bet if Hades saw that he'd be furious and plow me a pathway to wherever it was that the soul trading process would commence. Hades would want to make it nice and easy for me to die and join his collection of souls.
What, Hades…
Uncle Hades I've made my decision can you meet me in Persephone's garden in 5 minutes.
I hoped that worked. I could see that Thalia was still waiting for any answer so I looked up at her and pretended that I had given up. Thalia wasn't stupid or anything anyone could tell that I wasn't going to give up.
"Nico!" she called and suddenly Nico appeared sword drawn between me and the castle in case I was crazy enough to run to the army without a weapon.
"Looking for this?" Nico smiling like he had thought of everything, he held up Riptide but quickly put in the sheath for his sword. It was smart because it took longer for it to reappear in my pocket when it was in sword form.
"Lets just leave," I reply grimly.
Thalia softly prodded me with her electric spear and whispered, "Sorry but just please understand that its because we can't let you die too."
Suddenly the temperature dropped 10 degrees. I felt claustrophobic even though we were in an open space. I felt fear emanating from a figure in a black smoke. When the figure stepped out I recognized it as Hades, right on time.
"I hear you've decided to save the hero, Annabeth," he said almost unable to contain his glee. I guess he was being so polite and everything so I wouldn't change my mind. How often do you have the chance to kill an annoying pestering nephew?
"Yes, yes I have."
Please tell me if you liked that chapter maybe be the second to last one? don't worry I believe in happy endings please review I love it when my phone buzzs and my friend stares at me like I'm a maniac obsessed with her phone (which I am)