I took some leniencies with this chapter.
"But that doesn't mean I should feel guilty," the ghost goddess began to flicker at his lack of guilt.
"You always were a hard one to keep track of-" Melinoe cooed in a voice as sweet as sugar, but her words where cut short by Nico, who had grown tired of being held up. The son of Hades stabbed forward in a very Roman like manner, driving the sword straight through the ghost queen. Melinoe just smirked, but it was wiped from her face as she began to flicker and fade, all the while turning into grey vapour.
In the matter of a minute she was gone.
"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Bruce muttered as he began walking again.
Nico just smirked.
"What was that?" Steve asked watching as Percy took the lead.
"Melinoe," the SHIELD agent commented, voice solid and unwavering as ever, "goddess of ghosts; she can take on the appearance of the dead people in a person's life, using guilt and anger from the person as an ally or as an advantage in battle. She then uses this to destroy them."
"Cheery," Bruce added in.
"She'll be back," Nico swung his sword at his side as they came to the street where D.O.A rested, "stygian iron can only disperse her momentarily."
"We'll tell the others to be on a look out," Natasha nodded as she pressed into her ear piece.
Nico reached the building first and he pushed open the door. As ever the room was filled with the dead who looked all rather grim, and the grey walls, carpet and black seats weren't doing anything to lift the mood. Mozart played over head, clashing slightly with the words written on the doors NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING.
"This is where you go when you die?" At the moment Steve looked more grim then Hogun.
"Can nobody read the sign?" The man who stood behind the raised podium asked, pointing at the sign on the door with a chocolate coloured finger.
"Well, I for one can't," Percy shrugged as he walked up to the desk, "nice suit."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, demigod-" Charon gazed down at him, "oh, it's you."
"Don't sound so disgusted," Percy smirked a little bit.
"Right, how many of you are dead?" Charon pulled out an Ipad Mini from his suit pocket.
"That's knew," Percy commented.
"Thanatos gave it to him," Nico folded his arms over his chest, "they keep an updated list of the dead through ICloud."
"You've got to be kidding me," Natasha commented as she blew a piece of her hair out of her face.
"Right," Charon snapped the cover on the Ipad shut, "you were supposed to have died seventy years ago-" he stared at Steve with his dead eyes, "-and you-" he looked at Hogun "-are not even Greek. Go to Valhalla! Or Helheim, I don't care what one."
"Some of us need to go down," Nico commented dryly.
"What?" Charon and the others all asked at the same time.
"There are six of us. We put three down there, three up here. Protect all borders," Nico explained swiftly.
"Can't do that," Charon shook his head, "your father will have my head if I let anymore live ones down. He nearly blew a gasket after Heracles."
"Then I'll take them down myself," Nico turned to face everyone, "Romanoff and Banner are the best bets."
"Then go," Percy heard an explosion outside and saw Iron Man zoom past.
"Nuh uh, little man," Charon shook his head, "Boss is made enough as it is with all this going on-"
Nico had already shadow travelled through. He gripped Natasha's and Bruce's wrists tightly, focusing hard on his destination. They emerged in the Underworld, the sounds of screams from the field of punishment shattering the air, along with the loud squawking of the Fury's. The air smelt of dust, dirt and decaying flesh. It smelt like home to Nico.
"Never do that again," the watch on Bruce's wrist was beeping wildly.
"This is the Underworld?" from their position by the side of the River Styx they could only see the entrance and a part of the punishment fields. It did look a bit like the Christian representation of hell. The place gave Natasha the creeps- which was understandable- but it still unnerved her. It was cold, and it certainly didn't look like a cheery place. No pearly gates of clouds, just fire, stench and dirt. It really was Hell.
"Yep," Nico drew his sword and cocked his head to the side, listening, "the Fury's aren't happy."
"Fury's?" Natasha questioned.
"Punisher of women," Bruce finally seemed to be under control, "right?" he asked Nico.
"More like my father's personal servants," Nico began walking the banks, the other two following behind him. At the back of the large space of land Hades palace loomed over everything, "I wouldn't be concerned though-"
There was a loud crash to the west and Nico turned to the field of punishments. A rather large plume of dust was building, but he didn't pay it any head.
"Shouldn't we go check that out?" Bruce questioned as he continued to follow Nico who was making his towards the entrance.
"Unless you want to lose your lunch and your sense of smell, I suggest not," Nico turned and flashed a bright white smile, "that's the Field of Punishment."
There was another loud boom, this time from the east. Nico turned with wide eyes, instantly alerting the other two that something was wrong. A plume of fire filled the air over a set of beautiful looking islands. They listened as loud footseps came closer and closer towards them from behind the boundary's. Natasha nearly took a step back when a ten foot tall man jumped the fence, catching his orange jumpsuit pants on it, but easily pulling free.
"Bob," Nico actually took a step back this time, "good to see you buddy-"
"My name is Iapetus!" the large man roared angrily.
"Not good!" Nico eyed the large and sharp sword- not the Titans original- but none less deadly, "how'd you get your memories back."
"A more merciful goddess gave them back," Iapetus gave them an evil grin, "all I have to do is peirce a couple people-"
Natasha suddenly fired her gun, getting the Titan right between the eyes, but it just made him annoyed.
"I think I'm going to get you first," Iapetus growled at Natasha, beginning to advance forward.
"Now would be a good time to get angry!" Natasha yelled at Bruce.
"Right," Bruce muttered.
Nico drew his sword and the dagger he kept in always on him. It wouldn't do much, but it would help. He threw the dagger to Natasha, who caught it nimbly.
"Don't cut yourself," He muttered as he took a step back and watched as the timid doctor suddenly began crowing and expanding, turning large and green. It seemed the large Hulk didn't have any fear as he rushed forward to meet the Titan. Iapetus looked extremely confused and bewildered before he finally gained some common sense.
"Hulk can't beat that," Nico watched the battle go on, "Iapetus is a Titan."
"What do we do then?" Natasha tested the weight of the dagger in her hand. She wasn't surprised to find that it was perfectly balanced.
"The Styx," Nico gestured to the river that was filled with broken toys, slips of papers, and nearly everything you could imagine, "it should burn him up."
High above, the Fury's cried out in the horrible voices.
"Hey, Iapetus!" Nico shouted loudly to be heard over the fight between Hulk and the titan. Iapetus seemed a little worse for wear, but already Nico could see his wounds healing. Hulk, however, still wasn't slowing.
"You're next, son of Hades!" Iapetus roared.
"Why don't you just take care of me first?" Nico rested the point of his sword in the ground, "you're a Titan, I'm in my home field, I'd say it would be a fair fight."
"What are you doing?" Natasha hissed at him, holding the dagger defensively.
"Gods and Titans can't fight Demigods unless demigods make the first move," Nico pulled his sword out of the ground again. Inside the field of punishments, there was a huge explosions. People in the fields of asphodel where stirring. It didn't look good, "Hulk! Go smash anything that's alive in there." Nico pointed to the Fields on Punishment.
For a moment Hulk didn't seem to ready to abandon his fight. But a second later the large green thing jumped easily over the fence, leaving Nico to face Iapetus.
"Just you and me," Iapetus clasped his sharp weapon and Nico shuddered at the thought of being run through with that.
"With certain allowances," Nico clicked his fingers and Natasha shuddered a little as warriors of bone armed with everything from bayonets to machine guns appeared, "Romanoff, go to the islands over there and look for someone named Beckondorf. Tell them to defend whatever area they can."
"I'm not leaving you," Natasha stood up tall.
"I can handle him," Nico smiled at the plan forming in his mind, "GO!"
Natasha ran for her life, throwing a glance over her shoulder at Nico, before looking ahead. She had to trust him.
"Shall we begin?" Iapetus asked with a strange and disturbing smile.
"Bring it on, Bob," Nico taunted. That earned him an attempt at being pierced. The son of Hades slunk into the shaodws that always filled the Underworld, letting the skeleton soldiers distract the Titan for a moment. "So, Hel really gave you back your memories? You seemed like an okay guy without them," he taunted from the shadows, "even helped out my friend. Saved his life actually. His names Percy Jackson, you might know him."
"I would never help Perseus Jackson!" Iapetus growled, "stop hiding in the shadows child and come to fight me!"
Nico took a deep breath before emerging on the other side of the River Styx.
"The floor is yours," Nico gave a mocking bow, all the while gesturing for Iapetus to come and get him. The titan swiped at the skeletons before advancing right up to the banks of the river, "so, who's getting the water for Hel? They'd have to pretty brave. This river can burn you up in a split second."
"No one of concern to you," Iapetus finished the last skeleton and seemed to ready himself for jumping over the river, taking precautions, despite his size.
"Well, uh, yeah, they are kind of my concern," Nico gazed up at the rocky sky for a moment before smirking at Iapetus, "are you sure you can make it? That beer belly might weigh you down."
Iapetus finally got the courage to jump. Nico waited, tense and coiled slightly. While the Titan was still mid-air, Nico acted quickly, he sprung up, and putting all the force he could into his legs. The two of them met in the middle. Nico thrust his sword out and caught the Titan in the shoulder, while Iapetus' blade brushed his side, making a pain of fire erupt. Their impact caused them to both to begin to drop towards the dark murky depths.
Nico attempted to draw the shadows to him but Iapetus gripped tightly onto Nico, not letting him go.
It was unspoken.
If I'm going down, you're going down with me.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAh
I'm evil. And sucky. I'm two days past due. In my defence, on Saturday I thought it was Friday, but on Saturday it was my mother's birthday! So, yeah! Defence shields activate.