Chapter 25!

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"I will," Artemis said, quietly, after a moment. "Thank you," she told Apollo, stiffly, as he handed her the book.

'Lord Hades looked shocked, and for someone who usually hid his expression, that said a lot about how shocked Leo actually made him. He couldn't believe that a twelve year old, weak demigod, with no muscles to speak of, had managed to defeat five of his best fighters. Not one, five! None of the people he had set this task to had ever managed to defeat his warriors, not even the demi-gods that had been training for years had overcome his challenge.'

"Impressive," LT Chiron mused, softly.

"Very," his future counterpart agreed. "With a little bit more training, he could be the key to defeating Gaea."

'He was forced to admit that the demi-god standing in front of him could be a helpful alia, if he sent one of his minions to take his children out of the lotus hotel, Zeus would get suspicious, but if he sent a demi-god... Zeus wouldn't believe that he had gotten a son of one of his precious Olympians helping him, so wouldn't realise that Hades still had his children, not until his children were too strong for him to ignore. By that point they would have alias at camp, so Zeus couldn't kill them without causing a public outcry.'

"Clever plan, brother," the sea god murmured to the god of the dead.

'Yes, that would work very well, sent the son of Hephaestus to take his children out of that blasted hotel, and bring them to the underworld to train them. He would send them to camp, but Zeus wouldn't allow a cabin built for him. Especially to house children he wasn't supposed to have. So they would have to be trained in the underworld, and maybe he could persuade Valdez to introduce them to some of his friends, so they had support at camp.

He looked back to the demi-god who was still sporting a grin, first he would have to establish whether or not Valdez had taken his helm. He didn't much care about his brother's bolt. Zeus needed his head shrunk anyway, and what better way than having his precious weapon disappear from under his nose.'

Zues glared at the smug Hades.

'As long as it didn't end up going to their father, then he didn't care who had it.'

"He jinxed it," Leo mumbled.

'*Back to Leo's P.O.V

Leo was delighted at the shocked look on Hades's face, he bet that only happened once every millennia! He got a little worried though when he noticed Hades's face take on a calmer look, a manipulative look. "Very well Valdez, you have proven your skill, so I will honour my word. But..." Leo mentally groaned, he knew there was a but, there was always a but. "But, first I need proof that you did not steal my helm, or, I suppose, my youngest brother's bolt. So, give me an oath on the Styx, and I will fulfil my side of the bargin."

Leo grinned again, he might have known that the Shadows were just a test; he reckoned that if he couldn't swear on the Styx now, he would be killed regardless of the agreement. "I, Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, do solemnly swear, on the river Styx, that I am innocent of taking both the bolt, and Lord Hades's helm."

Leo couldn't be sure, but it seemed like Lord Hades was smiling at him, he shivered. His smile wasn't like Nico's, small and sweet; it was a grimace, looking scarier than the snarl did. Leo felt a little saddened by that, everyone should be able to smile. He felt a little pity for the Lord of the dead, and then wiped his mind of the emotion. Lord Hades wouldn't like to be pitied.

Lord Hades was talking again. "Your quest will be to collect two children and bring them to me." Leo felt his heart sink. Sure he had gotten out of it, or would get out, if Lord Hades kept his word, but to bring two people to him, two kids. He couldn't do that, not if they would get hurt.

"Sir, I can't do that, not if you're going to hurt them. Not kids."'

"Leo, what happened to respecting the gods?" Annabeth hissed.

"Do you blame me?" Leo asked.

Annabeth didn't respond.

'Leo braced for the purposed bolt of deathness, but it didn't come. He looked at Lord Hades and swore he could see approval in his eye, before his expression once more went scarily blank.

"Are you defying me demigod?" Lord Hades's voice rose to a shout, "You dare defy me!" Leo blinked, here came the bolt of deathness, but he had never expected Hades to sound so, Zeus like. It was weird how similar the two sounded.'

"DEMIGOD! I SOUND NOTHING LIKE HIM!" Zeus and Hades shouted in unison before turning to stare at each other.

Poseidon burst out laughing, but he shut up as soon as his brothers spun around the glare at him.

'Well they were brothers Leo supposed, so they would sound a little alike. Leo thought back to how future Nico had described his father, "He likes to pretend to be angry, to see people's reactions." Leo's eyes widened. Hades was playing with him!'

Hades humphed. "Damn you, demigod. Figuring out my tricks."

"I call it impressive," Hermes added. "After all, the gods haven't been able to figure them out."

'"I do not mean to defy you sir, but I can't bring two kids to the underworld before their time."

There it was again, definite approval. "And if I told you they would not be harmed?" Hades added in a quieter voice that still seemed to be vibrating with fury. But now that Leo knew what was going on, he could hear the humour behind the fake anger. His respect for Hades increased, who knew the depressed king of the underworld had a sense of humour?

"Then sir, I would fear them being tortured, and would still refuse." Leo could almost see the gears turning in Hades's mind. Maybe it was a child of Hephaestus thing.

"If I swore on the Styx that they would neither be tortured or killed?"

Leo thought it was about time to bring the charade to a close. "Then I would ask who the kids were, where to find them, and when you wanted them by."

Hades gave another grim smile, "I will want your word on the Styx that you make sure no god knows whose children they are." A bolt slotted into place in Leo's mind, whose children... It would be kids of the big three then, if Hades didn't want anyone to know, and the fact that he said he would swear on the Styx to not let them be hurt, then they must be his kids, which meant... Nico and Bianca!"

Leo spoke, "I swear on the river Styx, that I will tell no one the ancestry of the di Angelo's until such time I am allowed to speak of it." He looked challengingly at Lord Hades, who had frozen in his seat when Leo said "the di Angelo's". Hades leant forward, and stared intently at Leo, his gaze frighteningly intense.

"I, Lord Hades, ruler of the underworld, do so swear on the great river Styx, that the di Angelo's will never be harmed purposely, by me or any of my servants, except during training. I also swear on that same river, that as long as Leo Valdez holds true to his oath, I will not harm him, not permit any of my servants to do so."

Leo blinked at that, the surprise evident on his face. He had expected the parts about the Nico and Bianca, but not the part about Hades nor any of his servants hurting him. That was almost a quarter of all known monsters that were now not allowed to hurt him. Lord Hades was being surprisingly nice to him.'

Everyone was staring at the god of Death in amazement, but one glare later, and they were all shrinking away from him.

Artemis thought it would be best to continue reading.

'Hades again leant forward, and said in a much harsher voice. "Tell me how you knew of my children".

About ten minutes ago, Leo and Hades finally finished their discussion about life and death in general, and Leo asked if he could see Sally Jackson. Hades had looked at him suspiciously, but agreed to let him see her, as it wouldn't break any ancient laws, because she wasn't dead. Leo had also asked if normal food, brought into the underworld, had the same effect as having underworld food. Hades had looked at him surprised, before answering that it didn't. Leo had made him swear on the Styx on that though. He said he was willing to place his own life in Hades's hands, after his previous oath on the Styx, but he wasn't prepared to do the same with Percy's mom.'

"Thanks," Percy whispered.

Leo smiled. "No need."

'So there he was, standing outside one of the many rooms in Hades's palace that had skeletons guarding the door, with his backpack on, plucking up the courage to go in and say hello. He hadn't know Sally Jackson in the future, apart from the bias description he had from Percy, as Gaia had killed her just into the main war, to try and crush Percy's spirit.'

Percy froze.

"Don't worry, Perce. It's not going to happen this time; I promise," Leo told him.

Percy still looked shaken up, but he nodded.

'Suffice to say, it did not work. Leo raised his hand and knocked, then heard a strong, though slightly wavering voice say, "come in."'

"Who's next?" Artemis called.

"I'll read."

Everyone turned to stare at Dionysis in shock.

"What? I can't be curious?"

Artemis handed him the book.

"Chapter 23: In Which The Trio Arrive In The Underworld."

Dionysus is reading something that isn't a wine magazine and is about puny demigods? What has the world come to?