Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.
Story: Perseus and the Monster Force
Chapter 25: Death's Deal
Percy walked from the dining car toward the observation car when the hairs on his arm stood on end. He looked around to find the source of the dangerous feeling that washed over him. He looked at the observation car; the door to the car glowed with a strange light around its edges. Percy stared at it in wonder. Was he seeing things or was that light real, he thought? He closed his eyes and let his senses take over. He could hear talking in the observation room before the words came into focus. He froze when he heard the name Thanatos. His green eyes began to glow as he listened to the conversation. His instincts almost overloaded his mind, but Percy clamped down on the feeling before he turned into the wolf. The wolf was a much better fighter, but he wasn't the least bit subtle. No, Percy needed to do this himself. He couldn't always rely on the wolf. He walked toward the door and touched the handle. He took a deep breath and pulled the door open. He stepped inside with wide eyes when he saw the two skeleton warriors and the god of death before him. Annabeth and Thalia were seated, but Percy could smell their fear.
"Son of Daedalus," Thanatos said. He gave the boy a wry smile. "My master wishes to see you."
When Percy was younger the thought of Hades sent a shiver down his spine, but now, he didn't feel fear, only a slight trepidation. "Let my friends go and I'll go with you," Percy offered.
Thanatos watched the boy closely, but he couldn't sense any deception. "No deals, they will go with you or I will send them to the underworld the easy way," he said before he unsheathed his sword.
Percy eyed the minor god before him. "I thought you only helped people die peacefully and guided their souls to the underworld. When did you start killing people yourself?" Percy asked.
Thanatos looked a little uneasy at the question. "My daughter…" he began, but stopped. "It is no concern of yours."
Percy stepped closer to the god. The skeleton warriors growled as they pointed their guns at Percy. Percy raised his hands and smiled. "I'm not going to attack," he reassured. Percy stared into the golden eyes of Thanatos. "What about your daughter?"
Thanatos was about to yell at the boy, but something in the boy's eyes made the god feel that he could trust this child. He sighed. "Hades has my daughter. His minions have failed to take you, so he made me come after you."
"I'm sorry Thanatos," Percy said.
The god had never received any kindness or sympathy before. "Why are you being nice?"
Percy smiled; his canine teeth shined brightly in the light of the room. He turned and looked at Annabeth and Thalia. The two girls nodded; they knew what he was going to do. "If I come along peacefully, do you promise to bring Thalia and Annabeth with me unharmed?"
Thanatos never knew it could be this easy. "I promise," he said with a surprised expression on his face.
Percy put his hands in his pockets. Thanatos raised his hands and ordered the skeletons to lower their weapons. As the skeletons lowered their guns Percy pulled two throwing knives from his pockets and threw them at the skeletons. The blade cut through the skeleton's hands before the creature's dropped their guns. As the guns hit the floor Percy was engulfed into a golden light. Thanatos stood in shock as the black wolf jumped out of the light as it faded. The wolf moved with such speed that the skeletons had no time to react. The wolf struck the first skeleton knocking the monster through the window and off the train. The other skeleton moved toward Annabeth, but the wolf pinned the creature to the ground. The wolf reached down and grabbed the skeleton by the neck before it tore the creature's head off. The wolf threw the head, and then the rest of the body out the broken window. The wolf turned toward Thanatos with his mouth open showing off his white and dangerous teeth. Thanatos looked terrified; he knew what this creature could do.
"You said that you would come with me," Thanatos said.
The sides of the wolf's mouth curled into an evil looking smirk. "I said that we would go with you. I never said the skeletons would come and I never said in which form I would go with you," the wolf said with his gravelly voice.
Thanatos nodded. His golden eyes were twice their normal size. "Sta…stand around m-me," he stammered.
Annabeth and Thalia stood and smiled at the wolf. They stood around Thanatos like he said. The wolf walked up to Thanatos. The creature was bigger than the last time Thanatos had seen him. The wolf's glowing green eyes looked into the golden eyes of the god of death. "Break your promise and I'll break you," the wolf threatened. Thanatos gulped visibly. The god, the wolf and the two demigods dissolved into the shadows. They appeared in the edge of the river Styx next to a small wooden dock.
Annabeth and Thalia shivered as they looked around at the underworld. The river flowed with the broken promises and shattered dreams of mortals. They could hear the screams of the dead and it sent shivers down their spines. Thanatos walked onto the dock and ran the old celestial bronze bell that hung from a wooden pole on the dock. A mist grew in the center of the river; a few moments later and old wooden gondola appeared through the mist. A man in a charcoal color robe with a hood pushed the boat forward with a long pole. The boat moved toward the dock until it settled against the wooden platform. The ferryman looked up his face was translucent and you could see his glowing white bones beneath the flesh, his eyes were black and devoid of life.
"Charon, we need passage across the river," Thanatos said.
Charon looked up. His translucent skin turned opaque before it became a creamy white color. Sunglasses appeared on his face and his robe disappeared. He was now dressed in an Italian three piece suit. "Thanatos, why do you need my help?"
Thanatos frowned. "Our master would like to see these… a… people," he said as he looked away from the girls and toward the wolf.
Charon looked at Annabeth and Thalia. He nodded, but when his gaze settled upon the wolf his sunglasses almost dropped from his face. "I can't take a wolf on my boat," he said in outrage.
The wolf stepped toward the boat. He leveled his piercing gaze on the ferryman. "Why can't you?" he said.
The wolf's voice made Charon shake with fear. "No offense… a… sir," he said quickly. "I don't have enough room on here."
The wolf looked at the small boat before he growled in frustration. He began to glow before the twelve year old boy stood before the ferry boat. Charon's coal black eyes were even bigger now. Thanatos cleared his voice. "Can we get aboard now?" he asked impatiently. Charon nodded. Thanatos, Annabeth and Thalia climbed aboard. Percy looked at the water and frowned. He stepped onboard, but his green eyes never left the black eyes of Charon. "No tricks boatman," Percy said. Charon nodded quickly before he began to move the boat across the river. They reached the other side in record time.
Annabeth and Thalia disembarked. Thanatos turned and looked at Charon, but his gaze fell upon the boy. Percy glared at the god of death. Thanatos looked away quickly and climbed out of the boat. Percy stared at the boatman. "Wait here; we'll be back," Percy said.
Charon chuckled. "No one returns from Hades," he said.
Percy stepped toward the immortal boatman. Percy's eyes glowed green. "Hades won't want me to stay," Percy said, but his voice was that of the wolf. Charon's mouth hung open in shock. "I won't leave without my friends." Charon nodded before the boy climbed out of the boat. Percy turned toward Thanatos with a dangerous look in his eyes. "Lead on Death."
Thanatos nodded before he led the way toward Hades's palace. They passed ghosts and other creatures, but one look from Percy sent them away. They reached the gates where Cerberus guarded the entrance to Hades's palace. The three headed dog paid no attention to Thanatos, but it growled when it saw Thalia and Annabeth. Percy stepped in front of his friends. The guard dog stared at the boy, but when it sniffed the air all three pairs of eyes widened with fear as the dog remembered its fight with the wolf. Cerberus whimpered and crept away from the boy. Thanatos just stared at Percy with a shocked expression.
"He remembers me," Percy said. His voice was now a mix of the wolf's and the boy's. "Lead on."
Thanatos nodded and led the three heroes to the black stone fortress that was Hades's palace. He walked up to the Stygian iron door and grabbed one of the knockers that were in the shape of a Hellhound. He knocked on the door. The sound echoed through the underworld. The door creaked open to reveal the dark and dreary inside. The walls held no pictures or tapestries. The place was lonely and sad. Thanatos led the group to the throne room. He swung open the door and led the group in front of the two thrones; the largest throne held a man in a black Italian suit. His hair was greasy and he had a black goatee. His eyes were two swirling pools of darkness. Thanatos bowed along with Thalia and Annabeth. Percy stood straight and glared at the son of Kronos.
Hades smiled fiendishly at his lieutenant and the two demigods that bowed before him. He looked at Percy and frowned when he saw that the boy didn't bow toward him. "You dare disrespect me in my own realm," Hades spat.
Percy stepped closer to his uncle. "I don't like people, monsters or gods being sent after me and my friends," he said dangerously. Annabeth and Thalia smiled when Percy called them his friends.
Hade's pale face turned red. "Who do you think you are boy?" Hades yelled. Percy's body began to glow again until the giant wolf stood before the god of the dead. Hades nearly fell off his throne at the sight.
The wolf growled viciously. "My human form is known as Perseus Jackson, adopted son of Daedalus, birth son of Poseidon, Greek god of the seas and birth son of Lupa, the Roman goddess of wolves and the Mother of Rome. In this form you can call me the Wolf," he said.
Hades's dark eyes widened. The creature before him was the son of his brother and a Roman goddess. "You are an abomination," he yelled as he stood from his throne.
"Yes I am," the Wolf said proudly as he stalked toward Hades. Hades froze when he looked into the wolf's glowing green eyes. He raised his hand and sent a blast of shadow at the wolf, but the creature jumped through it unharmed.
"I am a wolf; I can live in the shadows," the Wolf said. He was now leaning over the god. Hades just stared at the giant white fangs that were now at his eyes level. "I could rip you to shreds, but I have bigger problems than an uncle that holds grudges." The Wolf stepped away from the throne. "You don't have any of the weapons, do you?" the Wolf asked.
Hades took a few deep breaths in order to regain his composure. Never had he ever been shaken to his core in such a way before. He definitely didn't like it, but for the first time he felt admiration for one of his brother's children. "No, my helm is missing," he said.
The Wolf stopped pacing. "I see. Kronos is rising. He has many allies," the Wolf said.
Hades sat on the edge of his throne. "He can't be. I would know," he yelled as he looked around his throne room.
"So, you know everything that happens in Tartarus?" the Wolf asked mockingly.
Hades gritted his teeth. "Damn him. I will see him in the deepest part of the pit," Hades yelled. Hades looked at his nephew curiously. "What allies?"
"The native American god Coyote for one," the Wolf said.
"Coyote," Hades repeated.
"Yes, he wants to punish the Olympians and humans for the way they have treated the earth," the Wolf said.
Hades chuckled. "The fool believes he can trust my father," Hades said.
The Wolf growled. "Kronos can be very persuasive as you know," he replied. Hades nodded.
"What would you have me do?" Hades asked.
"Confirm what I've told you and inform the Olympians. They must be made aware of these happenings. Zeus will not believe until it stares him in the face. We cannot wait for that to happen," the Wolf explained.
Hades just stared at the giant black wolf in front of him. "What about the weapons?" he asked.
The Wolf stared at Annabeth and Thalia. "We are on a quest. We will return the weapons. I will call the Furies when we have recovered them. Make them ready for my signal," the Wolf said.
"What signal?" Hades asked curiously.
"They will know when it is called," the Wolf said. "One more thing," Hades watched the wolf. "I want you to return Thanatos's daughter and leave Thalia and Annabeth alone."
"How dare you order me around?" Hades yelled.
The wolf howled loudly. The glass in the room broke and sounds of Hellhounds howling throughout the underworld echoed through the room. "Don't test me uncle," the Wolf said. "We will return your weapon. Swear on the Styx that you will return the girl and that you will stop your vendetta against Thalia and Annabeth." Hades's dark eyes were narrowed, but he knew the wolf was his only shot at getting back his weapon. Hades nodded before he swore on the Styx as the wolf suggested.
The wolf began to glow again; the boy appeared in his place. He bowed toward Hades with a wicked smile on his face. "We will return your weapons," Percy said. Hades nodded. A little girl with dark brown skin and coal black hair ran out from behind his throne. Thanatos caught the little girl in his arms before he began to cry. He turned to Percy with a thankful smile on his face. Percy turned back toward his uncle. "Thank you my lord." Percy bowed toward his uncle. Hades was a little taken aback by the gesture. He waved his hand; Percy, Thalia and Annabeth disappeared into the nearest shadows.
"Thank you my lord," Thanatos said.
Hades nodded grimly. "I hope that boy gets my weapon," he said.
AN: Percy and the girls had a much faster trip to the underworld than anticipated, but now they know that Hades doesn't have the weapons. Hades learned not to cross the wolf. Stay tuned more to come