Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter- and for the record I'd like to say that I think Percy should have been a lot more annoyed about the whole Hades sword debacle considering what happened last time someone stole from Hades in canon, so that will reflect in this. Also- you gotta love sibling bonds. Please read and review.
Bianca only narrowly missed hitting the eagle that burst out from the bushes, and then a figure burst out through them after it, stumbling and letting out a surprised noise.
"Percy what- Di immortals Bianca is that you?"
"Thalia?" Bianca lowered her bow again, "Okay. What in my dads name is going on here?"
"I just followed that eagle- it's my dads sacred animal I thought-" she spotted the golden deer and the hellhound and let out a breath, "You guys too?"
"Yep." Percy pressed her lips together, "Some god screwing with us?"
"That'd be my guess." Thalia shoved her hands into her pockets, "Didn't you have an exam?"
"Yeah, Mrs O'Leary crashed that-"
"Hah." Thalia snorted, "At least I was only on my way to a date-"
"Ugh, too much information-"
"I have literally said nothing." Thalia rolled her eyes, "But I could tell you how great a kisser-"
"GROSS!" Percy pressed her hands over her ears before yelping when she spotted something. "Mrs O'Leary no!" because the hellhound was in her pouncing stance, tail wagging eagerly- the eagle had flown off almost instantly- but the deer and the hellhound were still there- except much to her surprise the deer butted Mrs O'Leary's nose playfully before prancing backwards- and Percy's mouth dropped open as it turned into a game of keep away.
"Well that's not something you see every day." Thalia remarked after a long moment.
"And a friendly hellhound is?" Bianca raised an eyebrow and Percy laughed.
"For us it is."
"You know what, we get out of this in one piece and I'll see if Lady Artemis will give me a day off- maybe I'll bring Zoe and we can hang out-" she was cut off mid sentence as a cloud passed over the sun. The golden deer shimmered and disappeared, leaving Mrs O'Leary barking at a pile of leaves, and before the three girls could do anything a patch of darkness passed over the clearing and a boy tumbled out of it like he'd been tossed, landing in the grass at their feet.
A familiar voice, muffled from where it was pressed into the grass said "Ouch."
"Real smooth entrance." Bianca's voice was amused, "And here I thought you had more style than that." and Nico lifted his head quickly.
"Bianca?"
"Yep. And it's not just me."
"Okay." Percy frowned, "Why do I feel like something big is about to happen?"
"Because-" Bianca was helping Nico to his feet, "Someone brought all four of us to the same place at the same time."
"Percy? Thalia?" Nico frowned, "Okay... I don't like this either. I was just on my way home and then it was like the shadows dragged me here, and can I just say I've never been forcefully shadow travelled before and it wasn't fun."
"Shouldn't you have been in school?" Percy's eyes narrowed, and Nico flushed.
"Like you never skip-"
"Oooh, little Nico skipping school now. And why would you do that?"
"That's none of your business-" Nico was blushing bright red and his hand slipped into his pocket. "Shut up-"
"Hm. Sounds like someone's trying to keep a secret!"
"Is now the time?" Bianca's lips twitched slightly, "As much as I love teasing Nico I feel like it's not a good time, I mean- this is pretty weird."
"Who could have brought us here?" Thalia's eyes narrowed, "We need-"
Then the ground rumbled- and Nico drew his sword as Mrs O'Leary leaped backwards and barked in alarm.
Percy realized a moment too late that she was trying to warn them, because the ground was opening up beneath them and they were falling into darkness.
Percy let out a scream, reaching out, managing to catch Thalia's arm, and she could hear the others screams too, feel Thalia's nails digging into her arm when the other girl
managed to get a grip too.
And then- instead of as Percy half expected, falling for ages and then landing in a bunch of demigod pancakes, they were suddenly standing in a garden.
It took all four of them a long moment to stop screaming, Bianca was gripping Nico tightly and Nico was gripping his sword- and Thalia had her spear out at the ready.
Percy looked around slowly- it was definitely a garden- it was dark. Rows of silver flowers glowed faintly, reflecting off huge gemstones that lined the planting beds – diamonds, sapphires and rubies the size of footballs. Trees arched over them, their branches covered with orange blooms and sweet-smelling fruit. The air was cool and damp – but not like a New York winter. More like a cave.
Percy turned her head, gaze meeting Nico's. "I've been here before-"
"So have I." Nico gave a tight smile, "Back when I almost died."
"Persephone's garden."
"Don't eat anything." Nico's voice was sharp.
"Yes-" and all four of them whirled around to look in the direction of the voice- and stood there was a woman in a dress that billowed around her like smoke- it was made of all sorts of changing colours – red, blue and yellow flowers blooming in the fabric – but it was strangely faded, it looked almost white. Her long dark hair floated and curled as if it were weightless, and she was incredibly pale. "That would not be advised, as my step son says."
"Oh great." Nico's expression turned annoyed. "It's you."
And Percy shifted slightly at the cold look the goddess gave Nico- and Bianca went slightly pale too, her eyes widening when she realized who was in front of them.
"You're Lady Persephone." Thalia voiced their thoughts.
"Oh this is weird." Bianca muttered the words- and Nico was still glaring at the goddess.
"I thought you said if you saw me again you'd turn me into a dandelion." Nico sheathed his sword and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly not please."
"Yes, well things change." Persephone did look like she'd kind of like to turn him into a dandelion though, despite her words. "And you must be Bianca. The older sister."
"Yeah." the huntress looked nervous. "That would be me."
"Yes, well." She clapped her hands together, "In any case, demigods. I welcome you to my garden."
"Did- you send the deer?"
"And my eagle?" Thalia's eyes narrowed.
"Yes, and the shadow that collected Nico. And the hellhound."
"You controlled Mrs. O'Leary?" Percy's eyes narrowed. No one messed with her hellhound.
Persephone shrugged. "She is a creature of the Underworld, Persephone Jackson. I merely planted a suggestion in her mind that it would be fun to lead you to the park. It was necessary to bring you four together."
"Why?" Percy demanded, "What do you want with us?"
Persephone's gaze focused on Percy at that. "My husband likes you, Persephone Jackson. You helped him once before-"
"After he tried to kill me multiple times." Percy pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest, "When we were both being set up for something we didn't do. He's one of my favorite of the gods but that doesn't mean I appreciate being kidnapped. What does he want?"
"He has a problem. And if you know what's good for you, you will help him."
Percy looked at the others, biting her lip hard, and when they each gave small nods she spoke.
"We'll hear you out at the very least."
And within minutes they'd been led to a dark veranda overlooking the garden and they sat. Persephone's handmaidens brought food and drink, which none of them touched.
The handmaidens would've been pretty except for the fact that they were dead. They wore yellow dresses, with daisy and hemlock wreaths on their heads. Their eyes were hollow, and they spoke in the chittering bat-like voices of shades.
Persephone sat on a silver throne and studied them. "If this were spring, I would be able to greet you properly in the world above. Alas, in winter this is the best I can do."
"I wish it was spring." Nico muttered the words, "Then you wouldn't be here-" which earned him a dark look from the goddess, though she refrained from hurting him, which was something.
"I care not what you think boy. Hades is my husband and I would do anything for him. But in this case I need your help and quickly, and it concerns Lord Hades sword."
"Dad doesn't have a sword." Nico said quickly, eyes narrowing, "He uses a staff in battle, and his helm of terror-"
"Please tell me nothing's been stolen." Percy pulled a face, "Last time that happened was a nightmare- but- I can't remember anything about a sword either. Nico's right."
"He didn't have a sword," Persephone corrected.
Thalia sat up. "He's forging a new symbol of power? Without Zeus's permission?"
The goddess of springtime pointed. Above the table, an image flickered to life: skeletal weapon-smiths worked over a forge of black flames, using hammers fashioned like metal skulls to beat a length of iron into a blade.
"War with the Titans is almost upon us," Persephone said. "My lord Hades must be ready." "But Zeus and Poseidon would never allow Hades to forge a new weapon!" Thalia protested. "It would unbalance their power-sharing agreement."
Persephone shook her head. "You mean it would make Hades their equal? Believe me, daughter of Zeus, the Lord of the Dead has no designs against his brothers. He knew they would never understand, however, which is why he forged the blade in secret. Surely you understand-" her gaze swung to Persephone, "After all, he did not tell them when his helm was stolen because of their attitudes towards him."
"I mean, I know he said they wouldn't have cared and he probably wasn't that wrong I guess. I dunno."
The image over the table shimmered. A zombie weapon-smith raised the blade, still glowing hot. Something strange was set in the base – not a gem. More like…
"Is that a key?" Bianca's voice was hesitant, and Percy honestly felt sorry for her- this was Bianca's first time in her dads realm, she'd never actually had much to do with the
Underworld.
Nico made a gagging sound, his eyes almost bulging. "The keys of Hades?"
"Wait," Thalia said. "What are the keys of Hades?"
Nico's face looked even paler than his stepmother's. "Hades has a set of golden keys that can lock or unlock death. At least… that's the legend."
"It is true," Persephone said.
"How can you lock and unlock death?" Percy asked after a moment of hesitation.
"The keys have the power to imprison a soul in the Underworld,' Persephone said. 'Or to release it."
Nico swallowed. "If one of those keys has been set in the sword –"
"The wielder can raise the dead," Persephone said, "Or slay any living thing and send its soul to the Underworld with a mere touch of the blade."
They were all silent. The shadowy fountain gurgled in the corner. Handmaidens floated around them, offering trays of fruit and candy that would keep them in the Underworld forever.
"Uh-" Percy swallowed hard, "Cool sword?"
"It would make Hades unstoppable," Thalia agreed.
"So you see," Persephone said, "why you must help get it back."
Percy blinked once, twice, staring at the goddess before she stood up.
"Uh- Percy-" Nico's voice was nervous, "What-"
"Get it back?" Percy's voice was tight, "Get it back?"
Persephone's eyes were beautiful and deadly serious, like poisonous blooms. "The blade was stolen when it was almost finished. I do not know how, but I suspect a demigod, some servant of Kronos. If the blade falls into the Titan lord's hands-"
"For fuck sake!" Percy shouted the words, throwing her hands up into the air, "What was uncle Hades thinking?" She demanded, "What- did he not learn to keep a better eye on his things after Alabaster stole the helm?" she demanded "Seriously! After all I went through last time his lack of care got something stolen? And now you want us to fix the screw up-"
"Percy-" Thalia looked stunned at Percy's outburst. "Stop-"
"It's ridiculous! It's crazy! Why do you guys never learn!"
"Percy!" Nico stood up, grabbing Percy's arm and yanking her around to look at him, "Percy calm down-"
"Last time they got something like this stolen I nearly got tossed into Tartarus so forgive me for not being very calm!" Percy wanted to scream.
"Breath-" Thalia was grabbing her shoulders, "In and out-"
"What if Kronos already has it- as if I don't already have enough to deal with I have to worry about all this too-"
"Calm yourself." Persephone's voice was sharp, cutting over Percy's ranting, "The sword could not have left the Underworld yet. Lord Hades used his remaining keys to shut down the realm. Nothing gets in or out until he finds the sword, and he is using all his power to locate the thief."
"And let me guess." Percy glared at the goddess, "You want us to fix this screw up."