AN 8/28/15: Hello! So this is the long awaited chapter. I am eager to hear your responses after reading this. It is an extra long chapter too, as I wanted these events to be in one chapter together. Thanks for the reviews, glad to know some of you guys wanted to read more! I have decided to have a wrap-up "chapter" after the contents of the story is posted, informing you about what is next, even if it is discouraged to just have an AN chapter with no content. I have a bit of writer's block at the moment for the second book, so you will have to hang in there when the time comes. Anyway, enjoy!

After the swarm of security ghouls "decided" to move their search to another area of Asphodel we left the poplar. I felt a slight drain on my brain from subtly "helping" their decision but with the boost being down here gave me it wasn't an issue. We traveled over the black, trampled grass, squished my eons of dead feet. A warm, moist wind blew through the air like what you would feel at a swamp. More black poplars, like the one we hid in, dotted the landscape and the whispers of the souls around us trying to communicate surrounded us.

I found part of my mind was drifting through the different spirits around us, some part of me half hoping to sense someone familiar, but no such luck. Asphodel was huge. As we walked, the idle information of the different spirits stories were there for me to browse through. All it would take was for me to focus in on one soul in particular. For the most part I also managed to avoid the ghosts trying to chat with me, but I had to give one or two a glare or shoo one with a shooing away gesture with my hand to send them away.

The cavern ceiling was so high above us that it often looked like it could have passed for a bank of storm clouds, minus the stalactites that broke through. They glowed a faint grey and looked very, very pointy. A few fallen ones were littered across the fields. I saw the others looking up nervously once or twice, fearing them coming lose and falling on us, but I wasn't worried. I would be able to sense it before it happened. We passed a black tented pavilion with a banner that read:

Judgments for Elysium and Eternal Damnation

Welcome, Newly Deceased!

Out of the pavilion snaked two lines, one to Elysium, and the other to the Fields. That particular one was flanked in some of the security ghouls we had seen before to guard for runaways. You could just make out the Isles of the Blest within Elysium from where we stood.

"That's what it's all about," Annabeth said a bit dreamily. "That's the place for heroes." There were very few in the Isles. Then a sudden thought struck me. What if Nick had chosen to be reborn if he died? I would never have the chance to see him again then. I felt a pit form in my stomach, I hadn't thought of that before. I had always just hoped that it would work out that I didn't even let myself think of that possibility. I swallowed hard, there would be some record of it then if he did. I could find out.

After a few more minutes of walking in silence my father's palace came into view. The black obsidian palace of myth. Around the parapets swirled the Furies. I got the feeling they were waiting for us to arrive and I found myself tapping my fingers against my leg next to my sword. There was such a sense of foreboding.

"I supposed it's too late to turn back," Grover said wistfully.

"We'll be okay." I comforted. I saw Annabeth send me a look but I didn't meet it. I would make sure they would be, me, maybe not as great a chance.

"Maybe we should search some of the other places first," Grover suggested. "Like, Elysium, for instance.."

"Come on, goat boy." Annabeth said as she grabbed his arm. All of a sudden he yelped, his sneakers sprouting wings and his legs shot forward, pulling him from Annabeth's grasp. He landed flat on his back in the trampled grass.

"Grover," Annabeth reprimanded. "Stop messing around."

"But I didn't-" He yelped again. His shoes were flapping like crazy now. They levitated off the ground and started dragging him away from us.

"Maia!" He yelled, but the magic word didn't have any visible affect. "Maia, already! Nine-one-one! Help!"

I cursed under my breath and took off after him, drawing the sword at my side in the process. Percy tried to take one last grab at Grover's hand but it was too late. He was picking up speed fast, skidding down the hill. Percy and Annabeth quickly followed, taking off downhill.

"Untie the shoes!" Annabeth shouted to him.

It was a smart idea, had he not been flying across bumpy ground while being dragged hooves first. We kept after him, straining to keep him within sight as he ripped between the legs of spirits who chattered at him in annoyance. I thought he was about to barrel straight into the gates of the palace but his shoes veered sharply to the right and dragged him in the opposite direction.

The slope was getting steeper and Grover was picking up speed. We had to sprint to keep up, the boost of energy I got from being in my father's domain helping push me ahead of the others. The cavern walls narrowed on either side, like we had just entered a tunnel. Then I sensed something really bad, very close by. It was like a cesspool of negativity and misery ahead. I got a really, really bad feeling about where Grover was heading. It even smelled of evil.

"Grover!" Percy yelled, his voice echoing. "Hold onto something."

"What?" He yelled back. He was grabbing at the gravel but there was nothing big enough for him to grab onto without it slipping out from under his fingers, the tunnel narrowing as we went. The tunnel grew colder and darker the further we got, the hairs on my arms bristled. Darkness. That gave me an idea. I mapped out where Grover would be flying past in my head and yelled.

"Get ready!" I dove into the shadow of a stalagmite. I felt the cold rush and eerie sounds of shadow travel, then I came out a few feet in front of Grover's path and I leaped at him. I tackled him sideways and made a desperate swipe at the wings of the shoes. I managed to cut off one wing and tear into the fabric of the shoe slightly without harming Grover. We slowed down a bit but our momentum kept us going as I clutched his arm, the remaining wings still beating away. My added weight slowed them a little but then we hit a steeper slope and that went out the window.

Ahead the tunnel widened into a huge dark cavern. In its center was a chasm the size of a city block. Tartarus. I managed to swing the arm holding my sword around and swat at the shoe I had loosened and that was able to knock it off his hoof but my arm was quickly swung around again, trying to drag behind me. I tried to dig my toes into the ground but we just kept going.

I heard Percy and Annabeth have a brief "conversation", if yelling counted. I was still desperately trying to drag my feet into the ground as I held on tight to slow us him down but the slope was against it.

Grover managed to grab onto a big rock as we hit it and use it as an anchor. We were so close to the edge of the pit now. When Grover jolted to a stop with the rock his arm was torn from my grasp and I ended up tumbling further down the slope, rolling closer and closer to the edge.

I realized in a panic between my glimpses of the pit as I rolled that at this speed I would end up going straight into the chasm. I made a split second decision and let go of my regular sword and grasped my necklace. The instant my knife formed I struck it into the ground with all my might and felt the sharp tug that accompanied this power use along with a jolt in my shoulder. I felt myself slam into the quickly erected barrier of earth that caused my abrupt stop, loose gravel showering me. I heard the clank as my sword fell into the pit, hitting rocks or something on the way down, lost forever.

I lay there, panting for a moment, just looking at how close I had been to falling into that pit. I was sure by the ache in my shoulder and soreness in my back that I would have some nice bruises from this escapade. Grover's second shoe whizzed past, taking the time to smack my head on its way over the edge-it was just a mere foot away. I realized I was still too close to the edge for comfort and scrambled back up the slope just as Percy ran forward and grabbed my arm, pulling me upright and into him, dragging me further from the pit and over to Annabeth and Grover.

I was gasping for breath at this point. All of this high speed running, the short shadow jump, and the quick wall of earth, just high enough to stop me from rolling over it. Even with the boost I was still tired.

We didn't speak, we all just collapsed, exhausted onto the obsidian gravel. At first I thought Percy was shaking, but then I realized that was just me. He still had me in his grasp, his fingers tight around my arms to make sure I didn't somehow fall into that pit. I leaned back against him, trying to catch my breath and he wrapped his arm around me. Grover and I were a bit scratched up, and I knew I would have some bruises, but nothing too bad. His eyes had gone slit-pupiled, goat style, like they did whenever he was terrified.

I pulled off the sword sheathe still hanging at my side, useless now, knuckles white, the severity of the situation hitting me.

"I don't know how.." Grover panted. "I didn't.."

"I don't know how you did that, but it was usef-" Percy started to say to me, then stopped. "Wait, listen." He shushed. We all quieted down and listened. There was something-a deep whispering in the darkness. Another few seconds and I realized what it was.

"Percy, this place-"

"Shh," He let go of me and stood. The sound was getting louder, the muttering of the voice from the pit, far, far below us. Kronos.

Grover sat up. "Wh-what's that noise?"

I could tell Annabeth heard it, I could see it in her eyes. "Tartarus. The entrance to Tartarus." She said in shock.

Percy uncapped his sword, Anaklusmos expanding, gleaming in the darkness. The voice faltered for a moment but then it continued its chant. I could make out faint words now, but I couldn't understand them. They sounded much older than ancient Greek. Very, very old.

"Magic," Percy said in realization.

Then I realized what he was trying to do. "We're leaving! NOW!" I stood up as fast as I could, threw away my now useless sword sheathe, and started pulling them to get away from the pit. They snapped out of it and we helped drag Grover to his hooves, starting back up the tunnel. I may not be able to understand those words, but I knew his intent. He had planned on one of us to fall. Percy was moving slower though, like something was weighing him down. The voice grew louder and angrier behind us and we broke into a flat out run, and not a moment too soon.

A blast of wind pulled at our backs, almost like simulating the pit inhaling. For a terrifying moment we lost ground, our feet slipping across the gravel. We struggled forward and finally reached the top of the tunnel where it emptied into Asphodel. Had we been any closer... The wind died and a wail of outrage echoed from deep in the tunnel and I felt a flash of pain in my head, causing me to wince and bring my hand to my temple. Kronos was not happy about us getting away.

"What was that?" Grover panted once we had reached the relative safety of a poplar grove. "One of Hades' pets?" I resisted the urge to snort. That thing was far from a pet. As it was, the three of us shared a look as Grover tried to catch his breath. I knew Annabeth had already begun to piece together what was truly in the pit, but I knew she was too scared to share it.

"Let's keep going." Percy said as he capped his sword and put the pen back in his pocket, then looked to Grover. "Can you walk?"

He swallowed. "Yeah, sure. I never liked those shoes, anyway." He tried to sound brave about the whole thing, but he was trembling as badly as the rest of us.

As we came closer to the familiar black palace my thoughts turned to those shoes and just how. Those shoes.. Percy was told not to trust the gifts. That must have been what the Nereid meant. But that didn't seem entirely compete. Then I remembered who they told me gave Percy the shoes in the first place. Luke.

"Son of a gorgon, intrigante stronzetto, no good little-" I muttered to myself but then Percy heard.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." I felt my anger grow toward the son of Hermes. He had expected Percy to be the one wearing those shoes during the quest. He had planned on them dragging my little brother into Tartarus, to Kronos. That backstabbing little.. So many words to finish that sentence filled my mind but none of them seemed to fit exactly how I was feeling toward that traitor, I was seething with evil thoughts toward that kid. I felt some of the shadows curl around my feet with my growing anger. Once I got back to camp, and I would sure as heck make sure I did for this, that kid would be done.

There was still that little bit in the back of my mind though that said maybe it was just Kronos who set the shoes up once we got closer to the pit. I had to be one-hundred percent sure that Luke was the traitor before I acted. Either way, had Percy been dragged into the pit, like hell I wasn't going in after him.

I absently noticed the two-story-tall bronze gates we were passing through. The familiar engravings of scenes of death welcomes us, ones that had come to pass, yet to pass, and ones that have even passed in the time I was gone that now made sense. All etched thousands of years ago.

Multicolored mushrooms, poisonous shrubs, and luminous plants that grew without sunlight in my step mother's garden were laid out to our sides along the path. Glittering jewels and the petrified children, satyrs, and centaurs smiling grotesquely. I don't know why she wanted those there, but not my problem.

"The garden of Persephone," Annabeth said, but it sounded distant. "Keep walking." The tart smell of pomegranates wafted into reach. I should get some seeds in case of an emergency. We were walking up the steps of the palace, between black columns, through the black marble portico, and into the House of Hades.

I drifted out of my thoughts and back to what was happening now in a snap once I saw the skeletons in military gear guarding the side doorways. It was game time. Things were about to change majorly and I had to be ready. No going back. Now I had to be able to get out of here to warn Chiron, not just about Luke trying to kill us, but about Kronos - a growing darkness. The skeletons were carrying spears, muskets, and assorted military rifles. None of them bothered us but their hollow eye sockets followed us as we walked down the hall, even closer to the big set of doors that lead to the throne room.

I stayed in the back of the group when we came up to the two U.S Marine skeletons guarding the doors, grinning down at us, rocket grenade launchers held across their chests forming a kind of X at the tips.

"You know," Grover mumbled. "I bet Hades doesn't have trouble with door-to-door salesmen."

Percy re-adjusted his backpack strap and said, "Well, guys, I suppose we should.. knock?"

A hot wind blew down the corridor and the doors swung open, guards stepping aside. Always one for intimidation. Totally related to Zeus.

"I guess that means entrez-vous." Annabeth said and she cast me back a nervous look. I nodded to her reassuringly, I had their backs, even if it was their quest.

Inside, my father was resting on his throne of human bones in his super godly height. He was dressed in black silk robes and a crown of braided gold. He looked just like how I remembered him from all those years ago; albino white skin, shoulder-length jet black hair, radiating power - maybe just a bit extra for that more intimidating feel. The way he sat made him look lithe and graceful, like a dangerous panther. His commanding aura immediately hit everyone in the room, his intense eyes looking down at us. As he looked over the group, his gaze passed over me as if I was just any other demigod, which I found strange. It was almost like how Alecto had acted at Yancy.

"You are brave coming here, Son of Poseidon." He said. I saw Annabeth look between me and my father nervously. "After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply very foolish." Percy looked like he had grown tired all of a sudden, his eyes drooping. I focused on his energy and felt my father's aura focusing on him and I did my best to try and take the edge off it, but Percy fought it nonetheless and stepped forward.

"Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests." He raised an eyebrow and leaned forward in his throne, his movement making the faces of torment in the sink very visible.

"Only two requests?" Hades said. "Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken enough. Speak, then. It amuses me to not strike you dead yet."

I had my hand ready, prepared between going for my necklace and my bracelet. I saw Percy swallow hard and cast a nervous look back at us, then to Persephone's throne. I don't know if that would be such a great idea if he was hoping for her to be here. He probably thought that from the stories she would calm him, but with me here though, that concept was iffy at best.

Annabeth cleared her throat, her finger prodding Percy in the back.

"Lord Hades," he continued. "Look, sir, there can't be a war among the gods. It would be.. bad."

"Really bad," Grover added helpfully and I resisted the urge to facepalm.

"Return Zeus's master bolt to me," Percy forged on. "Please, sir. Let me carry it to Olympus."

Dad's eyes grew dangerously bright and I crept a little closer to Percy. "You dare keep up this pretense, after what you have done?"

Percy glanced back at us again. This just confirmed my suspicion about the Helm.

"Um.. Uncle. You keep saying 'after what you've done.' What exactly have I done?"

The throne room shook with a tremor so strong, it was without a doubt felt upstairs in L.A. Debris fell from the cavern ceiling, showers of rocks ranging from pebble sized to person sized. Luckily none too close. Doors burst open all along the walls and skeletal warriors marched in, hundreds of them, from time periods all throughout history. They lined the perimeter of the throne room, blocking the exits.

"Lord Hades," I tried but he cut me off with a bellow.

"Do you think I want war, godling?" Percy glanced around the room nervously, taking in all the warriors and I saw Annabeth ready her hand to take out her knife.

"You are the Lord of the Dead," Percy said carefully. "A war would expand your kingdom, right?"

"A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Do you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel Fields?"

"Well.." Percy started to say but he was cut off.

"Have you any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in the past century alone, how many subdivisions I've had to open? Do you know what happened to the last child of one of my brothers who said a thing like that? He had a meeting with me, send down the easy way. Ideas like that are what have always gotten my children killed!" Annabeth's mouth dropped a bit and I stood there, frozen.

"She would have been the one to end that type of slander, but that fool.." Hades muttered under his breath, shaking his head slightly. "More security ghouls," he continued louder now. "Traffic problems in the judgment pavilion. Double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson."

"Lord H-" I was cut off from my attempt to stop his anger before he blew someone up.

"I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!"

"Charon wants a pay raise." Percy blurted. Idiot.

"You were the thief on the winter solstice," he went on. "Your father thought to keep you his little secret. He directed you into the throne room on Olympus. You took the master bolt and my helmet. Had I not sent my Fury to discover you at Yancy, Poseidon might have succeeded in hiding his scheme to start a war. But you have been forced into the open. You will be exposed as Poseidon's thief, I will have my helmet back!"

"Lord Hades!" I finally yelled, catching his attention. I swear, sometimes he is like a kid when he gets going. I stepped in front of Percy and my friends protectively. With his temper at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if he killed them with just his aura. As it was, his head snapped to look at me, eyes wide, probably finally recognizing me, or realizing I was there. It was like snow being pushed away from a window, his vision became sharper and focused in on me.

"Allison," he breathed. He his size down to his original ten-foot-tall appearance and took a half-step forward. "But, you were gone, your soul lost to me."

"Lord Hades,"

"I cursed that murdering son of Zeus to the Fields for all eternity for what he did, but you are here now. How?" I saw my friends eyes grow wide, Percy's face especially going pale.

"Lord Hades, I don't know how, I-"

"Should you not address me properly? You were to be the one to set things right, to stop all of the hatred toward my children. But that fool interfered, and now you are with the enemy? They have turned you against me! I will make them pay for what they have done to you, starting with these godlings right here. Then on to my brothers!" I can see him getting ready to sic his skeletal army on us, I had to put a stop to this.

"Father!" I finally yelled, taking out my original weapons, ready for the inevitable assault. I clutched my sword in one hand, dagger in the other. I heard a gasp from someone behind me.

"Allison, what..." Percy couldn't even finish the question. He tried to put his hand on my shoulder but I stepped away.

"I will take care of him, but you three need to get out of here now and as far away as you can get. Use the pearls!"

"The boy is the thief! He has already come down here to try and threaten me with the master bolt." Hades seethed, pointing to Percy's backpack. Percy's jaw dropped and he quickly set down the bag and opened it. Inside was a two-foot-long metal cylinder, spiked on both ends, humming with pure energy.

"Percy, how-" Annabeth asked, finally speaking.

"I-I don't know. I don't understand. There must be a mistake."

"Ares." I hissed under my breath. That traitor, working for Kronos? "You three, get out of here NOW! Get that to Olympus." I told them and they finally listened as my father told his army to start advancing, closing us in like a pack of hungry dogs, so close to their prey. They took out the three pearls.

"But, Allison, we can't just leave you down here!" Percy said in desperation. I knew he was confused with all this new information, but he still wanted to protect me. I felt a warmth blossom in my stomach.

"Percy, I will be fine. Just go, I will meet up with you later. Take the bolt to Olympus, stop the war. That's top priority." High above us there were the Furies, swooping down. They perched on the back part of my father's throne. Alecto, Mrs. Dodds, grinned at us eagerly and flicked her whip.

"A mistake, demigod?" Hades roared. The skeletons readied their weapons, taking another step forward, some of them chattering their teach in anticipation. "There is no mistake, I know why you have come-I know the real reason you brought the bolt. You came to bargain for her." He let lose a ball of gold fire from his palm. It exploded on the steps before us and there was Sally, frozen in a shower of gold, just as she was at the moment when the Minotaur began to squeeze the life from her.

"Yes," My father said with satisfaction. "I took her. I knew, Percy Jackson, that you would come to bargain with me eventually. Return my helmet and my daughter, and perhaps I will let her go. She is not dead, you know. Not yet. But if you displease me, that will change."

I cursed silently, now Percy really wouldn't leave.

"Percy, don't do it. I know what you're thinking, but don't. I will get Sally out of here, I promise. Get your butts out of here and return that stupid bolt. Annabeth, Grover, remember your promise. No matter what, don't come back for us, we will be fine. You need to trust me. Now crush the damned pearls or so help me.. 'And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.' Percy, the prophecy saw this." I warned, looking him dead in the eye. He swallowed and relented, giving me a small nod.

"Destroy them! Spare my daughter, but kill the rest! Percy Jackson, your skeleton will lead my army out of the Underworld!" My father shouted, extending his hand for his forces to attack. The skeletons rushed forward, bayonets, spears, and swords pointed forward, some staying back to shoot at us. The Furies launched from their perches, Mrs. Dodds eyeing Percy with malice, her whip bursting into flames. I backed up to protect them as they stepped on their pearls.

Mrs. Dodds swooped down and I rolled off a hair-tie and shot it, nailing her in the eye and causing her to spiral down. I saw a burst of green light and felt a gust of sea wind blow past me as the pearl fragments shattered. As I went to chop off a skeleton's arm that was reaching for Annabeth, they were suddenly encased in milky white spheres. The spheres started to float off the throne room floor as I held off the ground forces. Spears and bullets now sparked harmlessly off the pearl bubbles and fell back down as they floated up. One of the spears almost impaled me but I cut down a skeleton to make room to doge.

Father yelled in such a rage that the entire fortress shook. I felt bad for the people above in L.A. My last view of my friends was them looking down at me with sad, torn eyes. Percy was reaching out slightly to me but then his bubble, along with the other two, merged with the cavern ceiling, vanishing from sight.

Once they were gone the skeletons stopped. The Furies landed around me, blocking me from leaving the throne room. Mrs. Dodds/Alecto was giving me the evil eye, the eye I hit twitched. I turned toward my father, not yet sheathing my weapons. I brushed a stray strand of hair from my face and said, "Let me explain."

He balled his fists and let out a long breath, then looked up at me. "How could I have not seen you before?" He asked, then turned to Alecto. "Alecto! By chance, was that 'escaped soul' you tried to kill near Jackson, my daughter?" He had a dangerous look in his eye.

"M-my Lord, I didn't.. I-" She started saying but he cut her off with a withering glare. She shrunk a little under it.

"Look who is in trouble now, Miss. Dodds." I mocked, unable to resist the opportunity.

"Off with you three! Leave us!" They took to the air hurriedly, not wanting to face my Father's anger. I lowered my weapons.

My father shrunk down to the size of a normal human and walked up to me.

"Tell me." Was all he said as he rubbed his temples. I put away my weapons and began to tell him all of what happened.

"Father, those were my friends. I don't have a clue as to why I am here now, but Percy's mom, Sally, she took care of me and gave me a home. Really the only memory I have of when I came back was of Sally taking care of me. Heck, I was just like a toddler then, literally. Defenseless. She already had one demigod on her hands, one of the Big Three, but she took me in. She is an amazing, sweet person and if you don't let her go.."

"I see." Was all he said before he held out his hand to Sally and she disappeared. "I will keep her here for the time being. I want my helm returned to me. As for my father.. we will have to stay on high alert. I will post a watch at the cave. If what you say is true, and he really is trying to rise again... Allison, he is dangerous and ruthless, not one to be taken lightly. As for your continued stay up above, I believe after what you told me of your meeting with the Fates, they sent you a message. You are here for a reason, and I do not wish to trifle with fate. Now that I knew where you are I wish for you to keep me informed. I will contact you. "

I nodded. I was not very happy about him keeping Sally here, but it was still better than before.

I paused for a moment, trying to form the words. "My mother and Nick.."

He sighed. "Your friend I have not seen. As for your mother, she passed away in her sleep a number of years ago. It was painless. She was still living at the house you two shared; it is still in tack. I have been keeping it maintained, er- as a tribute. It is open to you, if you wish. After what happened, I went there in person and told your mother. Sandra was understandably distraught. I watched over her through the years, to make sure she was taken care of, as I know you would have wanted."

I didn't know what I was expecting, maybe some part of me still held on to the hope that I would get to see my mother again just like before, but that was unrealistic. Nothing could be like it used to. I knew he had moved on since the thirties, like any other god, but it was still nice to know that my mother wasn't completely alone after I was gone. Ms. Evans would have been there too if she needed someone who understood what happened to talk to, also. Ms. Evans was always a sweet woman, a good friend to my mother.

I would have to go back to my old house some time when the fate of the world didn't depend on the actions of Percy. Maybe I could find a lead to what happened to Nick. Ms. Evans might still be there.

"Thank you, for watching over her and telling her in person. Where is she?" I asked hesitantly.

"Elysium, but Allison, I do not suggest going there, in the least now. I believe there is a situation you would feel the need to be a part of above. While I do not like Jackson, I understand the necessity. I will lend you the energy needed to go and help guide you there, as I see you are not to where you used to be yet."

I nodded, doing my best to pull my mind away from thoughts of my mother. There was still a quest going on. I was not very happy about him not releasing Sally yet, but it was still better than before. Something was happening with my friends though, I had to get to them.

"Thanks you, Father. I will find your helmet, too. But please, be lenient with my friends, they are good people who have helped me a lot. They've helped me move past, what happened." He nodded.

"Also, while I am at it," he said, raising a hand. I felt what was left of the cuts the hellhound back at camp heal over. I peaked under the hem of my shirt to see no bandages and clean skin. He may not be the god of Healing, but with something like a hellhound wound, it was different.

"Do your best. I feel you will play a vital role in events to come. Good luck, and be careful. Please. I do not wish to lose another one of my children again so soon after I got her back." He said a bit awkwardly as I met his eyes. He may be the Lord of the Underworld, and perceived as a cold, heartless god, but he did care for his children. When they were not causing a World War, that is. I nodded. I wanted to see my mother and find out more about Nick, but something was happening to my friends, they needed me.

He put a hand on my shoulder and I felt a rush of energy surge through me. I gave him a half-smile and he squeezed my shoulder a bit, then let go.

"Thank you." And with that I pulled the shadows around me and took off.

*Dun dun dunnn* Intense? Silly? Badly written? Let me know what your reactions were! Lots of revealing here, and plotting on my part ;)