::Holding out for a hero::

::Chapter twelve::

He huffed, as we stopped walking his dark eyes met my own. "Yeah, that's why you were nearly killed three years ago." He snapped. As I grabbed his wrist pulling him close slamming him against the wall.

"LISTEN! If I could've stopped Zeno I would've! A life for a life may be an equal trade, but killing someone to spare a life…it's just WRONG Nico!" I told him. "I can protected myself!" I urged him.

He was shaking again with determination as he shouted, "YOU HEARD BIANCA! YOU CAN'T STOP HIM! IF I HAVE TO KILL A FEW HUNTERS FOR YOUR LIFE! GODS DAMMIT I WILL!" His eyes were cold and fierce. They scared me…

"No…" I muttered shaking my head.

"There are other ways Nico…" I said muttering.

"Y-You don't know that…I-I wont let you die…" He whimpered I could hear his heartbeat pounding wildly.

"Fine…I can't stop you. But if Hades gives me my life in exchange the souls of the hunters…I don't want it." I told him firmly not swaying on my decision. As I walked away, I knew…I knew. That if I were in his position…I-I probably would've done the same. That realization just freaked me out. But I also realized…that, he really would. KILL for me. But, I wouldn't let him. Nico was heading to his dad.

I? Was getting out of here… "Where have all the good men gone and where all the Gods? Where's the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night I toss and I turn as I dream of what I need." I sang thinking, to much Shrek. I'd watched Shrek 2 like, fifty times. I don't know what my obsession with giant green fat ogres was all the sudden.

"I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night. He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero, I'm holding out till the morning light. He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon and he's gotta be larger then life. Somewhere after midnight, in my wildest fantasy. Somewhere just beyond me reach there's someone reaching back for me. Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat. It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet." I sang and continued walking threw the underworld. I knew my way pretty well… "Up where the mountains meet the heavens above. Out where the lightning splits the sea. I would swear that there's someone somewhere. Watching me. Through the wind end the chill and the rain, and the storm and the flood. I can feel his approach. Like the fire in my blood." Finishing I was about at the exit…when…

I quickly dodged a swooping figure masked in the shadows. Leathery wings flapped like a bats. But these things were far uglier, more powerful, not to mention, larger. Three of them…Fury's.

"Oh happy day!" I mumbled sarcastically to myself withdrawing Amyntas.

They hissed, as the middle one said, "Come with us! Lord Hades calls for you!"

I glared as I asked back sarcastically as I swung Amyntas, "What the Hades am I?! A friggen dog?!" The Fury dodged with a upward motion. One Fury isn't hard for me…three! Now that's a challenge…

"We will take you by force if necessary…" The one I nearly slashed said. Their voices were all cold and held a sharpness to them. The ancientness, luckily, mine didn't.

"I'd like to see you try!" I challenged back with a slight smirk. The first one came at me, talons and all! I swung Amyntas in an ark pushing the Fury away and slicing the one behind me. Who flew back with a jolt another one came as I side stepped and lunged the blade in it's side. It burst into golden dust the other two Fury's let out a pain striking shriek as I fell clutching my ears one of their talons scraped my back in a slash the same place my father had three years ago. It was cursed wounds. Everytime it was hit or reopened it caused more pain then usual. But it also struck adrenaline. As I rushed foreword in a strait line slashing downward at an attempt to behead the ugly creature.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT HALF-BLOOD!" It shrieked as it's wing swung down hitting me as I was forced back. I dodged another attack with Amyntas.

Though, Amyntas was a blade! Not a shield! I bounded back cutting the other Fury, enough to hurt, not enough to make it magically poof to dust as I wished it would've. Then there was that burning pain…if they didn't kill me the pain would force me to kill myself. It was like burning lava scraping down my back that wouldn't cool, but just sat there on my back burning the skin as it poured into my blood. I grunted as I felt myself weaken. My hands were sweaty and now we'd been fighting for the last hmm…forty five minutes I was about to put my hands in a T formation and yell, TIME OUT! I was shaking due to the pain my grip on my sword was loosening. As I took a final swing at the one that had sliced my back open. My sword moved in a flash of glassy black it plunged into the leathery skin the head slid off and plopped to the ground as a second past it burst into golden dust like it's sister.

But with the blow my arm outstretched must've lunged to hard as my back burned. I muffled a scream of agony but the pain none the less over took me as my vision swayed and blurred I could now only make out the darkness enclosing around me. I felt numb as I fell. No…crap…shit…this sucks…

I woke up on a cold stone floor. Marble…black and grey…I recognized it only too well. In front of me not three yards ahead…was Hades himself. He sat upon the onyx throne black and glassy under the small flickering candle light.

"Lord Hades…" I muttered knowing he could blast me to oblivion anytime. I noticed the pain in my back wasn't was sharp as before. And for that little bit of news, I was happy. His cold eyes spelled out DEATH in every way possible. They regarded me in a way that really couldn't care less, but at the same time, had an idea.

"Nikai Laskaris…your quite a stubborn girl aren't you?" He said with a sly smirk. I smirked back taking pride in my stubbornness.

"Is there a problem with that Lord Hades?" I asked cocking an eyebrow mockingly.

"I have use for you so I wont kill you for that. Yet…Dionysus was right, as annoying as the old drunk may be, not all Gods are as forgiving as he is…" He said moving his lips causing his words to sound more dramatic. We agreed on one thing I guess, Dionysus was annoying. "Chain her!" He commanded. Wow chains? How cliché…