It was deadly silent, as Percy looked at the three creatures in front of him. He and Grover were surrounded by Hellhounds on all sides, their chances to escape now nearly none existent. But none of the creatures attacked. All of them were simply standing there, glowering at him. They were waiting for something, but Percy had no idea what so ever what that could be.
'So this is how all will end.' Percy thought glumly. 'So much for following the path of a hero. Can't even safe myself from my uncle's wrath. But I won't go down quietly.' A fierce determination spread through him. Maybe it was his fate to die today. But he would die a heroes death. Fighting until the very end. An end worthy of Apollo's songs and poems.
His eyes settled on the three before him once more. Those three had simply stared at him since the moment they had stopped his escape. Only one sentence, they didn't say more. Now they were standing there. It took Percy some moments, before he recognized one of the three. A monster that he did not want to see again any time soon.
"You!" Percy raised his sword and pointed it at the creature in the middle. His action caused many of the Hellhounds to growl menacingly. "I killed you not even two days ago. How can you be back so fast?" The one in the middle sent him a withering glare.
"I am a servant of the Lord of the underworld, stupid boy. At least your idiocy was not an act as it seems." The creature replied. "Death is merely a hindrance to us. We return when we are needed."
"Who are you calling stupid, you overgrown bat? I actually liked you better as pre-algebra teacher. Same personality, but not even half as ugly. Come to get revenge for the last time, when I cut you down with ease?" Percy challenged. He wanted her to attack him. It had been her undoing the last time. He knew that the Hellhounds would attack, if he took as much as single step towards the three. And Grover would most likely not be of much use.
"Percy... it is not wise to insult the F... Kindly Ones..." Grover said fearfully.
Percy snorted. "Just call them Furies. I've already killed the one in the middle once. I wonder how much more difficult it could be to kill all three of them." He grinned at them in mock condescension.
"Alecto, let's teach this insolent child why we are the torturers in the Underworld." The left Fury hissed at her sister. The one on the right seemed to be all for it. But Alecto wouldn't budge.
"No, Tisiphone. Our Lord has forbidden it. The boy mastered the first test, he must not be harmed by us." Alecto replied, with great displeasure. The other Fury, Megaera did not pay attention to her sisters. Her eyes were on a hidden person, outside of the circle of Hellhounds. None of the others had seen the goddess yet, but Megaera obviously did not believe her to be a threat, so she did nothing to inform her sisters. She merely glared in the direction of the eavesdropper.
"What? Why are you here, if you are forbidden to fight me?" Percy asked, a confused frown adorning his face. The grip around his sword tightened. The situation was still dire and he would not allow them to take him by surprise, just because they claimed to be peaceful.
Alecto shot him a hateful glare, obviously still mad about being beaten by him during their last encounter. "Your existence is an affront to our Lord. Every moment you live is a mockery of the oath he and his brother's had sworn long ago."
"Yeah, well sucks to be me. Inattentive father and two uncles that would rather see me dead. Being a demigod is all about family issues as it seems." Percy drawled. Grover next to him was so pale that he looked like a ghost, frightened by the disrespectful way Percy talked to the three Furies.
"You would increase your chances at survival by showing some more respect towards the gods, boy." Tisiphone said furiously. Unlike her sisters she seemed to be the most annoyed by the situation. "You never know who might listen."
"Why should I show respect to a man who wishes for my death, simply because of my father's actions. I have never wronged him." Percy retorted.
"The gods don't ask for respect, they deserve it, demigod."
"I respect the gods. Those I know and had a chance to meet so far. Gods like Apollo, Hermes and Artemis, those I know. Even Ares in a way. Those four I respect above all other gods. But I don't disrespect the others, at least not those who I've never met. Only the big three who have wronged me." Little did he know that most gods had heard his exclamation, either on Hephaestus TV, or in person.
"Foolish child. But for some reason my Lord has decided to offer you a chance. A bargain. Should you fulfill your part, he will accept your existence and stop seeking your death for the moment." Alecto stated, much to the surprise of all who had heard it.
Percy looked intrigued by this, but Apollo and Hermes had taught him to be wary of bargains with gods. Especially the god of thieves was the best exampe for that. He had always liked to trick him. Hermes still owed him a bag full of Drachma for the matter.
"What exactly does he want me to do?" It doesn't hurt to ask and if he really had a chance to get at least one of his uncles off his back, then he was all for it. He did not fancy the idea to die, simply because his father and uncle couldn't keep it in their pants. He also realized that one of the three Furies had suddenly disappeared.
"Lord Hades has a certain interest in two demigods, hidden from prying eyes of the other gods. And you, Perseus Jackson, will bring them to him." Alecto glowered at him, daring him to decline this deal, so she could get her revenge on him and kill him there and then.
Percy looked confused for some moments, wondering why Hades would be interested in the children of other gods. As far as he recalled, there had never been rumors about any children of the god of the Underworld. It was common knowledge that Zeus broke the oath. And Percy was the living proof that Poseidon did so, too. But Hades had not. Not even Hermes had seen or heard anything and he was the one who spread nearly all rumors far and wide, due to him being the messenger of the gods. So why would Hades want those kids? The best explanation Percy could think of, was that they were children of a god, that had offended Hades. But that did nothing to shorten the list of possible godly parents for those children. Many gods had offended Hades in one way or another.
"Why does he want those children? I will not lead two young demigods to their deaths, just to save my own life."
"Lord Hades does not wish them harm, else we would have killed them long ago." Alecto sneered at him. "You have no choice here, Jackson. Do it or die tonight."
Percy looked around once more. His eyes traveling over the countless number of monsters around him. Grover looked close to fainting, but he valiantly fought against that urge. It was also then that Percy realized that Megaera had suddenly disappeared as well. Only Alecto remained in front of him. But he couldn't bring himself to bother with that. If he chose to fight, it wouldn't make any difference if the others were here or not.
"What is your choice, Perseus Jackson?"
Percy took a deep breath, before he finally came to a decision. "You swear that those demigods will not be harmed?" Percy half asked, half ordered.
"Our Lord has already given his word to someone else, that those two will not come to harm by his hands."
"Then I will do it. I will bring those two children to him and in return he will no longer try to have me killed." The Fury simply nodded. The deal was made. Percy just hoped that he would never regret this night. He did not even want to imagine what Apollo would think of him right now. "Where are they and what are their names?"
"You will find them further in the west. Where water is sparse and the sun shines strong."
"No riddles please. Give me real instructions, not that whole prophecy crap the gods like to do for quests." Percy interjects, much to Alecto's ire.
"Las Vegas, Lotus Hotel and Casino." The Fury said curtly.
"I doubt they let a minor into a casino. Not even in Vegas. Believe me, Apollo tried to take me with him, when he visited Atlantic City. It took a lot of effort for him to make me look older, else I wouldn't have been allowed to enter that Casino..." He chuckled slightly at that particular memory. He couldn't help himself, even in this situation it was still very funny to remember it.
"You will be able to enter. And once you are inside you will find the two demigods. Siblings. A boy, Nico, and his older sister, Bianca. You will get them out of the Casino and bring them to Los Angeles. We will know when you arrive and lead you to the Underworld." The Fury let out a loud shriek that hurt in Percy's ears like someone had stabbed him with a red-hot iron. He held his hands to his ears to ease the pain by muffling the sound, but it was not much help. But soon the sound subsided and he looked around again. But all he found around him was pitch black darkness. No Furies, no Hellhounds. Only the dark night and a shaking Satyr next to him.
"Not even giving me their last names? Why must all those gods and monsters and whatever always make assignments more difficult than they have to be?" Percy muttered. "Come on, Grover. We have to get to the city. I have a job to do." He pulled his friend along, without waiting for a response. But at the moment the Satyr was in no shape to offer much resistance anyway.
Artemis had watched the entire scene from a hidden vantage point. Careful not to be seen by the monsters or the Furies. When she had seen those three, she had already given up all hope for Percy Jackson to survive this night. The best she could hope for, was to be able to retrieve his body for Apollo, so he could at least honor his champion properly. The way her brother had talked about Percy, the way he had always appeared when Percy needed him, it was obvious that Apollo cared about his champion. To see him so concerned actually endeared Apollo to her, especially now that they mostly bickered about his despicable hobbies. It was a side he had rarely shown to her.
With a sense of dread she watched the Furies and the Hellhounds. But they... didn't attack. The monsters waited for something. That was until the Furies started to talk. And hearing his answers. She could barely believe what she heard. She couldn't help but feel glad to hear, that he respected her more than most other gods. She knew she had not done very much to actually earn that respect. Most of the times she had met Percy, she was busy sicking her Hunters on him, simply because she believed him to be corrupted by Apollo's wickedness.
But then the Furies did one thing no one could have foreseen. On Hades' orders they offered Percy a way to survive. A chance to free himself from the constant threat of being hunted by the god of the Underworld.
She watched as he declined the deal, not willing to damn others. Artemis realized that Percy really was much more selfless than her brother, or his own brother for the matter, though he had already started to show some of Apollo's quirks. She knew that not many would have made the same decision in Percy's position. She doubted that many of her Hunters would have had the courage to do this.
"You should not be here, goddess." A voice suddenly growled behind her. She had felt the presence of the third Fury before she had revealed herself. But those three were no danger to her. Artemis knew that Hades would not dare to allow his monsters to attacks any other Olympian. Zeus would declare war, blinded by the anger he always felt when his children got attacked. He would have done so after the death of Thalia Grace, had it not been for the oath he had violated. And Artemis did not even want to think about what Apollo would do, should she get hurt. He was fiercely protective of his sister and mother.
"I will do as I see fit, Fury. Begone!"
"This is not your fight. That boy is none of your concern. This is between my Lord and his traitorous brothers." Megaera said menacingly.
"Are you threatening me?" Artemis asked, as she glared at the abominable creature.
"Not threatening. Warning. It would be unwise to make an enemy of Lord Hades. Even for a goddess such as you." With these parting words the Fury turned around and left quickly. Artemis wondered why this foolish creature had come to threaten her, when it was obvious that it would be an empty threat. That was until Artemis realized that she had nearly missed the conclusion of Percy's conversation with the other Furies. But there was one thing she had heard. Las Vegas. She knew what she had to do now. Percy was out of immediate danger for the moment. But she knew his next destination. Her Hunters would get their chance to capture Percy Jackson.