Chapter 13 (Annabeth) The Battles

I was still shaking after our encounter with Cerberus. I was still shaking when the flying shoes that Luke gave Percy tried to drag Grover into Tartarus. I was still shaking when we reached Hades palace. Percy knocked and entered. Hades was in his normal God-like state, over three metres tall, a crown on his head and draped from shoulders to feet in black robes. His pale skin and his jet-black hair reminded me of Ares. Percy stepped forward.

"Lord Hades, I come with two requests."

Hades raised an eyebrow. He leaned forward on his throne and looked down upon Percy. "And, what pray, are they?"

Percy looked up at him. "Please return to the master bolt to us and please give my mother back."

Hades glared at him. "Stupid arrogant child. After what you've done, you dare accuse me? My brother may have fooled Zeus but it would not fool me!"

Percy stammered. "Wha-What have I d-done?"

Hades stood up. "What you've done? Stealing the master bolt and my helmet of darkness. Framing it on a god. Do you think I want war godling?" he roared.

I decided to butt in. "You're helmet of darkness is missing as well?"

Hades turned on me. "Do not think I am stupid, girl. Poseidon may play this game but I will not allow this." He wagged his finger at Percy. "This boy stole the master bolt and my helmet. He must return them now or I will kill all of you."

Percy cut in. "I don't have the master bolt or your crappy helmet!" he yelled.

Everyone was silent. "What did you say to me?" Hades snarled. "You dare call my helmet crappy? You will pay for this!" he roared. He drew his sword. "KILL THEM ALL!" The Furies leapt down from Hades throne, whips flaming, their faces grinning with malice. The skeleton guards opened fire on us as the hellhounds bounded towards us.

"NOW!" yelled Percy. We smashed the pearls that Percy got from his father. A transparent white sphere encased us all and we started to rise, slowly at first but gradually getting faster. We broke through the top of the Underworld in a matter of seconds and travelled through the Earth and broke out into the ocean. We floated near a lifebuoy and grabbed hold. We swam ashore and Percy stomped off into the direction of a man wearing a black leather jacket and shades with his blood-stained baseball bat on his shoulder. Percy were going to have a serious conversation with Ares. I heard Grover sigh and raced over. I was not far behind. When we got closer, I could hear Ares chuckling at Percy's enraged expression.

"Doesn't matter kid. You were supposed to die in the Underworld. Then old Barnacle Beard would be mad at Creepy Killer for killing you and Thunder Pants would be mad at Hades while Hades would be still looking for this crap." He pulled out a bronze helmet. It was the Helmet of Darkness. Grover gasped.

"But they're your family." I protested.

"Ha! I don't care. Fighting families are always the best." He chuckled again, apparently delighted at the thought of his relatives trying to kill each other. "Now as your alive, I need to kill you." He pointed at Percy. He snapped his fingers. A massive boar with steel tusks appeared out of nowhere. It charged at Percy.

"RUN PERCY!" I screamed but he stayed put. Oh, what an idiot, I thought. When the boar got close, Percy swung his sword upwards, killing the boar immediately. On second thoughts, that wasn't so bad, I thought.

Percy stepped towards the war god. "Are you going to fight me yourself or are you going to hide behind another pet pig?"

Ares purpled. He drew his bat. "Classic or modern?" he sneered. Percy raised his sword. Ares laughed. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

I looked at Percy. I took of my Camp Half-Blood necklace. "Wear this. Athena and Poseidon together." He blushed. Grover came over as well. "The satyr is behind you."

Percy nodded his thanks and charged at the war god. What happened next was just a blur. The two fought like two Furies squabbling over a victim. Or kind of like Connor and Travis Stoll fighting who should prank who on which day. Suddenly I heard sirens in the background. I turned around and saw numerous police vehicles. The officers got out of their cars and were yelling for backup. Ares swept his hand and the cars all blew up. He bellowed in glee as he brought his bat down on Percy. Suddenly, Percy flew up into the sky. He was riding a wave and was coming down upon Ares. The war god didn't see him in time and Percy slashed his sword, leaving a deep cut in the god's heel. Fifteen metres of water blasted away from Ares as he let out a deafening roar. The god got up, his face snarling at Percy, his eyes filled with hate. Then he stopped limping. He muttered a few curses. He lowered his weapon. "You have made yourself an enemy Perseus Jackson. Every time, you raise your sword, you shall face my curse." He started to glow. We looked away as the god assumed his true godly form. The light died as the god disappeared. Hades's helmet of darkness and the backpack with the master bolt was lying on the beach. Out of nowhere, the Furies descended. The middle one growled. "So… it was truly not you?"

Percy gave her the helmet. "Tell Lord Hades to call of the attack." The Furies fluttered into the sky and disappeared. He turned to look at us. His ears reddened when I realised, I was looking at him adoringly. I blushed as well.

He cleared his throat. "We need to get the master bolt back to Zeus now. We nodded. "You guys go back to camp." He added.

"What about you?" bleated Grover.

"I'm going to fly. I'm going to Olympus."