Into the Land of Kur

Nico di Angelo sighed as he walked through the camp. He had a long day doing various activities and being forced to be social with various campers. While he did appreciate the gesture of friendship by many of the campers he honestly still preferred being alone. He walked through the camp doing his best to avoid people so he could have some time to rest and recover his energy, it turned out a lot of socializing drained him greatly.

He sighed as he looked at the setting sun and walked towards a wooded area. He found a nicely shaded tree and decided to sit underneath its branches away from the camp. As much as I like the occasional company I still prefer being alone he thought as he looked at the shadows the trees had made on the ground. He still felt his body ach from all the shadow traveling he did not too long ago but lately he had been feeling his strength return.

He had often thought about doing one more trip to the underworld just for fun. However, everyone at camp was dead set against it for fear that he would run away again. While he was flattered at their care he still wanted to get away from them all and just have another fun solo trip through the underworld.

Actually I think I have enough energy to do one more quick travel he thought as a mischievous smile formed on his face. Just a quick trip and I'll be back before anyone knows it he thought as he got up and looked around. He sighed as he walked a bit deeper into the woods making sure no one was watching him. He snuck around until he found a place that was completely shaded away from the sun and was hidden from prying eyes. He had his sword on him just in case anything wrong happened in the underworld but he doubted anyone would attack him down there.

"Here it goes," he said as he took a deep breath. He looked around to double check that no one was around before he closed his eyes. With that he closed his eyes and imagined the dark underworld which felt more like home to him than the camp. He felt a pull, and suddenly his body was being moved as he felt the familiar nauseating feeling in his body. For a second he thought he saw a flash of blew light but thought nothing of it.

After a few seconds, he landed on the ground face first, "Owe, I guess I was not as recovered as I thought," he said as he got up and rubbed his head. He looked around and the place was all dark except for various blue orbs of light, "Huh this is weird I've never been here before," He said as he approached the light. It was then that he realized that the various blue light orbs were trapped in a cage.

Nico eyed the cages; they were everywhere and they all had a blue light in them. He did not know by but something told him not to touch them and to turn back. However, curiosity got the best of him and he continued to walk the strange path full of these strange cages. He approached one of them and looked at the blue light. He did not know why but something inside of him told him not to touch the cage and turn back. "What are these things," he thought as he pulled out his sword and gently touched the cage.

As soon as he did there was spark of light from the cage, "Get out Greek," a voice shrieked from the cage. Nico was shocked by the voice and fell down in surprise. He got back up and picked up his sword as he eyed the cage carefully.

I don't belong here, but what is this place he thought as he pointed his sword at the cage. He waited for the cage to do something anything but nothing happened. Are those souls in there? He thought as he looked around at the various cages and his eyes widened open Are all of these filled with souls? He looked at the cages, he didn't know why but he felt that the blue orbs were watching him.

A million questions were going through his head as he walked down the strange path with his sword gripped tightly in his hand. He needed to get to the bottom of this, he didn't know why but everything about this place seemed off. It felt like the underworld yet he had never seen a place like this before in all of his time as a demigod.

He walked down the corridor cautiously feeling both apprehension and excitement, he wanted to know what this place was and he was excited at the prospects of adventure. He walked through the hallway being careful not to touch the weird cages when he came to an opening. He walked through it and found himself on a ledge that led to a stone circular area. He looked at the area, it was full of various steps and pillars. He looked at the center of the circular area and saw two pillars in the middle.

"What is this place," he said as he heard a shriek. Nico turned around and saw these large spirits staring at him. One of them pointed their large fingers at him and let out a shriek and charged him. Nico had never seen these types of creatures before in the underworld and he was taken by surprise that a creature of the underworld would be so brazen as to attack him.

"Wait don't you know who I am," He said as he held out his sword. The spirits only responded with loud shrieks as they fired balls of energy at him. Ok I have not seen these things before he thought as he dodged the attacks. I guess my only option is to fight he thought as he charged the spirit like creatures.

He had learned early that in the underworld while most creatures would not attack him because of his father. However, he also knew that various creatures in the underworld will only respond to force and recognize strength more than anything else. The creatures must not have been expecting him to run so quick and fight because he immediately slashed one of them with his sword causing it to shriek as it disintegrated. He then dodged the claws of another one as slashed at it.

However, his sword was blocked when he attempted to attack the final spirit creature. The creature blocked his sword with its claws and made a growling sound as Nico tried to push it off. Eventually he managed push the creature off and stab it with his sword causing it shriek and disappear. "Greek," the creature hissed as it glared at him with a pair of empty eyes.

Nico fell to his knees and had to use his sword to get up. "What the hell were those things," he said as he took a few deep breaths, the fight had tired him yet he could tell what those creatures were, he had never seen anything like them before in his life.

He looked around and saw no more of those creatures, there was nothing else except the path to the circular area with the two stone pillars. "Well I already came this far," he said as he walked towards the pillars.

As he approached the pillars he felt a strong and old presence. "Mortal what business do you have in the land of the dead? You messed around with my cages and attacked my guards, tell me who you are?" The voice said coming from all directions.

Nico looked and saw something emerge from between the two pillars. A red energy formed between the pillars. Nico watched in amazement and gripped his sword tightly as a figured from the red light. The figure was dressed in a red cape that covered her face and a black outfit. Nico could tell from the figure of the person in front of him that it was a female, that and its long golden hair stood out to him. The mysterious woman held a cage with a small blue orb inside of it in one hand and a spear that emitted a red aura around it.

Nico could not see the girl's face but he was not going to let his guard down just because she was female. He could tell by the aura she gave off that she was powerful, he had never seen a figure like this before in the underworld. "W-Who are you? What are you doing in the underworld?" He asked watching the girl carefully. She feels old, almost like one of the gods but no god except for dad and his wife would be down here.

"I was about to ask you the same question," the girl said. "What are you doing here in my underworld and why the hell did you attack my guards?" She said in a tone that sounded like it definitely belonged to a teenage girl.

"Your underworld? This is my father's underworld and I have never seen you before in my life," Nico said completely confused by this girl's attitude. She had the aura of a goddess by the way she sounded made her sound like a schoolgirl.

"Father? Look boy I don't know who your father is but this is my underworld and always has been. Did Ishtar send you here to mess with me?" She said in an accusatory tone.

"Look I don't know who this Ishtar is but my father will not be happy to find out that you are trapping spirits in those cages," he said pointing to the cage in her hand.

The hooded girl stepped forward and removed her hood. Nico couldn't help but gasp at her beauty, she her long golden hair was tied with two red bows at the top and her eyes were bright red. "Who are you?" He asked not lowering his sword, despite the girl's beauty he knew better than to lower his god.

The girl gripped her spear, "I am Ereshkigal goddess of this land. This underworld is my domain," she said pointing her spear at him.

"Goddess? You aren't my father's wife and my father doesn't share his domain with others," he said in feeling more confused.

"Who is your father?" The girl asked curiously

"Hades," he said as if it were the most obvious answer.

Nico watched as the girl's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. He heard her mumble something in another language he did not understand. Under normal circumstances he would have found the girl's expression comical but he noticed that her legs were shaking, "Hades," she whispered in a tone that he could barely hear.

Nico looked at the girl who had a mixture of fear and anger in her eyes, "Um listen I don't know how I got here but I was only planning on seeing my father," he said hoping to calm the girl. He could tell by the way she was gripping her spear that she was nervous and if it came to a fight he doubted that he could win against her. "What is this place?"

The girl regained her composure and took a deep breath, "I am sorry Greek but you cannot stay here anymore," she said in a firm tone. She held out the cage in her hand and shook it, and a portal appeared next to him. "That portal will take you to your father, please go now," she said turning his back to him.

Nico stared at the girl and the portal and nodded, "Ok, but who are you exactly and what is this place?"

The girl in red seemed to flinch a bit, "Just go, please I don't want any trouble," she said in a firm tone.

Nico looked and nodded, "Um ok, sorry for causing problems." He said not sure what else to say he walked to the portal and said goodbye before he entered it. As he entered the portal he looked at the strange girl one last time, he swore that he saw her turn around and look at him as he entered. Her face appeared sad and he swore he saw a tear fall down here cheek.

When he went through the portal he felt the familiar sensation of him travelling through the shadows before he found himself falling face down on the ground. "Owe, what the hell," he said as he looked around. He was now at his father's palace, he got up when he heard the familiar footsteps of his father behind him.

"I sensed that you were shadow travelling, what happened to you?" His father said behind him.

Nico turned around and saw his father sitting beneath a tree, "I was in the underworld I think but his lady said that it was hers."

"Lady?" His father asked his cold eyes showing a hint of curiosity.

"Yeah blonde hair, red eyes, had a red cape. She was keeping these spirits in these cages. She said her name is Ereshkigal. Is she like your mistress or something?" He asked, he normally would not have said such a thing to his father and he was half expecting him to lock him up that instant. Yet when he stood up he noticed that there was not anger in his eyes but fear.

Nico stepped back as his father approached him, "No she is not," he said in a cool tone. "Did she do anything to you? Did she hurt you?" He asked as he looked him over.

"No, but I defeated some of these giant spirit guard things that attacked me. She asked if someone named Ishtar sent me, do you know a person by that name?" He asked. He watched as his father's eyes widened in shock.

"No I do not," his father said loudly. Nico was used to his father's tone but this time he noted a hint of something he rarely had seen in his father's voice, fear. "Nico go to your room this instant; you need to rest now." He said in a tone that left no room to argue.

"But who was she?" He asked curiously though he knew he should not push his luck.

"Go to your room and do not speak of her again," His father said loudly. Nico nodded knowing that the conversation was over. He walked and headed towards the entrance when his father said, "You have to be careful when you shadow travel, there are places that are even out of my domain. Do not speak of what you saw to anyone else. You will be staying here for a while," he said in a serious tone. Nico only nodded, he knew better than to press his dad and he could tell by the way he was talking that he meant business.

Nico turned and entered the palace as he saw his dad summon some servants and order them around in Greek. What was all that about he thought as he remembered the golden-haired girl in the red cloak. He didn't know what was going on but he felt deep down that he should listen to his father, he had never seen his father so agitated before and as he looked out of his window in his room and saw his father summoned the furies and various other creatures who answered to him. Nico didn't know what he did but he could tell that his father was ordering them around the underworld. He sighed as he went to his bed and thought about all that had happened, he didn't know why but he felt as if his world had just gotten bigger.