Annabeth had an idea.
But it would not work with our new number of people.
So Alumi and I spoke before we nodded at each other and led the group to a back ally.
"What are you doing, and how are we going to see our dad?" Binca asked them as Alumi and I placed our hands on the wall.
"Alumi and I are going to use a Shaman spell to open a gateway; it will open to a point in Los Angeles where we can go to the underworld and meet your dad," I told her before I offered a hand, and she took it.
I looked over to Alumi, who nodded.
"Serpent of onyx black, come forth and join in the infinite," Alumi and I started to chant as my hand glowed cyan while Alumi's glowed purple, "Dragon with scales of azure from the gate," we called out as lines of light formed out from our hand before it started to make a slow circle on the wall, "Bird who's fallen feathers are vermillion, connect two points that are needed," the two of us said as the beads of light started to spin faster and faster becoming a blur of cyan and purple, "Tiger whom your fur is white as snow, form the path," we called out as a pair of Shōji doors appeared from the blurring light. I heard gasps from the others, "The one handed man opens the path, north meets the south, west goes to east, thirteen animals, open the tunnel, Senkaimon," The two of us shouted as we slid our hands out as the doors opened to the outside of a shop, DOA Recording Studios.
"Come on before it closes," I told them as they nodded. We all ran through the gateway and were soon in Los Angeles.
"We made it," Annabeth said as she looked around before we all looked at the shop.
We walked in and found the lobby full of people. Everyone looked at us and started to quiver.
Or, to be more accurate, Bianca and Nico.
So they let us walk to the front of the line, where we found a tough-looking guard with sunglasses and an earpiece.
The man looked up and must have spotted the group of six living before he saw the two children with us. Above us, muzyk music played, and the carpet and walls were grey steel. There was black leather furniture and an elevator.
It did not take long to reach him, as people let us pass, and we went where he stood. It was a raised podium, and the guard was tall and elegant, with chocolate-coloured skin and bleached-blond hair shaved military style. He wore tortoiseshell shades and a silk Italian suit that matched his hair. A black rose was pinned to his lapel under a silver name tag.
I put my hand on my right shoulder and bowed to him, "Farryman," I said to him as he looked at me.
"Shaman," He told me as he looked at me, "What can I do for you, is it a spirit you wish for," He asked me.
"Urgent mission and message to my uncle of what was stolen and who stole it," I told him as he nodded.
"And here I was going to make you six pay, well, four of you pay," he said as he led out of the line.
We were led to the elevator, which opened for us. We walked in, and the man turned around. "Right. Now, no one gets any ideas while I'm gone," he announced to the waiting room. And if anyone moves the dial off my easy-listening station again, I'll ensure the one waiting here for another thousand years. Understand?"
He shut the doors, put a key card into a slot in the elevator panel, and we started to descend.
"You'er Charon arn't you," Nico asked him as the man turned to the boy.
"Indeed, I am young prince," He told Nico as Bianca looked at him before she looked up.
"What will happen to them," Annabeth asked him.
"Nothing, they will wait until I get back to them," Charon told her as she nodded.
"It's not like they have anywhere to go," Alumi said as Annabeth turned to her. "When a shaman takes a spirit as their Guardian Ghost, the spirit is untouchable by gods of the underworld as they fear one thing," she added, and I nodded.
"What's that?" Nico asked me as I smiled sadly at him.
"The Void," Charon told the boy. A shaman can banish a god to the void if they so please. The god or goddess will come back, but they will have changed," he told us as his form started to change.
His creamy Italian suit turned into a long black robe, his face became transparent, and his eyes were shown to be pitch black.
The elevator had seemed to turn into a wooden barge, and the ferryman poling us across what looked to be a dark, oily river.
And Alumi and I hung our heads as we did not wish to see the things we passed on the river.
I looked over at Annabether, took her hand, and shook my head at her, "This is what regests end up to, this," I told her as she looked saddened and held my hand.
The shoreline of the Underworld came into view. Craggy rocks and black volcanic sand stretched inland about fifty meters to the base of a high stone wall, which marched off in either direction as far as we could see. A sound came from somewhere nearby in the gloom.
"It seems that Old Three-face is hungrey," Charon told us as he directed the boat towards the sand as the spirits got off it.
After we got on the boat with the spirits, he tapped his pole on the sand as skeletons formed out of the ground dressed in armour, and if I'm right, the armour was of spartan origin.
"Take them to the boss," Charon told the skeletons, who looked at us and started leading us to this place's lord.
We were led past three lines of spirits as I watched them prepare for their afterlife.
I looked around and saw a preacher who was killed in a police chase, and he was getting dragged to my uncle. I couldn't help but smile, "Where are they taking him," Bianca asked.
"To your father to be judged," I told her, explaining what he had done, and she nodded.
"Good people like that don't deserve the easy way," She said as her eyes looked full-on distance for him.
And I felt no different.
Before more could be said, a howl filled the air and became louder. Before long, I saw the gates of the Underworld.
As we got there, we found the guard dog, a massive dog the size of a woolly mammoth. When I saw the three heads, I did not know what to think: "Well, I'll be an orca's uncle; he's a Rottweiler."
"I would have thought he would be a mastiff," Alumi muttered as I nodded at her.
Cerberus looked at us and growled before the skeleton soldiers bagged their spears on the ground, and so it let us pass.
We moved through the Fields of Asphodel and passed all the spirits, and I felt something and looked down at Grover's shoes.
And I saw that the wings unfolded themselves, so before they could fly, my hand shot out and sent a cyan bolt of spiritual power at the shoes.
And I seemed lucky as the shoes folded themselves up; I looked over to Annabeth, who looked saddened at the realisation, "I think I know who is behind this," I told them as I felt the bag in my hand get heavier.
"What do you mean?" Grover asked as we spotted my uncle's castle.
"Luke is the one speaking to the dark voice in my dream, and if we're being real here, who gave us this bag?" I told them as Alumi cursed under her breath.
Annabeth said nothing as we passed my aunt's garden, and we started to walk up the palace's steps, between black columns, through a black marble portico, and into the house of Hades. The entry hall had a polished bronze floor, which seemed to boil in the reflected torchlight. There was no ceiling, just the cavern far above. I guess they never had to worry about rain down here.
We looked at the door, and I raised my hand to knock on it. The door opened, and the skeleton soldiers led us inside.
The skeletons then sank into the floor as I looked around before I spotted him.
My uncle and the father of Bianca and Nico, Hades.
And he was the one that showed me he was godlike.
For one thing, he was at least three meters tall and dressed in black silk robes and a crown of braided gold. His skin was albino white, and his hair was shoulder-length and jet-black. And while not like my dick of a cousin, he still radiated power.
He logged on his throne of fused human bones, looking lithe, graceful and dangerous as a panther.
Annabeth and Grover fell to one knee and bowed to him, while Alumi and I sank to both knees and bowed to him, while Bianca and Nico looked at him.
"Son of Poseidon. Nefew, I apologise for the treatment that I have put upon you, and my wife had requested a gift for you defeating the Furys," Hades told me as I nodded and looked at him.
"Uncle, I bring grave news, and I think knowledge of your helm's whereabouts," I told him as he looked at me and decided for us to rise.
"And where is that? " he asked me as I removed the backpack, put it down, and removed what I knew was there.
"I was given this bag, my Ares before we arrived at the Lotus Casino, where we met your children's uncle, but it seems that he was working for someone who is of a higher power than himself," I told him, telling him about my dreams. He looked shocked before he put a finger to his chin.
"Bianca, Nico, is this the truth," Hades asked his children, who nodded at him.
"Yeah, we had a small nap and the next thing I knew we we're in a dream in a school and then we're over that kepy pit outside," Nico told him as Hades looked troubled.
He then waved his hand as a rainbow appeared, and a woman's voice rang into the room. "What is it, uncle? " she asked.
"Enyo, I call on that department that you owe me," Hades said as he waved his hand. Before long, a beam of light formed behind me, and I turned to see a woman walk up and pass me.
She had short black hair in a pixy cut with blue highlights, pure spirit white eyes of the damned that died in the war, and a crazy sinister smile. Her body is military-like, with a lean figure and muscular biceps. She was dressed in a purple crop leather jacket for women with silver fur around the neck, a black crop top with the symbol of anarchy on it, black gloves over her hands, a shot purple and black skirt, fish nets, and biker boots. At her side was a baseball bat.
"So uncle what did you want," Enyo asked Hades.
"Your brother is aiding in the chaos that is happening, and it is from your grandfather's making," Hades told her as I saw her body stiffen, "Work with the shaman in taken down your brother and returning my helm and your father's bolt, and in return I will have seen our debt cleared," He told her as she turned to me.
I looked back at her, and she smiled at me, "Well look at that then kid, let's show my dick head of a brother why I'm always better at fighting than him," She said as she took my shoulder.
Hades got off his throne and slowly became human height as he walked up to us, as did Enyo, and handed us mortals pearls, "After I aplogised to your father for suspecting him, he gave me these for you to use, crush them underfoot and they will sent you back to the serface," Hades told him.
"Thank you uncle, and when we return to camp, I both Bianca and Nico are welcom within the Poseidon Cabin," I told him as he smiled at him.
"Thank you," He told me as we put the pearls on the ground and crushed them beneath our feet.
A sphere of water encased me before darkness filled my vision. Then, I looked around and saw that we were underwater.
I saw a shark swimming over, "Help us to the shore," I told them as it swam over. They took hold of the shark, and it led us to the shore.
And I'm glad I did that as it made people run from the beach as we walked out, and that is when Enyo appeared.
I pulled Hyōrinmaru kote out and put them on as the ice samurai spirit formed next to me, and I pulled out Riptide as Undie also appeared.
And I looked across the beach as there he stood.
Ares.
"Your were suporst to die," He told me with a smile, as I'm pretty sure by now my eyes must have been glowing blue from the amount of anger I had built up, "I guess I should do that then," He added and cracked his knuckles.
I said nothing, and the others must have known what I was about to do as Annabeth walked before me and put her necklace on me. "Athena and Poseidon, together at this moment," she said as I nodded.
Grover pulled out a tin can, "The spirits of the wild are being you," He told me as I put the tin can in my pocket.
Alumi pulled on one of the rings she got from Silva. "My, the Great Spirit watch over you," she told me.
Nico handed me a small figure that looked like me but was a man with a trident. I smiled at Nico as I put it in my other pocket.
Finally, Bianca handed me a bracelet that I put on my wrist. "Two of three fighting together," she told me as I nodded.
Ares looked at me as the others walked away. "Are you finished with your goodbyes? " he asked.
I said nothing as I held my hand in the air. Undine, Hyōrinmaru, and Enyo turned into spirit balls.
I integrated Undine with Riptide, forming the Sword of Fathoms A.S., and integrated Hyōrinmaru into the kote as a spectral dragon formed around my arm.
Enyo integrated with me as my body stiffened. "What the matter, punk?" Ares asked me.
"I offer Master Bolt if I die to you here on this day in my single combat; if I win this battle, I get the helm you kept," I growled as my and Enyo's voices mixed.
Ares smiled at me and called out a massive sword. "I agree to the terms," he told me.
We charged at each other as Enyo guided my body, and I fought, and mine and his sword locked together before I willed the water within Undine's Over Soul to shoot out and wrap around Ares.
"Oh, what the matter, plankton," Ares asked before I thrust my dragon hand into the water.
"Just this, Daiguren," I called out as the water flash froze.
"Good work cousin," I heard Enyo toll me; she willed my arm up and cut down at Ares, cutting into him and down his chest.
He let out a scream as my blade dripped with golden blood, "Do you concede," I asked the god of war, who looked at me and scowled.
"Fuck you," He told me, so I raised my foot to his chest, and I called on all my rage.
Everything that has happened the last few days.
Being blamed for the theft of the bolt and helm.
Ticked.
Attacked by monsters.
And it came bursting out as I set a jet of Cursed Blue Flames from my food right into Ares's chest.
"Devil's Foot Pint," I said as the god screamed.
Water took the form of chains as I kept my foot on his chest.
"Concede," I told him as I kept my food there as it burned him.
He looked me in the eye, and I saw fear there as his face became clear before golden dust flew off him, "I concede this battle," He told me as I removed my foot from his chest and held something up to me.
It was the Helm of Darkness, "Take it," He growled at me as it did and started to walk away from him, "Your just like your old man back in the day, a true warrior and one that will deliver death to his enemy, and to bad I can't curse you as it would bring my joy to see you dead," Ares told me before he disappeared in a flash of flames.
I stopped integrating all three spirits and fell to my knees, breathing hard as the others ran up to me.
"Percy, are you alright," Grover asked me, and I shook my head.
"No, I'm out of energy; I can hardly move a finger right now, let alone walk," I told them as they looked confused, "I've just channelled two Kami-level spirits at once, meaning that my body had to handle that much strain, if it was just Enyo and Hyōrinmaru, or Undine and Hyōrinmaru, but I used Enyo and Undine, along with Hyōrinmaru, I was feeling my soul heat up, so that is why I went for the easy win and quick fight, and if he did not want to play with his food, I would not even need to fight me, just stall me," I explained to them as Enyo picked me up as flapping of wings filled the air as I turned to see the three Fuirys standing there.
We said nothing as I slowly raised my arm, and Mrs. Dodds accepted the helm. "I'm sorry I suspected you godling. Make sure that you have a worthy life," she told me before she and her sisters flew off.
I looked at the goddess, who smiled, "Let's finished this part of the quest so I can gather my energy and get the son of a bitch that fraimed me," I told her as she nodded, and all of us were teleported away.
And we appeared in the lobby of the Empire State Building.
"Mike, open the elevator now," she told the guard as they jumped. The kid has found what my father has been looking for, so open it," she told him as he nodded, and Enyo led us to the elevator.
Mike handed a key card over to the goddess as she loaded us into the elevator. She put the card in, and a red button appeared. "You know, it moves; they say don't press the red button," Enyo said as she pressed it. I never get why they say that," she told us.
We waited and waited.
It did not take long before a 'Dig' sounded, and the doors opened, and it was to a narrow stone walkway in the middle of the air. Below us was Manhattan from the height of an aeroplane. In front of us, white marble steps wound up the spin of a cloud in the sky,
From the top of the clouds rose the decapitated peak of a mountain, its summit covered with snow. Clinging to the mountainside were dozens of multilevel palaces—a city of mansions—all with white-columned porticos, gilded terraces, and bronze braziers glowing with a thousand fires.
But we had no time to marvel at it as we rushed to the peak of the mountain.
As we reached the throne room, we passed parks, spirits, and other things, where my father and Zuse were waiting for us.
Once more, Annabeth and Grover sank to their knees while Bianca and Nico did the same. Alumi sank to both knees while I did the same, with Enyo's help, "Lord Zuse, I come with Master Bolt," I said as I fought every bone in my body to be polite to him, "And I bring knowledge of the name of the true thief and his accomplice," I informed him.
Zuse looked at me as he indicated the bolt, and I pulled it out of my bag and handed it over to him.
"It is the real thing," he said before he looked down at me. "Who did this?" Zuse asked me as his eyes sparked with light, like a cloth reading to release its payload.
"Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, stole them, and working with my three cousins, we found out he was working for someone powerful, along with Ares," I told my uncle, who looked to his daughter, who nodded at him.
"I see, and what do you mean by three cousins," Zuse asked me.
I held my hand out to indicate to the children of Hades, "Both these two and the spirit of your daughter Thalia, our spirits formed into the Underworld, and we heard Luke talk to his master, along with someone else, and I am afraid to inform you that with how...evil the voice sounds, I believe that it would be my grandfather," I told him as I heard my father take in a deep breath.
"Are you sure, son," Dad asked me, and I held back a smile.
"Yes, I've been having dreams of that voice for the last month," I told him as he looked at Zuse, who did not like what he was listening to but with what I was saying.
"I will investigate this, and you are free to go. I have to cleanse my bolt," Zuse said as he disappeared in a flash of light.
Dad got up from his throne, which looked like it was made of sand and seashells, and shrank down to the human side. "Your uncle, I always think he should be the god of the theatre instead of the sky," he told me as he walked over to us.
"You've all done a wonderful job, but with this news that my father is rising," Dad said, not looking too happy. Anyway, you six head to camp, quietly gather forces, and corner Luke, ensuring he can not escape," he told us as we nodded.
"Now, as my brother will not say thanks, I will, first Grover, here," Dad said as he walked over to my protector and pulled out a flute, which looked to be made out of coral. Use this if you need the aid of the sea," he told Grover as he bowed at the sea god.
He then moved to Annabeth before he called a book to his hand. "For you, a book on Atlantis, one written by my son Triton," he told her as her mouth could not work as he moved to Alumi. Here you are, a turtle shell, one for your friend," Dad said as Alumi nodded and held the shell in her hand.
Dad walked over to Nico, formed a pen in his hand, summoned a card, sighed, and then handed it to the boy, who was hyperventilating.
"Bianca, as a demi-god, you need a weapon, and while my brother will get one for you, here is a gift from me," Dad said as he called a bident. Your father had one just like it before it broke in battle, and I think he would love for his little girl to have one the same," he told her as she accepted it, and it turned into a skull ring.
Finally, Dad came back to me and handed me two things: " The first is a special metal that is found in the sea, Coral Steel, and the second is something that you can only use after your birthday," he told me as we nodded and started to make our way out.
We had a traitor to take down.