Chapter 7: Spanish Moon

The trudge through the streets was quiet. The death of the priest had thrown the zombies into a berserk frenzy. They were more likely to attack each other than us three. And after maybe ten minutes of chaos there was silence. We walked past corpses and broken weapons, the occasional straggler we took down easily.

I was doing most of the wet work with the atlatl. And I'd gotten the girls to get pretty good with it too. At least it was a decent distraction to keep their minds off the shit we'd been through so far.

I really should've handled that better. Just shooting him really hit Annabeth. I could see it on her face clear as day. Lou seemed to have gotten over it the deeper we went into the city. I realized that this wasn't the first time she'd seen someone die violently with her father after all. But then again, Annabeth would've seen Thalia as well. Maybe this whole thing was bringing her back to that night. Then again, with how Lou told me the story, that chick might still be alive in that tree. Hope is such a dangerous thing.

Maybe I was in the wrong to have shot him. Death was so normal back home, and for all the crap I've given Annabeth about not having been outside Camp, someone could say just the same for me. There might've been a way to reverse whatever these priests have done to themselves. .

But reason, logic? They're so hard to find at the end of a muzzle.

And like I said, I don't regret doing it. The end decision isn't as important as owning it. Knowing that I did it and accepted it as my action and nobody else's. To have done anything different wouldn't have been possible. It would've been someone else asking those questions. Someone else deciding not to pull that trigger.

No matter what, I had to keep us moving. We'd already burned too much time on this.

We started to climb a steep hill towards the pyramid. Along the sides of the streets we saw more and more bodies. Many of them weren't zombies either. Some were just plain sacrifices. Chests ripped open. Hearts cast aside. Blood streaked the walls. It was a mixture of fresh and old. Some may have been killed in the last hour or so. As we reached the crest of the hill the bodies cleared up and I saw a wooden table sitting in the middle of the road.

"Looks like they were doing some makeshift sacrifices here." I said.

"Why though?" Lou asked.

"I bet this is a reaction to the first priest dying." I said, "Maybe the other two had to fill a power vacuum or something."

"I doubt that." Lou said. She examined the bloodied table closer. "There's remnants of obsidian here, but not the kind from the weapons."

I leaned in next to her and she was right. There were little shards of obsidian littering the table like wood chips.

"Could it be that they were tempering it somehow? Like dipping the shards in blood to make it stronger." I guessed.

"That could be it." Lou said, "I've never done blood magic, and never intend to. But you might be able to change a material's properties with a process like that. Since these atlatl darts seem to kill the zombies it might have similarities to Celestial Bronze."

"Just needs a name now." I said half-seriously.

Lou smirked, "Better think of something good Pirate Boy."

So, she didn't hate me. Thank you Aphrodite!

The three of us kept going. Lacking any other direction we'd been wandering towards the pyramid. We were a few blocks from the base when we ran into another group of zombies, except they weren't berserk. They were in a line with shields up. They spread across the street blocking our path.

Lou raised her rifle, and I got my Bastards out. Something didn't feel right. They were way too disciplined compared to our last engagements.

"Annabeth, get your cap on. See if you can flank them." I said.

"On it." Annabeth said. She disappeared.

"Percy, something doesn't seem right." Lou said.

"As long as we have range, we'll be fine." I said.

From their line a soldier raised a small black ball, or was it a skull? I braced myself as he raised it to his mouth. He blew and a dreadful scream hit me. I had to resist the urge to cover my ears. It sounded like someone was being flayed alive. I can't say I'd heard a more clear and visceral scream before.

As Lou and I were reeling from the sound they charged. I aimed my guns and fired a volley. Lou did the same and a few of them fell. The line pulled back and the two of us tried to find a way out. But the only way was back, and all the doors and windows were boarded up.

"We gotta move!" Lou said.

"I know." I said, "Only way is forward. I'll rush them, you pick off stragglers."

"That's reckless Percy!" Lou said just before another scream engulfed us.

This time I actually did cover my ears, and I had to take a knee. There was no way that whistle was normal. I saw Lou in a similar state. The sound ended and I didn't waste any time. The line started to change, and I ran towards them.

The warriors yelled and raised their swords and spears. I emptied my magazines and stopped just short of their line for a quick reload. I got the last magazine in before dodging a jab from a spear. I holstered my left gun and took out my knife. I heard Lou's rifle.

The soldier in front of me fell and I pushed into the gap. I put the gun up to the head of one and fired. My knife found another's head. I got it out in time to block a blow from a sword.

Sparks from our blades crashed in the air and I got his sword locked in the hilt of my knife. He pushed but I gunned his chest out.

I turned and deflected a spear with my gun and closed the distance. My blade was buried in a neck, and I turned just in time to slash at another.

Lou got him before I did, and I shot down another who was running towards me. I put my weapons away and withdrew Riptide. One of the remaining soldiers swung at me and I parried. His guard was left open, I sunk in.

I dodged a blade swing from the last guy and hit him with the pommel of my sword. His nose was fucked up and I kicked his chest. He fell backwards and I swung my sword downwards. He was done.

I was about to cap my sword when I heard Lou yell behind me. I whipped around and saw three guys dragging her away. I lunged towards her but I felt the smallest of pricks on the back of my neck. I fell over limp.

I had no control over my body and my mind raced as I heard Lou's screams.

I felt someone kick me onto my back and a soldier smiled down at me. There was a wooden tube in his hands adorned with feathers.

A fucking blow dart? Really?

When I woke up, I was at the base of the pyramid. My shirt was gone, and I was sitting with my back against a post. I could feel a rope around one of my ankles. I looked around and saw a massed ring of warriors cheering and jeering in equal measures. I think I knew what was happening.

I stood up and saw a part in the crowd. Another priest stepped forward. His headdress was much more impressive, and he had piercings all over his face. His face was painted elaborately, and his clothing was colorful and extravagant.

"You are worthy." he said simply in Spanish. "May Tezcatlipoca accept you into his armies. So that you shall be reborn as the greatest of our warriors."

"The fuck are you talking about?" I growled.

"You will face off against our best young man, for you have shown yourself to be worthy." the priest said, "And when you are fallen, your companion shall follow suit. Your hearts will please the Sun and bring our people back into the world."

"You've gotta be joking." I muttered. I looked up the stairs of the pyramid and saw Lou tied up in a similar way. Another priest, who looked like the first one we'd already killed, was guarding her. My heart jumped.

I had to do something. And if they wanted me pissed off, mission accomplished.

The priest turned to a warrior and he had him toss a wooden sword at me. It looked like the ones they had all been using but instead of obsidian the edge was embedded with feathers.

"Hey!" I yelled at the priest, "Your warriors are so afraid that they won't even give me a proper weapon? I'll still win, you know. I wrote the book on bad ideas but you're writing a good sequel."

"Young man, your time to change your destiny is past." he rumbled while back into the crowd, "At least go out with some class."

I sighed and looked around at the warriors. They were yelling at me, and they made faces. They hit their shields with their weapons, but I wasn't intimidated. I'd cracked enough bats over enough heads.

One wearing a jaguar skin came forward and made a wild swing at me. I dodged and let the blade fall beside me. I turned and kicked his knee. He fell and I used my sword to get him in a choke. I pulled to the side as hard as I could, and I heard his neck crack. He fell down limp.

I reached for his sword, but I almost lost a finger when a spear hit it out of the way. The warrior who did it wagged his finger at me.

Fine. Have it your way.

The next warrior jumped at me, and I shoulder checked him. I slid past his blade just barely and I slammed my sword into his head once he fell to the ground. Most of the damage went to his helmet but he was dazed. I didn't know zombies could be dazed, and I was almost surprised until I saw blood coming from his nose and mouth. These were real people. I beat the warrior to a pulp and backed off when he stopped moving. My sword was covered in blood and my hand started slipping on the wooden handle.

I made the choice to drop it, and my hand shot into my pocket where I found Riptide. I was really hoping that these people would be affected by the bronze.

I got the blade out just in time to deflect a spear and I whirled the blade around. I sliced at the warrior's arm and the blade cut his hand clean off. He wailed and I decapitated him in another clean swing.

The cheers from the crowd were deafening and I saw the priest at the top of the pyramid approaching Lou. She was struggling against her restraints. I picked up the pace. Two warriors approached me next.

The first one swung and I parried. His guard was open and I stabbed his throat. The other nearly got me and I turned around. He shrieked as I sliced open his belly. His guts spilled down. I kicked him over into the dirt. He tried to gather himself and the crowd seemed to view this as disrespectful. The jeering got more intense.

I glanced back up at Lou and the priest was undoing her restraints. The first priest was in the crowd. I could see him clearly. His face was manic at the bloodshed.

The next warrior came in and his shield was bigger than the others. I decided to be aggressive, and I made a thrust. He hit me back with the flat of his blade and shoved me with his shield. There was no way I would get past it. I'd have to be creative.

I looked down at the rope around my ankle and realized just how much slack I had. I backed up to the pole I was tied to and gathered up as much rope as I could without tripping.

The warrior advanced on me. I tossed the jumble at him and pulled. I was hoping for a random tangle and I sure as hell got one. His shield was thrown open and he fell forwards. But I also lost my footing and fell to the floor. I lost my grip on my sword, and he did too.

He scrambled on top of me. I raised my forearms as he tried to punch my face. I raised my legs and wrapped around his hips. I grappled and got our positions revered. I was on top and grabbed his face. I went for the eyes and pushed in with my thumbs. His hands flailed around, and he screamed as I withdrew. I moved my hands down and started to strangle him. He stopped moving eventually.

I stood up again over the body and found Riptide in my pocket again. I unsheathed it and faced the crowd again with arms outstretched.

I faced the priest, "Are you not entertained!" I shouted. C'mon, I just had to do it.

I glanced up at the pyramid again and saw Lou being shoved over to a stone altar. Not good. Really not good.

I swung my sword down and cut the rope. I was free to move. I gunned for the priest. My move surprised the warriors, and they made a rush for me. The priest shouted and held out his hands and they stopped. As I closed in he produced an axe and blocked my opening move. He shoved my blade away and punched me with his off hand.

I reeled back. I could feel blood shoot out of my nose.

I blocked a swing from him and got my boots placed right. I blocked another blow and I parried. His blade hooked around mine and I thrusted. He grunted as my blade met his arm. A deep cut. But he was emboldened.

More back and forth. I was hit twice, once on the shoulder and a glance at my face. That obsidian was too sharp to make dirty rough cuts.

We were both tired and I locked my blade again and we got face to face. His teeth were growing, and I could hear an animalistic growl in his throat. This man wasn't human. I shoved him back again and we separated. I kept my blade raised.

"You're making the gods very happy young man." he said in a moaning tone. "Soon their appetites will be satisfied and our destiny fulfilled."

"Fuck you." I said, "You'll die like the rest. Pathetic."

I made another blow, and we separated again after he blocked.

"The temple shall rise again, and the pretenders cast away. The sun shall return for you and I." he said.

He raised his axe and rushed me. His face was frenzied. I locked in and waited until the last possible second to move.

I went low and swung. The axe head went over me, and my blade separated his left leg at the knee. He fell over top of me.

I whipped around and stabbed my blade down, clean through his heart.

The crowd around me screamed in despair. I saw the warriors clutch their heads and they turned on each other. I fought my way through the crowd and started climbing. The priest had gotten Lou pinned down on the altar with the help of some assistants. He had some zombies as guards, they had atlatls.

"Percy!" Lou shouted. Her head turned towards me and her eyes were desperate. I pushed harder and I swiped Riptide at the incoming darts from the guards.

I was only a dozen steps away when one caught me in the thigh. I yelled and fell. I almost started sliding down the stairs, but I held on. Riptide fell away and I looked back up at the altar.

My hands were slipping.

The priest had a knife.

He raised his arms.

A Yankees hat fell to the ground beside him.

Annabeth had a derringer.

She was horrified. The priest laid dead below her, hole clean through his forehead, and the bodies of the guards both up here and down below had fallen too. The cavern was silent aside from Lou and I's heavy breathing.

I tried climbing up, but my leg just wouldn't work right. The dart was still embedded. I broke the long part sticking out front and tugged the rest out through the back. I growled and found the movement more painful, but more possible.

I got to the top and Lou was sitting on the altar, her back to me. She was hugging Annabeth, who was dry heaving into her shirt. I hauled myself to lean on the altar beside them. Lou looked at me, her eyes were tearing up.

I sat down and put an arm around her.

We sat there for a while. Our backs turned to the carnage below. The red glow was starting to fade somewhat, and I saw it flickering inside the temple that was sitting across the top of the pyramid from us. It was a small stone structure that took up about half the width of the top. Another structure stood beside it, but it collapsed into ruins. I saw our backpacks and gear leaning against the doorway to the red light. I saw a canteen strapped to mine.

I stood up and nodded at Lou. She continued to console Annabeth as I limped over to the canteen.

I fell to my knees and grabbed it. I poured water on my leg wound. I felt the muscle repair and the skin close. I dumped more on my head, and I used some of my power over it to wash off the blood. I also felt the smaller cuts and wounds I'd gotten repair. I put down the canteen and searched my bag.

I put on a spare shirt and put my gun belt back on. I turned back and nodded to Lou. She got Annabeth up and came over. We reequipped ourselves and I led the way into the temple where the red light was. It was no more than a flicker.

Inside was a small stone table holding a ruby-red jewel about the size of a baseball. Stood beside it was a woman dressed in a flowing black gown. Her head was thin and bone-white. Her shortish hair brushed her shoulders and was blacker than any night I'd seen at sea. She also wore a wide brimmed hat with several flowers in the band. Pastel greens and reds and blues. She was beautiful.

She turned to face us and in one hand was a scythe and she held a globe like a basketball in the other.

"You made it." she said. Her voice was whispery but sharp, like a knife in the dark. Strangely though, I wasn't on guard. My mind was at peace once I'd seen her. It's like she was an old friend.

"It's not like you made it easy." I quipped.

"Me?" she laughed, "That was all them my darling."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Mictēcacihuātl." she said, "Although I am better known today as Santa Muerte."

"And were you the one who got that cult riled up?" I asked.

"Not at all young man." she said, "I merely am the last vestige of the old Aztec pantheon. The rest of my family was not afforded to evolve as I did and therefore faded from myths into memory."

"What's so special about you?" I asked.

"My followers give me dominion over their death." Santa Muerte said, "Quite the powerful incentive. But to answer your question Perseus Jackson, I was found by those awful men that you three killed. They styled themselves as priests and thought they could use this to restore the Aztec civilization."

She motioned to the jewel and I stepped closer to it. I was beside her.

"The Heart of Copil." I muttered.

"Some may call it that." she said. Santa Muerte lifted it up and examined it like a prized apple.

"What can it do?" I asked.

"That, I do not know for certain." Santa Muerte said, "Yet they seemed obsessed with this, those priests. And they couldn't find a good use for it either. Beyond entrancing their sacrifices that is."

I turned back and Lou's eyes were wide open, in shock almost.

"Lou?" I asked.

"I can't believe it." she muttered, "May I hold it?"

Santa Muerte seemed intrigued and giggled, "What thoughts do you have Miss Blackstone?"

"That's the Philosopher's Stone." Lous aid, "It has to be."

"The Magnum Opus of Alchemy." Santa Muerte pondered, she held the stone and twisted it in her hand, "Quite the find."

"We need it." I said, "It's why we came down here."

"I know, and I intend to let you leave with it in return for disposing of those men." she said.

"But I thought you would like death." Annabeth said in a small voice.

"I do not feel anything towards it young lady." she replied quickly, "How would you think your mother would respond to the question of how she thinks about wisdom when she is the very thing itself."

"I don't know." Annabeth said.

"Exactly." Santa Muerte said, "And as for your guilt, discard it. You did your duty as a hero. These two have their lives thanks to you. Killing justly is not something to dwell on."

Santa Muerte walked up to Annabeth and bent down slightly to meet her height. The goddess caressed Annabeth's face.

"You're such a bright soul my dear." she said, "You did the right thing, and nobody would think otherwise. Achilles, Odysseus, and all of your idols made the same choice hundreds of times over. Do not let that man haunt you."

Annabeth's face softened and she gave the goddess a light smile. The death goddess turned towards me and held out the Stone.

"I think you've earned this young man." she said before dropping into my hand. It was surprisingly light, "If you have any more to ask of me, please do so now."

"Can you make me a duplicate of this?" I asked.

"Of course." she said. She waved her hand, and a copy appeared in my other hand. It was almost identical but it lacked the distinct aura of the real deal. I tossed the real one to Lou.

"I have a plan for our friend Frank back upstairs." I said.

"Francisco Guerrero Pérez?" Santa Muerte asked, "I thought I felt his presence near here."

"Is that a name I should know?" I asked.

"He killed many women before their time." she said, "I would tread lightly with him."

"When did he die?" I asked.

"What?" Lou asked.

"She seems familiar with him is all." I said.

"You're saying he was revived?" Annabeth asked.

"He's right." Santa Muerte said, "He crossed over with me around nineteen ten, in your mortal calendar. But he was taken away from me recently. I'm still unsure how."

"Odd." Lou said, "Maybe we can ask him?"

"For sure." I said.

"Santa Muerte?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes my dear?" she responded.

"Why are you here exactly? Shouldn't you be out preforming your divine duties?" Annabeth asked.

Santa Muerte laughed, "Who says I'm not doing just that right now? Who says that what you see here isn't but a fraction of what I am? But to answer your question, I simply enjoy being here from time to time. Where else can you go to experience a dead city. Where the lives of so many were taken? I consider this place a little home-y, to put it simply."

"I see." Annabeth said.

"If that's all, I'd suggest you get going." Santa Muerte said, "Your quest still awaits."

"Two last things." I said.

"Fire away." the goddess said.

"Do you know where an entrance to the Underworld could be in Los Angeles?" I asked.

"A movie studio named Dead Or Alive Productions." Santa Muerte said, "I went there once to check it out, but I wasn't very impressed."

"Okay, that makes the search easier." I said, "And how exactly do we get out of here?"

"Like this." the goddess said. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers.

We appeared inside what looked like a crypt. There were a few dim lights. The atmosphere was wicked.

"Look at these." Annabeth said. I turned around and saw a curved wall full of small golden doors. Names of archbishops were on them.

"Must be inside the Metro Cathedral." I said, "Let's get outside."

I led the way, and we found the building to be mostly empty. We were in the main chapel when we found Frank sitting in one of the pews.

"I see you made it out." he said seriously.

"I thought that was the intention?" Lou asked.

"It never was." I guessed, "I think I know what's up."

"Really now?" Frank said, "Did you find the Heart?"

"Indeed." I said. I withdrew the fake from my pocket. "Went through hell for this y'know."

"I'd imagine, now hand it over." Frank said. He stood up and stuck his hand out.

"Not just yet cowboy." I said, "There's some questions I need answered."

I looked the man straight in the eye and he returned the favor. I only just saw his hand twitch before the room was covered in smoke. I drew a pistol and looked around as the air cleared up.

Annabeth was in a chokehold, pistol to her temple. She was putting up a good resistance, but Frank had more raw strength.

I aimed my gun at the pair, no way I could get a clean shot. I bet it was the same for Lou and her rifle.

"Hand it over!" Frank demanded.

"Lert her go!" I replied.

"We're at an impasse." Frank said, "My master never intended for you to live. Never intended to let me live!"

"What are you talking about?" Lou said.

"The Lord chica, The Crooked One." Frank said, "I know you've seen him in your dreams little nephew." He looked straight at me. Annabeth's face went pale and I recentered my thoughts.

"The fuck?" I asked.

"I'm a son of Kakia, same as your mother. We need to stick by each other, don't we?" he said.

"Piece of shit." I said, "You really want this?" I held the fake out and kept my pistol on him.

He gazed longingly at the stone, and I could tell his attention on Annabeth was weakened.

"I need it!" he said pleadingly. There was no way this guy was all there.

"Have it!" I said.

The stone went in the air. He looked up a little too much.

I centered my sights.

Blood was on the floor. Mixed with glassy red shards.

The car was silent. Some outlaw ballad was on the radio, I was the only one who could understand the Spanish. This morning, we rushed out of the Cathedral and took Frank's car. We also raided his apartment for showers and whatever supplies he had. I was glad he had a few Red Bulls in the fridge, the girls were both in the back passed out despite the bright sun outside. I also requisitioned Fank's Ray Ban aviators. Dude had style at least.

Annabeth was thoroughly traumatized by last night, as could be expected. And Lou was just tired from what I could tell. She'd been much more solid than I thought while we were in that city. I bet she was hiding something, a past experience that taught her to handle herself. Maybe I was overthinking it. I wasn't entirely sure.

We reached the Nogales city limits and I pulled off into an alley. I got out of the car and checked for any low-life assholes who might try and jump us, but we were clear. I woke up Lou and got her out of the car. She was really groggy.

"We're in Nogales right now." I said, "Can you work on disguising our gear so border patrol doesn't flag us. And if you could change the car documents around that would be great too."

"On it." she said calmly. Her eyes were still heavy. I leaned on the hood of the car while she worked on a makeshift table nearby that we made from milk crates and a plank of wood.

"Say Percy." she said, "What day is it?"

I checked the clock on the car's media system.

"June twelfth." I said. "Week and two days until the solstice."

"Do you think we'll make it?" she asked.

"I think we can." I said, 'There's no way Tenochtitlan gets outclassed."

"That's fair." she said, "It's been hard on Annabeth."

"I know." I said, "If I knew what we'd be going through I would've chosen somebody else."

"Yeah, I definitely don't think she was cut out for this sort of work." she said, "But now, I wouldn't want anyone else. She's gone through more than anyone else at Camp by now. Excluding us of course."

"Agreed." I said, "And don't take this the wrong way. But I'm surprised with you too."

She smirked, "Watch your tone Jackson, I was just starting to like you."

I laughed, "Alright then, but I really do think you've shown a lot. You're better in a fight than half the people from Roanapur."

"Really?' she asked, glancing back at me, "I would've thought everyone there was like you."

"Nah." I said, "There's a difference between being willing to do bad things and actually having the guts to do them competently. And keeping your head in a fight is hard for lots of people."

"I won't try and argue with you there." Lou said.

"If you're up for it. I'd like to take you to Roanapur whenever I go back. Even if it's just for a little bit." I said.

She paused.

"Let me think about it." she answered.

"Okay."

X

Author's Note:

Mexico done! I hope you enjoyed the Aztec arc, and the Philosopher's Stone will play a big role as a part of Lou's abilities as she figures out what it can and can't do. And Frank is meant to be the same person as the serial killer with the same full name. I figured he might not be too well known.

Vegas is next and I have most of it written out already. And let me tell ya I think I'll be paying a good tribute to the recently late Val Kilmer with Ares's role. Go watch Heat if you haven't!

Please feel free to leave some feedback. Hearing from your readers as an author is the best motivator :)