A Dark Cloud Over the Future Ch 15

Chapter 15: Thalia Takes a Dip in the Styx
The two walked down the long passage of black rock into the depths of the Underworld. Eventually they found the path for the newly deceased and walked past Cerberus who simply let Nico go, being a child of his master.

“How far until we reach the Styx,” Thalia asked as they kept walking down the path.

“We’re almost there, but we need to stop somewhere first,” he replied. It was at this point Thalia noticed they were heading toward the palace of Hades and she was a bit nervous, but didn’t show it.

“Why do we need to go to him? We should go straight toward the Styx and get out of here as fast as we can,” Thalia told him, but he just kept walking toward the palace before replying.

“He told me he would help if we visited him. He just wants to talk; he gave me his word that he wouldn’t harm us,” Nico said, face still looking forward making so Thalia couldn’t read his expression. While Hades wasn’t known to break promises, being the only one of the Big Three that never broke his promise, he still found ways around them. She didn’t feel like she could trust the lord of the dead, but she trusted Nico and she hoped that would be enough. As they walked through the main entrance of the palace, the three furies watched them with their cold eyes.

“Welcome to my palace daughter of Zeus. I suppose I should be grateful my son managed to get you here at all,” Hades said as the two entered the throne room. Nico looked at his father with mild anger at the remark, but didn’t let it affect him.

“You said you wanted to talk,” Nico said to his father. Demeter and Persephone stood at the other end of the room and watched Thalia and Nico confront the lord of the dead. “And you said you would help with the war. We don’t have much time so what is it you want to say?”

Thalia watched as Nico confronted his father in such a way, that he seemed almost fearless or angry. Hades simply leaned in his chair and rested his head on his hand as if he were bored. He waved his other hand and two furies swooped down and grabbed Thalia’s arms.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” Thalia yelled as she struggled against the two furies. Nico also looked surprised and pulled out his sword.

“You said you would help!” Nico shouted at his father.

“Yes, I am helping myself. By capturing her, you will be the child of the prophecy and I will be able to take my place on Olympus,” Hades said as his face didn’t change at all.

“But she’s a hunter, she doesn’t age,” Nico countered, and this did get a smile out of Hades.

“So she hasn’t told you. She gave up her immortality so she could stay with you. I am the god of death after all and I can feel her getting so much closer to it,” Hades said. Nico took a quick look at Thalia and had a look of surprise on his face. Thalia looked back but quickly diverted her gaze as if the whole scenario was embarrassing to her.

“This is the only way for us to be excepted by the other gods and their children,” Hades declared.

“But he is excepted!” Thalia shot back. “We at Camp Half-Blood see Nico as our friend and ally. He has helped keep us alive which is more than I can say about you. While the other gods are fighting a war of their own against Typhon, and Poseidon fighting Oceanus in the sea, you’re hiding down here like a coward. You two over there are no better!” Thalia yelled at Demeter and Persephone in the corner, who looked back at her in shock or anger.

“Now listen here…” Persephone began, but was cut off by Nico.

“No, you listen! Nico yelled. “Right now a bunch of demigods are preparing for a war while an army of monsters are on their way to attack Olympus. You can hide down here and think that you will be spared, but Kronos won’t stop at Olympus, he will come here and you won't have the other gods to help.”

“We will hold!” Hades yelled back, visibly angry at what Nico had said to him.

“For how long?!” Thalia yelled. “A few decades, a few years? Either way, eventually you will fall along with the other gods. Also, your throne may be down here in the pits of the Underworld, but your wife and mother-in-law have thrones on Olympus and they will fade if it falls.”

Hades looked in horror at his wife and she looked back at him as if they had never thought about it themselves. Nico used this moment to slash his sword at one of the furies. She knew the effects of Stygian Iron and backed away, letting go of Thalia’s arm. Thalia pulled out her spear and used it to turn the other fury to dust.

“Come on,” Nico said. “We are in the Underworld so she won't stay dead for long.”

It didn’t take long for Hades to notice what had just happened and his eyes lit up with dark fire. However, Thalia and Nico were already on the run and out of the throne room. When they made it to the front of the palace, Nico summoned a pair of skeletal horses. They jumped on their backs and rode toward the River Styx.

“Sorry,” Nico said as he rode next to her. “I didn’t think he would do that.”

“It’s alright,” Thalia said back. “I believe you, now let’s hurry. The armies of the Underworld won't be far behind.”

They made it to the Styx and they dismounted from their horses.

“So what do we do now that we’re here?” Thalia asked Nico, but he looked at the river with uncertainty.

“I’m not sure, you have your mother’s blessing, but I’m not sure what we do after that.”

“You don’t,” came a voice from the direction of the Styx. They both looked to see the ghost of Achilles. “Turn back now. The power you gain from the river is not worth the weaknesses you will gain from it.”

“I’ll just were something other than sandals,” Thalia said back at him, but he looked annoyed at her remark.

“My heel was only my physical weakness,” Achilles said as he took a somewhat sadder expression. “What really killed me was my arrogance, my own pride. You have a similar weakness, being a child of Zeus brings a kind of arrogance much like my own, but you are also tempted by power, a dangerous combination. I will not stop you, but I hope you will listen to my warning. If you do wish to take the power of the Styx, make sure you have something connecting you to this world. No one person can be completely invincible, so pick a spot and pick it well.”

At that moment the ghost vanished and Thalia only looked at the spot he use to be and then gazed at the Styx. However, hellhounds and undead warriors could be heard closing in on their location and Thalia knew it was now or never. She grasped Nico’s hand for a second and then dove right into the river. The water felt like it was burning her flesh way and the pain was more than she had ever experienced. At the same time, memories of her past seemed to fade and be pulled from her mind. Her times with Luke and Annabeth, her quest with Percy to save Artemis, and the moment she had unsuccessfully tried to save the camp from Kronos’ army. She felt that the river was about to kill her as if her soul was being ripped from her body.

“You won't kill anyone!” she heard a familiar voice say. Her memories and brought her to the last time she almost died, back in the Arena. She looked over and saw Nico. He picked her up off the ground and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He then placed one hand at the small of her back and started walking her to the exit of the arena. As they reached the exit, there was a bright light and she saw Nico pulling her out of the river by her hand. She wasn’t sure what exactly had happened but she was glad he was there.

“Thalia, by the gods, are you ok?” Nico said. Thalia wasn’t sure what he was talking about until she saw her skin. It was glowing red and she felt like she was on fire. As she rose to her feet she saw the undead surround them with Hades not far behind. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”

Thalia however wanted to test to see if it what she did had worked and pulled out her hunting knives. She charged head onto into the ranks of the dead as they fired arrows and bullets at her. She dodged and swerved out of the way and cut them to pieces. Hades yelled in rage, but was quickly silenced by a punch to the face by Thalia. She placed her hunting knives to his neck in the shape of an X.

“These won't kill you, but the will really hurt. Now are you going to let us leave or not,” Thalia said not backing down at all. Hades on the other hand simply scowled and disappeared.

“Thalia, wow,” Nico said. She wasn’t sure what he meant until she looked around to see all the undead warriors were gone and her shirt was covered in small bullet holes from when she charged at them.

“Nico, I think it worked,” she stated.

Darkcloud1111 ~Fastest Hero Alive  01:16, September 11, 2011 (UTC)