Chapter 25: Fight for the Underworld
The Fields of Asphodel battle going on when Nova had left has died down. It looks like the spirits are being rounded up, and the hellhounds are nowhere in sight. And for some strange reason, bears are walking around and hawks flying through the sky.
Artemis's doing, most likely. From what he knows of Greek Mythology, Artemis is the goddess of the moon and the hunt, so it makes sense that she can make animals appear with a wave of her hand.
Erebus's pale face has a sheen of red on his cheeks, and the dark energy he is radiating has become even more out of control. Nova didn't need powers to sense the anger rolling off of his godly form.
His suit is tinged with poison stains from where Erebus had been hit with Echidna's spit. If Nova looked down, his clothes would probably have the same thing.
Erebus turned his livid dark eyes on Nova, teeth bared in a fury. "How dare you!?"
"If you want to be technical about it," Nova pointed out. "It was Echidna's poison that sent you to the Underworld, and not me."
His nostrils flared, eyes glittering with anger. "It was YOU that pulled me in the line of fire! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been killed. Now I can't go to the mortal world for another century!"
"And I'm supposed to feel bad about that; why?" Nova asked sarcastically.
"You'll feel bad when I destroy you for good!" He growled out, a mace appearing in his hand. "You will pay for what you have done. Take your last breaths because you won't get any more when I'm finished with you."
Not fair, he thought; why does he get a mace?
His thoughts are interrupted when Erebus swings the mace at Nova's head, forcing him to dodge it. After avoiding the mace a few times, his luck had run out. The next thing he feels is the mace colliding painfully with his chest, and his feet are no longer on the floor.
Erebus had hit Nova so hard that he had been launched into the air and was falling. He sees the river drawing nearer but then he feels claws grabbing onto his clothing.
About a dozen hawks had slowed down his fall and were leading him over to the other side of the river. They dropped him down on the ground. He rolls over; every breath hurts where he has been hit by the mace.
Oh great, he thought, exasperated, he can fly too. Again, not fair!
"Where do you think you're going, maggot?" Erebus stormed. "I'm not done with you yet."
Artemis and Faun run up to where the two are facing off. Artemis had recently procured her bow and arrow that she had found after the battle had finished. The Faun has a sharp dagger in his left hand, and Artemis tosses Nova a sword that seems to have belonged to one of the disarmed demigods.
"This doesn't concern you, Artemis," Erebus scolded her as if telling off a child.
"It concerned me when you kidnapped me from my camp." She retorted. "My huntresses are probably worried about me. And the fact that you attempted to harm my niece is crossing the line."
"You mean the niece that you and Apollo ignored for sixteen years." He was accused. "The Olympians have many children and care for none of them over the centuries. You claim to be better than me, but you are not.
How do you think I managed to get so many demigods to work with me? They are sick and tired of being ignored by their godly parents."
"Not all gods ignore their children," Artemis pointed out. "Apollo kept an eye on her for years. And I sent her gifts for every holiday, every birthday. Do not accuse me of not caring for Rosetta, and I love her and would do anything to keep her safe."
YOU ARE READING
Rosetta Dagotto and the Fight for the Underworld
FantasyA sixteen-year-old student named Nova Tyler McNaughton died on the way to school. Nova was hit when he saved a little girl who had been chasing after a ball. The last thing he saw when he died was the little girl and her Mom hovering over his dying...
