The House of Hades

A hero's not afraid to give his life

Percy

Percy's dream was like this.

A women with long black hair, held by a owl shaped helm, stood in the middle of a battlefield. A shield rested against her legs, and several owls flew around. She had a dagger strapped to her waist, and a spear in hand.

Her back was to Percy, but he knew who it was. Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle strategy, Annabeth's mom.

She turned, and her stormy gray eyes anilized him.

"Perseus Jackson," She said with anger. She wore the white robes of a Greek army leader, yet the were female-ized.

"Um, yes, m'lady?" He tried.

A soldier, lookin somewhat like Dionysus,  ran over, yelling insults. He was a foot away when Athena whipped out her dagger, and finished him. She turned back to Percy.

"You did not fail."

"Uh, what?"

"You believe that ou were dead."

"I kinda was." Percy argued.

"No, you were deeply unconsious. I influenced Apollo to stop your heart for a few hours, but you were never dead." Athena said, her gray eyes glinting with intelligence.

"Uh, why?"

Athena sighed. "Where have all the smart people gone?" She inhaled proudly. "Other then my children, of course."

Percy's eyebrow shot up.

"I did that so you would visit Hades palace. You needed to et out of comission for some time."

Percy wanted to ask why, but then a hunting horn called. Athena smiled.

"Ah, Artemis is joining my ranks."

"What is this?" Percy asked.

Athena raised an eyebrow. "Capture the flag, of course."

"You play..."

"It is Ares, Hepaestus, Zeus, Dionysus and Demeter against my team of all the other Olympians. Goodbye now, godling."

"But I thought you were torn between your Greek and Rom-"

She dissaperred in a column of smoky gray mist, the scent of Olives leaving behind.

Percy awoke.

Annabeth didn't seem fazed by Percy's dream. Not even the capture the flag part.

Silena was rocking back and forth in the corner, crying. Bianca patted her shoulder in sympathy. Even Zoe looked upset for her.

Percy felt weak. He'd let Beckondorf die, again.

Percy also felt angry. He'd trusted Luke. And then he killed Beckondorf, and left.

"Percy?"

"What?" Percy snapped out of his stupor by his girlfriends voice.

"I asked if my mom gave you a hard time." She clipped off every word.

"Oh. Uh, no."

Annabeth sighed a swept her blonde hair back. Silena looked up and held out a hair tie, offering it to Annabeth.

"Oh, it's okay Silena."

Silena put it in her palm, then started to weep again.

Annabeth, defeated by sympathy, brushed her hair back and put it in a ponytail.

Percy thoguht she looked more beautiful then she ever had, dusted with cobwebs, dirt and grime, darkness casting shadows over her full lips, a scrape on her cheek turning her face to a blush.

A draceana slithered over, hissing. Zoe sighed and shot it, then went to retreve the arrow.

Bianca had a long slash on her arm, still bleeding. Zoe pulled out a small square of cloth and darped it over the cut, wapping it.

A low growl came from Pecy's left. Immedently on defense, he drew Riptide.

Annabeth screamed.

Luke was leaning casually against a hellhound.

"Hello, Annabeth." He said friendly.

Annabeth sneered. "Go to Tart-" She faltered. She couldn't say, 'Go to Tartarus'. They were already there.

Luke grimanced. "I came in a bid for peace," He began.

"Oh, sure you did Luke! And you just hapened to bring this hellhound along?!" Percy demanded.

"Look closer, Perseus."

"Don't call me Per-" Percy stopped short.

The hellhound was Mrs.O'Leary.