The Huntress

Chapter 13

Nico's POV:

I stare out into the madness that I had once called home. Spirits bathed in the river we had to cross.

When they notice us, they look up at us with a black liquid pouring down from their mouths which were pulled into smiles that belong to madmen.

"Why you little..." screams Jade and pushes past me. I hear a thud and some cursing coming from Jade. She pulls and tanks at the handle of the door, trying to pry it open.

She is the only one of us that is brave enough to turn her back to the spirits.

They started to wade through the water, eyes glowing red and fangs dripping black poison. More appear at the top of the hill and I staryed trembling with fear. Then someone grabbed my shoulders. I relaxed when I look Jade in the eyes.

"Nico, I know that I'm about to ask a lot of you, but please, this is when I need you the most," she says slowly. I suddenly see the fear in her eye.

"I'm going to leave, Nico, go and save your Dad. You and the rest need to stay here and try to open this door. And, Nico, I might not come back. When you get that door open, go through. Go to Olympus and tell the gods that Hades will be freed."

I stare at her and start to protest, but she doesn't let me.

"Nico, you need to promise me that if you need to, you will leave without me. Nico, promise me!" She demands. I nod. She turns and runs away. I hide my fear and unsheath my sword, ready to fight.

Jade's POV:

I race towards the edge of the river. I don't know how to get across. I slash at a spirit and my sword passes straight through it. It launches at me and I stumble back, trying to get away from its talons, but I'm not fast enough.

It cuts my shoulder and let out a scream of pain. I'm hit by a wave of guilt as my knees buckle. How are the others going to fight these things? Maybe Nico will have some power over these things.

I can only hope.

I refuse to back down. I dodge a few spirits and back onto the river. And I keep going. I look down and realise I'm walking on the water.

I smile, turn around and run. I reach the shore and dodge more spirits as I run to Hades' palace. I duck inside and nearly collapse.

My shoulder feels like its on fire. The skin around it had turned a greenish - black colour and the flesh looks infected. I knew I couldn't be able to beat him with power, but I don't really have another choice.

He is smart, I can't trick him. I walk through the corridors of the palace. I don't pass any spirits, so I knew he was expecting me.

I reach the throne room and risk a glance past the open doors. I duck my head back and swallow my fear. Luckily his back was faced to me. To the left of him was Hades, floating in a cloud of a purplish air. Probably posion.

"Huntress, I know you're there. Stop hiding like the coward you are and face me!" A voice booms.

His voice sends shivers down my spine.

I take in a deep breath and walk confidently into the throne room. "Tartarus," I greet the primordial. His smile makes me want to scream in fear.

I stick my chin in the air, faking confidence. "I'm amazed you showed up," he sneers. "You've always been a coward."

"Well, I'm here. I will fight you, if I must, but that would not end well for either of us," I say. He laughs, but there's no humour in it. "Please, demigod. You are weak, a pathetic pawn in this war. I'm amazed really," he says and walks towards me.

"That the gods decided you were the one that was to face me." He grabs my chin, his long claw digging into my skin. Looking into his eyes, I feel useless.

There's no way I can stop a god like Tartarus. Especially a simple Huntress like me. I'm a glass pane, standing in his path of destruction.

Suddenly, a small flame of hope begins to flicker in my heart. I was chosen for a reason to be the Wolf Huntress. I must remember Lupa and her pained and dreaded lessons.

I must push away the fear and do it. It will hurt afterwards, but where the scars form is up to me. With a rush of adrenalin, I kick Tartarus' knees hard. I hear the crack and he screams in pain.

Flames ignite in his eyes and he launches at me. It's a full out power battle. I slash and dodge and duck. Power blast after power blast, we both begin to tire. Sweat pours down my face, but I grip my sword tightly. I am not going to be the first one down.

Hazel's POV:

The fight rages on. I'm bruised and cut. Sweat pours down my face and stings my cuts. I grip my gladius hard and swing at another spirit. Only Nico and I am able to kill these things.

The rest are surviving by dodging and disorienting them. I tackle a spirit which is just about to rip Jason's throat out.

I stumble and fall with the spirit. I roll away as it tries to grab me. I get to my feet and kill it, helping Jason to his feet. We nod at each other. We're going to get out of here alive.