Forged Destinies

Surprise!

Ch.18

As Percy walked through the streets of Pylos, he was keenly aware of just how many wandering souls were around them. They outnumbered the living who were none the wiser to the infestation of ghosts.

"What do you think it means?" Nico whispered, his expression mirrored that of his brother. Though not uncomfortable around the dead, this unnatural gathering of the supernatural made him uneasy.

"No idea," Percy answered. "Though I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and say its not good."

Jason was looking at the two children of Hades nervously. He knew what they were talking about but to him, nothing was amiss. There were street vendors lining the sidewalks and small cars weaved through the heavy pedestrian traffic but he saw nothing that would indicate this place was being haunted.

"What do we do then?" Nico asked, unsure of how they would know where to go to find what they were after.

Percy seemed to think about it for a minute and then held out his hand to Nico.

"Give me you sword."

Nico was confused but he did as he was asked as handed over his stygian iron blade.

"What are you gonna d..." Nico began but before he could even finish the question, Percy made a sudden sharp left turn. Before he and Jason could even follow, Percy was standing with his sword raised horizontally in his right hand while his left was outstretched, grasping what would look to most people like empty air. Nico though, he saw exactly what his brother held by the throat, the stygian blade pressed to the translucent form of a soul. The ghoulish figure struggled in vain, a look of confusion and fear etched on its semitransparent face. He and Jason quickly ran to the side of the street, Bob on their heels in his small cat form.

"What?! What?! What is this?!" The soul cried out, obviously confused how this living being was holding him and for what reason.

"Shut up!" Percy hissed. "I have questions and you're going to answer them. Otherwise, you're gonna to be sent packing from the world of the living and you're not gonna like where you end up!"

A look of understanding passed over the ghoul's face making Nico narrow his eyes. This soul had to have been a demigod or perhaps an ancient Greek. The ease in which he accepted Percy's threat as genuine said he realized this was a child of Hades and he knew what he could potentially do to it.

"Why are you here?" Nico asked before Percy could continue. "Why are there so many of you? You should be in your afterlife, not walking amongst the living."

"I.. I... I don't know." The ghost spluttered. "One minute I felt like I was in an endless dream, the next, I was here. I tried to leave but for some reason, I can't. I can go anywhere in this city but nowhere else."

Percy looked at his brother, both their looks were worried.

"The Plains of Asphodel? How the hell are souls escaping from there?" Percy asked before his eyes narrowed a bit. "What did you do, Nico? When you pulled Hazel outta there? I swear if you..."

"I didn't!" Nico protested. "I was careful! I took Hazel and made sure nothing else followed. I'm positive."

Percy glared at him for a minute before seeming to accept his answer and turning back to the soul.

"The other souls," he pressed on. "Are they from Asphodel too?"

The ghost looked from Percy to Nico, his expression looked nervous but he also didn't appear to be trying to hide something.