Hazel Levesque Meets the Avengers

Chapter 26

Azra

I hated this.

We ran for what seemed like hours, never safe. At every rustle of leaves, or snapping of twigs, we would set off again. We ran until I could taste blood in the back of my throat. "Wait." Hazel wheezed. "I can't... go any longer."

She leaned against a tree, where she slid down and immediately started crying. Guilt filled me, consuming me with every one of Hazel's wracking sobs.

Why hadn't I tried to fight Loki? Because I was too scared that I would die.

Why hadn't I realised that Nico was being consumed? Because I wasn't thinking about him. 

Why hadn't I tried to save him? Why hadn't I tried to do a million other things that could have helped?

Will touched my shoulder, breaking me from my thoughts. A small wave of calm washed over me. "How do you do that?" I asked.

"Sunshine. Cheers everyone up. Most of the time anyway." He looked over at Hazel. She wasn't sobbing as much now, but tears still streamed from her eyes.

"We need to get out of here." I declared.

"How? We're all too tired to move, let alone run."

An idea floated into my brain. I wasn't sure that I could do it, but I didn't have time to hesitate. Loki's taunting voice could be heard now. "Come on you three. We're gonna catch you anyway. You might as well make this easy for yourselves."

I grabbed Will and Hazel's arms and imagined us in Olympus with Chiron and the rest of the campers. That was the only safe space I could think of. In an instant, we had appeared.

The gods scrambled back in shock. Zeus aimed his hand at us, his palm glowing with power, when Hazel screamed "STOP!"

Everyone froze. "Lord Zeus, please put your hand away." Chiron advised from behind us. I turned around. Every camper was there, either looking disgruntled or in shock.

Out f nowhere, my head spun, and I swayed slightly. My breath caught in my chest. Will caught me before I fell and gave me some water. "Thanks." I muttered. What was that?

"Listen." Hazel commanded. "Some weird creatures have escaped, and they can possess people. So far, they've taken over Loki, Thor, Doctor Strange, Percy Jackson (at his name, many people gasped) and," she took a deep breath. "Nico Di Angelo."

At the mention of his name, Hades flashed into the room, his eyes deadly. They also had something else in them. Fear.

"I have bad news." He announced. "Chaos has take over Tartarus  and is slowly rising upwards with his army."

"What about the dead?" Hazel asked.

"I've brought the ones who want to leave back to life. The ones who don't are staying."

"How do we stop Chaos?" One camper asked.

"We cant!" another yelled.

"We're done for!" Someone panicked.

"Wait." Ares' gruff tone was quiet, but it still could be heard over the shouting camprs, silencing them immediately. "We have something we can use." He stood up. "Someone we can use." He stepped towards me. I stepped back.

"No." Hades, Hazel, Will Chiron and Athena all spoke at the same time. 

"It'll anger Chaos even more." Athena explained.

"She's our friend." Hazel ventured. Will nodded enthusiastically next to her. I shot her a smile. I had barely known her for more than a few days, and she already considered me an ally. More than an ally. A friend. My heart warmed at the thought.