Of the Ashes

3

Nothing happened. I looked up in shock at the others, who frowned at me.

Annabeth stood up. "What happened? Why didn't it work?"

I shook my head, putting the knife down, then grabbing it again, not to avail. "Maybe I have to be outside? Where Nico was stabbed? Maybe the barrier between Reality and Chaos is weaker there."

Anything from you guys? I thought to my ghosts. I only got a sense of confusion back. They didn't know what was going on either.

"Maybe..." Annabeth said though I could tell she didn't think that was very likely.

"Maybe it was something about your mindset," Will offered."What could be different now, though?"
I shrugged. "It was dropped. Maybe I have to...Well, I'm not going to stab someone."

"No," Percy agreed. "Should we try going out?"

I shouldered my jacket as Chiron wrapped the knife in a cloth and handed it to me. I took it gingerly, and we filed out of the room.

The others circled around me under the cold shade of the branches of the tree under which Nico had fallen under. I unwrapped the knife and lay it on the floor.

"Here goes nothing," I said and grabbed the knife.

Instantly the others disappeared. My mind emptied. The temperature dropped by about five degrees. I looked around but saw nothing.

"Erebus?" I said hesitantly, knuckles white on the knife handle.

A hand fell on my shoulder. I jumped forward, slashing with the dark blade. It went right through the incorporeal figure. Even though it had touched me a second earlier.

"Why have you hurt Nico?" I asked, fear blending with cold fury in my voice.

The faceless shadow with too-long arms and legs shifted. Then spoke.

I'm sorry for the anguish I caused you in my methods of delivery.

"Delivering what, the knife?"

I can always find you through it.

"Why would you need to find me?" I snapped, anger turning hot inside me.

You need my help.

"Your help?" I realized is this was really Erebus, he was one of the oldest and most terrifying deities the Greeks had. Shouting at him would probably get my vaporized. Then again, if he needed something that he couldn't do himself, he'd keep me alive. Or find someone else.

"Heal Nico," I said, calming my voice. "Then we'll talk."

Erebus cocked his head. Simply touch the knife to his wounds. He will wake.

I hesitated, then said, "I'll come back when I'm done."

One more thing, he said. Why did you go outside to pick up the knife?

"It didn't work inside," I said.

Check in our jacket pocket.

I stuffed my hand into my left pocket and my fingers brushed metal. I brought out a small circular pendant of a chain. It was made of the same metal as his knives and was embossed with lines of Stygian Iron in complex patterns.

Make sure you have that on your person when using the knife. Otherwise, it will have the same effect as it did on Nico

"I touched it before," I said. "Nothing happened then."

Your mind likely protected you.

I nodded. "Good to know." Then I dropped the knife and ran to the Big House, the others on my heels.