The Prince of the Pit: Lightning Thief

Chapter 4: The Furies

I stood below a ladder, connected to a trapdoor. I was just below the attic, but I really didn't wish to enter. It smelled of dead reptilians, that sat in the sun for a couple centuries. I sighed, and climbed, gagging along the way.

It was filled with junk; artifacts, and spoils from many quests from the millennia. A Hydra Head. A jar of eyeballs. A on a stool near the only window, sat a Hippy Mummy.

She wore a faded, and torn sun dress, with faded colored beads. Her skin was nearly nonexistent, and he jaw hung slack. She was charcoal gray, with blank eye sockets, seeming to stare at the ceiling.

As I approached, she sat upright. A green mist, the shade of the undergrowth in a jungle, or the scales of a Nile Crocodile, swam around her, exiting from the mouth.

"I am the Spirit of Delphi. Speaker of the Prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, Slayer of the Mighty Python. Approach, Seeker, and ask," it said. "How do I return the Master Bolt?" I asked.

"You shall go west, and face the God who has turned,
You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned.
You shall betrayed by one, who calls you a friend,
And you shall fail to save what matters most in the end."

I nodded to the spirit, and left for Chiron. As I left, Chiron looked...thankful...that I returned. "What did the Oracle say?" Chiron asked. I repeated the prophecy to him (AN If you want me to repeat, what is a paragraph before this, well too bad).

"Well, at least he gets the Bolt back," Grover said optimistically. "Yes, that is good. But, I have to face an unknown deity, be betrayed by a close individual, AND fail to save what matters most to me," I replied with a growl.

"And what would that be?" Annabeth asked. "Whoever took Zeus's Symbol, has done something that will make them die as painfully as possible," I growled. "They took my mother."

Their eyes widened in realization. "Perseus, you may take 2 allies with you on your quest. Now, I do have an idea on who could've stolen the bolt," Chiron stated.

"Hades. He was cast aside from all, but Hestia, of his family. He could use the bolt to expand his army, and take over Olympus," I answered. "It would also explain the Fury," I stated. Chiron nodded.

"Grover, and Annabeth, those are my choice," I told Chiron, then left to pack, leaving an excited Annabeth, and a panicking Grover.

Time Skip:

We met back at the crest of Camp Half-Blood; Half-Blood Hill. Annabeth carried a small bag, and held her Yankee's cap. Grover had a bag as well, and was chewing on a tin can.

"Ready?" I asked. They nodded. Chiron came up from the other side. "Argus is going to take you to the bus stop, then you're on your own," Chiron informed. I nodded in thanks, and led to the van.

"Wait!" I heard. Luke came running towards us, carrying a...shoe box. "I wanted to give you something for the quest," he said.

The looked like normal shoes, but when Luke said the name of Hermes' mother, Maia, wings sprouted from the heels.

"Thanks, Luke. They'll come in handy," I said in gratitude. Luke grinned, and took off. I sighed in relief. "Grover, want a pair of flying shoes?" I asked. "Why're you giving them to me? Luke gave them to you," Grover stated, confused.

"Although I am not his blood son, I am still the Son of Poseidon. These will allow me to fly. Do you understand?" I asked. "Zeus will blast you," Grover answered.

I nodded, and handed him the shoes. We entered the van, and Argus took off. After a silent drive, we were dropped off half an hour before our bus would come.

While Grover and Annabeth distracted themselves playing Hacky-Sack with an apple, I watched our surroundings, scanning for monsters. Our bus came, and the game ended with Grover eating the apple whole.

We got on the bus, and sat in the very back. I was discussing a game plan with Annabeth when Grover stiffened. I turned, and saw Mrs. Dodds along with 2 identical sisters. "Escape: Low. Windows don't open, no escape hatch. We need a distraction to get out of the bus," I said.

"Percy, those are-" Annabeth started. "Annabeth, take your invisibility cap, and get to the front of the bus. Get us to the side of the road," I ordered. "Grover, do you know a distraction tune, or how to manipulate the Mist?" I asked. Grover shook his head.

"Then unfortunately for you, you're the bait," I said. He paled. I got to the ground, hiding out of sight behind a seat. Annabeth disappeared, and I heard her moving away.

As the Furies advanced on our position, claiming the need of the bathroom, I got Riptide ready. I got the pen under the seat, the cap facing the aisle. When the get over here, I would uncap, and slice their legs.

Only, that didn't happen. I was slammed against the side of the bus, as was everyone else. Riptide was pulled from my grasp, and slid under the seats. 30 seconds until it returns, I thought.

The Furies wailed, and were transformed. Grover cowered, so I took action. I clicked my pen, and my spear formed. "Where is it?!" They shrieked. I froze. It? I thought. A Fury, Tisiphone, pounced, but my spear impaled her chest.

Megaera and Alecto stood out of reach, watching me warily. Then, Megaera was dusted, by a knife slicing her throat. Alecto glared back and forth between Annabeth and I.

"Alecto, you and your sisters asked Where is it, what did you mean?" I asked. Alecto glared at me, and I glared back. She squeaked slightly, and cowered away.

"If you know, Olympus will know," Alecto stated. "And I won't allow that." Suddenly, I felt the back of my hair stick up, and saw the sky darken. I made sure I had my stuff, then screamed. "GET OUT OF THE BUS!"

I ran for the exit, and almost smashed through the doors, Annabeth and Grover on my tail. Most didn't move in time, Thunder shook the sky, and the bus exploded with Lightning. I managed to get me spear back as a pen, before a photographer took a picture from behind us, at the now singed and destroyed Greyhound.

A wail was heard inside, and we ran.