The Life After Tartarus

Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Hazel.
"Annabeth. Annabeth. Annabeth. Annabeth."
"WHAT?!"
"I've been calling you for the last 5 minutes! We need some more swords!" I said.
"Sorry. It's just. I usually have Percy do all this organizing thing. He's always the leader. And he's more better at giving orders. Plus this thing is all of a sudden. We didn't prepare and Percy just woke up from his "coma" and it's all overwhelming!"
"Hey it's ok. We will live through this."
She nodded but she didn't look convinced. She went to go get some more swords. I felt bad. Even I didn't believe myself. Annabeth was right. This is so sudden and there was no sign that anything might happen. Annabeth handed me some swords and told me to meet up in Percy's room. Apparently we were having some kind of meeting. I took the swords to the Throne room and then ran to Percy's room. His room was blue and filled with pictures of his past summers and his family. Frank was standing by the door so I went and stood next to him. Annabeth was pacing up and down the room. Piper was sitting in a chair and Leo was sitting on the bed making something with his tools like he always is.
"Jason and Percy are on their way to Camp Half Blood. We are hoping they can stop their war and transport them back here through a portal Hephaestus made. Meanwhile it's up to us 5 to help all we can. Here's a belt to put all of your weapons and make sure you guys always have ambrosia with you." She handed us all a belt. Leo just used his own. Annabeth looked at him. "Couldn't you have at least tried to learn how to swing a sword?"
"Nah. I got my hammer and breath mints. What else do I need?" Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Ok. Another thing. We have the 12 Olympian gods along with some of the minor gods but it would be really helpful if we can get a certain god of the dead here." They all looked at me.
"Well what am I supposed to do? It's not like I can just call him. And I can't just go to the underworld like Nico does all the time. Besides he's supposed to be ignoring me remember? Nico is the creepy dead child and I'm the magical dead child."
"Well you are still a child of Pluto. I'm pretty sure you can talk to him somehow or go to the underworld. Maybe you can even use your powers or something." Piper said.
I thought hard. Maybe I could use my mist manipulating power to turn Percy's room into Pluto's palace. Only problem. "I don't know what my dad's place looks like. Anybody knows?"
Annabeth nodded. "I went there when I was twelve with Percy."
"Man where did you not go with this guy?" Leo said.
"We were on a quest! And Percy just came to camp. Someone had to make sure he didn't get killed! Anyways it's dark."
"No. Really. I thought it was filled with sunshine and rainbows." I said.
"Think of it as Olympus but Black and Bronze instead of White and Gold. His throne was made up of skulls. There was a chandelier and well it was just a very dead place."
I was already imagining it. I thought hard and let my mind control the mist. Soon I heard the whispering sounds of the ghosts. I opened my eyes. Percy's room has transformed info. Dark room with a throne in the center. All around the room was decorated with scenes of death and skulls. Annabeth and the others were there. Leo looked at me and gasped. "You're transparent!" I looked down. I turned into a ghost. I started to Panic. Did this mean I had to stay here? Was I dead all over again?
"No Hazel Levesque. You are not dead. You are just in your natural state here." I looked at the throne. It was Pluto but it was not Pluto. It was Hades. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Last time I saw him he gave me art supplies. Was I supposed to draw him something? "Um. Hi dad. Nice seeing you after 60 years. And um thanks for avoiding me I guess?"
"Really Hazel." Annabeth said.
"What I'm trying to be nice!"
"Lord Hades. We really need you to help us with the war. They have unexpectedly attacked Olympus." Annabeth explained.
"Correct me if I'm wrong but you do remember that Percy Jackson came with my son here last summer and tried to get me to fight in the war and I said no. So what makes you think I would listen to you?"
"Because the Gods appreciated what you did in the last war."
"Yet they didn't give me a throne."
"OH COME ON HADES! Don't get greedy! Besides you guys live forever! This is one war that will happen and soon enough you will forget about it!" Annabeth yelled. She was getting impatient. I decided to step in.
"Look dad. What were trying to say is. You were appreciated for what you did in the first war and now they are asking for your help again."
"Why should I help them?"
"They are your family. And Family is supposed to help each other." I was thinking about my mom. Hades looked at me and his face softened. "Hazel. You know I couldn't help you when you lived in Alaska."
"But you could've helped us when we lived in New Orleans. You could've came sooner. Before took my mom."
"Hazel. You wouldn't be alive right now" Hades protested.
"I don't care if I was alive right now. I just wanted to have a normal life with my mom. But I couldn't do that. Because ever since you granted her one wish my life has been ruined. She started talking to Gaea and you didn't do anything until Gaea convinced her to go to Alaska. Then we died. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Sammy. He died thinking that it was his fault I was gone. So can you stop acting so selfish and just help with the stupid war because you owe it to me." I stared into his dark eyes.
"Fine. I will gather my army and fight." With that I let go of my mind and we were back in Percy's room. Everyone was silent for a while.
"That was. Amazing." Annabeth said.
"Are you sure you don't have charm speak powers ?" Piper asked.
"Hazel Levesque. I am officially impressed. You can control your dad." Leo joked. I laughed at them. Frank smiled but he seemed somewhere else. Instantly I felt bad. He probably thought that I hated this life. As everyone else Frank stayed where he was. Leo was hesitant like he wanted to say something then he decided against it.
"Frank." He looked at me. "What?"
"I know you're mad."
"I'm not mad. Why would I be mad?"
"Because. You think that I hate this second life I'm living in. You think that I'm still in love with Sammy, therefore somewhat in love with Leo. But I'm not. I love you Frank Zhang. No matter how tall or big you will get." I paused. "Don't get taller though. Or else you're going to have to carry me like a toddler." Frank laughed. "I love you too Hazel. I just. Sometimes I feel like I'm not enough for you. And I don't want to loose you. I would pull a Percy and Annabeth for you."
I gave him a confused look. "A Percy and Annabeth?"
"Yeah you know. Where you go I go. If you fall into Tartarus then I'll fall with you. I would take a sword or arrow for you."
"And I would do the same." He kissed me again when Leo walked in.
"Hey guys we have-- ugh I'm tired of all the kissing going around! Don't mock me! Please be over within 15 minutes!" Leo walked out. I laughed. "Oh wow. Leo really does feel uncomfortable around us. I hope he gets Calypso. I just don't want him to die in the process. Now let's go."
"But he said 15 minutes."
"Frank!"
"Fine. I'll come."
"You are probably the first child of Mars that doesn't want to fight in a war."
"Hey nobody said anything about not killing anyone. Of course I want to kill monsters!" He smiled and took my hand. We walked out to the Throne room where Annabeth and the others were already discussing strategies.
"What did we miss?" Frank asked. Annabeth turned around and handed us a sheet of paper. "These are the parts of Olympus you guys are in charge of. Take these troops and defend it." I looked at the map of Olympus and at the troops. It was a mix of Godlings, Satyrs, and Cyclopes but it wasn't enough.
"Annabeth. We have a strong army but this is not nearly enough!" I said.
"I know. I'm hoping Percy an Jason will come through. I mean there are more than 100 campers at Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter has a lot too." She turned back to give the others instructions. Thalia was splitting her hunters with each group. She had at least 100 campers. I looked at Annabeth. Everyone was paying attention to her that they didn't notice she had silent tears running down her cheeks. She never did this alone before. In the Titan war Percy was there to help her. I decided to step up and take some of the charge. I let go of Frank's hands and walked up to her and ok her clipboard. She looked at me with shock. "Annabeth. You aren't doing this alone. I'll help you. Now Leo is there a way that you and your dad can possibly make some kind of robot army or something?"
Leo shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe I'll go ask my dad." Leo ran off to find his dad. "Frank?can you fly and see where our enemies are right now? The gates crumbled at least an hour ago but there's hasn't been an attack and that worries me. Frank nodded and turned into a hawk. A few minutes later he came back down frowning. "It's weird. The giants are nowhere in sight."
"What?" Annabeth asked. Right then Leo came back. "Hey guys. My dad and I are going to make some robots. We don't have time to make a new one but my dad is taking some of his old projects and giving it will to move and take orders from us to attack." Leo ran off. Annabeth gasped. "I'm so stupid! The statues! I made them according to Deadalus' defense plan. I can bring them to life!" She ran off to bring the statues of the gods to life. I still had the giant problem to deal with. If they weren't outside Olympus where are they?
"The earth! Hazel. The giants are children of the Earth. They could be underground!" Piper said.
I put my hand to the ground and concentrated. I felt the movement of the Earth's crust and the magma. I willed my mind to concentrate harder and I finally felt it. Alcyoneus. I gasped and took my hand out.
"Hazel is everything alright what happened?" Piper asked.
I looked at Frank. "I felt him. Because his heart is made of gold. This isn't possible we killed him Frank! How is he back? Alcyoneus." Frank's eyes widened.
"What's wrong?" Annabeth asked.
"Are you done activating the statues?" I asked. Annabeth nodded. I told her how I felt Alcyoneus.
"It doesn't surprise me. When you guys were recalling your quests at Camp Jupiter it seemed to easy. Plus when I was escaping with L-Leo." She paused. She still hasn't gotten over her capture. That and I had a slight feeling she was disappointed Percy didn't come and save her. "He heard Enceladus and Porphyrion." Piper's mouth fell open. "Ok. We knew that we didn't kill Porphyrion but seriously?! Jason, Leo, My dad, and I almost died trying to kill Enceladus!"
Annabeth shrugged. "I guess they managed to escape before the doors of Death were closed."
"So now what? We thought we eliminated 3 giants and we didn't. Were only 5 demigods!" Piper said.
"Well technically 4." Frank said. "Who knows how long Leo will be in the forges."
"Thanks for the reassurance." Piper scowled.
Annabeth sighed. "I don't know. We can't expect reinforcements until after 12 hours. A lot can happen in 12 hours."
"Hey guys we have to be optimistic about this! We've been in tight places before! Come on Annabeth you and Percy have been to Tartarus and back. That's something no other demigod has done before! And we saved Nico under a few hours before destroying Rome. Not to mention your solo quest to find the Athena Parthenos!" Frank exclaimed.
"Annabeth shot him a slight smile. You're right Frank. We can do this." But she didn't sound convinced.
"Come one we should start getting ready for battle." Piper said. Suddenly the ground started shaking. The giants broke from the surface while other monsters poured through the gates. 'This is war.' I thought. And I charged.