The House of Hades

Chapter 20: Hazel

Okay, this chapter's mostly filler, kind of the lull before the storm, but I hope you enjoy it all the same!

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Chapter 20: Hazel

Hazel hurried up to the main deck, Mars's words ringing in her ears. She couldn't believe what a jerk he was. Here to help! Sorry, I don't feel like doing that for you, here's an impossible task for you to do instead. Phoof! But then there had been what he had said about Jason.

She scrambled onto the deck and looked wildly around for any sign of Jason and Piper, but all she could see was a small thunderstorm brewing to the east. Wait...a thunderstorm...

Hazel's heart pounded in her chest. Since Jason and Piper had been captured four days ago by Momus and Enyo, she had been almost sick with worry. After all, Piper had been her friend and confidante, and Jason had sort of been the leader without them, things had been falling apart. Then, when Frank had reported a dream of his, where he had seen Piper telling Jason they would be sacrificed to Gaea in five days time, Hazel had almost passed out, and since then, she had done nothing but fret and agonize over Piper and Jason's situation. But was it possible that they had escaped on their own?

"That's moving too fast to be a real thunderstorm," Nico muttered from behind her.

"Woohoo!" Leo cheered, "that can mean only one thing; lightning boy is on his way! No prison can hold Sparky and Beauty Queen for long!"

Hazel could tell it was costing Nico a lot to keep a serious expression.

She strained her eyes, and could vaguely make out the shape of a horse in the center of the storm. Despite her exhaustion from worry, and two sleepless nights in a row, a wide smile made it's way across her face. She hadn't been this relieved since Percy had survived the fall from Hubbard Glacier...

No she scolded herself don't think about Percy...and dangerous falls he's had...

The storm kept moving at an inhumane speed until finally it was hovering directly over the Argo II. Then, suddenly, it disappeared, and instead Jason's horse, Tempest, was circling over the mast. They touched down to the deck, and Jason dismounted.

Hazel didn't have time to wonder why Jason had felt the need to ride inside a personal thunderstorm, because at the sight of him, all she could think of was how awful he looked.

His jeans were ripped and torn, most of his shirt was gone, and what was left was blackened and singed. Chunks of his hair were missing, he was covered from head to toe in dust, and numerous bruises. He also had the unhealthy look of someone who had lost a lot of weight in a very short period of time. In fact, he looked like he hadn't seen a morsel of food in the last four days.  

Jason dismounted awkwardly, and faced them, swaying on the spot. 

"Hey guys," he mumbled, "I'm back," And then his knees buckled and he tumbled to the ground, passed out. 

"Jason, are you okay?" Hazel cried. 

"Yeah, Hazel, he's absolutely spectacular, look at him, on the ground, looking half-starved," said Leo with awful sarcasm. 

"Guys, help me with Jason," Nico interrupted urgently. Together, the four of them managed to haul Jason down to the infirmary. 

Frank trickled some nectar down Jason's throat, and after a couple minutes, his eyes flew open. 

"P-Piper, "he groaned. 

"Yeah," Frank said, frowning, "come to think of it, where is Piper?,"