Annabeth Chase and the Last Olympian

Chapter 25 - Sally is a badass

None of the monsters dared to attack the son of Hades as he strolled right through their ranks, his black Stygian iron sword swinging casually in his hand. Mrs O'Leary bounded past him and nearly crashed into Percy, looking delighted to see him. 

"Got your message," Nico called, monsters backing away from him as he approached. I guess they didn't like the sense of death that he radiated. "Is it too late to join the party?"

"Son of Hades," Kronos snapped angrily. "Do you love death so much you wish to experience it?"

"Your death would be great for me," he responded. 

"I'm immortal, you fool! I have escaped Tartarus. You have no business here, and no chance to live."

Nico smiled. It looked creepy on someone wearing a skull-shaped helmet. "I don't agree." 

The ground rumbled like an earthquake. Cracks began to splinter the road and the sidewalk around us, tearing it apart. Skeletal hands appeared as the cracks grew wider, clawing their bodies out of the ground. Thousands of skeletons emerged, dressed in armour (which they didn't really need) and holding a wide variety of weapons. 

At their appearance, the Titan's army began to get jumpy, especially when they appeared right in the middle of their ranks. 

"HOLD YOUR GROUND!" Kronos demanded, seeing as some of his forces looked ready to flee. "The dead is no match for us."

As a war horn sounded, the dead began to form up in ranks, guns, spears and swords at the ready. The sky started to darken and shadows formed, like the night couldn't wait to begin. 

The sound of chariot wheels echoed around us as a massive chariot rumbled to a stop beside Nico. It was made of obsidian and gold and depicted scenes of painful death. Horses made of living shadows pulled it, although how they managed to be lashed onto to it was beyond me. In the chariot was Demeter and Persephone with Hades himself driving it. 

The Lord of Death wore black armour and a vibrant red cloak. But it was the Helm of Darkness that he wore that was the most horrifying part. It radiated pure terror, worse than Thalia's shield. Looking at it made my stomach coil disturbingly and I wanted to run in terror. If it wasn't for Kronos, I'm sure that most of the enemy army would be fleeing. 

"Hello, Father," Hades said. "You're looking . . . young."

"Hades," Kronos growled. "I hope you and the ladies have come to pledge your alliance." 

"I'm afraid not. My son here convinced me that perhaps I should prioritise my list of enemies. As much as I dislike certain upstart demigods," he shot Percy as distasteful look, "it would not do for Olympus to fall. I would miss bickering with my siblings. And if there is one thing we agree on - it is that you were a TERRIBLE father."

"True," muttered Demeter. "No appreciation of agriculture."

"Mother!" Persephone complained.

Hades drew a blade that was identical to Nico's but with an inlaid of silver. "Now fight me! For today the House of Hades will be called the saviours of Olympus."

"I don't have time for this," Kronos snarled and struck the ground with his scythe. Cracks spread from his feet and circled the Empire State Building in a small ring. A wall of force rose from those cracks, forming a barrier between Kronos' vanguard and the rest of the army. The four of us were trapped with him inside the barrier. 

"What's he doing?" Percy asked. 

"Sealing us in," Thalia said grimly. "He's collapsing the magic barriers around Manhattan - cutting off just the building and us."