Chapter 14

~Percy's POV~

I held Riptide at the ready as I pushed the door open silently.

And promptly almost dropped my sword.

Nico was curled up on the bed, tears streaking his face as dry sobs shook his frail body. Five ten-feet-tall spirits surrounded his bed, whispering inaudibly. The fifth drew itself up, and glared down at Nico.

"Son of Hades. Why has the blood sacrifice not been prepared? We have been restless. You have not completed it."

A jagged intake of breath. "I've been doing it daily! Just, please, for o-one d-day! I-"

The room seemed to fill with a darker presence, and the curtains rustled. My eyes inexplicably drew to the corner of the room. Standing there was a tall, imposing woman, hair shadowy and flying behind her. Her face was white, pure white, and her eyes, when she opened them, looked like two smooth black stones.

Eris. Although, she reminded me of someone...

The spirits carried on talking, but now Eris' voice was dominant, despite the fact they were saying the same thing.

"The blood sacrifice atones for your impurity. You have been impure, but have no atonement. Thus, you will die, slowly and painfully, obeying the will of the Queen of Shadows."

Eris' voice was regal, intimidating and cold, as the spirit echoed her words. She reached out towards him and the spirit mimicked her, touching Nico, who shivered and shied away. "G-get away from me!"

I wanted to charge into the room and slash the spirits into dust, but something felt like it was holding me back.

Then I realised.

~About a year ago~

"Hazel, are you alright?" I stepped forward, touching her on the shoulder gently. Frank was still out getting stuff, and Hazel was looking over her room.

A tear followed another down her cheek, as she picked up several photos.

One was of a beautiful raven-haired lady, cradling a baby.

Another was of the same lady, but older, and more sour.

The third and final was a picture of the lady, but this time her face was scrunched into a sneer, eyes ablaze. She was reaching for the camera.

And behind her, stood a tall, regal woman, black hair flying behind her, not clear enough to see her features. A pale face gleamed as she smirked. And she was also reaching out, her hand closing into a claw and twisting to the side.

I stared, shocked. "Who's that?"

Hazel blinked. "Who's what?"

I pointed. "That. The other lady." Hazel shook her head, confused. "There's...nobody there. Are you sure, Percy?" I glanced back at the photo, but the lady was gone.

What?

It was Eris. Behind Hazel's mother. I raised my sword, slashing at the bonds blocking the door. She had sunk her claws into her mother, and now Hazel!? Ripping at the bonds, I growled in frustration. Nobody touched my friends!

"You're pathetic. Disgusting. Awful, horrible little faggot. You should kill yourself. Worthless maggot. Gay shit."

My head snapped up. Where Eris had been standing, was now a large, hulking teenage boy. His face flickered, changing between dozens of faces, all twisted in the same cruel sneer. Hissing at the curled up body on the bed, he spat every taunt I'd ever heard, and more that I hadn't.

I watched as the body on the bed shivered, as the bully lashed out at him verbally and the spirits around him physically.

It was too much. I flung Riptide with all my strength into the room, straight at the bully's head, where it sunk into his skull.

"Leave him alone!"

The bully dissolved, and for a moment, Eris flickered into existence, teeth bared and eyes filled with cold fury. They locked onto me, and I shivered. Then the bonds dissolved and I charged into the room, snatching up Riptide and slashing the spirits into dust.

"Percy?" Nico looked at me with wide eyes over the blanket. "You...killed them?"

I tried to smile, but anger was still smoldering inside me, which made it kinda hard. "Yeah."

"Why?"

My gut tightened as I thought of Hazel. How she'd been enslaved by Eris.

"Because I'll always defend my friends."

Hazel was still my friend. And I was going to defend her no matter the cost.

A/N:

Hey hey hey friends! How's the new year coming along? Okay, this is the part I know you'll all hate. But I'm sorry. I just graduated from my old school and now I'm going on to the next one. So the workload this year's going to increase like heck, and I really don't know if I can update like I am now. Buuuuuut I promise I will try, even if it means I have to give up the rest of my stories. Because you guys are worth it. :D

Have a good year,

~N