chapter 11: summons

After Minos gave Nico a crash course on how to summon skeletons, Death Boy turned to him. "Can you elaborate on that 'soul for a soul' thing?"

"Nico-"

"Gladly, master," said Minos. "In order to revive a soul from the Underworld, you have to take one from somebody whose soul isn't in the Underworld but should be, like someone who has cheated death."

"And who might we find to exchange?"

"Daedalus," Minos said immediately, with no hesitation. "That pesky mastermind is intelligent and hard to catch, but he always hid inside of his creation."

"The Labyrinth," Hoa realized. "The one we went through. Is it safe to go there if we decide on going after him?"

Minos sneered at Hoa. "There's no we in this conversation, daughter of panic. It is only the Son of Hades and I."

She crossed her arms. "Well, I'm going whether or not you want me to. Are you going to answer the question or not?"

He looked away. "It should be safe, as he is still alive as of now. However, when he dies, we must evacuate the Labyrinth immediately."

"And why's that?"

"The maze is tied to his life force. If he dies, the maze dies."

"Thank you."

"Now, we shall go search for Daedalus," Minos said, his signature creepy smile back.

Hoa's eyes widened. "Wait, then what's the offering for?"

"For me, of course." Minos spread his arms. "I'm the one guiding my master. I need a reward."

"Oh hell no," the girl said, turning to Nico. "Can we get a second opinion?"

Nico nodded. "That's a good idea."

Minos pretended to look offended. "My lord, do you trust in me?"

"No," Hoa said.

"We just want to be sure that this will work," Nico said. "May you show me how to summon spirits?"

Minos bowed his head. "Of course, master. Now let us get started, shall we?"

~•~•~

After Hoa found a fashionable black cloak to put on Nico, he summoned two of the undead to dig a pit as directed by Minos. From the sidelines, Hoa watched the ghost warily, waiting for an excuse to attack him.

A shimmer of light appeared. Percy's face showed again, his eyes widening as he took in the scene. Hoa gave him a curt nod that he returned.

The willow trees loomed all around them, the starry sky revealing itself through the spaces between branches.

They watched as the skeletal gravediggers went to work. Shovels swung and dirt flew. The night was foggy. It was warm and humid, and frogs were croaking. All the food sat at Nico's feet, which Hoa wanted to snatch from him so badly.

"Is it deep enough yet?" he asked in an irritated manner.

"Nearly, my lord," Minos called, his form shimmering in the dark. "But, my lord, I tell you, this is unnecessary. You already have me for advice."

"Yeah, well, you aren't exactly the most trustworthy source with advice," Hoa said. "I'd rather ask Zeus for relationship advice."

Nico snapped his fingers, calling his skeletons back to him. "You are dismissed," he said. "Thank you."

The skeletons collapsed into piles of bones.

"You might as well thank the shovels," the ghost complained. "They have as much sense."

"Shut your biggie ass up."

Nico ignored them. He reached and popped a Coke, pouring one into the grave as opposed to drinking it.

"Let the dead taste again," he murmured. "Let them rise and take this offering. Let them remember."

He dropped the rest of the Cokes into the grave and pulled out a Happy Meal. He turned it upside down and shook the nuggets and fries into the grave.

"In my day, we used animal blood," the ghost mumbled. "It's perfectly good enough. They can't taste the difference."

"I will treat them with respect," Nico said.

"At least let me keep the toy," the ghost complained.

"Shut the fuck up," Hoa called.

She helped Nico empty another twelve pack of soda and three more Happy Meals before stepping back. He chanted in Ancient Greek. She only caught some of the words-a lot about dead and memories and returning from the grave.

Real happy shit.

The grave started to bubble. Frothy brown liquid rode to the top like the whole thing was filling with soda. The fog thickened. The frogs stopped croaking. Dozens of figures began to approach the gravestones: bluish, vaguely human shapes. Nico had summoned the dead with Coke and chicken nuggets.

Hot, she thought. Wait, no. Shut up, me!

"There are too many," the ghost said nervously. "You don't know your own powers."

"I've got it under control," Nico said, though his voice sounded fragile. He drew his sword, prompting Hoa to draw her dagger, Fire.

"One at a time," Nico commanded.

A single figure floated forward and knelt at the pool. It made slurping sounds as it drank. Its ghostly hands scooped french fries and nuggets out of the pool. When it stood again, she could see it much more clearly-a teenage guy in Greek armor. He had curly hair and green eyes, a clasp shaped like a seashell on his cloak.

"Who are you?" Nico said. "Speak."

The young man frowned as if trying to remember. Then he spoke in a voice like dry, crumpling paper. "I am Theseus."

No way, she thought. This couldn't be the Theseus. He's barely a fucking kid.

"How can I retrieve my sister?" Nico asked.

Theseus's eyes were lifeless as glass. "Do not try. It is madness."

"Just tell me!"

"My stepfather died," Theseus remembered. "He threw himself into the sea because he thought I was dead in the Labyrinth. I wanted to bring him back, but I could not."

Minos hissed. "My lord, the soul exchange! Ask him about that!"

Theseus scowled. "That voice. I know that voice."

"No you don't, fool!" the ghost said. "Answer the lord's questions and nothing more!"

Hoa stayed silent but scowled. She didn't like the way Minos talked to Theseus, even if their rivalry was ancient.

"I know you," Theseus insisted, as if struggling to recall.

"I want to hear about my sister," Nico said. "Will this soul exchange and quest into the Labyrinth help me win her back?"

Theseus was looking for the ghost, but apparently couldn't see him. Slowly he turned his eyes back on Nico. "The Labyrinth is treacherous. There is only one thing that saw me through: the love of a mortal girl. The string was only part of the answer. It was the princess who guided me."

"We don't need any of that," Minos said. "I will guide you, my lord. Ask him if it is true about an exchange of souls. He will tell you."

"A soul for a soul," Nico asked. "Is it true?"

"I-I must say yes. But the specter-"

"Just answer the questions, knave!" Minos said.

Suddenly, around the edges of the pool, the other ghosts became restless. They stirred, whispering in nervous tones.

"I want to see my sister!" Nico demanded. "Where is she?"

"He is coming," Theseus said fearfully. "He has senses your summons. He comes."

"Who?" Nico demanded.

"He comes to find the source of this power," Theseus said. "You must release us!"

Hoa heard a low shaking noise, like an earthquake was coming. Her gaze snapped to Percy, who was looking around his cabin with wide eyes.

Purple glow covered his face as he stared through the Iris Message. He was glitching, purple glow illuminating his face. He said something which Hoa couldn't hear, his movements fractic.

Hoa watched as shadows creeped up against the purple light, as if ghosts were coming from her side of the call to his. She signaled to him, a hand slashing across her neck. Cut the connection!

His panicked eyes met her. He nodded as he slashed someplace below the message, spewing water before the image disappeared.

She sighed in relief, but the ghosts on her side haven't gone away yet. Nico was frantically trying to keep them away from the pool, slashing his sword in a wide arc. "Get back!" he warned.

She ran over and pulled out Lightning, shooting arrows right between the feet of anyone who got too close.

Slowly, ghosts started retreating. The whispering became less intense as they dissipated one by one, stepping back from Nico and Minos.

She arrived next to them, dropping her bow and fending off ghosts with a dagger. When everyone was a reasonable distance away, Nico turned to the crowd and said, "You are dismissed."

The ghosts left, the only source of eerie light in the graveyard only being Minos.

The ghost turned towards them. "Now, you heroes may get your rest. We will form the plan to kill the inventor tomorrow."

------------------------------------------------------------

hi im madi, your loyal author ♥️

its just nico being death boy -_-

nothing much

anyways

how was the chapter?

also, what are some questions of your own?

anyways, tysm for reading this crappy book! 😃