Well all you lovely people reading this, in case you don't know The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, it's the ultimate tragedy (Comedy only used to describe the vernacular of Dante's day, as a Comedy was written for the common man and a Tragedy was for the wealthy). Anyway, Percy Jackson has lost the love of his life and s wandering without hope for the future. Until the ghost of a familiar "friend" appears. Note: This is AU (no Gods/Demigods known to Percy or anyone alive), OOC, and set in 1500 A.D.

Also, characters are Rick Riordan's, and the story is mostly Dante's, with my own add-ons.

Perseus Jackson's: A Divine Comedy

Inferno

Canto I

"The Darkest Places in Hell are reserved for those who maintain neutrality in a time of moral crisis."

-Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

It has been dark since she died. My Wise girl, the love of my life, dead. Her once loving smile shines no more, her golden hair lost its magnificent gleam from the rays of the stone. Her skin is no longer tanned under the hot Italian sun, but is now pale, the color of death. It has been a year since she died, a year since The War ended, and a year since I was exiled from my home in Florence. I was barred from her funeral, in which all of Florence, and Kings, Queens, Doges, and other rulers of this Italian State have been invited, yet I, her lover, were barred as a common drunkard and a thief. My God has indeed punished me for my actions in the years of my courtship to her, but I had repeated but no help or guidance has been brought to me. I believe the end of my days is near, whether it be me choosing it or my enemies. But my days are numbered. And without a companion aside from my own delirious mind, dampened with unspoken and pent-up emotions since her death, began to trudge into this forest with no hopes of emerging at the other side alive.

Several Days Pass:

It has been indeed unbearably hot and humid during my days of travel through this forest, and unimaginably cold during the nights in which I struggled to avoid Gods vengeful punishment for my many sins and attempt to rest. But the rest never truly comes, as I always have nightmares of her; and of my friends whom I left behind. I dream of Piper, whom I left to drown following the death of her lover. I dream of Jason, of whom I left crushed under the weight of the tower at the Palazzo Vecchio during the revolution to usurp the Medici; of course, it failed. I dream of sweet little Hazel, who I left to be trampled by the horses that had been released in order to cause havoc in the Piazza della Signoria while we attempted to kill the Medici family; she died because I didn't warn her to leave the stables that day. And I dream of the brothers Stoll, whom I sold out to avoid execution by the Medici court. So many dead by my inactions, so many dead because I failed to act. Ironically, I was following the words of the Medici courts mastermind, Niccolo Machiavelli.

"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it."

But alas, my cause was not noble enough I assume. But to be banished from the city I love stung only slightly less than never being allowed to see the woman I loved.

My beautiful angel, Annabeth, was dead. I remember the first day I saw her in the Church, her beautiful golden curls that frames her heavenly smile, and the gray eyes, both startling and intimidating that made her intelligence visible, almost palpable. And as the years went on, and I had finally met her, I learned she was much wiser and intelligent than me or any other man (educated or not) that I had come across in my life. She was so beautiful, so intelligent, and so kind, yet intimidating as well. She scared the daylights out of me before our courtship began, with her dagger throwing trick and her misdirections. But I had conquered her games and had won her heart. But then the Stolls came to me with a request on the behalf of Lord Lucas Castellan, and as the son of a merchant, he felt obligated to fulfill the request. And so they planned of Revolution.

But the day came where Lucas Castellan married the beautiful Annabeth Chace. My Annabeth. And when I staged my own Revolution, against him and the Medici, he killed her. And in this period of 40 minutes, I lost everything that had mattered to me:

My lovely Annabeth

My closest friends

My city

and

all my name having been shunned

through all of Italy.

But now I am in this forest, my own personal nightmare from which there is no escape, except in death.

The Next Day at Daybreak, with the moon falling and the Sun Rising:

I awoke to the howl of a wolf and the roar of lions. But they were nearly simultaneous, very odd. And VERY out of place. The wolf I could understand, but the lions should be back on the continent across the Mare Nostrum. And as they stepped into the clearing from which I had created my safe haven the night before, I began to back away. All three beasts were greater in size than me alone, and even if I had the rest of my soldiers, it would have been a great battle; but this was only me with Anaklusmos, so I feel the odds are not in my favor for this battle. So I chose to run.

And I ran for many hours, past the point where I cried from the point of my legs being exhausted, past the point of my lungs wheezing, and past the point of any hope that I would die in any way but as a snack for these beasts. And I come to another point of realization before these beasts are upon me to devour me.

There is no possible salvation from which pain i am about to endure. I will enter the deepest rings of Hell for my sins, despite how much I repent. But another thing, since I began avoiding these Hellish beasts, the light has dimmed, and the foliage has died. Where have I gone to die God?

But as quickly as this question was in my mind and I had chosen my Saints to pray to for mercy, and for hope i could ever get a message of my love to Annabeth in death despite her residing in the most pristine palace in Gods Heaven and I in the deepest rings of Hell alongside Satan. But as I had these fleeting thoughts of Annabeth, and of my friends who I had damned in this life and I hoped would hear my apologies as I resided in Hell, a brilliant and blinding light flashed from the air before me. And from it stepped three woman. Three beautiful women adorned in robes so white the hurt to gaze upon.

They were Mary Mother of Jesus, Saint Lucia, and my Annabeth. They protected me from the great beasts and without hesitation, the beasts fled from their almighty glory, and I was compelled to kneel before them. And then Mary spoke to me.

"Dear boy of twenty-five, whom is a follower in my one and only son, why are you here in the accursed forest. Have you not a home to dwell in?" Mother Mary asked, yet I could tell in her tone she already knew the answer.

"Mother Mary, I have no home anymore. I lost that privilege after a failed unrighteous Revolution against the Medici, upon which I was exiled and my dearest Annabeth was taken from me." I said with sorrow in my voice.

"Ah my child, I feel you have a pure heart, despite the misfortunes that have found you. Me and my sisters have a task for you to become clean before the eyes of God. But it will be arduous, painful, disturbing, and is one you will most likely not survive. But the benefits you reap would be the right to ascend to Heaven after your mortal death to receive the righteous benediction from my son and the Father, and you would be with your beloved once again. Perseus Jackson, the choice is yours. Should you accept, close your eyes from the temptation as Saint Lucia did, and you will find your first instructions delivered to you by Angels of your past."

Before I could answer, Annabeth spoke. Her voice as soft and gentle as ever before, she said "Perseus, I pray you chose this option as I have missed you greatly and I know that you have done no true malice. I know the father in Heaven will accept you. After the Angels of days past visit you, your guide shall take you into Satans haven of Hell to test your purity of soul, resistance of temptation, and whether or not Satan can claim you as one of his own. I love you my dearest Perseus, and i hope I will see you in Heaven someday very soon." she concluded, her angelic voice finished speaking, and before I could second guess myself, I turned to Mother Mary.

"Mary Mother of Jesus the Christ, my Lord and savior, I take the closing of my eyes to resemble that of pure sight as was bestowed upon Saint Lucia so I may cleanse my soul to meet with my dearest Annabeth." and with that, I covered my eyes. And I felt the atmosphere change as they left, but I kept my eyes covered.

I waited for a solid minute blinded, able to hear the great beasts of the world around me in this forest, until I feel the arrival of two beings far greater than I.

"Perseus, shield your eyes no more and look upon us.." a familiar voice commands me, and I do so.

Before me are the beautiful faces of Zoe Nightshade and Bianca DiAngelo. I knew both girls, and I am filled with regret for my inability to act.

"Rise Percy my dear" Bianca says sweetly. She was the first person I loved, before my Annabeth, my life had only been for her. But when she wished to go off to the market, I lost sight of her when she ran ahead. She was discovered later in the day having been taken advantage of and murdered. And it was my fault. And that day, while I prayed to God for forgiveness, i saw Annabeth. "I have missed you greatly" Bianca continues, and I realize she is my age despite having died at a young age.

"Oh Bianca this fool is more concerned with why you are his age than why we are here. There is no hope for this swine of a man. Perhaps he belongs amongst Lucifer and the chthonic creatures that adorn his Hell." Zoe said angrily. Same old Zoe, the one who died in the Revolution trying to prevent me from taking the Palace. I killed her with my own blade, and now she's here before me to judge me. Great.

"My dearest Bianca, I have missed you greatly since you were wretched from me on this Earth, but my one true love awaits me in Heaven. Will you and Zoe help me on my journey into Satan's Hell to cleanse myself." I pause seeing a scowl on Zoe's regel face, I continue, "Zoe, I regret murdering you for you were doing what was right while I was wrong. It should be me who had died that day, but now I seek retribution. Will you help me correct all the grievances I have committed upon this Earth for which God who is in Heaven wishes me to cleanse myself of?" I ask her sincerely, and after a bitter moment of debate with herself, she agrees.

"Percy my dear, we will await your arrival in Heaven. Do know that this trip will be difficult. But I have for you a guide into this Inferno of Hell you are about to enter. He was a hero of Rome in the days of their Gods and which Pagans ruled the Empire and i am one of his descendants. You will be familiar with his name, we both admired him as children." she says, smiling sweetly.

And from the shadows emerges the tall and lanky, yet muscular dark haired man with obsidian eyes. While I am still taller and weigh more, this man is more rugged, much paler than I had imagined. And then I remember his name. But before I speak it, he answers for me.

"I am Nico DiAngelo, son of Hades and servant of Pluto. I am trapped in Limbo for not recognizing the One God while I was alive. I am the son of the guardian of the fourth Ring of Hell. And I am here to guide you to your salvation Perseus jackson. Do you accept?" He asks me.

"Yes" I say.

And as we walked towards the entrance of the cave, above the cave, as if it were burned into the rock above, it read "Abandon all hope ye who enter here"

The things we do for those we love.

So this was Canto I. Please Review and Favorite and whatnot. I'd love your feedback.

I got Inspired to write this because I finished reading through all of the PJO and HOO books, The Divine Comedy, and Dan Brown's Inferno coming to the conclusion of how great I could make something with these ideas. So here's my attempt at that. Please tell me what you think, and since i just started my summer I should be able to update quickly.