Chapter 1
Falling in Tartarus was probably not the best choice Percy would make in his life. Just a nice thrilling ride! Percy thought, before he decided to jump in.
Percy hated Juno. Sure, she was on our side, giving her plan to defeat Gaia and all. But why take away Six months of Percy's life, when the Titan war had just ended? Give Percy a break.
He'd been born to live with Mr Smelly Ugliano for his entire childhood, only to discover that he was pursued by monsters day and night, his best friend was a goat, and he was going to spend his next five years fighting a losing battle for a bunch of immortals who had almost voted for his death. Percy thought he could spend a little time with Annabeth after the war, but Juno had a better idea. She made Percy go missing for six months, and more fighting to his death, including an extra free trip to Tartarus.
But that just made Percy's urge to protect Annabeth even more, to make sure they weren't seperated, no matter how Juno tried to interfere with his already rotten demigod life. Percy had only one task in his mind when he jumped into the pit: to save Annabeth, and he hadn't thought of the consequences of not just any fall, but a fall straight to living hell. A one way trip. A very hard fall. The voice echoed in his mind, but Percy made his decision, and he wasn't going to change it.
It was not cool in Tartarus. Imagine falling in a black hole, a black hole that sucks you in as you get close to it. This was what Nico told him, and what he was experiencing right now. Unfortunately, Nico hadnt told him this: The pull from Tartarus was so big, so strong that Percy felt that someone was trying to tug his heart right out of his body.
Every molecule was aching to pull it self free from his body by the sheer gravity of the pit as he fell through the endless tunnel of darkness, confusion and misery. He vaguely sensed Annabeth clutching his hand tightly, or Gaia's laughing voice that echoed from the bottom of the pit.
Percy and Annabeth richocheted off walls as they fell, bouncing around like confused hamsters in an enclosed cage. Percy didn't even feel the pain as he slammed from wall to wall. His fingers were numb, and his head was spinning all over the place, blood rushing from his head to his feet. If he was to die, he would die holding hands with Annabeth, in the bottom of a bottomless pit, die doing an impossible mission for the gods, as Gaia destroys everything mankind established over millennia.
The tiny streaks of light illuminating the top of the tunnel had finally disappeared, replaced by tons of debris and concrete falling through the void. Percy heard a distant explosion somewhere from the top, and Percy knew the slightest possible hope of Frank or Jason flying down to the rescue was impossible. He was doomed to fail here.
Percy thought he experienced pain, but that was nothing compared to the fall. Out of the corner of his eyes, Percy spotted a faint, bronze glow from the bottom. Not very bright and flashy, but it was a sign that they were going to hit the bottom. Percy pulled Annabeth towards her, and even though she remained silent, she squeezed his hand. Percy locked Annabeth in a tight embrace, determined that nothing seperate them again. They both knew this wasn't going to go well, but they were glad at the fact that they had each other. Percy shut his eyes forcefully as they hit the ground. Even though Percy landed on what seemed like soft, mushy hay, the impact was so strong that he felt his body was on fire. Percy blacked out immediately.
Percy should have died. Percy predicted that the main reason Tartarus kept him alive was not exactly awesome. More torturing for demigods! Muhahaha! When Percy came to his senses, he found his hands had been tied behind his back by tight shackles. Percy tried to get up, but he realized that his legs had been bound tightly as well. He was kneeling on the ground, facing a bunch of masked, not-very-friendly-looking people. Percy took a look at his surroundings. It was nothing but an endless, dull court. Miniature torches were hung like an old-fashioned mansion, its dim light reflecting of solid celestrial bronze walls. The room was so wide, it seemed more like an endless court, except that it didn't have an exit. And Annabeth was not beside him.
"Where's Annabeth?" He asked quickly.
"The other one?" The masked man in the middle replied, "She was took for questioning in another room. And I have a few questions for you too, young man, before we decide to lock you up in a prison and boil you in oil for eternity."
The masked man clapped his hands, and his men raised their weapons, pointing all of them at Percy. "You better speak the truth. My men are quite willing to use their weapons against the old enemies."
Percy gulped. All of the guards surrounded him in a tight circle. One of the men snapped his fingers, and iron bars sprouted from the ground, preventing Percy from escaping. Percy had seen this cage in his dreams. It was exactly the same one Porphyrion used to imprison Hera.
He looked nervously at the nearest guard to him, who seemed to have notched what looked like an explosive arrow, aimed at his head. "All right," he decided. "Why is security so tight?" Percy asked, looking at the clusters of Greek fire strapped on the cage bars.
"This is not an ordinary prison, foolish boy. There is a reason this hell is the worst prison in the world, the worst hell on Earth, the maximum security prison of Hades. Old Titans and the most fearsome monsters are chained here for aeons, so thirsty to escape, to trace a route back to the mortal world. But no one succeeds escaping Tartarus. No one."
"Since I'm not going to escape anyway, do you mind questioning me without using the explosives?" Percy asked hopefully.
"Enough silly questions!" The man snarled as he pounded his fist on his table. "So. Standard procedure. Who are you." The man said cautiously, narrowing his eyes.
"Percy Jackson." Percy said immediately. "I'm from camp half-blood."
The guard beside the leader took out a notebook and starting scribbling furiously. "So..." The masked man continued. "Did Zeus banish you here, or you were punished for a crime?"
"I didn't. Me and Annabeth were pulled in by Arachne. We were following the Mark of Athena." Percy mumbled, not daring to look up. It was too sad, too painful to think about the quest. Annabeth did it, all by herself with a broken ankle. Percy couldn't have been prouder. They failed the quest, when they thought Annabeth succeeded, all because they had simply forgotten to cut the string, that led Annabeth all the way into Tartarus.
The man sighed. "Death is back, but the doors are opened. We no longer take control of the old enemies of the gods. We are nothing, compared to Gaia. But we will still try our best, to imprison the titans and monsters."
The man looked up at the ceiling. He called to his men. "Gaia's people are coming to free our prisoners. We must stop them before they free Tampe! She is one of the most heavily guarded ones." Percy shuddered. He had his own battle against the dragon woman a fwe years ago, and it definitely didn't go well.
One of the guards shook his head. "Gaia is too strong, sir. Even the best cannot stop them. We must flee, or they will overrun our base."
"No!" The leader roared. "It is our duty to prevent the old enemies from escaping. We shall fight! Even if we are defeated, we will fight to the last man. Then, if we die, we shall die honorably, instead of fleeing like a coward!"
The man turned around and faced Percy. "We cannot trust you yet..." He said grudgingly, "but we have no choice. If you truly are one of us, fight with us." He untied Percy, and offered him a bow.
"Uh, no thanks." Percy said. "Bows are disastrous for me. I would rather stick with my own weapon." He uncapped Riptide, as it sprang into full form.
"Anaklusmos... That is a legendary weapon. Do you know the history of your blade? This was the blade once used by Heracles." The man said, examining the sword. "I never liked him, though." He added.
Percy nodded. "Me neither. Zoë Nightshade made this. Come on," he grinned, raising his sword, as he heard roars of monsters and stomping of soldiers, "Just another battle with Percy Jackson."