Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series that honour belongs to Rick Riordan. I'm just playing with the characters and story.

This chapter took longer to write due to lack of motivation, Christmas and the fact that my internet has stopped working. I am using a family member's internet at present so this update is brought to you by them.

BOB

"I'm really hating that flower," whined Travis.

"You are not the only one," grumbled Nico.

"As we walked I tried to think of anything but the intense pain. It felt like a sabre-tooth tiger was chewing on my shoulder," said Percy.

"And how do you know how that feels like?" questioned Poseidon.

"Well how I imagine it would feel like," replied Percy.

"Now you know why you shouldn't be distracted in battles- you get hurt," said Hera.

"And Nico and Thalia have to haul your useless butt through the rest of the mission," criticised Ares.

"Only a little bit," said Percy.

"We reached a dark river that churned through a volcanic rock gorge. It was narrow and fast," described Thalia.

"The water was as black as ink. Even the foam churned black," continued Percy.

"It was only ten metres across, but was too far for us to jump and there was no bridge," informed Thalia.

"You have reached the River Lethe," said Hades.

"The stupid flower was pointing to the opposite bank, towards a mountain and a path that lead up to a cave," informed Nico.

"How are you going to get across?" asked Hermes. "The river Lethe is the river of forgetfulness. If you get one drop of water on you, you begin to forget who you are."

"That is where souls go when they choose rebirth, so they forget their former lives," explained Hades.

"So people who claim they remember their previous life …. Didn't swim long enough?" questioned Will.

"Yes," answered Hades "it is specifically stated how long they should immerse themselves."

"I didn't see a sign," said Thalia.

"There is one," stated Hades.

"Must go missing in our time," stated Thalia.

"Some demi-god steals it….. They don't live very long after," commented Nico. "It happened sometime in the eighties."

"Thalia was going to try a move from the movies," said Percy.

"What is a move from the movies?" asked Apollo.

"I thought I could shoot an arrow across and anchor a line in the opposite side rocks," admitted Thalia.

"You wanted to trust your weight on a line that isn't tied off?" asked Will.

"No, which is why we didn't use that suggestion," replied Thalia.

"It would have taken your weight in the movies," stated Connor.

"But probably breaking just after you got across," stated Chris.

"Another suggestion was that maybe we could use some dead people to help us, however the problem was they would only appear on the side of the river we were on," explained Nico.

"Running water acts as a barrier against the dead. They can't cross it," stated Hades.

"That's good to know for a Zombie apocalypse," said Rachel.

"You just have to find an island in the middle of a running river to live on," chuckled Connor.

"Although Percy could hardly stand, he informed us we needed him," said Thalia.

"How did you need an invalid?" asked Ares.

"It is water….. I have control over water so maybe I could redirect the flow long enough to get us across," stated Percy.

"In your condition, I think the arrow idea would be safer," stated Apollo.

"It felt like the water churned and bubbled more violently as I approached. I knew I couldn't stop the river altogether," said Percy.

"Why not?" questioned Aphrodite.

"Because it would back up and flood the valley," informed Poseidon "and could explode all over them as soon as he stopped controlling the river."

"You don't want that," stated Aphrodite.

"Percy raised his hands like he was lifting something over his head," said Nico.

"That wouldn't be good for your shoulder," said Annabeth.

"It felt like it was burning like lava but I tried to ignore it," replied Percy.

"The river rose in a great arc, like a rainbow of black water six metres high," informed Thalia.

"Wow that would have been impressive," said Dionysus.

"A clear tunnel was now present, wide enough for two people to walk side by side," described Nico.

"Nico and I quickly scrambled across the sticky mud. Percy was trembling by the time he had to cross. He almost fell as he climbed into the riverbed. Halfway across, he stumbled," informed Thalia.

"My concentration broke and the River Lethe crashing down on me," moaned Percy.

"How do you still have your memory?" asked Zeus.

"My last thought was dry, and I found myself surrounded by darkness but completely dry," replied Percy.

"You are so lucky that you have that ability," said Hades.

"I struggled to my feet, for something I did with little effort normally, keeping myself dry was almost more than I could handle," admitted Percy.

"Nico and I were shocked when Percy climbed out of the river Lethe and collapsed unconscious in front of us," said Thalia.

"We thought we had lost Percy," admitted Nico.

"You almost did," said Hestia "Thankfully he seems to defy logic at times."

"I came around hearing Thalia saying they couldn't risk giving me any more nectar as I would burst into flames," informed Percy.

"Does that really happen?" asked Rachel.

"Sometimes…." Admitted Will "Usually by young, uninformed demi-gods who don't listen to instructions."

"It is one of the topics covered in the orientation film," remarked Nico.

"They follow directions after they watch someone burst into flames," stated Clarisse.

"A trail snaked up the mountain to a mouth of a cave. The trail was lined with human bones," described Nico.

"That is creepy, I don't like it," said Katie.

"We are on our way to the goddess of ghosts who resides in a cave, there isn't anything to like – especially since the stupid carnation now had two petals left, like sad bunny ears," grumbled Thalia.

"TWO PETALS," bellowed Zeus.

"White mist and fog suddenly billowed from the cave. An image appeared in the fog. A blonde haired woman wearing a pink bath robe with a wine glass in her hand," described Percy.

"She growled that I was too late…" mumbled Thalia.

"It was apparently the spirit of Thalia's mother. She blamed Thalia for being doomed to walk the earth and asked why she ran away," informed Percy.

"Percy tried to tell Thalia that it was just a shade, I stepped forward and…" explained Nico.

"The shade changed shape. The ghost was harder to see. It was a woman dressed in an old-fashioned black dress with a matching hat. She wore a string of pearls and white gloves," described Percy.

"Maria," whispered Hades.

"She said that she haunted the world in grief, wondering about Bianca and me," whispered Nico.

"So Thalia is seeing her dead mother while Nico is seeing his deceased mother," said Hera.

"The fog was beginning to thicken around their feet, twirling around their legs like vines, and their colour seemed to fade from them, like they had too became shades," advised Percy.

"I didn't realise that happened," exclaimed Thalia.

"I stepped forward telling the shade she was no one's mother. Her image flickered and I saw the goddess of ghosts in her true form," explained Percy.

"Not many people do," admitted Hades.

"Her appearance surprised me. Her right half was a pale chalky white, like she had been drained of blood. Her left half was pitch black and hardened like a mummy's skin. She wore a golden dress and shawl. Her eyes were off-putting as they were empty black voids," described Percy.

"That is freaky," said Rachel with a shudder, hoping she would never have to meet the goddess of ghosts.

"Melinoe demanded to know where my ghosts were," said Percy.

"Yes Percy, where are your ghosts?" asked Clarisse.

"Why would Percy have ghosts?" questioned Will.

"Everyone apparently has ghosts – deaths you regret. Guilt, Fear," explained Percy. "The friends I had seen die, I had made my peace with them. They wouldn't have be ghosts."

"He is right, none of them would blame Percy … Maybe blame the gods and Kronos but not Percy," stated Chris.

"Thalia and I were let out of the fog. It was all a trick to fool us," admitted Nico.

"We were informed that we were too late. The deal had been struck, as another petal fell off the carnation leaving only one left," informed Thalia.

"What deal?" questioned Hera.

"We were informed that so many ghosts longed to be unleashed. When Kronos ruled the world, Melinoe would be free to walk among the mortals night and day terrorising them as they deserve," said Nico.

"Do we really deserve to be terrorised?" asked mortal Rachel.

"Does Melinoe really believe that Kronos will reward her when she opens a path from the Underworld to the mortal world?" questioned Demeter.

"Kronos will most likely cast her with the rest of Hades servants into Tartarus," answered Poseidon.

"Where is Ethan and the sword?" asked Ares.

"He was close. Melinoe wasn't going to stop us, she wouldn't need to. Percy would eventually have many ghosts and would remember her," said Thalia.

"I expect that is true now," admitted Percy however most of the demi-gods believed they would have one as well.

"I shot an arrow at Melinoe but she disappeared into fog before the arrow touched her," grumbled Thalia.

"The last petal fell of the carnation and the flower turned black and wilted," informed Nico.

"The thief, you have to stop him," exclaimed Aphrodite.

"He could still be in the cave," stated Athena.

"A man's laugh echoed down the mountain. At the mouth of the cave was Ethan, in his hands was an unfinished sword. With him was a three-metre-tall man in a tattered prison jumpsuit. He had eyes of pure silver. He had a scraggy beard and wild grey hair. He looked thin and haggard but still looked pretty scary," described Percy.

"It was Iapetus and he was going to destroy us," informed Thalia. Certain gods swore, it was not good that the Titans were escaping from Tartarus.

"Ethan tried to get him to leave, they had the sword after all," said Nico.

"But Iapetus had killing to attend to," said Percy.

"Ethan tried to reason with him as he was not at full power. They were to ascend and gather his brothers from the upper world. Their orders were to flee," advised Thalia.

"And that was where Ethan made a mistake," informed Nico.

"Apparently Iapetus does not flee," reported Thalia. "Ethan fell on his butt as he scrambled away from Iapetus, the sword of Hades clattered to the rocks."

"Iapetus wanted revenge and he had waited for aeons to be summoned from the pit. He would begin by killing us first," said Nico.

"He levelled his spear and charged at me. If he had been at full strength I would have been pierced in the middle," explained Percy "He moved so fast that I barely had time to dodge his strike that impaled the rock where I was standing."

"How are you fighting with your injury?" questioned Apollo.

"I was really dizzy and could barely hold my sword," answered Percy.

"I shot him full of arrows in his flank from his knee to his shoulder. Unfortunately it just made him angrier than hurt," grumbled Thalia.

"Ethan tried to get in on the fight but three armoured skeletons climbed out of the ground and pushed him back as they engaged him," mentioned Nico.

"Where is the sword of Hades?" asked Artemis.

"It was still laying on the rocks," answered Percy.

"Both Thalia and I were ready to attack but Percy was ahead of us. He launched himself at Iapetus and stabbed, impaling the blade into his calf," described Nico.

"The shaft of his spear slammed into me, sending me flying into the rocks, right next to the River Lethe," said Percy.

"Iapetus decided that Percy would die first," admitted Nico.

"Everyone wants to kill Percy first," commented Katie.

"He is like an ant at a picnic," said Clarisse "He is just annoying."

"He is also very powerful," said Hera.

"Are you saying Thalia and Nico are not as powerful," growled Hades and Zeus.

"No, No," stuttered Hera.

"I tried to get Iapetus's attention as he hobbled towards Percy, by zapping him with an arc of electricity, but it was received as well as a mosquito," grumbled Thalia. "Nico was knocked aside as Iapetus threatened to kill us and cast our souls into the eternal darkness of Tartarus."

"Percy taunted Iapetus telling him that he was even uglier than Atlas and he could see where he got his stupidity from," said Nico.

"You are injured and still you taunt him," groaned Poseidon.

"I love that not only does he call Iapetus ugly and stupid, he also calls his son, stupid and ugly as well," said Ares.

"Iapetus limped forward, his spear raised and as he brought it down I lurched sideways. The shaft impaled the ground and I reached up and grabbed his shirt collar hoping he was off balanced as well as hurt. He tried to regain his footing but I pulled him forward. He stumbled and fell, unfortunately we pitched together into the river Lethe," informed Percy.

"You still know your name…" gasped Zeus.

"Poseidon's protection, his ability to stay dry continued to work," declared Athena.

"We were shocked when Percy climbed out of the river dry with a soaking wet Titan," admitted Nico.

"Ethan had just finished cutting down the last skeleton and called out to Iapetus," said Percy.

"Iapetus stared at Ethan, looked at Percy and asked … Who am I?" explained Thalia with a giggle.

"Iapetus didn't know who he was," exclaimed Apollo.

"Percy told him that he was his friend…. Bob," laughed Nico who was joined by some of the demi-gods.

"You renamed Iapetus… Bob," gasped Poseidon shocked.

"How did you come up with that name?" asked Annabeth.

"It just popped into my head," defended Percy. "I think Bob is a better name than Iapetus."

"Not if you are trying to scare the enemy," argued Ares.

"Ethan glanced at the sword but before he could lunge for it, I sent an arrow at his feet with a warning that I would pin him to the rocks. Ethan ran into the cave of Melinoe and Percy told me to let him go," grumbled Thalia.

"You let him go," exploded Zeus.

"I don't know why I spared Ethan. Maybe I felt sorry for him, maybe I'd had enough fighting for the day," admitted Percy.

"He'll get into trouble when he reports to Kronos that he has failed to retrieve both the sword and Iapetus," hinted Chris.

"I can't believe you retrieved the missing sword," grumbled Dionysus.

"Of course they did, why else would they be telling the story," exclaimed Hermes.

"Failed stories are rarely re-told," said Connor.

"Unless there is a moral to the story," remarked Will.

"I summoned a ghost who contacted the three Furies, who ferried us back to the Palace of Hades," said Nico.

"They weren't thrilled about lugging Bob – but I didn't have the heart to leave him behind," stated Percy.

"Especially since he noticed Percy's shoulder and healed the 'Owie' with a single touch," said Thalia.

"We arrived in the throne room where the Lord of the dead glowered at us like he was contemplating the best way to torture us. Persephone silent at his side," explained Percy.

"We let Nico explain our adventure," said Thalia.

"Before we gave back the sword I insisted that Hades take an oath not to use it against the gods," advised Percy.

"How have I not killed you?" growled Hades.

"You made the promise through clenched teeth and Nico laid the sword at your feet," said Percy ignoring the question.

"Hades told me that I would speak of this to no one," said Nico.

"But you just told us," pointed out Travis.

"And if Thalia and Percy did not hold their tongues he would cut them out," added Nico.

"NO one is cutting out ANY tongues," stated Hestia before anyone could comment.

"That was when it got … strange," admitted Thalia.

"Hades informed Persephone that she had defied his direct orders," informed Percy.

"He informed the Furies to return the blade to the forges and then returned to him when finished," said Nico.

"Persephone told Hades he was wise. Hades responded that if he was wise he would lock her in her room. Hades vanished into the darkness after leaving a threat hanging in the air about her ever disobeying him again," said Thalia.

"That was when I realised that making the sword was Persephone's idea. That was why Hades didn't give us the quest, he didn't know the sword was missing. He didn't even know it existed," stated Percy.

"My daughter would not…" objected Demeter.

"Persephone wanted Hades to make the sword. He didn't want it made as he knew it was too dangerous as the other gods would never trust him as it would undo the balance," said Nico.

"It was stolen and Persephone was the one to shut down the Underworld. She needed us to get it back," reported Thalia.

"She used you," exclaimed Travis.

"But Hades accepted the sword," said Hera.

"He had too, his brother's children risk their lives to reclaim it," said Rachel.

"Why would Persephone want the sword made?" asked Demeter.

"She wanted Hades to become as powerful as Zeus and Poseidon. Also their realm would be protected against Kronos or any others that threatened them," admitted Nico.

"Persephone offered us a reward but… Percy told her that she should leave before he carried her down to the River Lethe and throw her in … with Bob's help," sniggered Thalia.

"Percy!" exclaimed Rachel.

"You really need to stop annoying powerful people who could kill you," sighed Annabeth.

"We said our goodbyes on a balcony overlooking Asphodel. Bob was inside building a toy house out of bones and laughing every time it collapsed," said Percy.

"He is like a child," said Connor.

"He was now harmless so I said I would watch him," admitted Nico "We thought we might be able to retrain him to do something good."

"You could only do that if you stayed in the Underworld," argued Hephaestus.

"Which was what I planned to do," admitted Nico.

"You can't do that," stated Demeter.

"Persephone will make you miserable… She is not a fan of my children," stated Hades.

"I had to get close to you," admitted Nico "and you clearly needed a better adviser."

"Before he left Nico reminded Percy about his offer," said Thalia.

"What offer?" asked Athena.

"The one I told him about on his birthday," replied Nico.

"I was still considering the offer," said Percy.

"Is this the possible way to fight Kronos?" asked Annabeth as Percy nodded.

"You knew about that for almost a year?" questioned Clarisse.

"I questioned Percy about Nico's offer," informed Thalia "and was informed it was dangerous and he had had enough danger for the day."

"Thalia and I then left the Underworld via the crushed roses Persephone had given us to return to the world," said Percy.

"Damn… it IS my turn to buy the cheeseburgers," whined Thalia.

"I told you," responded Percy.

"And that is the end of the story the Sword of Hades," said Nico stopping an argument between the two cousins.

"So what is next?" asked Artemis.

"The battle," answered Clarisse.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what you though (Please). Favourite part, what you look forward to me covering in The Last Olympian etc.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hope everyone has a great holiday.

The next update will hopefully be by Australia Day (That is January 26th for those who don't know). I don't know when this story will be completed I will update whenever the chapters are ready.