Ch. 10
Descending a vertical cliff in a semi gaseous state is not something Percy or Zoe will look back on as one of their fondest memories on their all-inclusive vacation to the eternal pit of damnation.
No, maybe a more pleasant one, like the exquisite meal they enjoyed during their romantic night away at the Peaceful Giant Bed and Breakfast.©
Or maybe the visit to the Humane Society of Displaced Hybrid Monster Pets where they adopted a beautiful tabby cat that doubled as a prehistoric saber toothed tiger.
Or... Wait, nevermind.
Despite the challenge, they managed to traverse the cliff without falling to their deaths. And despite Bob, their cat/tiger/mountain-goat, leaping from ledge to ledge the whole way down, they also seemed to have made the effort without being noticed by the small city of monsters crowded near the Doors of Death.
Once at the bottom, the doors were blocked from view. Too many monsters of all shapes and sizes stood between them and their target. Percy leaned down to Bob's head and whispered in his ear. The large saber toothed tiger shrunk down into his more adorable and far less attention grabbing kitty cat form and took the lead in front of them.
Directly in front of them lay a small legion of Dracaena, all hissing back and forth about being at the end of the line and missing all the "good demigod snacks".
Bob took the lead, weaving thru the legs of the Dracaena with ease and without notice.
Percy and Zoe approached more slowly, unsure how well the Death Mist would hide them from unfriendly and hungry eyes. As they neared, Percy stubbed his foot on a rock, kicking it a few feet in front of him. A half dozen slitted yellow eyes snapped around and right at them. They both froze, waiting to begin a fight for their lives.
But the snake women looked right at them, searching for the source of the noise before one shrugged its scaly shoulders, assuming it was probably just a random rock falling somewhere in the general dismal landscape of Tartarus.
They both let out the breaths they were holding, albeit very carefully to avoid drawing more attention. Percy tentatively slipped past the reptilian monsters without being noticed. He saw Bob weaving ahead, apparently oblivious to the fact they couldn't match his pace.
Percy looked back at Zoe nervously and tried to follow his cat's general path of direction. Zoe followed right behind him but moving was painfully slow. They had to stop, wait for a monster to move and then slip by as quickly as they could. More than a few times monsters would pause and turn, looking right at them only to decide it was nothing and turn back around.
"It's working." Zoe whispered so quietly Percy could barely hear it.
"For now," he warned. Something about the events of his entire life told him it would not be this easy. While he prayed the Fates would finally throw him a bone, he had no intention of counting on the old battle axes giving him a break.
He wasn't sure which Fate he'd angered but he must have done something because they appeared to be using the string for his life as toilet paper. That was the only thing that could account for all the shit he had to go through.
But to his surprise, the Death Mist was everything Akhlys had claimed it would be. They were nothing but shadows moving amongst the darkness. Monsters would occasionally sense them but even when looking directly at them, they were invisible.
They had no idea how long they'd been at it but somehow, they found their way to the front of the mass of monsters. The Doors of Death were now less than twenty yards in front of them.
Like they'd first thought, the doors were in fact elevator doors like those found in the Empire State Building. Well, mostly like those elevator doors. One glaring difference was the golden chains tied to the ground on each side of doors. The chains were latched to the sides of the elevator and standing at the point where the chains were tied to stakes in the ground were two figures Percy had little trouble identifying.
Titans.
One was instantly recognizable. His golden armor and glowing eyes were hard to miss. So was the memory of Percy dispatching him down to Tartarus during the first Titan war with the help of Katie, Thalia and the Hunters of Artemis.
"Hyperion."
Percy grumbled so only Zoe could hear him. She clearly recognized him as well, some of the air being taken out of her sails at the thought of getting past him this time.
The other titan Percy had never seen before. But from the stories he'd heard in Camp Jupiter and from Jason, it wasn't hard to decipher his identity. His ram horn helmet was a dead giveaway. This was Krios, the titan Jason had destroyed in the Romans' battle at Mount Othrys during the Titan War.
They both stood on each side of the doors, right next to the stakes holding the chains that were latched to the doors.
Hyperion pulled out a small ticket and turned to the assembled monsters.
"Number 14774!" He bellowed over the sounds of the monster chatter and growling. Nothing happened and Hyperion glowered at the assembled monsters.
"I SAID NUMBER 14774!"
A murmuring broke out amongst the monsters until a group of a dozen cyclopes shoved their way to the front, one holding a ticket much like the kind you'd get at a supermarket deli.
"Here! We won! We won!" The cyclops holding the ticket exclaimed gleefully.
"Yes, Yes," Hyperion growled. "Get inside, we don't have eternity here."
As the cyclopes approached, the elevator doors dinged and opened up revealing an obsidian and gold interior. The cyclopes clamored inside, Percy unsure how they would all fit inside.
To his surprise, the elevator seemed to accommodate their huge forms. Either that, or the cyclopes shrunk down but either way, all twelve crowded themselves inside the elevator before Krios stepped forward and stretched out his arm, pressing the up bottom on the side of the doors.
The doors dinged again and slowly began to close, Krios keeping his finger on the button. The doors began to glow for a moment then shook violently. The two titans stepped on the stakes effectively keeping the doors in their place while Krios continued to hold down the button.
"So that's how they keep the doors where they are."
Zoe looked at Percy confused.
"The doors are constantly moving. Only Thanatos knows where they are at any given moment. When they captured Thanatos, they chained the doors so Gaea could control which monsters were sent back to the mortal world."
"Death has been chained..." Zoe said thinking of what Percy had told them Ceres announced to the Romans.
"Yeah, apparently that meant Thanatos and the doors. And from what I can see, the button looks like it has to be held down in order to make the trip back to the mortal world." Percy sounded deflated but tried not to show it.
"So, we're screwed?" She surmised.
At first, Percy was silent. He just stared blankly back at her. He noticed Bob by her feet.
Nice of him to make an appearance right before their imminent deaths, he thought morbidly before he looked back at Zoe, shaking his head.
"Maybe we can sneak inside with the next group of monsters unseen and catch a ride topside without them noticing."
Zoe thought that sounded hopeful but the reality of the situation hit her like a freight train.
"But we need to free the doors. Otherwise, Gaea and her armies will continue to reform and come back every time we kill them."
Percy didn't look at her and it didn't take long for Zoe to figure out the plan forming in his head.
"You are not staying behind."
He sighed, knowing this was not going to be easy.
"Someone has to. If I die, I just go home. If you die, who knows what happens. You can still rejoin the hunters and have a normal life. For this one time Zoe, it's not open for debate. You're getting in the elevator even if I have to knock you out and throw you inside."
She was about to argue when Krios' booming voice cut their argument off.
"It's my turn to pull the numbers. My finger is getting tired, you hold the button for a while."
Hyperion scoffed, "We were each given our duties from mother. Stop your bellyaching and hold the button. It's your fault you're down here, you didn't even fight in New York. Killed by that little Roman, Grace. Be grateful you're even allowed this task after your failure last time."
Krios scowled at his brother, "And dying at the hands of that Jackson boy was so much more honorable."
Hyperion's eyes blazed as he glowered at the other titan, "It wasn't just that little brat! It took half their army of demigods to stop me!"
Krios rolled his eyes, "So you say..."
"Enough!" Hyperion snapped. "It's bad enough I'm stuck in this stinking pit with your pathetic self! I should be leading the armies toward Mount Olympus!"
Krios looked like he was about to reply when the entire cavern fell silent. Even Percy and Zoe felt it. A new presence had appeared. One so overpowering that Percy knew their chances of escape had just gone from slim to none.
A vortex of black energy surged over the monster ranks and blasted right through Hyperion's chest. The air seemed to have been sucked from Hyperion's body as he dropped to his knees, frantically trying to breath.
The swirling mass of energy came to a halt behind the titan and then began to take shape.
"STINKING PIT!" A booming voice thundered from the slowly forming mass of energy. "YOU DARE INSULT THE MASTER OF THIS DOMAIN!"
The first thing Percy saw were a pair of thick, muscular legs grow from the ground. They were veiny and purple, the same color as the ground beneath them. A muscle packed torso grew next, followed by arms and then eventually the shape of a head. The figure stood nearly twenty feet in height; the size was bigger than everything else around but Percy guessed it could be any height it wanted to.
Instead of a face, a swirling vortex of darkness encompassed the head and seemed to pull at everything around them, demigods included.
In any other situation, the look of pure terror on Hyperion's face would have been a welcome sight, though Percy guessed he had an identical one on his own face.
"I... I didn't..." Was as far as Hyperion got before the pull of the vortex intensified and seemed to focus on him. Everything on the ground by his feet was sucked inside while Hyperion dropped to his knees and grabbed hold of the chains binding the doors.
"YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE THIS PIT! I OWN EVERYTHING IN IT! INCLUDING PATHETIC LITTLE TITANS THE LIKES OF YOU!"
Hyperion's body was pulled so hard it was lifted off the ground. The only thing keeping him from oblivion was his grip on the chains. Though they could feel the pull as well, it was nothing like what Hyperion was dealing with. His body looked like a flag flapping in the wind as he desperately tried to hold onto his one life line.
The muscular arms reached out, almost like he were about to snatch up the titan, but they didn't, only the pull of the vortex increased. Golden ichor leaked from Hyperion's hands as he struggled for life.
Then, in the blink of an eye, he lost his grip.
"Nooooooooo!" He bellowed as he flew straight into the head of Tartarus. His body hit and then looked like it melted as it was sucked inside the primordial god until they were no signs the titan had ever even been there.
The massive figure stood by the doors. With no face, it was hard to tell what it was looking at but Percy had a sinking feeling it was him.
"YOU FOOLS. DEMIGODS STAND BEFORE YOUR EYES AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT."
The massive figure waved his hand and the death mist covering Percy and Zoe was gone, blown away with a mere flick of his wrist.
They stood in plain sight near the Doors of Death, an army of monsters behind them and a titan and Primordial God in front of them.
"Well shit." Percy muttered under his breath but with the silence all around him, it was heard by anyone within fifty feet.
"IMPRESSIVE YOU HAVE SURVIVED THIS FAR, LITTLE MORTALS." Tartarus boomed in their direction. "BUT WHILE YOU HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR, YOUR JOURNEY ENDS NOW."
Percy glanced towards Zoe. Bob had taken a spot between them, the hairs on his back were raised but he remained in his smaller tabby cat form. Zoe was motionless, seemingly mesmerized by the sheer power of the being before them.
Percy had to concentrate to avoid being overwhelmed by the raw power Tartarus exuded.
It took a moment to find his voice, "Wh...What? You're going to kill us? How brave of you, a primordial god, to dispose of two demigods."
Tartarus stood motionless, the swirling of the vortex where his face should have been was the only the god made. Percy thought he'd just gotten them obliterated.
"I DO NOT DEAL WITH BEINGS SO BELOW ME!" The god boomed. "BE SILENT MORTAL, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK IN MY PRESENCE!"
Percy had Anaklusmos gripped in his hand, still in pen form but tossed it to the ground beside him.
"Then what? We've survived your pit! Let us leave if we're so below you!"
Tartarus' vortex face tilted back and a booming sound reverberated all around them. Percy realized the primordial was laughing at him.
"BRAVE WORDS, MORTAL! I SHALL LET MY MONSTERS DEAL WITH YOU! YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE!"
The monsters behind them began to murmur before breaking into a raucous chorus of jeers and growling.
"DESTROY THESE MORTALS!" Tartarus boomed.
The monsters started to surge forward. Percy snatched up Anaklusmos while Zoe regained her bearings and notched an arrow in her bow.
Then, from somewhere in the back of the monsters, a symphony of pained screams filled the cavern. The rest of the monsters froze at the sound.
At the very back of the cavern, Percy saw the last thing he thought he would ever see.
A drakon tore through the monster ranks. And not just any drakon, one he recognized because he watched it die, then enjoyed its flesh in a delicious stew.
It'd been a weird few days...
It was the Maeonian Drakon.
It tore a path of death and destruction through the army of monsters. Its mouth snatched up monsters four or five at a time. Its tail whipped around and sent dozens flying into their comrades leaving huge piles of ashes all throughout the the cavern. The army of monsters started to regain their wits and attack back only to see their weapons bounce off its tough scaly hide.
Percy wasn't even sure what to think. His mind was blank. Completely confused about what was going on.
Then he saw a second figure emerge from the back of the cavern. This one was also familiar. Rust colored red skin covering a half man, half dragon body and standing around twenty feet tall. A drakon bone lance was gripped in his hand as Damasen marched forward, crushing monsters under his scaly feet as he walked. When he was forty feet away, he pointed his lance at Percy and Zoe.
Or, it seemed that way.
But his eyes were actually glued to the similarly large figure behind them.
"So powerful, father. Your bravery confronting these mortals shall be told for eons. The mighty Tartarus destroying the dangerous mortals!"
Though he had no face, it was easy to guess the god's mood. Purple veins pulsed throughout his muscular body as the primordial god watched his giant son approach.
"YOU WOULD STAND WITH THESE MORTALS? YOU ARE NO WARRIOR! YOU ARE A FAILURE! A DISAPPOINTMENT SINCE YOUR CREATION!" Tartarus boomed at his son. Damasen stood his ground and glared right back at his father.
"You wish for a fight, father? Surely you must wish for a more worthy opponent! I am one of the giants you are so proud of. You wished me to be more warlike? Perhaps I will start by destroying you!"
Before the god had a chance to respond, Damasen charged right at his father. Percy and Zoe stepped aside as he barreled past them, his drakon bone lance thrust straight at the god's midsection.
A massive sword appeared in Tartarus' hand and deflected the blow. Damasen parried and attacked again, pushing the god back a few steps and on the defensive. The two went back and forth, primordial god versus giant. Though Percy thought Tartarus could have destroyed Damasen with just a thought, he seemed too stunned to do anything but defend himself.
Percy knew this was their chance. He turned and charged straight at Krios, who was enthralled with the battle before him. Too late did he notice the demigod coming right for him.
Percy jumped and drove Anaklusmos right into his side, thrusting the blade deep into the titan's flesh. Krios bellowed in agony and dropped to his knees. Percy screamed and drove the blade in deeper. Krios tried to speak, his words wet as golden ichor filled his mouth and leaked from the corners of his lips. He looked up at Percy with pure hatred.
Then he slowly dissolved into a golden dust.
Percy didn't waste any time. He jumped to the first chains holding the Doors of Death in place and sliced through them like a knife through butter. Before he could reach the second, Tartarus' booming voice rang out.
"STOP THOSE MORTALS! DESTROY THEM!"
The monsters started forward, at least the ones not stuck in a one-sided battle with the Maeonian Drakon that was currently in the middle of their army, a path of death left in his wake.
An Empousa near the front tried to step towards Zoe only to have a small tabby cat lunge at her. In midair, Bob transformed and grew to his full Saber Toothed Tiger height, latching on to the monster's neck and ripping it apart before his feet even hit the ground.
The sight of Bob caused the monsters to pause for a just a second. Percy used it to run and dive at the other chain holding down the doors, slicing through the chain and freeing the doors from their restraints. Before he could jump to his feet, a cyclops stood over him, a huge wooden club gripped in both hands. As it went to bring down the fatal strike, an arrow sprouted from its forehead, right over its eye.
It dissolved into dust.
Percy stood and looked as the monsters tried to surge forward. Zoe was firing arrows at nearly inhuman speeds, dropping them faster than they could get in striking range. She fired with such speed and precision that Percy thought Artemis might have been jealous.
Any that avoided her arrows were met with the swiping claws or razor sharp teeth of Bob who stood in front of Zoe protectively and guarded her from anything getting close enough to attack.
Percy looked out and saw just how many monsters they had to deal with. It was an impossible task. They could hold them off for a few minutes, but even with all three of them fighting, they'd soon be overrun.
He panicked and tried to think of anything that would buy them time.
Then he felt it.
Water.
And not just any water. River water.
He looked down and saw the purple ground, soft and spongy, just like the flesh of Tartarus. Flowing underneath the surface were the same veins covering the god's body. Except they weren't really veins, they were the rivers of the underworld, all flowing into the heart of Tartarus.
He realized now what it was. They were literally standing on top of Tartarus. The form fighting Damasen was just a fraction of the god's being. They were literally in Tartarus.
Another bullet point to add to his list of things he didn't care to remember from their time in Tartarus.
He thrust out his hand and used his will to pull. The veins under the ground ruptured and shot up, dousing a trio of dracaena with water from the River Styx. They screeched in agony and dissolved into a puddle of mud.
Without thinking, Percy ran to Zoe who was still firing arrows as fast as she could. He wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her right off her feet. Ignoring her outraged protests, he ran to the elevator doors and tossed her inside.
"Zoe, go! Warn the others of what we've seen!"
Before she had a chance to even get back to her feet, he reached for the button.
He'd long since made his choice. He and Bob would hold the monsters as long as they could and by the grace of the gods, they'd hold long enough to get Zoe topside.
Just as his fingers grazed the button, his wrist was grabbed by a small but strong hand. He turned and almost fell back on his butt at what he saw.
A small girl, a child no older than ten, held him by the wrist and prevented him from pressing the button. He tried to overpower her but the child's strength was far superior to his.
"Perseus Jackson," the girl said.
He finally took in the girl's appearance. Her skin was fair but her hair was as black as could be. She was a good foot smaller than him and couldn't have weighed more than sixty pounds. It was her eyes that froze him. He'd seen them before on a person who scared him almost as much as Tartarus.
"Nyx," he said in awe. "What..."
She pushed his hand away with ease.
"I will hold the button, demigod. Go, return to your war. You have much left to do."
In retrospect, he should have just obeyed the goddess' command without question.
But hindsight is twenty/twenty and in the heat of the moment, he usually didn't think things through long enough to realize how stupid they might be.
He foolishly asked a question he almost immediately regretted.
"Why?"
Nyx turned around and flicked her wrist. The closest thirty or forty monsters were blasted out of existence.
"In the future, I will require a service from you. I will free you from this place but you will fulfill this task when I ask it of you."
Percy was too stunned to even comprehend her words.
"Uh, what?"
Nyx's eyes were like supernovas boring into his very soul. "Swear to me you will fulfill the task I ask of you. Swear to it on your life and that of the girl."
He hesitated. Something in his gut told him it would be a mistake. But then, the more rational and anxious not to die part of him recognized this was his one and only chance for escape.
"I swear it."
The goddess' lips quirked into a smile and Percy realized what he'd just done. He made an oath more powerful than anything on the Styx. The river was binding and could kill him; Nyx could erase him and his soul from existence if she wanted. She made a shooing motion with her hand and Percy flew into the elevator doors.
"Go young hero. You have more to do than you could even fathom."
Nyx pressed the button and the doors made a ding, preparing to close.
"BOB!" Percy yelled. "Come on boy!"
Bob's head snapped up, a telekhine wriggling in his mouth. He bounded towards the elevator as the doors began to close, jumping through just in the nick of time.
Once closed, Percy felt like he was shooting up so fast he was a rocket heading into space. The last he saw were the body's of Zoe and Bob collapse onto the elevator floor before his entire world was consumed by darkness.
A.N: So two years between chapters then 3 days. What can I say other than... my bad. I'm random. Kind of excited about this story now, let me know what you thought.
And if Telemathene is reading this... Hi.