Okay, who's hyped for chapter 10? So, after a comment from SPQR-Alan, who made me rethink the entire story, I've decided to change the pairing. Percy will end up with Thalia instead of Piper. I know, I'm changing my mind a lot.
So, reviews!
SPQR-Alan- I read your comment, and you're making me rethink my entire story. Thank you for that.
MasterTrident- No worries, Jason's death was hard.
OverLordRevan- Thanks!
theworstisgoingtohappen- I might take your advice about Annabeth! Sadly, I've changed my mind and Percy and Piper will be good friends.
Alright, enjoy the story!
The Titans and Giants Join Our Side
Percy's POV:
The fall was just as long as I remembered. It was dark and stifling and boring. I'll admit, I was a little afraid of seeing Tartarus again, even if it was a peaceful mission.
After a long while, the darkness started to give way to a familiar red tint.
"Thalia, you may have to cushon us with the wind! We'll be hitting the ground soon!" I yelled.
She looked at me with panicked eyes. "I've never used the wind before!"
"Just imagine a pillow beneath us!" Nico shouted.
As we fell through the red clouds, Thalia shut her eyes and stuck out her hands.
I shut my eyes, fearing the impact. Instead of face planting into the ground, I felt like I land on clouds. I opened my eyes and found myself three feet from the ground.
I looked over at Thalia and grinned and she shot a relieved smile at me. She must have lost her concentration because we all fell to the ground.
"Oof," we groaned.
After I stood up, I surveyed the surroundings. There were no rivers insight and a few cliffs on the horizon.
Opposite of the cliffs, everything was shrouded in red fog. Not much had changed since my first visit. I shuddered as the memory came back.
Freezing water shocked the air right out of my lungs. My limbs turned rigid, and I lost my grip on Annabeth.
Through the dark, clouded waters, I saw Annabeth begin to sink. As I went after her, strange wailing sounds filled my ears—millions of heartbroken voices, as if the river were made of distilled sadness. The voices were worse than the cold. They weighed me down and made me numb. What's the point of struggling? they told me. You're dead anyway. You'll never leave this place.
I shook off the voices and swam after Annabeth. I grabbed her hand and together they kicked upward and broke the surface. Annabeth gasped, gulping air.
I was creating a whirlpool to buoy us up, but it was quickly draining me. I couldn't keep it up much longer
Land," she croaked. "Go sideways."
My strength faded and the whirlpool began to dissipate. Annabeth hooked one arm around my waist and struggled across the current.
I tried to swim, but the voices weighed me down. Life is despair, they said. Everything is pointless, and then you die.
"Pointless," I murmured. My teeth chattered from the cold. I stopped swimming and began to sink.
"Percy!" Annabeth shrieked. "The river is messing with your mind. It's the Cocytus—the River of Lamentation. It's made of pure misery!"
"Misery," I agreed.
"Fight it!"
She kicked and struggled, trying to keep both of us afloat.
She hugged me tighter and kissed me. "Tell me about New Rome," she demanded. "What were your plans for us?"
"New Rome…For us…" Memories of a conversation came back, and the voices weren't quite as loud.
"Yeah, Seaweed Brain. You said we could have a future there! Tell me!"
"Architecture," I murmured. I began to see clearer and the voices began to fade.
"Thought you'd like the houses, the parks. There's one street with all these cool fountains."
Annabeth and I started making progress against the current. I could see the dark line of the shore about a stone's throw away.
"College," she gasped. "Could we go there together?"
"Y-yeah," I agreed, my voice stronger.
"What would you study, Percy?"
"Dunno," I admitted.
"Marine science," she suggested. "Oceanography?"
"Surfing?" I asked.
She laughed, and the sound sent a shock wave through the water. The wailing faded to background noise. He wondered if anyone had ever laughed in Tartarus before—just a pure, simple laugh of pleasure. He doubted it.
Annabeth used the last of her strength to reach the riverbank. Annabeth and I hauled ourselves ashore, shivering and gasping, and collapsed on the dark sand.
I shook my head, trying to get rid of the memory. I looked up to see Hestia pointing to the fog.
"That is where we're headed. Once through the fog, you will see large mountains. Embedded in the side of the mountains are where the Titans in Giants are being kept. I visit once in a while, so we shouldn't have too much trouble once we explain ourselves." She looked to Nico, Thalia, and I. "Ready?"
We nodded and headed straight for the fog.
Thalia's POV:
Tartarus was bad. The air was like acid and the landscape was red and we would have splattered on impact had I not cushioned us.
Although, strangely enough, I was glad that I came along. I could tell Percy was already getting lost in his memories. When we fell to the ground, Percy looked like he was lost in his own head. He seemed to be doing that a lot more recently.
I looked over to Nico and Percy, who looked lost in their memories.
Oh boy, I thought. I wondered if they were going to be able to stay out of their heads long enough to talk to the Giants and Titans.
It was a long time before we all saw the mountain. I heard shouting and banging coming from the base. The cages War about 10 ft wide and 20 ft tall. They were stacked in rows and columns, with a row being no more than 10 cages. I looked up the wall and saw that it went quite a ways.
As we got closer, the shouting became easier to understand.
"Get me out of here!"
"Shut up Koios! Nobody is coming to help us!"
Percy looked to Hestia, confused.
"Why are they locked up? The last time Anna- I was down here, they were free. What happened?"
Percy's eyes look like broken glass. I felt like hitting myself when I realized that Percy was with Annabeth the last time he was down here. And they just split up. I winced, sympathetic for my friend.
"After the war, the gods came down and locked up all of the Giants and Titans," Hestia answered.
Percy nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer.
We continued forward, silent until Hestia spoke to everyone in the cages.
"Hello everyone. I have visited you all before, but this time, I have come for a different reason. I, along with Nico di Angelo, Thalia Grace, and Percy Jackson, have come here to offer you freedom."
The silence disappeared when Hestia said our names. I winced, reminded of the fact that I had killed some of these immortals.
"Freedom? They've tried to kill us!"
"It has to be a trick!"
"There is no way we'd follow them!"
The shouting and protests continued to the point where I could hardly think.
"ENOUGH!"
All shouts of protest stopped. I turned 2 the sound of The voice and found Leto, Apollo and Artemis's mother.
"They have come with Hestia, who has proven to be an ally to us. Perhaps these demigods have seen sense, but we should hear them out before you all continue to shout at them. If this is not a trick, you will scare them away!"
She scolded the Titans and Giants as a mother would, and I would have laughed if I hadn't been standing in front of thirty 12 foot tall immortals.
There were a few grumbles, but for the most part, everyone was silent, willing to hear us out.
"As Leto said, this is not a trick. I have realized that you all think the demigods have willingly sided with the gods. Well, I have come to inform you that they have been kept in the dark. The demigods you fight have been told that you are the enemies that should be killed.
There are a few demigods, however, that have found the truth. These three are some of them. We have come to ask for assistance in overthrowing the gods and helping us create a true era of peace."
As the immortals muttered and discussed words, I turned to her.
"How did you do that?" I asked in awe.
She shrugged. "I have been visiting them for millennia. I am a friend and a lie to them. They know that they can trust me.
Believe me, they are good. You do not see that because you see them as the enemy. It is time you see them as friends."
Before I could formulate a reply, Leto spoke again.
"Do you swear on the Styx that this is true?"
"I swear on the sticks that every word is true."
There was another discussion before she replied, "And we would all get our freedom?"
"You would all get your freedom if you swear on the Styx to coexist peacefully with every mortal, demigod, and creature after the war. We only want to dethrone the gods, not destroy the world."
My head was reeling as I heard 30 "We swear to your terms."
Hestia waved her hand, and the bars on every cage disappeared.
I can't believe this is happening.
At this point, I was 90% sure I wasn't even functioning.
At the same time, I couldn't believe it was that easy. It seems like we were wrong. The Giants and Titans have been nice.
They all jumped down and out of their cages, shrinking to mortal size.
"So, where are we staying? Is there a base of operation?" Leto asked. She seemed to be the de facto leader.
"Yes. It is Calypso's island. We have made adjustments to the shield around the island, so you will be in pain for a few moments until Leo Valdez can shut it off," Hestia said.
There were a few grumbles at the pain part, but overall, nothing major.
"All right, let's get out of here," Enceladus said.
"There's something I have to do first," Percy said.
I turned my head to see him, realizing he hadn't spoken.
"What is it?" I asked. I figured it had something to do with the first time they had been to Tartarus.
He and Nico shared a look. "We have a few friends to pick up."
Hestia studied them.
"All right, but be back soon."
They nodded and disappeared into the shadows.
Percy's POV:
As Nico and I stepped out of the shadows, I felt my stomach twisting into knots. it has been months since I had seen Damason and Bob, and I wasn't even sure they were here. This was our one chance to free them.
I looked to see the familiar hut in front of me.
Nico looked at me.
"Ready?"
"No," I admitted. "Let's do it."
We stepped forward and pounded on the enormous door. We held our breath, praying for the door to open.
Please be there.
I nearly collapsed when the door opened. Standing there was a familiar silver- eyed Titan.
"Friends!"
All right, chapter 10. Wasn't my best? No. It wasn't. But, out of habit, I wrote this in the dead of night.
Plus, this was a really tricky scene to write. The Giants and Titans are really OOC in this fanfic, and there was no good way to write this. I decided to write this where Hestia had been visiting them the entire time, making them more friendly and willing to go with them. So, before you comment, know that I do have a reason for making them so compliant.
Tell me what you think. Stay tuned for chapter 11!