A plot revelation in this chapter! R&R For the win! Well, to be honest, I never had an idea why Thanatos is in Illinois, but the name Illinois just sound good. I did some researches about Illinois, and well, got a plot bridge. Why did I include Hestia? Well, she seems to always help Percy out in TLO, so why exclude a minor god? Now, it begins. First 2 digit chapter!

The Freezing Death

Chapter 10: Death

Percy's POV

"Where exactly in Illinois is Thanatos?" I asked Nico, as I steered the car (which he hotwired. I never knew where he learnt that.)

"Springfield. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, to be exact." He answered me.

"How did you even know that?" I asked.

"Percy, my dad is the god of the underworld. He can just pick out a spirit and interrogate it anytime he wanted."

"I don't understand. Why would the personification of death be in a presidential library?"

"Well, I don't know so. I don't even know him."

"How long will it be until we reach Illinois?" I asked.

"Hours, at least. You guys could take a nap. I'll take the wheel."

"Nico, can you drive? I mean, you don't even have a license. You're 15!"

"Well, then yours will be at stake then."

"Fine, but you really know how to drive?"

"Sure. Alecto taught me."

"You mean, Mrs. Dodds?" Nico nodded. "A Fury taught you how to drive? Seriously?" He nodded again, as if it was obvious.

"Pull over. Let me take the wheel." I was exhausted and didn't want to argue at that moment, so I stepped on the brake, and switched seats with him. I leaned on the seat, and before I knew it, I fell asleep. In my dream, I saw Aeacus kneeling in front of the throne, but Radamanthus was nowhere to be seen. The silhouette sitting on the throne was clear now. It was a man with grey hair, which looks like it was a several thousand years old. He was in black tuxedo and trousers, with expensive leathery shoes. If you saw him in plain sight, he would have looked like a typical old businessman, but if you look into his eyes, you would see that his eyes were red, and somehow, in those red eyes, it felt cold. He raised his glass of whiskey, and took a sip. I was sure that it was Thanatos.

"Any news on the heroes?" Thanatos asked.

"They killed Gourouni. Looks like the fates weren't on our side." Aeacus replied simply.

"The Fates does not take sides, Aeacus, and I see that you have failed." Thanatos said.

"I have not failed, Thanatos. I will send another-"Aeacus spoke, but was cut off.

"Enough!" Thanatos said, slamming his glass on the side of the throne, and made Aeacus jump. "You will send no more warriors. It's as those mortals say, "If you want to do things right, you have to do it yourself." And that applies to you, Aeacus. This will be your last chance. Seek the heroes out. Cut them down, and I will not take any excuses. You have delayed our plans much already. Get this sorted out or I will personally sort you out."

"I will do it right away, Thanatos." Aeacus managed a reply.

"No, Aeacus. Can you not sense it? The heroes are coming. Why go out to catch them when they are coming directly to us?"

"H-have Radamanthus reported yet?" Aeacus tried to change the topic.

"Radamanthus came with good news. He had found the path, but it won't be progressed unless our side of the deal completes. That is where you come in, Aeacus. Crush the heroes. Bring me victory, and return triumphant, and I will greatly reward you."

The images faded away. The scene turned to darkness, but a voice called out for me.

"Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon." The voice said. I tried to reply, but no word came out of my mouth. "You will fall before me. You will be tortured for eternity. Be afraid. Be very afraid, Percy… Percy! PERCY!" The voice became louder, and I noticed someone was calling out for me.

"Percy!" I heard Annabeth's voice. I sprang up from my seat. "Percy, we're here." Annabeth continued.

"Illinois?" I asked.

"Yes. We're in front of the Library."

Nico parked the car, and we got off it. There was a group, tourists with a couple of guides in front of the place. The guides were probably explaining something to the tourists, as they were busy taking pictures. We cut across the line of tourists, and went inside. There were statues that mimicked the scenes of civilians during the civil war, dressed in old clothes. The flag of America was everywhere. They looked very real, and as we were looking at the exhibits, the light turned off. I pulled out Riptide and uncapped it. Annabeth revealed her bronze dagger; Lionel pulled out his torchlight, and switched it on, and Nico unsheathed his jet-black sword.

The lights flicked back on, and the statues has got spears and made a wall around us, creating a path onwards, and along the path, stood Aeacus. Behind Aeacus, was a throne with a man in tuxedo and black trousers in it, drinking whiskey. Thanatos, I realized.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Thanatos said. "I am Thanatos, I am nicknamed Death, and I judge your fates here." He flicked his finger, and the statues raised their spears. We made a circle, back to back.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, trying to delay Thanatos, and trying to think of something at the same time.

"Well, as I see that you are at your brink, I will tell you. I took the sun chariot because people will die, and I am the personification of Death, Percy. I grow stronger with every death. At the same time, distracting Hades. You see, there is a certain somebody I wanted to get out of Tatarus, and there is a secret path there. It was even older than Kronos or Zeus. It was sealed and forgotten since the age of Uranus, your great grandfather. Hades is the master of the underworld, and he would sense anything going on in there. Well, sorting out six billion mortals would be enough time for us to slip somebody out of Tatarus undetected."

"The gods would kill you."

"They will be cast into Tatarus long before then. You see, that somebody promised me godhood. A throne in Olympus, and I know that person can do that. I get stronger when six billion mortals die, and godhood. It's a win-win situation for me, Perseus. Now, my plans should proceed smoothly once I kill you." He said, and flicking his finger again, as the statues attacked.

I parried away a spear, and slashed back at a statue, decapitating it. Nico spun around, slashing a spear shaft of a spear coming from his flank. The fighting was ferocious, and it was a busy scene of blurs. Strikes were dealt, parried, block, missed and reversed. It was near impossible to distinguish somebody from another. I saw a black form coming at me, with an axe raised up high. Aeacus lunged, throwing down a vertical blow with his axe. I parried it with my sword, and stabbed him in the chest. I pulled the sword out, and instead of blood, black mist poured from the wound.

"You can't kill the dead, fool." Aeacus said, as he spun, throwing a diagonal strike towards my neck. I ducked, and rolled backwards as three spears struck at me. Aeacus snatched a spear from a statue, and hurled it towards me. My ADHD senses kicked in, and I charged at the spear. It missed me by a few inches from my shoulder. I leapt at Aeacus, who raised his axe in defense. Our weapons clashed, and we went into a deadlock.

A full-Percy episode! So how did you like the plot? Hate it, love it? Please review!