First I've got to say that I don't like how this chapter turned out. I really don't. But if I start rewriting it now you would have to wait a few more months for an update and I don't want to make you wait that long. So, here is it.
Second, I've decided to make chapters longer. I will try to make them around 5 000 words or somewhere close to that. Why? Because this story is getting way too long chapter wise. And considering the fact that we are approaching the end of the first book I have to decide if I want to keep posting here as one whole story or separate the books in multiple fanfictions. What do you think? Please tell me in your reviews. Maybe I should make a poll about it.
Anyway, here we go!
Daughter of Broken Vows
Chapter 25
Welcome to Hell. Literally.
The closer we got to the surface the more I could make out of the darkening sky stretching above the water. My conversation with the supreme rulers of Atlantis (note the sarcasm) had taken more time than I had thought and some worry started forming in the pit of my stomach. I hoped nothing had happened to Annabeth and Grover while waiting for me, but considering our luck so far on this quest, I somehow doubted it.
So it was with somewhat heavy heart I waved Bruce goodbye and swam the last few meters, until my head broke the water surface – only to duck back underwater with a curse to avoid the fireball heading in my direction.
"What the - "
I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what my eyes were seeing. Annabeth and Grover were there of course running and ducking, fighting something that looked like a six-headed dragon? No, a Hydra, I realized, just as another stream of fire missed Grover by inches.
Mentally, I tried to recall whatever information I could remember about this kind of monster. Okay, no cutting the heads, that was clear. Maybe if I managed to pierce the heart of the thing? That would probably do the job but I would first have to dodge six sets of razor sharp teeth just to get close enough to strike.
How had Hercules managed to kill it?
The moment my feet found purchase on the ground I broke into a run, pushing past Grover (who was playing on reed pipes?) and towards Annabeth who was swinging her twin daggers, slashing at the monster, which did nothing but make it angrier and more determined to see us turned into human-shaped pancakes.
"Annabeth!" I yelled, ducking and rolling in the sand when one of the heads swung in my direction. "How did Hercules defeat this thing?"
"Technically he didn't" The daughter of Athena answered me, her voice immediately falling into the familiar tune she used while giving lessons to the new campers. "It was his cousin who got the idea-"
"Beth!" I growled. "I don't need a goddamned history lesson!" Seeing a ball of fire moving in our direction I wrapped a hand around her upper arm and pulled her behind one of the larger boulders scattered around the beach.
"Sorry, sorry" She panted, her face pale and hair slightly singed at the ends. "Fire. He cut the heads off and cauterized the wound before the new ones could grow. But we don't have -"
But I was already moving, ripping long thin strips of my shirt and tying them around the heads of my arrows. "Can you cut the heads off?" I asked her, fingering the lighter in my pocket. Thank gods I was paranoid enough to always have a lighter!
Annabeth threw a doubtful look towards the shiny bow in my hands. "Can you shoot it?"
I rolled my eyes. "My mother is the goddess of the hunt, of course I can freaking-"Before I could finish my sentence the boulder behind us exploded in a shower of dust and rocks. Instinctively I rolled away just in time to escape being flattened by Hydra's enormous tale. Thankfully, the bow had remained in my slippery grip, despite the golden ichor streaming down my arm from where the rocks ham managed to pierce the skin.
Glancing to the side, I could see Annabeth struggling to find her footing. The monster had not seen her yet but I knew it wouldn't take it long to realize that currently she was the easier target. Cursing under my breath I pushed myself up, notching one of the not-wrapped arrows and aiming for one of the huge yellow eyes.
The Hydra roared in pain when the arrow found its mark, green blood and other disgusting liquids streaming down the side of its head. The sand sizzled and smoked where the drops fell, melting at contact.
The blood is poisonous! I realized with a start, hoping against hope that it wasn't strong enough to melt celestial bronze or we would be totally fucked.
But my plan seemed to work and the monster turned all its six heads in my direction, giving Annabeth a chance to recover and hopefully attack.
"Help me distract her!" I yelled at Grover, almost making him drop his reed pipes when I breezed past him. The thundering steps behind me assured me that the monster was hot in pursuit, which was not a very encouraging thought at the moment. With the corner of my eye I could see the daughter of Athena approach from the side, still slightly pale but determined. Taking it as my signal to get ready I drew one of the arrows I had prepared, setting the clothed tip on fire.
"Now!" I heard the demigoddess shout and turned just in time to see her sail through the air beneath the fire breathing head. With a sickening sound her sword cut through the monster's thick neck.
For a second everything stopped in silence. I could hear my heart thrum in my ears.
And then the Hydra gave a roar loud enough to shake the ground beneath our feet. The severed head rolled on the ground leaving a trail of melting sand in its wake. In the same moment I released the bowstring, watching my arrow sail through the air and embed itself right in the middle of the flailing trunk. A relieved sigh escaped me when the wound immediately caught on fire.
Annabeth was already moving once again, using the monster's shock to cut off two more of its heads. I did quick work setting them aflame, shooting a feral smile at the demigoddess when she skidded to a stop next to me.
"We are going to have a problem."
"What now?" I groaned. As if a living, fire-breathing Hydra wasn't enough of a problem.
"The last head is immortal. Even if we cut all others it won't matter."
Oh, right. Heracles had used a magical sword or something to destroy the last head and while I did have a magical sword I didn't think it would be enough. Okay, another plan. My first idea about killing the Hydra had been to pierce its heart. Maybe with three heads less it would be doable?
"Andre?" Annabeth asked, seeing my thoughtful expression but I was too busy thinking of a plan. I needed speed, more than I currently possessed. My thoughts drew me back towards my fight with the Minotaur, the influx of strength I had experienced when I realized he had hurt Sally. I had drawn power from my anger then, maybe I could do it now.
"Get me angry." I requested quietly, switching my bow and arrow for Riptide. Being a daughter of Athena, Annabeth caught up quickly with my plan and started speaking about my mom, about the gods, about how if we didn't destroy this monster right now, it would kill us, which would lead to the ultimate obliteration of everything I knew and loved. Normally those things wouldn't make me so angry but I was already tired and annoyed, running more of pure adrenaline than any other energy.
I could feel the familiar power coiling deep in my belly, spreading like fire through my blood. My mind cleared. My vision sharpened. Everything slowed down around me. I could feel every single muscle contract, readying itself. My heart was thundering in my ears but all I could focus on was the approaching reptile. An inhuman growl escaped me.
And maybe at that moment I was not human, not really.
Absently I noticed Annabeth pull back when I looked at her, her face awash with awe and a hint of fear. I would see my own face reflected in her gaze. My eyes were glowing. In fact my whole being was glowing. Maybe I would have been frightened if I had been in my right mind. Perhaps I would be frightened later when I thought back on it. But right then I didn't care.
I sprung.
My body uncoiled itself, like a snake's, and I shot forward, my boot-clad feet easily finding purchase on the slippery sand. Somehow I knew exactly how much weight to put on each foot to make sure I would not stumble or slow down.
The Hydra stood no chance against me. I could predict its every move just from the way its muscles shifted. I was faster, stronger and smarter than it. I was a hunter, a hurricane which destroyed anything in its way.
It was shockingly easy to dodge the flailing heads and tails when they moved at a snails' speed towards me. Like a hot knife through butter, Anaklusmos sank under the monster's ribcage and straight through its heart until I could feel the tip scrape against its spine. Poisonous blood splattered against my hands and I could feel my skin burn, but it was nothing, just annoying itch at the back of my mind.
I closed my eyes as the monster exploded into golden dust and silence fell over the beach. I could hear my friends approach as I finally lowered my arms, fighting to slow my heartbeat. Slowly the power was retreating, leaving my limbs weak and somewhat shaky.
"What-? How-?" Grover sputtered, coming to stand at my side, staring at the single head that remained from the monster. Shrugging, I bent down to examine the spoils of war, for that was what the head was. For my surprise it was the same one I had blinded.
With a sickening sound, I pulled the arrow out, holding it to my face. The tip was unbroken and still sharp, though covered in green blood. The sight gave me an idea and I took another handful of arrows from my quiver, carefully dipping the tips in the disgusting liquid.
I could see my hands while I worked. I expected to see peeling skin and opened wound and while they were slightly reddened and raw underneath the blood, surprisingly that was the extent of the damage.
"We should wash up." I muttered in a hoarse voice, already heading for the water. I could almost sense the concerned glance my companions exchanged behind my back but I ignored it. I didn't want to talk about that episode. Not yet, not until I had had time to think on it myself. I was confused, tired and downright cranky.
After washing off the worst of the grime and blood, Annabeth and I silently shared a block of Ambrosia and a few sips of nectar, before busying ourselves with patching up the cut on Grover's forehead.
"What should we do with the head?" Annabeth asked as we finished. "We can't just leave it lying around."
"We can't carry it around either." Grover added, scratching at his wrapped head, grimacing at the enormous lump of blood and scales.
Putting a hand in my pocket I remembered the pearls Poseidon had given me earlier. "I have an idea." Wrapping the head in my already ruined jacket, I carried it over to the shoreline, walking until the water was up to my waist. Then I threw the head as far as I could.
Doesn't mean we are okay. I thought pointedly. But thank you.
As if in answer, the waves lapped gently against my middle.
"That's it?" I asked doubtfully as we stood in front of what, according to the sign, was DOA Recording studious. "That's the entrance to the Underworld?"
Annabeth and Grover shrugged, my baffled expression mirrored on their faces. Squaring my shoulders, I stepped towards the spinning doors.
Normally I would have been more cautious but honestly, I was exhausted. I had spent the night before tossing and turning, too shaken to sleep and too tired to anything else. The episode with the Hydra, even though it was deliberately caused, frightened me. The power I had managed to tap into was wild and inhuman and the result it had on my conscious bothered me. I had hardly been myself then and I didn't like it one bit. Somehow I had to learn to merge these two sides of myself into one, to learn how to use that power when I wished to instead of only having it when under powerful emotions like anger. And most importantly I had to learn to retain myself when using it.
I felt a warm hand settle on my shoulder and turned to spy Annabeth standing beside me. I hadn't told her and Grover what bothered me and they had left me alone, somehow knowing that I needed to deal with it myself first.
Gratitude settled in my chest. I didn't know what I would have done on this quest without Annabeth and Grover here to keep me level headed and to give me the silent support I hadn't even known I so desperately needed.
But now I was ready for this quest to end and finally go home.
Letting out the breath I had been holding, I pushed the door opened and walked into the normal at first glance lobby of DOA Recording Studios. But as soon as I stepped inside a wave of staggering power washed over me and I knew we were at the right place. The sickly-sweet smell of death and decay tickled my nostrils and I felt cold sweat break over my forehead. Instantly I disliked, no, hated this place.
On one side I could see dozens of people, young and old, seated in uncomfortable looking plastic chairs, with blank expressions on their faces. The only ones who showed any kind of emotion were the few children of various ages chasing each other among the chairs.
My heart constricted in my chest.
Dead. Those people were dead.
There is nothing you can do about them, I reminded myself, but it was still painful. With great effort I made myself look in the other direction where a bored looking man was standing behind a security desk. He was tall and lean, dressed in what must have been tailored Italian suit. His hair was bleached blond and cut short, similar to the way Ares' had been. And most importantly – he was not mortal.
As if sensing my gaze he lifted his head and looked straight towards me. His eyes, burned. Literally. I could see black flames dance in his irises as he met my gaze, as if looking straight through me and into my very soul.
He knew who I was the moment our gazes met. I could see it in the way his back straightened and his shoulders squared. I wasn't sure if it was a sign of respect or distaste, but I did not care – my thoughts were more occupied by the fact that our first plan to sneak in was crumbling into dust. A quick shared glance with Annabeth confirmed my suspicion.
Exhaling, I straightened my back and approached the desk with purpose, my mind already working on a new plan of action. I could sense my companions follow close and I prayed to every deity I knew that they would let me do the talking.
"Andronika Jackson." The god greeted me when I was close enough. "I am Charon. I was told to expect you." I heard Annabeth and Grover shift behind me as he spoke. Charon. The ferryman. Brother to Thanatos, the god of death. Just great.
"Who told you?" I forced my voice to remain even and strong, even though I was unsettled by the unexpected welcome. I hoped Charon had not been ordered to kill us on sight or things were going to get ugly pretty fast.
The god smirked. "My Lord Hades, of course." His voice was smooth and silky and it would have been attractive if he wasn't telling me that the whole secrecy we had kept during our quest was for nothing. "He mentioned that you might appear for something of yours. A mortal woman. Your adoptive mother perhaps?"
My heart stopped beating. Sally? My mom was here. It made no sense. Why would Hades take my mother to lure me here if he already had the lightning bolt? What would he need me for? What did he want from me?
"Take me to him."
Charon seemed pleased with my answer and motioned for us to follow as he headed for the elevator at the end of the room. As walked through the lobby I glanced back at the crowd sitting on the other side. They were looking at us now, following our progression with longing looks.
"Wait!" Visibly annoyed, the god of death turned towards me with a raised eyebrow. "What about them?" I motioned towards the souls.
"They don't have money to pay for the ferry." He answered me as if it was the most normal thing in the world. I could feel my anger stir at such injustice.
"So what? They wait here until you decide you would take them to the Underworld?"
Charon seemed unconcerned with the dangerous tone my voice had taken and just shrugged unapologetically. "Basically."
With a growl, lowered the backpack off my back and rummaged through its contents, drawing out the pouch of drachmas Ares had given us. "That enough for them?" I asked thrusting the bag in his hands.
His expression as he peered inside was almost reverent. "Drachmas" He breathed out. "Real golden drachmas. I haven't seen these in years." Placing the purse in his pocket, he finally looked up at me. "I will take them as soon as I bring you to Hades."
"Swear it." I demanded, not feeling especially thrusting.
Looking vaguely insulted, Charon rolled his eerie eyes. "Fine, godling. I swear by the Styx that as soon as I take you to Hades' palace I would take these souls to the Underworld."
I nodded, finally satisfied and allowed him to lead us towards the elevator.
The descent was like nothing I had felt before. I could physically feel the difference as we crossed from the normal, mortal world and into the magical one. I had experienced something similar on my ride up to Olympus, but while I had felt lighter then, now the lower we went the heavier air became until it was hard to breathe. Absently I wondered how Hades could live in such conditions, but my thoughts were interrupted by the anticlimactic Ding! sound the elevator made when it reached its destination. The door slid open to reveal a dock made of dark wood, leading straight from the elevator to a wooden barge, which somehow stood still against the current despite not being anchored in any way as far as I could see.
Bellow and ahead of us a giant river stretched out and by instinct I reached out with my senses hoping to draw some strength from it – only to recoil at the terrible oily feeling of the dark water. "Wh-what is that?" I breathed out, fighting the urge to flinch at the feeling.
Chiron, whose suit had transformed into flowing black robes, seemed to know exactly what I was speaking about. "The River Styx." He said grandly and I peered towards the black water, seeing various things float within its depths. "Terribly polluted isn't it? Human hopes, dreams, wishes that never came true – everything comes here."
Above the water, clouds of green mist rolled, so thick I could barely make out the other shore. Somehow I doubted the others were able to see it.
Slowly, we loaded ourselves into the boat, careful not to make contact with the filthy, dark water. Annabeth and Grover shifted closer to me, as the barge suddenly moved, gliding smoothly across the water, as if pulled by invisible rope.
I buried my hand in my pocket where the pearls burned against my leg, as if to remind me that there was a way out of this place devoid of any hope and color.
Soon we were close enough to the shore so I could make out a familiar figure obviously waiting for us there. I cursed under my breath, earning myself questionable glances from the others. "Grover," I jerked my head in direction to the figure, watching his eyes widen. A sound came from his open mouth, something between a stifled groan and a bleat.
"My thoughts exactly." I murmured, fingering the sword in my pocket.
"Andronika Jackson." Mrs Dodds hissed, when we finally stepped onto the blackened sand which covered the shore. "We meet again."
"I would say it's a pleasure but-" I gave her a one-shouldered shrug. "I'm not that good of a liar."
The Fury growled but did not strike at me, which indicated she was probably forbidden from harming me. Yet. Strangely the thought did not make me relax.
"My master has ordered me to escort you to him." She said instead, the distaste clear in every feature of her wrinkled, ugly face. "Pray that he decides to spare your life Jackson. I would take great pleasure in torturing you."
"I do not doubt that." I remarked calmly. "Lead the way." Mrs. Dodds hissed again, but did start walking while I took the moment to enjoy the power I currently held over her. There was some satisfaction to be found in the fact that I could tell her whatever I wanted and she would be unable to retaliate.
I tried to project confidence as I followed the monster up the path, ignoring the nearly transparent souls which spared us curious glances as we passed. Thankfully –and understandably- they seemed utterly terrified from the Fury, parting easily before her and keeping their distance as we passed.
"I don't like this." Annabeth whispered in my ear. "I don't like this at all."
"Neither do I." I muttered back, keeping my eyes to the path ahead. "But there is nothing we could do about it now, is it?"
We walked on and on along the path, past the lines of the death, past the three-headed Cerberus and around the Fields of Punishment, where the cries and screams of the sinners brought a frighteningly delighted smile on Mrs. Dodds' face.
We were at a crossroad of some kind, deep in the Fields of Asphodel, when I felt it. Just like in my dream the cold settled upon me like a cloak, seeping through my clothes and sinking into my very being. A shudder ran through me as cold sweat broke across my forehead. I could see my breath escape in great white clouds.
My companions seemed to have felt it too, because they stopped as well, looking around in fright. Mrs. Dodds had stopped too and was looking at me with wide red eyes. It took me a moment to realize that she too looked afraid, even terrified.
The realization took the breath from my lungs.
I wanted to curl up on the ground and to run at the same time, but something, some invisible force was pulling at me, making me move, almost dragging me to the right and into another tunnel, this one dark and narrow.
"Jackson, what are you doing?" I heard the Fury ask, her question echoed by my friends, but I couldn't answer. I didn't know the answer.
The dead grass disappeared from beneath my feet, shifting into the familiar rocky cave ground from my dream. Looking ahead, though already knowing what I would see there, I could not help my tremble at the sight of the enormous black pit, stretching like an open wound before me.
Please let this be another dream! I prayed in my mind, even though I knew no matter how much I pinched or slapped myself I would not wake up, for this was reality. Scary, twisted, absolutely fucking crazy reality.
The invisible power tightened its grip around me for a moment and a familiar faceless chuckle echoed through the cavern. With the corner of my eye I could see Grover jump and cover his ears with his hands. I had to fight the urge to do the same, though I knew it would do no good. Something told me that nothing could stop this voice if it wanted to be heard.
"We meet again, little godling." The voice rumbled and a few rocks broke off the edge of the pit and tumbled into the darkness bellow. Warmth enveloped my hand and in daze looked down to see that Annabeth was holding it, her palm hot against my chilled skin.
The sight was enough to draw me out of the mist clouding my mind. Just for a second my head cleared and the pieces of the puzzle started falling together. Despite how much time I had spent pondering over it the truth did not bring me comfort.
"Grandfather" My voice was a trembling whisper, instead of the detached interest I was aiming for. I could feel Annabeth start at the sound even though I was sure she had pierced it together before me. I suppose that knowing didn't make hearing it any less terrifying.
And I was terrified, more than I had ever been in my life. It felt as if I hadn't known fear until this moment, no matter how cliché that sounded.
Kronos' laughter rang again, louder and stronger than before, thought just as cruel and cutting. "So, you did realize. Clever little godling." The force tightened again and I almost collapsed on the ground as my knees weakened. "Now come, child, help me rise." I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I was weak and helpless and broken.
"Andre!" Annabeth tugged frantically on my arm. "He's getting stronger! He's draining you!" Draining me? What did she mean? As if through a fog, I could hear Annabeth keep yelling. "Come on, Andre, we have to move! Come on!"
I shook my head slowly, trying to clear it. Move, we had to move. Annabeth was right. Whatever Kronos was doing was draining me of my energy and power. We had to get out. Immediately.
Using Annabeth's shoulder for support, stumbled unsteadily to my feet, blinking rapidly as more of the daze disappeared. "Go to hell" I managed to call out as I allowed myself to be dragged away from the pit. Behind us I could hear the voice chant but did not turn back. I wouldn't allow myself to.
Stumbling and almost falling a few times, we sprinted back through the tunnel and towards the crossroad. My limbs were slow and heavy and the backpack was killing my back, but the power Kronos had held over me faded the farther away from the pit we got.
I almost cried with joy when the end of the tunnel came in sight. My knees finally buckled and I collapsed onto the dry grass, my fingers grasping against the ground.
"That was -" Grover managed to gasp out through his panting but then stopped, looking at loss for words. Yeah, I understood the feeling.
"Lord Hades should be made aware of this." Mrs. Dodds said, though she sounded just as shaken as we all were. But Hades' name was enough to jolt me back to reality and remind me of the quest we were on. And Sally. Sally was here and I had to save her.
The thought was enough to give me strength to pull myself to my feet. "Yeah, we should go."
Annabeth and Grover looked at me in surprise, probably having forgotten our task as well. I understood them. I was just as drawn and weary, as they were, even more so in fact. All I wanted to do was curl up somewhere and sleep.
Later, I promised myself and stepped slowly in the direction of the palace, but hands on my shoulders pulled me to a halt. I squeezed my eyes closed. Please, not now. Not when I'm holding my composure by a thread.
"That back there-" Grover started, sounding baffled at my apparent cool. I shook my head at him to keep him silent.
"Later. Please." I whispered. I needed to forget what had happened at least for a moment so I could focus. Later, I knew, I would (hopefully) have the time to brood over it but now I had to keep my wits and face the King of the Underworld.
And survive the encounter. Preferably unharmed and not bearing some kind of a curse or another.
Gods, I needed a drink. Or a dozen.
Do they have bars in the Underworld? If Hades did kill me, maybe I would open one. Andronika Jackson, bartender of Hell. Sounds catchy, doesn't it?
AN: Okay, I do hope you had enough patience or interest to read the whole thing. Now that you've (hopefully) finished reading I do have two questions for you:
1. Do you prefer longer chapters (like this one) or should I keep them short like they were before?
2. Should I keep posting the other books here as one whole story or post them separated?
Please leave me a review with your opinion!