Chapter 28 - Tartarus: The Grumpy Old Troll (Or God)
My mind and body had separate reactions as Tartarus floated above the hole. My mind was screaming to run, to get away as soon as possible but my body was frozen in place, like its time was chained down into this absolute moment. I couldn't speak, my throat suddenly dry. My chest started to close up, making it hard to breath. I stood there in shock, encased in fear I couldn't comprehend. I have experienced what Percy had experienced when they encountered Tartarus. A great clawing fear, tearing at your limbs, making you feel hopeless.
This is the end.
There is no hope.
Everything you value will be lost for eternity.
My mouth tasted like metal. I must have bitten my tongue. My head was blurry. The static seemed far away now.
"We finally meet, my young Christine." He hovered toward my direction. I couldn't move. "It took quite some time to have you come here. I've been waiting for you."
"Waiting...for me...?" I croaked. My voice doesn't sound my own.
"Yes. The last piece I need to victory. You, my dear Christine, will be my tool to the fall of the gods."
"No...that's-"
"Your destiny. The absolute key to the destruction of the gods. The door to a new age. Isn't what you want deep inside? After all what that wretched Zeus have done to you in the past?"
"W-What are you talking about?"
He chuckled. "Of course. You don't remember. But I will let you remember. I will awaken that anger, that hate, that had been sleeping within you." He reached out a taloned purple hand. I want to move but I couldn't. Before he could touch me, a strong force pushed him back. I unfreeze. Everything came into clarity. The static grew louder. Not far by the other edge of the fissure was Hades, his arm outstretched before him.
"Half-Bloods!" He called out. "Run! I shall push him back to give you time! Hurry!"
With a quick jerk, I dashed, pulling Trisha with me. Tartarus roared in anger. The ground shook violently. We struggled to keep running. I dared to look behind me. Not far away, Hades was forcing Tartarus away from us. His face of dark whirlpool swirled furiously as he tried to pursue us. Cracks snaked toward us, scarring the terrain. The shaking intensified. Trisha tumbled over. I grabbed her hand, pulling her up. All around us, the surroundings was out of focus. My head is spinning and aching. The static grew fainter as we scrambled away from the hole. A shout of pain made me stop and turn.
"Lord Hades!" I screamed. Tartarus had Hades by his neck. His minions tried to free him but Tartarus swatted them away like some kind of children's toy. One word formed from his lips. Run.
"Christine! Let's go!" Trisha tugged at me but I didn't budge. I should run. I should escape. Away from this nightmare. Instead, I pushed Trisha, forcing her away from an emerging fissure.
"CHRISTINE!" She shrieked.
"Trisha! Listen to me!" She jerked up, standing carefully. "Do you trust me?"
"What in the world are you saying? Now's not the time, Christine!"
"Just answer me! Do you trust me?"
She bit her lip and nodded hesitantly.
"Okay. Listen. Continue running until you arrived by the shore. There's a man on a boat. Give him this." I threw her a pouch of drachmas which she barely caught. "He will bring you to the surface. If the information I got wasn't wrong, there will be a group of teenagers wearing purple and orange t-shirts on their way here. Join them and find Clarisse. Tell her," I smiled half-heartedly. "That if she didn't take good care of you, I will skin her myself if I come back."
Trisha looked stricken. "If?"
"I will come back, alright." I'm a liar."Now, go on! We don't have much time!"
Trisha looked to back and forth to me and the road ahead. She tried to speak, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. I know what she wanted to say, Be careful. Please come back safe and sound. She bit her lip, forced herself to turn away, and dashed toward the shore. Please let Até's information be right. I forced myself to move and struggled back toward the hole.
Percy Jackson
I haven't known such long and powerful earthquake before. The ground continue shaking as we make our way toward the DOA Recording Studios. We were forced to run because it's quite hard to drive when the world is shaking uncontrollably. Here and there, people ran, searching for the safest possible place. A huge traffic had formed on the roads. Glass windows shattered from buildings, sending showers of dangerous debris. Jason sent out a gust of wind to blow away shattered glass that was threatening to impale us on the head. I pulled Annabeth to me as a huge gaping crack opened up on the ground. High above, Festus blew fire to a horde of monsters approaching us. I called out to Blackjack who came to my aid immediately. Annabeth and I climbed up and flew below Festus. Far ahead, Arion and Hazel sped away. Frank, in peregrine falcon form, flew just beside Leo and Calypso. Giant eagles and pegasus flocked the sky, picking up demigods. A ventus in a form of a stallion appeared and picked up Jason and Piper.
"What's the deal with this earthquake?" Leo shouted.
"Don't ask me! I'm not a Hades kid!" I shouted back.
"But you're a son of the god of-"
"Leo!" Calypso scolded. "Not now! This is a serious thing!"
"Hazel and Nico told us that they think it was Tartarus who was causing these earthquakes." Annabeth said.
"That's what they think." Piper said as they flew beside us. "That's why Nico decided to try to go the Underworld earlier. He wanted to be sure. Other than, to check if Christine's there."
"But what if they were wrong about Tartarus?" Frank landed down on Festus' back and turned back into human form.
"What if they were right?" Jason shot back.
"Then, we're all doomed." Annabeth said.
Christine Galliardo
As soon as I entered a good throwing distance, I threw a Celestial Bronze knife at Tartarus. The knife struck his wrist and he dropped the god of the Underworld. He roared in anger and turned to me. I stopped dead on my tracks.
"ENOUGH! NO MORE FOOLING AROUND!"
A great shock wave knocked us off and Tartarus flew toward me, his hand outstretched. I couldn't move. My head was spinning and aching. I must've hit my head when I fell. Creatures fluttered around him, stopping him and clawing at him. Furies. I caught a glint not far behind Tartarus. My sword. I scrambled on my feet and make run toward it. I know it's impossible to fully kill a god, much more of a primordial one. If I have any hope, that is to destroy Tartarus' physical form which is impossible since the underground is his domain. I will need to lure him on surface and destroy his physical form away from his element. Absolutely not the earth since Gaea is his wife and earth is connected to the ground below. Water or the sky will do. But that's an impossible task for now. All I need was to distract him or weaken him to make our escape.
I slide down to avoid the wings of one Fury and grabbed my sword. Tartarus swatted the Furies away and turned to us. Before I could dodged, a shock wave hit me and sent me flying toward the edge of the hole. My chest hurts in the impact, making it hard for me to breathe. My body is sore and frozen. Black dots blotted my vision. My head dangled precariously above the void. Miraculously, I still have my sword. I groaned, tried to focus. Before I could move another muscle, Tartarus was already hovering above me. With one hand, he clutched at my neck. I choked and clawed at his purple skin.
"You are hard to deal with, Christine, but with the past as your shadow, you will be tame as a faithful dog!" He pressed a hand on my forehead and eyes and all I last heard was my screaming.
My eyes can see nothing. Darkness covered every inch of my surroundings. But, that doesn't mean there is nothing.
There's definitely something. Sounds. Voices. Feelings. Clear as the present.
A feeling of emptiness clung to me then, something emerged from that emptiness, warmth.
The sounds of numerous wars and peace after them.
A repeating pattern of joy and despair.
From the background, a sound began to grow louder. It was subtle at first but soon took over all the others. Shouts. Anger. Greed. Hate.
Then, pain struck me. Excruciating endless pain. Then, silence. Dead and cold.
Something jarred me back to reality. The oppressive pressure lifted up and the sounds faded away, replaced by a boy's voice. A voice I seldom hear but recognized.
"Christine! Wake up! Come on!"
I shot up awake, heaving and sweaty. My heart hammered down on my chest. I realized I was shaking. My vision came into focus.
"Nico...?" My voice came out as a frightened whisper.
He helped me up. "No time. We have to get out of here." He wrapped my arm around his shoulder and wrapped his other hand on my waist. I limped as we walked away. My body drained out of energy. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hades fending out Tartarus away from us together with his subordinates. My vision swam.
"Nico...Tartarus..." I whispered hoarsely.
"He almost got you but I came. I managed to push him back away from you. You were screaming in pain. The others will be coming shortly. I also came upon a girl earlier. She said she's your best friend. She's already at the surface, told her to wait for the others."
"Tartarus...he wants me...he needs me to avenge Gaea..."
"Not going to happen. Besides, what would you have that Tartarus needs to carry out his revenge?"
Memories. I wanted to say. Memories I didn't know I have. But I began slip away. It was only then that I realized that the ground was no longer shaking and the static had turned into a soft, warm hum. I tried to grab at it. To hold on it and understand it.
In order to defeat the enemy, you must know your enemy as you know yourself.
It was a familiar voice though I couldn't trace where I heard it. It wasn't mother's nor any of my friends'. I opened my eyes.
Know your enemy like you know yourself.
"Nico. Promise me something." He looked at me and waited eagerly. His eyes widened in shock.
...
"What? What are you saying? There's no-"
"Promise me!" I said, locking my eyes on him, urging him.
"You can't!" He exclaimed.
"But I must!" I argued. "Promise me, alright?"
He looked torn but he let go off me, making sure I could stand now on my own. "Alright."
I smiled. "Please take care of Trisha for me and also if you could, make sure Clarisse won't do anything reckless."
"The first, I could manage. The second, I'm not sure."
I laughed. "I wasn't expecting you could."
"Be careful."
I smiled sadly. "I will. Summon me some undead if you could? I will need some."
He nodded and summoned a dozen of dead soldiers from some war years ago. I gave him a final look of gratitude and walked away, toward the enemy.
Tartarus.
I might not defeat you but I will give them time.
I might fall.
But I assure you, they will rise up and be the ones to destroy you.
