Chapter 4 ~ Meteors in Hell

As quickly as it had come, the bright golden light disappeared. The young man with the face covered by dark rags was gone.

But more importantly, the large golden sarcophagus was also gone. The golden glow emanating from the remains of Kronos had been the only source of light in the cave.

The interior was now as black as the rough cave walls.

Percy saw nothing at first, not even his hand in front of his eyes, then blinked and suddenly his eyes could take in everything again. As a child of the night, darkness was no reason to be afraid.

Nyx had killed him, after all. Erebus, the murderer of his father.

Percy shook his head to banish the thought from his mind and looked around.

As a child of Nyx, he could see perfectly in the dark, or more precisely, at night.

The room was round and the walls were bare and dark. There were no paintings or carved images. "How boring," Percy thought.

From the ceiling hung long stalactites, thousands of years old and pointed like spears. Like the mouth of a gigantic monster that was filled with 2 meter long, black and pointed teeth.

In the middle was a slight elevation of stone, like a kind of altar, where until just now the Sarcophagus had stood.

Kronos.

Percy frowned.

He had spoken. For being a pile of minced meat that Lyssa would have served Eris in form of a burger as a prank, the Titan King seemed disturbingly alive.

Of course, he hadn't been able to die when Zeus decided to carry on the family tradition and chopped his father into a thousand little pieces with a scythe, which would certainly have made a good appetizer.

"Hmmm. Bacon wrapped prunes. That would be nice. Or cheese cubes with olives or pieces of sausage on little wooden skewers." Percy's stomach growled loudly.

Percy shook his head for the second time, cursing his ADHD.

"I just saw Kronos freed from his prison and all I can think about is food? What is wrong with me?"

If Kronos had really returned, he would probably start a war with the Olympians. Percy knew that the gods of Olympus were anything but good people or rulers.

Addicted to power and influence, Zeus was corrupt. His arrogance was reflected in most of the other Olympians. They thought they were all-powerful and untouchable.

Kronos would catch them off guard and spread chaos in the world. But Percy was about to go there because the atmosphere in Tartarus became a bit oppressive after a while. The Olympians weren't good but Kronos was definitely the worse option.

Percy looked around the small cave one last time and then headed towards the exit.

"Seriously?" he muttered softly "Not even a locked door that closes the entrance?"

Sure, why would you not leave the still living pile of shredded Titan of Time pieces, one of the worst enemies of Olympus, lying around open in a cave, so that every idiot who just walks by could see him?

The Olympians were truly foolish.

While he continued to walk, Percy thought. His black eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"I have often walked along the caves. How come I've never seen the golden light? I should tell Mom. Maybe she can find out more."

He stepped out of the cave and was greeted by the red light and sand swirling around the black rocks in the harsh winds that would slowly scour the flesh from your bones.

To his left, he saw dozens of cave entrances that looked basically the same as the one leading to Kronos' cave. How on earth (or Tartarus) was he supposed to find this place again?

He turned to the cave entrance and then stretched out his hand. Shadows formed in his hand. In less than a second, he held a massive dark scythe, the present from Thanatos, in his hand.

The 90 centimeter long blade was completely black and was made of Stygian iron, just like the rest of the weapon. The handle was also made of the rare metal and had some patterns engraved on it that made it look like the handle was wrapping around itself.

Furthermore the handle ended in a pointed blade at the bottom, like a spear.

"Awesome. Just a few giant chicken wings and I'd practically be my brother..."

Percy swung wide and let the scythe hit the rock above the cave twice and scratched an X above the entrance, so that he would find the cave again.

The scythe did not look like he had just cut 30 centimeters deep into solid stone.

It shone and was as elegant as before and without a scratch.

Percy plucked the scythe from the volcanic rock, making a sound as if he had scraped fingernails across a blackboard. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he heard a loud screech on his left.

Percy swung his head around and saw a stymphalian bird sitting on a protruding rock. Without a second's hesitation, he reached to his belt, picked up one of the kunai-like black throwing knives, and threw it at the demonic bird.

The blade sank silently into the bird's chest and it gave one last loud squawk, then fell like a stone from the ledge and disintegrated into gold dust before it even reached the ground.

The knife dissolved into dark smoke and also disappeared.

"Good, at least I don't have to pick up my knives again or leave them at the battlefield."

He frowned. Then he took the belt with the throwing knives from his waist and hung it around his left shoulder, the one that didn't have the silver Cerberus shoulder plate.

"Ahh. Much better. Now I can grip them much easier."

Footsteps sounded. Metallic and hoof clacking.

"Hey, what's that noise?" asked a female voice.

Percy turned to face her and looked into flaming hair, red eyes that glowed and two very uneven legs. One was made of metal and the other was that of a donkey.

"Like a donkey cyborg, " Percy mused.

Her arms ended in fingers with long dark claws and her upper body was completely naked.

Her round C cups hung freely and defied gravity. The empousa put on a seductive smile.

"Oohh hello Percyyy..." she purred.

Percy groaned inwardly. "Hi Kelli."

"What are you doing out here?" the empousa asked, slowly approaching.

"I'm testing out my new weapons, but for some reason I can hardly find any monsters today."

"Aaah birthday presents huh. Well happy birthday!"

She lightly stroked her breasts.

"Want to have some fun with me as a gift?"

"Uh no thanks, not today. Or ever. You'd try to slit my throat the moment I was distracted."

Kelli rolled her eyes.

"I'll admit that you look damn tasty, but I'm not stupid enough to incur your mother's wrath."

"Hehe... Dam."

"What?"

"Nothing. Anyways do you know where I can find a some monsters before I go back home?" Percy asked her.

"I'm not enough for you? Ouch Percy, that hurts right there." she mocked and laid her hand over here heart. Or were the heart would be if she actually had one.

"I just thought you didn't want me to test out my new weapons on you so..."

"Oh, I wouldn't mind feeling your spear." Kelli said while grinning like a mad woman.

"That she probably is… Should I be concerned that two of my friends are totally crazy? Nah…" Percy thought.

"Eww! That's enough Kelli, I'm twelve years old! And could you please put something on?"

"Okay okay, I'll do it. You're no fun."

She snapped her fingers and it echoed unusually loud in Percy's ears. The Mist swirled around her body. The air shimmered and a few seconds later she was wearing a purple cheerleading outfit with "Goode High School" written on it.

"You said you wanted monsters to fight. I want to see your muscles in action."

She walked to one of the many cave entrances and picked up a fist-sized rock. She then threw it into the cave with momentum and a loud rumble sounded as the stone hit something.

"Hey Smelly Gabe! There's a demigod here! He smells delicious and looks like Adonis!" she yelled into the cave.

Kelli stepped back as heavy footsteps shook the ground. A cyclops, about 8ft tall, stepped out of the entrance and dragged a wooden club across the floor behind him.

He wore nothing but a brown loincloth and a leather vest that showed his chest, but the hair on it alone would have sufficed as clothing. His fat belly wobbled as he stomped toward Percy, making the ground tremble slightly.

His yellow teeth were crooked and protruding from the corner of his mouth.

He kind of reminded Percy of a one-eyed walrus.

The stench of blood and sweat emanating from him explained why Kelli had named him Smelly Gabe.

"Hmmm demigod. Tasty! I will eat you!"

"Wow... You, good sir have some very limited grammar skills."

"Shut up Percy, we all know you aren't any better. Now gimme some sweet action I can think of under the shower."

"EAT!" roared the cyclops and swung his club at Percy. He jumped back, dodging in a backward roll and evaded the strike.

"DIE!" The cyclops swung his club down and sideways this time, trying to knock Percy's legs off. However, the young demigod jumped up in response, putting one foot on club and pushed off. He used the momentum and kicked the cyclops on the nose. It made a sickening, crunching sound when it broke and the one-eyed giant cried out.

With the elegance of a panther, Percy fell to the ground and rolled off. Kelli clapped enthusiastically in the background. The cyclops held his nose, which was now spurting blood.

Percy held the scythe in both hands and swung it at the club. The slightly curved blade hit and the club flew out of the cyclops' hand.

"This is far too easy. Time to try something new."

The scythe dissolved into clouds of black smoke and disappeared.

Percy reached out again and gathered the darkness in his hand until it formed a blade about a meter long.

The katana was slightly curved and the black blade, streaked with silver lines, layed in his right hand.

Not exactly a classic Greek weapon, but Percy loved it already. Perhaps he would play less mean tricks on Eris from now on.

Percy let the weapon chase through the air while Smelly Gabe went to strike with his hand. The katana cut through the wrist like butter and separated the hand from it's owner and before the cyclops could even react in shock, Percy rolled under the wide legs. In the roll, Percy looked up.

Big mistake. It turned out that the loincloth only obscured the view from the front and back, but let a breeze blow downward.

Percy gagged and didn't even want to think about the nightmares this view would give him. He finished his rolling and turned around behind the cyclops. In a flash, he brought the thin blade down in a slash and shredded the cyclops' achilles tendons.

Smelly Gabe gave a bloodcurdling scream and pressed his good hand on the stump on his other arm.

With his tendons and muscle cords severed at his feet, there was nothing holding his heel and the rest of his legs together.

He slumped to his knees and whimpered.

Percy walked slowly around him and looked into his pain-distorted face.

Percy raised his sword and said in a loud voice: "I, Percy Jackson, pronounce you guilty of being a stinking walrus. How do you plead?"

Smelly Gabe just sobbed.

"Then I hereby sentence you, Smelly Gabe, to death."

In one fluid motion, Percy cut the cyclops' head clean off. He watched as the body crumbled into a cloud of golden dust.

Then Percy turned to Kelli, who now held a flag in one hand that read "Go Percy! " and with the other she brought some cyclops blood to her lips.

"Ugh..." she spat it back out.

"Nice moves, but his blood tastes like shit. Sucking you dry would be much better."

"By the gods! This girl is getting on my nerves."

Percy rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Bye Kelli. See ya later!"

Before she could suggest any more adult activities for him, Percy jumped into a shadow on the rock wall.


Nyx was comfortably lounging on her throne, thinking about pranking Ananke with the help of Lyssa, when suddenly Percy stumbled out of a dark corner in front of her.

The latter stumbled and got shakily to his feet afterwards.

"Stupid long distance shadow traveling..." he muttered under his breath.

"Percy what are you doing here again? I thought you wanted to test your new weapons?"

"I was going to, but aside from a cyclops that Kelli threw a rock at, I haven't found any monsters. Not monsters in the normal sense, anyway..."

"I still don't like her. She's way to slutty even for an empousa. But do you mean 'not a monster in the normal sense'?"

"Before I met Kelli, I saw a demigod."

"A demigod? Here in Tartarus?"

"Yes. I followed him to a cave with a golden sarcophagus inside. He knelt before it and called Kronos his 'lord'. Then he pressed some kind of amulet or talisman and both disappeared in a golden light, like when gods flash."

"Then it is true, Kronos is rising and wants to start a new war."

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"You don't seem very surprised."

Nyx fiddled with the edges of her black dress that showed how stars formed and faded.

"I've heard news from the upper world. Zeus master bolt and Hades helmet of darkness were stolen by someone. Zeus suspects Poseidon and threatens war if he doesn't get his master bolt back by then. Camp Half-Blood has sent three demigods on a quest to find the master bolt."

Percy laughed softly.

"Typical. Zeus waits on his throne until others put their lives in danger to please him and no one cares about Hades."

"I already suspected it, but now it's obvious that Kronos got the thief to steal the symbols of power. Could you perhaps lead me to the place? I want to take a look around there."

"Sure, I was just about to ask you that. It's by the wall with the dozens of cave entrances, about 10 miles towards the Phlegethon."

Nyx put a hand on his shoulder and the two disappeared into the shadows.


Mother and son appeared at the wall with the cave entrances. Percy searched briefly and quickly found the marked entrance.

As they stood in the cave, Nyx walked toward the altar. She placed a hand on the stone slab and closed her eyes.

"Powerful teleportation magic. It would be impossible for a demigod to enchant the talisman to get someone out of Tartarus. He had divine help."

"Do you think a god of Olympus joined Kronos?"

Nyx shook her head.

"No, every one of them knows Zeus is a bastard, but they are all united by their hatred of Kronos. I think it was the minor gods working with Titans."

"Could they really do that?"

"Not alone, but the Olympians treated even the most powerful ones like shit. If they worked together, then it's possible."

Percy and Nyx left the cave and now stood again on the barren red floor spiked with shards of black glass and volcanic ashes of Tartarus.

Just as she was about to bring herself and her son back into the Mansion of the Night, a loud whistle was heard. Percy looked up at one of the holes in the ceiling of Tartarus. Two small objects were falling from the shafts that led to the upper world and the underworld at different points on the earth, but they were as loud as a crashing airplane when they fell.

Nyx and Percy watched as the objects hit the ground like meteors in a small explosion of dust, forming a crater a few yards away from them.

The red dust and black ash had settled by the time the Goddess of the Night and her son arrived at the crater's edge.

"Is that what I think it is?" Percy asked.

"Yes. It looks like the quest has failed." his mother answered him.

A few steps ahead of them lay a metallic bronze cylinder and a black helmet of stygian iron.

Zeus master bolt and Hades helmet of darkness were in Tartarus.

"That means Zeus wants to plunge the world into war?"

"Not yet. The demigods had until the summer solstice."

"We must bring back the symbols of power. Otherwise World War III will break out."

"Camp Half-Blood would be destroyed and your vacation plans would be ruined."

"And the demigods I wanted to befriend would either be dead or killing each other."

Nyx shrugged.

"Yeah I guess that would be the case too." she aknowledged.

"I'll turn them over to their owners. Might as well introduce myself."

Nyx nodded. When Percy picked up the master bolt and the helmet of darkness, Nyx waved her hand and Percy's vision went dark.


When he could see again, he was standing in a throne room. Torches of green greek fire lit the walls, bathing the obsidian walls in an eerie light. A few meters in front of him, in the middle of the room, stood a throne made of the same black material. It was studded with gold and precious stones.

To its right was an identical but smaller throne, which was empty. Skeletons in military uniforms pointed their guns at Percy with a click, but their lord and master raised his hand.

Hades, the God of the Dead, Lord of the Underworld, was as pale as a corpse. He had shoulder-length black hair and wore a black toga. Faces seemed to want to press out of it and gave silent screams.

Unlike Nyx whose pale skin and black hair rivaled even Aphrodite's beauty, Hades simply looked like a fresh corpse.

He towered over Percy at his godly height of 14 ft and looked at him angrily.

"Another demigod, what the hell do you want?"

Percy bowed his head briefly and then said "I found your helmet. It was in Tartarus."

Percy gathered the shadows in his right hand and they formed the helmet. Percy tossed it to Hades, who caught it and stared at Percy with wide eyes.

All anger seemed to be forgotten.

"What? Tartarus? And how did you do that with the shadows? My children are the only ones who can do that!"

"The quest members who were supposed to retrieve your helmet and Zeus master bolt failed. I found them both in Tartarus and brought them up here." Percy explained.

Hades leaned forward and asked "And what where you doing in Tartarus in the first place, demigod?"

"I live there with my mother. I was testing out some new weapons I got for my birthday. By the way what day is it?"

"A day before the solstice. Why do you ask?"

"Wow, the time in Tartarus is really messed up. My birthday doesn't actually match up with the time up here at all. Well I don't think about it any further."

"Who are young demigod?"

"I am Percy Jackson, only demigod son of Nyx."

Hades gasped and then cleared his throat. A mortal child of a Primordial was something unheard of.

"Well then son of Nyx. You have done me a great service today. You are always welcome in the Underworld from now on. I will watch you with great interest."

"One more thing," Percy began "A demigod retrieved Kronos' sarcophagus from Tartarus. I suppose the thief was send by your father."

If that was possible, Hades became even paler.

"I was afraid of that. I have sensed the increased activity, but my brother will not listen to my warnings."

"He will wage war on Olympus isn't he?" Percy asked.

Hades sighted and nodded.

"Yes, is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Wow he seems to be in a very good mood."

"Could you send me to Olympus so I can bring back the master bolt?"

Hades nodded. "Farewell Percy Jackson. We will see each other again. I'm certain of it."

He waved his hand and Percy was flashed away again.

He appeared in the Olympians' throne room. He swayed briefly and put his hand on his stomach. Constantly teleporting around was not good for the stomach.

"... then Luke was killed by Ares and both vanished. We don't know what happened to the master bolt and the helmet of darkness. We have failed you..." said a blonde girl, her head hanging down, her shoulders slumped. Next to her stood a satyr, nervously twitching and trembling.

"They were thrown into Tartarus." Percy spoke up.

All eyes turned to him. The Olympians, all set in their thrones, were looking at the intruder with wide eyes. Except for Ares, who was not in his throne, and Dionysus, who was sleeping peacefully. Immediately Artemis, Apollo and Athena pointed their weapons at Percy.

"Who the Hades are you? How dare you interrupt a meeting of the Olympic Council?" Zeus bellowed, his voice thundering in the room. He was wearing a business suit and lightning crackled around him.

"My name is Percy Jackson and I have found your master bolt. It and the Helm of Darkness were in Tartarus. I have already returned the latter to Hades." Percy spoke loudly, not even bothering to kneel in front of the king of Olympus.

The girl looked at him with widened gray eyes.

Percy just waved his hand and out of the shadows appeared the master bolt. Zeus immediately reached out his hand for it and it flew to it. He then pointed it at Percy. Lightning flashed in his blue eyes and the smell of ozone filled the air.

"You are using the shadows. Who's your parent boy? And why do you not bow before my might?" Zeus asked.

Before Percy could reply Athena spoke "Hades children are the only ones known for using the shadows, father."

"A son of Hades? He broke the oath? I'm going to kill you!" Zeus screamed in outrage and raised his weapon. The girl and the satyr bolted away from Percy in order not to get vaporized as well.

"Zeus this is a decision of the council as well!" boomed Poseidon's voice.

Suddenly the temperature in the throne room dropped and all the lights except for the fireplace went out.

"Ts ts ts. Zeus, what do you think you are doing with my son?" hissed a female voice that send a shiver down the spines of everyone except for Percy.

Shadows swirled into a black tornado of smoke and from them stepped a woman. In her figure of 40ft, she towered over the Olympians many times over. Her eyes lit up dangerously and then focused on Zeus.

Zeus sank back into his throne and turned pale at the sight of the woman standing in front of him.

"Oh shit it's Nyx..." muttered Zeus under his breath.

Then he stammered " I... ugh... your son?... nothing..."

Percy grinned as Nyx spoke.

"Damn right it is me!

After Ares killed the third Quest member, he threw your little taser into Tartarus. He was acting on the orders of Kronos, who by the way was released from Tartarus by a demigod." Nyx spoke in power filled voice.

"Lies!" said Athena. She pointed her spear at Nyx and materialized Aegis in her other hand.

"That's impossible. Kronos wouldn't dare to rise again. I have already considered this possibility and the chances are next to zero. Father, let me handle these intruders."

Before Zeus could stop her, Athena leaped at Nyx, her spear extended.

Nyx's fingernails grew into long dark claws and she struck at Athena. Athena jerked up her shield, but Nyx's claws struck it with such force that they left deep marks in the polished metal, and Aegis was torn from Athena's hand so suddenly that her shoulder was dislocated with a loud crack.

She cried out and shadows knocked her spear aside. None of those present dared to intervene as Nyx grabbed Athena's neck and dragged her to Ares' empty throne. Then she slammed Athena's face on the stone armrest of the throne. Ichor splashed and Athena's nose broke as Nyx slammed her down on the throne again.

Nyx forced a hand into the whimpering Athena's mouth and wrenched her lower jaw open. Then she pressed Athena's upper rows of teeth onto the cold armrests. Her eyes widened and she began to squirm, desperately trying to get away.

"Nyx, please we get it!" pleaded Poseidon. Not even he could watch his rival get beaten up like that. Every single one of the Olympians were now restrained by shadows, but they didn't even try to fight back.

"If the little Goddess of Wisdom here were as wise as she claims, she should know that I shouldn't be attacked just like that. I don't make empty threats!"

Nyx brought her mouth next to Athenas ear.

"Your petty little pride just couldn't handle it that you couldn't figure it out, huh?"

Athena tried to flash, but found that her abilities were suppressed. Nyx slammed her elbow into the back of her head and Athena gave a tortured cry as her teeth hit the marble and broke.

Athena coughed Ichor and had a face covered in golden bruises. She was barely conscious. Nyx lifted her by the scruff of the neck and then threw her with so much force through the golden doors of the throne room that they were ripped off their hinges and buried Athena beneath them.

Nyx turned to the other Olympians. No one said anything. They were all pale and sunk into their thrones.

The blonde girl had tears streaming down her face and the satyr laid unconscious on the floor.

Nyx spoke up, "You would do well to respect me and my son Perseus. Is that clear? Zeus?"

Zeus nodded hastily. "Yes Ma'am." he whimpered.

"Kronos was freed and was the mastermind behind the theft. Ares seems to be working with him or was at least under his influence. I suggest that you prepare for war.

The Minor Gods have partially joined him. If you had treated them better, you would now have much more allies. You brought this on yourselves.

My son Percy will go to Camp Half-Blood. I will build him his own cabin there and if I see so much as a scratch on it that came from lightning, I will pulverize Zeus' cabin and then shove the remains down your throat and his little thoothpick down the asses off anyone who tries to do something. Understood? Good." Nyx said in a pleased tone.

Then she snapped her fingers and the last thing Percy saw was the terrified faces of the Olympians before he emerged on a hill next to a pine tree and looked out over a Camp full of people and buildings.