Whoop, our Tartarus trio are in big big trouble now. Hahahahah.
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Undeath9087: Yes you shall, and I shall enjoy the reactions.
Bob's call worked- because both of the Titans turned their heads, and Hyperion was the one who spoke first. "Iapetus!" he bellowed, "Well, well. I thought you were hiding under a cleaning bucket somewhere."
Bob lumbered forward, scowling. "I was not hiding."
Percy crept toward the right side of the Doors as her brothers slunk towards the left side. So far so good, the Titans didn't seem to have noticed them yet- but still, the more careful they were the better, so Percy kept Riptide in it'd pen form and she crouched as low as she could, stepping as quietly as possible. The lesser monsters kept a respectful distance from the Titans, so there was enough empty space to manoeuvre around the Doors; but Percy was keenly aware of the snarling mob at her back.
She forced her breathing to stay calm-she remembered the breathing exercises she'd done with Mr. D. during her therapy sessions a lifetime ago.
In and out, deep even breaths, counting could help. Keeping your breathing calm could help you stay calm. Admittedly calm was a hard thing to focus on whilst in the pit with so much riding on the next few minutes but still, she had tor try .
On Percy's side of the Doors, Krios stood dark and silent, his ram's-headed helmet covering his face. He kept one foot planted on the chain's anchor and his thumb on the UP button.
Bob faced his brethren. He planted his spear and tried to look as fierce as possible with a kitten on his shoulder.
"Hyperion and Krios. I remember you both."
"Do you, Iapetus?" The golden Titan laughed, glancing at Krios to share the joke. "Well, that's good to know! I heard Percy Jackson turned you into a brainwashed scullery maid. What did she rename you…Betty? Though I suppose it's better than what she did to Kronos."
"Bob," snarled Bob. "Well, it's about time you showed up, Bob. Krios and I have been stuck here for weeks—"
"Hours," Krios corrected, his voice a deep rumble inside his helmet.
"Whatever!" Hyperion said. "It's boring work, guarding these doors, shuffling monsters through at Gaea's orders. Krios, what's our next group, anyway?"
"Double Red," said Krios.
Hyperion sighed. The flames glowed hotter across his shoulders. "Double Red. Why do we go from A-22 to Double Red? What kind of system is that?" He glared at Bob. "This is no job for me—the Lord of Light! Titan of the East! Master of Dawn! Why am I forced to wait in the darkness while the giants go into battle and get all the glory? Now, Krios I can understand—"
"I get all the worst assignments," Krios muttered, his thumb still on the button.
"But me?" Hyperion said. "Ridiculous! This should be your job, Iapetus. Here, take my place for a while."
Bob stared at the Doors, but his gaze was distant—lost in the past. "The four of us held down our father, Ouranos," he remembered. "Koios, and me, and the two of you. Kronos promised us mastery of the four corners of the earth for helping with the murder."
"Indeed," Hyperion said. "And I was happy to do it! I would've wielded the scythe myself if I'd had the chance! But you, Bob…you were always conflicted about that killing, weren't you? The soft Titan of the West, soft as the sunset! Why our parents named you the Piercer, I will never know. More like the Whimper."
Percy felt the urge to stab Hyperion for that. Bob was her friend, how dare they mock him like that? Still, she needed to focus now that she'd reached the anchor hook. She carefully uncapped Riptide- and the fact that Krios didn't react was somewhat comforting- his attention was still very firmly fixed on Bob, who had just levelled the point of his spear at Hyperion's chest-and Percy resisted the urge to cheer her friend on.
"I can still pierce," Bob said, his voice low and even. "You brag too much, Hyperion. You are bright and fiery, but Percy Jackson defeated you anyway. I hear you became a nice tree in Central Park." Percy forced down a snicker, and Hyperion didn't look impressed, his eyes were almost smouldering.
"Careful brother."
"At least a janitor's work is honest," Bob said. "I clean up after others. I leave the palace better than I found it. But you…you do not care what messes you make. You followed Kronos blindly. Now you take orders from Gaea."
"She is our mother!" Hyperion bellowed.
"She did not wake for our war on Olympus," Bob recalled. "She favors her second brood, the giants."
Krios grunted. "That's true enough. The children of the pit."
"Both of you hold your tongues!" Hyperion's voice was tinged with fear. "You never know when he is listening."
The elevator dinged. All three Titans jumped.
Had it been twelve minutes? Percy had lost track of time. Krios took his finger off the button and called out, "Double Red! Where is Double Red?"
Hordes of monsters stirred and jostled one another, but none of them came forward.
Krios heaved a sigh. "I told them to hang on to their tickets. Double Red! You'll lose your place in the queue!"
Percy snorted, glancing towards Nico and Leo- and Nico had his Stygian Iron blade out ready to slice it, and she could see that Leo was stood in front of him just so- between Nico and Hyperion, just in case any fiery attacks came their way.
In any case, Nico met Percy's gaze and Percy took a deep breath, holding up three fingers- they'd have to do it at the same time-and they needed to try and time it when the Titans were as distracted as they possibly could be.
Hyperion muttered a curse. "Just wonderful. This will completely mess up our schedule." He sneered at Bob. "Make your choice, brother. Fight us or help us. I don't have time for your lectures."
Bob glanced at the three demigods, then he raised the point of his spear. "Very well. I will take guard duty. Which of you wants a break first?"
"Me, of course," Hyperion said.
"Me!" Krios snapped. "I've been holding that button so long my thumb is going to fall off."
"I've been standing here longer," Hyperion grumbled. "You two guard the Doors while I go up to the mortal world. I have some Greek heroes to wreak vengeance upon!" and Percy resisted the urge to snicker. It was just incredibly ironic that he was saying that totally unaware that the two demigods he wanted to wreak vengeance on were quite literally behind them.
"Oh, no!" Krios complained. "That Roman boy is on his way to Epirus—the one who killed me on Mount Othrys. Got lucky, he did. Now it's my turn."
"Bah!" Hyperion drew his sword. "I'll gut you first, Ram-head!"
Krios raised his own blade. "You can try, but I won't be stuck in this stinking pit any longer!"
And yep, yep that would do it distraction wise. Percy met Nico's gaze, mouthing 'one, two-" whilst lowering her fingers- but before she reached three a high pitched whine pierced her ears like the sound of an incoming rocket.
There wasn't even time to panic, Percy barely had time to think 'uh-oh before the explosion rocked the hillside.
A wave of pure heat knocked Percy backwards. Dark shrapnel ripped through Krios and Hyperion as easily as wood in a chipper, even as Percy hit the ground hard and she rolled twice, coming to a halt on her stomach- she pushed herself up quickly as a hollow voice rolled across the plains, shaking the warm fleshy ground.
"Stinking pit!" and even just the voice made Percy feel like she'd been dipped in a vat of ice. But she forced herself to focus, eyes moving quickly.
Bob was staggering to his feet. Somehow the explosion hadn't touched him. He swept his spear in front of him trying to locate the source of the voice as Small Bob quickly crawled into his coveralls- Percy did not blame him. She kind of wanted to crawl away and hide.
She turned her head-and she almost sobbed in relief when she saw that Nico and Leo were clinging to one another, helping each other onto their knees, shaken but alive.
Of course, a second later Percy's heart was sinking again because she realised that they looked like themselves- they no longer looked like corpses. And gods but what even was her life that she wished her brothers still looked dead?
The Death Mist had evaporated. Whatever had blasted them back had blasted the mist itself away from them. That was bad, very very bad. All of the monsters would be able to see them now.
Of course, the monsters might not be their biggest problem- Percy was very much trying not to consider the actual bigger problem.
What had caused the explosion? Who did that voice belong to? Even considering it was hard to do- she felt like she was going to be sick but- she had the horrible feeling that she knew just who- or what, it was that had killed the two Titans.
And unfortunately he wasn't any more a friend to them than Hyperion and Krios were.
"Titans." there was that voice again, filled with disdain. "Lesser beings. Imperfect and weak." and gods, gods but that definitely sounded like her bad feeling was right didn't it? And she watched in terror as in front of the Doors of Death, the air darkened and solidified. The being who appeared was so massive, radiating such pure malevolence, that Percy wanted to crawl away and hide.
And gods but that was just their luck wasn't it? How many demigods met Nyx or Tartarus in their lifetimes? She was
willing to bet that the answer was 'None' and yet here she was meeting them both within a day or so- time was difficult in the pit so she couldn't be sure how much time had passed but the point remained the same- they were meeting two Protogenos one after another. And Percy highly doubted that she'd be able to win over this one in the way she had Nyx- and gods but she kinda wished Nyx was there right now. She was the only being Percy knew who might actually stand a chance against Tartarus that didn't completely despise Percy.
Percy forced back those thoughts, she forced herself to focus, her eyes traced over the gods form, starting with his black iron boots, each one as large as a coffin. His legs were covered in dark greaves; his flesh all thick purple muscle, like the ground. His armored skirt was made from thousands of blackened, twisted bones, woven together like chain links and clasped in place by a belt of interlocking monstrous arms.
On the surface of the warrior's breastplate, murky faces appeared and submerged—giants, Cyclopes, gorgons, and drakons—all pressing against the armor as if trying to get out.
The warrior's arms were bare—muscular, purple, and glistening—his hands as large as crane scoops.
Worst of all was his head: a helmet of twisted rock and metal with no particular shape—just jagged spikes and pulsing patches of magma. His entire face was a whirlpool—an inward spiral of darkness. As Percy watched, the last particles of Titan essence from Hyperion and Krios were vacuumed into the warrior's maw.
Percy genuinely wasn't sure how she forced down the little whimper that wanted to slip past her lips, she really wasn't. They were dead- oh they hadn't been killed officially yet but they were dead all the same. There was no way they could face Tartarus. Percy could feel a wave of terror and despair that threatened to drown her when she glanced towards her brothers- Nico's face was slack with horror and Leo was clutching him tightly, trying to shield the youngest of them from the terrifying being.
And Percy slowly dragged herself up to her feet, heart pounding in her chest as she stared up at that spiral of darkness that was his face. "So. You're Tartarus."
