Chapter 17: Journey to Hades
Percy stared at the Door of Orpheus. He grimly recalled one of his visions telling him this was an entrance to the Underworld. As Grover continuously played music for the door to remain open, he comforted the friends, the family, he was leaving behind.
Percy said to Annabeth, "If I don't make it back..."
"Shut up, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth sneered sarcastically. She quickly kissed his cheek. Percy was left stunned by the kiss. In that moment, he knew Annabeth, despite all the things he did to change the future, still had feelings for him.
Percy sighed with great conflict in his soul, "Just tell mom-"
"I will," Annabeth noted immediately. "Don't. Die."
Percy hugged Annabeth. They held each other for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally letting go, he turned to Grover.
"Thank you," Percy remarked.
Grover stared at Percy with utter bewilderment. "For what?"
Percy hugged Grover, who wheezed in shock. "For being my friend."
Grover gradually hugged back.
"Percy," Bianca said, interrupting the precious moment Percy was sharing with Grover. "It's time."
Percy finally let go. As he, Nico, and Bianca quietly entered the gate to the Underworld, they took one last glance back at their friends. And all went black.
...
Percy felt the atmosphere grow colder and colder with each step he took. He had been here already twice before, and this was the coldest temperature he had ever felt in his entire life. The darkness of the Underworld made it nearly impossible to see in it.
"Percy..." Bianca whispered, shivering.
Percy held her close, holding her close to his warm body.
Nico cried out, "Bianca, where's the flashlight you said you were going to bring?"
Bianca responded gently, "In your backpack Nico, remember?"
Nico chuckled with glee, "Of course!"
Nico reached into his bag and brought out a flashlight. He turned on the flashlight, revealing a magnificent hall of broken stones. Percy saw a gate with lights flickering on the other side.
"There!" Percy shouted.
They ran carefully with eagerness. Before they could reach the gate, they heard a terrible and ear-piercing shriek. Percy signaled to Bianca to stay with her brother. She obeyed and held him closely.
With uttermost caution and awareness, Percy took out his sword. He finally reached the gate after much suspense and looked at his sword in his hand. In horror, Percy saw the horrible extent of the damaging rust on his sword, which was revealed by the fiery lights of the gate. He turned his attention back to the gate to be only a few centimeters away from the grotesque and disfigured face of his math teacher, Mrs. Dodds.
Stumbling backward in horror, Percy turned around to find the other furies grasping the di Angelos tightly, and Hades was standing right in between his disgusting winged servants.
"Welcome back," Hades announced, his smirk transforming into an expression of rage, "Mr. Jackson..."