A/N:
Right... so I'm really really sorry that this took so long to update. If I'm being honest I kind of lost inspiration for this story. And that combined with the fact that I just finished finals week and the fact that I am the largest procrastinator on the planet is really my only excuse. I'm really sorry! I'll try to get more regular with the updates. So... yeah, sorry again.
P.S. If any of you have any ideas for any monsters that could be in the Unruled of Tartarus or any situations that you would like to see happen while they're down there, please tell me. Because I'm at a loss right now.
"I could really use a cheeseburger right about now", Leo said, breaking the silence that had been hovering over the group.
They were in Nico's room again, still waiting for his father to return.
Leo was bouncing a rubber ball of the wall, and the sound of it bouncing was the only sound in the room.
In the stories, they make quests sound like fast paced adventures where you're constantly running around trying to save the world.
In reality, there was a lot more waiting and boredom involved then most people realised.
"Me too. Maybe we should have eaten something before we came down here", Frank agreed, rubbing his stomach.
"I would offer you guys some food, but then you'd have to stay down here with my father forever so..."
Nico cracked a grin, and the other eight heroes stared at him incredulously.
"What? I can make jokes too", he grumbled as the others burst out laughing.
The bubble of tension that had been hovering over the group broke as they laughed together.
Even Percy and Nico managed to crack a grin, rolling their eyes at the others.
Suddenly, there was a popping sound, and Nico looked up, his grin falling off his face.
"They're back".
The group arrived in the throne room to see Hades and Thanatos in the middle of what looked to be a heated argument.
Thanatos looked remarkably like an angel with his onyx wings on his back. Percy supposed that was where the whole 'angel of death' saying had come from.
He was tall and quite muscular, with skin the colour of teakwood. His black hair was quite long, at about shoulder length, and he had it brushed back and over his head. Overall, he was very handsome, and was easily comparable to even Eros himself. But right now, he was emitting a strong aura of darkness with his anger.
Hades had a hand firmly clasped on the other gods' upper arm which he shoved off forcefully before turning his furious gaze back on the Lord of the Underworld. It seemed Hades had forced him here.
"What do you want, my lord", he asked, mockingly. "You know I am busy. Especially now". For a moment his expression flickered and he almost looked, sad. But it was soon covered up and his dark eyes hardened again.
For the first time, he seemed to notice the group of demigods standing apprehensively at the entrance and his scowl deepened.
Percy was standing at the very back of the group, still brooding from his encounter with Charon in the way across the Styx.
His hood was up, and he was leaning against the wall, partially hidden from view as the god of death studied the group.
"What is this, Hades? Why are these half-bloods here?".
He seemed to finally calm down from his unexpected transportation to the Underworld and now simply looked bored.
"They want to jump into Tartarus and wished to speak to you".
Thanatos just stared at him at first, analysing his face for any hint of a joke or trick, and when he found nothing, he turned back to stare at the group of demigods and laughed.
For once it held genuine amusement, and lasted for an uncomfortable amount of time.
The demigods just settled in for the same treatment they had received from Hades.
"Voluntarily?", he was finally able to gasp out.
Annabeth stepped forward, her eyes stormy as she analysed how this god would effect her plan.
"Yes. Voluntarily. The pit is rising and we will not be strong enough to stop him if he does. So we're going down there to destroy his heart, the center of all his powers".
Thanatos looked at the girl carefully. He had to admit, it was a good plan. At least, better than the gods' usual "attack and overwhelm with brute force" tactic. But still...
"That is a suicide mission, girl. It is pointless. You and your little friends should just crawl home and enjoy what little time you have left".
He crossed his arms over his broad chest, and a golden band wrapped around his upper arm bulged slightly as the muscles pressed against it.
"Yeah? And then what? We just let the world be destroyed?". Jason stepped forward until he was standing next to Annabeth and facing the god.
Thanatos recognised the telltale blond hair, blue eyed, tall figured boy as one of Zeus' children.
Despite the boy's words, Thanatos let a small smile on his face.
"Sure. Why not? The mortal world's already all but fallen into shambles anyway. This would be the perfect time for the start of a new regime".
Hades just scowled at his servant. A glare that Thanatos could feel burning a hole through the back of his neck which only made his smile grow wider.
"And you think that your domain won't be affected too?", Annabeth continued, her grey eyes flashing dangerously.
This god's cooperation was vital to their plan. There was no way that they'd escape Tartarus without access to the doors of death. Even if some small part of her did agree with him.
He just scoffed.
"My domain? You mean death? Let me tell you something, girl. The only thing that is ever absolutely certain in life is death. Death will continue on regardless of who rules the skies or the oceans. My domain will always be there. Your puny war does not affect me".
A grin grew on his face as he watched Annabeth digest this information.
He was right. Tartarus might rise, and the world might end. But there would still be death, in some way shape or form. Thanatos' domain would never really be damaged.
She agreed with him, and the rest of the group bowed their heads dejectedly.
Thanatos' eyes scanned over the group until they landed on a figure hidden at the back. He hadn't seen him on his first scan, and almost missed him on his second. He was shrouded in shadows, and seemed to be wearing some sort of hood. But what really attracted the god's attention was the fact that he seemed to be shaking.
Another moment of him watching curiously passed before the first sound was heard from him. It was laughing. The boy was laughing so hard that his entire form seemed to be shaking.
Thanatos scowled.
"You there. Why do you laugh?".
The other demigods looked at each other in confusion before they turned behind them and realised the god was talking about Percy.
He stepped forward, and Thanatos analysed the boy just like he had all the others. A hood shrouded his face in shadows, making it so that the only thing he could make out was his mouth. Of course, this only made him more curious, and his wings shifted restlessly against his back. There was something about this boy. Something different.
"I laugh at the fact that you think that this does not concern you. You think that Tartarus will spare you simply because you are death? No. The world will fall into chaos if you were to be disposed of, and that is exactly what they want, chaos. You will not be spared. Your domain will flourish, but you will perish along with the rest of us if he is allowed to rise".
Xavier looked around the room nervously, but it seemed that Tartarus was no longer taking an interest in them as Percy saying his name made no difference at all. He didn't know whether that was a bad thing or a good thing.
The other demigods behind Percy flinched, but Thanatos did not seem angry, just curious.
"And what is it you want from me, little demigod?".
Hades raised an eyebrow. It was very rare that Thanatos listened to even his commands, much less those of a demigod.
"We need you to position the doors of death in the Unruled of Tartarus. We need them to escape after we complete our mission".
His words portrayed confidence, but the body language of those standing behind him said something different.
Thanatos barked a laugh that sounded nothing like before and held not a shred of genuine humour.
"Not just Tartarus but the Unruled?! It would be very funny for me to watch your futile little quest play out, but unfortunately that is not possible. The doors of death cannot be placed within the Unruled, it is forbidden".
Percy thought hard about this, and he could feel Annabeth next to him tense up, no doubt doing the same. He recalled his brief terrified memories of his time when he was released in the Unruled, and tried to remember what the entrance had looked like. There were brief flashes of a valley below a tall mountain and he nodded his head.
"Fine. Is it possible for you to position them just outside the borders, then?".
Annabeth could see that he had a plan, and stopped her futile attempts to come up with one of her own.
Thanatos stepped forward, his wings shifting and opening slightly before settling back down again on his back as he studied them.
"I suppose that it could be done".
His initial suspicions were confirmed. The shadows that surrounded the boy which he originally thought to be a result of the dim lighting were actually coming from him. There was a strange aura surrounding him. One that he specialised in.
Thanatos stepped closer and walked around Percy in a slow circle. It was eerie, and Annabeth who was standing just off to the side next to him narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Xavier took out his pen, and Nico rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"You intrigue me, boy".
"Don't call me boy", Percy growled out. His aura increased slightly at the memories, and Thanatos smiled evilly.
Suddenly, he whipped around towards Annabeth and flung a dagger that nobody had noticed him take out.
Her eyes widened, but quicker than a flash Percy's wings were extended out and the blade bounced harmlessly off of the feathers.
As soon as she was safe he whipped around to face the god, Anaklusmos already out of pen form and pointed at him.
Death just raised a curious eyebrow and strode back over to where Hades stood.
"You, my dear boy, have the aura of death around you. I should know, it is my specialty. So… who will it be?", he gestured to Percy's friends standing behind him, and Percy's face blanched.
"You're lying!", Nico snarled, but even he didn't look so sure. He could only sense death after it happened, not before.
Another grin from the god later and he turned back to face his master, speaking both over his shoulder to the group and to him.
"Alright, I will help. The doors will be there if you can reach them. I look forward to watching this little suicide mission of yours. I haven't had entertainment like this in a millennia".
With that, he flashed away, and the group of demigods were left alone in the throne room with Hades.
"I have to admit, half-bloods, you have surprised me. Thanatos doesn't normally like to follow orders".
Annabeth let out a sigh of relief she hadn't even realised she'd been holding. One step down, about a million, way more dangerous steps left to go.
"Follow me".
He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving the demigods to follow him.
As the group walked through the castle, the crew looked around in awe. Not many of them had been to the Underworld before, much less been given a tour of Hades' palace. Percy was once again reminded of just how much it reminded him of Olympus. At least now, though, his uncle had been given a proper throne and place on the Olympian council.
A series of complicated manoeuvres that only Nico seemed to understand later, they had reached a sort of side exit, and were once again facing the desolate landscape of the Underworld.
Everything was grey or black, and even the colour in the crew's shirts seemed to be leached away by the environment. Still, Percy knew that it was much better than what was to come.
Across the flat plain filled with only the occasional skeletal poplar tree, Percy spotted a familiar cave, and both he and Annabeth tensed and froze in place.
Just like before, the strange opening seemed to reek of evil, letting Percy see and smell things that he shouldn't even know about.
The terrain grew rocky under their feet, replacing the trampled grass that made up the majority of the rest of the Underworld, and Percy's breathing became quicker and more shallow.
He could feel the beginnings of a panic attack starting to take him over, and he forced himself to calm down and breathe more deeply so that he didn't alarm the others.
Xavier glanced at him nervously, no doubt noticing his more tense posture. But Percy just shook his head to tell him that he was fine.
He would have to be fine.
Hades stopped the little group at the entrance to the cave, and turned back to look at the group of demigods one last time.
"This is where I leave you", he seemed more hesitant and almost nervous before he said his next words. "Be safe, Hazel".
She smiled up at him gratefully, but Nico just frowned.
"Come along, Nico. We have some paper work to do".
Nico's frown changed into a face of confusion.
His father thought that he wasn't a part of the quest? At least that would explain why he didn't tell him to be safe like he did Hazel.
"Father, what do you mean 'come along'? I'm going on this quest too".
Hades face changed into one of almost sadness as he searched Nico's eyes and face for any sign that he was lying.
"Both of you?".
He looked between his children, and then to all of the faces of the questers.
He looked distraught, especially when he looked down at Nico, but his face quickly smoothed over into his usual mask of indifference, and the Hades they all knew and loved (debatable) was back.
He cleared his throat and looked down at the group once again.
"Fine then. You too, Nico. Jackson, you better not let anything happen to them", he growled. Percy saw right through him.
"Don't worry, uncle. They'll be safe with us".
Hades nodded, but Percy couldn't help but think about a time when he had made a smiliar promise, to Nico no less. No, this would not turn out like last time. He would keep everybody safe. Even if it was at the cost of his own life.
Hades turned and walked back towards the palace, and the group of nine turned and began to walk into the cave. Walking away from each other in the desperate hopes that they'd see each other again.
Percy faltered just before he disappeared into the cave and looked back at the bleak grey colour of the Underworld behind him. The entrance to Tartarus yawned in front of them, as large as a city-block and as dark as anything Percy had ever seen before.
He knew that once he entered, that was it, he would have to follow the plan. This was the point of no return.
That small part inside of him told him to turn around, to go back to camp. To leave the campers and retreat with Xavier back up to Chaos' planet. At least then he wouldn't have to go through the horrors of Tartarus all over again.
It surprised him how tempting the idea was, but he shook his head and it was gone.
No. That wasn't an option. This was the only way.
He ducked into the cave, following after the others as they walked towards the literal entrance of hell.
"So… who wants to jump first?".