The Orpheus Ascent


„GRRRRRRRR!"

The growl reverberated through the underworld; a long, low, frightening sound that put any hellhound to shame. Up close, it could probably have swept a man clean off his feet. A few dozen yards away, it still made the teeth rattle in Nico's head.

"Hey, big guy!" he called. "It's alright; it's just me. Remember me?"

Cerberus' three heads stopped growling when he recognized his master's son, immediately replaced by hopeful curiosity. He gave a cheerful (triple) bark, and would have probably bounded for the demigod in delight, if that hadn't meant leaving his post at the gates. Dutiful dog that he was, he stayed where he sat; right between the queues of waiting ghosts.

So far, so bad. Because as much as Nico hated dog saliva on his face, distracting the big guy had kind of been what he'd been hoping for.

He glanced over his shoulder at Hazel. His sister had turned back into a faceless ghost, which was good for the moment while they were trying to get out, but also meant Nico had no way of knowing what she was thinking. He thought her pace had slowed down considerably. With Cerberus right ahead, he couldn't really blame her.

Nico put on his best Lord-of-the-underworld-Junior face and walked up to the gates. "I am on a mission for my father. Taking this ghost with me is required." he told Cerberus. The dog was the main problem here. Nico didn't bother addressing the guard ghosts: if necessary, he could just force them to back down.

The giant animal tilted his two outer heads to the side. The middle one wore a look that looked like surprise. It wasn't every day that a dead person was supposed to pass him in the opposite direction.

Apparently further encouragement was needed. Nico reached up to stroke the closest of the dog's snouts. That never failed to overjoy Mrs O'Leary, and it seemed to have the same effect on Cerberus: he gave a deep hum, and a loud 'Boom, Boom, Boom' echoed from behind him – his tail hitting the ground repeatedly. Nico dreaded to imagine how many ghosts he was crushing right now. But at least he wasn't looking at Hazel anymore.

No turning back now. "Come on." he called over his shoulder, while Cerberus' two outer heads tried to butt the middle one out of the way to get their share of cuddles.

They passed the gates unmolested, without any warning cries ringing out. The dead marching in the other direction threw them blank looks, but none of them seemed to question it. Only Cerberus' pitiful whine echoed behind them as he watched his little owner disappear into the distance.

The queue of the dead was just a small speck in the distance anymore before Nico allowed himself to slow down. He had to remind himself to start breathing normally again. His heart was beating like he'd just run a marathon. Up ahead, he could just make out a set of rough, black stone steps leading up into the cave wall.

They'd gotten away with it!

Hazel wasn't sharing his elation, once he summoned her again.

"Nico, where are we?!" Her voice was full of alarm.

"Out. It's only a little further." he reassured her.

"No!" Hazel refused to move. Her ghostly face had turned even paler than usual. "I know what you're doing. You can't. We just can't. I'm meant to be down here!"

"No, you're not. And I'm the son of Hades. I can do anything."

"You can't bring me back!" She was beginning to sound panicked.

"You didn't deserve to die, Hazel! See it as a second chance."

She backed away from him, shaking her head frantically. "You don't understand! I'm meant to be dead! I've caused nothing but misery to everyone around me! Sammy. My mother… I can't risk that happening again…"

"Listen to me: everything that happened; it wasn't your fault, okay?" Nico insisted, irritated. He gestured towards the steps. "If this works, you could breathe again; see the sun again. Don't you want that?"

"I – yes; of course I do! But – Nico, I'm cursed. Father knows, too; he said so. I didn't want you to know… Bad things happen to those around me. Always." She cast down her eyes. "To you, too."

Nico chuckled. "A little more misfortune would do me no harm, trust me. I-" He broke off when he saw the pale shimmer of tears in her eyes. Hazel seemed to physically grow smaller; turning away and burying her face in her arms.

Nico wasn't good at comforting people. He tried to think of something to say. "I'll take you to the Empire State Building." he offered.

Hazel looked up from her feet and met his eyes uncertainly.

Nico pushed on: "Right to the very top. You'll see New York, and feel the wind. And I promise you; I will protect you. From my father and from your curse, too. We'll find a way to lift it."

"You – you really think so?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do." And if he had to call in every favour from every person he ever met, he decided in that moment, he would find a way.

He couldn't be sure, but he thought his sister's expression held the slightest touch of hope. "You promise?"

"I promise."

Hazel's eyes lingered on him for a long moment. Then they wandered to the stairwell behind him. Her nod was abrupt, like she wanted to agree before she could change her mind. "Okay."

"Okay." Nico agreed.

Only a few yards further, they reached the wall. The steps hewn into it spiralled upwards into the darkness, so far up that Nico lost track of them. A small sliver of doubt crossed his mind.

He turned back to Hazel. "Just follow me." he said imploringly. "Whatever happens; you must promise to follow me."

"Promise. I'll do as you say."

Nico breathed out deeply and faced the steps. "Then let's go."


The steps were steep and narrow, the path twisting and winding upwards irregularly; like its builder hadn't known what he was making or where he wanted it to come out. Which was very close to the truth, Nico knew.

Memories washed over him. He had come this way once before, but in the opposite direction, and with very different company. That one hadn't shut up the entire descent, and as much as Nico was usually annoyed by that trait of Percy's; now he was secretly wishing he were here. Now the ascent was far too quiet. Nico had always felt safer when the son of Poseidon was around.

He squared his jaw and pushed the thought away, climbing the steps at a faster pace. He had gotten used to getting by on his own years ago. Percy and his prattling would have only distracted him.

Even though he could have really used a good distraction at the moment.

Behind Nico, there was only silence. It crept up on him; hugged his shoulders like a blanket. Hazel either couldn't talk or wouldn't. Perhaps she was dreading what awaited her at the top. If she was even still there, still climbing the steps behind him. What if her fear had gotten the better of her?

No; she promised. She's still there. Stop worrying.

How long had they been walking? Nico didn't remember it taking this long. The climb to the surface seemed a lot longer than the descent.

You don't even know how to heal her curse, a treacherous voice whispered inside him. Or if it's even possible. If you aren't certain about this; how can you expect her to be? How can you expect her to trust you blindly?

Nico almost stopped and turned around. He caught himself at the last second. Remembering.

Ever since the time he'd first heard it, the legend of Orpheus had seemed a little stupid to him. The man had managed to sing himself right to the heart of the underworld and find his beloved, only to then lose her again on the last couple of steps. If he'd just kept looking forward a few moments longer, he would have succeeded and his story wouldn't have ended up a tragedy, used to warn young demigods of the dangers of hubris. It was such a pointless reason to fail.

Now, though, Nico was beginning to understand.

Maybe he was worrying for nothing. With Death out of the equation, who knew if the rules that had doomed the ancient singer even still applied. For all he knew, this exit from the underworld might now be just like the other, and he could get Hazel out without complication. It was a possibility. But Nico didn't dare turn around to find out.

He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice the ghost until he was practically walking into him.

At the last second, he realized what the grey mist on the step above him was and recoiled, nearly slipping on the uneven ground. His Stygian-iron sword was in his hand without thinking.

The ghost solidified into a man in a Greek kiton. He was young, tall and probably good-looking, if one were to ignore his wounds. A million deep gashes seemed to run all across his bare torso, making him look like he'd been torn apart and then put back together after death. Some of the wounds were still weeping. From the man's side hung a golden lyre.

"Orpheus." Nico said, collecting himself. He had no doubt that was who this ghost was. In some way, he had expected the visit. "I know what you are going to say. Spare it. You can't stop me."

The heros' look was one of deep sadness. When he lowered his head, the sparse light fell away from his face; obscuring the weeping wounds and highlighting soft, boyish features. He was a lot younger than Nico had first thought; barely older than him. "I know, son of Hades. But I will speak anyway. You must know that you cannot save the one you love."

Nico resisted the urge to turn around and look for Hazel. "I don't love her." he stated. "She is my sister. And she didn't deserve to die. Love has nothing to do with it."

"I think it does. There is more than one kind of love." the ghost said. "As I'm sure you know."

Nico's face hardened. His hands clenched into fists and he raised the sword at the other's chest. "Get out of my way!"

Orpheus shrank before the dark, cold metal. He shook his head sadly. "I'm trying to spare you, young hero. Reversing death – it doesn't work how you may think."

He hadn't raised his voice, but something about his tone made Nico stop. He faltered, his sword still raised. "What do you mean? Explain yourself."

"The legend never mentions what my Eurydike saw when we neared the surface, does it?" Orpheus' face had a bitter look; the same emotion echoing in his words. "I will tell you. We could see the light, and I rejoiced. But she… her soul strived to stay in the underworld – in her memories – even while her body took shape again. One moment she was with the living, and the next with the dead. It tore her apart; body and mind. Once- once we make the journey into the earth, we are not meant to come back." His dead eyes seemed to pierce Nico right to his heart. "Eurydike screamed at me to let her go and let her have peace, and I couldn't hear. Even had I led her to the surface, it would have been a half-life; do you understand that, son of Hades? I was so fixated on bringing her back that I didn't see."

Nico shook his head. "You're wrong. I- I know more about death than you ever will." he ground out. "I know about death; and I know about loss; better than you think. I am the Ghost King."

The name echoed in the tunnel; holding more menace and power than Cerberus' growl. Not at all sounding like the scared 14-year-old who had uttered it. Not that it mattered. Down here, any dead had to obey it.

Orpheus sighed. It sounded resigned. "I can see that is true. Loss and death are your true companions. They blind you to reason." His form started to shimmer and fade. "Perhaps you should learn about life, instead. You'll find it is better company to keep. But also so, so much more fragile."

He disappeared before Nico had the chance to reply.

Nico sheathed his sword – or tried to. His hands were shaking. He clenched his fingers tightly. "Come on!" he called over his shoulder.

He didn't know whether his sister could hear him. He just knew that he couldn't look. He couldn't look, and he couldn't turn back; no matter how Orpheus' words may have shaken him. He couldn't lose her.

Not again.

After an eternity, they reached a dead end. A pile of boulders blocked the path. The door to the surface. Nico didn't have any music to open it; no lyre to play. What he did have was a lot of pent-up anger. He screamed it out at the rocks, and they sprang out of his way; moving aside to create a doorway.

Blinding sunlight took their place. Shielding his eyes against the harsh brightness, Nico climbed out into New York's Central Park. He breathed in the clear air. Looked around, once his eyes had adjusted.

And recoiled.

Less than two yards away, a monstrous she-wolf sat on her hind legs; watching him with eyes made of molten silver.