I awoke to find myself strapped to a large stone, chains and all. Thick, heavy, humongous chains. I blinked and strained against them. No avail.

"…what?" I asked myself.

A light shown above my head. I looked at it and gasped. It was like a movie, as pictures formed together to make a video. I watched intently.

It was my death. I said before, that I remember blood flying and a scream. Well…it wasn't only my blood. Thalia's arm was cut severely. Annabeth stopped screaming. And then I noticed…I never died from an extra cut. Wait. I was dead. For some reason, I felt nothing but numbness. Nothing at all. I proceeded to watch the video.

Annabeth's scream filled the air. Thalia had jumped in front of me as to block Luke's sword. Her hand was the only thing that got in the way, and it was cut from her elbow to the tip of her fingers. I could see my eyes start closing slowly as I clutched my torn side.

"No...No…" I had groaned. I fell to the floor, that being my eternal position. Luke stared stiffly at Thalia.

"I'm so sorry," he said in a whisper. "I…I…"-

"Percy?" Annabeth asked.

Of course, I didn't stir. I was already dead.

"PERCY!" Annabeth fell to the floor next to me, crying over my body.

"You…you…killed him!" Thalia's voice was hardly audible.

"…did I?" Luke's mouth was dry.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" Thalia's eyes started glowing yellow and her hands flew up to Luke's throat.

"THALIA!"

"Don't you dare! You killed him! You murderer!" Thalia sent an electric bolt up his spine. Luke shivered. His eyes went wide, and he plunged to the floor, not moving.

"Did you kill him Thalia?" Annabeth hiccupped.

"No. Luke's a god now," Thalia shook her head. "Paralysis. I'm calling Dad,"

The video faded and I was staring at blank light. I closed my eyes. That must have been the stupidest way to die. Silent tears ran down my cold cheeks, making them colder. I failed. I failed my quest, the prophecy. Everything. My sobs were easy to hear now. I thought of how much my life had sucked, how much I could have done to make it better. I thought of Annabeth, who when I had the strength to tell her and she had the strength to tell me, was fading now. I was going to be stuck in this eternal inferno, burning for life. At least, I think the burning was supposed to start soon.

"Are you at despair?" a calm voice said.

I inclined my head to the left. A door, that I never noticed, had a woman in the doorway. She was stunningly beautiful, with lushes chocolate brown hair extending to her waist. A golden tiara with a silver leaf stood on her forehead. Her Greek toga drooped to the floor, her shoulders white and bared. She was beautiful, in one word.

"…yes," I shut my eyes, afraid that I'd gone mad.

The lady walked up to me, her hands delicately twirling a thread of hair.

"You are not meant to be here, Perseus Jackson," she leaned closer to me. "I can get you out,"

I opened my eyes again. I could feel her minty (Don't know WHY) breath on my neck.

"How?" I asked her, my tears still dropping.

"I cannot explain. But I will…right now,"

I felt something cool on my lips. Hers. I swear, I was FREAKING out (not that I minded. Don't tell Annabeth). I mean, a gorgeous woman comes in, claims she can get me out, and kisses me! (I'm confused)

I didn't kiss her back. I just waited, and shut my eyes.

"Open them, Perseus,"

I did. And gasped. I was lying on the floor. In the Elysian Fields. I smelled the same familiar barbecue, and heard the same kind of laughter. The grass I was lying under chose to be purple today. Wow.

"I told you, young hero, that I'd be able to free you,"

"Thank you so much," I stood up automatically, slapping the dirt from my jeans. "But…who are you? And aren't you afraid of Hades?"

"Hades?" the woman laughed, her smile glittering in the sun…or whatever source of light there was. "I'm Persephone, Perseus Jackson,"

My jaw dropped open.

"No. Way." I said.

"Believe it," she grinned. "Hades sent me to give you an offer,"

"Oh! Lady Persephone! Can you throw the Frisbee over here?" someone called. I looked. Muscular, tall, handsome, brilliant smile, and sandy kind of hair. Perseus. The original Perseus. I didn't know how I knew…I just did.

"Of course, Master Perseus," the goddess was about to bend down, but I did it quicker and fetched the golden Frisbee by her foot.

"Here you are," I threw it to him.

"Thanks Percy!" he shot me a grin and ran back towards the Victorian building he had appeared out of.

I think we all knew each other's names.

"Thank you, Perseus, for being such a gentleman," Persephone smiled at me.

"Um…yeah," I grinned at her. I really didn't want to leave the Elysian Fields. If this is where I had to wait for my friends…I'd so do it.

"Now that you've seen the Elysium…" Persephone waved her hand in the air, and all of a sudden, we were out of the Elysian Fields and in the familiar throne room of Lord Hades. Greeaaaaaaaattttteee.

"Jackson," a voice said, cool as ice.

I looked. Persephone's face turned soft and she walked over to the speaker. Hade's held out his hand as his wife took it.

"You should have been in the Elysium right now," my uncle was calm.

It was the first time ever he's ever talked to me without yelling.

"When Persephone begged Demeter to come to me early, she rushed to get you once she had learned that you had died," Hades smiled. Smiled.

I blinked. "Go on,"

"I shall give you another chance," the god stood up.

I inclined my head toward him.

"Yes?"

"When you finish your quest…you shall serve me for however many days you say on earth. One day is one year,"

"So…if I'm at this for a month…"

"Thirty years," Persephone said. "Or you can forsake the quest and stay in the Elysian Fields,"

The bargain was too much…and I didn't want anyone to suffer loosing me twice.

"What if I die again?" I asked.

"Then you die. And I may offer this to you again, I may not," Hades shrugged.

I stared around the underworld. The thought of seeing Annabeth again…and even Thalia (who I'm now convinced is completely good since she almost sacrificed her life for mine)…of course Grover…

"I…I don't know," I shook my head.

"Percy," a voice said.

My head turned sharply. It was Zoë's voice!

Her head floated in Hades' hand. It didn't look creepy because it looked like a T.V. or something.

"Do it Percy. I'm in the Elysian Fields, but I've longed to come back to you guys," Zoë's voice was starting to sadden and her face showed features of despair. "Lord Hades offered me this…but I said no. It was stupid. Say yes, Percy. Say yes!"

"…Zoë!" I croaked. Her head faded and I stared at Hades' white palm.

"What do you say, Perseus?"

I stared at them. The Elysian Fields…it was SO calling. And I'd finally be done with the pain…But then I had Annabeth, Grover, Thalia, and the human civilization who needed me.

"I don't know," I shook my head.

Hades rolled his eyes.

"Love, calm down," Persephone patted his chest. He hardly smiled at her.

"Fine," I shook my head. I think I might regret this. "I choose…the Elysian Fields,"