Annabeth:

Gabriel and I pay Prometheus and his friends a visit

By the time events began to unfold before us, we were already across the river Cocytus, which was like a horrific thrill ride gone wrong and had already past the shores of black sand. Bianca had reached the end of her ability to guide us at this point so she told us to keep on heading straight until we met up with another soul of the dead. At first, I thought we were going to be attacked by the Furies or whatever else resigned in the Underworld but at least Gabriel had his flashlight to keep the way safe for us. For three miles, we walked in almost pitch-black darkness with our light as the only defense against any creature of darkness that would have normally attacked us living mortal.

Then we saw a humanlike figure on the left of two massive boulders but Gabriel became frightened by the soul ahead of us. "What is it, is it someone you know?" I asked. "It's… it's… my wife Nadine from before Hera forced me back to service," he answered. I remembered him saying that he married young like most citizens of Turkey were required to do but I never believed that we would be meeting his wife here.

Before I could stop him though, he ran up to her like a madman and I had to keep up with him in order to avoid being kept out of the light. "Hey, wait for me!" I shouted. But Gabe would not wait for me and soon, he had his beloved Nadine clutched in his arms and spun around in a dance. "By the gods, how did you end up in here?" he asked.

"Seven months after you left me, I gave birth to your twin children: one son and one daughter. Our daughter died just after birth but I was killed in the process of bringing our son to life for the few minutes that he was alive himself. Perhaps you would like to meet them both someday when you return to us in Elysium?" Nadine answered. "I would love to meet our children when I return to you in the Afterlife but because I am eligible for godhood after death, I will see if I can become a god and bring you and our children with me," Gabriel replied.

"Do you wish to know the names they would have carried if they had survived birth?" Nadine asked. Gabriel nodded and was told that the son was named Mohammed and the daughter was named Mary after Gabe's mother. "Those are both beautiful names, I would love to see them with me on Mount Olympus when I become a god," Gabe said. "I would love to be up there with you but for now, let us focus on the mission at hand: guiding you to the Palace of Erebus and helping you stop Prometheus," Nadine said.

I was introduced to her by Gabriel and soon, we were on our way to the Palace of Erebus himself. It soon became clear to me how much the two of them missed each other from time Hera forced Gabriel to leave Nadine behind. While I held the flashlight and kept the way illuminated, they held arms around one another like she had never died or he had never left. Sometimes, Gabriel would led his hand slide across her rear then back up to her waist or even to her shoulder while she sometimes did the same to him.

It made me wonder if Percy had ever tried to do the same with me or if we should even have done anything like that. I shook my head at such a ridiculous idea but then it seemed to make sense to me at the same time. It definitely would have gotten my mom going about me and Percy staying away from each other for certain. But then I wondered if I really needed to irritate my Mom and probably start another fight between her and Poseidon when they were already trying to cool off from the feud for control of Athens.

"How much further before we reach the Palace?" I asked. "In mortal time it would be another half day of walking but since there is no time in the Underworld, I can tell you that we have another fifty-six miles at least," Nadine answered. So now I realized that we would need to walk for another half day in order to reach the Palace of Erebus and probably tolerate the romance between Gabriel and Nadine until it at least did not feel warm to Gabriel anymore. The reason I said that was because apparently Nadine had been brought back to life for this trip by permission of the Fates and would fade back into death until she was just a soul again.

That got me really excited for what would be happening during our travels here in the domain of darkness itself. I was beginning to become furious at myself because Percy and I could not do what Gabriel and Nadine were doing due to an arrow getting stuck in Percy's leg and taking him out of the fight until the quest was already over. Why did the soldiers of Prometheus have to get him with an arrow? And why in the name of all the gods could the Curse of Achilles not hurry his healing abilities along?

It was when we finally stopped that I got to know Nadine much better than I already had. Gabriel had taken sentry duty so that way we girls could have time to talk before the quest continued. I asked her about a few normal girl things like how long Nadine had dated Gabriel beforehand. "My parents were actually Turkish immigrants who followed Islamic traditions and had me marry Gabriel because of his wealth," she began.

"So you two basically got together because of an arranged marriage?" I asked. She nodded and added that my parents had heard about him and his successful business as an author. They had also heard about how his butler was his uncle's temporary (until Gabriel became of age unless he gave up his right to the business) successor at one of the wealthiest lawyer industries in all of Southern California. "Because of this, my parents decided it was best for me to get married to Gabriel so that I would not suffer he same fate as the rest of our family," she added.

"So what did you do to make sure that Gabriel was the right man for you?" I asked. "I warmed up to him without my parents knowing by befriending him and getting to know him better. Then I realized that maybe it would be a good idea to share at least some of life with him and if it didn't work out, at least we were in America so we could divorce," Nadine answered. "But what about what he had been saying about his status as a citizen of Turkey?" I inquired.

"He likes saying that because he felt more at home in Turkey than he did in America," Nadine assured me. We had a good laugh out of that and Gabriel was none the wiser about it. He did not even turn around to ask us what we were laughing about but kept vigilant for us. "So did you really, honestly love him from the bottom of your heart?" I asked her.

She nodded and said that she had gladly given her life for him in the name of raising his children. After that talk, we slept for the night and resumed our journey in what was the morning in the world above us. We arrived at the Palace in a few hours but Nadine had become so faint by then that we could barely see her like Hades promised. "Now I am at the end of my ability to guide and protect you from the terrors of the darkness that surrounds you," Nadine said.

"I hope to see you again really soon Nadine. I love you and tell the kids that I love them, okay?" Gabriel said. "Gabriel, I assure you that I will tell them that you love them as much as they love you," Nadine replied. She faded completely after saying that and Gabriel vowed that he would avenge her death and the death of every family member that he had once had before Prometheus destroyed them.

Gabriel and I then descended up the stairs that led to the very gates of Erebus' domain itself. The gates opened automatically for us and a voice told us to come in at our peril. "Let your Titan relatives be the judge of how much peril we are in," Gabriel replied. I said nothing because I didn't know what to say nor if anything would be wise on my part.

I think it turned out for the better that I didn't say anything because soon after, we were going across winding corridors, near-infinite hallways, and dodging many traps until we came at last to the altar where Prometheus was bringing back the late Ouranos. The voice of his chant filled the room and that was the only way we knew our way to him: by the sound of his voice getting louder and louder. Our flashlight had lost all power by this time so we really on sound as well as old-fashioned torches made from when we found wooden stakes as well as cloths and matches. The voice grew louder and louder until at last, we could hear him chanting loud and clear the words necessary to bring back the sky god.

"Oh mighty lord of the skies, father of the Titans and grandfather of myself, Atlas, and Epimetheus! We use the powers of the Black Sword of the Night as well as your soul to piece your body back together and unleash your powers upon our enemies. Come back to us Ouranos and aid us in destroying the accursed Olympians and taking back what is rightfully ours! Arise in the name of all that is just and true, arise and avenge your defeat by the hands of Kronos!" Prometheus shouted clearly.

Epimetheus spotted us and called out to his brother that we were here. "Ah Gabriel Johnson, son of Kronos and Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena! I knew you would come for I had foreseen it. Welcome to your doom as you two shall be the first to witness the return of the true sky god and the revenge of the Titans," Prometheus said.

"We're here to stop you Prometheus, once and for all!" I shouted. "Atlas, Epimetheus, I think you both know what to do," Prometheus said. "Hey before we 'die', how the hell did you free Atlas?" Gabriel asked. "Well, I solved that problem with a Titan who was willing to trade places in the name of our cause. Does the name Perses ring a bell to either of you?" Prometheus answered.

"Isn't that the Titan of destruction?" I asked. "That's right, smart girl. Perses was a raw force that I could not contain so I tricked him into holding up the skies in Atlas' place and that is where we have left him. Enough talk, brothers destroy them!" Prometheus answered.

"I'll take Atlas, you handle Epimetheus. Make him swing his spear or jab at you and miss, he'll eventually tire," Gabriel told me. That was good to know considering that his attacks were mostly heavy and each stroke was meant to take a severe impact on me if they didn't miss me. "A child of Athena shall be a worthy addition to my collection of victims," Epimetheus told me.

"What do you intended to do, use me as your slave or something?" I asked. "If you hold still, I intend to just take your head," he answered. Now my head on a pike brought back to camp would definitely not be a pretty sight so I did my best to dodge his attacks, blocking the lights stabs with my knife and dodging the long, wide strokes he sometimes used. But just when I was about to move in to make a decisive blow after he wore out (which took forever by the way) Prometheus had successfully pieced together Ouranos and granted him new life.

He looked around the room wildly and began to shout out curses in Greek until he actually caught up with speaking English. "Where is Kronos, how dare he humiliate me in front of all my universe! And who are you, you're not just a human so don't introduce yourself as an immortal?" Ouranos boomed to Prometheus. "Lord Ouranos, I am your grandson Prometheus by Iapetus and these are my brothers Atlas and Epimetheus.

"I breathed life into you because I need your Sky Sword as well as you to help me avenge the Titans who sided with you against Kronos! Because of the current rulers, those usurping Olympians, the Titans are all but extinct save myself, my brothers, one Titan taking Atlas' place at separating your domain from the Earth, and our regenerating army," Prometheus explained. "Is Kronos dead?" Ouranos asked. "He was killed by a demigod named Percy Jackson three weeks ago however, there are two descendants of Kronos right here for you to start your quest for revenge with," Prometheus answered.

"I sense the power within the boy, who sired him?" Ouranos asked, inquiring into Gabriel's lineage. "Oh, wise choice grandfather because his father is none other than your treacherous son Kronos. The other one is a daughter of Kronos' granddaughter Athena, present goddess of wisdom," Prometheus answered with a smile. "Indeed, this is a good start in my quest for revenge that will encompass the deaths of every single living descendant of my son Kronos!" Ouranos agreed, laughing wickedly.

"Annabeth, we have to leave and we have to leave now!" Gabriel whispered to me. "We can take him now, even after having his soul remerged into his body he's still not at full power," I whispered back. "Don't be a fool he has all the advantages over us and because we don't have the element of surprise anymore, he'll destroy us," Gabriel replied. But just after he had said that, a figure that was pitch black from head to toe except for sea green eyes appeared and stood between us and Ouranos.

"What are you doing, you fool? You dare interfere with my vengeance brother!" Ouranos shouted. "Careful who you speak to Ouranos, you are in my domain now and it is my command that you and your new friends leave my Palace. Prometheus promised that he would only be here to resurrect you, not sacrifice demigods to you," the figure calmly said.

Ouranos left storming while Prometheus and his brothers followed. "We are in your debt, oh mighty black god of darkness," Gabriel said. "No, it is I who was indebted to you Gabriel Johnson. I have just simply returned the favor you did me after pondering how I may do so," the figure replied.

"Are you Erebus, god of primeval darkness and the ruler of this palace?" I asked. "I am Erebus and you are Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena and granddaughter of the noble Zeus. Come with me and I will return you two back to your Camp Half-Blood through Shadow-travel," Erebus answered. "Am I indebted to you now, Erebus?" I asked.

"Only if you and I both wish for you to be indebted and I do not wish for you to tire yourself over repaying me. Come, there is little time and you must warn your camp of the stand it must take in order to avoid being destroyed," Erebus told me. I grabbed one of his extended hands and so did Gabriel but after that, I saw nothing. Nothing except and then the middle of the camp's dining pavilion where it would be quickest to reach Chiron.