The ashy darkness seemed never-ending, with a cacophony of wails and screams sounding from deep within the pit and echoing off the pit's walls. Darkness, an inky, black, never-ending darkness that swirled around and pulled on their bodies, seemingly pulling deeper into the depths. The four walked slowly down the staircase, stopping every few steps so that Serenity could send out a blast of magic and use it to scan the surrounding areas.

Whispers sounded in their ears, of the damned, of the unforgiven. Flashes of light appeared every so often, from the glowing red eyes of the restless dead. They whispered to the four demigods, inciting anger and sorrow. Percy felt the cold darkness that surrounded them clench against his heart, as he fell to his knees, a suffocating feeling building in his chest. A strange, viscous black liquid fell from his mouth, as Serenity knelt next to him, holding one hand, the veins bulging and becoming dark with Hades-power, against his chest.

"Wha-What ? ", Percy spat out amidst bouts of coughing and hacking
"The Corruption. It appears when a person dies with a lot of resentment. And... well, Orpheus died with immense hatred for Hades in his heart. It'll fill your lungs and try to choke you from within. If not properly dealt with, it'll choke you to death and reanimate your corpse as one of the Restless Dead"

Percy simply stared at Serenity, dumbfounded and paling rapidly with horror

Serenity smiled, " No need to worry, I've dealt with it. It's all but vacated your lungs now "

Suddenly, deep, mournful music filled the tunnel, as a faint blue glow began emanating from their surroundings. The faint silhouette of a young man appeared, perched on a nearby rock, a lyre in his hands, as he sang in a deep and mournful voice

"Even after so many years... he still sings for his love", Rapture whispered, shocked and impressed
Serenity smiled, "True love never dies"
"I didn't know you were such a romantic, Ser "
"I expect the things you don't know could fill several books. Come one. Let's go"
"HEY !"

And so they continued their trek, downward, into deeper and deeper darkness. It surrounded them, and whispered to them. It screamed and cried and begged and lamented. The sounds of a hundred, no, a thousand, no, a million damned souls sang in their ears as they continued, down and down, in what felt like a never-ending spiral

Until at last, the darkness fell away, and the mists split apart, revealing a vast door.

Made of dark, rusted metal and covered in engravings of war and death and pain, the door was inlaid with a luminous crystalline substance. Phrases and words covered the door.

At the top and below the bottom of the door, two vast, iron jaws stood, as if telling whoever sought to enter the door, "You are entering the jaws of the beast". Small, glowing gems created the design of constellations on the door and on each side of the door, these words were written,
"Μέσα από μένα είναι ο δρόμος για την πόλη της θλίψης,

Μέσα από μένα είναι ο δρόμος για τον αιώνιο πόνο,

Μέσα από εμένα είναι ο δρόμος για έναν χαμένο λαό.

Η δικαιοσύνη συγκίνησε τον μεγάλο μου Δημιουργό

Η Θεία Δύναμη με έκανε,

την Υπέρτατη Σοφία και την Πρωταρχική Αγάπη.

Πριν από εμένα δεν δημιουργήθηκε τίποτα άλλο

τίποτα, αλλά το αιώνιο και εγώ διαρκώ αιώνια.

Εγκαταλείψτε κάθε ελπίδα, εσείς που εισέρχεστε εδώ»."

Rapture reared back in shock, "Th-that... that is the inscription on the Gates of Hell, right ?... in Dante's Inferno ?"
Serenity grimaced, "Looks like Dante took a little inspiration from the Gates of Orpheus"
Riptide turned to Serenity, his eyes blazing with anger, "Serenity, did we just bring my little brother to fucking HELL ?!"

Serenity patted Riptide on the back, "Don't worry. This is nothing like Hell..."
Riptide sighed in relief
".. It's worse"
"WHAT ?!"
"But... I will personally guarantee that no harm comes to your little brother"
"I'll hold you to that"
"I would expect no less"

With that Serenity turned to the Gates and ,raising two fingers on his left hand to the Heavens, and pointing two fingers on his right hand downward, spoke in a grim voice,

"Ω Πρωτότοκος του Κάου. O Μεγάλος Αιώνιος του Παλαιού (O Firstborn of Kaos. O Great Eternal of Old)

Αφήστε τα δεσμά σας, γιατί έρχεται το τέλος. Έρχεται ο εγγονός σου (Release thy bindings, for the end doth come. Thy grandson cometh)

Στο όνομα του πατέρα μου, του Άδη, και στο όνομα της αδερφής σου, της Γαίας (In the name of my father, Hades, and in the name of your sister, Gaia)

Κάνε στην άκρη (Step aside)

For a moment, all was silent

Then with a deep, thunderous rumble and a pneumatic hiss, the Gates slowly began to open