"Tartarus!" Annabeth squeaked, visibly shaking. Her usually intimidating demeanor had evaporated, replaced with that of a fearful toddler.
"Oh my g-g-gods." Nico breathed shakily, sizing up the huge being in front of them. It was made of smoky blackness, it's face a swirling vortex of dark, with gleaming, vengeful golden eyes. The demigods who had gone through Tartarus were shaking in terror, knowing that this monster could kill them easily.
It threw back it's head and laughed a cold, familiar laugh.
"T-t-that's not T-T-Tartarus." Percy said softly. His eyes gained a dark, pained look along with the sharp gleams of horror. "I know that voice, and those eyes."
"Hello, Percy. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Tartarus purred. "Since you destroyed me, I mean."
"What do you want Kronos?" Percy barked, holding his sword at the ready.
"Kronos?" Nico exclaimed. "But that's impossible. We destroyed him."
"Yes, you did. But Tartarus here took pity on me, and allowed me to posses his body for as long as it took to get my revenge on you puny, insignificant half-breeds." Tartarus hissed.
"N-no." Annabeth breathed, backing away. "This can't be happening."
"Go away!" Piper shrieked. Percy started to walk away, since her charmspeak had gotten really powerful, but Jason, who had grown used to his girlfriend's persuasive voice, stopped him.
Tartarus looked puzzled for a second, and took a step back, before shaking off the effects of Piper's words. "Not now dearest."
She paled, trembling.
"Since I am inhabiting a body of such power," Tartarus examined himself, "my own powers have been increased by a tenfold. I could destroy you easily, however, that would be quick, and you would just go to Eylsium, so that's quite a waste of all this strength."
Everyone drew their weapons as Tartarus, or Kronos, took another step forward. "So I've been working on a little curse just for you eight."
"How did you know we'd be here?" Nico shouted.
"I released those drakons you've been hunting, fool. I told Hades you would be the best for the job." Tartarus replied, sounding very pleased with himself. "No more questions. Let's get this show on the road." He pointed to the demigods' right, and a swirl of energy began to form. In mere seconds it was a crazy vortex of pure power, almost as tall as Tartarus himself. Dust and rocks were sucked into it, and the half-bloods had to fight it's insane pull of power with all their strength. Jason tried to at least calm the raging winds, but it did nothing. They were just too strong for him, too strong for any of them.
"I'm going to cast you into eternal torture." Tartarus growled. "Just like you did to me. You'll never age, never die, and you'll be stuck in a future where peace is just a happy dream. The fall of humanity."
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" Percy yelled over the noise of the furious winds. "YOU'RE NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH TO BANISH US INTO THE FUTURE!"
"With Tartarus's power as a back up, I'm powerful to do whatever I like. Now enough chit chat." Smoky black vines like the one that had caught Leo shot out of Tartarus's arms and ensnared a demigod, lifting them off the ground and holding them in front of the cackling swirl of energy. "You're about to go somewhere you can never return from."
"YOU'RE SCARED!" Annabeth suddenly shrieked.
Tartarus leaned in close to Annabeth, his eyes mere feet away from hers. "What."
"You don't trust your own curse!" Annabeth cried. "That's why you've given us no windows of escape, you don't trust it! You're scared of us getting out!"
Tartarus laughed. "Scared? You would hope so, wouldn't you, little demigod? The place I'm sending you is so dangerous, even if you had a chance to escape, you wouldn't be strong enough to even come close to seizing it!"
"Then how about you give us a chance? Surely it would not only prove you right, but I think it would be much more interesting." Annabeth continued. "After all, it would be quite amusing to watch your enemy fight for safety even though you know it's hopeless, not to mention it would be motivating to us."
Tartarus looked down, considering it. Every demigod was silently praying he would fall for Annabeth's bait, give them a single way of escape from his curse.
"Very well." He said finally. "If you can solve the conflict in this future, than I will allow you to return. Now, good bye demigods. See you never!"
With that, the shadowy vines flung the half-bloods into the swirling vortex, and they were gone.