Here it is chapter one.
Percy woke from his sleep, his stomach churned, he felt sick, he was about to do the most important thing in his life so far, something he has been training to complete for about 7 years, since he attempted this once before when he was 12, but he knows that the trials will be different this time, so he didn't know what to prepare for. The scars from his last attempt still remain, they remind him of how he failed before, he uses them as his own weapons to push forward, to complete this trial once and for all. Every single day he spent training was leading to this day, this was the day.
Percy slid out of bed and headed to get food, he got his favorite breakfast out, but as he looked at the food it looked unappetizing, in fact it made him even more sick to his stomach, the thought of eating anything made him almost vomit. He scrambled out of his seat, the weight of the world felt like it was on his shoulders. It's like the entire universe was looking at him, judging him. Percy struggled to get his clothes on. As he finished getting dressed he put his ring on his finger, and then put his trusty dagger "Pistós" or Faithful into his boot.
He went to the bathroom to freshen up, he brushed his hair out of his eyes and stared at himself in the mirror, he looked like he was in a rough state, he barely had any sleep from the night before. He was trying to sleep the entire night. Percy sighed as he turned away from the mirror. It was time, no backing down now. Would this be his last time in the underworld? Will he ever see his friends again? His plan is to come back eventually, he needs to come back, he made a promise that he would get justice for those wrongfully put in the Fields of Punishment or Fields of Asphodel, he didn't make it to anyone directly, but he felt if he doesn't right the wrongs then he has failed.
As Percy left his father's home he set off to the river Styx, there he would take a boat to the location of the start of his trials. He paced himself, partly because he didn't want to tire himself out, but mostly because he was scared of what he was about to do. Percy walked lost in his thoughts, wrapping his head about what was about to happen.
There is a series of 3 trials, the last time Percy did the trials he barely made it to the second trial before he failed. Today Percy was hell bent on completing all 3 trials. He walked on and on, until finally he arrived at the river Styx, he didn't even realize he had arrived until he heard a familiar voice speak to him.
"You should be careful Perseus." The voice spoke, it had a British accent to it. "If you don't pay attention you could kill yourself."
Percy snapped out his thoughts as he heard that voice, he looked at the ground and saw he was one step away from going into the river, "Now that would have been really bad." Percy thought to himself.
"I assume you are here to complete the trials." The voice said softly.
Percy looked back up at the voice, the man speaking was wrapped in black tattered robe, the man was no human, but instead was a skeleton, his eyes are empty, full of death and despair, the man was standing in a boat staring at Percy. He placed a small smile towards the demigod.
"Charon." Percy spoke. "You are right in your assumption." He returned the smile as he climbed upon the vessel of the dead.
"If you complete these trials I compel you to ask Hades about my raise." Charon said as he set the boat onwards.
"Remember the last time I asked him about that?" Percy chuckled as he looked over the side of the boat. "Besides, do you really need a raise?"
"Oh believe me, I do." Charon stated.
"Well anyways let's just get there and I'll think about talking to him." Percy smirked. "I wish I knew the way myself, so you can do your job."
"I'm sorry Perseus but you cannot know the way, no one knows the way." Charon spoke, and as if that was a que Percy immediately fell unconscious falling to the floor of the boat. Charon gave a little chuckle to himself and continued steering the boat down the river Styx.
Percy stood on the ground, he was standing on grass, he noticed many trees, Percy looked around, he was in a forest by the looks of it. Though something caught his eye, there were white particles falling to the ground. It was cold here Percy thought to himself, he wasn't used to being cold. He was always in the heat of the Underworld.
Percy started to wander a bit, he saw a large castle looking structure in the distance, the white particles seemed to be picking up, along with the wind, the cold was starting to get to Percy, he was shivering frantically. He started to rub his hands together and breathe on them, trying to warm his hands up.
Percy heard a noise and immediately hid behind a tree. His heart started pumping faster, he felt an overwhelming presence from someone he heard, Percy started to warm up from the adrenaline rush he had. He could overhear people speaking, 2 male voices. "General, our trap is set, the demigods are coming right to us." One of the men spoke, he had a more smooth voice.
"Soon I will be permanently free." spoke the other man, the voice alone Percy could imagine he was a massive man, it was rough and coarse. "And after that our master will be free, and the Gods will be erased."
"Everything is going exactly as we suspected." The first man said. "Now I must get back to the school or else the two children will be suspicious."
"I must also return to my post, these weaklings aren't the right fit for my job." The big man spoke.
"Before we depart." The first man started. "I have a gift from our benefactors in the Underworld." Percy peaked his head around the corner and saw a tall slender man, with two different colored eyes handing off a medium sized bag off to this massive man.
All of the sudden they both stopped, Percy froze. "Someone is here, watching as we speak." The large man spoke.
Percy's legs felt like they were turning to jelly, he couldn't move them no matter how hard he tried. It's like his legs were frozen in place. As Percy looked up from focusing on his legs he saw the massive man standing in front of him. The man grabbed Percy by the neck, his entire hand fitting around Percy's Neck.
"Well who do we have here?" The man spoke.
"I…" Percy struggled to speak under the shear grip of the man in front of him. As Percy squirmed and fought trying to escape it was all useless. Percy couldn't breathe he started to give up, then suddenly his eyes rolled back into his head and everything faded to blackness.
Percy burst upwards from the ground to his feet, he looked around and noticed he was back on the boat he was before, it had stopped. Percy put his hands to his neck, it was reddened and sore, panic ran throughout Percy, did he really see that man? Was that real? Was it a dream? He had so many questions, but he didn't have the time to ask them. What he had to do now was complete the trials. Percy looked around, he saw the emotionless expression of Charon, and saw a door sitting alone on the shore. He hopped off the boat onto the land.
The man in the vision or whatever it was of Percy's, that was all he could think of, the massive man, the presence he emitted, the bag that was passed onto him… "Benefactor from the Underworld" that part really struck Percy. Was there a spy in Hades' army? What was really going on here, if the man called the General wasn't the master who was? All of these thoughts and questions raced through Percy's head, he couldn't stop thinking about all of them as he made his way towards the stand alone door, no walls near just a frame and the door. Percy cursed under his breath as he stood in front of the door, this was it. He was about to start his first trial, the only problem, his mind wasn't in the game, too many thoughts ran throughout his head that he wasn't at his best, Percy distinctly remembers his father telling him to be at his best, but he wasn't.
Percy reached his hand forward and touched the doorknob. As he rested his hand on the knob for a moment purple energy shot from where his hand rested, the energy flowed all around the door. The purple glow had a mysterious chaotic energy to it, almost as if it was on fire. The magical energy produced four symbols onto the door, the first one is two swords crossed, the second was a flag, the third being what seems like a golden drachma, and the final symbol was a hand reaching out. None of these symbols meant anything to Percy.
Percy started to turn the handle, as he did, he was blinded by a painfully bright white light, he kept blinking his eyes for a few seconds all he saw was white. Suddenly he was no longer in the Underworld. He was in an unfamiliar place. The world around him seemed to shift in his every movement, the ground was white barrier intertwined with black specs, it seems the place also had a ceiling and walls, for the sky was same as the ground, and as far as Percy could see so where the "walls"
Percy slowly started walking around, the world he was in was filled with magic, of what kind he was unsure of, while he was walking the world he was in seemed to move with him, the walls never seemed to grow more distant or closer, as he continued he noticed 3 monstrous forms materialize. As they fully formed they started circling him, he was their target. 3 Hellhounds is what was surrounding him, he prepared himself, he thought himself ready for anything as he quickly looked around at all of the Hellhounds.
And then out of nowhere they all started running at him in perfect unison. "KLEOS!" Percy shouted, but it was a little too late. One of the Hellhounds' fangs went into his left arm, the pain brought him to his knees. He screamed in agony. His sword materialized and he swung it at the Hellhound lodged in his arm that stopped his armor from forming there.
In one swift strike the monster evaporated to nothingness. Percy, still in pain, rose to his feet, the other two Hellhounds had struck him, but luckily they grazed off his armor. He started walking in a circle hanging his left arm to the side, he was eying the remaining two Hellhounds when they both charged again in unison, this time Percy suspected it. Percy ducked down from one of the leaps of the hound, he struck his Stygian Iron blade upwards into the beast that flew over him, soon it was nothing. The other had clawed at his armor, it scraped his armor and sent him stumbling backwards from the blow of the Hellhound. Percy regained his footing and looked at the last hellhound, he smiled in anticipation. And just as he had thought, the beast charged once more, the Hellhound was closing in on Percy, as it pounced forward, Percy lunged forward thrusting his sword right into the center of its head, it immediately evaporated.
Percy stood straight up and brushed off his armor, there was nothing on the armor but he did it anyway. "Kleos." Percy whispered, as his armor and weapon disappeared, he then proceeded to rip one of his sleeves off of his shirt, he wrapped his bloody arm, wincing at the pain. He cursed under his breath gritting his teeth. After he had finished wrapping his arm he extended it trying to stretch it, but only caused more pain.
He continued to move forward; he wasn't even sure if that was his first trial. As he was walking, in front of him erupted black and white energy, materializing right before his eyes was a massive man, its chest and above were that of a bull, it seemed to be missing one horn, it had a nose ring hanging from its nostrils. Its bottom half was that of a human, Percy immediately recognized what it was.
"This'll be interesting." Percy muttered to himself, he extended his right arm and spoke. "Kleos!" As he said that stygian iron started to encase Percy in darkness, the cold touch relieved him, letting him know he was at least protected, his sword formed in his hand, it was a double edged stygian iron xiphos appeared, he stared at the beast before him, he slowly readied himself for its charge. He was taught all about monsters from his father and uncle, and he has trained against many, he knows most of their weaknesses.
The Minotaur nostrils flared, it stomped its right foot twice, its eyes… Its eyes were not normal, they swirled with black and white energy, the same as everything around him. It distracted Percy as the Minotaur charged forward, he was caught off guard and the Minotaur slammed its head into him, sending Percy flying backwards 15 feet, he groaned in pain, his sword not in his hands and he clutched his chest, it burned, everything burned.
Percy managed to scramble to his feet, his chest in immense pain, he saw the Minotaur was preparing yet another charge, this time he was ready. It started running, faster than humanly possible, it was running straight towards him. He managed to roll out of the way at the perfect time managing not to get run down once more. He scanned the ground for his sword, it had somehow slid across the ground 20 or so feet away. Percy looked at the Minotaur and back at his sword, he took a run, running straight for his weapon.
The Minotaur was smart though, it was also running towards where his weapon was, as Percy reached the sword he looked back and saw a fist slam into his helmet. He was sent back to the ground, his helmet was knocked off and slid across the ground. Percy's back was on fire, the pain was so immense, he wanted to scream in pain but he was winded, he was just trying to breathe, he tried to focus himself, he looked at the massive monster standing above him. It picked him up by his chest plate, it raised him above its head looking up into his eyes. It readied its fist pulling it back with intent to kill.
Percy's mind raced, was this it? Was he really going to end his trials dead? Was this how his end was? Percy thought hard as he saw the Minotaur's nostrils flare up once more, this was his end. Or was it? An idea sparked in Percy's mind, "think outside the box." he told himself.
"Kleos." Percy managed to say, his armor faded into the void, and he fell to the ground, the Minotaur confused as he was no longer in its hand, Percy grabbed Pistós from his boot and slashed at the Minotaur's leg, it grunted in pain as it fell to its knee. It made a grab for Percy with its right hand, but he barely managed to dodge the massive arm flying at him.
Percy quickly ran behind the mighty beast, he jumped and put his arms around its massive neck, he was off the ground with it being on just a knee, he took his dagger and drove it into the beast's neck, it immediately turned to black and white dust, "interesting." Percy thought to himself, his dagger was made of Celestial Bronze and when they kill monsters it turns them to gold dust, but the Minotaur didn't turn into gold dust.
As the adrenaline wore off from fighting the Minotaur, Percy clutched his chest again, he felt close to vomiting from the pain, he was in no shape to fight anything else. His chest, back, and his left arm were all burning in pain. Percy pushed onwards through the pain, he didn't know where he was going but it seemed it didn't matter where as the challenges came from anywhere he was facing.
He was right, in front of him materialized yet another enemy. It was a shadowy figure, he could tell what it was from how far the figure was away, it was wearing full plated hoplite armor similar to what Percy's armor is. "Kleos." Percy whispered once more. His armor and weapon appeared again for one more fight. As Percy stepped forward, so did his opponent.
Percy raised his weapon preparing to fight, and as he did the shadowy figure burst forward moving way to fast for Percy's eyes to follow, soon the man was just out of sword range, what Percy saw took him off guard, the armor was identical to what he was wearing, the sword the exact same, its stance, the way it held itself, everything was identical. Percy put his sword out and started to circle his replica. As he started to move around it the figure did the same exact thing, it was following his every move. Percy knew this was going to be no easy fight.
"What are you?" Percy asked, he was holding in his pain, he would show no weakness.
"I am you." The figure spoke, it didn't seem real, it was made of pure shadows, almost as if it didn't exist and it was a play in Percy's mind.
Percy danced forward in a flurry of quick attacks, but his replica was faster, it blocked every attack faster then Percy could strike. Percy took a step back, the replica did as well, they both stared intently at each other. "Can I beat him?" Percy thought to himself.
Percy stepped back in, he faked a lunge, but quickly stepped to the side to jump and attacked the shadowy figure. The only problem was, it was faster, and it knew everything Percy was doing, it blocked his attack in an extremely fast blade movement, it then kicked Percy to the ground and circled him.
"You cannot possibly fight me." The replica started, "I am everything you are but better, I do everything you do but faster." It stopped in front of Percy's view looking down on him. Percy managed to get back to his feet and looked at the shadowy figure.
"There has to be a way." Percy thought, he stepped inwards, the shadow did the exact same thing, Percy quickly stepped back, the shadow followed. Percy circled once more, the shadow proceeded to circle him. Percy closed his eyes, he thought, and he thought hard. "Here I go." Percy sighed, he quickly faster then he has ever done before stepped forward lunging in and thrusting his sword forward, it was blocked, Percy hopped to the left his eyes tightly shut, he swung a few swings and where he assumed the figure was, every swing he took was met with the blade of his enemy, no attack he threw landed. They were all blocked the moment he swung.
Percy stumbled back, he took a deep breath, he was getting tired, he felt helpless, there was absolutely nothing he could do to fight this perpetuator. Percy started to take a few steps backwards to regain his thoughts and his cool, as he did the shadowy figure did the exact same, it started to step backwards as well.
A thought crossed Percy's mind, "You do everything I do but faster?" Percy asked with a new found curiosity.
"Faster, yes, better definitely." The replica spoke, "Anything you try and do I will counter."
"Good." Percy spoke, he turned around facing away from his replica. He started to walk away. As he walked away he took a look back, he caught the eye of his shadowy clone doing the exact same thing, it seemed to have a glint of a smile implemented into its deformed mouth. Percy looked back to where he was going, everything seemed to be going well. His injuries still caused him pain but they were feeling a bit better at least, he was sweating like crazy, and he was definitely exhausted.
"I can't do this much longer." Percy said to himself under his breath. As he walked onwards his armor felt heavy on his back, his sword also seemed to grow heavier, whatever was ahead he didn't like the feeling of. "Kleos" Percy said, he was back down to his ripped t-shirt, jeans, and his favorite pair of boots. Percy pushed forward, he was tired, and he wasn't sure much more of this he could take.
Out of nowhere all around him creatures were being formed, and in front of Percy a woman formed as well. "Perseus Jackson." The woman spoke in a soft, smooth voice. "I have been waiting for you, I knew you would make it here."
"Who are you?" Percy spoke scanning the sheer amount of skeletons that have risen from the ground, there were at least 100.
"I am the Silent Mother." She said, "I have been sent here to destroy you."
"None of this is real." Percy spoke. "I've seen it for myself, so you destroying me wont work."
"Are those scars not real?" The Silent Mother asked. "Is the pain you feel now not real? Do you understand the power of magic?"
"I saw it in the Minotaur's eyes." Percy said. He was having his doubts, but he needed to stall for time, for he needed to come up with a plan, and he needed to do so as fast as possible, there was no way he could hold off this many skeletons and whoever the Silent Mother was.
"The trials are conjurations, yes, but everything is real in its own way." She smiled as she walked closer. "My dear, the power flowing through this very floor is unimaginable." Percy could now see her face, she was petite, her face was that of a goddess, she had flowing black hair, and she was dressed in a purple robe that reached the floor.
Percy just looked at her and back at the skeletons. He didn't have any plan, so the only thing he could do now was fight, he had to fight. Percy sprung forward towards the Silent Mother, she drifted away her legs motionless, and in her place two skeletons stepped in to protect her, Percy quickly took his dagger and stabbed the first skeleton while sidestepping the other skeletons swing, the skeleton he stabbed faded to dust.
Percy lunged forward towards the second skeleton dodging an attack from another skeleton coming at him, he jabbed his dagger into the ribs of the second skeleton reducing it to dust as well. He switched his dagger to his left arm, it was in pain but he had a kick of adrenaline and he couldn't feel the pain anymore, he was numb everywhere but it didn't bother him. "Kleos!" He shouted as he was swinging his right arm like he was holding a sword, the xiphos appeared in his hand just in time to cut down another skeleton. He started to dance between blows, trying to land some of his own but he was quickly getting surrounded, it was going to be a lost cause if he didn't act soon.
Percy was trying to make his way towards the Silent Mother, slashing through the skeletons on his way. "Oh Perseus, you certainly are persistent." The Silent Mother started to speak. "But you still have so much to learn, unfortunately for you, you do not have the luxury to live any longer." As she finished she reached her hand out and Percy felt a force push him to his knees, the skeletons seemed to stop all around him.
"What is this?" Percy said struggling to move, it's like every part of his body turned to solid stone, he could only move his head.
"Oh don't worry about it, Perseus darling." She said, "No one will remember you." A sword started to form in her hand, it was longer than most swords Percy was used to seeing, it was bright gold, with a purple glow to it. She slowly walked towards Percy, he struggled some more still unable to move. "Don't worry I'll make this a quick death."
As she walked towards Percy, all he could think of was his fathers last words to him. "Oh and never forget, be patient, your life will depend on that." It played over and over again. Percy just waited as she walked closer, he looked down at his ring, it was swelling with magic around it. Something about it. As he examined the ring while she came closer, he noticed a glowing inscription on it. The inscription read "entolḗ." command.
The Silent Mother lifted the sword getting ready to swing. "Entolḗ!" Percy shouted in a demanding voice. As soon as he said that all of the skeleton started walking to him, they were moving towards the Silent Mother. She looked around at all of them in disbelief, they all had their weapons drawn ready to strike. She started to back away to get away from them, the magical hold on Percy faded.
"No!" She screamed. "This isn't possible!" She then turned around and quickly hurried away, as she was running she vanished away in a small explosion of black and white. Percy wasn't sure if she had died or just escaped.
Percy stood back up, all of the remaining skeletons were looking at him, where their eye sockets would be a purple flame identical to the flame in Hades' eyes lay burning. "Leave!" Percy commanded. "Return back to the Underworld." As he said that they all started fading away into white and black dust similar to the Minotaur.
Percy looked around, he was all alone now. The pain in his arm started back up. He started walking again, usually when he started walking something happened. As he walked a door appeared before him, the same one that he entered through. As Percy touched the handle his whole world turned white. When the light died down he noticed he was in the back of a car. He had never seen one in real life, just in images shown to him by his father, there was no color in the images so he always imagined the colors.
He looked who was driving and it was a skeleton, probably one of Hades'. Percy looked outside the car, lots of the white particles he saw in his vision were falling, and the ground was white this time. He saw no grass or anything, just pure white, even the green trees were covered in white. Percy had no idea what it was.
"Ah you are awake." The skeleton driver said.