A/N: I guess I forgot to say this chapter one but I'll update every other week as I'm alternating between this one and Immortalized. By the way if you like this then please go check out Immortalized, I think you'll like it if you haven't read it yet. Anyways here comes some fun.

Percy would have thought that being in Tartarus would have tempered his heroic spirit. He assumed the grueling, grinding effort of surviving the nightmares of the pit would break anyone. That was not the case. And so, it became his mission to hunt down the most dangerous of monsters in the hopes that they wouldn't make it to the surface to kill any of his demigod brethren. Which eventually led him to a cavernous entrance into a cliff face in the 'Dark Lands' as they were aptly called. The manticore was right about two things when he spilled the beans on this place. He would never stop being a hero, and it would be the death of him. The red hue of Tartarus was all but extinct in this part of the realm. He had to rely on his home-made torch to light the way. How did he make a torch in Tartarus you might ask? Copious amounts of elbow grease. He held the torch before him as he crossed the threshold. A cold blast of wind buffeted him and nearly extinguished his torch. This was going to be...pleasant. Percy pressed on, torch in one hand and Riptide in the other. The torch light barely reached the top of the cave and illuminated the walls. As he walked, Percy noticed strange carvings and paintings along the walls. What they used for paint and why they got into such a creative mood, Percy did not want to know. As he progressed, the images became more detailed, depicting gruesome scenes of bloody sacrifices and spiritual beings. He began to wonder if he was going to regret this. Eventually, he spotted light at the end of the tunnel and continued onward. Upon reaching the opening, Percy peaked his head in.

Large was a way to describe the room he found himself in. Massive would be more accurate. The domed roof towered overhead. Chandeliers hung from the roof; candles lit to provide adequate lighting for the space below. Rows upon rows of carved stone benches lead down to the center of the room separated by four sets of stairs splitting the room in quarters. In the middle was a raised dais and a form laid down on its side curled upon itself. Percy's eyes roamed the room, looking for any indications of a trap. This whole thing was literally orchestrated. However, he felt a familiarity with the figure on the dais and wanted to investigate. If they were someone he knew, he needed to help them. He stepped out of the tunnel and into the vast room. His eyes wondered over the room, looking for any signs of an imminent attack. It took several minutes before he climbed down the steps, rounded the dais and climbed a new short set of steps up the platform.

Laid down on her side was a young girl, maybe in the early teens. Her hands were bound by thick bronze chains behind her back and her legs clamped by bronze shackles attached by chains to a bronze plate in the center. As Percy approached, he could make out her thick auburn hair and silver garment under the filth that coated her body. Percy froze as realization flashed through his mind. What was she doing here? Why would they bring her here? She was bruised and with more than a few cuts across what skin he could see. So she was captured not killed and reformed. Percy kneeled down next to the restrained girl. He placed the torch down and gently shook her shoulder.

The girl flinched, rocking forward as she tried to put distance between herself and Percy. She turned her head, startling silver met sea green eyes. "Get away from me!" Artemis shouted, fear clinging to her like a vice.

Percy held his hands up, dropping Riptide as well. "Lady Artemis, it's okay. It's me, Percy."

The goddess calmed down as her eyes wondered over Percy's form in surprise. "Perseus," she breathed out. "You're-you're alive?"

"Alive and kicking," Percy quipped. He examined the shackles holding down the goddess.

"But," Artemis began, realization dawning on her. "If you're here. That means..." Percy nodded. The goddess closed her eyes and swallowed thickly. She opened them and stared at Percy with her signature cold determination. "Release me." He picked up Riptide and broke the shackles holding her legs and wrists in quick succession. Artemis rolled into her rear, rubbing at her wrists. "Thank you, Perseus."

"What are you doing down here?" Percy asked, his eyes scanned over the room that he now associates with an amphitheater. He couldn't see anyone, but he had a bad feeling.

Artemis scowled and turned away from him. "I was ambushed" she answered curtly, clearly embarrassed at being caught again. Taking in her surroundings, she took a deep breath and began a coughing fit.

Percy, unsure of what to do, patted and rubbed her back gently. "It'll take a while for your lungs to get use to the air here," he told her as she straightened out. "We need to reach the River Phlegethon. She will help you adjust faster." Artemis turned to face the demigod, her body felt weak and feeble. She looked him up and down before quirking an eyebrow at his attire. Noticing her quizzical stare, Percy merely shrugged. "There's not exactly clothing stores in Tartarus."

His instincts faired at him to move. He shoved Artemis to the ground and rolled away. A great sword slicing through the space he had occupied. Percy rose to find a being in golden armor smile menacingly at him. "Hyperion? I thought Tartarus sucked you up?"

Hyperion snarled at the demigod. "Yes. Tartarus released me to hunt you down." He lunged forward, attempting to skewer the hero.

"Why didn't he just send a giant?" Percy asked as he exchanged blows with the titan. "They're definitely more threatening than you morons"

"The vermin have been slow to reform as of late, " Hyperion growled as he tried to press through Percy's guard. The demigod managed to roll away, putting himself between the titan and goddess. "Those half-breeds are nothing without mother's backing"

Percy smirked. "Well then, I guess you should thank me for getting you out."

"Yes, I will," Hyperion said with glee. "By killing you." Percy's eyes widened as he dodged to the side. Hyperion's sword cleaved into the stone. Percy backpedaled quickly. As expected, Hyperion followed the demigod, leaving the struggling goddess alone. Percy blocked a strike and knocked the sword away. He kicked at the titan's side, staggering him.

Hyperion snarled before releasing a blast of fire all around him. Percy conjured a wall of water to shield himself from the flames. Artemis shouted in surprise as she scrambled out of the way. She tried to stand; her limbs failed her. "Why-why am I so weak?"

"Because this is your first trip in Tartarus love," a man appeared next to her, dressed in an immaculate suit. His face would have been handsome, if not for the multitude of scars covering his face. "Your immortal body must adapt to this torturous world." He pulled a knife from within his suit. He grasped Artemis by the collar of her parka and yanked her to her feet, holding the knife to her throat. "Oh, Perseus?" he sung. Percy diverted a strike before he looked to see Prometheus holding Artemis at knife point. Artemis struggled against the titan to no avail. "Do drop the sword, wouldn't want the precious maiden to be hurt, would you?"

Percy stood still, contemplating his options. Artemis was effectively crippled; he was outnumbered and outmaneuvered. How could he have been so stupid. "What guarantee do I have you won't just kill her outright?" he asked, keeping Hyperion in his vision.

Prometheus shrugged. "Killing her isn't of much use to us. Maybe she can take Atlas' place under the Sky again. He seemed to have enjoyed watching her struggle." Artemis looked at the titan in disgust before he grabbed her hair and forced her to look ahead. He dropped the sword, the bronze blade clamored against the stone floor, his spear following shortly after. Hyperion grabbed Percy by the scruff of his neck and slammed him face first into the ground. Artemis screamed out as Prometheus dropped her. "Do be careful uncle. We need him alive...for now."

Hyperion rolled his eyes. "I won't kill him. Doesn't mean I can't have my fun." He picked the demigod up and kneed him in the gut. Percy spat out spittle and blood before falling to the floor. Hyperion flipped him over and landed thunderous punches upon the son of Poseidon.

Artemis watched in fear as the Titan of Light pummeled the demigod into the ground. She cursed her body's inability to move. She cursed her lack of awareness that got her captured. Hyperion threw Percy to the ground, stomping on his chest. Percy tried to fight back. Tried. He was unable to physically match the titan's brutal strength. It was all her fault. Guilt rose up within her at the realization. If she hadn't hunted solo. If she had been more careful. "Why are you doing this?" Artemis asked in confusion. "Tartarus is no friend to you titans."

Prometheus seemed to contemplate before answering. "You are correct. Tartarus has always looked down on us, the superior beings. However, we have machinations of our own."

An armored fist collided with Percy's face, crumbling to the demigod unto the floor of the amphitheater. His face bloody, his body beaten and broken. Hyperion stood over the defeated demigod. A sneer marred his face as he observed the broken hero. "Is this it?" he snarled, pulling his great sword from the ground. "Is this all you can conjure Hero of Olympus." He grabbed Percy's hair and hoisted him to his knees.

Percy coughed as he was sat upright, blood splattered on the ground. Despite his rapidly swelling face, Percy had the audacity to smirk. "What's the matter Hyperion?" he wheezed, every breath like a death rattle. "Did you not enjoy your time as a tree?" Riptide laid forgotten on the other side of the platform.

Hyperion growled as he raised his sword, burning hatred flowed through his blazing eyes. A hand grasped his arm, preventing him from swinging. "Enough," Prometheus ordered. "We need him alive." Percy's eyes fell at that. He had hoped his suffering would end but it seemed Fate had other plans.

Hyperion frowned but lowered his blade all the same. "This better work, Prometheus," he told his nephew.

"It will work, uncle," the titan of foresight placated Hyperion. "Now, let us get started." He pulled several pages from within his suit.

"What are you doing?" Artemis questioned; desperation layered in her tone. She coughed heavily as she tried to adjust to the harsh atmosphere of Tartarus. Prometheus began chanting in a language none of them recognized.

Hyperion turned to the goddess. "Oh, don't worry moon goddess. You'll see soon enough," he answered her before smirking. "We appreciate you being complicit in this moment. Without you as bait, we would have never been able to capture young Perseus here." Artemis' eyes widened as she watched Prometheus hand Hyperion a knife, still chanting his strange tongue. Hyperion took the wicked knife and grabbed a fist full of Percy's hair, yanking his head back. Percy stared defiantly at the titan. "I'm going to enjoy this, boy." He began sliding the knife across Percy's throat. The sharp blade cut deep, stifling Percy's protests into naught but a gurgle. A golden glow began to pour out of Percy. His eyes, his nose, his mouth, his wounds, all began to seep a golden hue as Prometheus began chanting louder and louder.

Artemis looked on horrified. They couldn't, could they? She didn't know, but she had to stop this. She failed young Perseus by letting herself be captured and used as bait, she would not allow the Hero of Olympus to be used in such a way. Artemis mustered her strength and threw herself at Prometheus as he reached his crescendo. The titan squawked as the goddess toppled his, drawing another knife from within his coat. She stood on shaky legs, kicking the titan of foresight as she did so. She brandished her stolen knife at Hyperion who grinned wickedly. "You will not take him," Artemis claimed, her voice not nearly as assertive and powerful as she wished.

Hyperion smiled before the golden light from Percy's broken body began to glow brighter. Prometheus shouted in surprise. "No, we must finish the ritual, we-" The cavernous room was bathed in golden light.