Tartarus had been true to his promise. How many days had it been now since he last slept? How many more since being able to eat something? He didn't know and by this point truly didn't care. He just wanted to close his eyes for a least a minute but these godsdamn monsters keep showing up! One by one, group by group, they all showed up. Their mouths watered and eyes glistened at the prospect of killing Percy Jackson. He had sent them here, ended their hopes of killing demigods and laying waste on the mortal world. They wanted revenge against him and by Tartarus, they would do everything they could to do so.
It wasn't so easy to kill a son of Poseidon, however. Especially one that has defeated Titans before. Even on the verge of collapsing onto the ground in pure exhaustion, he still killed anything that dared stand in his path. One by one, group by group, it didn't matter how many, they all died by his hand.
His luck was running out though. His mind and body couldn't keep this up much longer. His muscles were weakening due to no food or water. His eyes were starting to play tricks on him, making him see things and people that weren't really there. How was he so sure of that? Well, the people that he was seeing he knew to be dead. Their faces appeared from the shadows, their mouths moving as if speaking but he couldn't hear them. Every time he tried to get a good look at them and try to hear what they were saying, they weren't in his sight anymore. Zoë, Bianca, Micheal Yew, and Beckendorf were just some of the faces he recognized but there were more. Plenty more.
Continuing to walk, he noticed a small opening against a rocky cliff. Getting closer to inspect it, he noticed it wasn't anything crazy. Just a small hole in the cliff that he could barely squeeze into. It was dark enough, however, to potentially hide him though it was extremely risky. He was sure monsters were hot on his trail but he needed to rest. He needed to take this chance because it might be his only one. Taking it, he scanned his surroundings but sensing nothing, he squeezed himself in. He was barely able to but he managed. His back and neck were at a weird angle but that didn't matter to him. Just being able to stop and rest his legs for a moment was pure bliss to him.
The air was silent except for his breathing. It was weird to not hear any noise down in this place. Monsters were always screaming and fighting, their yells carrying for miles in the caverns of the pit. For some reason though, all was quiet which unnerved him. Something was about to happen soon. He could feel it. What would it be next? A Cyclops? A Hellhound? An Empousa? Maybe something was chasing him that he'd never seen before. Tartarus was after all an eternal pit of darkness that festered with all types of monsters and deities. There was bound to be something down here that the surface world had never seen before. What if he fell asleep and they found him? He wouldn't have a chance to fight back and probably be eaten alive. Tartarus said though that he was sending his minions after him. What if he had ordered them to capture him instead of kill? He'd be tortured for all eternity down here, never to see the light of day again.
Feeling his heart beat out of his chest and the ever-so-pitch blackness closing in around him, he felt as if he were having a panic attack. He wanted to get out of this hole! It wasn't safe! Nowhere was safe! He needed to keep moving or he was going to die!
"You're already dead. You just don't know it yet." A voice that sounded exactly like Tartarus's said right up against his ear. He could even feel the disturbance of air around it, causing him almost to scream as he desperately crawled out of the hole. Breathing heavily, he jumped to his feet with Riptide ready in his hand. The glow of his blade offered some view inside the opening he had just been in, allowing him to see that nothing was in there. Putting his hands on his knees, he let out a shuddering anxiety-filled huff of air as he tried to quell his racing heart.
"There's nothing there. There's nothing." He repeated to himself, calming down somewhat. He knew what was happening. His mind was beginning to slip. No rest, food, or water would do that to a man. He was seeing things down here that no mortal should ever witness. Dead friends watching him in the corner of his eyes, whispers that drove you mad, and pain that not even Gods could tolerate. It was all beginning to take its toll. Eyeing the opening in the cliff, he realized not even his thoughts were safe. He managed to cause himself a panic attack all because he was in a tiny, pitch-black hole.
Against his better judgment, he decided that he wouldn't be staying in this particular spot any longer. It might've been safe for the moment but he just couldn't do it. He couldn't stay in such a small, black space like that. It would just make his thoughts run rampant and cause him to suffer another panic attack. Capping Riptide, he continued his trek through the pit, ignoring all the warning signs in his body to stop. His head felt as if it were about to be split open due to his senses being on overdrive for the past…well, he didn't really know how long it's been down here. Time was practically nonexistent down here. What might be a minute up on the surface could be twenty years down here and vice-versa. The thought of that brought goosebumps to his skin. What if he were to escape this place only to find that it's been a hundred years?! Everyone he ever knew and loved would be dead by then except his father. What would he do then?
"It would've all been for nothing. You'd be better off killing yourself so you'd be able to see them again."
The voice was right. That would probably be what he did if that were the case. He didn't think he could bear suffering the world alone. No, not after what he's been through. He needed his mother. He needed Annabeth.
"Time is already up. They're already gone. It's too late. You should kill yourself now so you can see them."
Aaaaand that's where he stops listening to his thoughts. No use in listening to that while he was stuck in the eternal pit of doom. He already has misery and despair on his shoulders thank you very much. The last thing he needed was to let go of hope, something he learnt never to do. Hestia's kind smile appeared in his head, causing a soft warmth to flow through his veins. He was sure that it was just his imagination but he'd like to think that even down here her power was helping him.
"Thanks, Hestia." He softly smiled. He knew she wouldn't be able to hear his voice. It was just nice to talk to someone besides being in his ever-darkening thoughts all the time.
Walking for another couple of miles, killing a few stray monsters along the way, he stopped for a moment to rest on a rocky boulder. Leaning his back on the sharp edges, he tried his best to ignore the pain and iron out a few kinks that had formed in his muscles. Sighing to himself, he looked upward at the foggy "sky". He couldn't keep this up for much longer. Sooner or later his body will shut down on him. Once that happened, he was sure the monsters would find him. He needed a place to rest and something to eat. His body was practically eating itself now for the nutrients it needed. The Phlegethon could only do so much for the human body.
Resting for a few more minutes, he began to hear a slight roar off in the distance. It wasn't uncommon to hear such a thing down here but for some reason, it threw the son of Poseidon off. He thought he almost recognized it? Being as still as a statue he waited to hear it again and soon enough he did. The roar, despite being miles away, was still powerful enough to carry across the valleys of Tartarus. Whatever monster was doing that was surely a dangerous one. His brain told him to not worry about it and carry on. He couldn't dare hope to fight a monster like that in his current state. His instincts, however, were telling him differently. It was telling him to walk toward the roar.
He knew he should probably listen to his brain but his instincts were something he always trusted. What demigod would he be if he didn't listen to it? With that, he picked himself up and began his trek to the origin of the noise. He was careful to not make any noise along the way. The slightest shift of rocks or the sound of cracking glass would be enough to tip off any keen monster. He was gripping his sword tightly, ready for anything that might happen. As he got closer, the hair on the back of his neck was starting to stand straight, alerting him that something wasn't right. The roar of the monster had stopped but he didn't dare think it had run away. It was in the shadows, waiting for him to make a mistake.
Hearing some noise coming from the direction to his right, he steadily made his way over to it, careful not to make a peep. Sheathing Riptide to not let off any light, he crept through the shadows, trying to figure out exactly what that sound was. Noticing a faint light flickering in the darkness, he kneeled behind some rocks and tried to get a better look. What he saw laid out before him filled his heart with joy yet apprehension.
"Damasen's hut!" He exclaimed, ecstatic to finally find a familiar sight since falling back down here. He couldn't believe he had actually found it. Maybe the giant was still here and he could help him out! He could finally get some food and rest! Something he desperately needed. Quickly, however, his joy at finding the hut was turning into fear. Something was off. He couldn't see or hear Damasen at all which was surprising considering he's a twenty-foot giant.
Zoning in on the flickering light once his eyesight adjusted, he almost let out a gasp as he realized what it was. It was a torch, being held by some sort of greyish, black humanoid creature he had never seen before. There were four of them, all adorning black metal armor and crude-looking swords and axes. They spoke in a horrific language that he couldn't understand but it sounded like they were arguing about something judging by the loud tone.
Beginning to back away, he realized he needed to get out of here. He hated not being able to take advantage of Damasen's hut but he didn't know what these creatures were. He didn't know their power or what their vulnerabilities were. He was far too weak to fight them and find out. Before he could turn around, however, he noticed the torch's light illuminate a bigger creature in the middle of the group. It had ropes fastened around it and a metal clamp around its snout. That's when Percy realized what monster's roar he had heard earlier and why it had stopped. It was the Maeonian Drakon, the very one Damasen had fought for years before finally befriending it. Without the both of them, he and Annabeth wouldn't have been able to escape Tartarus the first time.
The monster seemed too tired to struggle out of the ropes it was tied to presumably by the unknown creatures. It did, however, seem to notice Percy in the shadows, its slit eyes and sharp nose recognizing him. The son of Poseidon cursed himself for the situation he put himself in. Now he couldn't just leave. He owed it to this Drakon to free it after what it did to help him back then. How though? He was far too weak to take on all four of the monsters at once. Hades, he could barely even stand straight without feeling sick.
By the grace of the Gods somehow, it seemed he would have his answer as the creatures made their way into Damasen's hut, leaving the Drakon outside unguarded. They seemed confident in the confines they had placed upon it. A fatal mistake they would soon learn. Deciding he might not have another shot at this, Percy sneakily made his way over to the monster, careful not to step on any glass shards or slippery rocks that'd give himself away. Feeling his heart be out of his chest, he slowly walked up to the beast who raised its head slightly at the sight of its presence. Releasing the clamp around its mouth, the son of Poseidon wasn't worried about getting bitten and allowed the Drakon to smell his hand, hoping that it would recognize his scent.
It immediately did thankfully, its serpent-like tongue licking his hand once in a silent greeting. It seemed it did remember meeting him in Tartarus the first time he was here. Now that introductions were in order, the demigod went to work untying the ropes as quickly as he could.
"Damn, they're too tight!" He whispered annoyed. Bringing out Riptide, the Drakon let out a deep, low rumble as it eyed the sword warily. "I know, sorry. It's the only way though."
Working his way around every side, cutting the ropes with his sword, he was almost done in just a minute. To both the demigod and monster's dismay, however, the four creatures were beginning to walk back outside. They were conversing loudly, all having mugs of some type of liquid in their hands. Percy groaned to himself as he watched them get closer from behind the Drakon's large head. The beast growled at the sight of its captors but a running hand on its head made it stay still. Its large slit eyes looked up to the demigod who was shaking his head no.
"I need to cut the last rope. When they get closer, kill them." Percy whispered before hiding behind the large body of the monster and crawling to its last leg that was still confined. Grunting in strain, he went to work hoping that the creatures wouldn't spot him before he could cut the rope. He could hear their footsteps approaching, their voices practically right on top of him. It seemed they didn't notice the cut ropes around the Drakon's body, probably because whatever it was that they were drinking got them in a drunken state. The son of Poseidon bit the inside of his cheek in annoyance as he continued to try to cut the last rope but he was having trouble. It was unrelenting to his blade no matter how much pressure he put on it.
Feeling his heart race as he heard the creatures begin to walk around his side, he realized he might have to actually fight them. There wasn't almost any time left! Cutting with fever, he could only watch in horror as one of the creatures rounded the Drakon's leg, spotting him in the process. The two stared at one another for a moment, not knowing what to do. Time slowed as the green-eyed demigod watched the humanoid creature drop its mug and grab its large axe.
"Shara glob!" The creature screamed out in its horrific language, alerting the others to the demigod's presence. At that moment, out of sheer luck, Percy managed to cut the rope and watched in relief as it fell to the ground. The grey humanoid seemed to finally notice what he had been doing. Its eyes widened in horror as they looked upward at the monster that rose up from the ground, sending a shockwave of a roar into the air that sent them flying on their backs. Immediately the Drakon went on the attack, snatching one of the fallen humanoids with its sharp fangs before eating it whole. Two others had attempted to try to run away but no one could outrun that beast. Percy watched in satisfaction as the Drakon chased after them in the dead woods, hearing their horrified echoed screams as they were eaten alive.
Only the one that had caught the son of Poseidon remained now. Its eyes were full of terror at the prospect of being eaten by the monster but seeing it run after its friends eased its worry somewhat. It seemed to think it might have the chance to kill the demigod before the large beast came back. Percy quickly realized the predicament he was in. Seeing that the Drakon had chased off after the other two, that meant he was all alone with this one to deal with. Lifting his sword quickly, he didn't see the metal boot flying at his face in time, sending him flying backward.
He wished he could've cut the rope sooner. Freeing the Drakon was to let him not have to fight these guys. He couldn't do it in his current state. His body was failing him due to the lack of food and sleep. He hadn't even had a drink from the Phlegethon in quite some time, causing his lungs to begin to hurt and skin to blister. Watching with swayed vision as the creature approached him with its weapon raised, he decided to let his instincts take over. He couldn't worry about that stuff right now. All he needed to be concerned about was staying alive.
Grunting in pain, he slowly got to his feet, his head spinning heavily. Raising the bronze blade, he sloppily blocked an overhead attack, the clash of their two weapons sending sparks flying throughout the darkened setting. Sending a right hook into the creature's face, Percy realized soon enough that was a bad idea as the monster was armored head to toe. It was too late, however, as he watched his hand make contact with the metal. Despite his weakened state, it seemed he still had enough power left to send the humanoid's helmet flying off its head. His punch did, however, break his hand.
Quickly, he was repaid in kind with the blunt end of an axe into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Doubling over, he only had a split second to spin out of the way as the sharp end of the axe came swinging down, barely missing his neck. Sending his elbow into the creature's jaw in the process, he watched in disgust as saliva and black blood came flying out of its mouth. Angered, the creature threw its weapon at Percy, making him move out of the way. Tripping on a rock, his breath hitched as he watched the humanoid dive at him, tackling him to the ground. The two rolled in the swampy mud as they tried to gain the advantage over the other.
By now, the son of Poseidon had all the adrenaline he could muster racing throughout his veins. This monster, whatever it was, was stronger than him. Its black claws were cutting deep into his skin as they rolled around, making him scream out in pain. Out of breath, Percy had no strength left to keep the creature off of him. Settling on top of the demigod, the humanoid grabbed Percy's neck and squeezed with all its strength. Choking, Percy somehow managed to slap its hands away before he passed out and sent an uppercut into its jaw. It wasn't enough though to make it get off of him, only angering it further. Getting close to his face, the monster yelled a mighty war cry, showing its mashed, bloody teeth that could easily rip his arms off. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Percy tried to reach for Riptide but it was just out of his reach. It had been battered away when he had been tackled to the ground.
With pure adrenaline and fear racing inside him, the son of Poseidon did the only thing he could think of. He let his basic human instinct of survival take hold of him. Raising his head, he bared his own teeth outward before sinking them into the monster's neck. He bit as hard as he could, ignoring all the black blood that was spilling into his mouth before tearing out its jugular. The creature cried out in pain, desperately clutching its neck as Percy pushed it off of him.
Breathing heavily with blood from both him and the monster spilling out of his mouth, he pushed the creature off of him and stood up. Picking up Riptide, he stood over the monster that was just barely holding onto life. Its eyes looked upward at him, pleading for mercy. The last thing that creature ever saw would be a black silhouette with menacing glowing green eyes mercilessly staring back.
Pulling Riptide out of the monster's head that gushed black blood, Percy heard some shuffling of branches in front of him. Quickly scanning for more enemies, he instead found the Drakon he had free looking at him with a look that he could've sworn to be fear. That couldn't have been the case though. There was no way that a beast as gruesome as that would be afraid of him.
"Thanks for letting me have the last one. Really appreciate that." He said sarcastically to the friendly monster who licked its fangs in response. Rolling his eyes, he walked toward Damasen's hut and stepped inside. Looking around, he was surprised to see that everything was in the exact same place as the first time he was here. There was still dry jerky from the meat of the very Drakon he had saved hanging on lines and river water from the Phlegethon stored in jugs. His stomach growled at the sight of the meat and water, despite them both barely being edible but he didn't care.
He dug in without a second thought, ignoring the black blood from the creature he had killed on his lips and hands. Before long, his stomach was full for the first time in what felt like forever. Feeling exhaustion catching up with him and nausea from food coma, he barely made it to the very large bed Damasen had made before passing out on a pillow the size of his body.
A/N- Just a quick author's note in case you guys haven't figured it out yet. The monsters that Percy was fighting that looked humanoid are in fact orcs. I wanted to introduce a different type of monster that Percy will have to fight for some time while in Tartarus. Obviously, I will expand the information about orcs and their roles in the next chapter. I just wanted to clear that up because I know that I kept using words such as "Humanoid" and "Creature" to describe them and that might've confused you all. I used those words to describe them only because Percy doesn't know what they are at the moment.
"Shara glob!" = "Human Filth" in Black Speech
Thanks for reading and see you in the next one!
-SLEEPWALKER-