Percy's POV ~ Escape

We have been running for what feels like an eternity, our bodies pushed to the brink of exhaustion. Annabeth's once bright and determined eyes are now dark and hollow, refusing to even glance in my direction. But survival is all that matters in this place, and thanks to Bob, we may actually have a chance. As we approach the doors, it becomes clear that it's time to formulate a plan. But my usuall reliance on using Annabeths mind is failing me, leaving me to rely on my own instincts as I take in Annabeth's despondency. This place has taken its toll on her much more than me.

"Are you certain the monsters won't see us, Bob?" I ask, desperate for reassurance.

"Yes, Percy friend. The death mist will conceal you. Just stay close," Bob replies calmly.

We inch closer to the doors, with the monsters parting ways for the titan among us. Hyperion and Krios stand guard at the doors, their conversation filled with talk of betrayal and patricide. Bob shifts uncomfortably, clearly regretting his involvement in such treacherous acts. Just as I am about to slice one of the chains holding the doors shut, I hear one of the Titans boast about being the true rulers and how they can't wait to leave this "stinking pit". And then it happens.

A deafening roar erupts from within the doors as the Titan brothers are obliterated before our eyes. The death mist dissipates around me as I realize we could be seen now.

"STINKING PIT EH"

The air in Tartarus became suffocating, thick with malice and despair. The darkness split open, and from its depths, he emerged—Tartarus himself. My heart slammed against my chest, my hands trembling uncontrollably. Riptide slipped from my grip, clattering uselessly to the ground. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. For the first time, my courage failed me.

"Get to the elevator!" Bob's voice boomed through the void, fierce and commanding. He charged at Tartarus, his silver eyes blazing with determination, spear raised high. Even as he fought the primordial force, I stood frozen, staring at the embodiment of torment and damnation itself. How was I supposed to fight that?

I snapped out of my daze when I felt a tug on my arm. Annabeth. Her stormy gray eyes locked onto mine, and I saw something—a spark I hadn't seen since we fell into this hellhole. I grabbed her hand, and we turned toward the elevator, "You go, I'll hold the doo…' but before we could move, the ground shook violently beneath us.

A deafening roar echoed through the abyss, and I saw the monsters at the rear of the horde scattering, fleeing for their lives. I didn't know why but what I did know was that Tartarus had just shattered Bob's spear with a single swipe. The impact rang out like a thunderclap. Tartarus raised his hand, ready to finish Bob off.

'No.' I thought as rage seethed within me.

I felt something deep inside me, something primal and furious. It roared in my chest, surging up like an ocean ready to break free. Instinctively, I reached out with my senses, feeling the rivers of the Underworld flowing through Tartarus. They resisted me, pulling away like I wasn't worthy, but I pushed back. Hard. I could feel the ancient and powerful Naiads recoil at the action. They're his blood, I thought savagely as I wrestled with the rivers. My will clashed with theirs, but I refused to back down.

Finally, they bent to me.

I screamed, and the very ground shook beneath us. The rivers—Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon, Styx, and Lethe—answered my call. The son of the Earthshaker will shake Tartarus to his knees.

I hurled them at Tartarus. Acheron, the river of woe, wrapped him in sorrow so deep it suffocated. Cocytus drenched him in grief, drowning him in misery. Phlegethon's flames roared to life, scorching his form. Styx, the river of unbreakable oaths, struck him with a force that cracked even his ancient essence. Lethe clouded his mind, weakening him, erasing memories so ancient they predated most of creation.

Tartarus staggered. He wasn't beaten, but he was hurt.

That was when Damasen appeared, his massive form charging at Tartarus. The giant collided with him, and for a moment, I dared to hope. Bob, broken spear in hand, pushed himself to his feet and limped towards us,. I had bought us time, but not much.

"You must leave now, friends." Bob said sadly, but a smile was upon his face, shining like a million stars on a cloudless night.

"We won't leave you!" Annabeth and I yelled together. We couldn't leave him. Not Bob.

"You must, friends," Bob said softly, his eyes filled with something… peaceful. He planted the broken spear into the ground and raised his hand to stop us from arguing.

"Tell the stars hello," Bob said, a sad smile on his face as he gently nudged me into the elevator beside Annabeth. He pressed the button, and the doors slid shut.

"No!" I yelled, slamming my fists against the doors, but it was too late. The elevator ascended, carrying us away from Bob, from Tartarus, from the battle.

Annabeth was sobbing beside me, her whole body shaking. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words stuck in my throat. I squeezed her hand tightly, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

We were leaving behind the only friend who had sacrificed everything to get us out of that hell.

Jason POV:

Something was wrong. After everything Annabeth and Percy had been through in Tartarus, after we'd spent days fearing they'd never make it back, I expected them to be wrecked—traumatized, scarred, haunted by what they'd seen. I didn't expect this.

They weren't together anymore. They couldn't even look at each other.

I'd seen a lot of things since becoming a demigod, but this… this felt different. Piper had immediately taken to Annabeth, supporting her, and leaving Percy on his own. And while I trusted Piper more than anyone, I didn't like how she'd been treating him. There was something off in the way she backed Annabeth, almost as if she couldn't see Percy was hurting too. I didn't know Percy that well, but I knew one thing for sure: he was a damn hero. A good guy. And whatever had happened in Tartarus, he didn't deserve to be isolated like this.

I spotted Percy sitting by himself, staring off into the distance, and decided I couldn't just stand by anymore. I didn't have a plan, but I wasn't going to wait for one to magically appear. As I approached him, I noticed Nico standing nearby, watching him with that same thoughtful look Nico always had when something was eating at him.

"He needs us," I said quietly, my voice breaking the silence between us. "You're the only one besides Annabeth who can understand what it was like down there. And we're both the only ones here who know what it's like to be a child of the Big Three. We have to help him… right?"

Nico didn't respond right away. His dark eyes followed Percy's every move, like he was seeing something the rest of us couldn't. Finally, he nodded slowly, his voice low. "I've never seen him like this. The others? Hazel and Frank worship him. They can't see the pain, the weakness—because to them, Percy's more like a god than a man." He paused, shaking his head. "Annabeth and Piper… they seem to forget that Annabeth wasn't the only one who went down there." He shot me a glance. "No offense."

"None taken," I replied. Nico had a point. I'd been noticing it too, the way everyone was focused on Annabeth like she was the only one who suffered. But I'd seen Percy's face when they came back. There was something dark in his eyes, something broken. He wasn't just "changed," he was… haunted.

"I've talked to Annabeth," I continued, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. "All she says is that Percy changed down there. That he did bad things. But… yeah, isn't that kind of expected? They went to literal hell. Of course it messes you up."

Nico's gaze stayed fixed on Percy, who was still sitting alone, seemingly unaware of the world around him. "They're all waiting for him to bounce back, to be the same guy who always pulls through." Nico shook his head. "But they don't understand. He's not just a hero anymore. Tartarus changes you."

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Nico's words. "I haven't worked up the courage to talk to him yet," I admitted. "But the longer we wait… the worse it's going to get. He's already slipping away."

Nico looked at me, his expression set with grim determination. "Let's go then."

I nodded, taking a deep breath as we walked over to where Percy sat. I wasn't sure what I was going to say, but I knew one thing: we couldn't leave him alone any longer.

Percy's POV:

Jason and Nico sat down next to me without saying a word, their presence heavy but… not uncomfortable. We stayed like that for a while, maybe ten minutes, maybe more, just sitting in silence. I didn't mind. I didn't have much to say anyway, not that anyone really wanted to hear it.

Finally, Jason broke the quiet.

"You wanna talk?" he asked, his voice low, careful. "I know we don't know each other well, but… I'd like to think you'd help me if I went through something like this."

I kept my gaze fixed on the horizon. "Nico did."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nico shrug, leaning back on his hands. "Yeah, I did," he said flatly. "And I know how important it is to talk about it, so… talk, you idiot. And I'll do the same."

That got me to smile, just a little. Leave it to Nico to cut through the bullshit.

I took a deep breath, staring at the ground as the memories flooded back. "In Tartarus," I began slowly, "I fought Akhlys. Goddess of Misery, Poison, and Tears." The name itself felt like venom on my tongue. "She was going to drown Annabeth and me in her poison… kill us both slowly."

Nico and Jason stayed quiet, listening. I continued, the words spilling out like I was reliving it all over again. "I… I used her own poison against her. I grabbed her and drowned her in it. Then I threw her into the abyss. I didn't stop when Annabeth begged me to."

I paused, remembering Annabeth's horrified expression, her voice pleading with me to stop. "Afterward, Annabeth tried to make me promise never to go that far again. But I couldn't. I won't. I won't let the people I love die if there's something I can do to stop it."

Jason shifted beside me, looking confused, but didn't say anything yet.

"Then she called me a monster," I said, my voice breaking a little. "She said I enjoyed it… watching Akhlys suffer. She even brought up how Nyx let us go—how we were given the 'VIP' tour. Said it was more proof that something's wrong with me. That she can't trust me anymore. She doesn't… feel safe with me." I trailed off, the last words coming out like a confession.

Nico snorted. "Bullshit."

I blinked, surprised by the bluntness in his voice.

Jason frowned, clearly thinking it through. "So she wants you to let her die next time? Is she saying she wouldn't do anything and everything to save you?" He shook his head. "I don't get it. I'd do anything to save Piper, my sister, anyone I love."

A weight I didn't even realize I'd been carrying lifted a little. "I thought I was going crazy," I admitted, my voice shaky. "I almost started to believe her."

"You're not crazy," Nico said firmly. "I don't think you did anything wrong, Percy. But promise me something."

I looked at him warily. "What?"

"Next time, come to us. Don't just shoulder it alone," Nico said, his expression softening. "We have to be there for each other. People don't understand what it's like. What it takes sometimes to keep everyone alive, the sacrifices you have to make. But we do."

Jason nodded. "Yeah, man. Don't go through this by yourself. You've got us."

I stared at them both, the lump in my throat getting bigger. For a moment, I couldn't say anything, but then I nodded. "Okay. I'll come to you guys. Promise."

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I wasn't alone in this after all.