Percy Jackson AU: Hell Born

Logically Percy knew that the closer to the doors he got the more monsters he would see, Nico told them as much. Gaea's forces were waiting to pass through the doors to the surface, and the worst of which were guarding the door.

As Percy walks he considers the rivers, he could only remember the name of two, the Styx and Lethe. He hoped to encounter neither, whilst the Achilles curse would be a blessing in this place, he is unsure if his mothers blessing carries over, and if it did, if the Styx would be willing to regift it to him. And Lethe while he could control and use it against enemies, the stress of making sure he stays dry isn't something he would like to endure again.

Percy halted in his stride, voices were coming from ahead. He crept forwards, sticking close to the riverbed, there were spots here he could hide behind if needed. Once he is close enough to hear their conversation he darts behind a rock. The river is so close to him that the flames lick his ankles. He hisses at the heat but keeps quiet. He hopes that the sulfurous air will dilute his demigod smell. But with his luck Percy doubts it will do much.

"Soon?" one of them asked in a raspy voice, as if she'd been gargling in the fire water.

"Oh my gods!" said another voice. This one sounded much younger and much more human, like a teenaged mortal girl getting exasperated with her friends at the mall. For some reason, she sounded familiar to Percy.

"You guys are totally annoying! I told you, it's like three days from here."

"I wonder," said a third voice, gravelly and ancient like the first, "if perhaps you do not know the way, young one."

"Oh, shut your fang hole, Serephone," said the mall girl. "When's the last time you escaped to the mortal world? I was there a couple of years ago. I know the way! Besides, I understand what we're facing up there. You don't have a clue!"

"The Earth Mother did not make you boss!" shrieked a fourth voice.

More hissing, scuffling, and feral moans—like giant alley cats fighting. At last the one called Serephone yelled, "Enough!"

The scuffling died down.

"We will follow for now," Serephone said. "But if you do not lead us well, if we find you have lied about the summons of Gaea—"

"I don't lie!" snapped the mall girl. "Believe me, I've got a good reason to get into this battle. I have some enemies to devour, and you'll feast on the blood of heroes. Just leave one special morsel for me—the one named Percy Jackson."

Oh shit, Percy groans mentally. Of course his luck would have him encounter a monster who had a grudge against him.

"Believe me," said the mall girl. "Gaea has called us, and we're going to have so much fun. Before this war is over, mortals and demigods will tremble at the sound of my name—Kelli!"

Empousai, Percy thinks. Of all the monsters he killed over the years these were arguably one of the worst.

They slowly shuffle off, the same way he intended on going. Their misnamed legs making a scrap, clump noise as they went.

I might as well follow them, he thinks. Keeping his distance he followed them down stream.

—the surface—

Annabeth wished she had her dagger. It had fallen into the pit with Arachne. She had that dagger since she was seven, and now without it she felt vulnerable. Leo had promised to make her a new one with some of the scraps he had, but with everything going on it's slow going.

In the meantime she busied herself with research. It was the only way she could distract herself. Every-time she had downtime her thoughts drifted to Percy. Percy who was alone, and in Tartarus. Surrounded by countless monsters. And she hadn't been there for him. She was stuck in the loading bay with Leo, helping to secure her mothers statue. She had cursed her mother when she realized what happened.

They had heard the screams but not the words. And she couldn't see past the parthenos. She figured the floor must be caving in further, and they were panicking over getting the statue to safety. But once it was secure they had returned to the ship deck to four grim faces.

And no Percy in sight.

"Where is Percy?" She demanded, she had an idea but she couldn't accept that.

Nico spoke, the kid was sickly looking, his skin faded to a green hue, there was deep bags under his eyes, clothing hung off of his malnourished figure.

"He fell. I tried. But he fell" Nico whispered tears still falling, a sob following after. Hazel envelops Nico in a hug, which he allows.

"He fell? Fell where?" Annabeth asks already knowing the answer.

"To Tartarus." Hazel responds in Nico's stead.

No, please no, Annabeth thinks. Her eyes start watering. Despair settles in her stomach weighing her down. I can't loose him, not again.

"How did this happen? Why didn't you guys do anything?" Annabeth cries.

"We wanted to help, but if we let go of everything, the statue could have fallen crashing through the floor taking everyone with it." Frank speaks up next.

"I had sensed it, the ground under Percy's feet about to collapse. I tried to warn him but it was too late. Nico was the only one on the ground still but there is only so much he could have done, Percy was already fifteen feet down." Hazel explains.

Annabeth slowly sinks onto a seat. And reflects of her first quest with Percy. "there was nothing to do. That far down the pull of the pit would have been too much. Anyone who flew down there would have been sucked in too." A tear slide down her face and she stiffles a sob.

"How is he supposed to survive?" Leo asks, voice weak, voicing the silent question among them. Percy had gotten along well with him after they got over the shooting camp Jupiter fiasco. Their humor in the worst situations a great bonding point.

Nico spoke up again, having composed himself. "Percy is the strongest demigod I know, no offense to any of you, but if anyone could survive down there, it would be him. He will find a way and we will be there on this side of the doors to welcome him back." The surety in his voice brought Annabeth some hope. Nico was right. Percy was powerful, and immensely talented at getting out of deadly circumstances.

"Well then where to?" Leo asked, a determined look settled in his eyes.

"To the House of Hades. In Epirus." Nico responded.

And here she was now a week later. Locked up in her room, pouring through books about the statue trying to figure out what she was to do with it to prevent war between the Greeks and the Romans.

Hazel had met with Hecate and was taking them on some obscure path. She had briefly told Annabeth that Hecate had showed her different paths, and the one Hazel had chosen will see Percy out alive. But Hazel refused to elaborate what she saw in the vision that had her so spooked.

Nico has slowly regain strength and looked less likely to die on the spot. He usually stayed up on the eagles nest keeping an eye out. But his presence has been a huge help on the quest. Everyday he checks in with Annabeth letting her know Percy is still alive. He refused to speak of the pit, and as much as she wanted to push for more information she didn't. He had already been through enough.

Piper sometimes came to check on her, bringing food, or telling Annabeth that it was time for their watch shift. Those shifts Piper would let Annabeth borrow her dagger. But she ought to pressure Leo to make her one soon. She knew he was just as obsessed with figuring out how the statue works.

It was as she headed into the kitchen that Leo and Jason returned, supplies on hand that the dwarfs had stolen. Leo told them how he had trapped the dwarfs and that a god in Venice is missing a book. He handed her a dagger that he had found amongst their loot pile.

"I sent them off to stall and in general terrorize the Roman's that are marching on camp." Leo explains.

"That is genius, it might just save us enough time to heal this rift." Annabeth compliments

*****

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