❦

The Taxi pulled up outside DOA Recording Studios and the kids piled out. Annabeth handed the taxi driver a wad of cash, and they spun off, almost like they were nervous.

"This is it guys," Grover said.

(Y/N) felt something drop to the pit of her stomach and she chewed on her lip. After the constant battling and searching, the exhaustion had finally hit her.

Another wave of nausea washed over her and she struggled to push the discomfort away. Her cheeks were flushed heavily and her eyes stung with an irritating itch. Her knees were trembling a little, jittering with the occasional spasm when she walked.

(Y/N) was trying to hide how drained she actually felt because she didn't want to let her friends down. This was important to everyone, and she couldn't give up now.

"It's closed..." Percy murmured, rubbing his eyelids with the back of his hands.

Annabeth cursed under breath and did that weird thing where she ran her fingers over her eyes.

Percy shifted into his jacket pocket and pulled out riptide. He uncapped it and the celestial bronze sprung to life, gleaming in the sunshine. He slid it across the lock and the door sprung open, almost taking him off his feet.

A waft of cold air tickled her neck and (Y/N) swallowed her dread.

"Alrighty," Annabeth said drily as they discreetly walked inside.

The room was dark and cold, despite it still being daylight outside.

A weird chattering noise filled the room like bones smacking agaisnt each other.

Something brushed (Y/N)'s leg and she looked down. A thick fog was covering the floor, almost as if they'd walked into an indoor cemetery. Percy didn't seem fazed and (Y/N) figured it was because he'd been here before.

"Jeez..." (Y/N) muttered breathlessly, the hairs on her neck prickling.

Percy glanced back at her with concern. She couldn't hold his gaze, knowing he would see right through her appearance. How could he blame her for being creeped out?

After all, they were going to the Underworld. Where the souls of the dead walked the Fields of Asphodel aimlessly for eternity.

They walked through the double doors and into what seemed to look like a normal receptionist room. A glass chandelier hung from the roof and lit up the room, spinning shadows across cream painted walls.

Disconcerted, blurry people cluttered the room, muttering and speaking. Their jaws moved and clattering, groaning machine-like noises escaped them. (Y/N) couldn't understand what they were saying, the dead spoke a different language to the living.

A tall man with blonde hair sat behind a reception desk, counting thick golden drachma. He turned to them when they entered and, a scornful smile spreading across his pale skin.

"Perseus Jackson..." his voice was harsh and he wore a pinstriped suit. It looked Italian and very expensive.

A silver sign was nailed to the wall under his desk and the words were carved into the silver followed by,

"I can't tell you how much I wished you'd become immortal or something so I'd never have to see you again," he said as he stood up and brushed the invisible lint off his pants.

"Gee thanks," Percy muttered dryly.

"But I appreciate you talking to the Boss. You like the new suit?" Charon announced as he walked around the desk and stood in full view.

(Y/N) stepped back a bit, intimidated by his height.

"It's nice," Percy mumbled.

Charon seemed afflicted with his inadequate complement and turned his gaze to Annabeth, then to Grover and then to(Y/N). She felt her legs tremble under his gaze, and she rubbed her arm awkwardly.

"" Charon said, pointing at (Y/N).

(Y/N)'s stomach dropped, and she felt like she was going to throw up.

"M-Me?"

He nodded, staring at her in awed bewilderment.

Percy looked back, puzzled by his expression and saw that (Y/N)'s eyes are racing in flushes of dusky green.

"How...interesting. I can't see....your soul..." he murmured.

That provoked the group's interest. (Y/N) couldn't even get a word out let alone comprehend what he was saying, she just had the overwhelming urge to run away and cry.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Annabeth said, her skin had paled significantly. Apparently she wasn't a fan of the Underworld either.

"—I'm assuming you'd like a ride to the Underworld to finish business with the Boss? It'll cost you," he completely ignored Annabeth, turning back towards Percy.

(Y/N)'s stomach churned outrageously and her knees buckled.

Grover caught her by the arm and steadied her, his eyes narrowing in worry. (Y/N) got back to her feet and waved off his concern with a weak smile.

Percy handed Charon the rest of their drachmas. A smile stretched across Charon's face and he snapped his fingers.

"Good. Now follow,"

The people waiting started to clicking and chattering again. Groans of protest resonated through the room as their sloppy movements got irritated.

The kids made quick work of following Charon out of the lobby.

They followed him down a path and into a slimy, fetid cave. Torches flickered against the walls, turbulent shadows danced on the walls and something bitter bawled and cried from across the chasm.

A small boat that looked like a handcrafted vagrant ferryboat was holding steady in the water. Every ripple on the waters polished surface would make it rock. The smell of rotten flesh and desecration wafted up (Y/N)'s nose and face wrinkled in disgust, holding back a surge of bile.

"The River Styx is still so polluted. I'll never understand why mortals have such distinguished dreams and wishes. They're just virulent little whims..." Charon said as they stepped onto the wobbling bridge and boarded the boat.

Immediately Charon's suit billowed like water and turned into thick, black robes that strangled his face and constricted his eyes from view.

The water was thick and churning, little bubbles of different materials sat on the surface of the water. Old computer games, bad movies, children toys and heaps of rotten food started to bob up and down in the water as the vessel's turbines churned.

(Y/N) felt a whimper reach her throat as she flinched away from the edge.

"It's okay, this is probably the scariest part," Percy whispered.

(Y/N) swayed, startled by his voice. She chewed on her lip and squeezed her eyes shut as the ferry hit another steep wave of black water.

Percy's hand rested on her shoulder, his fingers trembling and fidgeting agaisnt the fabric of her tee-shirt. (Y/N) practically melted into his touch, her nerves fraying.

A groan slipped past her, nausea building behind her eyes with each bobbing wave. They hit the side of a serrated reef, and (Y/N)'s stumbled into Percy. His sweaty palms caught (Y/N) by the arms before she fell. Her heart stuttered in her chest. He smelt like the ocean, and his presence was soothing enough to calm her apparent dread.

Charon's ferry floated along the River Styx on its way to the Walls of Erebos. (Y/N)'s was holding onto Percy's shoulders in an unforgiving grip, scared out of her body.

She knew if she went overboard, she'd die. The Styx wasn't just a river, it was the embodiment of the Goddess of Hatred. A firm believer in promises and oaths, and therefore rewarded for her loyalty to Zeus by becoming the agent of oaths which bound the Gods.

(Y/N) had heard stories about Greek heroes who'd sworn upon it and broken their promise to Styx. In short, they'd receieved a karma-filled gruesome death.

In ancient history, Achilles used the Styx to become invincible.

Since the river is so powerful, the person bathing in it has to pick one vulnerable spot on their body to make sure they are anchored to their human life, or else they will dissolve into the river.

The thought was sobering enough to snap (Y/N) from her trepidation.

They sailed across the River Styx and to the opposite shore. When the boat docks, (Y/N) made quick work of dragging Percy through all the muttering dead people and onto the shore.

Annabeth and Grover followed, Grover looking like he really wanted to throw up.

The feeling was mutual.

Still, she felt bad for Grover. He was a nature devotee and was searching for the god, Pan. Being in a place where nothing lived must have really sucked for him.

(Y/N) looked out across the bubbling darkness that surrounded the Underworld. The entrance looked exactly like an airport, apart from the hideous monsters and scary-looking skeleton guards.

On the shore, a three-headed dog stood guard. He was massive, with three breeds of heads standing on a neck, snakes and vipers curling around his legs, acting as feet.

"Souls must pass by Cerberus to get into the afterlife. Once they pass him, they can't leave," Annabeth explained, picking at some dirt on her arm.

(Y/N) swallowed, looking back at her friends for reassurance as they undeviatingly walked towards the gigantic three-headed Rottweiler.

"Does anyone have a bouncy ball?" Percy asked out of the blue, breaking the breathless silence.

(Y/N) looked back, bewildered and Annabeth couldn't help but smile.

"Cerberus enjoys playing tag. If we can distract him and run through the metal detectors. We'll be in the clear," Annabeth said as they edged closer.

(Y/N)'s hands gripped tighter on her backpack and she looked down at her shoes, scared half to death and still breathing.

"We don't have any balls I don't think," Percy said glumly.

"But we do have—" Grover stopped himself abruptly and a sheepish look came across his face.

Lava popped like a zit and spilt from underneath the marbled bridge. Annabeth screamed and dived out of the way.

"Have what Grover?" (Y/N) said, trying her best to ignore the heat from the lava.

The Satyr squirmed under her gaze, watching her eyes trail against his and down towards his beloved reed pipes. Her brain clicked into place like clockwork, and she frowned for a moment, letting the thought settle for a moment.

Would Grover really give up those reed pipes for an ugly, slobbery dog?

"You're a genius!" Annabeth exclaimed and the Satyr blushed furiously, watching her trample him and pluck the pipes from his hands.

Guess that question was answered.

"Thanks, Grover. Annabeth owes you some reed pipes," (Y/N) responded.

"Nice one Grover," Percy said and he smiled shyly, continuing their descent towards the gates of the Underworld.

They made their way up to customs and Cerberus snarled at their arrival. He must have remembered their scents because there was no way, his eyes were functioning with those gnarly scratches and milky pupils, it was a damned miracle.

Grover whimpered and ducked his head back between Percy's shoulders as Cerberus glowered. Slobber dribbled from its lips, mindlessly covering the dead as they moped around.

"What'd he say?" Annabeth whispered.

"He wants to eat us," Grover replied.

"Wonderful." (Y/N) murmured as they moved closer to the entrance.

The dog snarled and its paws crashed down on the ground once again, sending a wave of air rippling over the heroes. They stepped back uneasily, frightened by his hostility.

"We should run," Grover announced as Cerberus leant forward and chomped down on the place the heroes once were.

It roared in confusion as they bolted between its legs, it spun around so quickly that it sent them stumbling and Percy's hand latched around (Y/N)'s bicep so she didn't fly away like a kite.

"Anytime Annabeth!" (Y/N) yelled as the ran forward and covered the space between the dog and themselves.

(Y/N) jumped over a skeletons head as Grover and Percy railed the customs x-ray machine and booted a skeleton officer right in the chest. His head popped off his shoulders, and his little officer hat rolled across the wet ground. I felt sorry for the poor guy.

Cerberus growled, dragging his sharp paws agaisnt the floor, sending waves of hot air across the customs. He crushed a couple of dead souls under his claws, who once were free, stood up and started walking again like nothing had happened.

Cerberus snarled again, locking his teeth down on a skeleton, just barely missing Grover's legs.

Annabeth vaulted over a stand of toffee apples on a confectionary gantry and tossed the reed pipe like a baton.

Cerberus' eyes were caught in mid action and his black orbs widened, halting immediately from its destructive path. Its spun around and caught the tiny reed pipe between his teeth, tongue hanging playfully from his mouth.

This gave the heroes just enough time to make it through the Underworld customs and into the overflowing streets.

✞

"Once a spirit enters the Underworld, it enters the Pavilion, where three spirits judge them and put them in a certain place, according to their actions during life," Annabeth said as (Y/N)'s eyes trailed over the Judgement Pavilion. She couldn't recognise their faces, but they looked irritated and offended at humans strolling around in the Underworld.

It was strange to be learning so much about ancient Greek myths and life while they were on a deadly quest, but (Y/N) wasn't complaining.

They passed the Fields of Punishment and (Y/N) felt her stomach flip. The fields were created to brutally torture the souls of people who had done extreme wrongs in their lifetime. Tantalus was sitting in the middle of a lake, watching with rapt attention as a fruit tree grew further and further from his grasp.

They continued walking in the direction of Hades Palace by following traffic signs and asking random dead people on the streets. (Y/N) didn't blame the others for not remember the way, she figured it would have been pretty traumatic to almost be dragged into Tartarus.

They walked over another bridge and across a small patch of grey grass and in the distance there was an island shimmering with light. A brilliant gold gate stood in their path leading down a windy stretch of ardent road.

"Elysium..." Percy said breathlessly.

"The souls of those who had either died a hero's death or led a righteous life live in peace in Elysium forever," Annabeth said.

In the middle of the Valley of Elysium, there was a glittering blue lake, on which the Isles of the Blest sat.

(Y/N) was captivated by the lush grass, the fruit-bearing trees and the scintillating lake that centred the palaces. She wondered what kind of heroic acts you had to do to stay there when you passed on.

Elysium seemed to be the only happy part of the Underworld, and beyond its gates, she could see neighbourhoods of beautiful houses from every time period in history. Flowers of silver and gold bloomed on the lawns, the fields rippled in rainbow colours, and (Y/N) could hear laughter and smell pastries cooking from outside the gate

"C'mon we're wasting time," Annabeth grumbled as she turned her back on Elysium.

They continued walking through busy, crowded streets and abandoned alleyways. Grover accidentally bumped into a Confederate Sailor who had given their life for Ares. Or more preferably known as a zombie.

They passed another field with black grass and glassy trees. Thousands of mindless dead people waddled around, moaning and groaning in a language she didn't understand. On the way there, (Y/N) almost bumped into a little girl with thick ringlets for hair and dark skin. But she seemed to faze right through her, a bitter, warped expression on her face.

(Y/N) swallowed as a chilling feeling as it crept up her spine. There was a dark, gloomy pit, surrounded by a wall of bronze, and beyond that a three-fold layer of the night in the distance that seemed to call to her.

It appeared to glisten softly, coaxing her gently towards it. And then suddenly a metallic laugh ran shrill across her arms.

That voice...why was it so familiar to her?

"(Y/N)?" Percy asked as he followed her gaze towards the pit.

(Y/N)'s legs refused to move and the voice in her head was making her skin crawl. It sounded like knives on a chalkboard and screamed power and danger.

"Tartarus..." Grover whimpered.

(Y/N)'s heart spiked drastically, pounding away in her chest. Percy grabbed her shoulders and shook her, trying frantically to wipe the vacant look from her eyes.

"(Y/N) snap out of it. Don't listen to whatever they're saying,"

She knew who the voice was and where they were now. Tartarus was where the Gods imprisoned their enemies, chiefly, a titan named Kronos. She knows Kronos is there as well as any monster that is slain, and she can feel his presence, slow and unwinding. Like the hands of a clock.

"Kronos..." her voice seemed to betray her, flittering out useless hymns and abandoned words.

Percy's eyes widened and he started to shake her even harder than before. "(Y/N) please, snap out of it!"

The desperation in Percy's voice rang clear, and shattered her from her hypnotised stupour.

"W-What?" (Y/N) mumbled, feeling cold tears run rampant down her cheeks. She was so disorientated by the chilling sensation running across her skin that she hadn't noticed the tears that started to fall.

"Good, you're back," Annabeth didn't even seem fazed as she continued to march on towards Hades Palaces.

"What just happened?" (Y/N) mumbled as she blinked back her tears and stared into Percy's sea-green eyes. He ran a hand through his unruly hair and sighed, debating whether or not to take the time to explain.

"Don't worry about it. C'mon, we gotta go."

(Y/N) nodded silently and followed behind her friends, still trying desperately to gather the remnants of her sanity.

They raced up a small gravel hill trying not to trip over the jagged metal flowers and lava bubbles that dotted the gardens.

Hades Palace had a huge red gate engraved with images of death and destruction. The enormous palace seemed to be modelled after Mount Olympus, but twisted and inverted.

It was made of glittering black obsidian, with a black marble portico, and polished bronze floors. The palace was guarded by the skeletons of dead, soldiers from different wars that have been around the world. The place was huge, grand and scary as hell. Pun intended.

"Hades is quite eccentric...." (Y/N) noted as she stared at pictures of people getting burned at the stake.

They stood at the gate for a moment, staring up at the huge castle.

(Y/N) took a deep breath, and crossed the borderline.

❦