•as the world caves in•

•lots is learned•

The Furies circled the palace.

The outer walls were black and the bronze gates stood wide open.

We walked in and there in the courtyard was a garden. It had several plants, and strange statues like the ones from Medusa.

"The Garden of Persephone," I said. I noticed Percy eyeing the pomegranate trees. "Keep walking."

We kept walking up the stairs into the house of Hades. There wasn't a ceiling, unless you counted the top of the cavern.

Every door was guarded by a skeleton of some sort, all from different eras. Some wore Greek armor, others were redcoats, and some looked like American World War Two soldiers.

They didn't bother us, but their empty eye sockets followed us.

At the end of the hall were the biggest set of doors, where two U.S Marines stood guard who grinned at us.

"You know," Grover mumbled, "I bet Hades doesn't have trouble with door to door salesmen."

"Well, guys," Percy said. "I suppose we should...knock?"

A hot wind blew down the hall and the doors swung open, the guard stepped aside.

We walked in and I took another look at Hades.

He was pale, his hair was jet black and reached his shoulders with a crown of braided gold. He was at least ten feet tall, but wasn't as bulky as Ares, yet he radiated power.

Hades's reminded me of a certain someone from World War Two, who was definitely on the wrong side of history.

"You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon," Hades finally said. "After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply very foolish."

Percy walked forward. "Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests."

Hades leaned forward. "Only two requests? Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken enough. Speak, then. It amuses me not to strike you dead yet."

Percy said nothing, so I poked his back.

"Lord Hades," Percy finally said. "Look, sir, there can't be a war among the gods. It would be...bad."

"Really bad," Grover added.

"Return Zeus's master bolt to me. Please, sir. Let me carry it to Olympus."

Hades's eyes grew bright. "You dare keep up this pretense, after what you have done?"

I was confused. What had Percy done?

"Um...Uncle, you keep saying 'after what you've done.' What exactly have I done?"

The throne room shook and debris fell from the cavern. Doors opened along the walls and warriors marched in. They blocked all our exits.

"Do you think I want war, godling?"

"You are the Lord of the Dead. A war would expand your kingdom, right?"

"A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Did you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel Fields?"

"Well..."

"Have yoy any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in this past century alone, how many subdivisions I've had to open? More security ghouls, traffic problems at the judgement pavilion. Double over time for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson. I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!"

"Charon wants a pay raise,"

That idiot.

"Don't get me started at Charon! He's been impossible ever since he discovered Italian suits! Problems everywhere, and I've got to handle them personally! The commute time alone from the palace to the gates is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving. No, godling. I need no help getting subjects! I did not ask for this war."