Percy Jackson and the Saviors of Tartarus

Underworld: Part 1

1 Month Later, Percy's POV

It turned out that the plan for me in the Underworld was as follows: I would train with Atlanta, Bellerophon, Theseus, and Achilles, in that order, each for one month. At the end of the month, I would try to complete whatever task they had set out for me. If I completed it, then I would move onto the next person. If I failed, then I would train for another month.

Atlanta trained me on speed and agility. My time there was less than memorable, with me still adjusting to the murky underworld environment and Atlanta's dislike for men. She painfully reminded me of Zoë. I ran constantly during that month. In the beginning, I would end every day inhaling gulps of the gross air as if it was the most precious substance in the world. By the end, I was only be slightly out of breath. While my speed and agility came nowhere close to that of Atlanta, it did improve, my endurance jumped a surprising amount.

When it came to the last day of the month, Atlanta had me go through an obstacle course she had designed. Now, this wasn't one of those blow-up ones you see at little kids' birthday parties. This one was much more deadly, perfect for a demigod (note the sarcasm). In the course, my agility would be tested by dodging all of the obstacles, endurance by me being able to make it through the entire mile-long course, and speed would be tested by the large stone ball that was covered in a mixture of Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold spikes. It would be rolling behind me the entire time I was going. When I asked Atlanta if the ball would be deadly if it rolled over me, she just smirked evilly walked away. Atlanta prohibited me from using my powers and weapons, so I was only relying on my body's strength.

"Are you ready?" Atlanta called as she stood a safe distance away on a raised platform, her hand on a rope that would get the ball rolling (both literally and metaphorically). I could hear the excitement in her voice, torturing me had been the most fun she'd had in centuries. I wouldn't have been surprised if she wanted me to fail so she'd have another month to make me run countless laps around Hades's palace.

"Sure," I grumbled.

"Alright, in 3, 2-" she pulled the cord before she finished counting, and I began sprinting for my life. "Oops!" She called. The ball was easily twice my height, and the only reason that the spikes didn't immediately plunge into the ground driven by the immense weight of the ball was a spell placed on them by Hecate. The ball began to gain speed, so I was forced to as well. I kept my eyes locked in front of me, refusing to look back, watching the course. Just as I was wondering why there had not yet been any obstacles, a bar shot out from the wall right at head level, only two feet away. Still sprinting at top speed, I ducked just in time. My head got so close to the bar that a few of my wild hairs brushed it. I was just sighing in relief when I fell flat on my face. I turned behind me to see a clump of dirt that was slightly raised from the ground that I'd tripped over. I heard a grinding noise and saw the spike ball, fast approaching. I sprang to my feet at a speed that I wouldn't have even been able to imagine at the beginning of the month and ran for my life.

The rest of the course went similarly, with me just barely avoiding death. As I saw the last obstacle, I almost wanted to back up into the spiky ball. I'd felt an odd pulling throughout the course, but had just chalked it down to being adrenaline, but now I knew what it really was. In front of me was a 20-foot hole that lead straight to Tartarus. I looked behind me and saw that I'd really gained on the ball, and I estimated that I'd have a minute until it ran over me. I looked back over to the pit and went over my options. I could only see three: climb the wall, edge along the four-inch ledge between the hole and the wall, or jump. I ruled out the wall, as there were no handholds or footholds, and the pull into Tartarus would make it extra difficult. That left just two more options. I decided to edge along the ledge and was about to begin when I realized something. I wouldn't have time. I'd wasted so much of it thinking out a plan that I had no time to be careful. There was only one option left. I ran backward as far as I could in order to give myself a head start. Then, probably against my better judgment, I began to sprint towards the portal to literal hell. At the last possible second, I pushed off with my back leg as hard as I possibly could. Atlanta gasped from her platform, not expecting my strategy. I sprung forward an impressive distance, but would it be enough?