tartarus and back ⇩

28. Pest control! We brought the poison.

I was homesick. The only thing that kept me from bursting into tears (which I will admit, a couple rolled down my cheeks) was catching up with Annabeth and Percy.

They retrieved the lighting bolt, which turned out had been stolen by Ares. They traveled across the Sea of Monsters to rescue Grover and the Golden Fleece from Polyphemus' island. The Fleece resurrected Thalia Grace, whom Percy went on a quest with to rescue Annabeth and Lady Artemis from holding up with sky. Then they searched the Labyrinth for Daedalus to keep Luke and his evil army away from camp, which didn't work and camp ended up getting attacked. Finally the Great Prophecy was completed and Kronos and camp went into battle in New York. It warmed my heart when Percy told me he denied Godliness for justice to unclaimed demigods; and there was even a cabin for me.

"That's pretty cool, how you and me are both children of the sea." Percy said.

"Definitely, but I haven't gotten to work on powers much down here. Obviously there's not much sea." I laughed. "But I can do this."

I swirled my hand in the air, welcoming the familiar tingle on my neck. Creating water like this now came effortlessly compared to when I first discovered my heritage. A sphere of pure, clear water materialized into existence. That was another thing I discovered. The water I create was salt water, but if I put in a little more effort I could purify it somehow. I dropped the ball into Lucy's awaiting mouth, taking notice of her panting.

The look on Percy's face was priceless. "What! I can't do that!"

Annabeth smiled and squeezed Percy's hand. Wait- squeezed his hand.

"Hold up- are you two dating?" I asked.

They smiled. "Yeah, we are." In sync; like they were one.

"Wow." Was all I could say.

Then they explained how Hera kidnapped Percy and placed him at a Roman demigod camp, and in his place their friend Jason went to our camp. Then the Roman and Greek demigods combined forces to defeat Gaea, until Annabeth and Percy fell into Tartarus. Now they had to find the doors of death and close them at the same time as their friends at the top; I would help them with that.

I decided to address something important. "Look, guys. If I... if I start to go loopy, or I break down into a sopping mess, leave me. I've spent enough time down here, it will be fine if I die."

They both started protesting, but I slapped hands over their mouths. "There's no arguing about it."

And so we trudged on, the titan, the couple and the lost one, through the darkness. Each step was worse. I hadn't walked this much in a while, but I still walked tons. Percy and Annabeth looked about ready to drop dead, but each time they stumbled they grabbed the others hand.

"This place is worse than the River Cocytus," Percy muttered.

"Yes," Bob called back happily. "Much worse! It means we are close."

"We're together," I heard Annabeth tell Percy. "We'll get through this."

A few hours ago I knew I would die in Tartarus. But now, I had hope. I might make it out, see the sun and the sea again. But who would be waiting for me? I had been freshly thirteen when I fell, with all but two friends. I was too freaked out about dating anyone at camp because I didn't know if they could be my sibling or not.

I was probably seventeen by now, nearly eighteen. Most girls my age have had at least one committed relationship by now- the closest thing I had was being visited by Kronos.

Then the darkness dispersed with a massive sigh, like the last breath of a dying god. In front of them was a clearing – a barren field of dust and stones. In the centre, about twenty yards away, knelt the gruesome figure of a woman, her clothes tattered, her limbs emaciated, her skin leathery green. Her head was bent as she sobbed quietly, and the sound broke me.