vingt-neuf

★ 。\|/。★

𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖎𝖙𝖗𝖊 𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖙-𝖓𝖊𝖚𝖋:
AND WHEN YOU'RE BROKEN
ON THE GROUND, YOU WILL
BE FOUND

★ 。/|\。★

MIRACULOUSLY, AFTER WHAT felt like an eternity, the elevator car stopped rising. Belle's gaze was blurry with exhaustion and pain and she was about ready to collapse. She turned her foggy gaze over to Percy. He didn't look much better than her. His eyes were drooping and she could see his muscles trembling.

"The button . . ." Percy fought to get out. "They . . . they have to push the button."

As if on cue, the panels began to slide open. The Doors of Death opened with a hiss and black smoke billowed out of it — where it came from, Belle didn't know. But she felt fresh air, not Tartarus air, fill her lungs. She gasped at the feeling and stumbled forwards out of the Doors. Percy put his arms around her in effort to keep her close as the two fell onto the ground. Belle felt the world around her spin as she rolled onto her back.

However, when she saw what was above her, Belle froze. A Giant shrouded in black smoke was staring down at her with eyes as cold as diamonds. Through her barely open eyes, she make out his dragon-like legs made up of ash colored scales, a massive humanoid upper body encased in Stygian armor, and long hair that was braided and seemed to be made from smoke. Belle didn't have the strength to fight, so when his smoky shroud covered her and Percy in dark fog, she didn't move.

Suddenly, Belle felt that dark fog enter her body against her will. She felt her body lurch forwards so she was sitting up. Her eyes were wide, and despite that Giant controlling her, Belle was still able to see things in her perspective. She saw Hazel Levesque and and Leo Valdez standing a little farther away. Her breath started to constrict in her throat and that breath of fresh air she felt earlier went away.

"I am not Pasiphaë," Belle spoke. The voice wasn't hers — this one was deep, just like a bass guitar. Her eyes were pleading as she stared at Hazel and Leo. She wanted this to stop, and it was making her feel so much more weak than she already was. "You have won nothing."

The Giant then nudged Percy's head with his foot. Percy's face lolled to one side from his place next to Belle, also apparently starting to be controlled by this Giant.

"A terrible shock to the mortal body, I would imagine, coming back from Tartarus," the voice boomed from Percy's mouth. "They'll be out for a while."

"I'll tie them up and take them to Porphyrion in Athens," Belle added, her eyes starting to shut as she could no longer fight the exhaustion taking over her. "Just the sacrifice we need. Unfortunately, that means I have no further use for you two."

"Oh, yeah?" Leo countered, his voice sounding underwater to Belle. "Well, maybe you got the smoke, buddy, but I've got the fire."

Belle couldn't fight it anymore. She allowed her eyes to close and she fell on her back. Her heartbeat slowed down and her head landed on Percy's chest, vaguely aware that Percy's heartbeat was slower than normal too. She was so tired, so, so tired. How easy it would be to just fall asleep . . .

The Giant chuckled, using her vocal cords this time. "You were counting on that, eh? It is true I do not like fire. But Leo Valdez's flames are not strong enough to trouble me."

There were conversations around her. Belle didn't hear them. Her ears were ringing and her heart continued to beat slower. Whatever this Giant was doing was killing them.

Suddenly, Belle felt the Giant's control leave her. She felt her body float a little until she finally landed on solid ground again. Her heart began to beat more steadily and she felt herself breathe more evenly. She kept her head laying on Percy's chest, just wanting to stay there forever. It made her feel safe despite the huge Giant and almost dying.

"Bob-Bob-Bob?" Percy suddenly muttered in his sleep.

Belle's eyes slowly fluttered open. She weakly blinked the haze out of her eyes to see Leo next to her, a Goddess with torches in her hands (which Belle guessed to be Hecate), and the Giant, who she guessed was Clytius, the anti-Hecate. Hazel was still standing there in front of them with her spatha drawn. Belle could see they were somewhere in a cavern underground. The House of Hades. She started to regain more of her senses again. Especially her hearing. At least now she could know what was going on.

"I'm loving this guy," Leo said, standing up and coughing a little. "Seriously, we could keep him around for inspirational seminars." His hands lit up in fire. "Or I could just light him up."

"Leo, no," Hazel replied. "My father's temple. My call."

"Yeah, okay. But—"

"Hazel," Belle let out, her voice a slight wheeze. She trailed her bleary eyes up to the girl in front of her. Hazel didn't look back at her and kept her eyes on Clytius. "C-Cut the chains . . ."

That alone took more of her energy. She tried to lift her head only to see Clytius completely smack Hazel against a wall after she had cut through the left chains of the Doors of Death.

"HAZEL!" Leo screamed.

"Leo?" Belle questioned weakly, leaving Hazel and Hecate to deal with Clytius. 

He turned to her and immediately kneeled next to her. "Hey, Princess. What's goin' on?"

"Uh—" She paused to caugh, clearly not used to breathing regular air after being in Tartarus for so long. "Do . . . do you have any ambrosia?"

"Yeah," Leo responded immediately, pulling a square wrapped in a napkin out of his tool belt.

He broke off a piece and fed it to her. The taste of peanut M&M's, one that reminded her of the Stolls and Bob, filled her mouth. Warmth spread throughout her entire body, but not in the way the Phlegethon did. This was much more comforting and bearable. Belle felt herself begin to wake up a little more, but she was still drained.

She looked up at Percy from her place on his chest and put a hand on his cheek. "Hey, Perce?"

Percy didn't respond.

Leo force-fed a piece of ambrosia to Percy so he could wake up. "Don't worry, Princess. We'll get you and Percy back to the ship to treat you properly."

"Where . . . where are the others?" Belle inquired, starting to finally get full sentences out as the fog started to clear from her head.

Belle looked past him. She saw Hazel throw her spatha, and the Imperial Gold blade immediately sliced through the right chains of the Doors. The Doors of Death shuddered and disappeared in a flash of purple light. They had done it. Death would go back to normal now, but Bob and Damasen . . . Belle's heart ached incredibly. They were the reason Belle and Percy were even back in the mortal world, and now they were separated forever. Belle only hoped that the two of them would be regenerated one day. Until then, she would keep her promise to Bob. Belle would keep him and Damasen alive in her heart.

Leo didn't answer, because he was also looking back at Hazel. Belle saw the air in front of Hazel and Hecate ripple. The Mist thickened to create a doorway and five people stepped through. Belle felt her eyes fill with tears and she let out a laugh of relief once her gaze set on them. Frank Zhang led the group, his arm bleeding and bandaged. Next to him stood Nico di Angelo, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, and Annabeth Chase, all with their swords drawn (although Belle could see Annabeth wasn't comfortable with that borrowed sword.)

"Sorry we're late," Jason announced, and Belle almost sobbed just at the sound of his voice. "Is this the guy who needs killing?"

Almost instantly, all of them charged at the Giant, Leo leaving Belle and Percy's sides to go join. Belle lifted herself up and sat upwards, blinking some black spots out of her vision. She looked back to Percy, who had his eyes open now.

"Percy," she whispered. "Hey, Percy, come on."

"What's going on?" he asked.

"A fight. We . . . we should help."

With some difficulty, Belle pushed herself up off of the floor and stood up. She held her hand out to Percy and assisted in him standing up as well. Percy grabbed Riptide's pen out of his pocket and took the cap off, his sword springing to life. Belle tightened the Drakon-bone sword's hold on her belt loops before grabbing Sunflower's keychain and flipping it, grasping the green hilt in her hand once it appeared.

However, it seemed as if there would be no need for them. Belle watched on, still weak and dazed, as the other Demigods attacked Clytius. Leo shot fire at his legs, Frank and Piper jabbed at his chest, Jason kicked him in the face as he flew through the air, Annabeth cut wherever she could, and Nico slashed through the the Giant's smoky veil with his Stygian Iron blade every time it started creeping around them. Clytius kept snarling and turning back and forth to try and fight them. Golden ichor was oozing out of many wounds, and even though they were healing almost as fast as they were inflicted, Belle could see him tiring.

Jason flew at him one last time and kicked the Giant in the chest. Clytius' breastplate shattered and he stumbled backwards. His sword clattered out of his hands onto the floor. Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Hazel, Frank, Leo, and Nico all immediately encircled him. Belle took Percy's hand in hers and together, slowly to not drain and hurt themselves more, they joined their friends around the Giant. She rested her cheek on his shoulder and Percy turned to press a kiss to her forehead. Mist continued to curl around the Giant and hissed and bubbled as it touched his skin.

Only then did Hecate step forwards, her torches raised. "And so it ends."

It does not end, Clytius countered, his muffled and slurred voice echoing from somewhere above. My brethren have risen. Gaea waits only for the blood of Olympus. It took all of you together to defeat me. What will you do when the Earth Mother opens her eyes?

Hecate apparently had enough. She turned her torches upside down and thrusted them like daggers at Clytius' head. Clytius' hair went up in flames and spread down his head and across her body. Belle should've flinched at the extreme heat, but after walking the banks of the Phlegethon and literally drinking fire water, it seemed like nothing. Clytius fell without a sound face-first into the rubble of an altar that Belle only guessed was for Hades. His body crumbled to ashes. For a long moment, nobody spoke, until Hazel let out a ragged and painful breath.

The Goddess faced her. "You should go now, Hazel Levesque. Lead your friends out of this place."

Hazel gritted her teeth, trying to hold in her anger. "Just like that? No thank you? No good work?"

Hecate tilted her head, and for some reason, a weasel chittered next to her before disappearing into the folds of her skirt. "You look in the wrong place for gratitude. As for good work, that remains to be seen. Speed your way to Athens. Clytius was not wrong. The Giants have risen — all of them, stronger than ever. Gaea is on the very edge of waking. The Feast of Hope will be poorly named unless you arrive to stop her."

Around them, the chamber rumbled, and another stela crashed onto the floor and shattered.

"The House of Hades is unstable," Hecate continued. "Leave now. We shall meet again."

The Goddess dissolved, and the Mist evaporated with her. Belle lifted her head and blinked in shock.

"She's friendly," Percy mumbled.

The other seven Demigods turned to him and Belle as if they were just realizing they were actually there. Belle couldn't believe it either. It definitely didn't feel real.

And, suddenly, Annabeth burst into tears.

She launched herself into Belle without any warning. Belle stumbled backwards from the force, but once she moved past her initial shock, she let Sunflower drop out of her hand and threw her arms around the blonde. The two girls buried their heads into each other's shoulders and sobbed there together in both happiness and relief. Belle felt Percy wrap his arms around the two of them and gently lay his head over both of theirs. Percy let out a sob as well and pulled the two of them closer into him. Everyone else remained silent as they watched the three of them embrace each other.

"You're back," Annabeth cried. "Oh my Gods, you made it."

"Yeah," Belle responded. "We're back. We're okay. Gods, Annabeth, I missed you so much."

Annabeth laughed slightly and untangled herself from the two of them. Belle kept her hands on her friend's arms while Percy still had his arms around the two of them. Annabeth laughed slightly and wiped away some tears on her face with her hands.

"I've been worried sick," Annabeth voiced. "There's been so many Iris-messages to Sally, Katie, Connor, and Travis that I've lost count."

Belle covered her mouth with her hand at the mention of her three best friends and Percy's mom. "Oh Gods. Are they all right?"

Annabeth scoffed. "You just got out of Tartarus and you're asking if they're all right?"

Belle was the one to laugh this time. "Priorities, huh?"

Suddenly, the ceiling above them shuddered. Belle glanced up to see cracks appearing in the remaining tiles and columns of dust spilled down. She reached down and picked up Sunflower, flipping it so she could reattach the keychain to her belt loops.

"We've got to get out of here," Jason stated. "Uh, Frank . . . ?"

Frank shook his head. "I think one favor from the dead is all I can manage today."

"Wait, what?" Hazel asked.

Piper raised her eyebrows. "Your unbelievable boyfriend called in a favor as a child of Mars. He summoned the spirits of some dead warriors, made them lead us here through . . . um, well, I'm not sure, actually. The passages of the dead? All I know is that it was very, very dark."

To their left, a section of the wall suddenly split. Two ruby eyes from a carved skeleton popped out and rolled across the floor. Belle took Percy and Annabeth's hands in hers. She was still kind of out of it, but she knew that being down here any longer wouldn't be good.

"We'll have to shadow-travel," Hazel said.

Nico winced. "Hazel, I can barely manage that with only myself. With seven more people—"

"I'll help you."

Nobody offered any other ideas. An entire section of tiles then peeled lose from the ceiling.

"Everyone, grab hands!" Nico ordered.

They all made a hasty circle. Belle tugged Percy and Annabeth forward to join their friends. And suddenly, she felt herself dissolve into darkness. Belle had never shadow-traveled before, she she was sure that she didn't want to do it ever again. It was dark, cold, full of strange noises, and moved so fast it felt like her face was peeling off. But then it was over, and she was finally back above ground. Belle woke herself up and blinked, trying to get used to the light after being in the dark for so long. They were standing on a hill next to a river with the Argo II floating in the air in the distance.

Leo staggered backwards. "You know . . . I think I'll sit down."

He collapsed. Belle couldn't help but join him. She fell onto the ground in between Percy and Annabeth. The sun was just rising, making the water next to them glitter prettily and the clouds in the sky glow orange. It was early morning and the air smelled of honeysuckle. Belle let out a sigh of content and leaned her head against Percy's shoulder while lacing her and Annabeth's fingers together. She was so incredibly glad to feel the sunlight and the grass — real plants — underneath her again. All she was focused on right now was relax on the hill with her friends and realize that she was okay. Well, maybe okay wasn't the right word after Tartarus . . .

They then began to exchange stories. Frank explained how he had controlled a ghostly Legion to fight off an army of monsters that had come from the Doors of Death. He then told them about how Nico had used something called the scepter of Diocletian and how bravely Annabeth, Jason, and Piper had fought.

"Frank is being modest," Jason cut in. "He controlled the entire Legion. You should've seen him. Oh, by the way . . ." Jason glanced over at Percy. "I resigned my office, gave Frank a field promotion to Praetor. Unless you want to contest that ruling."

Percy grinned at that. "No argument here."

"Praetor?" Hazel inquired, staring straight at Frank.

Frank shrugged uncomfortably. "Well . . . yeah. I know it seems weird."

Hazel kissed him softly. "It seems perfect."

Leo clapped Frank on the shoulder. "Way to go, Zhang. Now you can order Octavian to fall on his sword."

"Tempting," Frank agreed. He then turned apprehensively to Belle and Percy. Belle raised her head from Percy's shoulder. "But you guys . . . Tartarus has to be the real story. What happened down there? How did you . . .?"

Percy leaned over and kissed Belle on the cheek quickly, making her smile softly. "We'll tell you the story. But not yet, okay? I'm not ready to remember that place."

"Me neither," Belle admitted. "Just . . . give us some time. It's kind of a lot to process right now."

Annabeth squeezed Belle's hand. "We'll wait. Don't worry, take your time." Her gaze then focused towards the river and she faltered. "Uh, I think our ride is coming."

Belle turned. Sure enough, the Argo II veered to port, its aerial oars in motion and its sails catching the wind. Festus' head glinted in the sunlight and he creaked and clanked in jubilation. Belle let out a laugh. She never thought she would be so joyous to see a bronze dragon figurehead, but here she was. Everything about being in the mortal world again was bringing some sort of happiness back in her heart.

"That's my boy!" Leo shouted.

The ship got closer. Belle saw Coach Hedge standing at the prow. She smiled at that, too.

"About time!" Coach Hedge called down. He tried to scowl, but Belle could see his eyes gleaming like he was happy to see them. "What took you so long, cupcakes? You kept your visitor waiting!"

"Visitor?" Hazel repeated.

Standing next to Coach Hedge at the rail was a dark-haired girl wearing a purple cloak. Her face was covered in so much soot and bloody scratches that Belle almost didn't recognize her, but her stance told Belle who she was — Reyna.

Belle remembered her dream back at Hermes' shrine. The Roman must bring me. Reyna had finally arrived to take the Athena Parthenos, and now Belle had to explain exactly why.



—  [ ♡ ] —



this chapter was hard to write and it's still trash I'm so sorry but there's one more chapter of act two ???????? crying rq

also LUKE ALVEZ AND MATT SIMMONS FROM CRIMINAL MINDS COULD GLADLY RUN ME OVER WITH A BLACK SUV ANY DAY AND I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED. that is all thank you for your time

anyways one week until hsmtmts season two is released and I'm HYPED

gifs by 1-800-SIMPINGFORSEB !

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