★ 。＼｜／。★

𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖎𝖙𝖗𝖊 𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖙-𝖘𝖊𝖕𝖙:
TARTARUS MAKES AN
APPEARANCE

★ 。／｜＼。★

THE DEATH MIST camouflage plan seemed to be working. However, as a Demigod Belle knew that luck didn't last long. So, naturally, she expected something to go wrong.

When they were about fifty feet from the Doors of Death, Belle suddenly froze in her tracks. Percy stopped a little ways ahead of her, looking back at her in concern and tugging her hand to encourage her to keep moving. She shook her head and kept her gaze straight on the Doors. Percy followed to where she was looking, and once he noticed what was wrong, he froze too.

"Oh my Gods," Belle uttered in shock. "They . . . they look the same."

The Doors of Death were framed in Stygian Iron and were two panels of silver and black etched with art deco designs. Besides the fact that the colors were inverted, they looked exactly like the elevators that led up to Mount Olympus in the Empire State Building.

Belle suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe just by seeing them. Not only did she miss working up on Mount Olympus growing plants to match Annabeth's architecture, she missed everything that she had left behind — New York City, her boarding school, Camp Half-Blood, the Demeter Cabin, Katie, Connor, and Travis. Her eyes stung with tears and she was sure if she tried to talk she would just burst out crying. The Doors of Death seemed like a personal insult to her, like it was designed to remind her of everything she couldn't have. But it also gave her a sense of hope, like a reminder of everything she had to get back to.

Once those thoughts passed, she noticed the other details of the Doors — the frost spreading from the base, a purplish glow in the air surrounding them, the chains that held them down to the ground. Those chains were cords of black iron that ran down either side of the frame. Hooks that were embedded in the fleshy ground of Tartarus' heart tethered the chains. The two Titans, Krios and Hyperion, both stood guard at the anchor points.

Right in front of Belle's eyes, the entire fame suddenly shuddered and black lightning flashed into the sky. The chains shook, making Krios and Hyperion plant their feet on the hooks to keep them secure. Both panels of the Doors slid open to reveal the gilded interior of an elevator car. Belle felt Percy tense next to her like he was about to charge forwards.

Bob put a hand on Percy's shoulder. "Wait."

"Group A-22!" Hyperion yelled to the surrounding crowd. "Hurry up, you sluggards!"

A dozen Cyclopes rushed forwards while waving little red tickets and shouting excitedly. Belle didn't see how all of them were able to fit inside the human-sized elevator, but as the Cyclopes got close, their bodies distorted and shrank as the Doors of Death sucked them inside. Krios put his thumb on the UP button on the elevator's right side. The Doors slid closed, the frames shuddered, and the dark lightning faded away.

"You must understand how it works," Bob muttered, addressing Small Bob in his palm so the other monsters wouldn't wonder who he was talking to. "Each time the Doors open, they try to teleport to a new location. Thanatos made them this way, so only he could find them. But now they are chained. The Doors cannot relocate."

"So we have to cut the chains," Belle whispered.

She looked nervously at Hyperion. Last time, Belle had gotten rid of him by bending plants to her will, but that had taken every single ounce of her strength. She had almost passed out. Yet now there were two Titans, with several thousand monsters for backup. If they got caught . . .

"Our camouflage," Percy began. "Will it disappear if we do something aggressive, like cutting the chains?"

"I do not know," Bob answered.

"Mrow," Small Bob meowed.

Belle took a deep breath. "Okay. Bob, you have to distract Krios and Hyperion while Percy and I sneak around them and cut the chains."

"Yes, fine," Bob replied. "But that is only one problem. Once you are inside the Doors, someone must stay outside to push the button and defend it."

"Uh . . . defend the button?" Percy asked.

Bob nodded while scratching Small Bob underneath the chin. "Someone must keep pressing the UP button for twelve minutes, or the journey will not finish."

Belle glanced back at the Doors. Krios still had his thumb pressing the UP button. Somehow, they would have to lure the Titans away from the Doors. Then Bob, Percy, or Belle would have to push that button for twelve long minutes in the middle of a huge army of monsters in the heart of Tartarus while the other two took the elevator up to the mortal world. It was literally impossible.

"Why twelve minutes?" Percy questioned.

"I do not know," Bob responded. "Why twelve Olympians or twelve Titans?"

"Fair enough."

"Wait, Bob, you said the journey would not finish," Belle cut in. "What do you mean by that?"

Bob didn't answer her. However, his pained expression told her that they definitely didn't want to be in the elevator if it suddenly stopped between Tartarus and the mortal world.

"If we do push the button for twelve minutes, and the chains are cut—" Percy said.

"The Doors should reset," Bob finished. "That is what they are supposed to do. They will disappear from Tartarus. They will appear somewhere else, where Gaea cannot use them."

"Then Thanatos can reclaim them," Belle added. "Death will go back to normal and the monsters will lose their shortcut to the mortal world."

Percy let out a deep breath. "Easy-peasy. Except for . . . well, everything."

Small Bob purred from Bob's hand.

"I will push the button," Bob volunteered.

Percy shook his head. "Bob, we can't ask you to do that. You want to go through the Doors, too. You want to see the sky again and the stars and—"

"I would like that. But someone must push the button. And once the chains are cut . . . my brethren will fight to stop your passage. They will not want the Doors to disappear."

Belle's stomach twisted with grief. This situation wasn't going to end well at all. It was a terrible decision, but Belle knew, with absolute horrible clarity, that Bob had to be the one to stay. She hated herself for knowing that and she didn't want to be true, but her and Percy were a part of the Eight. The Prophecy wouldn't work unless they were there. They had to go back to the mortal world to defeat the Giants and Gaea. It was the inevitable truth.

She then turned to see Percy staring out at the horde of monsters. His hand was gripping hers tighter than ever. She knew him well enough to know what he was thinking. Percy wanted to push the button himself so she and Bob could go back up to the mortal world. It was stupidly heroic, and Belle admired him for it, but leaving him behind in Tartarus? No way. They had come so far together down here just for them to get separated at the end.

"Percy . . ." she trailed off, a suspicious edge to her voice. "Look at me."

He didn't meet her eyes, probably because if he did it would be confirmation of his plan. "First things first, let's cut those chains."

They began to approach the Doors. Belle glanced nervously at Percy a couple of times. Finally, they got close enough for the plan to start. Belle squeezed his hand and reached up on her toes, pressing a kiss quick to his cheek. He smiled gently at her before the two parted.

"Iapetus!" Hyperion bellowed. "Well, well. I thought you were hiding under a cleaning bucket somewhere."

Bob lumbered forwards with a scowl on his face. "I was not hiding."

Belle crept over to the left side of the Doors while Percy sneaked to the right. Hyperion and Krios gave no sign of noticing them, but Belle kept a tight grip on Sunflower's green hilt as she crouched low to the ground. The smaller monsters kept a respectful distance from the Titans which made it easier to make it to the doors, but Belle kept herself on high alert since there was still an army at her back.

Her and Percy had played a quick game of rock paper scissors to find out who would get to go to Hyperion's side. After all, Percy had blown the Titan back onto ground so Belle could trap him in a multitude of plants, so there was a possibility he could sense both of them. Belle had lost the game, which meant she took his side. She averted his gaze from his bright armor. Meanwhile, on Percy's side of the doors. Krios stood there dark and silent with his ram-horned helmet covering his place. He kept his foot planted on the chain's anchor and his thumb on the UP button.

Bob faced his brothers, planting his spear to try and look as fierce as possible with a kitten on his shoulder. "Hyperion and Krios. I remember you both."

"Do you, Iapetus?" Hyperion inquired. He laughed and glanced at Krios for a moment to share the joke. "Well, that's good to know! I heard Percy Jackson turned you into a brainwashed scullery maid. What did he rename you . . . Betty?"

"Bob," he snarled.

"Well, it's about time you showed up, Bob. Krios and I have been stuck here for weeks—"

"Hours," Krios corrected, his voice a deep rumble from inside his helmet.

"Whatever!" Hyperion replied. "It's boring work, guarding these Doors, shuffling monsters through at Gaea's orders. Krios, what's our next group, anyway?"

"Double Red," Krios answered.

Hyperion sighed, the flames glowing hotter across his shoulders. "Double Red. Why do we go from A-22 to Double Red? What kind of system is that?" He glared at Bob. "This is no job for me — the Lord of light! Titan of the east! Master of dawn! Why am I forced to wait in the darkness while the Giants go into battle and get all the glory? Now, Krios I can understand—"

"I get all the worst assignments," Krios complained, his thumb still pressing the button.

"But me? Ridiculous! This should be your job, Iapetus. Here, take my place for a while."

Bon stared straight at the Doors, but his gaze was distant like he was lost in the past. "The four of us held down our father, Ouranos. Koios and me and the two of you. Kronos promised us mastery of the four corners of the Earth for helping with the murder."

"Indeed," Hyperion responded. "And I was happy to do it! I would've wielded the scythe myself if I'd had the chance! But you, Bob . . . you were always conflicted about that killing, weren't you? The soft Titan of the west, soft as the sunset! Why our parents named you the piercer, I will never know. More like the whimper."

Belle finally reached the anchor hook of the chain next to Hyperion. She placed the tip of Sunflower right next to the hook. Belle glanced across the way to see Percy had Riptide out, now in its full length. Neither Hyperion nor Krios reacted to them having swords. Instead, Krios had his attention firmly fixed on Bob, who had pointed his spear right at Hyperion's chest.

"I can still pierce," Bob said, his voice low and even. "You brag too much, Hyperion. You are bright and fiery, but Percy Jackson defeated you anyway. I hear Belle Adair made you become a nice tree in Central Park."

Hyperion's eyes narrowed at him. "Careful, brother."

"At least a janitor's work is honest. I clean up after others. I leave the palace better than I found it. But you . . . you do not care what messes you make. You followed Kronos blindly. Now you take orders from Gaea."

"She is our mother!"

"She did not wake for our war on Olympus," Bob snapped. "She favors her second brood, the Giants."

"That's true enough," Krios agreed. "The children of the pit."

"Both of you hold your tongues!" Hyperion warned, his voice tinged with fear. "You never know when he is listening."

The elevator dinged, and all three Titans jumped. Belle blinked in shock. Had it been twelve minutes already? She had seemingly lost track of time.

Krios took his finger off of the button. "Double Red! Where is Double Red?" Hordes of monsters stirred and jostled one another, but none of them came forward. Krios sighed. "I told them to hang on to their tickets. Double Red! You'll lose your place in the queue!"

Both Belle and Percy were in position. Belle raised Sunflower over the base of the chains. She locked eyes with Percy across the way and held up three fingers in preparation to count down. The timing had to be precise. They had to cut the chains before the next group tried to take the elevator, but the Titans also had to be distracted.

Hyperion muttered a curse underneath his breath. "Just wonderful. This will completely mess up our schedule." He sneered at Bob. "Make your choice, brother. Fight us or help us. I don't have time for your lectures."

Bob glanced at the two hidden Demigods for a moment before raising the point of his spear. "Very well. I will take guard duty. Which of you wants a break first?"

"Me, of course," Hyperion announced.

"Me!" Krios exclaimed. "I've been holding that button so long my thumb is going to fall off."

"I've been standing here longer. You two guard the Doors while I go up to the mortal world. I have some Greek heroes to wreak vengeance upon!"

"Oh, no! That Roman boy is on his way to Epirus — the one who killed me on Mount Othrys. Got lucky, he did. Now it's my turn."

Belle shook her head. Neither of those Titans could go back to the mortal world. If Hyperion went back, he would seek her and Percy out to probably kill them (little did he know they were right behind him.) And if Krios went back, he would find Jason and kill him.

"Bah!" Hyperion drew his sword. "I'll gut you first, Ram-head!'

Krios raised his own blade. "You can try, but I won't be stuck in this stinking pit any longer!"

Belle caught Percy's eyes again.

You ready? she mouthed.

Percy nodded.

She began to count down. One, two—

However, before they could strike the chains, a high-pitched whine pierced her ears. Belle winced and put her hands on her ears to try and block out the noise. An explosion then rocked the hillside. A wave of heat hit Belle and knocked her backwards. She landed about twenty feet from the Doors, grunting in pain as she hit the ground. Sunflower clattered out of her hand and landed next to her. Belle groggily raised her head to see that Percy had landed far away as well, and Krios and Hyperion had been shredded to pieces with dark shrapnel.

STINKING PIT, a hollow voice said, rolling across the plains and shaking the ground.

Bob staggered to his feet — seemingly unaffected by the explosion — and tried to locate the source of the voice while swiping his spear out in front of him. Small Bob crawled into his coveralls. Belle gritted her teeth and grasped Sunflower in her hand, standing up and shaking herself out of her dizziness. However, she noticed that everything felt . . . normal. She looked down at her hands and Sunflower to see that the Death Mist had evaporated from her. Her eyes widened in fear and her head whirled over to Percy. His disguise had faded away as well. She ran over to him as quickly as she could and Percy folded his arms around her.

TITANS, the booming voice announced disdainfully. LESSER BEINGS. IMPERFECT AND WEAK.

Right in front of the Doors of Death, the air around it darkened and solidified. The being that appeared was so massive and radiated such pure malevolence that Belle wanted nothing more to hide. She pressed herself closer into Percy and felt her entire body constrict with fear. He wrapped his arms around her a little tighter.

She forced herself to trace the God's form. He was wearing black iron boots that were each the size of a coffin. His legs were covered in dark greaves and his flesh was made of thick purple muscle, just like the ground. The armored skirt he had on was made from thousands of blackened, twisted bones that were woven together like chain links and clasped in place by a belt of interlocking monstrous arms. On the surface of his breastplate, murky faces appeared and submerged — Giants, Cyclopes, Gorgons, Drakons, and more. They all pressed against his armor like they were trying to get out. His muscular, purple, and glistening arms were bare and his hands were as large as a scoop on a crane.

However, the worst thing about him was his head. It was a helmet of twisted rock and metal that had no particular shape. All it was made of was random jagged spikes and scattered pulsing patches of magma. His entire face was just a whirlpool — an inward spiral of nothing but darkness. Belle watched with her own very eyes as the last particles of Titan essence from Hyperion and Krios were vacuumed straight into the warrior's maw.

"Tartarus," Percy voiced, although Belle had no idea how he was able to talk right now.

The God made a sound like a mountain cracking in half, which was either a roar or a laugh. This form is only a small manifestation of my power. But it is enough to deal with you. I do not interfere lightly, little Demigod. It is beneath me to deal with gnats such as yourself.

"Uh . . ." Percy continued, trembling against the body of his girlfriend. "Don't . . . you know . . . go to any trouble."

You have proven surprisingly resilient. You have come too far. I can no longer stand by and watch your progress.

Tartarus spread his arms. Throughout the entire valley, thousands of monsters wailed and roared while clashing their weapons and bellowing in triumph. The Doors of Death shuddered in their chains. Belle felt her breath hitch in her throat. There was no way they could win this battle right now, especially against Tartarus.

Be honored, little Demigods, Tartarus told them. Even the Olympians were never worthy of my personal attention. But you will be destroyed by Tartarus himself!

— [ ♡ ] —

belle (and me tbh) every time she sees percy: HOW IS HE SO FUCKING HOT ????? AND RESPECTFUL ?????

ok anyways

so idk where to rant about this so I'm gonna do it here

GUYS IDK IF ANY OF YOU HAVE READ MY RICKY BOWEN BOOK PERFECT HARMONY AND IF YOU HAVE HEY WHAT'S UP BUT I JUST FOUND OUT IN SEASON TWO OF HSMTMTS THAT RICKY IS MOVING HOUSES IN SALT LAKE CITY PROBABLY BC OF HIS PARENTS' DIVORCE AND THAT MEANS HIM AND ATHENA WON'T BE NEIGHBORS ANYMORE AFTER BEING NEIGHBORS BASICALLY THEIR WHOLE LIVES ASKFNEOENF 🥺🥺🥺🥺

pls I am literally so upset. nobody talk to me I'm heartbroken

gifs by 1-800-SIMPINGFORSEB !