Tartarus (Chapter 5)

Quote: "Wounds heal overtime, but are not forgotten. "

Tartarus

I wake up, hoping it was all a dream. A sick, twisted dream, and that I will wake up and I will be at my cabin, Annabeth waiting outside, but when my eyes open, the light from my fire luminates the hut. I start to break. Why is it that after all I did, they do this to me? Thalia, Grover, the 2 people who still cared will never see me again. I can never see Mom or Paul since I am cursed with immortality.

I could have just died. Why didnt they just kill me? Why make me suffer for eternity after I saved them twice. I remember hanging out with Thalia, she did tell me how to hunt, gave me a few tricks. The swamp is filled with Drakons, probably the best source of meat. Using my basic knowledge to craft, I create some traps I hang near the herds. Should I stay here? I mean of course ill live here, but should I isolate myself like Damasean? I could adventure out and see what I can find, could be dangerous. But I do have Bane, which is extremely useful against these monsters. I start duel-wielding swords, training against Drakons, or any unlucky monsters that run by.

I also start training my Aquatic Fire, Zeus did say It could kill Titans, and Tartarus is where Kronos and a few others may be. I decide to isolate myself to train, and when I get more experienced, I will venture out. I dont really keep track of time, its practically impossible down here. After a few months (I think), I get sick and tired of Drakon stew. Monsters don't really taste very good, some don't even give meat, just dust. But I gotta eat somehow. Hestia's blessing helps greatly, but its not nearly enough. Monsters have heard of the bounty on my head. Some monsters have passed through, the Minotaur literally visits every week, gets killed, repeat cycle. He does provide some meat however, tastes like beef. My hut is more of a house, since I upgraded it, and everything in it. I put a sign that honored Damasean. I still called it my hut since well....it felt right.

I begin to adventure outside the swamp, into the deserts. I walk for miles, I always know where the swamp is since I found out that with Hermes' blessing, I never forget where to go. Soon, I see a structure, a large building, like a castle. It looks to be made out of sandstone, with black markings. I see a large A and a picture of Earth. Atlas. That is what it must mean. I sneak in by warping inside. Giants everywhere, monsters everywhere, its like a convention. I hide behind walls, until I hear a conversation.

"You here for the tournament? " asked a giant

"Yep, the reward sounds great, finally something good in this hellhole." replied another giant

"I know, girl like that hard to come by, Atlas is gonna give his own daughter to whoever wins." Says another giant.

I freeze. Girl? Atlas' s daughter? ZOË? After hearing this, I make it to the bottom of the castle. Every castle's holding cells are in the ground. I see rooms filled with dust, meant to hold prisoners. Guards surround the last room, a closed off room. That must be where Zoë is! I warp inbetween the two guards, quickly unleahsing my dual swords, making them fade instantly. I see a sign on the door. "Atlas' s spawn" i read the plaque, apparently someone took Zoë from the stars, putting her in here. Those monsters, they ripped her from paradise to here. I listen from the door, my ear pressed on.

I hear crying on the other end, a girl crying. So devoid of hope. I open the door and I hear the girl gasp in fear.

"Have you come to boast or...." she said weakly

I turn and see Zoë......but she is.........naked. She is chained on a wall in darkness. . I quickly cover my eyes andTurn on a light.

"Wait....who are you?" Asks Zoë

"Let me help you, I am here to get you out" I reply. She doesn't reconize me in her weak state.

"Is this some sick joke!? Are you testing me Perses?" She almost cries.

"No I am here to help, i swear on the Styx." Thunder booms in the distance as I speak.

".....thank you.."she says before passing out. I am forced to open my eyes and see her. I dont stare, since I respect her. She is much more skinnier and less muscular, she probably had been fed less and chained here. I will kill whoever did this. I cut her chain, and grab her, warping out of the castle. As I leave, I see the castle sound alarms, now they notice that Zoë is gone.

I quickly warp back to my hut in the swamps, not bothering with the fact Zoë is in my arms. I lay her on my bed, and summoned some clean clothing for her when she wakes up courtesy of Aphrodite. I work outside, you see, there is no sense of time here, no morning or night, just darkness. I have been trying to grow plants since I killed some plant monsters, and they dropped seeds. I started planting them, using an old hoe I found in the hut to tend to the plants. I rarely sleep, I only sleep when I am tired. I wait all day (or night) for Zoë to wake up.

Soon I see her walking out of the hut confused. She put on the clothes I left there, and she looked at me with fear, surprise, and curiosity. I put on a hood so she would not reconize me yet.

"Who are you? Why did you help me?" She asks almost thanking me.

"I am a friend. I noticed what was happening at the castle. Nobody deserves that, so I helped get you out." I reply.

She studies me for a moment then hugs me "Thank you, I was stuck for so long, I was ripped away from peace, I used to be a hunter, until I died. I was cast into the stars, it was nice, until Perses grabbed me."

We talked about what happened. Apparently Perses is a Titan of Destruction, I may find him later on.

"So.. what happens to me?" She finished. She was afraid I may kick her out, me being a male and all. Old habits die hard.

"You may stay as long as you like. I get lonely out here, nice to have some company to wait my days." I smile.

She hugs me again, thanking me. She asks me who I am, and I think it is time.

I sigh as I raise my hood up and I hear Zoë gasp

"P...percy? H..how......did........what?" Zoë stutters.

I laugh as I calm her down. She demands I tell her everything, and I follow. I tell her about what happened after her death, Kronos, Gaea, the betrayals, the powers. She seemed impressed and angry at the gods and Annabeth, but she was happy to hear that the Hunters were safe. She almost popped a vein when I told her Artemis voted against me.

She was happy to see me again, and gave me a kiss on the cheek for saving her. She told me she learned proper english in the stars, she observed how people spoke. She was surprised when I told her I found her naked in a chamber. She was infuriated until I told her that I respected her and didn't stare. I told her I let her use my bed and gave her the clothes, which she was grateful for. She saw me as the only good man on Earth and tartarus.

Time lapse

So now we live together, in Tartarus, In a hut. Its sad, but at least we have something. We had each other's back, I crafted a bow for her, and we both started to quest for Perses. It became an every day routine, we farm, we eat, we kill monsters together. It was fun having her around, and I wasn't sure if it was because of circumstances, but I eventually grew to like her. Like, like like her. We trained each other, she taught me hunting, stealth, and better archery, and I taught her swordsmanship, and close combat fighting.

End of time lapse

It was a few months after I had found her, we were great friends. We grew closer and closer. I think we both liked each other, but never admitted it. We found a trail on Perses' s location. We reached a mountainous area, and a large castle marked "PERSES" the Castle was dark brown, sigils hanging from it. You can tell he isn't very humble.

"Very subtle." I quipped.

"I know, took us months to find a castle with his name on it" Zoë complained.

We laughed as I warped her in with me. We slowly picked his guards off one by one easily. Soon not many guards remained. As we finished the last few guards, Perses himself flashed in the throne room.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Perses shouted.

"We have come to seek justice for your actions" I yelled back.

Perses laughed "Two demigods defeat a Titan? Pathetic." Perses summoned a sword, his sacred weapon.

I duel wield Bane and Riptide, and Zoë draws her bow. Perses raises an eyebrow as he sees Riptide.

"If you own that.......is that aquatic fire? Perseus Jackson?" He questioned.

"Yes, I have beaten Kronos, you are next. Once you are gone, I can finally get rid of that Bounty." I reply.

"That will not happen!" Perses yelled as he charged.

I blocked his strike, but he was good. He had non-stopping attacks, I had to constantly block. Zoë landed a few shots on him but he could sense them coming and blocked. Perses let out a war cry as he let a powerful blow strike my stomach. I felt blood seep out, Zoë screaming, I couldnt leave her, but I was losing too much blood. I fell to the ground, Perses grinning in triumph. Zoë looking in shock.

"Well that was fun, now you there, girl, are now mine" Perses grinned as he walked towards Zoë

Zoë tried fighting back but to no use. I can't let this happen, I cannot let the only person who is with me die. It is time to use my weapon now. I pull out both swords, blue flames trickling from the swords and my eyes. Perses turns in shock. I am now fully healed, no more blood, the Aqautic Fire heals me just like water.

"Impossible, but no matter." Perses stated as he lunged.

I quickly sidestepped, and blocked each attack. Soon I punched his weapon out of his hand, and he slashed my sword out of my hand. Both of my swords and Perses' s sword were on the ground, yards away. Zoë ran out of arrows and was about to join when I grabbed Perses by his throat.

"You tortured my friend, and you will pay."I said as my hands burst into flame, burning him into dust.

I collapsed, all that fire took a lot of energy to kill a Titan, I see Zoë rush forward. She quickly hugs me as I get up, thanking me. She kisses me on the lips, surprising me. We share the moment and kiss each other, forgetting about where we are and the circumstances, and just enjoy each other's company. I haven't felt this happy since Annabeth, long ago. Maybe Tartarus wasn't so bad, maybe life here would be nice, living with Zoë having adventures.

As we head back to the hut, which is practically a completed house by now, I feel stronger. Zoë tells me that when I killed Perses, I was infused with the power of a Titan, a small amount, but with training, I could be as strong as a titan. I didn't know how that worked since I only made Perses fade, he still exists, but he wouldnt reform in a while. Me and Zoë share this occasion by me using Hestia's blessing that I saved over a few months to summon a full feast of good food. We laughed, we celebrated, we kissed, and then we slept, and felt happy for once in hell.