Harper POV:
The Ferryman takes us in front of the large castle stopping the boat “This is as far as I go” said the Ferryman, Percy gets up getting off the boat, he helped me get out of the boat, then Grover, and Annabeth. We walked to the double doors making them open as we walk inside, inside was much dark with a small fountain of fire, growls could be heard making me jump at the sudden noise “Guys, do you hear that?” asked Annabeth “Yeah, what is that?” “I don’t know”Â
Just then two dog-like creatures come out from each hallway growling at us causing us to step back, I hold my dagger in position if one of them tried to attack while Percy had a protective arm in front of me still holding his sword, the dogs slowly got closer to us still growling “Annie, stab that thing!” Grover yells “What are we going to do?” asked Percy, they continue to growl until a woman walks to them yelling at the dogs in greek. The dogs stopped growling and walked back into the hallways “What were those things?” asked Percy as we all look at the woman “Hellhounds” the woman answers “Yeah, well, maybe you should feed’em” said Grover. The woman looks at Grover up and down “They sensed the presence of another animal” I look at Grover “Great. They smell goat” said Grover.
“A satyr” said the woman slowly walking to Grover “I haven’t had a satyr…” the woman stood in front of him “…visit before” she finishes her sentence making me realize who she was, she was Persephone, the wife of Hades. “Persephone!” a man calls I assume must be Hades “What could possible be taking so long?”Persephone didn’t answer as Grover slaps her hand away from his “Don’t ignore me!” Hades shouts “Or what?! What will you do? ” she shouts back turning to where Hades was shouting making me jump “I’m already in Hell” she turns back to us.
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Persephone led us to a giant room, it was still dark with candles poorly lighting the room. She stops us beside a black piano before she turns to the person sitting in front of a fireplace “We have visitors” she announces, the person turns their head to show it was Hades “Nephew” said Hades looking at Percy as he got up from his chair walking in front of us with his arms open “Welcome” he said with a smile.
“You have your father’s looks” said Hades, I grab Percy’s hand, I can tell he was gripping his sword “Always the, uh, lucky side of the family” Grover laughs “Wait. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. You’re Hades?” he asked in disbelief “Yes” Hades answered “Oh, sorry. I just didn’t…I didn’t expect you to look this, man. Kind of stylish. I like it” said Grover chuckling “Would you prefer that I looked like…this?” he asked stepping back as he transformed into the same large fire demon back at the camp growling at us “No! no! no!” Grover shouts causing us to step back “Oh no! No! No, no. Look, stick to the Mick Jagger thing. It works for you” said Grover.
Hades growls at us before transforming back to his human form clearing his throat “Hmph!” said Hades with a victory smirk, Persephone scoffs rolling her eyes. “You’re very brave coming here. Come closer” said Hades, Percy hesitated for a moment but walks to him with us staying behind, me and Annabeth walked to the chair Hades was sitting on while Grover stood besides Annabeth, Hades places a hand over Percy’s shoulder “I can see the look of disgust in your eyes, but this existence was not of my choosing. I was banished here by Zeus and your father. I’m damned. My only chance of getting out of this place is to defeat my brothers and take control of Olympus. But, of course, um…I’ll need the bolt” Hades explained “And I need my mother” Percy said back “Than we have an understanding. You give me the bolt, and I’ll give you your mother” said Hades, Percy turns his head to us before turning his head back to Hades.
“I need to tell you the truth. I’m…I’m not the lighting thief. I don’t have the bolt. I never did” Percy explained, Hades leaned to him “Why did you come here, then?” Hades asked “Well, I was hoping that…when you saw that I wasn’t the thief, you’d let my mother go” Percy answered “Yes. Yes, but do you think I’m an idiot?” asked Hades raising his voice “I’m Hades! Now, give me the bolt, or say good-bye to your mother” Hades walks to his chair making the three of us get out of his way as he grabs a wooden cage with a candle inside smashing it to the ground. We all watched as a mist forms in front of the fire place forming into Percy’s mother, Percy throws his shield to the side running to his mother “Percy” she said as they both hugged.
Me, Annabeth, and Grover stayed behind Hades, me and Annabeth clutching our daggers “I thought I lost you forever” said Percy as he sighed in relief “No” said his mother breaking the hug. I smile at the moment, to see Percy reunite with his mother but I slowly turn my head hearing cracking sounds to where Percy threw his shield “Uh, guys…” I said getting their attention.
We all watched as Hades takes a piece of the shield off with the cracking getting louder and something glowing inside, my eyes widen in shock, it was Zeus’s bolt “Zeus’ master bolt” said Hades holding the lighting bolt with Persephone standing by his side looking in awe at the bolt “Liar” said Hades turning his head to Percy “I swear, I don’t know how that got there. That’s not even my shield” said Percy as his mother stood behind him, now it all came together as I walked to Percy getting in front of him protecting him “It was Luke, he put the bolt in his shield and used us” I said defending Percy as Annabeth and Grover stood besides him “Luke stole the lightning bolt” said Percy “Um, I think we’re done here. Feed them to the souls” Hades ordered ignoring what we said, Persephone takes her hand out and loud clanking and rumbling could be heard behind us, we all turned to the fire place as the metal part rips open creating a large fire with souls screaming reaching out to us “Whoa! Whoa!” Grover shouted “We had a deal, all right? you have the bolt. Just let us go” said Percy as I move besides him and Annabeth “Summon the hounds” said Hades still ignoring us.
Persephone turns her head calling out the hounds in greek, before we knew it growls and snarls ran towards us “No…no on the dogs” said Percy as the two hounds got in front of us “Lassie, sit! sit!” Grover tried to order the hounds but they ignored him as a third hound pops out growling at us. I aimed my dagger at the hounds as we stepped back but tried to get away from the burning souls still reaching out to us at the same time. I looked up at Hades to see him admiring the bolt like it was a trophy “I…am going to be King of the Gods” I swing my dagger at the hound in front of me but the hounds does the same almost biting my hand almost making my fall to the souls.
I watched as Persephone grab Hades head pulling him into a kiss before snatching the bolt out of his hand which made Hades laugh like it was a joke “All right, come on…” he laughs “Come on. Give it back” Persephone drops her smile as she shoots lightning at Hades causing him to fly back hitting his back on a column before falling to the ground unconscious. Persephone laughs and jumps walking to him but stops turning her head to us, we were much closer to the souls now. Persephone yells at the hounds making them stop growling and run off and the fireplace forming back.
I was breathing heavily at what we just went through “Bad dog!” Grover shouts as we ran to Persephone. Persephone kneels down to Hades with a giant smile on her face “He won’t remember a thing!” she said happily poking his back “Why’d you do that?” Percy asked in a battle position with me and Annabeth doing the same since she still had the bolt in her hand “Because…” said Persephone getting up and turning to us “He’s cruel and abusive! the only thing I look forward to is my allotted time away from this hellhole. A war of the Gods would put an end to that, and I’d be alone…with only him…forever” Persephone explained with venom in her voice at the end until she handed the bolt to Percy “Go. Take the bolt and your mother” Percy looks at her unsure if it was a trick but put his sword away making his sword turn back into a pen as he takes the bolt.Â
Percy takes out the four pearls until I realized there was onlu four pearls and five of us “Only four?” said Persephone looking at the pearls “Oh, no” said Percy also realizing it “There are five of you. Each pearl transports only a single person. One of you will have to stay” Persephone explained walking away “All right, I’ll stay. You four go” Percy volunteered “What? no!” His mother protested “No, I’ll stay Percy” I volunteered hoping he would change his mind “No. no, no, no. I’ve achieved my quest. I’m staying here” said Percy “No. I’ve trained for situations like this” said Annabeth “Neither of you are st…” “”Guys, guys, knock it off” said Grover making all of us stop and turn to him “I’m staying because I’m the protector” said Grover “Grover, come on” “Look, man, I don’t want to hear it. Just go. It’s my duty” said Grover taking his stand “It’s what I’m meant for” “We’ll come back for you” said Percy with determination.
“I’ll take very good care of him” said Persephone with a seductive voice “All right, now, move it, guys. Each of you tep on the pearl and concentrate on where you want to go” Grover instructed. I stood besides Percy and Annabeth on my other side with Percy’s mother standing besides Percy as he handed us each a pearl “To Olympus” said Percy. The four of us placed the pearls on the ground before we stomped on the pearls smashing them.
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