The Underworld was not at all how Isabella had pictured it. In the stories she had been raised on, aside from Elysium, their version of the Afterlife was a realm of doom and gloom, cloaked in eternal darkness.
And to a certain extent, that was true.
But it was also beautiful.
In a somber and fatalistic kind of way.
To her surprise, their journey across the river Styx had proceeded without interruption. The heavy layer of grey fog surrounding them, coupled with the wine-colored torrents of water beneath the boat, painted a foreboding picture.
That image did not last.
Hades' role as the sovereign of the most remote realm in their world had ensured that little was known about the eldest son of Kronos, much less his servants.
So when Charon suddenly took to the air without so much as a word of warning, their surprise had been justified.
As though lifted by the hands of an invisible giant, the boat rose into the sunless sky, where it continued to float under its own power, guided by the Ferryman's steady hands.
Among their kind, flight was perhaps an even rarer gift than mental resistance. Although her magic had allowed Isabella to conjure a pair of wings powerful enough to make it possible, she had not yet mastered them well enough to conquer the skies.
Before their surprise had fully settled, the boat suddenly accelerated to a pace that surely surpassed even the greatest of mortal aircrafts. The sole reason none of them were immediately blown overboard was that, although they streaked through it like a spear launched by a Hecatoncheire, their passage was met with no resistance from the air.
The sprawling realm that blurred past beneath them appeared endless. From their elevated position, their gaze fell upon parts of the fabled five rivers that cut through the Underworld, as well as the countless specters wandering aimlessly across expansive fields of dull gray flowers.
The understanding that their journey was drawing to a close had dawned on her long before the Ferryman finally announced it. There was only one place the looming mountain at the center of the otherwise flat realm they were heading toward could be.
At its peak, a structure unlike any Isabella had ever seen protruded into the sky. A palace of such extravagant splendor and opulence that it seemed almost fantastical.
"From here on out, you're on your own," Charon warned as he lowered his boat onto the obsidian tiles of the courtyard.
Precious jewels and metals embellished the towering walls around them, while the pervasive lifelessness that had defined their journey was held at bay by a surprisingly large amount of well-maintained trees and colorful flowers.
"Thank you for your service," Isabella said, offering a nod before motioning for her companions to follow.
She stepped off the side of the boat and dropped the remaining two dozen feet. No sooner had she touched the ground than a ghostly green light ignited beneath her heels and spread in a straight line toward the palace entrance.
"Damn," Percy heaved as he landed beside her, the impact echoing across the courtyard like distant thunder. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually pretty happy to be a demigod right now."
"Why's that?" Isabella asked, shifting her gaze toward him. "I thought you said life as a mortal would have suited you better?"
"Yeah, but that's only because I wouldn't have to worry about monsters and gods coming after me if I was just some guy," Percy huffed as he glanced back in the direction they had come from. "Nobody told me this is what regular people have to look forward to after they die."
"They can still reach Elysium, provided they work hard enough," Annabeth said as she straightened her legs, her own landing having produced considerably less noise. "Though I can't imagine that you would've been one of them."
"That's because your imagination is lacking," Percy retorted without missing a beat.
"If my imagination is—"
"Are you both ready?" Isabella asked as she adjusted the purple bag on her shoulder. She usually did not mind watching them hiss at each other like a pair of agitated kittens, but there was a time and place for everything.
The levity drained from her companions' faces as a tension even more severe than the one that overtook them before the Trials spread between them. No amount of preparation or training could guarantee success in what lay ahead.
"Yes."
"I am."
"Good."
Isabella moved forward and took her first step onto the shining path the god of death so clearly wanted them to follow. The colossal doors slid open without a sound, revealing a tastefully decorated corridor, illuminated by torches burning with pale blue flames.
None of them dared utter a word as they passed through it.
The entirety of the Underworld was Hades' domain, but this was his home. If there was one place he would be truly omnipresent, it was here. Every door they encountered thereafter was closed, and not a single soul came to greet them. Instead, they were accompanied by an eerie silence as they rounded corner after corner, never once straying from the green path.
Hades had not contested their entry into his home, but that was clearly the extent of his hospitality.
They encountered their first sign of life when the light beneath their feet finally faded. Although 'unlife' would perhaps be more accurate. The two armored skeletal warriors barring their path turned and strained to push open a pair of doors many times their size.
Had the state of the palace not already painted such a vivid image of its owners in Isabella's mind, perhaps what greeted them beyond would have come as more of a surprise. The throne room encompassed an area large enough to host thousands of people—or a few dozen very tall ones. The walls and floors of the great hall were fashioned from polished obsidian.
By all rights, the atmospheres should have been bleak and somber. Yet, like before, colourful vegetation and lavish displays of wealth kept the gloom at bay. It was not difficult to guess who was responsible for the stark departure from the original architecture.
The king and queen of the Underworld remained seated as they watched them enter their hall with all the poise and grace expected of divine aristocracy. One of their thrones was crafted from dark metal and ivory bones, while the other was woven from living trees and blooming flowers, each brimming with the vitality of spring.
"Lord Hades. Lady Persephone."
Isabella bowed once they had reached the center of the hall.
"You have our gratitude for allowing us this audience."
The gods looking down upon them from on high were tall, though not so much that she had to crane her neck to meet their gaze. From what the few demigods fortunate enough to visit Olympus had said, the ruling council would not have offered them that same courtesy.
"The Lightning Thief. The Halfblood Magician. A Daughter of Athena." Hade's deep voice resonated through the hall like the beat of a masterfully played drum. "For what reason have you intruded upon my kingdom?"
His hair was the same color of the deepest shadows, while his eyes were an abyss that seemed to swallow the light around them. His garments were simple. The material they were made of was as dark as his well-maintained beard, lending an air of sophistication and maturity to his domineering presence.
The god of death was as beautiful as the realm he ruled.
"We heard that your helmet was stolen, Lord Hades," Annabeth said.
Isabella bit down on her tongue in silent repentance for allowing herself to become distracted at such a critical juncture.
"We came to tell you that Percy is not the thief you have been searching for," she said. "As your Furies seemed to believe. And neither did he steal the Master Bolt."
"Is that truly all you came for?" Hades asked.
"It is," Isabella answered.
They had started their quest under the assumption that, if not Hades, then at least one in his service would turn out to be the true Lightning Thief. The revelation that the god' own symbol of power had been stolen as well was the first stone cast against that theory.
"If not you… then who?" The king's attention settled on Percy with a weight that appeared almost physical. "Who stole my helmet? Who stole my brother's weapon?"
"I don't know about the helmet," Percy began, "but Chiron was sure it was you who stole the Master Bolt." He shifted in visible discomfort as the hall grew cold enough for their breath to become visible.
Hades' stoic expression had not wavered, but his displeasure at the accusation was unmistakable.
"I don't think that's true!" Percy added quickly. "None of us do!"
The biting chill did not fade, but the god's presence no longer felt like death breathing down their necks. "I do not concern myself with the trite affairs of Olympus, but not even I could avoid hearing tales of your quest."
A mocking light flickered in Hades' dark eyes. It was the kind found in those utterly assured in the superiority of both their hand and station.
"Only moments remain until the council gathers for the summer solstice and you are called to war. Your search for the hidden thief who will allow you to avoid such a fate has led you to my doorstep. And yet…" Hades' lips curled with amusement. "You do not believe I am him."
"We don't," Annabeth confirmed without hesitation.
"What did you think coming here would accomplish?" The god's voice carried a note of genuine curiosity. "Not even the most worthless of demigods would have dared blunder a Great Quest as shamelessly as you have."
"Like you said, it did not take long for word of our quest to spread." Isabella said, not allowing the anger Hades' harsh words had kindled to show on her face. "Catching a thief skilled and resourceful enough to steal not only the Master Bold but your symbol of power as well in a mere ten days is an impossible task. One that surpasses even the Twelve Labors."
As the closest relatives to the gods, the plan they had eventually devised was as ironic as it was desperate. They choose to have Faith. In fate, of all things.
"Oracles are the Moirai's mouthpieces, and the prophecy ours imparted on us was one of success," Isabella continued. "Chiron's conclusion was wrong, but that doesn't mean we should disregard that it told us to come here."
Percy had eventually shared that, just before the ghastly mummy went back into dormancy, it had uttered the word 'Aidoneus.'
The Unseen One.
As far as messages from the Fates went, that one had been far from subtle.
A sudden weight settled on their shoulders as Hades' gaze turned piercing. The suffocating silence that followed was broken by a tinkling laugh.
"Stop scaring them, husband. It's clear they are not complicit in this conspiracy." Persephone's voice swept through the hall like a warm breeze, bringing with it the same relief spring ushered in after a cold winter.
The goddess was radiant.
In all her life, she had never met a woman who came closer to matching her beauty than the Queen of the Dead.
"Scaring them?" Hades scoffed. "They would not have made it this far if so little of my presence were enough to frighten them."
Warmth that had previously been absent softened his features as he turned toward Persephone. It was an expression Isabella had not expected to see on a man with his reputation.
"Does that mean…" Percy asked slowly. "You believe us? That I didn't take your helmet?"
"Only a fool would return to the scene of the crime carrying the very thing they stole." Hades' ominous words hung heavy in the air.
Isabella stiffened as the shadows beneath her began to move.
"What does that mean?' Annabeth asked, somehow managing to sound both demanding and respectful at the same time. "We don't have—"
Persephone offered Isabella a reassuring smile.
The moment she forced herself to relax, a tendril of shadow rose from the floor and slithered toward her. No protest left her lips as it wrapped around her mother's gift and lifted it from her shoulder. She would have surrendered it willingly, even if it had been her most prized possession. Opposing the god of death at the centre of his power was suicide.
No inanimate object would ever be worth her life.
Hades released a satisfied breath as the manifested shadow deposited the bag into his waiting hands. It looked like a children's toy in his oversized palm.
That impression did not last.
Dark radiance enveloped the bag as it began to grow.
There were few things capable of truly unbalancing a demigod. Their minds were wired in such a way that they could brush aside even the most terrifying experience with ease.
Still, when Hades opened the bag she had carried for the better part of a week and withdrew the Helmet of Darkness, Isabella found herself more than a little surprised.
The shadows around them deepened as an almost tangible aura of fear washed through the hall. The pure black helmet shifted into the shape of a sleek crown as Hades placed it upon his head.
'You shall go west and face the god who has turned.'
She should have realized it sooner. The deadline was almost upon them, and aside from Hades, only one god had crossed their path. Why did she just accept that the strange bag she could not get rid of was one of her mother's gifts? Why would an arrogant god like Ares lower himself to serve as a deliveryman?
Hades' expression returned to its earlier stoicism as he reached into the bag once again and retrieved the second treasure it concealed within.
The Master Bolt.
The most powerful weapon in their world shone like a blue star in his grip, crackling with uncontrolled electricity.
No sooner had he pulled it free than Hades thrust it back into the bag. The movement was hurried. Almost as though the Bolt had burned him.
"We didn't know!" Annabeth called.
Percy quickly nodded. "That asshole Ares forced the bag on us. We didn't even want it!"
"Quiet, children."
They fell silent as Hades' commanding voice crashed through the hall.
"Do you take me for an imbecile to be deceived by such a transparent plot?"
"It has been centuries since the Conquest," Persephone mused. "Something like this was bound to happen eventually. I heard he has been beside himself ever since the mortals waged their wars a few decades ago."
Hades stroked his beard.
"Zeus blames Poseidon and threatens his son, earning his anger in the process. The boy's Quest leads him into my realm, where I kill him for stealing my helmet and end up with the Bolt in my possession."
Isabella exchanged a quick glance with her companions as the divine couple conversed as though they were alone in the room.
"An all-out war between our kingdoms would have been inevitable."
"My brother has gone too far this time," Persephone sighed.
"Indeed."
Hades turned his attention back to Percy.
"Boy."
The innocuous bag containing the Master Bolt shrunk back to its former size.
"Complete your quest and bring an end to this pointless squabble."
"… Are you really just going to let us go?" Percy asked as a tendril of shadow carried the bag toward him.
Hades did not answer. The faint crease that appeared between his regal brows made his opinion of the question abundantly clear.
"Remember what we talked about," Persephone said.
Every trace of stoic displeasure vanished from his face as he looked at his wife. The love in the god's eyes was so intense it bordered on madness.
"Oh, how our people rejoiced the day you returned to us in spring, my beloved Kore."
A strange emotion she could not name coiled in Isabella's chest at the display. Kore was the name Persephone was known by during the half year she spent on the surface. If this truly was that version of her, then she should not have been here.
"Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson." Hades' tone was noticeably less dismissive than before. "I did not send my monsters after you out of malice. It was done to ensure the continuation of our Pantheon."
He released a sharp breath.
"An exercise in futility. There is only one reason the Moirai would choose to collaborate with a devilof all things. Time has run out."
"You're not supposed to say that around half-bloods, my love," Kore chastised. "Besides, don't forget that devil carries the soul of a Heavenly Dragon."
"Perhaps Yahweh truly has lost his wits," Hades mocked. "The age of the Primordial Dragons has long since passed. None of their hosts will ever rise to match what they were."
"A devil?" Annabeth mouthed. Their hours-long journey across the Underworld had clearly not been enough to extinguish the flames of curiosity the rioting Christian souls at the riverbank of Styx had ignited within her.
"Excuse me… Your Majesty." Percy cleared his throat as the gods' attention settled on him once more. "What did you mean by 'ensure the continuation of our Pantheon'?"
"I never understood why Father insists upon the non-interference law," Kore said. "This child has already favored beyond all others from the moment he was born. What difference would a few meetings to educate him about his heritage truly make?"
"There is a world's difference between granting power to a demigod and teaching them how to wield it," Hades scoffed. "My brother may tolerate one, as it benefits him as well, but he would never allow the other."
Percy's hands clenched as the two gods continued to ignore his question. Just as it seemed like he was about to raise his voice in a considerably less polite manner, Annabeth shot him a scorching glare.
"Lord Hades, if I may ask a question?" Isabella took a single step forward, her movements every bit as poised and well mannered as etiquette demanded.
"Aphrodite's little magician," Hades hummed, a trace of the interest that had waned with the return of his helmet rekindling in his dark eyes.
"You may."
"You call me a magician. Ares called my father a magus."
Isabella was sick and tired of being kept in the dark. Chiron had known about the existence of other supernatural factions all along, and everyone seemed to know more about her heritage than she did.
"I have never heard these terms before. What do they mean?"
Why couldn't anyone else cast magic like she could? Why was she forbidden from leaving Camp? Why was she so different from everyone else? The torrent of questions burned at the back of her throat.
As always, she kept them from spilling past her lips. There was never any benefit in appearing desperate.
"Do not blame Chiron too much," Kore sighed. "He could never bring himself to refuse my father's orders, even when they conflicted with his own wishes."
"Magi are humans capable of utilizing a unique brand of magic," Hades explained, studying her as though weighing her worth and finding it barely acceptable. "By mixing her divinity with his bloodline, Aphrodite gave birth to you. The first magician this world has seen in ages."
"A mortal capable of creating miracles," Kore added.
For a moment, Isabella was lost for words.
"Miracles," she breathed. "Is that what my magic is?"
"Enough questions!" Hades declared. "It is time you return to your Quest."
At a wave of Kore's hand, two small sky-blue pearls materialized in the air before them.
"You know how to use them, don't you?"
"… There are only two," Percy hesitated. "But there's three of us?" His voice dropped to a whisper as he glanced toward Annabeth. "These things are single-use items, right?"
"They are."
"No matter the reasoning, you still violated the sanctity of my kingdom when you entered," Hades said. "Did you think there would be no punishment?"
"That's wrong!" Annabeth protested. "We passed your Trials. That means we're allowed to be here."
"Did you?"
The simple question struck with the force of a hammer.
"You saw what just happened! All we need is for him to say we beat him."
Annabeth flinched as her own voice and words echoed around them.
"You cheated, children." Kore sighed as she shook her head in disappointment.
"Only one of you passed the Trials," Hades continued. "The rest are intruders in my kingdom." His expression softened almost imperceptibly. "My queen has persuaded me to be merciful, and so I shall. However—"
The air grew heavy.
"The Underworld has a reputation to maintain."
Shadows rose around the divine monarch and wrapped around him.
"As punishment for your deception, one of you must remain in my realm."
"We'll give you some time to decide who it will be," Kore added, offering them one final smile as golden radiance began to consume her form. And then they were gone, taking the air out of the room with them.
For some time, none of them said anything. A tense silence spread between them as panic bloomed across her companions' expressions.
To abandon someone in the Underworld was to leave them for dead.
"Isabella." Percy's eyes widened as he turned toward her.
A god like Hades would not lower himself to strike them down personally, but sealing every exits from his domain would require no more than a passing thought.
"What do we—"
"I'll stay," she said. "You two go finish the Quest."
"What are you talking about?" Annabeth snapped, whipping around to face her. "Did you not see what happened to Eurydice?"
"We're not leaving you here!" Percy declared.
A faint smile tugged Isabella's lips. "I promise to protect you, didn't I?"
Unexpected warmth spread through her chest as she turned and met Annabeth's gaze. The girl looked genuinely distraught.
"Nowyou see the real me," she said softly.
Annabeth's expression crumpled.
"No."
"What?"
"No!" she repeated, more forcefully. "You can't do this."
"I can. And I will."
"If anyone should stay behind, it is me." Annabeth's stormy eyes flashed with stubborn defiance. "There's no telling what might happen up there. What if things go even more wrong? You're stronger than me. More resourceful. It's the logical choice."
Without hesitation, she stepped forward and plucked the enchanted marbles from the air.
Then she turned and dropped them at their feet.
"Go save the world."
"No!" Percy's fists trembled. "Neither of you will stay behind."
He lifted his chin.
"I will."
"You're such a seaweed brain," Annabeth sighed. The familiar insult carried none if its usual bite. "Surely even you can understand that was never an option."
Tears gathered at the corners of Percy's eyes.
"I can't—"
Isabella rounded on him and seized his shoulders.
"Isabella," he choked out. "We can't—"
The words died in his throat as she shoved him sideways.
A sharp crack echoed beneath his foot.
Percy's eyes widened in horror. He had stepped on one of the marbles.
"Shit!" Panic twisted his features as he whipped toward Annabeth, his body already dissolving into blue vapour. "I'll come back for you! I promise I—"
Whatever he meant to say next was swallowed by the wind as it carried him upward to the distant ceiling.
Isabella released a quiet breath and slowly turned toward her last remaining companion.
"Thank you, Annabeth. I will not forget this."
She removed her necklace and held it out to the girl.
"I want you to have this. It is very precious to me, so I need you to take good care of it."
"I will," Annabeth answered without hesitation as she accepted the gift. "As long as you promise to take care of everyone else."
Her determined expression never wavered, though she could not completely conceal the trembling in her voice.
Isabella nodded.
Then she stepped forward and crushed the final marble beneath her heel.
"Wear the necklace. Don't take it off."
The world streaked past in a kaleidoscope of colours. A moment later, Isabella crossed the boundary between dimensions and landed lightly on a rocky beach.
There was no time to take stock of her surroundings. A very displeased demigod was already marching right at her.
"Why did you do that?" Percy demanded.
"There was no other way."
"You left her alone down there!"
It had been a long time since anyone had looked at her with such naked anger.
"I didn't leave—"
"You did!" Percy snapped, stopping only a few feet away. "We left her for dead!"
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
"What happens to her now? Can she even reach Elysium—"
"Percy."
"We'll have to—"
"Percy!"
The force in her voice finally made him pause.
"Get a hold of yourself!"
"How?" he demanded. "How am I supposed to do that?"
"Am I interrupting something?"
Their heads snapped toward the familiar voice.
So consumed by their argument had they been that neither had noticed the devil descending from the sky until he chose to reveal himself.
Scaled wings, the same coloring as his inhuman eyes, reflected the fading light of the setting sun as they spread behind him.
Ladora Buné had grown in the weeks since they last met.
And not just physically. The palpable sense of danger radiating from his very being had intensified.
"It's you," Percy muttered as the devil's wings folded into his back.
The devil smiled. The expression looked out of place on his haughty face. Mostly because it could not possibly be sincere.
"It's good to see you again, Percy Jackson."
Although his countenance was warm, something cold lingered behind his piercing eyes.
"Hello Isabella."
His gaze settled on her bare throat.
"You seem to have misplaced something."
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AN: If you enjoy my writing and want to support it—there is more on Pa/tre/one/Jaeven.