ΉӨЦƧΣ ӨF ΉΛDΣƧ

TW: detailed panic attack

AFTER ENTERING THE DARK PATH, they plodded on for what seemed like hours, relying on the light of Percy's Celestial bronze blade, and on Bob and Lucia, who glowed faintly in the dark.

Lucia could only see about five feet in front of her. Here in Tartarus, the fog was thick and black—almost like ink. Rocks loomed out of nowhere. Pits appeared at their feet, and Lucia barely avoided falling in.

Monstrous roars echoed in the gloom, but Lucia couldn't tell where they came from. She could just hear them surrounding her. All she could be certain of was that the terrain was still sloping down.

Down seemed to be the only direction allowed in Tartarus. If Lucia backtracked even a step, she felt tired and heavy, as if gravity was getting heavier and dragging her down. Assuming that the entire pit was the body of Tartarus, Lucia had a nasty premonition that they were marching straight down his throat.

She was so preoccupied with that thought, she didn't notice the ledge until it was too late.

Percy yelled, "Whoa Luz!" He grabbed for her arm, but she was already falling.

Fortunately, it was only a shallow depression. Most of it was filled with a monster blister. She had a soft landing on a warm bouncy surface and was feeling lucky—until she opened her eyes and found herself staring through a glowing gold membrane at another, much larger face.

She screamed bloody murder and flailed, toppling sideways off the mound. Her heart did a hundred jumping jacks.

Percy helped her to her feet. "You okay?"

Lucia only responded with a ring of Spanish curse words under her breath.  "Hijo de puta, casi me muero del puto susto. Titán de mierda. Ay, que asco! que asco!." Son of a bitch I almost died out of fucking fear. Fuck ass Titan. Oh gross! Gross!

"Err—So kinda?"

Curled in the membrane bubble in front of her was a fully formed Titan in golden armor, his skin the color of polished pennies. His eyes were closed, but he scowled so deeply he appeared to be on the verge of a bloodcurdling war cry. Even through the blister, Lucia could feel the heat radiating from his body.

"Hyperion," Percy said. "I hate that guy."

Lucia's shoulder suddenly ached from an old wound. During the Battle of Manhattan, Lucia, and Percy had fought this Titan at the Reservoir water. Lucia made him bleed ichor by burning a hole into his stomach. She kept him distracted, stressing him out to no end with all her holograms.

Then Percy had summoned a hurricane for the first time—which wasn't something she would ever forget.

Lucia was still resenting the fact that he stole the show after her grand entrance!

"I thought Grover turned this guy into a maple tree. He's supposed to be providing us with pancake syrup not giving me a damn heart attack." 

"Yeah," Percy agreed. "Maybe the maple tree died, and he wound up back here?"

Lucia remembered how Hyperion had summoned fiery explosions, and how many satyrs and nymphs he'd destroyed before they stopped him.

She was about to suggest that they burst Hyperion's bubble before he woke up. He looked ready to pop out at any moment and start charbroiling everything in his path.

Then she glanced at Bob. The silvery Titan was studying Hyperion with a frown of concentration—maybe recognition. Their faces looked so much alike.

Lucia bit back a curse. Of course, they looked alike. Hyperion was his literal brother. Hyperion was the Titan lord of the east. Iapetus, was the lord of the West. Put him in armor and cut his hair, change his color scheme from silver to gold, and Iapetus would have been almost indistinguishable from Hyperion.

"Gold, not silver," Bob murmured. "But he looks like me."

"Bob," Percy said. "Hey, buddy, over here."

The Titan reluctantly turned.

"Am I your friend?" Percy asked.

"Yes." Bob sounded dangerously uncertain. "We are friends."

"You know that some monsters are good," Percy told him. "And some are bad."

"Hmm," Bob said. "Like...the pretty ghost ladies who serve Persephone are good. Exploding zombies are bad."

"Right," Percy said. "And some mortals are good, and some are bad. Well, the same thing is true for Titans."

"Titans..." Bob loomed over them, glowering. Lucia was pretty sure her boyfriend had just made a big mistake. His hand blocked her from reaching for a dagger.

"That's what you are," Percy said calmly. "Bob the Titan. You're good. You're awesome, in fact. But some Titans are not. This guy here, Hyperion, is full-on bad. He tried to kill me. tried to kill a lot of people."

Bob blinked his silver eyes. "But he looks... his face is so—"

"He looks like you," Percy agreed. "He's a Titan, like you. But he's not good like you are."

"Bob is good." His fingers tightened on his broom handle. "Yes. There is always at least one good one—monsters, Titans, giants."

"Uh.." Percy grimaced. "Well, I'm not sure about the giants."

"Oh, yes." Bob nodded earnestly.

Lucia got a bad feeling in her gut, she sensed they'd already been in this place too long. Their pursuers were going to be closing in.

"We should go," she urged. "What do we do about...?"

"Bob," Percy said, "it's your call. Hyperion is your kind. We could leave him alone, but if he wakes up—"

Bob's broom-spear swept into motion. If he'd been aiming at Lucia or Percy, they would've been cut in half. Instead, Bob slashed through the monstrous blister, which burst into a geyser of hot golden mud.

Lucia wiped the Titan sludge out of her eyes. Where Hyperion had been, there was nothing but a smoking crater. She gagged, "Ugh, Why did it have to be my favorite color..."

"Hyperion is a bad Titan," Bob announced, his expression grim. "Now he can't hurt my friends. He will have to re-form somewhere else in Tartarus. Hopefully, it will take a long time."

The Titan's eyes seemed brighter than usual, as if he were about to cry quicksilver.

Lucia felt for him. "You're a good friend..."

"Thank you, Bob," Percy hummed.

"Bob, Good Titan. Good Friend." He grinned

Lucia let out a huff of relief,

If Percy had been serious about leaving the choice to Bob, then she worried about how much he trusted the amnesiac Titan.

If he'd been manipulating Bob into making that choice... well, then, Lucia was shocked that Percy could do something so incredibly calculating.

He met her eyes, and Lucia saw his desire to survive. He saw that what he wanted most was to get them both out of there. To make it back home.

"We'd better keep going," He reached for her hand.

Lucia nodded, accepting his. She tried comforting him by drawing circles with her thumb.

She and Percy followed Bob, the golden mud flecks from Hyperion's burst bubble glowing brightly on Lucia's nurse uniform.

༄

LUCIA MARCHED ALONG AS HER leg muscles burned up and stiffened. She listened to the monotonous slosh of liquid in Bob's cleaning bottle. It made Lucia miss the sound of music.

Then, she started to dwell on how she got there in the first place. And it was like her legs became heavier, harder to drag around.

A gift from the ones who love you most.

She tried to remain alert but it was difficult. Her thoughts were numb, like her legs. From time to time, she would kiss Percy and make an encouraging comment to him; but the dark landscape was getting to her.

Still, she couldn't help but try to comfort him. At least, as much as she was capable of in her state. His eyes had a dull sheen—like his spirit was being slowly extinguished. Lucia hated looking into the green of his eyes and not seeing them have that brilliant glow.

He fell into Tartarus because of you, said a voice in her head. If he dies, it will be your fault. And you will be responsible for the death of another lover...Like father, like daughter...

"Stop it," She demanded, her voice cracking.

Percy frowned. "What?"

"No, not you." She tried for a reassuring smile, but she couldn't quite muster a genuine one. "Sorry, This place...it's messing with my mind. Giving me dark thoughts...."

The worry lines deepened around Percy's sea-green eyes. "Hey, Bob, where exactly are we heading?"

"The lady," Bob said. "Death Mist."

Lucia fought down her irritation. Getting upset with Bob wasn't fair. Even in her suffering, she knew better than to snap or cop an attitude with their friendly Titan guide. "But what does that mean Bob? Who is this lady you're talking about?"

"Naming her?" Bob glanced back. "Not a good idea."

Lucia sighed. The Titan was right. Names had power, and speaking them there in Tartarus was probably very dangerous.

"Can you at least tell us how far we are?" she asked.

"I do not know," Bob admitted. "I can only feel it. We wait for the darkness to get darker. Then we go sideways."

"Darker," Lucia grumbled, A tremble in her voice. "Darker than darkness. Oh yeah, this is going to be great for me honestly...."

She was tempted to ask for a rest, but she didn't want to stop. Not here in this cold, dark place. The obsidian fog crept through her, leaving her bones delicately fragile, as if a gentle touch could shatter them like glass.

She wondered if her message would get to Rachel. If she could somehow carry her proposal to Reyna without getting killed in the process...

A ridiculous hope, said the voice in her head. She realized that it almost sounded like Hecate. Her voice apparently still haunted her mind, infiltrating it with despair. Lucia couldn't put a stop to her negative thoughts in this place...You have only put Rachel in danger. Even if she finds the Romans, why should Reyna trust you after all that has happened? You are a phony. You are no Hero...But a monster, a murderer. And you will bring all down with you.

Not true, Was all she could manage. Now, shut up.

Lucia was tempted to shout back at the voice, but she resisted. Even if she felt as if she were going crazy, she didn't want to look like it.

She desperately needed something to lift her spirits. A drink of actual water. A moment of sunlight. A warm bed. A kind word from Apollo. Her friends. Her siblings.

Suddenly Bob stopped. He raised his hand: Wait.

"What?" Percy whispered.

"Shh," Bob warned. "Ahead. Something moves."

Lucia focused her ears. From somewhere in the fog came a deep thrumming noise. She could feel the vibrations through her shoes.

"We will surround it," Bob whispered. "Each of you, take a flank."

Lucia notched an arrow and crept to the left. Percy went right, his sword ready.

Bob took the middle, his spearhead glowing in the fog.

The humming got louder, shaking the gravel at Lucia's feet. The noise seemed to be coming from immediately in front of them.

"Ready?" Bob murmured.

Lucia crouched, preparing to spring. "On three?"

"One," Percy whispered. "Two"

A figure appeared in the fog. Bob raised his spear.

"No! Wait!" Lucia shrieked.

Bob froze just in time, the point of his spear hovering an inch above the head of a tiny calico kitten.

"Rrow?" said the kitten, clearly unimpressed by their attack plan.

It butted its head against Bob's foot and purred loudly.

It seemed impossible, but the deep rumbling sound was coming from the kitten. As it purred, the ground vibrated and pebbles danced. The kitten fixed its yellow, lamp-like eyes on one particular rock, right between Lucia's feet, and pounced.

The cat could've been a demon or a horrible Underworld monster in disguise. But Lucia didn't care to think of that. "Hi, Michu Michu." She picked it up and cuddled it. The little thing was bony under its fur, but otherwise, it seemed perfectly normal.

It purred in her arms, its nose rubbing against her own.

She grinned, petting it between the ears. "How did..?" She couldn't even form the question. "What is a tiny kitten doing here...?"

The cat grew impatient and squirmed out of her arms. It landed with a thump, padded over to Bob, and started purring again as it rubbed against his boots.

Percy laughed. "Somebody likes you, Bob."

"It must be a good monster." Bob looked up nervously. "Isn't it?"

Lucia felt a lump in her throat. This place had no respect for anything good or bad, small or large, wise or unwise. Tartarus swallowed Titans and demigods and kittens indiscriminately.

They only care for power. They tore me open. Trapped my children inside me. The injustice against my Titan sons, who fought alongside your precious Olympians, fuels my wrath.

Bob knelt and scooped up the cat. It fit perfectly in Bob's palm, but it decided to explore. It climbed the Titan's arm, made itself at home on his shoulder, and closed its eyes, purring.

Suddenly its fur shimmered. In a flash, the kitten became a ghostly skeleton, as if it had stepped behind an X-ray machine.

Then it was a regular kitten again.

Lucia blinked. "You saw that right?"

"Yeah." Percy knit his eyebrows. "Oh, man...I know that kitten. It's one of the ones from the Smithsonian."

Lucia recalled her very first quest against the Titan Atlas from several years ago. It was a quest to rescue Annabeth and her Aunt Artemis. Along the way, Percy snuck away from camp and watched Atlas raise some skeleton warriors from dragon teeth in the Smithsonian Museum.

According to Percy, the Titan's first attempt went wrong. He'd planted saber-toothed tiger teeth by mistake, and raised a batch of skeleton kittens from the soil.

"That's one of them?" Lucia frowned. "How did it get here?"

Percy spread his hands helplessly. "Atlas told his servants to take the kittens away. Maybe they destroyed the cats and they were reborn in Tartarus? I don't know."

"Boo." She frowned, her heart aching for them. "Poor Michu's"

"It's cute," Bob said, as the kitten sniffed his ear.

"But is it safe?" Percy asked.

The Titan scratched the kitten's chin. Lucia didn't know if it was a good idea, carrying around a cat grown from a prehistoric tooth; but obviously, it didn't matter now. The Titan and the cat had bonded. Plus, Lucia would really enjoy having a cute tiny cat to pet from time to time.

"I will call him Small Bob," said Bob. "He is a good monster."

End of discussion.

The Titan hefted his spear and they continued marching into the gloom.

Lucia walked in a daze, trying not to think about food. To keep herself distracted, she watched Small Bob the kitten pacing across Bob's shoulders and purring, occasionally turning into a glowing kitty skeleton and then back to a calico fuzz-ball.

"Here," Bob announced.

He stopped so suddenly, Lucia almost ran into him.

Bob stared off to their left, as if deep in thought.

"Is this the place?" Lucia asked. "Where we go sideways?"

"Yes," Bob agreed. "Darker, then sideways."

Lucia froze, "Wait, still Darker? You mean...We haven't even reached it yet?"

"Luz—Hey."

She didn't hear him, she ran a hand through her hair, her heart slammed against her rib cage. She started spiraling, her memories going a mile a minute. She fell to her knees. Her aura flickered in panic.

Darker? How much Darker?

Apollo. Dad. Please... I can't. I can't do more. Dad help me. Papa, where are you? Anyone, I can't. I don't want to.

How do I save myself from this? How.

Lucia felt like she couldn't breathe. Her breathing fell out in puffs. Her chest was constricting and squeezing at her heart. She felt like she was dying. She looked ahead into the darkness.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

immovable fate, how cruel...isn't it little Lucia?

"Lucia, breathe." Percy didn't touch her, he knew she was having a panic attack. Putting his hands on her would just make her feel worse. "Tell me three things you see, hear, and smell, Luz, Can you do that for me Sunlight?"

She shook her head, she tried to catch her breath.

Bob kneeled in front of them. He held the kitten out in his hand.

"Small Bob. Big Bob. Percy." She tried,

"Good, Good."

"Good, Friend." Bob nodded, he pursed his lips and sucked in harshly. "Breathe."

Lucia closed her eyes tight, she shuddered. "Wailing. Breathing. Your heartbeat..." Her shoulders eased at the last word.

"Good, One more Lucia." He nodded, "What do you smell."

She sniffled, her heart seemed to steady. She wrinkled her nose, her eyes fluttered open. "Gross, All I smell is just Gross."

He laughed, "Just like Gabe"

She laughed with him, "Mhm."

Lucia was comfortable enough to let Percy help her up from the ground. She became sheepish, embarrassed at her reaction.

He didn't let her stay ashamed. He kissed her forehead and held her hand. "Come on, I'm here."

Bob nodded, "Here for friend. Darkness won't get you."

Lucia smiled slightly. She walked further, Bob led them as Percy stayed beside her. She watched as the light around her dimmed further, the air around her seemed colder and thicker.

Bob struck off to the left. They followed. The air definitely got colder. Lucia felt a shiver run up her spine, Percy's teeth chattered as he pressed himself closer to her for warmth. He put his arm around her. It felt like heaven being close to him. but she couldn't relax.

They'd entered some sort of forest. Towering black trees soared into the gloom, perfectly round and bare of branches, like monstrous hair follicles. The ground was smooth and pale.

Lucia grimaced, Ew. I hope this isn't his armpit.

Suddenly her senses were on high alert. A premonition hit her like a train. She rested her hand on the trunk of the nearest tree.

"What is it?" Percy raised his sword.

Bob turned and looked back, confused. "We are stopping?"

Lucia held up her hand for silence. She wasn't sure what had set her off. Nothing looked different. Then she realized the tree trunk was quivering.

She wondered momentarily if it was the kitten's purr, but Small Bob had fallen asleep on Large Bob's shoulder.

A few yards away, another tree shuddered.

"Something's moving above us," Lucia hissed. "Gather up."

Bob and Percy closed ranks with her, standing back to back.
Lucia strained her eyes, trying to see above them in the dark, but nothing moved.

She had almost decided she was being paranoid when the first monster dropped to the ground only five feet away.

Lucia's first thought: The Erinyes.

The creature looked almost exactly like one: a wrinkled hag with batlike wings, brass talons, and glowing red eyes. She wore a tattered dress of black silk, and her face was twisted and ravenous.

Bob grunted as another one dropped in front of him, and then another in front of Percy. Soon there were half a dozen surrounding them. More hissed in the trees above.

They couldn't be Furies, then. There were only three of those, and these winged hags didn't carry whips. That didn't comfort Lucia at all. The monsters' talons looked plenty lethal.

"What are you?" Lucia demanded, her voice quivered, but they heard her loud and clear.

The arai, hissed a voice. The curses!

Lucia tried to locate the speaker, but none of the demons had moved their mouths. Their eyes looked dead; their expressions were frozen, like a puppet's. The voice simply floated overhead like a movie narrator's, as if a single mind controlled all the creatures.

We've come just for you Lucia...

"What do you want?" Lucia growled.

The voice cackled maliciously. To curse you both and make sure the katadesmos is in action of course! To destroy you a thousand times in the name of Mother Night! In the name of—

"Only a thousand times?" Percy murmured. "Oh, good...I thought we were in trouble."

"You are such a Kelphead." She muttered back, her gaze was stuck on the arai and every movement they made.

The circle of demon ladies closed in.