𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟎: 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑

"You're my big sister, I'd do anything for you..."

HELL WAS NOTHING LIKE ERIS LEWIS IMAGINED.  Hell looked like a large football field packed with as many people as you would find at a Beyoncé concert.

    There was no noise, no light like something tragic had just happened. It was just filled with empty souls whispering around quietly like they were waiting for something big to happen.

The black grass had been trampled by eons of dead feet. A warm, moist wind blew like the breath of a swamp. Black tree grew in clumps.

    The cavern ceiling was so high above them it might've been a bank of storm clouds, except for the stalactites, which glowed faint gray and looked wickedly pointed.

    They  tried to blend into the crowd, keeping an eye out for security ghouls.

    The dead spirits all look slightly angry or confused. They will come up to you and speak, but their voices sound like chatter, like bats twittering. Once they realize you can't understand them, they frown and move away. Though there were a few that came up specifically to Eris simply to bow to her.

    They crept along, following the line of new arrivals that snaked from the main gates toward a black-tented pavilion with a banner that read:

JUDGMENTS FOR ELYSIUM AND ETERNAL DAMNATION Welcome, Newly Deceased!

    Out the back of the tent came two much smaller lines.

    To the left, spirits flanked by security ghouls were marched down a rocky path toward the Fields of Punishment, which glowed and smoked in the distance, a vast, cracked wasteland with rivers of lava and minefields and miles of barbed wire separating the different torture areas. Out of the corner of Eris' eye she could see people being forced to run naked through cactus patches or listen to opera music.

The line coming from the right side of the judgment pavilion was much better. This one led down toward a small valley surrounded by walls—a gated community, which seemed to be the only happy part of the Underworld. Beyond the security gate were neighborhoods of beautiful houses from every time period in history, Roman villas and medieval castles and Victorian mansions. Silver and gold flowers bloomed on the lawns. The grass rippled in rainbow colors.  She could hear laughter and smell barbecue cooking.

   Elysium.

She hoped Willow was there. She still didn't understand why she still hasn't seen her sister but tried not to worry about it until after the quest.

In the middle of that valley was a glittering blue lake, with three small islands like a vacation resort in the Bahamas. The Isles of the Blest, for people who had chosen to be reborn three times, and three times achieved Elysium.

"That's what it's all about," Annabeth said. "That's the place for heroes."

Eris' mouth was open in awe. She knew she'd probably wouldn't end up in Elysium, she wasn't hero material. She though she thought she was a decent person she would never do anything worthy enough to go to Elysium.

In fact, after this quest she planned on never leaving the Art room and spending the rest of her days paining with Willow and if Willow still wasn't back by the time she got back to Camp Half-Blood Eris would spend the rest of her days doing anything possible to find out why Willow was still gone.

"I hope Willow's there," Eris whispered absentmindedly.

Percy squeeze her shoulder, "I'm sure she is."

    "My sister's...she was all I had," Eris said quietly, "she spent all her life taking care of me instead of herself. I just hope that if she is in there...that she's happy."

   Everyone was silent after that.

Eris owed a lot to Willow. Willow gave up her childhood to raise Eris during the time she was alive. She was always Eris' protector, her biggest fan. She was practically Eris' mother growing up. Eris was all Willow had and Willow was all Eris had. Willow did everything for Eris.

Eris loved her sister more than anything, she'd do anything for her.

They left the judgment pavilion as they moved deeper into the Asphodel Fields.  The more they walked the darker the Underworld became and the green color in Eris' top began to fade to black.

After a few miles of walking, they began to hear a familiar screech in the distance. Looming on the horizon was a palace of glittering black obsidian. Above the parapets swirled three dark batlike creatures: the Furies.

   "Oh, no," Eris muttered, rubbing a hand over her face.

    "I suppose it's too late to turn back," Grover said wistfully.

    "We'll be okay." Percy tried to sound confident but was failing terribly.

    "Maybe we should search some of the other places first," Grover suggested, "Like, Elysium, for instance."

     "I wish," Eris muttered, wrapping her arms around herself.

    "Come on, goat boy." Annabeth grabbed his arm.

    Grover yelped. His sneakers sprouted wings and his legs shot forward, pulling him away from Annabeth. He landed flat on his back in the grass.

     "Grover," Annabeth chided. "Stop messing around."

    "But I didn't—"

     He yelped again. His shoes were flapping like crazy now. They levitated off the ground and started dragging him away from them.

"Maia!" he yelled, but the magic word seemed to have no effect. "Maia, already! Nine-one-one! Help!"

    Eris blinked a bit in shock and reached out to grab his hand but it was too late. Grover was already speeding away downhill.

    They sprinted after him.

    Annabeth shouted, "Untie the shoes!"

Grover tried to sit up, but he couldn't get close to the laces.

    They kept after him, trying to keep him in sight as he zipped between the legs of spirits who chattered at him in annoyance.

     His shoes veered sharply to the right and dragged him in the opposite direction of the entrance to Hads' palace.

     The slope got steeper. Grover picked up speed. Eris panted as she struggled to try and catch up to him. The cavern walls narrowed on either side, they had entered some kind of side tunnel. No black grass or trees now, just rock underfoot, and the dim light of the stalactites above.

    "Grover!" Percy yelled, my voice echoing. "Hold on to something!"

"What?" he yelled back.

     He was grabbing at gravel, but there was nothing big enough to slow him down.

The tunnel got darker and colder. Eris' brain froze. It smelled like blood down there. It made her think of the worst things she had ever experienced in her life. Like she was living in a nightmare.

      Percy suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

    The tunnel widened into a huge dark cavern, and in the middle was a chasm the size of a city block.

     Grover was sliding straight toward the edge.

    "Percy," Eris yelled, grabbing him by the wrist and trying to tug him along, "Come on, Grover—

     "But that's—"

    "I know!" Annabeth shouted. "The place you described in your dream! But Grover's going to fall if we don't catch him."

    Percy nodded and they were off chasing after Grover again.

    He was yelling, clawing at the ground, but the winged shoes kept dragging him toward the pit, and it didn't look like they could possibly get to him in time.

   What saved him were his hooves.

   The flying sneakers had always been a loose fit on him, and finally Grover hit a big rock and the left shoe came flying off. It sped into the darkness, down into the chasm. The right shoe kept tugging him along, but not as fast. Grover was able to slow himself down by grabbing on to the big rock and using it like an anchor.

     He was ten feet from the edge of the pit when they caught him and hauled him back up the slope. The other winged shoe tugged itself off, circled around us angrily and kicked our heads in protest before flying off into the chasm to join its twin.

    They all collapsed, exhausted, on the obsidian gravel. Eris panted as she tried to catch her breath.

Grover was scratched up pretty bad. His hands were bleeding.

"I don't know how..." he panted. "I didn't..."

"It's okay," Eris said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder, "We're okay."

"Wait," Percy said. "Listen."

Suddenly Eris heard something it was like a dark whisper. A promise of death.

Another few seconds, and Annabeth said, "Percy, this place—"

"Shh." Percy stood.

The sound was getting louder, a muttering, evil voice from far, far below them. Coming from the pit.

Grover sat up. "Wh—what's that noise?"

Annabeth heard it too, now. "Tartarus. The entrance to Tartarus."

Percy uncapped his sword and Eris took that as a note to shakily take out her dagger.

"Essence...." something whispered in the air, "we will meet again."

"Something," Eris said shakily, her body trembling, "something doesn't feel right. Why is it calling me? I haven't done anything."

Tears filled her eyes and a couple tears escaped and rolled down her cheeks. Never before had she felt fear this strong. A majority of her life she had spent feeling nothing but consistent fear but there was something about Tartarus that made her feel like she was walking into a living nightmare.

"Magic," Percy said, stepping in front of Eris.

"We have to get out of here," Annabeth said.

Together, they dragged Grover to his hooves and started back up the tunnel. The voice got louder and angrier behind them, and they broke into a run.

A cold blast of wind pulled at their backs, as if the entire pit were inhaling.

They kept struggling forward, and finally reached the top of the tunnel, where the cavern widened out into the Fields of Asphodel. The wind died. A wail of outrage echoed from deep in the tunnel.

"What was that?" Grover panted, when they'd collapsed in the relative safety of a black poplar grove. "One of Hades's pets?"

They glanced at each other. Eris didn't know exactly what Annabeth was thinking but it was obvious she was too scared to share it.

Percy capped his sword, put the pen back in his pocket. "Let's keep going."

"C-Can you walk?" Eris asked softly, offering him her hand.

He swallowed. "Yeah, sure. I never liked those shoes, anyway." He grabbed Eris' hand and allowed her to help him up.

Eris made it a point to look forward and instead of backward. Nothing in her life had made her tremble more than being near Taurus.

They turned around and headed toward the palace of Hades.

The Furies circled the parapets, high in the gloom. The outer walls of the fortress glittered black, and the two-story-tall bronze gates stood wide open.

Inside the courtyard was garden filled with different colored mushrooms, poisonous plants, bright looking flowers and beautiful jewels. Standing here and there like frozen party guests were Medusa's garden statues—petrified children, satyrs, and centaurs—all smiling grotesquely.

In the center of the garden was an orchard of pomegranate trees, their orange blooms neon bright in the dark. 

Though the garden was beautiful for some reason Eris felt...anger radiating from it specifically toward her. Like whoever made the garden hated her with a burning passion. She didn't even know plants could express emotions but it was probably magic.

But why would someone be anger with her? She hasn't done anything.

"The garden of Persephone," Annabeth said. "Keep walking."

They walked up the steps of the palace, between black columns, through a black marble portico, and into the house of Hades. The entry hall had a polished bronze floor, which seemed to boil in the reflected torchlight. There was no ceiling, just the cavern roof, far above.

Every side doorway was guarded by a skeleton in military gear. Some wore Greek armor, some British redcoat uniforms, some camouflage with tattered American flags on the shoulders. They carried spears or muskets or M-16s. None of them bothered them, but their hollow eye sockets followed them all as they walked down the hall, toward the big set of doors at the opposite end. One of them even winked at Eris which caused her to clutch Percy's arm.

Two U.S. Marine skeletons guarded the doors. They grinned down at them, rocket-propelled grenade launchers held across their chests. Percy instinctively pulled Eris, who had been falling behind, closer.

"You know," Grover mumbled, "I bet Hades doesn't have trouble with door-to-door salesmen."

Eris didn't find anything about what he said funny. Nothing was funny about hell.

"Well, guys," Percy said. "I suppose we should...knock?"

A hot wind blew down the corridor, and the doors swung open. The guards stepped aside.

"I guess that means entrez-vous," Annabeth said.

The throne room looked was dark filled with a dark onyx throne decorated with skulls and surrounded by Hellbounds. On the throne sat the god who Eris could only assume was Hades.

Eris stared at him with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Ares had intimidated a lot but Hades terrified her.

He was tall, too tall, with dark silk robe and a crown sat on top of his shoulder-length black hair. His skin was white like it had never seen the sun. He wasn't bulky but lean like a dancers. His eyes were black and intense. His nose was straight and his eyes were narrow. He sat lazily on his throne, with his chin rested in his hand.

Eris couldn't help but feel like she was looking in a mirror as she glanced at his nose and the shape of his eyes.

Everything about Hades radiated power. Like he could and would kill you without a second thought. His aura was dark and felt almost deadly.

Annabeth's mouth fell open and she glanced between Eris' face and Hades'. Like she had finally found something out that she couldn't believe was possible.

Hades' dark eyes sharply turned to Eris and she flinched so hard she nearly fell over. His gaze was cold and calculating like he was the world's smartest serial killer. His eyes forcibly met hers before looking away.

"You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon," he said in an oily voice. "After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply very foolish."

   Percy stepped forward, "Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests."

    Hades raised an eyebrow. When he sat forward in his throne, shadowy faces appeared in the folds of his black robes, faces of torment, as if the garment were stitched of trapped souls from the Fields of Punishment, trying to get out.

    "Only two requests?" Hades said. "Arrogant child. As if you have not already taken enough. Speak, then. It amuses me not to strike you dead yet the only reason I have not is because you have brought me my child as I have requested."

     "Your child?" Eris blurted out without thinking, she quickly covered her mouth.

    Hades eyes drifted to Eris', "Yes," his voice was void of any emotion almost as if the question bored him. "I am surprised the Athena spawn has not acknowledged you, I am your father, Essence Lewis."

    Everything stopped.

    She could feel the wide gazes of Percy, Grover and Annabeth as they stared at her.

    "I-I," Eris didn't even know what to say.

     When Eris finally met her dad she thought she'd be happy. She thought she'd love him the first time she met him. She'd finally have a parent. She'd never met her mother so all her life the one person she had been looking forward to meeting her father. She'd finally have someone other than Willow who loved her. Someone who cared about her.

   Someone who would always be there for her.

A family for the first time ever. For so long she had been all alone. No friends. No family. Beaten up and teased every where she went.

   She had so much hope.

   But as her vision blurted with tears and her hands trembled she didn't feel love.

She didn't feel hope or happiness.

Eris only felt one thing:

    Rage.

    She wasn't mad that Hades turned out to be her dad, she didn't like to stereotype people. Sure, she knew she'd get backlash at camp once they found out she was a daughter of Hades but she wouldn't be treated any worst than she already was treated on a daily basis.

   Her father being Hades was never a problem.

    The problem was—

     "You knew?" Eris snarled at Annabeth, "You knew who my father was the entire time and didn't tell me?!"

Annabeth blinked, a bit stunned, "No, no," Annabeth said frantically, "I had my suspicions but I never believed that you—" she stopped.

"You...you didn't believe someone like me could be a daughter of someone from the Big Three," Eris said slowly in realization.

Annabeth looked down, "Eris, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Eris said tightly, "I understand."

Who would believe someone like Eris could be the child of someone as powerful as Hades? Children of the Big Three were known to be powerful like Percy or as brave and courageous as Thalia Grace.

The children of the Big Three were supposed to be powerhouses.

Unstoppable.

Someone like Eris could never be that. Not someone who flinched at the drop of a hat. Who stuttered with nearly every sentence they spoke. Who never fought back. Who was a massive pushover.

Not someone who was stoppable.

At least that was what Eris thought.

Eris 'Worthless' Lewis, just like Clarisse had always said.

"May we get back on topic—," Hades started to say.

"You know," Eris started to say, looking down. Her hair covered her face and as Percy glanced between the child and parent he couldn't help but notice more and more similarities. "Originally, I thought that when I first met my dad I'd be happy. I thought I'd jump in your arms or something I don't know," she shrugged and Percy felt an odd chill in the air. "I thought I'd finally have a family, that's all I've ever wanted. I've never had that before. But now...as I'm standing here I can't help but wonder," she looked up and all her friends took a step back at the absolutely menacing look on her face. "Do you even love me?"

Hades expression didn't change. He didn't even answer.

Eris would lie if she said it didn't hurt.

"...that's what I thought," Eris said quietly, "for so long I've been treat like shit by everyone for doing absolutely nothing. All those times I've gotten beaten up by kids at camp, when I didn't have any friends, when I was in foster care, when my sister died, when I thought I was insane, when I was all alone...you did nothing," she said flatly, "I thought maybe I was the problem I was never claimed. 'Who wanted a daughter who couldn't even defend themselves?' But I've never done a single thing to hurt anyone, I try so hard to be nice to people," she wiped a tear that fell down her cheek, "only for people to treat me like shit."

Everyone had a breaking point even Eris.

"Eris—" Percy started to say, putting a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off.

"I've realized that I'm not the problem. Parents...parents should love their kids no matter what. I'm not the problem," she said, clenching her fist, "You're the problem."

"E-Eris, dont—" Grover stuttered as the ground started to shake from Hades' fury.

"You could've done something. You're the god of wealth! You've could've gotten me a trust fund or maybe even better foster parents. Hell, you could've saved my sister," Eris snarled, hot tears running down her face as she ignored the furious glare Hades sent her.

"Watch how you speak," Hades snapped at her, glaring her down with his stone cold gaze.

"I thought I would love you," Eris said softly, her eyes wide in realizations, "But...I don't. I don't even resent you..." she stared Hades in the eyes, "I just...I hate you," she said honestly.

She had come to realize that the feelings that she held for her father for so long weren't love...it was hate. How could you just have a child and abandon them? And only claim them when it was convenient to you?

For so long Eris had struggled and he had just...ignored it.

Eris hated him and it wasn't something she had only spoken out of anger. It was the truth.

And she was sure that if she ever met her birth mother she would hate her too.

Everyone was completely silent.

Hades reeled back as if he had been slapped but Eris didn't take back her words.

She meant what she said.

And if he killed her then so what? She didn't have anyone to live for anyway.

For once she wasn't scared of death, she had embraced it.

"After I leave I won't bother you again," Eris said flatly her face blank, "I don't want to be in your life. I don't want you to be apart of my life. I want nothing to do with you. You could be on your deathbed and I don't want a single phone call. I feel...nothing towards you. You mean nothing to me. We may be biologically related but you're not my father."

Hades face became blank briefly before his gaze narrowed, "You won't be leaving," he seethed to her. He snapped his fingers and a dark flash of mist appeared next to him.

Floating in the air next to him was Willow. She was forcibly floating in the air, black chains wrapped around her neck choking her. Thick chains painfully wrapped around her wrist as another pair were tightly wrapped around ankles, stretching her body painfully as her face was glimpsed in slight pain.

"W-Willow," Annabeth stuttered, "but..how?"

"Essence could see her ghost the entire time after her death," Hades said darkly looking more and more annoyed, "Essence is not insane as some may think."

"This entire time," Grover said slowly, "you've been talking to your dead sister."

"Eris?" Percy called, "Eris, what-"

Eris lunged forward.

"No! Don't!" Annabeth yanked Eris back by her jacket and struggled to hold her back.

"Let me go!" Eris yelled, pushing against Annabeth and Percy who tried to wrestle her to the floor. "That's my sister! Let me go!" She snarled, trying to shove them away.

Eris' head pounded. Hades didn't take people for just any reason. Willow must have done something, she got in trouble all the time growing up. What did she do? What could Willow had done so badly to be punished by Hades?

Her sister was everything to Eris, she was the one person in the world who actually loved and cared for her.

"Eris, we can't," Percy grunted, "You'll die!"

She growled, "I don't care!" She snarled, "that's my sister! She's all I have! You guys have families you don't understand! Let me go please! Willow, what did you do? What did you do?"

"Eris, we can't—"

"Whatever, Willow did—" Eris started to say loudly, "whatever punishment she must pay—"

"Eris, stop," Willow said weakly.

"I will pay it! I'll take her place—" Eris yelled.

Annabeth tried to cover her mouth, "Eris, please—"

"I'll take her punishment!" Eris cried, wrestling against their tough hold. "whatever it is I don't care. I'll do it I promise. Just let my sister go and I'll take her place—"

"Eris, no!"

"—I swear it on the river of Styx!" Eris sobbed, "Please!"

Lightning crackled in the background and her friends flinched.

"There is no need for the dramatics," Hades said flatly after a moment of silence, "I will release your sister—"

    Eris sighed in relief.

    "—if you agree to stay in the Underworld with me for the next year," Hades finished, eyeing her with his cold calculating eyes.

    "...why?" She asked.

It had been twelve years since she was born almost thirteen if he even knew her birthday that was coming up in November. What did did he want with her now? How had she finally been able to gain his attention?

Nothing made sense.

"...Do you accept my terms of agreement?" Hades asked, ignoring her question. "You must swear it."

   "Eris, think about this," Grover pleaded, "you can't—"

Eris didn't miss a beat, "I accept, I swear it on the river of Styx " she said quickly without even a second thought, "Now please, please, let her go."

Hades eyed her, looking at ever little facial feature on her face. He snapped his fingers and the chains released Willow who landed on the ground with a small thump. Normally Willow wouldn't have made a sound if they were at camp Half-Blood but Eris assumed it was different because they were in the Underworld.

Willow scrambled to get stand and opened her arms. Eris sprinted into her arms and collided with Willow so hard that she nearly fell over.

"I-I can touch you," Eris whispered in shock.

This was Eris first hug from her sister in years. The last time Eris received a hug from Willow was the night before Willow left on the quest with Luke that got her killed. It was weird... but Willow still smelled like the flower scented perfume she used to wear.

Willow smelled like home.

"You've gotten so big, kid," Willow whispered in her ear, "last time I hugged you..you were so tiny and now—"

Eris sobbed into her shoulder, "I-I missed you so much," she blubbered like a baby, "I thought—I thought—"

"It's okay," Willow muttered, smoothing a hand over Eris' hair like she used to when Eris was younger, "I'm okay."

"Eris...you can't stay here," Percy said, still stunned.

"I have too," Eris said softly, hugging her sister tighter, "she's my sister. I'd do anything for her. I need to do this."

"But—"

"Enough," Hades said sharply, "Son of Poseidon, speak now!"

Percy drew his eyes away from Eris, "Lord Hades," Percy said. "Look, sir, there can't be a war among the gods. It would be...bad."

"Really bad," Grover added helpfully.

"Return Zeus's master bolt to me," Percy said hesitantly, "Please, sir. Let me carry it to Olympus."

Hades's eyes grew dangerously bright. "You dare keep up this pretense, after what you have done?"

"What did your friend do?" Willow asked, hugging Eris close to her chest.

    "I don't know," Eris muttered, eyeing Percy with a frown

    "Um...Uncle," Percy said. "You keep saying 'after what you've done.' What exactly have I done?"

    An earthquake erupted in the room. Debris fell from the cavern ceiling. Doors burst open all along the walls, and skeletal warriors marched in, hundreds of them, from every time period and nation in Western civilization. They lined the perimeter of the room, blocking the exits.

     Hades bellowed, "Do you think I want war, godling?"

    "You are the Lord of the Dead," Percy said carefully. "A war would expand your kingdom, right?"

    "A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Did you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel Fields?"

     "Well..."

     "Have you any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in this past century alone, how many subdivisions I've had to open?"

Percy opened his mouth but Hades didn't stop.

"More security ghouls," he moaned. "Traffic problems at the judgment pavilion. Double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson. I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!"

"Charon wants a pay raise," Percy blurted.

"Idiot," Willow muttered.

"Don't get me started on Charon!" Hades yelled. "He's been impossible ever since he discovered Italian suits! Problems everywhere, and I've got to handle all of them personally. The commute time alone from the palace to the gates is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving. No, godling. I need no help getting subjects! I did not ask for this war."

"But you took Zeus's master bolt."

"Lies!" More rumbling. Hades rose from his throne, towering to the height of a football goalpost. "Your father may fool Zeus, boy, but I am not so stupid. I see his plan."

"His plan?"

"You were the thief on the winter solstice," he said. "Your father thought to keep you his little secret. He directed you into the throne room on Olympus. You took the master bolt and my helm. Had I not sent my Fury to discover you at Yancy Academy, Poseidon might have succeeded in hiding his scheme to start a war. But now you have been forced into the open. You will be exposed as Poseidon's thief, and I will have my helm back!"

"But..." Annabeth spoke slowly. "Lord Hades, your helm of darkness is missing, too?"

"Do not play innocent with me, girl. You and the satyr have been helping this hero—coming here to threaten me in Poseidon's name, no doubt—to bring me an ultimatum. Does Poseidon think I can be blackmailed into supporting him?"

"No!" Percy said. "Poseidon didn't—I didn't—"

"I have said nothing of the helm's disappearance," Hades snarled, "because I had no illusions that anyone on Olympus would offer me the slightest justice, the slightest help. I can ill afford for word to get out that my most powerful weapon of fear is missing. So I searched for you myself, and when it was clear you were coming to me to deliver your threat, I did not try to stop you."

"You didn't try to stop us? But—"

"Return my helm now, or I will stop death," Hades threatened. "That is my counterproposal. I will open the earth and have the dead pour back into the world. I will make your lands a nightmare. And you, Percy Jackson —your skeleton will lead my army out of Hades."

The skeletal soldiers all took one step forward, making their weapons ready.

"You're as bad as Zeus," Percy said. "You think I stole from you? That's why you sent the Furies after me?"

"Of course," Hades said.

"And the other monsters?"

Hades curled his lip. "I had nothing to do with them. I wanted no quick death for you—I wanted you brought before me alive so you might face every torture in the Fields of Punishment. Why do you think I let you enter my kingdom so easily? The only reason I let you through was because you had my spawn with you!

"Easily?" Eris muttered.

"Return my property!"

"But I don't have your helm. I came for the master bolt."

"Which you already possess!" Hades shouted. "You came here with it, little fool, thinking you could threaten me!"

"But I didn't!"

"Open your pack, then."

Percy paused before slung it off his shoulder and unzipping it. Inside was a two-foot-long metal cylinder, spiked on both ends, humming with energy.

Eris and Willow's mouth fell open.

"Percy," Eris whispered, "why—"

"Percy," Annabeth said. "How—"

"I—I don't know. I don't understand."

"You heroes are always the same," Hades said. "Your pride makes you foolish, thinking you could bring such a weapon before me. I did not ask for Zeus's master bolt, but since it is here, you will yield it to me. I am sure it will make an excellent bargaining tool. And now...my helm. Where is it?"

Hadn't Hades realized, Eris thought, they'd all been played. Someone pit Zeus, Poseidon and Hades all against each other.

Someone wanted a war.

"Hades," Eris said slowly, no way in hell was she calling him father. "T-This has to be a mistake—"

"A mistake?" Hades roared.

The skeletons aimed their weapons. From high above, there was a fluttering of leathery wings, and the three Furies swooped down to perch on the back of their master's throne.

"There is no mistake, daughter" Hades said. "I know why Percy has come—I know the real reason you brought the bolt. You came to bargain for her."

Hades loosed a ball of gold fire from his palm. It exploded on the steps in front of Percy, and in front of him was a pretty young woman in her thirties with light brown hair, pale skin and blue eyes. She was frozen in a shower of gold.

"Yes," Hades said with satisfaction. "I took her. I knew, Percy Jackson, that you would come to bargain with me eventually. Return my helm, and perhaps I will let her go. She is not dead, you know. Not yet. But if you displease me, that will change."

Percy reached in his pocket.

"Ah, the pearls," Hades said, and Percy. "Yes, my brother and his little tricks. Bring them forth, Percy Jackson."

Percy took out the pearls.

"Only three," Hades said. "What a shame. You do realize each only protects a single person. Try to take your mother, then, little godling. And which of your friends will you leave behind to spend eternity with me? Go on. Choose. Or give me the backpack and accept my terms."

"Hades," Eris tried to make her voice sound kind but she knew she was failing miserably, "Please—"

"Silence!"

"We were tricked," Percy told them. "Set up."

"Yes, but why?" Annabeth asked. "And the voice in the pit—"

  "I don't know yet," Percy said, clenching his fist, "But I intend to ask."

"Decide, boy!" Hades yelled.

"Percy." Grover put his hand on his shoulder. "You can't give him the bolt."

"I know that."

"Leave me here," he said. "Use the third pearl on your mom."

"No!"

"I'm a satyr," Grover said. "We don't have souls like humans do. He can torture me until I die, but he won't get me forever. I'll just be reincarnated as a flower or something. It's the best way. Plus, Eris will keep me company."

"No." Annabeth drew her bronze knife. "You two go on. Grover, you have to protect Percy. You have to get your searcher's license and start your quest for Pan. Get his mom out of here. I'll cover you. I plan to go down fighting."

"No way," Grover said. "I'm staying behind."

"Think again, goat boy," Annabeth said.

"Guy, please—" Eris started to say weakly.

"Stop it, both of you!" Percy snapped, "I'm already losing one friend to Hades I can't lose another. I know what to do," Percy said. "Take these." He handed them each a pearl.

Annabeth said, "But, Percy..."

Percy turned to face his mother, his face grim. "I'm sorry," He told her. "I'll be back. I'll find a way."

The smug look on Hades's face faded. He said, "Godling...?"

"I'll find your helm, Uncle," Percy told him. "I'll return it. Remember about Charon's pay raise. And please...keep Eris safe. She's..." he turned to her with soft eyes, "she's a kind person."

"Do not defy me—"

"And it wouldn't hurt to play with Cerberus once in a while."

"Percy Jackson, you will not—"

"I'll take care of her," Eris promised and Percy nodded, "I-I'll see you guys next year I guess."

She didn't want to stay here, she wanted to leave with her friends and go home. But...she'd never leave her sister behind not when her sister had done so much for her. She knew Willow would be giving her an earful later about accepting Hades' demand.

"Eris...I," Annabeth frowned before she forced a small smile, "I'll see you next year."

"Thank you, come back safe" Percy said sincerely before shouted, "Now, guys!"

They smashed the pearls at their feet. For a brief moment nothing happened but then...they were gone.

"That fool!" Hades snarled.

Eris exchanged a look with Willow, "You-you never answered me earlier. Why am I staying here?"

Hades cold eyes turned to her and narrowed.

That's the end of part one.

So yeah, Hades is her dad. It was pretty obvious but I understand why some thought she was a daughter of Ares.

Some thought she was a daughter of Ares because of dogs liking her but I always thought that because Cerberus is like the worlds biggest dog and probably the first dog creature in existence and loved Eris because she's the daughter of his master than that would mean other dogs automatically liked her. Idk my logic during the time sounded smart to me now I just feel dumb.

With Eris snapping at Hades I felt it made sense. All her life she had been treated like shit and he knew and did nothing about it. All of these gods just abandon their children. If they can't take care of their children then they shouldn't be having some. It never made sense to me why a lot of demigods weren't angry with their godly parents. If it were me I'd be pissed.

I know it's a cliche for Ocs to be a child of the big three but tbh I don't see a lot of pjo fanfics where the Oc is the child of the big three. Most of the time I see children of Ares, Deminter, Hecrate or Aphrodite and if it is a child of the big three it's usually a daughter of Poseidon. But maybe I just haven't came across the fanfics where the oc is a child of the big three yet.

This part of the story didn't have much chemistry between Percy and Eris because I wanted focus on showing who Eris was as a person before any romance. I wanted her to be a decently likable character and get used to writing her.

Also so far Eris does have one power but I've only found one person who noticed it and commented. But Eris doesn't even know she has that small ability yet.

Would any of you like to meet Eris' birth mother one day?

Part 2 will be released soon.