Chapter Text
Percy and Annabeth weren't in their best moment, the whole being trap in the Tartarus was really not his idea of a great date with his girlfriend. After days of lava drinking, harsh hiking and multiple combats to death they found a small hope in escaping this red hell, Bob, formerly know as the titan Iapetus. They continued walking for what it felt like days until they saw a pair of pulsating cocoons. They had seen others that freed a newly reform monster into the world before, but never ones likes this, the other ways red-orangish glow was of a strange turquoise; they also did not emanate the same danger sensation that had their demigod's senses at full alert.
-What are those things? Don't tell me were gonna have to fight another new monster.-Percy said with a tired and resigned tone.
-No, this are different.-Bob intervened – They shouldn’t even be able to exist. I cant really explain why… but I feel a power that was long vanished. Not bad, at least not for Bobs friend.
-I really don’t know but with Gaia's waking to many weird things are happening already and I would prefer not poking into any new possibilities, even if they could potentially be good. We cant risk even the smallest possibilities.- Annabeth sentenced.
They continue their journey to the House of Hades, and eventually succeeded, not without lost and pain. They could finish their mission, save the world, and stop Gaia. But down in Tartarus the cocoons still remained, gathering energy until finally…
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The complete darkness filled everything. After the defeat of Kronos, he thought his family would finally be reunited, all the lost time together recovered and the old wounds healed. But that dream couldn’t be farthest away from the reality Zagreus faced. The last words of the titan after Melinoë had cut him back into pieces were a curse for sure, but they couldn't have anticipated how fast it acted. Just a few seconds after he was freed form the crystallized time prison, just before he could even talk with his sister, a huge gush of wind echoed through the halls. It carried a golden sand, the remains of the titan. It swallowed them both in a vortex of cuts and abrasions. They soon dispersed quite literally sanded alive. It wasn't the first time Zagreus had died, but this time it was different. In stead of reforming in the blood pool at his father house, he felt how slowly his consciousness started to stretch infinitely. How he lost the very essence of his whole existence. And finally he felt nothing, just and infinite ocean of darkness, never ending. The young god closed his eyes, not feeling warmth or coldness, he embrace what was not possible for him, who had died at birth, who lived his whole time in the realm of death, a definitive end, a true death.
Thousands of year past. For him just a moment after. He awoke in the fuming lands of Tartarus. A familiar figure next to him.
-Melinoë? Is that truly you?
-Brother? What happened to us?- She responded
-I don’t know, after the battle all went dark, I don’t even know how long has been, but we need find out. Are you good to go?.
-I defeat the king of the titans, a little stroll through hell wont bother me.
Zagreus laughed at his little sisters comment -Then we better get going.
The realm had changed significantly since they last saw it. The corridors and green lighted columns where nowhere to be seen. Only long field of barren red terrain expanded till the visible horizon. They make their way slashing through waves of enemies with their lance, dagger and scythe. The monsters seamed agitated. Something had happened recently that had them angry and even more violent if that was possible. After two days they saw it, the House of Hades. The place where Zagreus grew up, and the place Melinoë had fought so hard to free. But what they saw was far from either the red velvet and crowded rooms or the gold coded ego display they could think about. It was but a grey and dead pile of ruins. It was clear that their father had abandoned the palace after all of what had happened.
-So what do we do know? We cant possibly know where they reside now- Melinoë complained.
-Well we can always do a quick run up and to the gates of death. I have enough experience at it and it can be a great sibling bonding experience.- He gave her a joking slime
-Zag are you sure about this? For what I know you cant stay long on the world of the living
-That is true, but at the same time I feel like something is different. The way we came back is different from the usual, and the flames under my feet feel somewhat calmer. We need to al least give it a try
-And if it goes wrong?
-Well, we´ll just have to try again. At least it should make our return apparent to Olympus.
-Fine, lead the way.