Percy Jackson and the Return of an Ancient Enemy

Journey through the Underworld

Percy's POV

My soul escaped from my body, making its way to the land of the dead. Let me just tell you that being dead isn't pleasant at all. Every part of your body hurts before you die and all you can think of is a stupid prophecy! Well me anyway.

I entered the Underworld with Charon and even before I met Cerberus, I ran into Thanatos, the god of death.

"Glad I found you, you're not supposed to be here!" He shouted.

"But I was dead," I said.

"No, you're not. This is all part of the prophecy, you need to get back up there but first you need to find my key. Once you find it, swallow it and you will get back up. Your friends need you, camp needs you, the gods need you, the whole world needs you." He said pointing to my chest.

"Where is it?" I asked.

"Dang boy if I knew, I would just take it and give it to you," he replied.

"But search for old Phinehas," he said.

"The blind, crazy, idiotic, prophesier?" I asked confused, "Isn't he in the up world?"

"No, he blurted out another prophecy and the gods punished him by sending him to the Fields of Punishment. Search for him there." He replied pointing to a field with people screaming and crying.

I mouthed a 'thanks' and drifted off to find the key. I searched through the Fields. Different images of torture imprinted themselves into my mind. I know I would never get a good night's sleep ever again.

I saw Tantalus knee deep in water and arm reach of fruits but can never eat or drink them. I saw Sisyphus rolling up the enormous boulder up the hill.

I searched and searched and searched until I found a blind old man destined to find his way out of a maze if nails. Once he stepped on a nail he needs to come back from the beginning. Once he solved the mazd he is free but the maze changes every time he steps on a nail.

I laughed hysterically in front of him and he looked around. "Who's laughing? If I can see you, I'll rip off the lungs out of your chest!" He threatened.

"Dude you can't even see a nail in front of you, how can you see me?" I asked.

"I recognize this voice. Yes, the gorgon blood drinker!" He yelled and moved a step trying to hit me but instead, he stepped in a nail making him move backwards.

"Aargh! What d'you want kid?" He asked/screamed.

"Answers," I replied.

"What answers?" He asked.

"Where is Tanathos's key?" I asked, "You may be in the Fields of Punishment but I know you know where it is."

"What's it to you?" He asked.

Rage pulled on my veins. This guy won't just help when my friends are dying in the real world. I trudged up to him and held his shirt up.

"Listen here old beggar! This may not be anything to you, but my friends are in danger up there, so you're gonna help me or I swear Hades is gonna get you!" I screamed.

He trembled at the name of Hades and said, "Okay, okay. I'll help under one condition."

"Speak!" I commanded.

"You must not increase my punishment here," he said.

"Fine," I replied.

"The key was stolen by a woman. She has long black hair, a velvet dress on, and is in the palace of Hades," he said.

"Thanks and good luck. By the way, step right the nail is on the left," I said.

He stepped right and got pierced by a nail.

"Aaargh! You said it was on the left side!" He yelled and threw in a few cuss words.

"Yeah, my left not yours!" I said, laughing hysterically.

I drifted off to find the palace. I found it and let me just say, it was an improvement from the last time I've been here which says a lot.

I stepped in to find Orthrus a two headed dog and the brother of Cerberus. He leaped at me and I instinctively uncapped Riptide. Being the spirit that I am, I dropped Riptide straight through my flesh.

The dog leaped and scratched my face. Blue blood came out. The dog crouched to leap again before a high pitched voice called, "Heel!"

The dog sat and obeyed his master. A woman with flowing black hair that smelled like pomegranates came out. Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.

"I see you've came here to retrieve Thanatos's key." She said. I nodded.

"Well you have to get through me first. It's unfair that a soul can escape the Underworld while others can't!" She exclaimed.

"You must understand, it's for the good of the world!" I said.

"Nevertheless, justice is still justice," she said. She snapped her fingers and I became flesh again. I grabbed my sword and she grabbed hers.

She charged at me and slashed at my neck. I deflected it and tried stabbing. She dodged and spun around, almost decapitating me. I used Nico's method and did a backflip somersault kicking the sword big in the air.

As I landed I grabbed the sword mid air and stuck one at her throat, another behind her neck.

"We done here?" I asked.

I saw a golden key the size of a peanut dangling from the woman's belt and I took it. I gave her back her sword and capped mine. I put the sword in my mouth and swallowed it, almost choking but it slid down my throat.

It tasted like rotten eggs mixed with raw meat, not that I've tasted both of them.

I felt myself materialized into ash before floating up to the upper world. I felt myself back in my own body, but this time nothing hurt.

I opened my eyes and sat up, looking at my six best friends fighting Ouranos.